| News & Views | 02.28.12 Featured... Greenpeace: Fukushima Disaster Caused by Japan's Nuclear Authorities, Not Tsunami http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/02/28-5 Headlines... Report: US Has 'Secret Indictment' Against Wikileaks' Assange http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/02/28-0 Israeli Officials: Israel Won't Warn U.S. Before Attacking Iran http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/02/28-2 Millions Join Strikes Across India Demanding Reforms http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/02/28 Antarctic Ocean Alliance Calls for World's Largest Marine Reserve http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/02/28-4 Wall Street Fights Back Against Bid to Curb Oil Speculation http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/02/28-3 and more... **************************************************** Video... Opposition to Invasive Anti-Abortion Bills Grows as Word of Tactics Grow http://www.commondreams.org/video/2012/02/28 How Much is That Politician in the Window? http://www.commondreams.org/video/2012/02/28-0 **************************************************** Views... Robert Reich: As Santorum and Romney Battle for the Loony Right, the Rest of Us Should Not Gloat http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/02/28-3 Tom Engelhardt and Nick Turse: Blown Away: How the US Fanned the Flames in Afghanistan http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/02/28-1 Jeff Biggers: New Mountaintop Removal Campaign Kicks Off in Washington, DC http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/02/28-8 Adwoa Masozi: Stealing From The Mouth of Public Education to Feed the Prison Industrial Complex http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/02/28-4 Pratap Chatterjee: WikiLeaks' Stratfor Dump Lifts Lid on Intelligence-Industrial Complex http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/02/28-10 Medea Benjamin: AIPAC Undermines Democracy at Home and in the Middle East http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/02/28-9 **************************************************** Newswire... Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood Launches "Save the Lorax!" Campaign http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/02/28-0 Center for Biological Diversity: Bill Would Steal 260 Billion Gallons of Water Annually From California Salmon for Wealthy Water Brokers http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/02/28-2 Greenpeace: Lessons from Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Report Shows Millions Remain at Risk http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/02/28 and more... | |
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Feb 29, 2012
"I'll let you be in my dream if I can be in yours...I said that!" ~Bob Dylan
Feb 28, 2012
Thank You For Standing Against S. 2061
If you haven't done so yet, please invite your friends, family, and neighbors to sign the petition through facebook, twitter, and or/email. The more people who sign it, the more likely we'll have an impact.
Below is an email you're welcome to use as a template to send to your friends to ask them to sign.
-----
Dear Friend,
They're trying to turn Massachusetts into the next Arizona or Alabama. They're trying to pass a bill, S. 2061, that attacks immigrants' basic rights to rent a home, get an education, and go to a police officer if they're victims or witnesses to a crime.
They're even trying make it so that people can anonymously report to the attorney general anyone they "suspect" of being an undocumented immigrant. Sounds like there's potential for racism, there.
We need to stop this. Please sign this petition:
DREAM ALONG WITH US
| News & Views | 02.27.12 Featured... WikiLeaks Publishes 5 Million 'Shadow CIA' E-Mails http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/02/26-2 Headlines... White House Vows to 'Expedite' New Pipeline Proposal http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/02/27-1 There Will Be Fire: The 'Carbon Bomb' 'Waiting to Be Ignited' http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/02/27-2 Monsanto Wins Lawsuit While Food Justice Advocates 'Occupy' Food System http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/02/27-0 Seven Greenpeace Activists Arrested for Blocking Arctic-Bound Drilling Vessel http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/02/27 and more... **************************************************** Video... Drums of War: The US Media's 'Iranian Threat' http://www.commondreams.org/vdeo/2012/02/27 Why Are GOP Candidates Competing to be the Greatest Friend of Israel? http://www.commondreams.org/vdeo/2012/02/27-0 and more... **************************************************** Views... Vandana Shiva: Create Food Democracy, Occupy our Food Supply http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/02/27-11 Michelle Chen: While Schools Sink, NYC Teachers Get Slammed in Shame Game http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/02/27-10 Ellen Brown: Move Our Money: New State Bank Bills Address Credit and Housing Crises http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/02/27-0 Kim Knowlton: Insuring a Climate-Ready Future http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/02/27-6 Amanda Marcotte: Four Ways to Show How the "Religious Liberty" Claim Against Contraceptive Coverage Is Nonsense http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/02/27-7 Wenonah Hauter: Soaking the Customer: Private Companies Infiltrate the Water Market, We're Getting the Raw Deal http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/02/27-8 Bill Moyers: Contagion and the Conflict Between Religious Beliefs and Immunization http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/02/27-4 Chris Hedges: Nader to Occupy: Help Raise the Minimum Wage http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/02/27-9 **************************************************** Newswire... Friends of the Earth: TransCanada Employs Piecemeal Gimmick to Resurrect Keystone XL; Administration Caves to Ploy http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/02/27-6 ACLU & NYCLU Call for Federal Probe Into Use of White House Funds for NYPD's Religious Profiling http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/02/27-4 Center for Biological Diversity and Alaska Wilderness League: 'Polar Bears' At Shell Gas Stations: Activists Target Arctic Drilling on International Polar Bear Day http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/02/27-5 and more... | |
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DREAM ALONG WITH US
| News & Views | 02.27.12 Featured... WikiLeaks Publishes 5 Million 'Shadow CIA' E-Mails http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/02/26-2 Headlines... White House Vows to 'Expedite' New Pipeline Proposal http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/02/27-1 There Will Be Fire: The 'Carbon Bomb' 'Waiting to Be Ignited' http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/02/27-2 Monsanto Wins Lawsuit While Food Justice Advocates 'Occupy' Food System http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/02/27-0 Seven Greenpeace Activists Arrested for Blocking Arctic-Bound Drilling Vessel http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/02/27 and more... **************************************************** Video... Drums of War: The US Media's 'Iranian Threat' http://www.commondreams.org/vdeo/2012/02/27 Why Are GOP Candidates Competing to be the Greatest Friend of Israel? http://www.commondreams.org/vdeo/2012/02/27-0 and more... **************************************************** Views... Vandana Shiva: Create Food Democracy, Occupy our Food Supply http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/02/27-11 Michelle Chen: While Schools Sink, NYC Teachers Get Slammed in Shame Game http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/02/27-10 Ellen Brown: Move Our Money: New State Bank Bills Address Credit and Housing Crises http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/02/27-0 Kim Knowlton: Insuring a Climate-Ready Future http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/02/27-6 Amanda Marcotte: Four Ways to Show How the "Religious Liberty" Claim Against Contraceptive Coverage Is Nonsense http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/02/27-7 Wenonah Hauter: Soaking the Customer: Private Companies Infiltrate the Water Market, We're Getting the Raw Deal http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/02/27-8 Bill Moyers: Contagion and the Conflict Between Religious Beliefs and Immunization http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/02/27-4 Chris Hedges: Nader to Occupy: Help Raise the Minimum Wage http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/02/27-9 **************************************************** Newswire... Friends of the Earth: TransCanada Employs Piecemeal Gimmick to Resurrect Keystone XL; Administration Caves to Ploy http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/02/27-6 ACLU & NYCLU Call for Federal Probe Into Use of White House Funds for NYPD's Religious Profiling http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/02/27-4 Center for Biological Diversity and Alaska Wilderness League: 'Polar Bears' At Shell Gas Stations: Activists Target Arctic Drilling on International Polar Bear Day http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/02/27-5 and more... | |
Breaking News & Views for the Progressive Community. You are subscribed to the Common Dreams Daily Newsletter as tqnews@hotmail.com. Click here to unsubscribe. | |
Feb 27, 2012
Tell Beacon Hill: Massachusetts Is Not Arizona
Dear Terry,
Massachusetts lawmakers are attacking immigrant and Latino communities, again.
Lead sponsor Democrat Senator Richard Moore, along with over 50 other Democrat and Republican co-sponsors of S. 2061, are trying to take away the basic rights of our immigrant neighbors to housing, education, work, and travel. They're setting up a system for people to anonymously report anyone they "suspect" is undocumented to the Attorney General, an idea that has racial profiling written all over it. And they're trying to force local police to check the immigration status of everyone they arrest through harmful federal programs like S-COMM.1
Bill S. 2061, or "an Act to Enhance Community Safety", won't make Massachusetts communities safe, it will tear them apart. The Joint Committee on the Judiciary is holding a hearing S.2061, tomorrow, and we need to tell lawmakers to oppose the bill today.
Please sign a petition to the Judiciary Committee telling them to vote no on S. 2061 and to not support racial profiling:
http://act.presente.org/sign/stops2061/
Signing this petition will send an email directly to the inboxes of the members of the Judiciary Committee. We will follow up with the offices of key lawmakers, and we'll present the total number of petition signatures at the hearing, tomorrow. Whatever action the Judiciary Committee chooses to take after the hearing, we'll make sure to hold the public officials that represent us accountable.
Please sign this petition to the Judiciary Committee urging them to vote no on S. 2061:
http://act.presente.org/sign/stops2061/
Tell the Judiciary Committee that you don't want to live in a Massachusetts where hardworking immigrants that infuse our communities with money are put out of work. Tell them you don't want to live in a Massachusetts where people can't drive a car, rent an apartment, or get an education in the only home they know just because they were born in a different country. Tell them you don't want to live in a Massachusetts where your immigrant neighbor doesn't report a crime to the local police for fear of getting deported.
If we don't stand up against this, no one will. Please sign the petition against S. 2061:
http://act.presente.org/sign/stops2061/
Thanks and ¡adelante!
Kyle, Favianna, Roberto, Laurie, Carlos and the rest of the Presente.org Team
Resources:
1. "Bill S. 2061: A Bill To Enhance Community Safety." The 187th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/187/Senate/S02061
2. "Immigrant Community Rejects Alabama-Style Bill in Massachusetts." Centro Presente. 02/22/2012.
http://www.cpresente.org/news-publications/press-releases/press-advisory-immigrant-community-rejects-alabama-style-bill-in-ma
3. "We Say No To Anti-Immigrant SB 2061." Massachusetts Jobs With Justice. 02/23/2012.
http://www.massjwj.net/news/we-say-no-anti-immigrant-sb-2061
You can unsubscribe from this mailing list at any time.

News & Views | Weekly Top Ten
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Feb 26, 2012
THE REPUBLICAN DISASTER
Sent to you by terry via Google Reader:
Ghastly Outdated Party
By MAUREEN DOWD
Published: February 25, 2012

Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times
Readers' Comments
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Feb 25, 2012
HAND JIVE?
Bit Rebels |
- 7 Common Hand Gestures That Could Spell Disaster [Infographic]
- 3 Devilishly Unholy Wine Bottle Designs
- 16-Bit Legend Of Zelda Link Computer Case Mod
- 18 Star Wars Products That Were Rejected
- iSteady Shot M27: iPhone Case That Gives You Wide Angled Photos
- Newspaper Blackout Poems: A Creative Way To Write Poetry
| 7 Common Hand Gestures That Could Spell Disaster [Infographic] Posted: 24 Feb 2012 12:00 PM PST There are a lot of different languages in the world, and they all have their very own way of expressing feelings. The very best one to express emotion is actually body language. It's the most recognized language in the world, and it can be understood even if you're on the other side of the planet. I am sure English and Chinese are the most spoken languages on earth, but body language is the language that most people understand. However, there are always some speed bumps that can complicate things between borders if you are not careful. Some gestures that you do with your body language can actually make things go horribly wrong since they might not mean exactly what you think they do in some parts of the world. To keep you from putting yourself in a bad spot, the people over at Pimsleur Approach have put together an infographic to show you some examples of gestures that could go horribly wrong just because they have a completely different meaning in some other regions than where you are from. I would strongly suggest that you take a look at this infographic, memorize it, and make sure you load up that memory should you ever find yourself in another country. Since body language is still the most recognized language in the world, I suggest you keep certain gestures within the group of people who know you and understand them. If you're ever on a world broadcasted show for example, well, don't make any sudden gestures because there is a big chance you will make a total fool out of yourself. I think I might even go as far as to include a caution in this article, just like I did in my Geek Gang Signs article. Chances are that there are gangs out there using the same signs for completely other meanings than what you would actually think they mean. This could potentially put you in a lethal position, which is not suggested. On the other hand, a smile is always a smile, and that is the best international body gesture you can ever express. So smile all you can!
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| 3 Devilishly Unholy Wine Bottle Designs Posted: 24 Feb 2012 11:00 AM PST To this day, there is no question that the original Exorcist movie is the scariest movie I've ever seen. Of course Clockwork Orange, Hannibal Lecter, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and that freaky clown Pennywise from IT are all scary in their own way, but it's the possessed Satanic aspect of The Exorcist that puts it at the top of my list. When I saw this collection of wines by designer Daniel Brokstad called Possession, I instantly started seeing Linda Blair vomit green puke in my mind. According to Daniel's website, "All the wines come in a solid coffin shaped glossy casing, which adds to the exclusiveness of the wine series. Each is based on different occult themes such as Satanism, the paranormal and witchcraft." The actual type design on each bottle is my favorite part. It's freaky, fun and a little bit scary. The wines in this collection include "Evil Demon – Bloody Shiraz," "Haunting Ghost – Spoory Cabernet" and "Old Witch – Cursed Pinot Noir." As I'm sure you know, these wine bottles don't actually exist. They are simply concept designs. I know some people who curse the hangover they get from drinking red wine. Perhaps Daniel was poking fun at that a bit when he created these. Ewww… Now I feel like I should do ten Hail Marys just for writing about this.
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| 16-Bit Legend Of Zelda Link Computer Case Mod Posted: 24 Feb 2012 10:00 AM PST We've shown you a lot of computer case mods over the years, but this one is special. It's one I would truly love to have. It's a 16-bit PC case inspired by The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. This isn't the first time we've seen a creative Link inspired build. I remember a few months ago when I wrote about that huge life-size papercraft Link. It was the kind of thing you just couldn't stop staring at. What's even better about this mod is that the creator, Richard Clinton (8-Bit Builder), documented the whole process in a worklog and in the time-lapse video below, so you could conceivably make one of these for yourself. I have a feeling that it is a little harder than it looks though. I mean, after all, the PC remains as a fully functional desktop computer. This video is very well done, and it even sports a rockin Zelda medley. Richard is available to make you a custom case of your own if you aren't brave enough to try this yourself. You can contact him via YouTube or on Facebook. He says these usually take about a month to build, and you can tell by looking at the quality that it's totally a labor of love. Oh, and nice Pac-Man pajamas.
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| 18 Star Wars Products That Were Rejected Posted: 24 Feb 2012 09:00 AM PST Everything you see in commercials when it comes to Star Wars has gone through a wide range of consideration processes over at the George Lucas ranch. Even though something looks, feels and is totally mind blowing, it doesn't mean that it fits in with the trajectory that George Lucas had or has in mind for the Star Wars franchise. Everything is carefully planned, and if there is the slightest doubt that it won't add to the brand, well then it's tossed out the window and something else is pulled up. As you might have guessed, there are a lot of products that had everything to do with Star Wars, but they never had the chance to see the light of day. Why? Only the minds over at the Lucas camp know the answer to that question. Today I stumbled over some really awesome Star Wars products that were actually brought into the real world by the company itself, but only on paper. These products, no matter how awesome they might look now, were never approved, so they were destined for the shelves or the trash bins over at the conceptual office of Lucasfilm. Some of these are actually quite awesome, if I may say so myself. Take the Jabba The Hut Beanbag Chair for example. How awesome and spot on is that thing! I don't know if any of these will ever come into a store near you, or if they are destined to be rejects for the rest of their natural conceptual life. But one thing is for sure, and that is that these ideas are definitely off the hook and deserve at least a few minutes in the spotlight. I think every Star Wars fan will agree with me when I say that George Lucas should definitely go over these conceptual drawings one more time and maybe pick a few to actually become real products. The Star Wars community is thriving and needs more awesomeness from the headquarters of a galaxy far, far away.
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| iSteady Shot M27: iPhone Case That Gives You Wide Angled Photos Posted: 24 Feb 2012 08:00 AM PST The iPhone has rapidly become the most popular camera device on the Internet, and each day there are millions and millions of photographs uploaded. The quality of the pictures the iPhone camera takes is however not even close to the quality of a professional camera, and that gives it a little bit of a bad reputation among photographers. But as with everything, the iPhone camera is going to get better and better, and in time, it will definitely be able to rival the professional gear that is out there today. The pixel ratio is still too low to compare, but the pictures are sharp and there are a lot of apps that can enhance the look and feel of the photographs quite easily. There are accessories out there that will totally make the experience with the iPhone camera a whole lot more professional. The photos themselves might not compare, but the wide range of gadgets and tools will certainly help bring another perspective to your photos. Just take the newly announced M27 iPhone Case for example. It's one of those really geeky ways you can add some professional quality to your photos with actual technology. If you ever wanted to take a wide angled photo with the iPhone, you have to stitch the photos together. That is not only time consuming and boring but also sometimes impossible, if you're on a rocking boat for example. This new case will ensure perfect wide angle photos, and it also sports a stabilizer in the form of sturdy handgrips on each side. The case is priced at $99 and is available right now over at the manufacturer iSteady's website. There is always room for more gadgets when it comes to the iPhone. The accessories are quickly making it the perfect second camera if you want to mix it up a little in your photography sessions.
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| Newspaper Blackout Poems: A Creative Way To Write Poetry Posted: 24 Feb 2012 07:00 AM PST Just yesterday when I stopped at the corner store to grab a soda, I saw the guy behind the counter reading a newspaper. I haven't seen anyone read a paper black and white old-fashioned newspaper in at least six months, or maybe longer. I stopped for a moment and just stared at him. I didn't even realize that people still buy newspapers since I hardly ever see those little stands on the sidewalk anymore. I don't like to get ink on my hands, I started reading all my news online over a decade ago. However, when I saw this Newspaper Blackout Poetry, I suddenly had the urge to buy a newspaper. This is truly a fascinating creative process, and the end result is like a reverse word search. What you do is read your newspaper, but in a different way than before. You start to notice individual words that when pieced together with other words on the page, might create an insightful poem of some sort. As you'll see in the video below, with a black Sharpie, you put a rectangle around the words you would like to use in your poem. It's tricky because since you can't move the text on a newspaper, you have to be careful that the poem reads correctly yet still uses the words in the location on the page where they already are. Once you've blocked out your poem, you simply black out the rest of the page with your marker. Austin Kleon is the person who first created this process, and he's even published a best selling book with these types of poems. You can learn more about Austin and his book at Austin Kleon. There is also a tumblr dedicated to these poems. If you'd like to submit one or browse through the poetry, just click over to Newspaper Blackout.
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