| Postings | |
| [mjj, posted 3/11/06, 18:12] IraqRunupLand -- a research tool for exploring the runup to the Iraq War A unique research tool derived from the magnificent summary, Carving Up the New Iraq produced by Neal Mackay for the Sunday Herald, on 13 April 2003. The key figures he identified, and his descriptions of them, can help you re-research the runup to the Iraq war. It's pretty frightening to see what was being said in those days. Click on key names in the runup to the Iraq War to prepare deep searches of Google, Yahoo, or MSN, via prepared options. Searches open in a new window. | |
| [mjj, posted 3/11/06, 16:5] Abramoffland -- a research tool for exploring the Abramoff Scandal A unique research tool to help make sense of the complicated scandal centered around Jack Abramoff, and facilitate searching on interesting connections... helps the user prepare deep searches of Google, Yahoo, or MSN, via prepared options. Searches open in a new window. | |
| [mjj, posted 12/31/04, 18:56] Torts and Citizen Protection I was talking with my son recently; he made the mistake of saying "we have a problem with lawsuits in this country" while I was driving. When I drive, I'm in control of the vehicle, and that spills over into the conversation. "Careful what you say," I said, and then proceeded to move into rant mode, discoursing on the problem of judicial reform. A couple of decades ago, Reagan Republicans had a mantra of "deregulation." The principle was that regulation was sand in the gears of the machine of American commerce; that regulations were onorous, that "government regulations" were synonymous with "red tape" and were always preceded by the adjective "burdensome." "That's a matter for the private sector, not government, to handle," they said, as they noted that flight-attendant lawsuits were driving airlines to restrict smoking on flights; that consumer lawsuits were driving kid's pajama manufacturers to preclude flammable fabrics; that patient lawsuits were driving hospitals to safer practices. They got enough people to buy into that "burdensome government regulations" theme that they could justify eviscerating them -- thereby removing a key citizen protections. The government can be, through its regulatory and legal system, the best (if not the only) protection a citizen has from the predatory practices of the powerful. Without regulation, the "societal commons" -- air quality, water quality, soil quality, airwave use, product safety, health care, etc. -- is driven by the profit motive, rather than a motive of public good. The profit motive can lead to abuse. Without regulation, large fees can be charged those poor folks without bank accounts, just for cashing a paycheck. Enron-scale manipulations can go unrecognized, costing citizens dramatically. Pollution can go unchecked, since no one's minding the store. Long-term quality of life can be sacrificed in the interests of short-term profit. And now, after they've hamstrung governmental regulations (via the justification that lawsuits will prevent the most egregious faults, and that we don't want "faceless bureaucrats" making policy and regulations), they now want to eviscerate the last protection a citizen has: the ability to sue a company, a corporation, or a powerful entity in a way that hurts economically. Without expensive penalties for misbehavior, what motivation do multi-billion-dollar corporations have to protect individuals, much less environments, or the future? Without expensive penalties for stupidity, what motivation does, for example, McDonald's (also here) have to change its behavior, since there's plenty of economic reasons to produce coffee at 185 degrees (instead of the industry norm of 135-145)? Without expensive remedies for stupidity, what motivation does a coal company have to do real bioremediation? Only government regulation? If that's gone, then what? The dittohead line that "lawsuits are out of control" may be a simplistic, dangerously reflexive response, based on bad information. In reality, judges and juries generally respond with sanity, and within reasonable limits. However, if "tort reform" is pushed forward, we may lose the best defense a citizen has -- the ability to sue, if a large and powerful entity rides roughshod in the the pursuit of profit. After that long rant, my son was clear. "Papa, this is probably the fourth time in as many years that you've made that point. I meant that *people* are too quick to look to *legal* remedies when other remedies may be available..." Ah. That's true too. :-/ | |
| [mjj, posted 12/21/04, 6:0] On Receiving Harvard Medical School Global Environment Citizen Award Bill is truly a world citizen and humanitarian. | |
| [mjj, posted 12/21/04, 5:59] The Godly Must Be Crazy: Christian-right views are swaying politicians and threatening the environment scary, and fits with what I observed 8 years ago, on the 700 Club... | |
| [mjj, posted 11/17/04, 9:30] IBM Launches Global Computing Grid To Support Research Nov. 16, 2004 This is the sort of thing we should see more of--smart innovations. As part of a broader effort to spur collaborative research in key industries, IBM on Tuesday launched a project through which home PC users can "donate" computer power to help researchers solve problems ranging from the spread of AIDS to earthquake forecasting. As envisioned, researchers using the World Community Grid, as IBM is calling the project, would be able to tap into PCs worldwide through software that can link millions of individual computers to form a giant, virtual supercomputer. At the other end of the network, philanthropically minded home PC users can attach their machines to the grid through a secure sign-in process at World Community Grid. IBM is launching the project in partnership with United Devices Inc. IBM CEO Sam Palmisano unveiled the initiative at a customer event in New York City. Going forward, most business and scientific innovation will occur in collaborative environments supported by technology such as the World Community Grid, Palmisano said. Innovation, he added, "is no longer the domain of the individual inventor." | |
| [mjj, posted 11/17/04, 9:22] New CIA Chief Tells Workers to Back Administration Policies This is not what the CIA is supposed to do--it is supposed to provide impartial investigation. Porter J. Goss, the new intelligence chief, has told Central Intelligence Agency employees that their job is to "support the administration and its policies in our work," a copy of an internal memorandum shows. "As agency employees we do not identify with, support or champion opposition to the administration or its policies," Mr. Goss said in the memorandum, which was circulated late on Monday. He said in the document that he was seeking "to clarify beyond doubt the rules of the road." While his words could be construed as urging analysts to conform with administration policies, Mr. Goss also wrote, "We provide the intelligence as we see it -- and let the facts alone speak to the policymaker." | |
| [mjj, posted 11/16/04, 8:50] Principles of Democracy This is what we tell the world. Quotable quotes galore, straight from the government's own mouth. These need to be injected into mainstream discourse. Majority rule is a means for organizing government and deciding public issues; it is not another road to oppression. Just as no self-appointed group has the right to oppress others, so no majority, even in a democracy, should take away the basic rights and freedoms of a minority group or individual. | |
| [mjj, posted 11/15/04, 18:51] Sorry, Everybody (the visual) I find myself wanting to cry, wandering through the "www.sorryeverybody.com" site. Sorry, World, from the 49%, is the theme. Hundreds, thousands of images, uploaded by people worldwide, but mostly from the US. I put mine in; it is at gallery page 467. Fabulous, diverse, kind, human, people I'd like to meet. International folks who accept our apologies. Handwritten text, on a spiral pad, held by someone we can half-see: "Sorry World (we tried) -- half of America" A woman in front of a map, holding a landscape sheet of paper: SORRY. I wish we were nicer. (so much!) A few of my favorites:          I could go on, but that wouldn't be fair to them. They are apparently breaking even, with volunteer work. Though I would work on the interface, I find the whole enterprise so heart-lifting. There are people who are appalled, worldwide--and they are compatriots. There are compatriots for sanity, out there in the world. We must build connection engines, to bring these people together. We must raise a hue and cry, worldwide, for humane, sane, moderate, compassionate, and kind choices, politically and culturally and environmentally. What a wonder, this site is, just because it exists. Our extremes are a subculture, perhaps (and perhaps must be, to be an extreme); but our tribe is the one that keeps the spirit alive. Our tribe is the one that is infused with intentional kindness and brotherhood. Our tribe wants to share, and help. We find war, and cruelty, and poverty, and injustice abhorrent, disgusting, and all the more a crime, if intended. | |
| [mjj, posted 11/15/04, 11:56] So Sorry, Everybody Thousands of americans posting pictures apologizing. Check out the Gallery--it's moving, will break your heart, and cheer your spirit. | |
| [mjj, posted 11/14/04, 17:0] The Road Forward A wise woman responds with kindness and compassion. On election night, I felt an intensity of grief, rage and anguish that rivaled any of the worst nights of my life. Not so much that Kerry lost, but that millions of people could vote for Bush, apparently because they define ‘morality’ as preventing two people who love each other from making a legally-recognized commitment, while turning a blind eye to a regime that has invaded another country for totally invalidated reasons, lied to the American people, legitimized sexual torture, and all the rest of it. It’s enough to challenge one’s faith not just in Americans, but in the essential goodness of human beings. Can we apply to join another species? The wolves, perhaps? I want to acknowledge my own grief, rage and despair. People often look to me for words of hope—and I have some—but they come only when I let myself feel just as rotten and awful as I’m sure you do. Van Jones, organizer of Books Not Bars here in the Bay Area, says we need to learn to grieve as a movement, and also to celebrate—and the two are linked. This is a moment to grieve, which means also to yell and scream and be mad as hell, to question whether life makes any sense at all, and then maybe to crawl under the covers and rest, for a bit. Yesterday, I really didn’t want to get out of bed, but I went to the demonstration anyway. I would have liked to curl up in fetal position and sleep for possibly the next four years, but I roused myself to go down to the plaza and join those hard core souls who had planned to rally and march for health care regardless of who won. I did it because I felt it is exactly what we need to do, the counterintuitive thing—advance instead of retreat, carry on, see our friends, support each other, share our grief, rage and shock. It felt good, to march down Market Street, to stop at the hotels where workers are striking and support them, to make some small, renewed effort at continuing to build the alliances we need. All day I kept thinking about the vision I had at our Spiral Dance ritual, the certainty that we are on the good road. I remember John Kerry said, “You can be certain and still be wrong.” But I also remembered the voice I heard in the vision saying over and over that the good road does not look very different, at its beginning, from any other road. We all know that the changes we need to make are deep and systemic, that no politician’s victory will make them for us. Had Kerry won, I believe we would be on an easier road. Now the way ahead will be hard and stony, but it may be clearer and there may be unexpected twists and turns ahead. And it may yet turn out to be steeper but shorter than the easier path. Many good things happened in the last few weeks. We mobilized many, many people to become active and engaged. Many progressives set aside their own deep disappointment with many of Kerry’s positions to work hard to assure access to voting for all, and to prevent the worst abuses of the electoral process. We strengthened many of the coalitions we will need to transform power in this country and the world. Although the media and the Republicans will try to spin this as a mandate for the worst of Bush’s policies, we have built a broader, deeper, more committed opposition than we have seen in this country in a long, long time. Now we must nurture those alliances and turn opposition into a clearer, positive alternative vision—and a longterm strategy for getting there. We need time to reflect on these last days. It is easy to rush into analysis and blame and learn the wrong things. So I want to be cautious in offering thoughts prematurely on what we should do now. However, one lesson I take away from this last month is this: As progressives, as radicals, those of us who are far left of the left, anarchists even, cannot afford to ignore or disdain the electoral process. Not because we see it as fair or just or empowering—which it is not—nor even a potential arena for power, but because it is a powerful arena for mobilizing people and building the alliances we need to transform power. There are some things we can do immediately. We can contact our senators and representatives and demand a full and thorough investigation into all the voting irregularities, especially the voting machines that gave results so mysteriously at odds with the exit polls. Whether or not the number of missed votes would have elected Kerry this time, we need to push for clean and fair elections for the times ahead. We can support each other. As I’ve been traveling around the country, I see many progressive groups faltering or splintering not over deep political divisions but out of frustration with interpersonal conflicts. Maybe it’s time to take a deep breath, think of one irritating ally you have trouble getting along with, and resolve to allow them just a little more leeway for being imperfect and human. We will never have the luxury of building a movement solely of likeable, congenial friends. We need to develop more skills for resolving conflicts among us, and a realization that even annoying people can still have common goals and take common action together. Now, more than ever, we need to, strengthen our solidarity, give each other comfort and succor, know that we are all in this together, and together we can make it through. We can start thinking about how to build our base, proactively. The right wing came to power by starting small and local, taking over school boards, organizing door to door and house to house. We can create living examples of alternatives in our communities, making our positive visions real. We can turn our frustration, rage and disappointment into creative action. Last night, we had a beautiful march, of maybe five thousand people, all the way through San Francisco from downtown out to the neighborhood where I live, exuberant, defiant, saying, “We’re still here!” We came back home, shared food and conversation and frustration and sorrow with good friends and neighbors, experiencing the healing balm of community. And I remembered, marching, that we are on the good road when we choose to be, with each step. When we choose compassion, choose freedom, choose hope, choose to resist injustice, choose to serve life. We do have a hard road ahead, and making those choices will not be easy. It will require an effort of will, like it did to get out of bed and go downtown to march. It will require sustained, stubborn effort when times get tough. Making systemic change is like home renovation—it always takes at least twice as long and costs twice as much as you expect. But we can still step out onto that good road, if we refuse to give up, refuse to go back, refuse to hide, refuse to flee. And instead, with courage, with hearts open and open eyes, let us take hands and go forward together. www.starhawk.org | |
| [mjj, posted 11/14/04, 16:53] Sheep, and Goats, and Wolves, and the Least of These There are profound truths in the Bible, as any religious scholar--from the Unitarian to the Muslim to the Jew to the Buddhist--will tell you. I am not a believer in the absolute literality of the Bible -- bluntly, anything that's been translated four times (Hebrew to Latin to German to English) minimum can't be taken literally. But those profound truths (in the tales, in the lessons, in the teachings) are worth exploring, especially when it pertains to a fundamental paradox in the Conservative orthodoxy. If we are to truly be a Christian -- that is, Christ-ian, Christ-like -- nation, then must study the prince of peace's teachings. And in so doing, many of the recent actions of our nation are, to our shame, called into question. It is not enough to ask "what would Jesus do" only when meeting a homeless person. "What would Jesus do" if he were the head of Health and Human Services? In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus' famous "least of these" passage is put in terms even four translations couldn't blunt. [Jesus] ... will say to [the sheep] at his right hand, "Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me."Um... how much clearer do you need to be? Well, maybe a little clearer . Jesus goes on to say to the goats on his left hand: "You who are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me..."Ok, so if Jesus was head of Health and Human Services, he'd be pressuring the President a bit more, I'd say, to
Notes As a lifelong Unitarian (though my mother once instructed my small self to, if someone asked, say "Methodist" because it would take less explaining), I've learned about a multitude of beliefs, but learned in depth only those which I cared to explore. I find Starhawk's heartfelt plea for compassion and honesty tremendously compelling. I also find Jesus's teachings deeply wise. Matthew 25's "least of these" teachings was always one of my favorites. I remembered it, held it to my heart, and thought of it often. Now, in this context, I went out hunting for background on Matthew 25. In the process, I ran across:
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| [mjj, posted 11/14/04, 12:32] The Least of These: The key "social justice" and key "WWJD" passage in the Bible. Matthew 25.31-46 31 ‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33 and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. 34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” 37 Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” 40 And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” 41 Then he will say to those at his left hand, “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.” 44 Then they also will answer, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?” 45 Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’ From http://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Matthew+25.31-46&vnum=yes&version=nrsvae | |
| [ses, posted 11/11/04, 18:38] Measuring What's Important SOME governments are trying to change the way national value is assessed. Maybe it's not all about economic growth. Let's talk about these 'moral values' instead. A dialogue and research project aimed at developing indicators and programs for true value, sustainable development and well being for nations and organizations. | |
| [mjj, posted 11/10/04, 14:49] Are We Doing The Will of God? This has to be the question asked by any religiously righteous person living in a Red state. This has to be the question used as the main lens through which the Nascar moms and the hoedown boys and the Evangelist rockabilly fans view the world. How do we manifest the Will of God? There are many gods, of course, large and small. There are things unknown, mysteries of life into which "more research is needed" forever. But for many, God is a Will, a Purpose, a Reason for the constant mystery of their own life. How do we ask the right questions, questio | |