The terrorist you've never heard of

Demetrius "Van" Crocker and Josa Padilla-- Tow men accused of suspected terrorist attempts, one accused and one tortured to the point of insanity. Yet, in terms of news coverage, most of America probably couldn't tell you anything about them. Hell, I wouldn't know about them if it wasn't for www.digg.com.

This article is an eye opener in many ways, and it begs the question, is our local television broadcast news worth the effort? No, then can we please change it?

read more digg story

Bush Illegally Silences Critic of Iran Policy

Flynt Leverett -- former CIA analyst, NSC member and established foreign policy expert -- has written an op-ed for the NYT bashing the Bush admin. for it's failed policies towards Iran...


Again...Americans...do not speak up against our administration...it is unpatriotic....please try to keep that in mind ok?

read more | digg story

new Jersey Legislature makes Civil Unions Legal in that State

In an effort to spark discussion, as I'm sure it will, I am posting the following which I received from the Ohio Democratic Party:
"Under pressure from New Jersey's highest court to offer marriage or its equivalent to gay couples, the Legislature voted Thursday to make New Jersey the
third state to allow civil unions. Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine said he would sign the measure, which would extend to same-sex couples all the rights and
privileges available under state law to married people. The bill passed the Assembly 56-19 and the Senate 23-12.

Massachusetts is the only state to allow gay marriage. Vermont and Connecticut have civil unions, and California has domestic partnerships that work similarly.

Among the benefits gay couples would get under New Jersey's civil unions bill are adoption rights, hospital visitation rights and inheritance rights.

Gay rights advocates welcomed the bill as a step forward but said they would continue to push for the right to marry.

The bill was drafted in response to a landmark New Jersey Supreme Court ruling in October that required the state to extend the rights and benefits of marriage
to gay couples within 180 days. The court, in its 4-3 ruling, left it up to the Legislature to decide whether to call such unions ''marriages'' or something
else.

Gay rights groups have argued that not calling the arrangement ''marriage'' creates a different, and inferior, institution. Some conservatives argued against
civil unions altogether, and Republican Sen. Robert Singer said Thursday he wanted to add a provision to the bill defining marriage as a union between
a man and a woman.

Citing recent state polls showing strong support for marriage equality, Steven Goldstein, director of the gay rights advocacy organization Garden State
Equality, said he expects gay couples to be able to get married in New Jersey within two years. (AP)"

10,000 US scientists protest against political interference in science

Researchers across the political spectrum, including 52 Nobel laureates, have signed a statement objecting to the Bush administration's censorship and misrepresentation of scientific data.

This article is a very important read for people. Partisan politics is bullshit. We need to work together scientists, ministers, teachers, politicians, students, and anyone else to make our country and citizen responsive to the need of all people. We need to wake up and realize that some people lie and distort findings in order to keep power or push their own personal agenda. Untill the masses wake up and work together, nothing will change.

read more | digg story

Interesting News Clippings-related to the Iraq War and George bush

The following was taken from the ODP Daily Talking Points from December 11, 2006.

Bush’s Failed Iraq Policies And The Iraq Study Group



According to the final report from the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, President Bush’s current strategy in Iraq is “not working” and the situation in the country is “grave and deteriorating.” At the same time, the latest AP-Ipsos poll found that that only 27 percent of Americans approve of President Bush’s handling of Iraq, “down from his previous low of 31 percent in November.” [AP, 12/8/06] It is clear that the American people want a new direction in Iraq, yet President Bush has already “moved quickly to distance himself … from the central recommendations” of the study group. [New York Times, 12/8/06] Editorial boards across the country highlighted the importance of the commission’s report to addressing President Bush’s failed policy in Iraq.



Los Angeles Times: Bush’s Performance “Depressing.” “If the Iraq Study Group is worried that its recommendations will not be taken seriously, then Thursday's news conference with President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair is cause for concern. … Semantics aside, Bush's performance Thursday was depressing. He turned truculent when pressed to describe the situation on the ground (“It's bad in Iraq. Does that help?”) and was irritatingly simplistic explaining his rationale for staying there (“I wouldn’t have our troops in harm's way if I didn't believe that, one, it was important, and, two, we'll succeed”). His opening remarks included the usual airy rhetoric about creating a beacon of democracy in the Middle East and ominous yet vague references to ‘the forces of terror and extremism.’ For minutes at a time, the conference sounded like it could have been taking place in 2003. … Bush is right: The U.S. needs to confront terrorists, and democracy is a worthy goal. But declaring a goal is separate from achieving it. No one will argue that these goals aren't important (that word again). Yet they will remain unattainable until a host of other issues, many of them outlined by the Iraq Study Group, are addressed. Maybe Bush realizes this but can't bring himself to say so publicly. Or maybe he just doesn't believe it. After Thursday's news conference, it's still hard to tell.” [Los Angeles Times, Editorial, 12/8/06]



Los Angeles Times: Bush Administration Must Not Abandon Commission’s Suggestion Of Diplomacy. “If there was an important message lost in the rollout of the Iraq Study Group’s report on Wednesday, it was this: New diplomatic initiatives, even at this 11th hour, are essential not just for ending the Iraq war but also to put the United States in the optimum position after it is over. … Should Iraq's shaky government fail, the United States' ability to control the country's violent disintegration militarily will be minimal. The Bush administration — stubbornly fixated on an improbable victory — is poorly positioned to cope with this, much less to restore a U.S. leadership role so badly undercut by differences over Iraq. Diplomacy is the only alternative. … Critics might dismiss the group's proposals as little more than a nostalgic revival of the unworkable methods of a bygone era. But dialogue and negotiation move opponents toward agreements — in everything from labor disputes to deciding in a family who will prepare dinner. They are the foundation of centuries of diplomacy. Bush's rigidity is particularly dangerous right now as the United States searches for an exit strategy from Iraq that won't make Americans more vulnerable.” [USA Today, Editorial, 12/8/06]



Dallas Morning News: “Flawed and depressing though it is, the Iraq Study Group report has the virtue of being a shot of realism more bracing than the Kool-Aid that much of official Washington has been quaffing for some time. The report's most politically significant thrust is to recommend a withdrawal of U.S. combat troops by early 2008, barring unforeseen circumstances, and deliberate moves to force the Iraqis to take control of their own destiny. The Iraq Study Group correctly recognizes that an open-ended U.S. commitment permits the Iraqis to put off a political settlement. It also recognizes that the American people are running out of patience. Despite President Bush's recent claim that there is ‘no realism’ to talk of a graceful exit from Iraq, that's precisely what this bipartisan panel calls for. … The report is not holy writ, of course, but it does recast the Iraq debate going forward. One year ago, the National Security Council issued a report titled ‘Victory in Iraq.’ Few serious people outside the White House talk that way anymore. Now, as the Iraq Study Group report makes clear, the mission is all about how to get out of Iraq as soon as is feasible and leave the country reasonably stable. This is progress, in that it is better to deal with the world as we find it than as we wish it to be. It's imperative that President Bush get this message.” [Dallas Morning News, Editorial, 12/7/06]



Denver Post: President Bush Needs To “Consider All Options Before Iraq Slides Into Irreversible Chaos.” “The Iraq war report unveiled Wednesday by a bipartisan commission was a bleak rebuke of President Bush's policies and a sobering, high-profile reminder of the challenges the U.S. faces. The Iraq Study Group's report called the situation in Iraq "grave and deteriorating" and predicted severe consequences unless the U.S. military refocuses its mission and aggressive regional diplomatic efforts are undertaken. Of course, the widely anticipated report could not answer one key question: Will a stubborn president heed recommendations that contradict his entrenched Iraq policies? … The situation in Iraq is deteriorating daily - 10 U.S. troops were killed on Wednesday alone - and the nation is in urgent need of new policies and plans. The president needs to thoughtfully but expeditiously consider all options before Iraq slides into irreversible chaos.” [Denver Post, Editorial, 12/7/06]


Baltimore Sun: “Iraq Has Been A Disastrous Blunder”; President Bush Must “Endorse The Report’s Conclusions.” “Members of Congress are calling on the president to endorse the report's conclusions, as he should. If he doesn't, it will call into question his ability to be an effective commander-in-chief. But no one should imagine that the U.S. can extricate itself from Iraq without causing a considerable amount of pain, both theoretical and actual, and opening the way to a distressing escalation of bloodshed, possibly involving other countries. Intelligent policies can help to keep those negatives within bounds; clearly, delay for the sake of delay is pointless. The report of the Iraq Study Group makes for sad reading. The painfully obvious implication is that the war in Iraq has been a disastrous blunder in just about every way imaginable. And the consequences are still mounting.” [Baltimore Sun, Editorial, 12/7/06]

Alert: Catch Nancy Pelosi on TV tonight

From the DCCC:
We wanted to let you know that Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, soon to be America's first woman Speaker of the House, will appear on Barbara Walters' ABC special, "The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2006."

The special will air tonight, Tuesday, December 12, at 10 p.m. Eastern Time. Check your local listings for exact times and station details in your area. The special will also announce the "Most Fascinating Person of 2006."

We hope you enjoy it.

DCCC Press

90 Million Americans Believe Government Behind 9/11- DO YOU?

CBS News: According to a July poll conducted by Scripps News Service, one-third of Americans think the government either carried out the 9/11 attacks or intentionally allowed them to happen in order to provide a pretext for war in the Middle East. This is at once alarming and unsurprising. Alarming, because...


This is an interesting article reprinted from The Nation. I doubt that 90 million people actually believe that 9-11 was an inside job, but I am sure 90 million people are dissatisfied with the state of our Nation. Let me know if the digg.com option works. You actually have to click on the "read more" button at the bottom for the actual article.

Also let us know your thoughts on the article, conspiracy theorists, and other political mumbo jumbo.

read more | digg story

The war on Drugs: The other war we can't win

The ironic truth is that humans have used drugs - psychoactive substances ranging from opium and coca to alcohol, hemp, tobacco and coffee - since the dawn of history. Problems get triggered when substances are associated with despised or feared subgroups, according to a careful study by the King County, Wash., Bar Association.


This is an autoblog from digg.com. I just think that there is a better way to handle drugs in our country. We have mentioned the topic before and we will revisit the issue whenever anyone speaks out about drug policy in this country and its need for revisions.

read more | digg story

The Iraq Study Report-Update from Joe Biden on 12/7/06

I received the following email and thought it might start some discussion on the Iraq Report. Please let us know your thoughts.


A brief update on the the final Iraq Study Group report, which was released today. The Iraq Study Group's report is important, necessary, but not sufficient to achieve the objective most Americans want: to leave Iraq without leaving chaos behind.
The report's most valuable contribution is to make clear that staying the course in Iraq is not an option. Thanks to the Iraq Study Group's efforts, the central question is no longer whether to stay in Iraq, but when and how, to responsibly leave. What is missing from the report, however, is a strategy for sustaining a political settlement among Iraqis so they stand together instead of falling apart.

I plan to hold intensive and extensive hearings on Iraq to shine a light on what options remain for America in Iraq, and will send further updates when those hearings begin.

Thank you,



Joe Biden

Net Neutrality -- the longstanding principle that prevents Internet providers from discriminating between Web sites

Here is a website for an online letter to be sent to your Congress and Senate representatives and the FCC. To warn them about rubber stamping the merger between AT&T and Bell South and maintain net neutrality. If you do not know the issues of net neutrality please do a little research and decide if this is really an issue that you stand behind.

The online letter is provided by "Free Press dot Net" a nonpartisan organization who works in media reform and advocacy.

A Letter from the President of Iran--To Americans

http://www.irna.ir/en/news/view/line-17/0611293757222213.htm ; http://www.irna.ir/en/news/view/line-17/0611291758221428.htm ; http://www.irna.ir/en/news/view/line-17/0611293081220728.htm ---These three links go to the Islamic Republic News Agency , and cover a full text version of an open letter sent to the citizens of the United States from President Ahmadinejad of Iran. I do not think the letter is finished although I combined the text of these links for this blog post. You will have to check out their site for the rest of the letter. I have not read the letter in full, but I will. I would welcome any comments at this site that:

1. Resond to all or certain parts of the letter
2. Respond with your opinions in the War in Iraq
3. Responses from people about possible solutions to the civil war in Iraq



In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful "O, Almighty God, bestow upon humanity the perfect human being promised to all by You, and make us among his followers." Noble Americans! Were we not faced with the activities of the US administration in this part of the world and the negative ramifications of those activities on the daily lives of our peoples, coupled with the many wars and calamities caused by the US administration as well as the tragic consequences of US interference in other countries; Were the American people not God-fearing, truth-loving, and justice-seeking, while the US administration actively conceals the truth and impedes any objective portrayal of current realities; And if we did not share a common responsibility to promote and protect freedom and human dignity and integrity; Then, there would have been little urgency to have a dialogue with you.
While Divine providence has placed Iran and the United States geographically far apart, we should be cognizant that human values and our common human spirit, which proclaim the dignity and exalted worth of all human beings, have brought our two great nations of Iran and the United States closer together.
Both our nations are God-fearing, truth-loving and justice-seeking, and both seek dignity, respect and perfection.
Both greatly value and readily embrace the promotion of human ideals such as compassion, empathy, respect for the rights of human beings, securing justice and equity, and defending the innocent and the weak against oppressors and bullies.
We are all inclined towards the good, and towards extending a helping hand to one another, particularly to those in need.
We all deplore injustice, the trampling of peoples' rights and the intimidation and humiliation of human beings.
We all detest darkness, deceit, lies and distortion, and seek and admire salvation, enlightenment, sincerity and honesty.
The pure human essence of the two great nations of Iran and the United States testify to the veracity of these statements.
Noble Americans! Our nation has always extended its hand of friendship to all other nations of the world.
Hundreds of thousands of my Iranian compatriots are living amongst you in friendship and peace, and are contributing positively to your society. Our people have been in contact with you over the past many years and have maintained these contacts despite the unnecessary restrictions of US authorities.
As mentioned, we have common concerns, face similar challenges, and are pained by the sufferings and afflictions in the world.
We, like you, are aggrieved by the ever-worsening pain and misery of the Palestinian people. Persistent aggressions by the Zionists are making life more and more difficult for the rightful owners of the land of Palestine. In broad day-light, in front of cameras and before the eyes of the world, they are bombarding innocent defenseless civilians, bulldozing houses, firing machine guns at students in the streets and alleys, and subjecting their families to endless grief.
No day goes by without a new crime.
Palestinian mothers, just like Iranian and American mothers, love their children, and are painfully bereaved by the imprisonment, wounding and murder of their children. What mother wouldn't? For 60 years, the Zionist regime has driven millions of the inhabitants of Palestine out of their homes. Many of these refugees have died in the Diaspora and in refugee camps. Their children have spent their youth in these camps and are aging while still in the hope of returning to homeland.
You know well that the US administration has persistently provided blind and blanket support to the Zionist regime, has emboldened it to continue its crimes, and has prevented the UN Security Council from condemning it.
Who can deny such broken promises and grave injustices towards humanity by the US administration? Governments are there to serve their own people. No people wants to side with or support any oppressors. But regrettably, the US administration disregards even its own public opinion and remains in the forefront of supporting the trampling of the rights of the Palestinian people.
Let's take a look at Iraq. Since the commencement of the US military presence in Iraq, hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have been killed, maimed or displaced. Terrorism in Iraq has grown exponentially. With the presence of the US military in Iraq, nothing has been done to rebuild the ruins, to restore the infrastructure or to alleviate poverty. The US Government used the pretext of the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, but later it became clear that that was just a lie and a deception.
Although Saddam was overthrown and people are happy about his departure, the pain and suffering of the Iraqi people has persisted and has even been aggravated.
In Iraq, about one hundred and fifty thousand American soldiers, separated from their families and loved ones, are operating under the command of the current US administration. A substantial number of them have been killed or wounded and their presence in Iraq has tarnished the image of the American people and government.
Their mothers and relatives have, on numerous occasions, displayed their discontent with the presence of their sons and daughters in a land thousands of miles away from US shores. American soldiers often wonder why they have been sent to Iraq.
I consider it extremely unlikely that you, the American people, consent to the billions of dollars of annual expenditure from your treasury for this military misadventure.
You have heard that the US administration is kidnapping its presumed opponents from across the globe and arbitrarily holding them without trial or any international supervision in horrendous prisons that it has established in various parts of the world. God knows who these detainees actually are, and what terrible fate awaits them.
You have certainly heard the sad stories of the Guantanamo and Abu-Ghraib prisons. The US administration attempts to justify them through its proclaimed "war on terror." But everyone knows that such behavior, in fact, offends global public opinion, exacerbates resentment and thereby spreads terrorism, and tarnishes the US image and its credibility among nations.
The US administration's illegal and immoral behavior is not even confined to outside its borders. You are witnessing daily that under the pretext of "the war on terror," civil liberties in the United States are being increasingly curtailed. Even the privacy of individuals is fast losing its meaning. Judicial due process and fundamental rights are trampled upon. Private phones are tapped, suspects are arbitrarily arrested, sometimes beaten in the streets, or even shot to death.
I have no doubt that the American people do not approve of this behavior and indeed deplore it.
The US administration does not accept accountability before any organization, institution or council. The US administration has undermined the credibility of international organizations, particularly the United Nations and its Security Council. But, I do not intend to address all the challenges and calamities in this message.
The legitimacy, power and influence of a government do not emanate from its arsenals of tanks, fighter aircraft, missiles or nuclear weapons. Legitimacy and influence reside in sound logic, quest for justice and compassion and empathy for all humanity. The global position of the United States is in all probability weakened because the administration has continued to resort to force, to conceal the truth, and to mislead the American people about its policies and practices.
Undoubtedly, the American people are not satisfied with this behavior and they showed their discontent in the recent elections. I hope that in the wake of the mid-term elections, the administration of President Bush will have heard and will heed the message of the American people.
My questions are the following: Is there not a better approach to governance? Is it not possible to put wealth and power in the service of peace, stability, prosperity and the happiness of all peoples through a commitment to justice and respect for the rights of all nations, instead of aggression and war? We all condemn terrorism, because its victims are the innocent.
But, can terrorism be contained and eradicated through war, destruction and the killing of hundreds of thousands of innocents? If that were possible, then why has the problem not been resolved? The sad experience of invading Iraq is before us all.

Send a Christmas Card To a Soldier

Click on the title link to visit the Let's Say Thanks website, sponsored by Xerox and send a Christmas Card to a serviceperson overseas.

Regardless of your views on the war, we all can show them that we appericiate their efforts during this holiday season. We hope all of them swiftness in dealing with the Iraq Civil War and a safe return home.

An Inconvenient Truth Squeezed from Classrooms

An Inconvenient Truth Squeezed from Classrooms

This was an interesting read that I came across. Just thought I would pass the infomation on. Any comments are welcome.

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Browns Win--Donate to the Cleveland Food Bank

The Browns beat the Falcons today. Here is a cool fundraiser for football fans. Hopefully, Cleveland will move up in the rankings.

Go Browns

Rumsfeld Out; Gates In

The White House just announced that Donald Rumsfeld will resign from his position as Secretary of Defense and Robert Gates(wiki link) will take his place.

A Few Snippets that we took from the Press Conference with Mr. President today,

When Mr. Bush was asked about the timing of the decision he said that "they made the decision yeterday (election day)"

Is this administration prepared to deal with the oversight and investigation that could come from the Democrats. "The Democrats are going to have to make up their mind about how they handle their affairs..."

When asked about Nancy Pelosi, which of her objectives can you agree with "...opportunity to find some common ground to move forward on...minimum wage issue is an area where we can find common ground."

Special Issue-Voting Information for Voting Tuesday, November, 7, 2006

The S & G Political News
Issue 4—Special Issue: Monday, November 6, 2006
Voting Information—Vote your choice tomorrow, Tuesday, November 7

In this issue:
1: Welcome (Jeremy Grandstaff)
2: Information regarding Statewide candidates in Ohio
3: State Issues up for Decision-Ohio
4: Highlighted Local Issue of interest—COTA Levy (Central Ohio)
5: Special Contribution (Steve Wild, Columbus, Ohio)
6: In conclusion (Jeremy Grandstaff)
7: Subscription Instructions
To retrieve an online copy: visit www.sgendeavors.com/political

1: Welcome (Jeremy Grandstaff)

Welcome to the special Election Information issue of the S&G Political Newsletter. In our political newsletters, we try to provide information to our readers that is provocative. It is meant to grab your interest and allow you to ask questions. In this issue, we provide links to different web sites with diverse takes on the candidates, state-wide issues, and even some local election information to Central Ohio.
Be sure to visit our blog to leave your suggestion or read comments from others on the topics. If the above link does not work for you, please copy and paste the following into your browser: http://imakeadifference.blogspot.com/

2: Information regarding Statewide candidates in Ohio

The following links provide information regarding State Wide Candidates--including governor, secretary of state, treasurer, attorney general, auditor, ETC.

For the most up to date information of the statewide ads please go to http://www.uselections.com/oh/oh.htm. USElections is the actual name of the site and they provide a thorough list of current officers and active candidates for each race and most of their websites. This link is for Ohio, but if you browse the site you will see that they also cover 49 other states. They also have links to new stories, blogs, a bookstore, and voting information and rights.

You may also want to check out this recently created blog: http://30fpspolitics.blogspot.com/ . This is a great new blog idea for politics. It has 30 second ads from a lot of major Ohio races and issues on the ballot. You can click on them easily and watch the ads. Use the ads to decide how to conduct last minute candidate research before the election; you should not make a decision buy using the ads alone.

Another website that deserves kudos and mention in our political newsletter is Politics1, which can be found at http://www.politics1.com/index.htm. This is another great site to find out tons of information about politics, national races, local campaigns, issues, and political parties. Make sure you check out the National “issues” link which covers most major issues including Global warming, Gay Rights, International Trade and Immigration. They also have extensive coverage of political parties other than the Big Two, including but not limited to, CHRISTIAN FALANGIST PARTY OF AMERICA, AMERICAN NAZI PARTY, GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES and the LIBERTARIAN PARTY. They list the active races for each state, have an ongoing political blogroll (a list of political blogs on their site), and links to the different media outlets (usually newspaper and television) for each state as well.

3: State Issues up for Decision-Ohio

In addition, we wanted to offer some web sites of interest for each of the state-wide issues that are on the ballot in Ohio. State-wide issues do involve some amendments to the state constitution and warrant your consideration before going to vote.

http://www.ohiocathconf.org/L/06ballotissuesum.pdf -- A report on the ballot issues for Ohio by the Catholic Conference of Ohio

http://www.lwvohio.org/pdf/fall%202006/Ballot%20issues%20pros-cons%20F%202006.pdf – Pros and Cons for the Ohio Issues from the League of Women Voters of Ohio

http://www.gcpartnership.com/uploadedFiles/Advocacy/ballot%20issue%20brochureFINAL.pdf –A comprehensive report on the issues for Ohio prepared by COSE-Council of Smaller Enterprises and the Greater Cleveland Partnership

4: Highlighted Local Issue of interest—COTA Levy (Central Ohio)

Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA)—Central Ohioans will vote on Issue 7 which provides the necessary funding to expand COTA services throughout Central Ohio, keeping our roadways running smoothly and providing continued affordable transportation on a daily basis. Visit www.cotacampaign .com to learn more about the benefits of voting “yes” to the levy in Central Ohio.

Some additional links of interest:
Columbus RetroMetro Article - The site RetroMetro with an article in which Mayor Coleman supports the levy.

http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2006/09/25/daily23.html; http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2006/10/23/story3.html; - both links to articles in Columbus Business Journal about the Cota ballot issue.

The following is an inclusion from Marie Keister, volunteer for the COTA Campaign:
This is just one last reminder to vote “yes” on Issue 7 tomorrow. Endorsed by an impressive list of chambers of commerce, city councils, area media and a bi-partisan list of various organizations, Issue 7 will help COTA connect people with jobs, increase service to persons with disabilities and increase service for second and third shift workers in high growth areas. Having worked on several area highway projects that also depend on transit to play a key role in offsetting dramatic future increases in traffic congestion, I know we must make this investment to keep people and goods moving.

As the Columbus Dispatch pointed out, the “10-year, 0.25 percent tax….will be collected starting January 2008, when an identical tax imposed by the Franklin County Board of Commissioners will expire. As a result, county residents won’t see a net change in the tax rate.”

Thanks to all of you who have posted yard signs, participated in lit drops, or just told your friends and neighbors the importance of this levy. Remember to vote!

Marie

Issue #7 (COTA) is endorsed by:

-Columbus Dispatch
-Columbus Business First
-Columbus Chamber of Commerce
-Columbus Workforce Alliance
-Columbus Partnership
-Columbus City Council
-Dublin City Council
-Upper Arlington City Council
-Westerville City Council
-Worthington City Council
-The City Council of Grove City
-Grandview Heights City Council
-Minerva Park Village Council
-Canal Winchester Village Council
-Minerva Park Village Council
-Northland Community Council
-German Village Society
-Dublin Chamber of Commerce
-Upper Arlington Chamber of Commerce
-Clintonville Chamber of Commerce
-Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission
-League of Women Voters
-NAACP
-Transportation Workers Union Local 208
-Central Ohio Labor Council (AFL-CIO)
-Ohio League of Conservation Voters Education Fund
-Sierra Club
-1000 Friends of Central Ohio
-Central Ohio Bicycle Advocacy Coalition
-Columbus/Central Ohio Building Trades Council
-Schumacher Place Civic Association
-Bexley News
-Big Walnut News
-The Booster
-Delaware News
-Dublin News
-Gahanna News
-German Village Gazette
-Grove City News
-Hilliard Northwest News
-New Albany News
-Northland News
-Northwest Columbus News
-Olentangy Valley News
-Pickerington Times-Sun
-Reynoldsburg News
-The Times
-Tri-Village News
-Upper Arlington News
-Westerville News & Public Opinion
-Westland News
-Whitehall News
-Worthington News

5: Special Contribution (Steve Wild, Columbus, Ohio)

Steve is a close friend of S & G Endeavors and is very active in progressive politics. Though his writing may appear to some as a bit in-your-face, I feel it might help to inspire our readers to believe that each individual has the power to make a difference. You can find more of Steve’s writing at http://www.dailyspeech.net/. If you would like to see more of his writing in future newsletters, please be sure to let us know.

This is it folks. Tomorrow, Tuesday, November 7, 2006, we have an opportunity to send George W. Bush and his Republican Congress a real wake up call. (Likewise to his Republican allies in Ohio and other states across the country).



Let’s let Republicans know we are tired of their reckless and incompetent management of government at all levels – their reckless foreign policy and military campaigns that have made us and the world less safe, their filling the coffers of military contractors like Haliburton in Iraq while cheaping out on military armor for our men and women in the armed forces, their giving lucrative contracts to Arab companies to guard our ports while not investing in real port security and first responders in America’s cities, their tax breaks to the rich and corporations while cutting back on student loans, health care, attempting to take away our guaranteed Social Security, giving breaks to drug companies on the so-called new Medicare prescription benefit instead of negotiating bulk rates on medicine and reducing prescription costs for seniors, working with banking interests to make it harder to get bankruptcy relief even for those with unexpected unemployment and high medical bills, a political party that trips over themselves to interfere with very personal end-of-life decisions like Terry Schaivo and impose a federal answer to a state’s issue – marriage, while not investing in a Homeland Security department that can adequately respond to a major disaster like Hurricane Katrina (God help us if terrorists cause a man made disaster of that magnitude).



Neither political party is perfect or super human. It was Democratic presidents who led America during some of the most critical national security crises (WWI, WWII, Cuban Missile Crisis) and Democrats are just as able as Republicans to be strong on national defense. We, as Americans, were fully united on 9/11 and all but one Democrat supported the Afghanistan invasion, the nation harboring the mastermind of 9/11. It was the reckless and unnecessary war in Iraq that the Bush administration was hell-bent on doing regardless of the facts and now we have caused the world to hate us (Because of Iraq, not Afghanistan) and our military is worn to the bone. We are in an endless quagmire and we need a real opposition party to challenge the Bush administration on their stubborn “stay the course” mentality in Iraq that is leading into an endless black hole.



Just as importantly, though, Democrats have historically looked out for the less then rich, the middle class, the working man and woman, the poor. They have been better at providing for the needs of everyday Americans including better job security (the economy boomed under Clinton with his federal budget SURPLUS), education, health care, retirement security.



Democrats will PROTECT and HONOR the Bill of Rights (unlike the tyrannical Bush Administration who has gotten Congress to strip you of your Habeas Corpus right - the right to challenge an arrest) – this includes TRUE freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to challenge an arrest, the right to an attorney, a jury of your peers.



In case you think the government would never arrest you because you are not a terrorist, tell that to a poor Canadian man who was arrested last year in New York (because they mistaken him for someone else) and shipped him to Syria where he was tortured, before they realized their mistake and released him – Oops, oh well – mistakes happen. Maybe if your name is Smith or Jones, or you are light skinned, you may be OK – then again, maybe not.



The most recent opinion polls across the country this past weekend show a distinct tightening in the races. If you assume the Democrats will win because their polls had been good recently, you may be in for a rude awakening Tuesday night if we all don’t make every effort to get out the vote.

6: In conclusion (Jeremy Grandstaff)
Thank you for taking the time to scrutinize the sources and information provided in our special “voting Information” issue. Please remember to vote tomorrow at your designated polling place as listed with your County Board of Elections. Visit here to get general information on voting from the Secretary of State.
We hope that you visit our blog http://www.imakeadifference.blogspot.com/ to discuss your ideas on the topic or simply provide us with your feedback. Let’s discuss how we can all work together to make a difference!

7: Subscription Instructions

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S & G Political News-Special Reminder-Voter Registration

The S & G Political News
Issue 4—Special Reminder: Tuesday, October 3, 2006
Voter Registration—Please Read

In this Reminder:
1: Dear S & G Political News Subscribers,
2: To register to vote:
3: Unsure where to vote: Click Here to find out your voting location
4: Voting in advance of the Election
5: Stay Tuned
6: Subscription Instructions
To retrieve an online copy: visit www.sgendeavors.com/political

1: Dear S & G Political News Subscribers,

Deadline for Voter Registration for the November Election is October 10, 2006

Though S & G is working to gather information on the candidates and issues for the upcoming elections, we wanted to drop you a quick note to remind you to register to cast your vote this November. Though the election is not until November 7, you MUST be registered as a voter by October 10, 2006, or you will be unable to cast your vote helping to decide who will run our state and our country. Below, you will find links to voter registration, finding your voting location, and casting your vote in advance of the November 7 election.

2: To register to vote:
At this time, it is not possible to register to vote online or via phone in Ohio. However, you can access the Voter Regestration Form here. (If the above link does not work, copy and paste this link into your browser: http://www.sos.state.oh.us/sos/PublicAffairs/eVRform0606fillable.pdf). The form is designed to be filled out online; however, after you complete the form, you must print it and mail it to your local board of elections. You can find the mailing address for your county’s local Board of Elections here. (If the above link does not work, please copy and paste the following into your browser: http://www.sos.state.oh.us/sos/ElectionsVoter/OhioElections.aspx?Section=boeDir).

If you do not want to register using the above process, you can register in person at most of the following locations:
The office of the Secretary of State of Ohio: 180 E. Broad St. 15th Floor Columbus
The Secretary of State Client Services Center: 30 East Broad Street, Columbus
The Board of Elections office in your county (It is always listed in the phone book under “Government Offices – County.”)
Any Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles office or BMV registrar
Any public or vocational school
Public libraries
Your County Treasurer’s office
The Ohio Democratic Party headquarters: 271 E. State St., Columbus, OH 43215
You may also be able to register at sites such as: union-affiliated offices, or at get-out-to-vote rallies at special locations

3: Unsure where to vote: Click Here to find out your voting location
(If the above link does not work, copy and paste this link into your browser: http://www.sos.state.oh.us/sosapps/elections/voterquery.aspx).

4: Voting in advance of the Election
When originally designing this communication, I had planned to give all the details for how you could cast your vote in advance using the method of Absentee Voting. Unfortunately, my fear would be that my interpretation of this procedure might confuse some. So, I would ask you to click here to access directions for casting an Absentee Vote. (If the above link does not work, please copy and paste this link into your browser: http://www.sos.state.oh.us/sos/PublicAffairs/VoterInfoGuide.aspx?Section=16).

5: Stay Tuned
As promised, S & G will be releasing an issue of our political newsletter within the next week offering information on the candidates and issues for which you will be casting your vote in the November 7 election. If you have a request for that newsletter, please click here to let us know.

6: Subscription Instructions

We want to encourage our readers to forward this newsletter to any people that you feel might have interest in reading it.

If you did not receive this email directly from S & G Endeavors, please click here to subscribe to the S & G Political Newsletter Distribution.

To unsubscribe from the S & G Political Newsletter Distribution, please click here to let us know. We apologize for the inconvenience in advance and assure you we will remove your email from our Newsletter Distribution List.

To retrieve an online copy: visit www.sgendeavors.com/political

Political News (Special Issue) Post 1 of 5

The S & G Political News
Issue 3—Special Issue: Monday, September 18, 2006
The War on Drugs, The North American Union, and Sept. 11

In this issue:
1: Welcome (John Spalding)
2: The U.S. War on Drugs- Fighting the Good Fight. Right? (John Spalding)
3: The North American Union—Canada, United States, and Mexico together by 2010? (John Spalding)
4: 9/11-2001 Mourn the Dead or Find the Answers? (John Spalding)
5: Stay Tuned
6: In conclusion (John Spalding)
7: Subscription Instructions
To retrieve an online copy: visit www.sgendeavors.com/political

1: Welcome (John Spalding)

Welcome to this special “conspiracy edition” of the S&G Political Newsletter. In our political newsletters, we try to provide information to our readers that is provocative. It is meant to grab your interest and allow you to ask questions. We are going to cover three conspiracies in this issue today: The Events of September 11th 2001; The North American Union; and The United States War On Drugs. All of these topics are hot with different conspiracies and open for exploration. We provide links to different articles with different views and offer just a small bit of our interpretation in each piece.
Be sure to visit our blog to leave your suggestion or read comments from others on the topics. If the above link does not work for you, please copy and paste the following into your browser: http://imakeadifference.blogspot.com

Political News (Special Issue) Post 2 of 5

2: The U.S. War on Drugs- Fighting the Good Fight. Right? (John Spalding)

Many Americans believe the “War on Drugs” is an abysmal failure. There is plenty of information available on the Internet and news media on this issue. The PBS website (www.pbs.org) had some great information they published in their “Frontline” series. They have several articles highlighting the role American drug users play in the drug trade, the efforts of the CIA, drug organizing and money laundering--the role of the American Business in making sure we don’t get illegal drug money back.

This issue has several sides. Some prisons are privately owned, and therein, they stand to benefit monetarily from having prisoners. The US government only cuts into a small percentage of drug crops when they go on missions. Businesses within the US have taken money that has been laundered from Columbian and Mexican drug dealers. Police seizure of items (cars, computers, phones) is a lucrative money making operation. There is an agency called LEAP- Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (www.leap.cc) that seeks to have more sensible drug laws. The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws www.norml.org--as well as others such as Marijuana Policy Project-http://www.mpp.org, The Drug Policy Alliance--http://www.drugpolicy.org, and Stop The Drug War--http://stopthedrugwar.org are all organizations that promote extensive change to the way our society does to confront individual drug use and seek sensible solutions.

Is the War on Drugs worth fighting? Why?

We have lost billions of dollars in this war. However, we employ a lot of people to run prisons, the police make a lot of money from taking possessions, our corporations sell millions of dollars in merchandise to the major countries that ship us our drugs, and we have thousands of employees and organizations around the country who get money to try and “prevent” a kid from using drugs. Over and over, news stories demonstrate that our prevention efforts don’t touch the surface of the problem, because drug use is a personal matter. It should not be an issue that is regulated by national government. One might further argue that it should be regulated by states, counties, and cities. Why is it the business of the National Government to regulate the medical or recreational use of drugs that are considered illegal?

Neil Peirce wrote an article for www.stateline.org that also appeared on AlterNet www.alternet.org/story/41037 entitled “An Exit Strategy for the War on Drugs” which outlines the plan written in part by the King County (Wash.) Bar Association. The Bar Association set 4 goals for its community wide coalition:

1. Reductions to crime and disorder- “to undercut the violent, illegal markets that spawn disease, crime, corruption, mayhem and death.”
2. Improving public health by stemming the spread of blood born diseases
3. Better protection of children from the harm of drugs
4. Wiser use of scarce public resources

Pierce observes that the association wants to look at better ways to treat and handle drug issues as opposed to “punitive approaches”. Some of the ideas mentioned in the article from the Bar Association were homegrown cultivation laws, respecting young people by providing them with honest information, and registering hardcore drug users in “controlled use settings and ongoing treatment”.

This argument depends solely on who is in power at the national level and what our organizations will do with regard to this war that is being lost on both sides. Companies that own prisons, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and local law enforcement have a great monetary stake in the “War on Drugs”. Organizations that can compete with this type of infrastructure will have to be connected and mobile. Political reform agencies teaming up with local citizen groups, legal associations, and other interested organizations would be logical partnerships to “re-focus” the war on drugs. It may also need to have a compelling campaign that can appeal to mainstream America.

The issue of drug use is a personal and family matter. It should be handled in a small setting by those affected or involved. It is not a national issue. Let’s give communities a chance to help its citizens by coming up with reasonable solutions to this human condition that is not going to go away.

Political News (Special Issue) Post 3 of 5

3: The North American Union—Canada, United States, and Mexico together by 2010? (John Spalding)


This topic is very interesting. For this section we found 3 rather solid articles that layout some of the discussion points behind this anomaly called the North American Union- a supposed joint venture to make Canada, Mexico and the United States an independent union. We found several articles, people and websites involved with covering the topic as well as several people who are smack dab in the middle of the “conspiracy”.

The first article is by Jerome Corsi. He posted this article in Human Events Online and it is entitled “North American Union to Replace USA?” Corsi calls the Bush administration to task on their adoption of items toward a path of cooperation and action. The article also mentions the formation of the SPP- Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America and their 2010 goal of creating
“…a North American community to enhance security, prosperity, and opportunity…Its boundaries will be defined by a common tariff and an outer security perimeter within which the movement of people, products, and capital will be legal, orderly, and safe.”
Finally, Mr. Corsi warns his audience that the administration will not secure the border because it has other things in mind, namely- a free commerce union with Canada and Mexico. He recommends that the Minuteman Project continue its workhttp://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=14965.

The next article is a response to Mr. Corsi by John Hawkins. It is entitled “Killing the North American Union Conspiracy” found at Human Events Online. In this article, Mr. Hawkins tries to refute some of the “conspiracy” discussion. There is an organization called NASCO that is calling for “NAFTA- Superhighway”—a proposed freeway road link between the US, Mexico, and Canada. Mr. Hawkins quotes Tiffany Melvin, the Executive Director as saying “We have no secret meetings with the Bush Administration...We are a business organization trying to promote the NASCO corridor and the connecting highways in Mexico and Canada…” When discussing the SPP, Hawkins claims that the SPP “Blueprint” is not being used to set up a union. The outlines and work that may seem like a conspiracy is just US businesspeople working with Canada and Mexico to make a more prosperous corridor for the business communityhttp://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=16103.

He concludes his article with these remarks:
“The reality is that since Mexico and Canada are our neighbors and our biggest trading partners, there are plenty of reasons for the government and private industry to try to streamline and improve our relationship with them on security, trade, and other issues.”

The final author we found offering insight on this “conspiracy” is Patrick Wood, the Editor of the August Review. His article is found at a website called News with Views found at: http://www.newswithviews.com/ under the title “Toward a North American Union- Part 1 of 3.” Mr. Wood credits modern day globalization with the efforts of the Trilateral Commission- a member organization that has elite membership from America, Japan, and Europe. Wood calls on the Trilateral Commission as having a clear goal to create a “New International Economic Order” that would get rid of the existing model. He had several thoughts on the Trilateral Commission, which we will list to provide a brief view on his stance:

• The Trilateral Commission dominates the executive branch of our government
• George H.W. Bush is a trilateral commission member appointed by Reagan
• Reagan also appointed key members of the commission to his staff
• George Bush continued as president and then was followed in office by another commission member—Bill Clinton
• Bill Clinton appointed 14 Trilateral Commission members to his administration
• George W. Bush is not a Trilateral member, but Dick and Lynne Cheney sure are

After spelling out his reasons for the trilateral commission, he explains a governmental loophole that railroads certain items through congress and senate, by using a Fast Track Authority. Wood outlines the parameters of the Fast Track process as one that limits for just some of the following reasons: trade measures proposed by the president have to be voted on in a certain timeframe, does not allow for amendments, and only 20 hours to debate the issue. This process does not leave any time for public debate on the issue and, as a result, it leaves these decisions exclusively in the hands of the executive and legislative branches of the government.

Wood recalls two uses of the Fast Track process in the Clinton Administration: NAFTA and GATT Uruguay. The Fast Track Process has been in place since 1974. The only other uses of the process were for GATT Tokyo, the U.S.-Israel Free Trade Agreement, and the U.S.- Canada Free Trade Agreement. There have been other free trade agreements that go through the normal legislative process, but Wood believes that these items were “Fast Tracked” because these agreements would never have been passed if they were open for rigorous debate within the United States Congress and Senate. He states that the Fast Track process had a specific task: “to “fast track” the creation of the “New International Economic Order” envisioned by the Trilateral Commission in 1973!” He also suggests that “Because international treaties supercede national law, Fast Track has allowed an enormous restructuring of U.S. law without resorting to a Constitutional Convention.” The Fast Track process does seem to give a lot of power to the executive branch of our government. The reaches of this process are frightening and it seems those who know the process are good at maneuvering the political system.

Wood details several items in his article including opposition to NAFTA (Ross Perot shows up in this section), the Spin Machine of Trilateral Commission Members and their promotion of NAFTA, the Role of The SPP (also mentioned by the other two authors), and the introduction of Robert Pastor—claimed architect of The North American Union. Overall the review of some of these events was thorough, yet incomplete. Mr. Wood and his publication The August Review have adopted a “Follow the money, follow the power” mentality that they use to structure their reviews. Complete article is found at this link: http://www.newswithviews.com/Wood/patrick18.htm.

To us it seems that there are several interested organizations that like the business prospects of a North American Union. Some groups want there to be a Union, while others, do not. We also see that the Trilateral Commission has membership that is scattered throughout our national government and business organizations. Trilateral Commission reports are used to influence laws at the national level of our country, and as the articles reveal, instead of taking the debate to the people, it is easier to “fast track” certain trade legislation.

We believe that there have been changes to our laws that were not debated by the majority of people in this country, and we had virtually no say in any of these events. There may not be a specific conspiracy to create a North American Union, but there is plenty of evidence that shows the Trilateral Commission is a powerful organization, there is an organization devoted to creating some sort of “prosperous business venture with Mexico, United States and Canada (SPP), and that the Fast Track process for legislation is a quick effective way to get some laws passed without public knowledge/ debate. We think that there are already efforts underway to establish a North American Union, but it is not a conspiracy, they are quite out in the open about the process and could change the face of the United States without even asking the majority of American citizens.

Political News (Special Issue) Post 4 of 5

4: 9/11-2001 Mourn the Dead or Find the Answers? (John Spalding)

To us, this issue is the hottest “conspiracy out there”. Was it an act of terrorism or was it an inside job? Were the buildings demolished by plane or by planted explosives? Where is the plane debris outside the pentagon? Why does our National Media lack the ability to ask tough questions?

To begin, if we are going to take on this issue as a conspiracy, we need to make sure to mention that we have no idea who was involved in planning the events that occurred on this tragic day. We mourn for those who lost family members, praise the people who helped save lives, and look at the actual reasons for hatred of America. We never assume that our news media gets it right and always look to add other people’s perspective into the room.

And for the above reasons, we simply want to highlight several websites and post their material in brief snippets. You can visit any of these sites for further information.

Another 9/11 Cover Up in the Making?”, Rory ', http://www.alternet.org/story/40693.

In this article, O’Connor details the fallout between National Geographic and Author Peter Lance about the cover up of the Able Danger Program. The discovery was that some federal officers new Ali Mohamed had very close ties to Osama bin Laden, and FBI agents let him plan terrorism initiatives. In the article Mr. Lance was quoted as saying, “They [FBI] let him plan the bombings of the embassies in Africa right under their noses.” In the article, Patrick Fitzgerald is mentioned as the key person responsible for the cover up of the Able Danger program, and National Geographic is not including that information in its coverage of the topic because, as Lance puts it, “The Feds have gotten to them…National Geographic has abandoned the truth and acquiesced to pressure from the government”.

The next article is from Nancy Jo Sales for Vanity Fair.com entitled “Click Here for Conspiracy”
http://www.vanityfair.com/commentary/content/articles/060717roco02

This article outlines the documentary “Loose Change” and its domination of the “viral video” segment of our Nation. The movie was made by three young adults from upstate New York and details their case for not believing the story of 9/11 that has been given to America through the media. The article outlines some of the highlights of the movie such as, asking where the remnants of the plane that hit the pentagon are, why Bryant Gumble reported that there was a second explosion in the 1st tower, why does the pentagon look like a missile hit it instead of a plane, and why the 9/11 commission reports that there is no one to blame. It highlights a zogby poll that shows the younger generation believes some of those in power knew ahead of time and did nothing to stop the attacks. For all intents and purposes, the people who made the movie contend that they were going to make a fictional piece, but the information was so clear that there was a cover up it actually became a documentary. You can read the full article listed above or you can watch the movie at http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7866929448192753501&hl=en

Killtown’s “200+ 9/11 Smoking Guns”—Found In the Mainstream Media; found at http://killtown.911review.org/911smokingguns.html

This website outlines its stance on the “conspiracy” of 9/11 by categorizing actual media clips, magazine and news articles, interviews, and videos from the mainstream media into several categories to make its claim. The Outline they use is as follows:

Planned Before/Future Ideas; Preparation-one video in this segment has a youtube © video of a rescuer actually saying he was called to New York the night before the attacks; Prior Knowledge; Decoying, Stand Down-in this section there is explanation of NORAD operation “Northern Vigilance” –deployed fighter jets to Alaska on September 9th; The WTC attack—this section has a link to a Philadelphia Daily News article that claims some ground zero workers found 3 of the 4 black boxes even though official reports claim none were found; The Pentagon Attack—FBI confiscated films from surveillance cameras, gas stations and hotels documented by CNN and National Geographic; Describing a Missile; Describing Aircraft very different that a Boeing 757; Witnessed Little/No plane debris at crash site, Smelled Explosives, heard multiple explosions; Pennsylvania Crash—in this section there is a link that shows Donald Rumsfeld in 2004 saying that Flight 93 was shot down; Ignored Warnings/ Allowing it to Happen; The Cover Up; Motives—Mention of Trilateral Commission Member Zbigniew Brzezinski and his book about US global domination of resources if society perceives a National Threat, and CFR (Council on Foreign Relations member Gary Hart says this is a chance for Bush to carry out a New World Order; Military Budget Increases; Afghanistan Opium Pipeline; Iraq, Oil;
Culprits—in this section we have a lot of information about PNAC-Project for a New American Century- Outlined in 1998 by Rumsfeld, Cheny and Wolfowitz and the detail of the bin Laden family allowed to leave the US before the civilian public flights resumed; Patsies and Operatives, Framing; and Fundamentalist Muslims gone wild.

The Last resource we are going to introduce in this article is the website 911Truth.org and its outline of The Top 40—Reasons to Doubt The Official Story of September 11th 2001.an Outline of Simple Talking Points found at http://www.911truth.org/article.php?story=20041221155307646

This article outlines some major questions and presents its information quite differently than Killtown’s version listed above. In this article the story of the questions behind the actual 9/11 story are
The Day Itself—1.) AWOL Chain of Command, 2.) Air Defense Failures, 3.) Pentagon Strike, 4.) Wargames 5.) Flight 93
Fore Knowledge & The Alleged Highjackers- This section discusses the Able Danger argument as mentioned in the first article we mentioned.
The 9/11 Cover UP 2001-2006-this section talks about the crime scene disposal, a record of official lies, and the connection to Pakistan.
Geopolitics, Timing and Possible Motives—Did you know the Patriot Act was written before September 11th and waiting for the right “circumstance” to be unveiled to the public?
History; Related Movements and Parallel Issues

We are abundantly aware that all of the sources presented in this article are primarily “pro-conspiracy.” Our position is that these people have something to say, and therein, their ideas deserve to be heard. There is a plethora of individuals and organizations who adopt the media’s portrayal of the events surrounding that atrocious day on September 11, 2001. By providing an avenue of distribution for their ideas, we aim to provide our readers with sources that are alternative ways to view our complex world. We hope that you find some useful information from these resources and, and always, encourage any feedback on our discussion points.

Political News (Special Issue) Post 5 of 5

5: Stay Tuned
Look for the October 3rd release of the S & G Political News, where we will provide a wealth of information on the upcoming elections and candidates. Please click here to request information to appear in that release.

6: In conclusion (John Spalding)
Thank you for taking the time to scrutinize the sources and information provided in our special “Conspiracy Issue”. We hope that you visit our blog www.imakeadifference.blogspot.com to discuss your ideas on the topic or simply provide us with your feedback. Let’s discuss how we can all work together to make a difference!

7: Subscription Instructions

We want to encourage our readers to forward this newsletter to any people that you feel might have interest in reading it.

To subscribe to the newsletter, send an email to info@sgendeavors.com

Weekly Wrap Up

Here are this weeks picks.

Sports

Cavs Out-- A great season by LJ and the other CAVS this season. They stunk up the joint today though, so, Good luck to the Pistons. Thanks to Yahoo Sports for the link article.

Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs Brawl--Here is a link to "The Next Frontier" website and they have the You Tube video extraction. Always good when mayhem erupts, keeps the world in balance.

Religion

Secular Influences = Low Birth Rate = Pope Sees a Problem-- Thanks to Yahoo News for this fascinating article. The Pope (Here is one of Pope Benedict's messages provided by www.vatican.va) is holding secularism, aka "social ills and moral ambiguities", to blame for Canada's low birthrate. However, gay marriage is still frowned upon, unless you are in Spain, Thanks BBC. To learn more about secularism you can check out The Secular Web.

Politics

Big Ray is the Mayor of The Chocolate City..Again--Thanks to The Scotsman for this article. Remember, there is always an opportunity to Make A Difference if you give to hurricane relief.

Unity Government--Iraq is looking to approve the plan for a unity style organization that balances the three religious/philosophical factions of the country. The initial link is from Fox News and here is another article taken from a Qatar website Gulf Times. You can also see more perspectives on the issue here: on Counter Punch--a political newsletter.

Be back Next Sunday, hopefully after I see X-3, link by Rotten Tomatoes.

Weekly Wrap Up

Here are my favorite topics this week.

Sports--

Cavs finally win.--Here is a link to the Cleveland Cavaliers Home Page. They put together a nice win on Sat. May 13th, after two losses in Detroit earlier this week.

Happy Mothers Day--Cleveland Browns cornerback Daylon McCuthcheon graduates from college, fufilling a promise to his mother. Good Job.

(Fond memories today for my mother Rebecca, who passed away in December 1999.)

Religion--

Sam Harris- An atheist's view of the current events of religion. Belief.net provided the interview with one of today's most provacative belief leaders.

Kenneth Phifer Sermon--Ken is the consulting minister for the Maumee Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation. Here is one of his sermons about what God is and how we can tackle discussions about God in modern day America.

DaVinci Code on Friday May 19th--Get Your Conspiracy On!--Here is a link to the Book, you can get to the Sony Movie section from there.

Politics--

The Online Progresive Caucus--Sign up now. Progressives, Moderates, rational people, and people looking for a change. Join the discussion and help move the country forward!

A letter from the president of Iran-- Thank you to Information Clearing House for the link to the full text of the letter. I am sure the "liberal media" won't talk to much about it, but it is good to look at all sides of the issue. Even from our administration, thanks to Fox News!

See you next Sunday! Any feedback or comments are welcomed.

Weekly Wrap UP

My highlights of the week for my three favorite topics.


Politics-

Steven Colbert at the Washington Press Dinner. Actually, I have a link to Google Video Beta of his portion. It was a brave and challenging task to undertake. Definitely worth a view.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-869183917758574879&q=colbert+white+house

Ohio Governor Race Tightens up-- Ted Strickland crushed out a victory on the Democratic ticket and Blackwell won a tight contest in the Republican family values fest. This is going to be a fun race to listen to. If you have an opinion on either of the canidates or the race in general, put it here. Here are their websites:

Ken Blackwell--

http://www.kenblackwell.com/

Ted Strickland--

http://www.tedstrickland.com/



Religion--Does Hell Exist?

Here is a good debate on beliefnet.com about a few different viewpoints of Hell in afterlife. There is a Hell, Yes link and a Hell, No link so be sure to check out both.

http://www.beliefnet.com/index/index_10000.html



Sports

The Cavaliers Win 1st Playoff Series in 13 Years!--The Cavs won the series off an open jump shot by amon ones (No D- No J), who dumped his year long shooting slump, for 14 clutch seconds (his only ones of the game) in game six.

Disk Golf is Fun--There is only one place to play in Toledo but the surrounding area is pretty involved as well. Here is a link from a website that promotes Greater Ohio Events and Activities. If you have never played, don't worrry just look up some of the basics, pick up a disk and get outside.

I will be in next weekend for more Politics, Religion and Sports, feel free to respond to my links, or publish your own.

My Consulting Firm's Political Newsletter--May 2006

Here is our second political newsletter for S&G Endeavors. We publish to inform and generate conversation. Feel free to comment here or through our website.

http://www.sgendeavors.com/political/may_2006.htm

John

One Way to Make a Difference-Online!

Here is a copy of an e-mail I received for an international conference I am attending. It is free through the Business as an Agent of World Benefit from CWRU. Thought I would get it out there in case anyone wanted to go. It is a good networking opportunity for business types, a good learning experience for students, and a good way to experience online conferences.

Here are the United Nations Goals for the millennium

http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/index.html

So, check it out and see if you are interested.

John
####################################################################

Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit presenters Annual International Online ConferenceUN Millennium Development Goals as Business OpportunityMay 4th - 5th, 2006Held entirely online at http://www.worldinquiry.org/
Greetings!
Thank you for registering for the 3rd Annual International Online Conference. As the conference is rapidly approaching, we would like to share the most current conference agenda with you.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Thursday, May 4 - DAY 1
8:00 am US EST
Conference site opens
Collaboration Café opens for online discussions
Welcome presentation and overview of the conference becomes available
Featured Multimedia Presentation on Stuart L. Hart becomes available
Featured Multimedia Presentation on Jane Nelson becomes available
Digital Story “Interface Back-To-Nature Carpet Creates Big Profit” becomes available
Digital Story “Project Shakti: Growing the Market While Changing Lives” becomes available
Digital Story “Business and Peace: Conversations with Bobby Sager” becomes available
Digital Story “One World Health: Non-Profit Pharmaceutical Brings Life Saving Drugs to Developing Countries” becomes available
Workshop with the Realia Group " Mental Models and Their Impact on Sustainable Business Decisions" becomes available
Workshop with Susan Belgard “Holistic Law: Using the Peace-making, Healing and Helping Skills of Lawyers to Benefit Our Global and Local Communities” becomes available

12:00am US EST
Live Chat session with Dr. Ronald Fry, Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior and Director of Masters in Positive Organizational Development and Change Program, Case Western Reserve University

2:00pm US EST
Live Chat session with Dr. David Cooperrider, Professor and Chair of the Department of Organizational Behavior, and Faculty Director of the Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit, Case Western Reserve University
3:00pm US EST
Live Chat Questions & Answers session with Susan Belgard, host of a virtual workshop “Holistic Law: Using the Peace-making, Healing and Helping Skills of Lawyers to Benefit Our Global and Local Communities”

Friday, May 5 DAY 2

8:00 am US EST
Online discussions continue in conference rooms and the Collaboration Café
Featured Multimedia Presentation on C.K. Prahalad becomes available
Digital Story “Sri Lanka: Journey to Greatness – Unilever Asia Foods” becomes available
Digital Story “Green Mountain Coffee Roasters: Towards a New Business Model” becomes available
Digital Story “Shorebank: A Successful Community Development Institution” becomes available

10:00am US EST
Live Chat Questions & Answers session with the Realia Group, host of a virtual workshop "Mental Models and Their Impact on Sustainable Business Decisions"

11:00am US EST
Virtual World Café Live Chat Session, 5 chat rooms, participants rotating every 30 minutes
Room #1 “Business and Poverty”
Room #2 “Business and Peace”
Room #3 “Business and Universal Health”
Room #4 “Business and Ecology”
Room #5 “Business and Universal Education”
1:30am US EST
Plenary Live Chat session for reflections and comments


Conference officially ends at 5:00 pm US EST

Look forward to 'meeting' you online!
On behalf of the entire conference team,
Nadya ZhexembayevaConference Director

What have you done to make a difference in your community.

I want to hear from people who visit this site. What type of options have you done in your community to make a difference. Are you on a board for a non-profit? Do you recycle? Do you pay taxes? Do you raise your kids?

Have you ever volunteered or given to the United Way? Do you attend town hall meetings or publish your own newsletter or blog?

If not, Why? What keeps people from giving back to the community? Is it lack of time? Lack of awareness or communication?

Just some questions to get started.

John

Welcome

Greetings and Welcome.

I thought it was about time to throw my voice into the virtual realm. I also want to give a voice to those who live in this world. I will cover controversial topics, ask weird questions, look for answers, and try to make a difference. I hope that wht I cover in the Blogosphere will give me an outlet for my rantings and open up real possibilities to change our world.

I will have more to come in the next few days.

John