Everybody Knows with Dr. Bob and Dan-o
2005 is the year for Ohio's television station license renewal
Last summer the Free Press ran a brief article about the licensing of Ohio's broadcast radio stations and the public's chance to offer public comment. How many Free Press readers took advantage of this timing and reviewed files and then, in turn, filed their own comments is not known but all stations with a license were renewed for the extended period of 10 years! To some, this is not good news for local stories, multiple opinions, investigative journalism and even music diversity!
This summer we have a sort of "second chance" to make our individual and collective voices heard. October 1 is the deadline for public comments about the performance of television stations across Ohio and some other parts of the country. Perhaps, if you are a TV watcher, you've seen an announcement inviting you to view the public file held at that station's business office? If so, you should know the stations are required by the FCC not only to announce this process but to provide the public with information to be kept in the file for public review.
Last summer the Free Press ran a brief article about the licensing of Ohio's broadcast radio stations and the public's chance to offer public comment. How many Free Press readers took advantage of this timing and reviewed files and then, in turn, filed their own comments is not known but all stations with a license were renewed for the extended period of 10 years! To some, this is not good news for local stories, multiple opinions, investigative journalism and even music diversity!
This summer we have a sort of "second chance" to make our individual and collective voices heard. October 1 is the deadline for public comments about the performance of television stations across Ohio and some other parts of the country. Perhaps, if you are a TV watcher, you've seen an announcement inviting you to view the public file held at that station's business office? If so, you should know the stations are required by the FCC not only to announce this process but to provide the public with information to be kept in the file for public review.
CAFTA passes Senate, we need your help to defeat CAFTA in the House of Representatives!
A decade ago, the U.S. Congress traded away our economic future with back-room deals and passed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Since then over 700,000 jobs have been lost in the U.S. and 8 million more people in Mexico are living in poverty. The proposed Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) will extend this nightmare to 6 more nations.
In the Senate, CAFTA passed in a very close 54-45 vote on June 30th. WE HAVE NOT LOST! This was the closest Senate vote on a trade pact since NAFTA. The bill still has to pass the House, where opposition to CAFTA is much stronger. We have always known that we will have to defeat CAFTA in the House, not the Senate. See: CAFTA information
A decade ago, the U.S. Congress traded away our economic future with back-room deals and passed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Since then over 700,000 jobs have been lost in the U.S. and 8 million more people in Mexico are living in poverty. The proposed Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) will extend this nightmare to 6 more nations.
In the Senate, CAFTA passed in a very close 54-45 vote on June 30th. WE HAVE NOT LOST! This was the closest Senate vote on a trade pact since NAFTA. The bill still has to pass the House, where opposition to CAFTA is much stronger. We have always known that we will have to defeat CAFTA in the House, not the Senate. See: CAFTA information
The Freep was skeptical when corporate health food giant Wild Oats came to Central Ohio. We prefer to support the local food co-ops. Nevertheless, Wild Oats wooed the Free Press and we partnered with them as a fiscal agent for various nonprofits who participated in their wooden nickel campaign over the years.
Recently, one of the Free Press paper boys reported that after he delivered the Freep to Wild Oats, it seemed to be disappearing immediately. Suspicious of foul play, we visited the store and inquired about the problem. A clerk called the upstairs manager on the phone and asked him if there was a problem. She hung up and said the manager advised that we shouldn't bother to leave the Free Press there anymore.
When Free Press Editor Bob Fitrakis called to inquire about their recent change in policy banning the Free Press, the manager told him that we weren't "banned," there just wasn't room for us. They had too many newspapers and magazines already.
Recently, one of the Free Press paper boys reported that after he delivered the Freep to Wild Oats, it seemed to be disappearing immediately. Suspicious of foul play, we visited the store and inquired about the problem. A clerk called the upstairs manager on the phone and asked him if there was a problem. She hung up and said the manager advised that we shouldn't bother to leave the Free Press there anymore.
When Free Press Editor Bob Fitrakis called to inquire about their recent change in policy banning the Free Press, the manager told him that we weren't "banned," there just wasn't room for us. They had too many newspapers and magazines already.
Thanks to your calls, letters and emails, the Ohio legislature has tabled HB 3 the mean-spirited election "reform" bill!
Looking for an easy way to protest Bush foreign policy week after week? And an easy way to help alleviate global poverty? Buy your gasoline at Citgo stations.
And tell your friends.
Of the top oil producing countries in the world, only one is a democracy with a president who was elected on a platform of using his nation's oil revenue to benefit the poor. The country is Venezuela. The President is Hugo Chavez. Call him "the Anti-Bush."
Citgo is a U.S. refining and marketing firm that is a wholly owned subsidiary of Venezuela's state-owned oil company. Money you pay to Citgo goes primarily to Venezuela -- not Saudi Arabia or the Middle East. There are 14,000 Citgo gas stations in the US. (http://www.citgo.com/CITGOLocator/StoreLocator.jsp to find one near you.) By buying your gasoline at Citgo, you are contributing to the billions of dollars that Venezuela's democratic government is using to provide health care, literacy and education, and subsidized food for the majority of Venezuelans.
And tell your friends.
Of the top oil producing countries in the world, only one is a democracy with a president who was elected on a platform of using his nation's oil revenue to benefit the poor. The country is Venezuela. The President is Hugo Chavez. Call him "the Anti-Bush."
Citgo is a U.S. refining and marketing firm that is a wholly owned subsidiary of Venezuela's state-owned oil company. Money you pay to Citgo goes primarily to Venezuela -- not Saudi Arabia or the Middle East. There are 14,000 Citgo gas stations in the US. (http://www.citgo.com/CITGOLocator/StoreLocator.jsp to find one near you.) By buying your gasoline at Citgo, you are contributing to the billions of dollars that Venezuela's democratic government is using to provide health care, literacy and education, and subsidized food for the majority of Venezuelans.
The Ohio Senate Rules Committee is currently holding hearings to consider H.B. 3 - the election reform omnibus bill. This will not solve the problems witnessed in Ohio's elections last November. Legislation that requires all voters to show photo identification is misguided and will do more to disenfranchise legitimate voters than it ever will to curb "fraud". S.B. 36 needs to be defeated.
H.B. 3 contains language that would put barriers in the way of voters. There are glaring omissions in the bill and it fails to address several key OH election problems - such as a lack of notification of former felons when their voting rights have been restored, simply put, H.B. 3 does not go far enough to protect the voting rights of Ohioans and should not be passed in its current form.
The Rules Committee is currently making decisions that affect all Ohio voters. You can help stop these bills by making two calls today! Please call Rules Committee Chairman Bill Harris as well as your own senator and tell them:
A) Vote NO to S.B. 36! Photo identification requirements harm Ohio voters.
H.B. 3 contains language that would put barriers in the way of voters. There are glaring omissions in the bill and it fails to address several key OH election problems - such as a lack of notification of former felons when their voting rights have been restored, simply put, H.B. 3 does not go far enough to protect the voting rights of Ohioans and should not be passed in its current form.
The Rules Committee is currently making decisions that affect all Ohio voters. You can help stop these bills by making two calls today! Please call Rules Committee Chairman Bill Harris as well as your own senator and tell them:
A) Vote NO to S.B. 36! Photo identification requirements harm Ohio voters.
Help Rep. John Conyers investigate and expose the criminal behavior of George W. Bush and his lies about the reasons to attack Iraq. Sign the letter and contribute!
Conyers Website
I know it may sound crazy, but the Bush administration has actually made a proposal to allow wastewater treatment plants to dump barely treated sewage into American waters whenever it rains. I don't know about you, but I don't want more sewage in my water no matter the weather.
Fortunately, neither do a lot of Members of Congress, and they've banded together to make sure this proposal does not get enacted. This week, Congress is going to vote to stop the Bush administration's proposal from becoming law.
Please take a moment to ask your Member of Congress to keep more sewage out of America's water. Then, if you have friends who don't want more sewage in their water either, forward this email to them and ask them to contact their Member of Congress too.
To take action, click on this link or it into your web browser:
http://pirg.org/alerts/route.asp?id=2&id4=OHFreep
Background
Fortunately, neither do a lot of Members of Congress, and they've banded together to make sure this proposal does not get enacted. This week, Congress is going to vote to stop the Bush administration's proposal from becoming law.
Please take a moment to ask your Member of Congress to keep more sewage out of America's water. Then, if you have friends who don't want more sewage in their water either, forward this email to them and ask them to contact their Member of Congress too.
To take action, click on this link or it into your web browser:
http://pirg.org/alerts/route.asp?id=2&id4=OHFreep
Background
Contact Senator Voinovich and urge him to OPPOSE the Bolton nomination.
Please also copy your letter to his Senate webform: voinovich.senate.gov/
Put something in subject line like "Please OPPOSE Bolton" (use your own words) to insure that your message is clear to staffers.
To contact your elected representatives: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/
League of Women Voters Media email database: http://www.capwiz.com/lwv/dbq/media/
TV news addresses: http://digbig.com/4bqmq
Addresses for major U.S. daily publications/wire services/weekly publications: http://digbig.com/4cqge
Major publication addresses by state: http://digbig.com/4bwxw
Please also copy your letter to his Senate webform: voinovich.senate.gov/
Put something in subject line like "Please OPPOSE Bolton" (use your own words) to insure that your message is clear to staffers.
To contact your elected representatives: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/
League of Women Voters Media email database: http://www.capwiz.com/lwv/dbq/media/
TV news addresses: http://digbig.com/4bqmq
Addresses for major U.S. daily publications/wire services/weekly publications: http://digbig.com/4cqge
Major publication addresses by state: http://digbig.com/4bwxw
The National Day of Prayer is set for May 5, 2005. This particular event is controlled by right-wing extremist James Dobson and his wife Shirley. Mr. Dobson is the leader of Focus on the Family, a right-wing organization that among other things, is calling for Supreme Cout Justices to be impeached, is anti-homosexual and anti-choice, and so on. Despite their claims regarding the Bible anf God, neither James or Shirley are ordained ministers, nor do they have any theological education or training.
Here in our state, the "Ohio Restoration Project" is gearing up to begin their assault on our freedom and diversity. We need you to respond and what better way to do that than on the National Day of Prayer! We need you to do the following:
1. Contact your local, state, and federal elected officials and tell them that you support freedom, diversity, and equality for ALL people and you expect them to do the same.
Here in our state, the "Ohio Restoration Project" is gearing up to begin their assault on our freedom and diversity. We need you to respond and what better way to do that than on the National Day of Prayer! We need you to do the following:
1. Contact your local, state, and federal elected officials and tell them that you support freedom, diversity, and equality for ALL people and you expect them to do the same.