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The Direct Action & Research Training Center is currently accepting applications among folks interested in social and economic justice issues for their paid, four-month community organizing training program.

The DART Organizers Institute is a combined classroom and field training covering such topics as:

· Identifying and training local leaders
· Strategic planning and issue cutting
· Researching and targeting decision makers
· One-on-One relationship building
· Developing and training leaders to take successful Direct Action on issues
· Fund Raising for the long-haul

The DART Center, has built coalitions throughout the country that have won important victories on a broad set of justice issues including:

· Education reform in low-performing public schools
· Fair immigration policies
· Police misconduct
· Living Wage campaigns & job training
· Affordable housing, etc.

The National Lawyers Guild announced today that it was thrilled with the decision of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in Padilla v. Rumsfeld, holding that President Bush does not have the unilateral authority to hold as “enemy combatants” American citizens taken into custody on our soil. Michael Avery, the President of the National Lawyers Guild and a constitutional law professor at Suffolk Law School in Boston, said that several of President Bush’s actions in pursuit of the "War on Terrorism" suggest that the President holds the American constitutional system of checks and balances in contempt.

I hadn't seen Jackson Browne in five years and I was really excited. The last time I did see him, all I can clearly remember was the beautiful gold trimmed bouquet of white flowers that Jackson had given me. This was the first gift Jackson gave me; I had no idea that it wouldn't be the last.

Men and women more than two and three times my age filled the lobby. I tried to listen into random conversations, but all the noise seemed to blend together. In the ocean of people, the attire varied; fan-wear of Jackson Browne, extremely fancy clothes, and sweatshirts. Most fans were in line for overpriced beer, probably asking them selves the same questions. What could they expect from the new acoustic tour? Would Jackson still be the same now as he was thirty years ago?

The auditorium was completely black. Jackson appeared onstage, a white light directly on him, and everything fell silent as he strummed his guitar; a shiver ran down my back. Browne sounded full and his voice was beautiful and all that interrupted him were his excited fans.

" Play 'The Patriot!' "

The last time I saw pictures of a man in need of a haircut being so memorably displayed as a trophy of the American empire it was Che Guevara, stretched out dead on a table in a schoolhouse in La Higuera, a little village in the Bolivian mountains. In those edgier days, in late 1967, the Bolivian Army wanted him dead, the quicker the better, though the CIA wanted him alive for interrogation in Panama.

After a last chat with the CIA's man, Felix Rodriguez, George Bush Sr.'s pal, a Bolivian sergeant called Jaime Terran shot him in the throat, and Rodriguez got to keep his watch. They chopped off Guevara's hands for later, checking to make sure the ID was correct. Years later, his skeleton, sans hands, was located and flown back to Havana for proper burial.

"It is better this way," Guevara told Rodriguez at the end. "I should never have been captured alive," showing that even the bravest weaken at times. At the moment of his capture by the Bolivian army unit, a wounded Guevara had identified himself, telling the soldiers he was Che and worth more to them alive than dead.

The Citizen's Grassroots Congress is planning a Media Reform Conference in late Spring or early Summer in 2004. To incorporate the concerns of the activist community input is sought from social justice, environmental groups and others. A hearing is tentatively planned in association with the conference. The purpose of this hearing will be to file complaints with the FCC against local Columbus metropolitan broadcasters for their failure to adequately cover issues of local concern under their obligation to use the airwaves to "serve the public interest." If you have specific complaints or concerns over local media coverage of your issue, now is the time to make your voice heard and apply pressure to local media to gain better coverage. If you are interested please contact Doug Todd at Dougsftc@yahoo.com. Thank you.

On December 3rd, President Bush signed the Healthy Forests Initiative into law, even though it fails to ensure protection from forest fires for at-risk communities, weakens environmental protections, and undermines public participation in decisions that affect America's public lands.

Now, the Bush administration appears to be on the verge of giving yet another holiday gift to the timber industry by gutting the widely popular Roadless Area Conservation Rule that protects 58.5 million acres of pristine national forests from most logging and road-building. The Bush administration has already proposed exempting Alaska's Tongass Rainforest - our largest national forest - and Alaska's Chugach National Forest from the rule, has scheduled close to 50 timber sales in roadless areas protected by the rule, and wants to let governors opt out of the rule, which would give governors decision-making power over natural treasures owned by all Americans.

Please take a moment to urge Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth to uphold the roadless rule of January 2001. Then, ask your family and friends to help as well by forwarding this e-mail to them.

COLUMBUS, OHIO---"I'm running for Queen of the World," says Bette Midler, who may already have won the title.  "I'm sure I can do a better job than that schmuck in the White House."

For those of you unfamiliar with the Yiddish language, the word "schmuck" has many translations, but "duly elected competent and honorable President of the United States" is not among them. 

As for Ms. Midler, words---even in Yiddish---fail to describe her talent, range, wit and humor, though "Divine" is a good start.  Her Saturday night "Kiss My Brass" show here at a packed Nationwide Arena (population: about 7,500) was a total knockout.  Anyone in a city about to be graced by her amazing tour (check www.bettemidler.com) should get thee to the venue. 

Dear Ms. Ivins,

I have just recently been introduced to your work at Free Press. Impressive to say the least. Reading your bio, it occurred to me you are far more qualified to lead this country than our current "dictator". I sure wish the rest of America could see the truth about this administration as you do.

Your column dated October 16, 2003, entitled "Bush-hater strikes again" was very enlightening and to the point. Although I'm not sure I can agree with you about Bush, stating, "You would have to work at it to dislike him personally". I have never met him but unfortunately (for him) his reputation has preceded him.

I have mounted my own campaign over the last several months to uncover the dealings of the entire Bush family. Beginning with Prescott Bush supplying goods to the Nazi regime during WWII, through the "stolen" 2000 election.

Dear Friends of East Timor,

East Timor has been independent for a little more than a year and a half. Many foreign policy experts and Washington insiders predicted that Indonesia would never let go of the former Portuguese colony. Yet the impossible happenedúin no small part due to the support of people like you, working in conjunction with the East Timor Action Network (ETAN). But now ETAN is in dire financial straits.

I have been deeply involved with self-determination for East Timor since before Indonesia's 1975 invasion, and I can attest to the tremendous - maybe even decisive - difference that ETAN's wonderful work has made. However, ETAN's ability to continue to work at the level needed is in serious jeopardy due to a shortage of funds. By giving generously, you can help strengthen ETAN financially for the coming year, so together we can meet the many challenges ahead.

ANNAPOLIS, Maryland, December 12th —  An internal memo has just surfaced suggesting e-vote manufacturer Diebold planned to overcharge the state of Maryland and make voter printouts "prohibitively expensive".

  An employee named "Ken" wrote the Jan. 3 letter suggesting the company charge Maryland "out the yin" if legislators insisted on printouts.

  Referring to a University of Maryland study critical of the company's machines, he added: "[The State of Maryland] already bought the system. At this point they are just closing the barn door. Let's just hope that as a company we are smart enough to charge out the yin if they try to change the rules now and legislate voter receipts."  

He goes on to say "...any after-sale changes should be prohibitively expensive."

  Delegate Karen S. Montgomery dropped the bombshell on Thursday amid negotiations with Diebold over its touchscreen voting machines.