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Thank You, Mexico

Invasion of the “Hyperscalers” will increase Central Ohio’s demand for electricity “similar to all of Manhattan”

Server warehouse

Invasion of the “Hyperscalers” – or large-scale data centers – into Central Ohio is full-speed ahead with no end in sight. And there’s a looming question that many are not paying attention to, but should: Who is going to foot the bill for the extra American Electric Power (AEP) infrastructure and electricity needed by Amazon, Google, and Meta, to satisfy their hunger?

“The bottom line from a consumer protection perspective is, these data centers are the largest, richest, most powerful companies in the world, and they are going to consume a very large amount of electricity. And the consumer protection issue is, who is going to pay for all the infrastructure necessary to serve those big data centers and who will bear the risk in the event if something goes wrong?” Bill Michael told the Free Press, senior counsel with the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel.

COP29 [29th Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change] and What’s Next for International Climate Policy

COP29 is here

Tuesday, January 14, 4-5pm, this on-line event requires advance registration

This past November, world leaders gathered at the United Nations annual climate talks (COP29) with the main goal of securing an ambitious climate finance agreement, alongside reaffirming that nations will take meaningful steps to cut emissions and transition away from fossil fuels as was agreed upon last year.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) invites you to join a virtual discussion to learn more about our efforts to highlight scientifically necessary outcomes at COP29, how we engaged on the ground during these contentious international climate negotiations and called out the malign influence of fossil fuel interests, and where we go from here — including the impact of the incoming Trump administration which has threatened to exit the Paris Agreement.

Orange Ya Glad She's Not In Heaven?

Mass Movement for January 20th Planning Meetings

Sign at protest saying Unite Resist

Monday, January 13, 2025, 6:00 PM
Columbus Public Library, Main Branch, 96 S. Grant Ave., Columbus, OH 43215, meeting room A
As Trump takes office on January 20th, Martin Luther King Jr Day, the mass movement is reigniting to say NO to the billionaire agenda! A mass protest in defense of immigrant families, in support of women’s and LGBTQ+ rights, against the war machine and for people’s needs, and more, will be held at the Ohio Statehouse at 12PM.

Sponsored by the ANSWER Coalition, PSL Columbus, JVP Central Ohio, Columbus DSA, the Gateway Film Center union, Black Men Build Columbus, and more, this action aims to fight for our people’s rights on Day 1 of this new presidency.  

In preparation for this action, weekly organizing meetings are being held and are open to all. Now is the time to get organized and join the working-class fight-back movement!  

How U.S. Media Hide Truths About the Gaza War

A few days before the end of 2024, the independent magazine +972 reported that “Israeli army forces stormed the Kamal Adwan Hospital compound in Beit Lahiya, culminating a nearly week-long siege of the last functioning hospital in northern Gaza.” While fire spread through the hospital, its staff issued a statement saying that “surgical departments, laboratory, maintenance, and emergency units have been completely burned,” and patients were “at risk of dying at any moment.”

Turn Left At Greenland

Israel Destroyed Gaza ‘for Generations to Come’ and the World Stayed Silent

The first official reference to Gaza becoming increasingly uninhabitable was made by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in 2012, when the population of the Gaza Strip was estimated at 1.8 million inhabitants.

 The intention of the report, "The Gaza Strip: The Economic Situation and the Prospects for Development," was not merely to prophesize, but to warn that if the world continued to stand idle in the face of the ongoing blockade on Gaza, a humanitarian catastrophe was imminent.

 Yet, little was done, though the UN continued with its countdown, increasing the frequency and urgency of its warnings, especially following major wars.

What happened at the January 2025 Free Press Second Saturday Salon

Mark Stansbery

Mark Stansbery, Free Press Board member, again did a fabulous job facilitating the first Free Press Second Saturday Cyber Salon in 2025 on January 11.

See Video here.

The theme was “Organizing for the challenges of 2025, from despair to active resistance! - Housing First!”
The first speaker was Kate-Curry-DaSouza, a former longtime Near East Area Commissioner and Columbus City Council District #7 candidate. Kate spoke about Housing First!, that means that everyone deserves housing, and how we must work with public officials to understand this with dialogue moving to action. She talked about the criminalization of the houseless and how they are blamed for their problem. She explained that she’s on the short list for an appointment to Columbus City Council and the problems with the current “ward” system that forces candidates to still run at-large. Check out Kate’s website here.

Help close Guantánamo before Biden leaves office

The World is watching - will Biden do the right thing and him walking up a path outside

The military detention facility at Guantánamo Bay is a horrific symbol of torture, indefinite detention, and injustice under the leadership of the United States.

It holds 15 Muslim men, many who have never faced charges or a trial. Hundreds of men and boys have been detained, tortured, and denied their rights at Guantánamo over the last 22+ years. All of these actions are human rights violations under international law.

Time and time again, President Biden said he was committed to protecting and upholding human rights — and these next two weeks are his final opportunity to make good on those promises.

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