Social Security, Medicare -- Lifelines for steel retirees?

This past week I was in my hometown, Lorain, and had the opportunity to visit with some old friends who are now retired, receiving Social Security/Medicare. It was certainly interesting to hear what those actually taking part in these fine programs have to say, especially in light of the push by literally all of the corporate shrills to cut Social Security/Medicare, it order to “save the economy.” These Wall Street economists have beaten this drum almost to death, telling us that “austerity is only way out, we must cut social spending or disaster awaits!” Far be it for us mere working folk to point out that Britain & every European nation that adopted this formula, cutting pensions and social programs, have sled backwards into another recession. Reality rarely has any influence on these “great men” anyway; they know so much more us!

One “solution” that these great men have proposed is to cut the CPI (“chained CPI”), the cost-of-living increases received by Social Security recipients.

Fleets of drones descend on Africa

“Drone warfare has become central to the modern U.S. version of gunboat diplomacy.”
With the U.S. and European military offensive in Africa in full swing, the drone wars are set to enter a new phase. Therefore, it is appropriate that U.S. anti-war activists will descend on the White House, on April 13 [10], to demand “Drones Out of Africa and Everywhere!” The activists, including former Georgia Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney and the ANSWER Coalition, say the real target is Africa’s vast natural resources. Drone warfare, say the organizers, has become central to the modern U.S. version of gunboat diplomacy, to “force exploitative terms of trade and political accommodations.”

Becoming a thriving vegan advocate

I've been a thriving vegan advocate for nearing 13 years. I became vegan because I am an animal lover. I was born and raised to respect animals and had believed I was an animal lover my entire life; although regrettably, I did not become vegan until I was in my late 20's. A series of events awakened my consciousness; Moby's "Everything Is Wrong" CD included the first essay I had ever read on the concept of Animal Rights. I was also taking college courses; “Humans and the Environment” and “Human Nutrition.” However, the most shocking and compelling contribution to my awakening came as surprise solicitation call from Publisher’s Clearing House when caller enthused “You’ve WON!”

Why Obama will not stop the increase in catastrophic climate change

President Obama has not lived up to his promises about curtailing global warming, the engine at the center of disruptive climate change. He and his administration acknowledge the problem exists, though they don’t stress the scientific evidence on trends that show that temperatures and greenhouse concentrations in the atmosphere in the U.S. and across the world are rising at an accelerating rate. At the same time, there were some notable but not-trend-breaking achievements during Obama’s first four years like new fuel efficiency standards for cars and small trucks, $36 billion allocated for renewable energy, the weatherization of one million homes owned by low-income homeowners, and the doubling of renewable energy from wind and solar partly supported by Department of Energy investments. Unfortunately, there are reasons to expect that the President will not do nearly enough in the next four years of his presidency to prevent further catastrophic climate changes or to prepare the society and world to cope with it all. This is certainly not his fault alone. There are significant constraints that limit what he can do.

The largest climate rally in U.S. history

See below for Ohio buses: On Sunday, February 17, thousands of Americans will head to Washington, D.C. to make Forward on Climate the largest climate rally in history. Join this historic event to make your voice heard and help the president start his second term with strong climate action.

When:February 17, 2013, Noon - 4:00 p.m. (please arrive by 11:30 a.m.)
Where: The National Mall in Washington, D.C.
Gather at the northeast corner of the Washington Monument. Closest Metro subway stations: Federal Triangle and Smithsonian)

Columbus, Cincinnati and Cleveland
Forward on Climate Ohio

Toledo via Detriot bus, contact Jarret for details,
Email
Forward on Climate Detroit

Oberlin, contact, Zia at Email

Come home, Mr. President

Chicago is in a state of emergency. Lives are being lost. Fear is growing. Local officials, ministers and community activists are working diligently but cannot break the cycle. We’re seeing more than one funeral a day. Our children are traumatized. Many are afraid to go to school.

In this crisis, we need the president’s leadership. President Obama can provide the knowledge, vision and inspiration to bring us together to address the crisis. He can speak to the children to calm their fears.

Mr. President, as you know, last week, 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton, an honor student who performed in your inaugural ceremonies as a majorette, was murdered, slain when a gunman shot randomly into a group of kids gathered in a neighborhood park less than one mile from your home.

When Bill Moss banged his shoe

How ironic is it that on the ten-year anniversary (Tuesday Feb 4th, 2003) of when Bill Moss banged his shoe at a Columbus School Board meeting to bring attention to the rampant deception and corruption taking place within the district, a Columbus City Schools official responsible for the recent data rigging scandal announces his resignation.

But to those of us who listened intently to what Moss, Bob Fitrakis, Jerry Doyle, Ivy Featherstone, Jim Whitaker and Bernadine Kennedy Kent were telling us, this is nothing new. Unlike the mainstream who sought to villify and castigate them for speaking up and out, we didn't.

Part of the reason Moss banged his shoe was because no one seemed to care about the corruption. And no one seemed to listen when he would explain in depth with documented facts and personal insight what was happening and what was on the horizon (see The FREE PRESS article from 3/'03 "Why Moss Banged His Shoe." by Bob Fitrakis). Recall that this was just a few months after the citizens of Columbus approved a bond/tax levy to improve and/or build new schools despite Moss' warning of what would come of it if we allowed it to pass.

Ten Years After Powell’s U.N. Speech, Old Hands Are Ready for More Blood

When Secretary of State Colin Powell spoke to the U.N. Security Council on February 5, 2003, countless journalists in the United States extolled him for a masterful performance -- making the case that Saddam Hussein’s Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. The fact that the speech later became notorious should not obscure how easily truth becomes irrelevant in the process of going to war.

Ten years later -- with Powell’s speech a historic testament of shameless deception leading to vast carnage -- we may not remember the extent of the fervent accolades. At the time, fawning praise was profuse across the USA’s mainline media spectrum, including the nation’s reputedly great newspapers.

The New York Times editorialized that Powell “was all the more convincing because he dispensed with apocalyptic invocations of a struggle of good and evil and focused on shaping a sober, factual case against Mr. Hussein’s regime.” The Washington Post was more war-crazed, headlining its editorial “Irrefutable” and declaring that after Powell’s U.N. presentation “it is hard to imagine how anyone could doubt that Iraq possesses weapons of mass destruction.”

Ohio prisoner on hunger strike

An Ohio prisoner named Cornelius Harris (also known as Soja) has been on hunger strike at Ohio State Penitentiary since Jan 4th. He is at Correctional Medical Center (CMC) in Columbus. They haven't force fed him, but they warned him his organs may fail if he doesn't come off hunger strike soon.

OSP Warden David Bobby refused to comment on the situation when contacted.

Mr Harris' demands are to be given greater opportunity to "step-down" or reduce his security level and an end to targeted harassment and violence from guards. Specifically, he is looking for more frequent security reviews, recreation time with at least one other prisoner, physical contact with visitors, and more time out of his cell. All these things would allow him to prove that he is not a danger to himself or others and can eventually get off of 5A, the highest security level in Ohio.

In June of 2012 Mr Harris wrote a detailed account of his mistreatment by OSP staff. This account is available at RedBirdPrisonAbolition.org. He is currently facing criminal charges based on some of these incidents. His trial was interrupted because of his medical condition and transfer to CMC.

First city in U.S. passes resolution against drones

Shortly after 11 p.m. on Monday, February 4th, the City Council of Charlottesville, Va., passed what is believed to be the first anti-drone resolution in the country. According to my notes, and verifiable soon on the City Council's website, the resolution reads:

"WHEREAS, the rapid implementation of drone technology throughout the United States poses a serious threat to the privacy and constitutional rights of the American people, including the residents of Charlottesville; and
"WHEREAS, the federal government and the Commonwealth of Virginia have thus far failed to provide reasonable legal restrictions on the use of drones within the United States; and
"WHEREAS, police departments throughout the country have begun implementing drone technology absent any guidance or guidelines from law makers;

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