From our Mailbag 12/31/00 - 01/12/01
I like what you're wearing, too...
From Meredith T., Tampa, FL, USA:
Hi Rod,
Matthew Osborne's poem was sobering, simple, and very moving. God, I hope this kid escapes Detroit's clutches and gets a good education and wakes up Americans one by one with his stark, elegant writing. I am reminded of an article in the most recent issue of Yes Magazine, a dual perspective piece on race called White on Black, Black on White. Unfortunately it's not published on their web site (http://www.yesmagazine.org/15prisons/15toc_main.htm) but it's worth tracking down a copy just for this article. (Hell, I'll mail you a photocopy if you can't find it.) Essentially it's a much-needed slap in the face to self-congratulatory white folks who think that racism is no longer a major problem. Some folks seem to think that affirmative action and the success of Black sports stars and the popularity of hiphop and the widespread mimicry of Black pop culture all have somehow relegated racism to isolated pockets in the state of Idaho. This article dispels that notion in a big hurry. But Matthew's poem conveys a similarly striking message in a poignant, powerful way. Great stuff.
Hope things are going better for you...thanks for keeping the G21 fires burning. Your light and heat are greatly appreciated.
Meredith
--
NewWorldTimes
http://www.newworldtimes.com
ROD RESPONDS: Meredith, I'm glad you enjoyed the poem and my commentary. I received the copy of YES Magazine you sent me in Friday's mail. I look forward to reading it as soon as I finish my chores here. Thanks for your kind words about our humble efforts at The World's Magazine. God bless!
From John McG. Dallas, TX, USA:
SUBJECT: RE: MOIA 1 January, 2001
Rod,
I would like to thank you for pointing out the article by Norman Matloff. It supports what I have suspected for several years now. If Dr. Matloff could only find a good ghost writer to take this article to a level of Upton Sinclair's The Jungle. He might have a nonfiction best seller.
Shoots the hell out of the meritoricty we all thought we were headed for just years ago don't it?
The best way to battle this one may unfortunately (I hate lawyers) be through the courts. If the indentured nature is as rampanat as Dr. Matloff opines then a logical attack would be to invoke the provisions of the 14th Admendment and have the law supporting H1-B's invalidated. Would certainly make an interesting appellate case.
So little time and not enough money.....
John McG
From Marc H., Seattle, WA, USA:
Hi Rod,
Thanks so much for the accolade regarding my Web site, Poison Dart Frog Media. Although I created the site nearly three years ago and have been producing Flash ever since, it continues to be my best-known work (I think there's something special about first efforts).
As for my company name, it was originally Poison Dart Frog Music and evolved from my childhood infatuation with reptiles and amphibians. A few years ago a friend started showering me with frog cards and other paraphernalia. I was producing an album of my original songs at the time and needed a publishing name. One of the frog cards became the inspiration for the name, which was later changed to Poison Dart Frog Media. Not a particularly noteworthy story, but since you were wondering....
I now do quite a bit of Flash instruction for Seattle area schools and companies. I always emphasize to my students that well-designed Flash can stream smoothly at 28.8kbps with little or no preloader, and I show them how to do the requisite analysis of their work to make it so. Hillman Curtis's work is an excellent example of this, but I always design my Flash by the same principle. Relatively recently I designed a site for a pianist who accompanies silent film. The site is Flash 4 compatible and uses a MIDI track to keep file size low while providing a full-length sound track to the animation. You might be interested to see it: http://www.dartfrogmedia.com/rickfrnd.
Anyway, thanks again and please keep me posted on your Web publications.
Best wishes,
Marc H.
Poison Dart Frog Media
From Stephanie C., San Francisco, CA USA:
Subject: Re: Irish eyes aren't smiling...
What happened to your Irish Eyes column? There hasn't been a new article for quite some time }:-(
I can't be the only one who has noticed the neglect or misses this beloved column. Whasssup?
Stephanie A. C.
ROD RESPONDS: Stephanie,
Thanks for writing! It's always appreciated.
And, well, it's like this: Joe O'Neill has promised me a *very special* piece, but it's a long time coming... the Problem is with his source, not Joe.
And that Dan VanDeMortel, he's just as lazy as hell! What can I tell you? 
I know: what about me? I've done a couple of pieces for IRISH EYES over the years, but only as backgrounders to articles by our "experts" on the topic. I try to keep my personal writing on issues where we have better journalists involved to a minimum. But rest assured, G21 is committed to this topic and will continue to bring you the best coverage we can provide.
From John B., Boston, MA, USA:
Hey, Rod!
I don't know about most people, but sure enjoyed your second issue of this new century better than the first. It looked to me like you were more into it this week.
Have you noticed something else? You get more readers writing in to your "Vox Populi" page from both coasts than from the south or middle of the country? I call it The Al Gore Constituency. Ha-hah-ha!
Keep up the good work.
Your Loyal Reader,
John
In The World's Magazine General Mailbag This Week
(See? We stopped calling it Spam.)
Forwarded by Meredith T., Tampa, FL, USA:
...please act on this:
Stop Ashcroft Coalition
From Kevin Zeese, President of Common Sense for Drug Policy
A broad coalition of organizations from various human rights, civil rights, woman's rights, criminal justice, drug policy, gay advocacy and environmental organizations has come together to oppose the nomination of John Ashcroft as Attorney General. It is the largest coalition to ever oppose an executive branch nomination and has come together more quickly than the coalition that successfully opposed the Bork nomination to the Supreme Court.
I am writing to you in my role as a director of the Common Sense Legislative Group -- the 501(c)(4) sister organization to Common Sense for Drug Policy. I have taken a leave of absence from Common Sense for at least the next two weeks to work for the Legislative Group and the Stop Ashcroft Coalition full-time. I hope that gives you a sense how important we view this effort.
As you know Senator Ashcroft is a grave danger to sensible drug policy as well as other important issues. He favors a policy based almost solely on interdiction and law enforcement. He has advocated cutting treatment and prevention budgets to expand drug war strategies (even though two of every three federal dollars already go to law enforcement). He opposes needle exchange, opposes reforms to stop racial profiling, favors mandatory sentencing, opposes medical marijuana, favors prosecution for web links to certain drug advocacy sites and has favored secret searches (where police can conduct warrantless searches without telling the property owner they did so).
It is likely that the hearings will start next week under the Chairmanship of Patrick J. Leahy (D-VT senator_leahy@leahy.senate.gov) and will conclude under the Chairmanship of Orrin G. Hatch (R-UTsenator_hatch@hatch.senate.gov) after President-elect Bush is inaugurated. The decision on this nomination could be made in the next two to three weeks so prompt action is necessary.
Stopping this nomination will be an uphill battle, but stopping it is possible.
While you should contact your senators,
(find your senator here: http://www.senate.gov/) the initial focus is on the Senate Judiciary Committee. The current members of this committee include:
Republicans
Orrin G. Hatch (UT) senator_hatch@hatch.senate.gov
Strom Thurmond (SC) senator@thurmond.senate.gov Charles E. Grassley (IA)
senator_grassley@exchange.senate.gov
Arlen Specter (PA) senator_specter@specter.senate.gov
Jon Kyl (AZ) info@kyl.senate.gov
Jeff Sessions (AL) senator@sessions.senate.gov
Robert C. Smith (NH) opinion@smith.senate.gov
Democrats
Patrick J. Leahy (VT) senator_leahy@leahy.senate.gov
Edward M. Kennedy (MA) feedback@kennedy.senate.gov
Joseph R. Biden (DE) senator@biden.senate.gov
Herb Kohl (WI) senator_kohl@kohl.senate.gov
Dianne Feinstein (CA) senator@feinstein.senate.gov
Russell D. Feingold (WI) webpage@feingold.senate.gov
Robert G. Torricelli (NJ)
senator_torricelli@exchange.senate.gov
Charles E. Schummer (NY) senator@schumer.senate.gov
While all of these Senators need to be contacted members of the
committee that need particular attention through letters, phone calls,
emails and faxes, especially from people from their states, include:
Arlen Specter (PA)
711 Hart Building
Washington DC 20510
Tel: 202-224-4254
fax: 202-228-1229
senator_specter@specter.senate.gov
Mike DeWine (OH)
140 Russell Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: 202-224-2315
Fax: 202-224-6519
senator_dewine@dewine.senate.gov
Dianne Feinstein (CA)
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: 202-224-3841
Fax: 202-228-3954
senator@feinstein.senate.gov
Herb Kohl (WI)
330 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Tel: 202-224-5653
senator_kohl@kohl.senate.gov
Russell Feingold (WI)
716 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-4904
Tel: 202-224-5323
webpage@feingold.senate.gov
Robert Torricelli (NJ)
113 Dirksen Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: 202-224-3224
senator_torricelli@exchange.senate.gov
I urge you to take action today and urge your colleagues, members, activists and friends to join you in doing so. If anyone would like additional information on this matter, please contact me at kevzeese@laser.net. Kevin Zeese
From Steve C., Taipei, TAIWAN:
Dear Rod,
Here's something I'm hoping you'll post on your site somewhere:
Taiwan's Government Information Office is running a slogan-writing contest, open to people throughout the world. Participants should submit slogans about Taiwan's exclusion from the UN, World Health Organization and other bodies, Taiwan's democratic evolution, and environmental progress. Prizes range from US$2,000 cash and air tickets to VCDs. The contest's Web site is:
http://th.gio.gov.tw/slogan/
Best wishes and keep up the good work on G21
Steve C.
Taipei, Taiwan
From Andreas B., Vienna, AUSTRIA:
hello
i thought that you would like to know about these activities:
- world ethic forum http://www.worldethicforum.net
( if not working, try: http://www.geocities.com/worldethicforum, i hope
the servers are upgraded until monday )
a plattform for the exchange between ecologic, social, spiritual, parascientific activists, researchers, ngos
a positive opposition to the world economic forum ( which is doing a massive public-good-looking-show in end of january at their annual member meeting in davos )
at the forum for everyone at http://network54.com/Hide/Forum/51102 everyone is invited to participate in discussions and or present his/her proposals for a world ethos
- lovewaves2001 http://www.8ung.at/abc/lovewaves2001.html
the connection of a lot of people all over the globe by free will, and most important in love without conditions, love to all beings, can influence the world in the direction of love
the essence of this idea is to motivate the people to do lovewaves at so much moments they can, every day, every moment, feeling to be in love with all beings
From The MediaChannel.org, New York, NY, USA:
JANUARY 10, 2001, NEW FEATURES:
CAN 100,000 CZECHS BE WRONG?
Is there a media reform movement taking shape in Prague or is the Czech TV battle just a political power play? A special report. http://www.mediachannel.org/originals/czech.shtml
*NEW* GLOBAL VIEWS
A special feature presenting international coverage of a single story to explore how media are influenced by context and particular agendas. This week: the U.S. elections.
http://www.mediachannel.org/globalviews/edition0110/front.shtml
DRAMATIC STRIKE
A strike by the actors' unions was virtually ignored by the mass media, even in the "company town" of Los Angeles. http://www.mediachannel.org/views/oped/sag_strike.shtml
NEWS DISSECTOR: THE YEAR AHEAD
Danny Schechter reflects on the Prague TV protests while MediaChannel readers express their hopes for media change in the year ahead. http://www.mediachannel.org/views/dissector/yearahead.shtml
DAILY MEDIA NEWS
Breaking news stories about the media internationally, from mainstream and alternative sources. http://www.mediachannel.org/news/today/
**FROM OUR AFFILIATES**
MEDIA READER
* Sports And Sex 2000
* Mongolian Tabloids
* Endless E-mail Petitions
And much, much more... Plus: Streaming audio and video http://www.mediachannel.org/news/mediareader/front.shtml
MARKET CENSORSHIP
Dan Simon names the great heroes of book publishing and laments the future of the word under conglomerated corporate control. http://www.mediachannel.org/front.shtml#books
CORRUPTION COVERUP
The influence of the mythology of patriotism over the U.S. media is such that the government's disgraceful foreign policy is rarely discussed, writes MediaChannel Advisor John Pilger. http://www.mediachannel.org/front.shtml#pilger
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NEW NETWORKING FEATURES!!!
VISIT AND BOOKMARK
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An on-line trading post for media goods and services. FIND AND POST: * Jobs/internships * Research/Data * Content * Audio/Video Footage * Equipment/Materials http://www.mediachannel.org/market
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A networking forum created especially for the global media community.
FIND AND POST: * Events * Action Alerts
* Education * Media Programs * Awards + Funding http://www.mediachannel.org/bulletinboard
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HOT STORIES
MediaChannel affiliates offer the latest news and opinion on the world's top media stories. This week: U.S. Election Coverage, Israel/Palestine Media Bias, Serbian Media and the AOL-Timer Warner merger
http://www.mediachannel.org/news/hotstories
MediaChannel welcomes our new affiliates: Sound Partners for Community Health * Cable Advisory Council Area 2 * e1t1.com inc. * RatherBiased.com * UNESCO Courier http://www.mediachannel.org/
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WEBMASTERS: YOU CAN ADD THIS ICON:
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