September 2007
Monthly Archive
Sun 30 Sep 2007
Posted by steve fournier under
activism ,
impeachment[5] Comments
Had it up to here with Bush and Cheney? Want to reclaim your country from the thugs who ran it into the ground? Want to bring the racketeers to account? Join Greater Hartford Impeach tomorrow at 7:00 at my house, 74 Tremont St., Hartford.
If we allow these crooks to complete their term, we’ll be setting a dangerous precedent for future corrupt leaders, of whom we seem to have a ready supply. Since our national leaders refuse to defend our constitution, we’ll have to do it ourselves, locally. Let’s figure out how to do that on Monday. 7:00 pm. 74 Tremont St. This is urgent.
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Fri 28 Sep 2007
This weekend Hartford loses its only music instrument shop. New England Music was the only full service musical instrument, recording, live audio and DJ supply shop in the city. And as of September 29, it belongs to West Hartford. When I visited last week, Mike Simonetta, one of the four guys that run the shop, told me that part of the reason for the move was the desire for more space - for workshops, private lessons and events. He also mentioned that Hartford is not exactly the most small business-friendly place on Earth. Sound like a broken record?
(more…)
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Thu 27 Sep 2007
Posted by Dave under
anti-war1 Comment
Many apt comparisons have been made between the Roman Empire and America. The gradual historical evolution of Rome from small Latin kingdom to a singular expanding republic into a world spanning(at that time) empire mirrors the development of America. The United States began as a colonial province of an expanding empire, morphed into a representative republic and now teeters on the brink of global hegemony under an imperial presidency. The imperium was the last stage before collpase and dissolution of Rome. Is this a harbinger of our fate? Perhaps a Cincinnatus is needed to save us from ourselves. Let me tell the story. (more…)
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Thu 27 Sep 2007
Posted by steve fournier under
education1 Comment
University presidents don’t run universities. They raise money. The principal task of a university president is to increase the financial holdings of his school. He lobbies legislators, hits up alumni, entertains rich people, and applies the goodwill of the institution he represents as his donors may command. Lower-level administrators take care of the actual running of the school. The president runs errands for boosters. (more…)
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Tue 25 Sep 2007
Posted by Undercurrents under
race ,
activism1 Comment
Saturday September 29th beginning at the intersection of Albany and Main, people will meet up around 9:00 a.m. to show their support for the Jena Six. At 10, people will march to Bushnell Park.
For more info: 860.246.4656
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Mon 24 Sep 2007
Posted by Peter G under
crime ,
justice[4] Comments
The Russian poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko once wrote that “One day posterity will remember these strange times, when ordinary common honesty was called courage.” Please be sure to read Steve Kalb’s column “Villains in the House” in the Hamden Daily News, “Your hometown cyberpaper.” Kalb tells the truth about the politicians who are engaged in a cynical manipulation of the Petit family murders in Cheshire with their grandstanding for “three strikes and you’re out.”
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Sun 23 Sep 2007
ed. note: please see Wes Strong’s comments for clarifying points
We’ve received word that The Recorder–Central Connecticut State University’s student-funded, student-run newspaper–only appears to use its editorial authority when an item offends said editors.
Kari Sledzik submitted an article about the Jena Six to the newspaper, and in the article, she did what college students are being taught to do–think critically about how current events and issues are linked. Sledzik is being censored for not believing that our social climate has been developed inside a vacuum.
The Recorder’s opinion editor responds to the submission by writing:
discussed your article with Mark, and he wanted to let you know that your article is good, but try and keep it on topic with Jena 6. The comic stuff is old news and he thinks we need to move on. (more…)
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Fri 21 Sep 2007
Posted by yossarian under
anti-war ,
activism[2] Comments
The Veterans of Future Wars salutes the unconventional tactics one woman is using to bring the troops back home. She’s planting toy soldiers with “bring me home” tags in public places. How about let’s deliver a Humvee full of them to Joe Lieberman’s office. Surge on!
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Thu 20 Sep 2007
Posted by steve fournier under
justice ,
race[7] Comments
The man who prosecuted three members of the Duke University lacrosse team on charges that they raped a stripper at a party was disbarred for prosecutorial misconduct and had to serve a day in jail for contempt of court. Relying on testimony, later recanted, from the stripper herself, North Carolina prosecutor Mike Nifong withheld exculpatory evidence from the defendants, an act of professional misconduct that cost him his license to practice law.
The man who is prosecuting six high school students in Jena, Louisiana, on charges of attempted murder appeared before reporters yesterday to justify his prosecution, which arose out of a schoolyard fight. The conviction of one of the students (the others haven’t been tried yet) was overturned on appeal earlier this week because the prosecutor illegally tried the defendant, a juvenile, as an adult. The kid remains in jail, as crowds of protesters descend today on the town of 8,000 in protest. (more…)
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Tue 18 Sep 2007
Posted by yossarian under
anti-warNo Comments
It’s time to go all in or fold ‘em in Iraq. That’s one suggestion by one of the many military experts George Packer interviewed for the New Yorker this week. He paints a bleak picture of our options there. It’s too late for a face saving exit. As this one officer sees it, a massive U.S. occupation would tamp down the violence. But of course, that’s what Saddam did, in between periodic bouts of bloodletting to keep his people in line. An immediate pullout would save U.S. soldiers, but lead to some messy housecleaning by the various sects, tribes, clans, militias. According to this one officer, a gradual retreat only delays the inevitable. Who’s gonna volunteer to die for this option? For all you embarrassed war cheerleaders, the dithering Democrats get no respect from Packer. He sees them ignoring the downside to Iraqis from our ultimate troop withdrawal. He does offer an alternative. If the U.S. would only admit we screwed the whole thing up(can’t you just hear George say, “oops,my bad) and asked for international help, the U.S. would be on the path to finally doing the right thing.
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