Silenced Majority Portal

U District Street Fair: TransFat & Grunge

A travesty - cholesterol and grease in the U District, neighborhood of organic food & healthy eating!

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A co-worker asked where I was going this weekend. When I mentioned the U District Street Fair, she said, "I would never go there. There are too many drugged out people." Excuse me, that's where I did my PhD program!

Votre Dieu N'est Pas Le Mien

The important thing is not to stop questioning - Albert Einstein

One good schoolmaster is of more use than a hundred priests. Thomas Paine

As long as every question is answered by the word 'god,' scientific inquiry is simply impossible. Robert Green Ingersoll

If we value the pursuit of knowledge, we must be free to follow wherever that search may lead us. The free mind is not a barking dog, to be tethered on a ten-foot chain. Adlai E. Stevenson II

It is, I think, an error to believe that there is any need of religion to make life seem worth living. Sinclair Lewis

Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions. Oliver Wendell Holmes

ATHEIST: A person who disbelieves the existence of s supreme being or beings. (Random House College Dictionary)

FREETHINKER: A person who rejects authority and dogma, forming opinions about religion on the basis of reason and rational inquiry independently of tradition, authority and established belief. (American Heritage Dictionary)

Aren't atheists just angry with God? An Atheist can't be angry at a god if she doesn't believe one esists.

Are atheists Satan worshipers? No. Atheists do not believe in or worship any gods, whether good or evil.

For more information, contact http://www.seattleatheists.org

Slugbug

Jesus Watch

I found the Jesus watch at a garage sale along with some chile pepper sun glasses and an antique side table.  The whole lot was only $15 (from three different places).  I remember seeing a sign when I lived in Seattle in 1980 that someone had painted on a wall near the University of Washington. It read "the urge to buy terrorizes you." After all of these years, I'm beginning to accept it now; it's my culture.

"Where is the Gum Wall?" asks the tourist

Robert Byrd Was Right

Robert Byrd says:

Once again, the Congress is debating supplemental funding for President Bush's disastrous misadventure in Iraq. Earlier this year, Congress set a new course for the war in Iraq. It offered a way forward for the Iraqi people and a way home for the U.S. troops while providing for some of the most pressing needs of the nation.

But sadly, the president chose to veto that bill.
This president has a single-minded obsession with Iraq and continues to close his eyes and cover his ears to the realities of this occupation. He is unfazed by the U.S. death toll in Iraq which is more than 3,380 men and women, and the death toll of innocent Iraqis which probably numbers in the tens of thousands. The president has freely spent over $378 billion of our treasury in Iraq, some of it subject to horrendous waste and abuse by U.S. contractors in Iraq. The American taxpayer has been ravaged by the profiteering in Iraq, but even worse, our brave troops have been short-changed with inadequate equipment to protect their lives, and shoddy medical care if they make it back home to treat wounds of the body and of the mind.

Seeing no value in anything except continuing his quixotic "mission impossible," the president has already threatened to veto House funding legislation. He claims that it "could unreasonably burden the president's exercise of his constitutional authorities, including his authority as commander in chief ..." because it sets a date for withdrawal and provides funding for the occupation only until late July. The president also objects to funding in the bill which would help to rebuild the Gulf Coast States, to improve health care for our troops and our veterans, compensate for the shortfall in the States' Children's Health Insurance Program, fund low-income heating assistance, and increase funding for homeland security.

President Bush raises constitutional concerns in his latest veto threat. I suppose one could be encouraged that constitutional concerns even exist in the Bush kingdom. After setting aside the Constitution whenever convenient to justify pre-emptive attacks, illegal searches, secret wiretapping, clandestine military tribunals, treaty violations, kidnapping, torture, and a rejection of habeas corpus, one has to wonder about the nature of these purported "constitutional concerns." If the Constitution is finally to be read, let us read it in its entirety, including the articles which give the people's Representatives the power over the purse, and the power to declare war.

We need to conclude this terrible mistake we have made in Iraq. Anti-Americanism is more robust now than in any period in our history because of Iraq. The international community is skeptical of U.S. intentions because of Iraq. Our Constitution has been trampled because of Iraq. Thousands of U.S. troops and Iraqi citizens have lost their lives because of Iraq. Thousands more are maimed physically or mentally because of Iraq. Billions of U.S. dollars have been wasted because of Iraq. President Bush has lost all credibility because of Iraq. Terrorism is on the rise worldwide because of Iraq.

Congress will go to conference for a second time next week to work on legislation that will provide critical funding for the U.S. military. The White House has been engaged in the effort to find common ground on new legislation. We must work together to craft a plan that provides equipment and training to keep our troops safe and also spurs the Iraqi people to make a stand for the future of their own nation. I hope that we can reach a bipartisan solution on this supplemental legislation that meets the expectations and needs of the American people and sets a new direction for Iraq.

(photo credit Marc Schulthess, Paris France - taken in Salt Lake City, Utah)

Bush Dynasty: Delusions of Grandeur

GBCW: From Paul Wolfowitz

Paul Wolfowitz Quotes:

I think all foreigners should stop interfering in the internal affairs of Iraq. Those who want to come and help are welcome. Those who come to interfere and destroy are not.

..if these people f*** with me or Shaha, I have enough on them to f*** them too.

We don't start a job that we can't finish... that's the American way.

GBCW,

Paul Wolfowitz (another image from Wonkette: Click Here)

Tinky Winky Says Bye Bye Falwell

picture credit craphound.com

Ding Dong! The Witch is dead. Which old Witch? The Wicked Witch!
Ding Dong! The Wicked Witch is dead.
Wake up - sleepy head, rub your eyes, get out of bed.
Wake up, the Wicked Witch is dead. She's gone where the goblins go,
Below - below - below. Yo-ho, let's open up and sing and ring the bells out.
Ding Dong' the merry-oh, sing it high, sing it low.
Let them know
The Wicked Witch is dead!
Mayor
As Mayor of the Munchkin City, In the County of the Land of Oz, I welcome you most regally.
Barrister
But we've got to verify it legally, to see
Mayor
To see?
Barrister
If she
Mayor
If she?
Barrister
Is morally, ethic'lly
Father No.1
Spiritually, physically
Father No. 2
Positively, absolutely
Munchkins
Undeniably and reliably Dead
Coroner
As Coroner I must aver, I thoroughly examined her.
And she's not only merely dead, she's really most sincerely dead.
Mayor
Then this is a day of Independence For all the Munchkins and their descendants
Barrister
If any.
Mayor
Yes, let the joyous news be spread The wicked Old Witch at last id dead!

Support the Magnetic Ribbon Industry

I saw a yellow one when I was out doing stupid errands, but I didn't have my camera.
You can get this one at Cafe Press.

Alot of the original yellow "Support the Troops" ones are fading in the sun after 4 years, so they are starting to look like white surrender ribbons.

Slugbug

Youth Run Capitol Encampment Against the War: YAWR

Youth Run Capitol Encampment Against the War Four groups collaborated to produce a successful anti-war encampment at the Capitol in St Paul. The groups are Youth Against War and Racism (YAWR),  Veterans for Peace, Miltary Families Speak Out (MFSO), and Socialist Alternatives.  The event began at 5 pm on Friday evening and ended at 8 am the following morning. I was there from about 6 till 8:30 pm and I was impressed with what I saw.

Although a small contingent of Vets for Peace and MFSO were present, the event was dominated by youth. The entertainers that I heard were outstanding.  I heard some performers presenting poetry and rap, and there was a saxophonist and a drummer providing background for several of the pieces. I wish I had brought my MP3 recorder to make these presentations part of my post. Instead, I will present the images of two of the artists with the hope that you can identify them and hear them perform sometime. Also, if any of the artists are performing again soon, I could record them, with permission, and post their work here.

After the performers completed their numbers, everyone broke out into affinity groups to discuss strategies for dealing with the war.  These groups included an education session provided by a member of the anti-war committee,

a discussion about a possible draft and  conscientious objector status. Another group learned how to make duct tape wallets (so they won't have to buy a manufactured product). That proved to be a sticky project. 

Still another group discussed how to kick recruiters out of their schools.

A lot of work was accomplished, but I believe too that everyone enjoyed getting together to talk and to meet new friends.

If you were hungry, there was plenty of food.

As usual, there were several slogans on shirts that were designed to make a political statement:

It was getting pretty cold when I left (I was dressed for warm weather and the temperature dropped with the sunset).

I bet the second part of the event was as good as the parts that I saw. My camera doesn’t work well in the dark so that's another reason I left.  Someone else will have to fill you in about entertainment that was planned for later that evening.