June 25, 2008

emergency in Zimbabwe

Category: worldwide words. Posted by phee at 9:13 am.

This is from Darlene in Uganda
- Phee

Hi,

I just signed on to an emergency ad campaign calling for an emergency summit of Southern African countries to broker a legitimate government in Zimbabwe — and end the campaign of terror that Robert Mugabe has unleashed.

Ads with this message will be run throughout Southern Africa this week. Please join me in signing: (you’ll need to copy and paste it into a new web browser)

http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_zimbabwe/97.php?cl_tf_sign=1

Thanks!

Darlene

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June 15, 2008

Death of the Internet As We Know It

Category: worldwide words. Posted by Peter at 9:52 pm.

http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/june2008/120608_a_death.htm

Here’s an issue we all need to pay attention to … “Net Neutrality” or “Death of the Internet” as we know it … Best to search the following: “Death of the Internet”, “Bill C-552″, “COPE Act” and “Internet Freedom Preservation Act of 2008″…

“Net Neutrality” is seriously, seriously endangered. In Canada private members Bill C-552 was tabled May 28th and needs our full support or we will lose the internet as we now know it. There are much more grave and dire consequences for the loss of net neutrality than just how expensive the internet will become and thus, considerably less accessible for most of us. The Canadian political process, to be specific the NDP, is supporting “free (and affordable) speech” on the internet whereas the US political process turned it down (surprise, surprise) by passing the COPE Act in ‘05. Bill C-552 (Canadian)
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2008/05/28/tech-netbill.htmland

Internet Freedom Preservation Act of 2008 (American)
http://itnerd.wordpress.com/2008/05/29/net-neutrality-bill-tabled-now-is-the-time-for-action/

are the current actions to protect OUR internet.

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June 9, 2008

I didn’t know it would be this bad

Category: borrowed words. Posted by Judy Cross at 11:55 am.

Canada’s C-51 Law To Outlaw 60% of Natural Health Products
Don’t Let Big Pharma Do This To Canada

Excerpt: “http://www.educate-yourself.org
At the same time that C-51 is outlawing herbs, supplements and vitamins, it would grant alarming new “enforcement” powers to the thugs enforcement agents who claim to be “protecting” the public from dangerous unapproved “therapeutic agents” like, say, dandelion greens. As explained on the Educate-Yourself.org website ((http://educate-yourself.org/cn/canadian…), the C-51 law would allow the Canadian government’s thugs enforcement agents to:

• Raid your home or business without a warrant
• Seize your bank accounts
• Levy fines up to $5 million and a jail terms up to 2 years for merely selling an herb
• Confiscate your property, then charge you storage fees for the expense involved in storing all the products they stole from you

C-51 would even criminalize the simple drying of herbs in your kitchen to be used in an herbal product, by the way. That would now be categorized as a “controlled activity,” and anyone caught engaging in such “controlled activities” would be arrested, fined and potentially jailed. Other “controlled activities” include labeling bottles, harvesting plants on a farm, collecting herbs from your back yard, or even testing herbal products on yourself! (Yes, virtually every activity involving herbs or supplements would be criminalized…)

There’s more, too. C-51 is the Canadian government’s “final solution” for the health products industry. It’s a desperate effort to destroy this industry that’s threatening the profits and viability of conventional medicine.

Natural medicine works so well—and is becoming so widely used—that both the Canadian and American governments have decided to “nuke” the industries by passing new laws that effectively criminalize anyone selling such products. They simply cannot tolerate allowing consumers to have continued access to natural products. To do so will ultimately spell the destruction of Big Pharma and the outdated, corrupt and criminally-operated pharmaceutical industry that these criminally-operated governments are trying to protect.’

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Is anyone out there?

Category: hornby words, housekeeping words. Posted by Davida at 11:51 am.

We’re looking at acreages on the island to share with like-minded others — we want to live quietly and, in a very few years, permanently, in a fittingly ‘green’ manner, perhaps by way of a covenant. We’ll likely plunge ahead by ourselves but it would be best if we had a land partner. In short, we’re not out to make a deal, but find a decent way of life.

Anybody interested? Any thoughts, suggestions, chuckles or retorts from those who have travelled this road before?

Many thanks

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June 6, 2008

“more power to you” conference

Category: bc words, word up! - events. Posted by phee at 4:30 pm.

More info about this event, which I posted awhile ago… - phee

More Power to You:
A conference for community & environmental activists organizing to protect public power in British Columbia
Citizens for Public Power, Posted: May 21, 2008

Date:
Friday, June 20th and Saturday June 21st

Times:
9am – 4pm

Keynote Speaker:
Rafe Mair, Broadcaster, writer, speaker, political commentator

Details:
A two day conference­including presentations, panel discussions, and workshops­will bring together community and environmental activists organizing to protect public power in British Columbia.

Registration:
$50 by June 5th 2008

Travel Bursaries available to cover transportation and accommodations for conference registrants from outside of the Lower Mainland.

Space is limited. Register ASAP.
Read the rest of this entry »

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May 29, 2008

one door closes, another opens. Happy, sad.

Category: borrowed words, personal words. Posted by phee at 12:08 pm.

from my blog 

My journey continues on its tricksy winding path, leading me to surprising endings and unexpected openings. For one, I’ve decided to cancel the ‘Salon Phoenix’ series. The first one was lovely, with several beaming faces encouraging and applauding, and with the added bonus of Selwynn sharing her beautiful song. Now there’s a rising star in the making! I’m very grateful for the support of my friends and beloveds and the experience was awesome all around.

Still, I’m in the process of feeling my way through my life, going by what feels right rather than what looks best, or what felt right in the past… and my feeling now is to let go of that regular Tuesday commitment. It just wasn’t feeling right to keep going. Another factor (but not the deciding factor) is, my body wants me to go for the Tuesday evening yoga class at Seaside yoga which is right around the corner from my house. Pnina is a wonderful teacher and my body is in desperate need of just this very thing! I’ve never done yoga and now I’m an addict. Must… keep… going… must…

read the rest of this story 

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May 28, 2008

More Power to You

Category: bc words, word up! - events. Posted by phee at 5:34 pm.

If anybody is going to be in Vancouver for this, it sounds like a good thing…
- phee

On June 20th and 21st, BC Citizens for Public Power will host a gathering of concerned British Columbians—from activists to academics, environmentalists to energy experts, as well as film makers, First Nations leaders and other public power devotees. More Power to You is a conference for community and environmental activists organizing to protect public power in British Columbia.

This two day event (view online poster) will take place at SFU Harbour Centre in downtown Vancouver. The conference will feature numerous presentations, panel discussions, and workshops that promise to deepen both our knowledge and our resolve to protect public power in BC.

Some event highlights include

· Opening blessing from Leonard George - Former elected Chief of the Tsleil-Waututh nation

· Keynote address by Rafe Mair - Broadcaster, writer, speaker, and political commentator

· Presentation by John Calvert – SFU Professor and author of the acclaimed Liquid Gold: Energy Privatization in British Columbia

Read the rest of this entry »

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Isla AGM

Category: hornby words, word up! - events. Posted by phee at 5:18 pm.

Special Presentation by Margaret Eberle - Housing Consultant

(conducting a needs assessment of Hornby and Denman)

Sunday 1 June

New Horizons

11:00am

Come, learn, participate. ISLA needs new directors and volunteers. An exciting community project!

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May 27, 2008

writer’s group assignment this month: windfall tale

Category: borrowed words, creative words. Posted by phee at 12:57 am.

From my blog:

The assignment this month over on Northern Scribblers Online was to write about a windfall that happened to somebody. It made me remember the following true story. Go magic!

Miracle in the Parking Lot

Nothing makes you appreciate money more than not having any. Raising two boys on an income fixed at a level well below the basic needs of my family meant not having any was the norm for the last two weeks of every month. They were hungry boys, growing fast, and I liked to eat a bit myself.

On this day of days, I was desperate. What to do? We were out of everything: bread, cheese, pasta, condiments, anything the kids would eat, and my cheque wasn’t due for another week. I’d exhausted all the possibilities: I’d rolled up and spent the last of my collected coin stash and used every scrap and shred of food in the house. I didn’t know anyone I could borrow money from, and I was unwilling to get into a pattern of owing money I knew I couldn’t repay.

The ache in my chest swelled to bursting and I began to cry in pure thwarted urgent need. I left the house and began walking in the direction of the grocery store. “God, fairies, whatever magic exists that cares and could help me, I really need it now. I don’t know where to turn. Please, my kids are hungry, help me.”

read the rest of the story

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May 22, 2008

ALL ISLANDS ROCK THE BOAT FERRY RALLY JULY 4TH,2008

Category: bc words, hornby words, word up! - events. Posted by Peter at 10:36 pm.

submitted by Michelle Easterly

AHOY B.C FERRY USERS AND OTHER CONCERNED CANADIANS,
Direct action individuals from Hornby and Denman Islands have formed the Rock the Boat Coalition. We are faced with the challenge of organizing the “organizers list ” from all B.C. Ferry dependent communities thru out BC. A Call to Action letter, website and contact individuals will follow this explanation below. We are doing our best to just email people at this time who will help organize the rallies on all the Islands and dependent communities. IF you know people who in your community would like to get on Board with us, please help us . If you have been put on this list in error , our apologies. Please let us know and please pass it on to those on your Islands and communities who may be able to join in to help organize this day of solidarity .We all know how the ferry fares and privatization of ferry fares and essential services are affecting our communities and our friends and businesses. Please remember, everyone can play a part. If those of you, who cannot attend a rally would like to be of supportyou might help organize a local phone tree, help with placards, theatre or music or provide other support. Please reply by email and call us.. LETS ROCK THE BOAT!!

ROCK THE BOAT! - JULY 4th CALL OUT
Ahoy Ferry Riders,
We know you’re frustrated and upset with the BC Ferries Corporation and the politicians and bureaucrats that stand behind it. Over the last couple of months, Hornby, Denman, Quadra and Gabriola have gotten the ball rolling with ferry protests on their respective islands.

Now it’s time to up the ante. Our plan is to put together a major action for Friday, July 4. In order to maximize its impact with the Ferries bigwigs, the politicians, and the media, we’d like it to involve all of the BC ferry dependent communities acting in solidarity to mount a variety of rallies, protests, informational campaigns, parades, and festive ways of getting our message across.
Read the rest of this entry »

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