When our president isn't busy fiddling, it appears he's making up nicknames for, well, everybody. Here is a list of some of them from wikipedia.

Self
Dubya, 43

Family
Poppy, 41, Old Man - George H. W. Bush
Bushie - Laura Bush (this is a mutual nickname)

Foreign leaders
Dino (short for Dinosaur) - Jean Chrétien, Prime Minister of Canada
Steve - Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada
Pootie-Poot - Vladimir Putin, President of Russia
Bandar Bush - Bandar bin Sultan, ambassador to the United States from Saudi Arabia
Landslide - Tony Blair, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Staff
Altoid Boy - Special Assistant Israel Hernandez (for his role as provider of breath mints to the President on the campaign trail)
Boy Genius (positive), Turd Blossom (negative) - Senior Advisor Karl Rove
The World's Greatest Hero (positive and negative) - Secretary of State Colin Powell
Guru - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
Big O (current), Pablo (former) - Secretary of the Treasury Paul O'Neill
Ari-Bob - White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer
High Prophet, Hurricane Karen - Karen Hughes, Special Advisor; Director of Communications under Texas Governor George W. Bush
The Blade - Office of Management and Budget Director Mitch Daniels
Big Country - Director of FEMA Joe Allbaugh
Brownie - Director of FEMA Michael D. Brown
Tree Man - Unnamed forest service official
Chuckles - Capt. Charles Higgins, Director of Public Health, National Park Service

Politicians
Pablo - Paul Wellstone, Democratic Senator, Minnesota
Big George - George Miller, Democratic Congressman, California
Freddy Boy - Fred Upton, Republican Congressman, Michigan
Congressman Kickass - John Sweeney, Republican Congressman, New York
Speak - Dennis Hastert, Republican Congressman from Illinois and Speaker of the United States House of Representatives

Reverend Edward Pinckney, a human rights activist from Benton Harbor, Michigan will be joining us at BRAC, 1009 E. 4th Ave, during the Poor Peoples Union meeting at 3PM this Saturday. Rev. Pinckney has been involved in many similar situations to the one we're dealing with currently involving local ordinances. His insight should be invaluable. The following is the transcript of a speech he gave at a summit held prior to the death of a young man who was being chased by the police.

We are here today to discuss some of the things that have happened and also what led up to what happened. I will take it step by step so we can get an understanding.

The Bible teaches us to first take care of ourselves, and then the organization. The reality is that if you don't take care of yourself first, when you get into trouble, your organization may not be able to take care of you.

I have never seen a more graphic illustration of this than when I was flying from San Francisco to Chicago. The airline stewardess said that, if for some reason the plane loses pressure or power, you are to grab the oxygen mask and put it on your face first, then on your child or anyone else who is unable to do so. She did not prioritize you as being more valuable or important [than the other person]. She was simply saying that that person may not be able to help you.

So, I am saying that we are not to put the mask on the wrong face. We have a history of putting the mask on the wrong face. We don't take time out to analyze our own position. We have to understand that we, the people, run this country. That's right. Democrats and Republicans don't run the country unless we allow them to. And we have. But we have to reorganize ourselves and show the power that we have within the people.

Let me talk about Benton Harbor and what led up to the riot there. I am going to start with a young man named Maurice Carter. I will use the phrase "what if." What if you were walking out of your home one day and you were picked up for questioning by the police -- not knowing why, just picked up? What if you were sitting in a place and two cops came and asked you to come with them? What if you were walking down the street and cops put drugs in your pants? These are some of the things that have happened in Benton Harbor.

Sixth Grader Tasered At Middle School

JONESBORO -- Officials at Jonesboro Middle School say police tasered an 11-year-old student Wednesday as a last resort. The incident immediately prompted an internal police investigation.

Channel 2 was told the incident began after something happened at lunch to spark a verbal argument between two 6th graders. The verbal argument turned physical and a school resource officer with the Jonesboro Police Department says she had to resort to using a taser.

Channel 2 cameras were rolling when police left Jonesboro Middle School with what appeared to be a male student handcuffed in the backseat.

School officials confirm that an 11-year-old, 6th grade male was tasered by a school resource officer. They say the boy was physically assaulting a female 6th grader and refused to listen to verbal commands to stop. As a last resort the officer tasered the boy twice – once to get the students separated and a second time when the boy tried to attack the girl again.

There's more here.

I know I'm stealing from Forest Gump, but I'm sure he stole from someone else. Olympia to me was like one of those perfect hand crafted wonderful chocolates.  Just magificant even with one bite.  One bite and you remember it forever and yet with Olympia you are free to keep biting and tasting.  It always was that perfect thing.

Now Olympia is becoming that faux waxy mostly artificial chocolate, the kind that has that strange white powdery stuff on it when you unwrap it.  It can't be called chocolate, even the wrapper states "chocolate flavored-Artificial".  How can people not recognize the real thing and how can they be so easily fooled to accepting such a poor substitute?

Duck the Malls Arts & Crafts Sale!

Who needs the mall? Support the local economy!

For one day only, the Capitol Theater auditorium becomes a local art and craft sale featuring the area’s best handmade fashion, artwork, and quirky quality goods—all produced by local and independent artists and artisans.

206 E. 5th Ave. [in the heart of the scariest of downtowns] Downtown Olympia, of course!

Proceeds benefit the artists and the OFS Art Gallery.

Shameless plug: www.pat-works.com

International Day of Solidarity with Green Scare Indictees, Detainees, and Political Prisoners

Olympia Benefit Show

Friday, December 8

at Solid Gold - 419 Boulevard Rd SE (at the corner of Pacific Ave. and Boulevard Rd. across from the shell station)
Olympia, Washington

Doors open at 7 pm, music and performance begins at 8 pm
Suggested donation $5-20

Performing:

Bridget Irish (performance)
Leonardo (soul, house dj)
Myello (experimental dance electronics)
Onyxoxo (acoustica + dj)
Rachel Diamond, one lady band (!)
Shizunomargot (songs, performance)
Timezone Lafontaine (southern hip hop soulrock)

and more!!!

There will be free literature, merchandise and beverages for a donation, and an opportunity to learn more about the "Green Scare" and how to support earth liberation indictees, grand jury resistance, preserving civil liberties & building solidarity, and refusing the criminalization of dissent.

This event is a benefit for Olympia Civil Liberties Resource, Books To Prisoners Olympia, and non-cooperating "Green Scare" indictees.

Hello dear family,

You are all welcome and encouraged to come and share with us what ever is on your heart be that a song, a poem, a prayer or a moment of silence. On sunday december 3rd we will come together at the reservoir, at 3723 36th ave NW on cooper point at 6pm.

The red cedar circle comes from the si.si.wis (sacred breath) medicine way that was practiced by the native people of this land. at 6pm we will share food (potluck meal, bring food if the way is open) then we will circle up after the meal. there will be an alter in the middle and anyone from any and all of the paths of life is welcome to come and share.

for more information on the red cedar cirlce and the si.si.wis medice please visit http://www.sisiwiss.org/ShamansDrum.htm

I hope to see you there!

May you be peace,
Michael Kelly (kate.on.sawgaa)

these all sound so familiar. read up.

• "An unfortunate trend in cities around the country over the past 25 years has been to turn to the criminal justice system to respond to people living in public spaces.  This trend includes measures that target homeless persons by making it illegal to perform life-sustaining activities in public.  These measures prohibit activities such as sleeping/camping, eating, sitting, and begging in public spaces, usually including criminal penalties for violation of these laws. " Link.
• " On three separate occasions, the Berkeley City Council discussed the proposed "Problematic Street Behavior" ordinances... sound familiar? Link.
• Many cities across the country have homeless laws, falling into a few general categories. Panhandling is restricted or banned altogether (Massachusetts passed a law of this kind several years ago but it was struck down by the state courts as unconstitutional). Anti-camping ordinances, such as in Austin, Texas, prohibit sleeping on streets or in parks after curfew or at all. And in many cities, the homeless are excluded from downtown areas and places where they congregate. Austin and Los Angeles, for instance, have no-standing zones and no-sitting areas where people may not linger. There are also such arcane laws as the prohibition of public parking lot crossing in Atlanta. Link.

food not bombs for thought. also what's with the "greener" bashing? i am not a student i quit school along time ago but it's funny the groups of people in this town that get lumped together and isolated for criticism.

There has been a lot of buzz regarding tonight's events at The Capital Playhouse, and even rumors that the PPU was involved in organizing the protest. This is not true. The PPU would not endanger it's members by taking part in activities that could potentially cause physical altercations with law enforcement. We wish to work with the local police, businesses and government to improve the lives of our members. It is unclear as to whether or not a blockade of the doors will happen tonight, but regardless, the PPU does not condone or support those actions. We wish to overturn the ordinance through legal means. We support those who are working with the city on what to do with extra money to be directed at services. We support those who peacefully protest, even in front of a city councilmember's place of business, because we feel that when you make the decision to run for office and ultimately take office, you open yourself up to a new level of accountability. We believe that councilmembers who cast a vote should either stand by it or admit publicly that they made a mistake.

Thank You.

Please call 359.3293 for more information on the PPU and our activities.

I am writing to encourage individual community members to re-consider plans to picket the Capital Playhouse tonight. It is my personal belief that this will only accomplish creating deeper divisions between various groups within our community.
While I understand that the intention is raise awareness of the opposition to the newly enacted Sidewalk Usage Ordinance, I do believe that this demonstration will further polarize our community.

I would like to invite community members to engage in dialogue aimed at bringing various perpectives out into the light of day and find creative solutions that take into account the various concerns and lived experiences.

A friend of mine who is an Appreciate Inquiry Facilitator, attended the Town Hall meeting in September. Following the meeting, she shared with me her observations that it seemed the community members were talking AT each other and not WITH each other. She has since offered to train a Steering Committee made up of community members and leaders in the appreciate inquiry process with our wider community aimed at opening up channels of dialogue, getting to know one another's perspectives, wants and needs in life and begin to find creative solutions to complex community issues. I have mentioned this offer to the City Council and will continue to follow up with individual council members about utilizing her knowledge and training. I mention this, because it is my belief that this form of communication may be much more effective in bringing our community together to meet the needs of both those on the streets and those who are housed. What do you think?

Another opprotunity to get involved is the Community Forum on Homelessness scheduled for next wednesday (7-9 p.m. at the Olympia Center). Food will be provided by Food Not Bombs. the intention of the forum is to raise awareness of the causes and consequences of homelessness. Please join us.