By Ron Patton

I read with profound interest the February/March 2008 Olympia Food Co-op newsletter, specifically, the article titled, “Anti-oppression Training at the Co-op,” by Monica Villareal. While the anti-oppression committee is in the process of developing a vitally needed training program, there presently appears to be a glaring oversight regarding their anti-oppression policy.

In 2006, several Co-op members complained about Salsa So Fresh being sold at the Co-op because a portion of the proceeds goes to the Christian charitable organization, World Vision, known for feeding refugees in war-torn countries. While on the surface, this appears to be a worthy cause, World Vision has been involved with U.S. clandestine operations, primarily in Southeast Asia and Central America. Many of the refugee camps hired members of right-wing “death” squads, trained by CIA and U.S. military special advisors. There were numerous credible reports of mass murders of these vulnerable refugees by the hit squads.

Read more...

Hello OCS Friends!

The Olympia Choral Society
presents
"2008: A Choral Odyssey"
Friday & Saturday, May 16 & 17 at 7:30pm
Sunday, May 18 at 2:30pm
at the North Thurston Perf. Arts Center
600 Sleater-Kinney Rd. NE, Lacey
FREE Admission- donations gratefully accepted
www.olympiachoral.org

Come celebrate 10 years of OCS with us!  You'll hear Bach's "Jesu Meine
Freude" along with the Beatles' "Hey Jude."  The concert is packed with new
music as well as some favorites from past concerts.  Visit our web site for
more info.

Thanks for being a supporter of OCS for 10 years!


Terry Shaw, OCS Director
www.olympiachoral.org

The fact that Ralph Nader visited Olympia and this has not been mentioned on OlyBlog does not bode well for his Presidential campaign. 

Don't get me wrong. I like third party and independent runs. Ralph even got my vote in the past, once. I'm not voting for him this time, however.

But I am interested in his 2008 campaign and what he is saying that other candidates are not.  Any OlyBloggers out there attend his Oly speech? Care to report?  

I figured one of the super sleuths like Emmett would have scooped this by now, but since no one else has, here you are for your reading enjoyment.

Olympia Files Criminal Charges Against Three Individuals

(Olympia, WA) The City of Olympia Prosecutor’s Office has filed criminal charges against the following people for their actions in November 2007 relating to the transport of military equipment from the Port of Olympia:

Shyam P. Khanna has been charged by complaint #2008072 with Obstructing an Officer pursuant to OMC 9.08.020 and Resisting Arrest pursuant to OMC 9.08.040 for actions alleged to have been committed on November 8, 2007.

Kathleen K. Hutchison has been charged by complaint #2008074 with Obstructing an Officer pursuant to OMC 9.08.020 for actions alleged to have been committed on November 10, 2007.

Patricia O. Hutchison has been charged by complaint #2008075 with Obstructing an Officer pursuant to OMC 9.08.020 for actions alleged to have been committed on November 10, 2007.

Obstructing an Officer and Resisting Arrest are misdemeanor crimes. The maximum penalty for each crime is 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Just a quick heads up that I'll be talking with Palestinian singer Reem Kelani in the first hour of Spin The Globe tomorrow morning (Friday May 16). The rest of Spin The Globe will feature music from Buddhist lands, and the usual assortment of global grooves.

Listen in at KAOS 89.3 FM or listen online

Palestinian singer, musician and broadcaster Reem Kelani is in the Northwest as part of the , and performs this evening as part of the Global Divas show, as well as Friday morning and Saturday afternoon shows.

Kelani released her debut album “Sprinting Gazelle – Palestinian Songs from the Motherland and the Diaspora” (Fuse Records) in February 2006 to critical acclaim. Representing the culmination of twenty years’ work, which included research in Palestine, in Palestinian refugee camps and the Palestinian Diaspora into old traditional songs, Sprinting Gazelle is a fully independent production.

POLKA DOT DOT DOT first show with Jordan in nearly a year, future 7"

YOUR HEART BREAKS just back from UK tour with Kimya Dawson, brand new 7"

CHRISTOPHER FRANCIS aka SON first show in like a year, relatively old 7"

LIZA JANE of Moonbaby, 7"?? 

ABC House
Friday, May 23rd at 8pm
$5 or a bottle of Freixenet

Monday May 19th @ 6:00 SEM 2 E2109

there is a housing crisis, find out who wins and who loses, and learn about some local solutions.

Jesse Schultz (Camp Quixote)
Sandra Kozlowski (Conchetta House)
Amanda Coday (family housing @ Evergreen)

Where: Heritage Park on Capital Lake - Olympia, WA

Please come and join in the world wide celebration of the 25th International AIDS Candlelight Memorial, a program of the Global Health Council.

Join in remembrance of those who have died of AIDS both locally and world-wide and to help in creating awareness about the impact HIV/AIDS is having on our local community and abroad.

Instead of candles we will be using items that represent life.

• Bring a piece of nature such as a flower, leaf, rock, shell, etc… to signify life
• Bring pictures and/or stories of individuals you know who are affected by AIDS

Music begins at 6:30pm Donations for AHOPE for Children AIDS orphans and United Community AIDS Network are appreciated

For more information contact Jasmine Azpiri at 971-218-0050 or for more information about the world-wide event visit: http://www.candlelightmemorial.org

Yesterday afternoon & this morning were a bit like bicycling through a warm sponge. In a good way, if that makes any sense. As everyone probably knows by now, we are heading into a couple of days of potentially record-breaking warm weather.

Although at the moment, all that hot sunny weather looks entirely theoretical. It's warmer, warm enough that I wore a t-shirt, no jacket, but still quite overcast. I guess the weather peeps know what they're talking about, though.

So don't forget to bike safely: dress lightly, carry (and drink!) plenty of water, and take breaks when you need to. And an extra tip: don't give blood & then expect to ride later in hot weather. I learned that the hard way last summer! I ended up begging a ride home from a co-worker.

On that note: my bikes are both a little too oddly shaped to carry on the bus (grumble grumble grumble) but I do have a couple of co-workers with larger vehicles who have standing offers to take me & my bike home in an emergency. Or if chad360 is around, he can come get me. Or, according to company policy, I think I could check out a company car, although I wouldn't want to put my bike in it! Or, worst case, I can bring my bike in the building and get myself home on the bus.

It's good to have some backup plans, because sometimes stuff happens. So far I've needed a ride 3 times: the aforementioned day, a rainy evening, and the day I almost got hit by a semi on the way in. That time, I thought I was fine, then somebody asked me about it, and I pretty much dissolved.

Anyhow, be safe out there!

Special Fundraiser Event for the Freeschool Community! Pizza Party Event with live music, Those Bottom Feeders and Paris! At Fertile Ground, 311 9th Ave, SE, on Saturday, May 17th, 2008. 6pm-9pm. Join us!

for more information about the Freeschool Community classes and events, visit:

www.freeschoolunity.org or visit our back website at
www.freeschoolcommunity.org

There is a PDF Flyer for this event as a File Attachment here (pdf).

Please show solidarity and print it out ans share with others! Thanks!

Love, Solidarty and Peace worldwide! :)