Monday, October 19, 7 pm: "Afghanistan: Resisting Occupation and Fundamentalism" with Zoya from The Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA) at the Portsmouth Public Library, 175 Parrott Ave.
Join Zoya, a member of RAWA and subject of the book Zoya's Story, for a discussion of the US war in Afghanistan, its effects, and what you can do.
Free and open to the public. No photography allowed. Sponsored by Seacoast Peace Response, United for Justice with Peace & Afghan Women's Mission.
For more information: amyla44@juno.com; 603-749-9159; afghanwomensmission.org.

I invite reader comments on my new e-book “For a United America – An Agenda For Change” available for free download at www.aamerica.us.

The book hypothesizes that the political challenges faced by the United States will not go away, regardless of which presidential candidate is chosen, because the political system itself has been weakened and the people have lost confidence in it. Unless the integrity of the political system is enhanced, the issues facing the nation are unlikely to be resolved.

The book pinpoints the disconnects that exist between the constituents and their representatives, and how partisan forces prevent progress on the issues. It outlines a comprehensive agenda for change that can strengthen the political system with the active support of the people, discusses how power-sharing arrangements in Congress can improve its outlook, and suggests how various political protocols can be strengthened to deal with political emergencies.

Friday, August 15th, 7:30 pm: The Power of One: A Talk by and Conversation with Doris “Granny D” Haddock at South Church, 292 State St, Portsmouth NH. NH's own Granny D talks about how each of us can make a difference, and how public funding of elections can help us. Changing our election funding system can bring peace, the environment, alternative energy, education, poverty, healthcare and more the attention they deserve. Also, from 5-6pm join Granny D and the Leftist Marching Band for the Peace Vigil, Market Square, Portsmouth.
Free and open to the public. Refreshments and a book signing will follow the program. Sponsored by Outreach Associates of South Church, NH Codepink: Women for Peace & Seacoast Peace Response. For more info contact bgh3@comcast.net or 603-431-0138.

Loser Take All is a wakeup call at 3 a.m. from a screaming relative. Take heed.

SOURCE: InTheseTimes.com

The
Great Election Robbery of 2008?
By LAURA S. WASHINGTON

Come Nov. 4, the elephant in the polling booth is the possibility that the
2008 presidential election will be stolen - again.

Loser Take All is a new collection of essays edited by Mark Crispin Miller.
Subtitled "Election Fraud and the Subversion of Democracy, 2000-2008," the
book reviews a contemporary slew of electoral mischief, hubris and thievery.

Miller has been around this block before. A professor of media, culture and
communication at New York University, Miller authored the 2007 book, Fooled
Again: The Real Case for Electoral Reform. He is a leading voice on media activism
and electoral reform.

Miller wastes no time diving into the gloom and doom. By page three of his
wide-ranging, sarcasm-laden introduction, he suggests that the United States
is headed toward a fascist state. While "the guardians of the establishment" on
both sides of the aisle crow that American Democracy is a shining beacon for
the world, Miller writes, our so-called free and fair elections are seriously
corrupted. He argues the American media has done its darndest to rewrite history
and that the Bush/Cheney "re-election" of 2004 was a "masterpiece
of fraud."

Entire chapter viewable here

McCain and the Media

New Chapter - How the media has covered McCain since Free Ride went to press

John McCain is now the presumptive presidential nominee of his party, a position that is accompanied by increased scrutiny and skepticism from the nation's political press. Or at least that's what ordinarily happens. But as we know by now, the rules are different for John McCain. Just a few months ago, McCain had cratered in the polls, and few thought he could bounce back. Yet there was one group of people who had not only the desire but the ability to give McCain the boost he needed, just when he needed it....

About the Authors:

David Brock is the author of four political books, including The Republican Noise Machine: Right-Wing Media and How It Corrupts Democracy. In his preceding book, Blinded by the Right: The Conscience of an Ex-Conservative, a 2002 New York Times bestselling political memoir, he chronicled his years as a conservative media insider. Brock currently lives in Washington, D.C.

Come ring in the Iowa caucus vote with progressive political author Glenn Hurowitz.

Glenn will be speaking at RiverRun Bookstore in Portsmouth, NH on Thursday, Jan. 3rd, 2008 at 7 p.m. His new book, "Fear and Courage in the Democratic Party," challenges Democrats to show more political courage and embrace confrontation.

With Kathy Kelly of Voices for Creative Nonviolence and poet David Smith-Ferri. At 7:30 pm: presentation at South Church, 292 State St., Portsmouth followed by a reception with booksigning and refreshments with our speakers and sponsors.
Kathy and David will report from their visit with Iraqi refugees in Jordan. Kathy will discuss consequences of war for Iraqis, Americans and the environment; David will read his poetry.
ALSO: From 5-6 pm join Kathy & David at the Portsmouth Peace Vigil in Market Square.
Sponsored by Seacoast Peace Response, South Church, NH Peace Action and Codepink.
Free & open to the public; donations requested. For more info: 603-749-9159 or amyla44@juno.com

SOURCE: OpEdNews OpEdNews

August 12, 2007

By Joan Brunwasser
A Timely Second Look at Mark Crispin Miller’s Fooled Again – Introduction to
a Multi-Part Series by Joan Brunwasser, Voting Integrity editor, OpEdNews July
12, 2007

Let’s face it, computers sometimes just don’t work.

I have much anecdotal evidence
to prove my point, a selection of which I will share with you now.

O’Hare

When I returned from the Take Back America Conference in Washington DC
one evening earlier this summer, I flew into Midway Airport, the pint-sized
cousin of world-class O’Hare. When my husband came to pick me up, he told me that O’Hare,
one of the largest airports in the world, had been shut down for several hours
because a computer breakdown kept personnel from calculating how much baggage
each plane could safely carry. Planes were not permitted to take off, causing
a domino effect of hundreds of delayed and cancelled flights. It didn’t reach
epidemic proportions because there was a backup computer that eventually kicked
in. But the damage was done, and I was grateful that, for a change, O’Hare hadn’t
figured in my plans that evening.

Friday, March 9 from 7-9 pm book discussion of Jimmy Carter’s new book Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid at Second Run Bookstore, 7 Commercial Alley, Portsmouth, NH.
Sponsored by The Palestinian Education Network and Seacoast Peace Response. Space is limited; for more info or to reserve a space please call Sandra at 207-439-9567.

SOURCE: WorkingforChange.com

The Right Gives Away Its Guidebook - Will We Listen?

By David Sirota

During my recent two-week vacation, I read seven nonfiction books, each one of them about American history, politics and culture (I am a huge nerd). During the non-vacation parts of my year, I probably complete a grand total of three books, but when I am on vacation and unplugged from the world, I get a chance to read books all the way through. And the seven I picked this time around were some of the best books I’ve read in a long time – books that every progressive and/or aspiring writer should pick up because they teach us lessons on all the things we think we know, but clearly do not. This is the first of three posts I will do on the books I read. (This one is devoted to only one of the books I read, because it was such an important book – but the other two posts will include groupings of books).