FRESH FOOD FOR THE LOWER WEST SIDE
LOCAL GROUPS SPONSOR FORUM ON CO-OP GROCERY
BINGHAMTON –The West Side Neighborhood Assembly (2), in collaboration with the Binghamton Regional Sustainability Coalition (BRSC), is devoting its monthly meeting to an Open Forum on the subject of a cooperatively run, community owned grocery store to serve the lower West Side. Both organizations are inviting the residents of Binghamton’s West Side and all other interested parties to this free event to be held at the Redeemer Lutheran Church – Ritchie Building, on March 10 from 7-9PM (located at the corner of Main St and Chapin St in Binghamton). The program will feature an introduction to the concept of community owned ventures and the cooperative model, and a discussion of how a grocery co-op would work in the lower West Side neighborhood. The forum is part of the efforts of BRSC and the West Side Assembly (2) to encourage discussion and raise awareness about how the Binghamton community might foster local economic growth and opportunity in this area and across the city and region.
A bellicose government instills the illusion of security in its citizens. We feel protected, like a child in the arms of a parent. So it is with our government. At war with Iraq and Afghanistan, with military bases all over the world, we should feel very secure. But this security is truly illusory. Our government is run by big business- hiding behind the shield of the American flag. Behind this shield lurks a cadre of opportunists who would charge you for the air you breathe if only they could find a way. These are the businesses that manufacture warplanes, bombs, white phosphorus and depleted uranium. They are the ones that need these wars. They are the profiteers and will find any reason to keep their factories going and their profits increasing.
The rest of the world knows this is wrong. Americans need to wake up soon and realize that we are paying for these wars with our taxes and our children’s lives. We need to start playing fairly with our neighbors in the global marketplace, replacing our war economy with sustainable, peaceful pursuits. We have a long road to travel and the sooner we start, the better off we will be.
Such a fuss over at Binghamton University!! Four inch headlines "The Ugly Truth" shaming the university officials? Gone is the thrill of the Men's Basketball Team getting into the championship? Or are the fans feeling betrayed? To what do we owe three full pages of print in our esteemed Press and Sun Bulletin??
If you could read the story without the shocked, shocked overtones, what do you have? A team with some irregular citizens who were deliberately chosen for their skill on the court. Some petty crime. Some marijuana--now that has to be late breaking news on a college campus!
Then you have the university officials coddling players, smoothing their way, showing favoritism, pulling strings for them. Shocking! Is there anyone naive enough to think that this behavior does not go on at EVERY school that has athletic scholarships??? While we could wish for more academic support for these students, it's not exactly a major scandal.
And finally, and perhaps this is it... a woman President who is a tad too ambitious, pushing to make little old nerdy Harpur College/aka SUNY Binghamton/aka Binghamton University a PLAYER. It seems like everyone thought it was a good idea when championship fever had town and gown overexcited. And everyone loves that BU is on all the best buys for a great education. Did the public forget that it was because she is a woman that an anonymous philanthropist (Oprah) gave big bucks to the school? What a fickle press! Or perhaps too few obits to fill the Press that day?
Disclaimer: President LeFleur is not my favorite local celebrity and frankly, I liked the bookish version of BU, but the reaction to this little scandal is over the top. You can't have it both ways: strong president spurring on the little engine that could and then being shocked when she goes a little too far. Discipline as you will, but let's not pretend this is the headline equivalent of war breaking out.
Every once and a while, mainstream newspapers like The New York Times offer actually useful insight into the socioeconomic fabric of American capitalism - but, of course, they do it quite unintentionally.
On February 8, the Times posted an article on their website (and presumably also in print, but who reads those old things anymore??) by David Kirpatrick called "Irked, Wall St. Hedges Its Bets on Democrats."
It's intentional thesis: Financial institutions (known colloquially as "Wall Street" - which i always thought was kind of funny as a distinct category) who once heartily backed Obama with campaign contributions are now turning to the Republicans in protest of Obama's populist rhetoric.
Framed as "buyer's remorse." We didn't get what we paid for.
Since the Executive branch is clearly in control of the U.S. military prowess, it's no wonder that the current NYS tax requirements are reinforcing the illegal perception that the President can "declare war".... considering the economic/military interests in New York.
Constitutionally, only Congress can declare war as scribed in Article One, Section 8:
"To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water;"
Ratified by the Conventions of nine States
September 17, 1787
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_One_of_the_United_States_Constituti...
Somehow our legal/constitutional words have been co-opted in the name of Empire.
Congress does have the 'power' to declare war, but now we have Executive Orders too.
They're called Combat Zones.
http://www.tax.state.ny.us/pdf/publications/income/pub361.pdf
Published on Thursday, January 21, 2010 by CommonDreams.org
Corporate Personhood Should Be Banned, Once and For All
Outrageous SCOTUS Decision Should Reignite Most Necessary of Debates
by Ralph Nader
January 21, 2010 statement from Doris “Granny D” Haddock in response to the Supreme Court’s decision today to kill campaign finance reform.
In response to the recent Supreme court ruling, whereby corporations have the "right" to spend an unlimited amount of money to influence and manipulate federal elections, Congressman Alan Grayson introduced a series of bills designed to protect our political process from undue corporate influence.
http://grayson.house.gov/2010/01/save-our-democracy-gains-momentum.shtml
1) The Business Should Mind Its Own Business Act (H.R. 4431): Implements a 500% excise tax on corporate contributions to political committees, and on corporate expenditures on political advocacy campaigns.
2) The Public Company Responsibility Act (H.R. 4435): Prevents companies making political contributions and expenditures from trading their stock on national exchanges.
3) The End Political Kickbacks Act (H.R. 4434): Prevents for-profit corporations that receive money from the government from making political contributions, and limits the amount that employees of those companies can contribute.
4) The Corporate Propaganda Sunshine Act (H.R. 4432): Requires publicly-traded companies to disclose in SEC filings money used for the purpose of influencing public opinion, rather than to promoting their products and services.
5) The Ending Corporate Collusion Act (H.R. 4433): Applies antitrust law to industry political action committees.
6) End the Hijacking of Shareholder Funds Act (H.R. 4487): This bill requires the approval of a majority of a public company’s shareholders for any expenditure by that company to influence public opinion on matters not related to the company’s products or services.
In the interest of finding out more about the role of the county Public Defender, members of the Prisoner Support Network arranged an interview with Jay Wilber, Broome County's Public Defender.
Audio here
35 minutes.
Transcript after the jump.
