***The Fixer Man Cometh- George Clooney’s Ocean’s 13

 

DVD Review

From The Pen Of Frank Jackman

Ocean’s 13, starring George Clooney, Brad Pitts, Al Pacino, Eliot Gould, 2007

Everybody likes to see a bad guy get his comeuppance. Nobody likes to see a guy screw his partner (not in the old days anyway maybe now things are different in the raw dog-eat-dog world). Everybody likes to see a bad guy from Vegas get his comeuppance in duplicate and that is the premise behind Danny Ocean’s action in this third of the modern Ocean series (the old Frank Sinatra-led pack in the 1960s or so being the “classic”). Danny (played by George Clooney) and Rusty (played by Brad Pitts) are once again called to right some Vegas wrongs in the film under review, Ocean’s 13.           

The plot line is simple-A friend, an old time casino owing friend and father figure for Danny and the boys (played by Eliot Gould) has been kicked the teeth by an up and coming Vegas hotel mogul (played by Al Pacino), and his partner, who wants to make Vegas a more upscale place where Mom and Pop might not feel so comfortable but where the international jet set might want to land for a few days. So out goes the old bargain basement casino-hotel and in comes the new. And that is the kick in the teeth that Danny and friends try to avenge. That bad act and old Eliot taking a heart attack over the notion that he was out of the business.

And avenge Danny and the guys (no women on this caper) do using all the high tech skills available to the motley crew of expert do-gooders. See, what they do is draw all the resources from the new hotel by hook or by crook, the money, naturally as the old master burglary Willie Sutton made us aware when asked about his thing for robbing banks. So between the individual hi-jinx necessary to pull the plot off and Danny’s thoughtful plan to gain revenge Brother Pacino has egg on his face, no question. Danny though juts keeps trucking on in the sultry Vegas night.  

 

Manufactured Crisis: The Untold Story of the Iran Nuclear Scare Correction: The message sent yesterday contained an incorrect time for the Fall River talk.  It will be tomorrow, Thursday, at 11 am at Bristol Community College's Jackson Arts Center, room H209/H210. Talks by Gareth Porter March 25, Northampton: Broadside Books, 247 Main St., 7pm. Sponsored by AFSC Western MA March 26, MIT: 1 Amherst St. (Bldg. E40), 4th floor conference room, Cambridge.  12 noon- 1:30 pm. A seminar sponsored by the Center for International Studies. March 26, Walpole: Public Library, 43 School St., 7pm. Sponsored by Walpole Peace & Justice Group March 26, Fall River: Bristol Community College, Jackson Arts Center, room H209/H210, 11am. March 27, Cambridge: Friends Meeting, 5 Longfellow Park (off Brattle St. near Harvard T), 7pm. March 29, WZBC 90.3 FM: Hear Gareth on "Sounds of Dissent", 11am-1pm Investigative reporter Gareth Porter unravels the whole web of lies and fabrications that have formed the basis of a false narrative about a lengthy and active pursuit by Iran of a clandestine nuclear weapons program. The Obama administration is demanding that as part of a final nuclear deal, Iran must 'resolve concerns' about claims that are based on falsified intelligence.  It's now more important for everyone to understand how and why the Iran nuclear crisis was pumped up and has been going on for so long. Watch a 30-minute video of Gareth's February talk in New York:  Sponsored by Massachusetts Peace Action, American Friends Service Committee and Jewish Voice for Peace.

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There is something Chelsea wants you to know Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. As we enter the upcoming appeal process, help us continue to cover 100% of Chelsea Manning's legal fees! Donate today. Chelsea Manning and her new attorney have a message for you By Chelsea Manning, March 17, 2014 I would like to thank all of you for your support. Without your efforts–including organizing, fundraising, and public education–my court martial would not have been nearly as visible to the public, and many of the serious issues in my case would have gone unnoticed. Currently I’m doing well. I spend most of my time working, but when I’m not working I’m either at the library doing legal research and drafting, reading books, magazines, newspapers, and your mail, or working out–running, calisthenics, and various cardio regimens. I’m currently waiting for the Convening Authority of the Military District of Washington, Major General Jeffrey Buchanan, to act on my case–including my clemency request, filed by my trial attorney David Coombs. If Major General Buchanan denies my request and approves the findings of my court martial, my case will be reviewed by the US Army Court of Criminal Appeals next year. In preparing for the appeals phase of my legal proceedings, I have worked with Courage to Resist and the Chelsea Manning Support Network to hire excellent civilian defense council, Nancy Hollander and Vincent Ward of the law firm Freedman Boyd Hollander Goldberg Urias & Ward of Albuquerque, New Mexico. As we enter the upcoming appeal process, help us continue to cover 100% of Chelsea Manning's legal fees! Donate today. I’ve spoken a few times with both Ms. Hollander and Mr. Ward over the phone and I met them in person last month. I feel they are a perfect fit for doing this case, and we’re all excited about working together. Both Ms. Hollander and Mr. Ward have achieved successes in complex, high profile, civil and criminal cases in the past, fighting to protect the U.S. Constitution, civil liberties, and social justice through work on Guantanamo, the Gulf Coast Oil Spill, and more. They are eager to represent me before the military court, federal court, and perhaps even the Supreme Court. I hope that you will continue supporting my fight for justice. My case impacts important issues that affect many, if not all Americans. These include the rights of an accused not to be subjected to harsh and unnecessary pretrial punishment, the right to a speedy trial, the right to timely and complete access to relevant evidence held by the government, and the right to a public trial. Your support for my case going forward can even help to define the limits of power held by the military’s convening authorities, the Executive Branch, and the US Government. Again, thank you for your overwhelming support thus far. I have stayed–and continued to be–optimistic throughout all of what has happened. I sincerely hope that we can continue working together to change history. Salutations with warm regards, CHELSEA E. MANNING US Disciplinary Barracks Fort Leavenworth, Kansas March 17, 2014 We are honored that Chelsea Manning has chosen us to represent her on appeal and we enter this case with our full commitment to it. As soon as we have the record of trial, we will turn every page and research all issues. We will not let fear or intimidation interfere with her constitutional rights. NANCY HOLLANDER Freedman Boyd Hollander Goldberg Urias & Ward P.A. Albuquerque, New Mexico Last week we retained attorneys Nancy Hollander and Vincent Ward to represent Pvt. Chelsea (formerly Bradley) Manning moving forward into the appeals process. We simply can’t allow this outrageous 35 year prison sentence for sharing the truth to stand–while war criminals go free! We are now counting on your tax-deductible donation, of whatever you can afford, to cover the $50,000 retainer of Chelsea’s chosen appeals team. JEFF PATERSON Courage to Resist, Project Director Chelsea Manning Support Network, Steering Committee As we enter the upcoming appeal process, help us continue to cover 100% of Chelsea Manning's legal fees! Donate today.

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In the last few days, I have been thinking back to where I was and what I was doing when the invasion of Iraq was launched on March 20, 2003. That day remains a forever reminder-- especially for those of us who have family in the military-- of why we must end a US foreign policy premised on wars and occupations. Peace Action is supporting the veterans and military families who are working with Iraqi civil society and trade unions to repair the damage of the Iraq war, the human and the economic trauma, which continue on. On Wednesday, March 26 from 6-9 PM Eastern, you can join an online live stream of the Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) People's Hearing on the lasting impacts of the war in Iraq. RSVP here. Phil Donahue, co-producer of the film, Body of War, will host the March 26 event. The hearing is sponsored by the IVAW, the Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq, the Federation of Worker's Councils and Unions in Iraq, Civilian Soldier Alliance, and the Center for Constitutional Rights. Our work also must continue to bring all the troops home from Afghanistan. Peace Action is joining Military Families Speak Out (MFSO) to launch a petition drive to keep the pressure on the White House for the “Zero Option”: leave no troops behind in Afghanistan. Please sign the petition. We are helping MFSO galvanize grassroots support for the “Zero Option.”  We will keep you updated on events and days for action. Join the campaign by signing the petition. As veterans and their families struggle to overcome the trauma of war, lend solidarity to the peoples of both Iraq and Afghanistan, they also continue the fight for accountability for crimes of war and for changing US foreign policy. Join the online live stream of the March People's Hearing on Wednesday, March 26 from 6-9 PM Eastern. RSVP now by clicking here. Power to the peaceful, Judith LeBlanc Field Director Peace Action P.S. If you are in the DC metro area, join the People’s Hearing in person at the Friends Meeting of Washington; 2111 Florida Avenue NW; Washington, DC 20008-1912 RSVP by clicking here. Take Action: Join a livestream or attend in person. Sign the Zero Option petition. CONNECT TO US:  Find us on Facebook  Follow us on Twitter  Read our blog  Contact us You are subscribed to Peace Action's Action Alert Network. You can unsubscribe here.

The Nation: “Why are students protesting Wendy’s and Publix?”… Answers to that question and more, with all the latest press from the Fair Food front! Even as we gear up for what is sure to be an exciting April — the month ahead is already overflowing with events, including the recently-announced screening of “Food Chains” at Tribeca, the CIW’s visit to Amsterdam to participate in Ahold’s annual shareholder meeting, and a trip to the University of California at Berkeley to take part in Michael Pollan’s popular lecture series there, among many other things — we don’t want to ignore the press that continues to roll out this month in the wake of the Now is the Time Tour!  So here below are three of the best articles from the most recent coverage of the CIW’s ongoing Campaign as well as the groundbreaking Fair Food Program. First up, hot off the presses, the Nation published a quick-hitting story on the CIW yesterday following up on the 10-day, 10-city Tour that hit both Columbus and Lakeland.  This piece is short and sweet, so we thought we’d share it in full: Why Are Students Protesting Wendy’s and Publix? The indefatigable Coalition of Immokalee Workers recently wrapped up its “Now is the Time” Tour—a ten-day, ten-city tour designed to pressure Wendy’s and Publix supermarkets—two of the remaining hold-out retailers–to embrace the highest standard of farm labor protections and increased pay in US agriculture, the Fair Food Program. Wendy’s now stands alone as the only major fast-food brand that has refused to join the FFP, a unique farmworker-driven initiative consisting of a wage increase supported by a price premium paid by corporate purchasers of Florida tomatoes, and a human-rights-based Code of Conduct, applicable throughout the Florida tomato industry. For the rest of this month's final media round-up, head over to the CIW website!

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Don't miss this event this week - in NYC and live on the web: April 2: Drones & Dirty Wars: Prelude to Drone Days of Action 2014 Wednesday 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm Community Church 40 E. 35th Street, NYC Click here to share the image above on Facebook A live program & international webcast in support of the Spring Days of Action – 2014, a coordinated campaign in April and May to End Drone Killing, Drone Surveillance and Global Militarization. Featuring: Madiha Tahir, film maker, Wounds of Waziristan An independent journalist reporting on conflict, culture and politics in Pakistan, she has followed the U.S. drone attacks there for years. Maria LaHood, Senior Staff Attorney, Center for Constitutional Rights who specializes in international human rights litigation, seeking to hold government officials and corporations accountable for torture, extrajudicial killings, and war crimes abroad. Carl Dix, Vietnam War resister & Revolutionary Communist Party. A leader of protests against police brutality, stop-and-frisk, & founder, with Cornel West, of the Stop Mass Incarceration Network. With information from the Granny Peace Brigade, kNOwdrones and World Can't Wait on what you can do to in your schools & communities to create a political situation where the U.S. is forced to back off from using targeted killing in our name. Sponsored by kNOwdrones & World Can't Wait, Action for Justice Committee / The Community Church of New York Unitarian Universalist More info: 866 973 4463 kNOwdrones.com / worldcantwait.net Flier in English Flier in Spanish Watch live: ustream.tv/stopmotionsolo ►Invite your friends via Facebook Monsters in the Sky: watch and share this video by Jill McLaughlin Announcing the “Chelsea Manning Support Network” (formerly the Private Manning Support Network) Messages from Chelsea Manning and attorney Nancy Hollander: How Chelsea sees herself, as interpreted by artist Molly Crabapple Chelsea Manning writes: “I would like to thank all of you for your support. Without your efforts–including organizing, fundraising, and public education–my court martial would not have been nearly as visible to the public, and many of the serious issues in my case would have gone unnoticed... “I hope that you will continue supporting my fight for justice.  My case impacts important issues that affect many, if not all Americans.  These include the rights of an accused not to be subjected to harsh and unnecessary pretrial punishment, the right to a speedy trial, the right to timely and complete access to relevant evidence held by the government, and the right to a public trial.  Your support for my case going forward can even help to define the limits of power held by the military’s convening authorities, the Executive Branch, and the US Government. “Again, thank you for your overwhelming support thus far.  I have stayed–and continued to be–optimistic throughout all of what has happened.  I sincerely hope that we can continue working together to change history.” Bereaved Yemenis to Launch National Drone Victims’ Organisation A group of people who have lost loved ones to US drone strikes in Yemen will next week (Tuesday April 1) launch a national organisation with the aim of supporting affected communities and highlighting the civilian impact of the covert programme. Protesting the “Elder Statesman” War Criminal Henry Kissinger From the Chicago Chapter of World Can't Wait: Henry Kissinger, one of the top war criminals in the world, was invited to Chicago to give the key note address at a March 20th fund raising dinner for the Illinois Holocaust Museum. “Humanitarian or War Criminal?” was the question posed by a broad coalition of groups, with World Can’t Wait Chicago among the core, that came together to say loudly, “War Criminal,” a man who deserves to be behind bars, not dishonoring the memory of all who perished in the Holocaust. Over 40 people came out to deliver that message, including Gay Liberation Network, Jewish Voice for Peace, 8th Day Center for Justice and more. Rabbi Brant Rosen, author of “Wrestling in the Daylight” and a member of the rabbinical counsel of Jewish Voice for Peace who could not be present, sent a message stating, "I cannot understand how a man who was the architect of our nation's war crimes in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, who was instrumental in the brutal coup in Chile and other acts of illegal international intervention around the world could possibly be considered an appropriate speaker at a gathering that celebrates humanitarianism.” Henry Kissinger has been dogged by protests any time he appears in public and many of us in Chicago were proud to continue that trend. Cheers to “The California Department of Corrections!” Thanks to the California Department of Corrections, which urges transparency in the treatment of Guantanamo prisoners. Or should we continue to allow the military to hide forced feeding and solitary confinement because the prisoners aren't "American?" Oh wait, they do that in California to "American" prisoners, too. See correctionsdepartment.org Share this message: Thursday April 3 World Can't Wait Conversation Invite your friends to the Facebook Event. We'll be joined by Ross Caputi of the Justice for Fallujah Project. Watch his film, Fear Not the Path of Truth... This documentary follows Ross Caputi, veteran of the 2nd siege of Fallujah, as he investigates the atrocities that he participated in and the legacy of US foreign policy in Fallujah, Iraq. We are collecting questions now, so that we can make the most use of our one hour conference call. Send your comments, questions, or a particular area you'd like to explore in the conversation. You can also post questions on the Facebook event for this call. Register for dial-in details. Upcoming Events Thursday April 3 Public Hearing: General David Petraeus & His Legacy in Iraq & Afghanistan 6:00 - 8:00 pm Facebook Event CUNY Graduate Center 356 5th Avenue NYC April 3-4 Stop Mass Incarceration Network Strategy Session to Plan an October 2014 month of resistance. John Jay College. Write for details. Fri/Saturday April 11-12 Emergency Actions to Stop the War On Women. Contact Stop Patriarchy. Save the date: Friday May 23 Guantanamo is Still NOT Closed Nation-wide protests on the year anniversary of President Obama's second promise to close it. World Can't Wait Needs YOU to Sustain Its Mission Renew your commitment to sustaining the movement putting humanity and planet the first; sustaining an organization that won’t stop until the crimes do. Hi, Debra -- Tho I often feel inundated ... underwater ... overloaded with email feeds on many issues in my stuffed email In Box, I just wanted to thank you for the accessible and readable and scannable email you sent "The State of the 'Union' from the Outside." Hope to join the February conference call, especially on extreme cognitive dissonance of Edward Snowden vs.blather about keeping America "safe" ... and the travesty of left-behinds and hunger strikers at Gitmo. Keep the flame hot! Regards, Marie M. Upstate NY Hi Debra, Thanks for the in-depth report on your encounter at the 'MSA West' conference. I was amused to find myself surprised that the Muslim students you described were as ignorant of the drone war as the average American student is (I suspect without real knowledge) and then realized I was stereotyping them with the expectation that, as Muslims (and therefore with a presumably bigger 'dog in the fight') they'd be far more aware of the issues than your article describes rather than seeing them as just another segment of the American student population. Nonetheless, it's evident that WCW did a great job of consciousness raising at that conference!  I appreciate the e-mails you (all) send and continue to be proud how you put my small contribution to work for 'the cause'. In solidarity, Rael Debra Sweet, Director, The World Can't Wait

If you were forwarded this message and would like to subscribe directly, sign up here. World Can't Wait | (866) 973-4463 | 305 West Broadway #185 NY, NY 10013 Make a donation online | Make a tax-deductible donation online Send checks or money orders, payable to "World Can't Wait": World Can't Wait 305 W. Broadway #185 New York, NY 10013 To make a tax-deductible donation of $100 or more in support of World Can't Wait's educational activities, please make checks out to "World Can't Wait/Alliance for Global Justice," a 501(3)(c) organization.

Extreme Makeover: Florida tomato industry edition… Before: The CIW’s Modern-Day Slavery Museum visits Washington, DC in June of 2010 After: CIW members celebrate new rights under Fair Food Program in Lakeland in March of 2013 In the space of just a few years, the CIW’s Fair Food Program has transformed the Florida tomato industry and created a “model” for the protection of human rights in global supply chains “elsewhere in the world.” How could something so good for business make the US Chamber of Commerce so mad?  A reflection in two parts… Introduction In January of this year, the CIW signed its twelfth Fair Food agreement with a multi-billion dollar food industry leader, this time with the multi-billion-dollar-est of them all, Walmart. Walmart representatives John Amaya (left), Tom Leech (center) and CIW’s Lucas Benitez, Gerardo Reyes Chavez, and Nely Rodriguez (far right) sign historic agreement at a Lipman Produce farm outside of Immokalee. The agreement symbolized the almost unimaginable transformation that has taken place in the Florida tomato industry over the past several years as a result of the Fair Food Program on several levels: on the retailer level, Walmart was the first major retailer to sign a Fair Food Agreement not as the result of a public campaign of any kind, but thanks, rather, to the demonstrated success of the Fair Food Program at eliminating longstanding human rights violations in the Florida tomato industry; on the grower level, the fact that the agreement was signed at a packing shed on a local tomato farm was a compelling reflection of the powerful new partnership that has taken root and begun to flourish under the Fair Food Program; on the worker level, the CIW’s place at the table in the Florida tomato industry, as an equal voice in the decisions that affect workers in the fields, was cemented with that twelfth agreement; on the consumer level, Florida tomato purchases can now be made with full confidence that the fruit was grown and harvested under the highest, most rigorously monitored and enforced human rights standards in the nation. That confidence was underscored by the participation at the Walmart signing ceremony of the Chairperson of the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights, Alexandra Guaqueta.  In a statement on behalf of the UN Working Group, the Chairperson explained that she was attending the ceremony “to support the Immokalee workers and the Fair Food Program, which offers such promise for us all.”  She went on to praise the Program’s “smart mix” of monitoring and enforcement tools, including “market incentives for growers and retailers, monitoring policies and, crucially, a robust and accessible mechanism to resolve complaints and provide remedy.”  She concluded her remarks, “We are eager to see whether the Fair Food Program is able to leverage further change within participating businesses, and serve as a model elsewhere in the world.” In light of this unprecedented progress to date — and of the promise of still much more to come in the months and years ahead as the Program prepares to expand outside of Florida and to crops beyond tomatoes — why in the world has the US Chamber of Commerce suddenly decided to attack the CIW and the Fair Food Program?... For more about the forthcoming series on the Florida tomato industry's extreme makeover, visit the CIW website.

The Class Struggle Continues...

Drone testing coming to Cape Cod

DECEMBER 31, 2013 - 8:45AM | BY MICHAEL P. NORTON, STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE

 

Role for Cape as FAA picks NY site for drone research

Area around Joint Base Cape Cod effected until February 13, 2017

The Federal Aviation Administration has chosen Griffiss International Airport in northern New York as one of six unmanned aircraft systems research and test sites, a choice with ramifications for Massachusetts researchers and the airspace over Cape Cod.
As a partner with Griffiss, MassDevelopment will manage testing facilities at Joint Base Cape Cod, with test site areas for what are commonly called drones including restricted airspace over the base and in "warning areas" off the Massachusetts coast. The base covers 22,000 acres on Upper Cape Cod.
"Lately, we have been engaged with multiple in-state and federal agencies who have taken advantage of our offer to 'host' them for different projects," Colonel Jim LeFavor, commander of the 102nd Intelligence Wing at Otis Air National Guard Base, on Cape Cod, said in a statement. "One of our main commodities is plenty of space and willingness to assist."
MassDevelopment reported Monday that "in anticipation of Massachusetts' potential selection," the agency and the Massachusetts National Guard established the MA UAS Test Center on Camp Edwards and "began to host active UAS use in the restricted airspace over the Army Guard's training area." Under current law, test site operations may continue until February 13, 2017.
One of six test sites nationally
The FAA announced its six test sites Monday following a ten-month process involving 25 proposals from 24 states - a MassDevelopment official said Massachusetts did not submit its own proposal

Louise Bruyn - Reading from She Walked For All Of Us

 When: Sunday, April 13, 2014, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Where: Grace Episcopal Church • 76 Eldredge St • (on Church St. one block east of Center St. - Exit 17, Mass Pike) • Newton Corner

 

 

Join Newton Dialogues on Peace and War for an evening with longtime Peace and Environmental Activist Louise Bruyn reading from her recently published book "She Walked For All Of Us - One Woman's 1971 Protest Against an Illegal War".
1971 — America has been at war in Vietnam for almost six years. The death toll is rising, both for the U.S., and for the “enemy.” Louise Bruyn had enough! It was time to do something. What could one woman do that would make Congress take notice of her protest?

She decided to walk—from her home in Newton, Massachusetts to Washington, D.C. to make her point. Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy and Representative Robert Drinan met her on the Capitol steps.

What a point she made! People all over the country rallied to support her. Finally, someone was saying what so many citizens wanted to, and had no idea how to, say—”Stop this War!”

This is her diary, day-by-day, detailing her struggles with fear, her encounters with people along the way, and the many wonderful people who opened their homes, encouraged her, and helped her on her way.
The presentation will be followed by discussion and copies of the book will be available for purchase.
Sponsored by Newton Dialogues on Peace and War

United for Justice with Peace is a coalition of peace and justice organizations and community peace groups in the Greater Boston region. The UJP Coalition, formed after September 11th, seeks global peace through social and economic justice. Help us continue to do this critical work! Make a donation to UJP today.
info@justicewithpeace.org	617-383-4857	www.justicewithpeace.org

Upcoming Events: 

The Politics of Water: From Israel and Palestine to Chelsea and Beyond	Thu Apr 3	6:00pm	Chelsea Collaborative	Chelsea
Nonviolent Action: The Teachers of Norway	Wed Apr 9	7:00pm	Boston College Newton Campus	Newton
Campaign Nonviolence Training	Sat Apr 12	9:00am	Cambridge Friends Meeting	Cambridge
We Pay our Taxes. Are we getting what we need?	Sat Apr 12	12:30pm	Emmanuel Church	Boston
Pivoting for Peace in Asia/Pacific	Sat Apr 19	9:30am	Cambridge Friends Meeting	Cambridge
Jobs Not Jails Rally on Boston Common!	Sat Apr 26	12:00pm	Boston Common	Boston
Sing-Along to Pete Seeger Songs	Sat May 24	7:00pm	Calvary United Methodist Church	Arlington

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