features archive

Part 1 : Jewish prophecy as Failed mysticism
It is interesting to note just how bound up the Jewish prophets were with their environment, and the ancient view of 'environmentalism' presents us with a lesson in failed mysticism, as well as teaching some valuable lessons in the theology of 'divine intervention.' [ Read more... ]

Part 2 : Failed mysticism in the Christian tradition
The progress of modern science has revealed that traditional Christian theology is false. This particular expression of failed mysticism could only be appropriate for the dark or middle ages, and is revealed as completely obsolete in the modern world. [ Read more... ]

Part 3 : A reason to have faith
In parts one and two of this manifesto on faith, I discussed examples of failed mysticism, using the examples of failed mysticism in the ancient Jewish and Christian traditions. My purpose in discussing this issue was to help prepare the ground for a discussion of certain very strange experiences I have had which are the seed bed of my faith in the future, while at the same time, hopefully, I can help people to avoid the pitfalls encountered when mystification is used to attempt to explain the unknown and the uncertain. [ Read more... ]

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Well, its officially Holiday season for the retail industry and we still have no contract. They have not moved at all. We want what we want, we won't move either. Otherwise, there is not much to report other than that they told us exactly how much their healthcare costs have gone up in the past year and it's WAY LESS than they were saying it was. To recap, they want to freeze our wages, and give us 2% each year for the next 4 years. This (wage alone) results in a 4% wage decrease for all employees over the life of the contract. Additionally, they want to increase our healthcare costs by over 100%. All the while, their sales have increased, and the number of employees has been reduced--less people doing more work. We won't take it, heres what you can do to help.

previous stories: [ Powell's Books contract negotiations community update, Sept. 30 | IWW retail workers in solidarity with Powell's struggle ]

[ ILWU Local 5 (Powells workers) ]

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3 peace camp participants are going on trial in the next few days. Todd goes to trial this morning Nov. 7th at 9 AM and Brandi & Amber go on trial Monday at 2 PM. Please come to their trials to show your support. The only hope we have to stop this madness is for these comrades to get acquitted and then be able to file lawsuits that will force the city to change their rules of engagement.

Read Courtroom details & some of their stories below.Full Story...

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Queer and sick of assimilation, capitalism and the state? Tired of 'Will & Grace' representing the queer population to the world? Tired of the Advocate telling you what to buy in order to be queer?

Join Queer Revolution! We'll be holding an open meeting for any interested persons. We're a relatively new collective of Portland queers who are opposed to capitalism, imperialism, assimilation, and the binary gender system. We're looking for new members and will be holding a meeting in two weeks (november 19th) at the Star-E-Rose (2403 NE Alberta) at 5:30 pm as an introduction to our collective! If you're interested in coming or have any questions about our group, e-mail us at queerrevolution@ziplip.com!

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The PROWL Project is springing into action to bring new energy to forest conservation east of the Cascade crest. "PROWL" is the acronym for a nice long name: Protecting and Restoring Oregon Wild Lands. We are based in Bend and engage in forest watch and public outreach activities to protect the Ochoco and Deschutes National Forests. Our goal is to pounce on (and stop!) proposed public lands projects that are likely to degrade native ecosystems and to support ecological restoration.

The PROWL Project was recently initiated in the Bend area to increase the number of people working on forest protection issues. We are engaed in forest watch activities on the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests. These areas are currently covered by the Blue Mountains Biodiversity Project (BMBP), a small but very effective group which has been working to protect eastside forests for the last 11 years. Additionally, BMBP covers legal monitoring for the Malheur and Umatilla national forests, as well as the Prineville BLM district. This is a huge workload, considering that most westside forest groups focus on one national forest...and still never run out of work to do!!

The current forest watch activities of PROWL include keeping up to date on public lands projects, submitting comments during the planning process for proposed projects, and ground truthing out in the forest. We hope to move into initiating or signing on to appeals and litigation when those means are necessary to stop bad projects, which can often involve logging, mining, herbicide and pesticide spraying, predator extermination, and cell phone tower construction. We will also be engaged in public outreach activities in Bend and other places throughout the northwest and working to collaborate with other conservation groups in central and eastern Oregon, as well as folks from the westside. As a group that's just getting started, we are of course needing all kinds of help.

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The Selective Service is seeking to fill vacancies on local draft boards [see Serve Your Community and the Nation on gov't website]. Those who oppose the draft and war in general -- including many posters to indymedia -- have been discussing this issue and options for addressing it. Folks in Vancouver announced a meeting to discuss conscientious objection. One poster suggested infiltrating local draft boards as a tactic. Get the facts and join the brainstorming about this important issue on the following threads:

• The DRAFT now looks likely
• Getting Out of the Draft
• If your between 18&25 you better have your bag's packed.
• Join your local draft board and help keep your community safe
• Pentagon quietly restaffing draft boards
• Appeal for draft board volunteers revives memories of Vietnam era
• Feel the DRAFT?
• Pentagon Issues Call for Draft Boards
• Oiling up the draft machine?

More info: [ Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors ]

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The Bob and Madison morning show on G105 out of Raleigh was going on for awhile about how fun it is to run cyclists off of the roads, and how we don't deserve to be there.

The ending shot was Bob, the host, talking about carrying a bunch of empty YooHoo bottles to pelt offending cyclists with. Once again, more calls rained in from people who agreed with him, and said that they would do the same. Clear Channel stations across the nation are broadcasting almost criminal "kill bicyclists" verbiage by shock jocks. The recent attacks occured on G105 in the NC Triangle market two days in a row (9/22-23/03). This follows similar comments by shows in Houston and Cleveland. Perhaps it is time to let Clear Channel know that these actions will not be tolerated by the cycling community. I would suggest contacting current advertisers, both local and national, until Clear Channel adresses this problem. Some of the advertisers with G105 include Toyota, US Cellular, Con Agra Foods, Applebees, and Kroger.

RELATED STORIES: Is Clearchannel commiting terrorism against cyclists? | Clear Channel DJs Encourage Drivers To Harass Bicyclists | Bicyclists accuse DJs of inciting attacks

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Members of the Portland Peace Encampment gathered today for a reunion at one of the easiest locations to find them all together, The Injustice Center or the Multnomah County Courthouse. Assistant District Attorney Shannon Gray was ready to proceed after reading the court docket list to ensure that all were guaranteed their "day." Members of the Peace Encampment who were unable or choose not to appear were fined $350 to $500 plus statutory fees and assessments, adding a couple of hundred dollars more to each fine.

The other members of the Portland Peace Encampment in a solidarity movement worked collectively to negotiate a set back date in so that they may find council and file motions of a constitutional nature that address the civil liberties that are being violated by Portland City Code. Pro bono work for these committed activists is most welcome and can be arranged thru member Todd Kurylowicz who can be reached at 971-570-7018. Many thanks to K-BOO for being on hand to document the real news.

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Forest activists from all over the state of Oregon converged near Ashland this weekend to protest the Bear pen timber sale as part of the kickoff of the "Back to the wall" campaign to save our forests.

"Back to the Wall" chapters from Portland, Salem, Eugene, Roseburg, and Ashland all participated in what turned out to be a "victory" party when our large presence forced the forest service to lift the "closure" that had previously resulted in 3 arrests two weeks ago.

Witness against lawless logging (WALL) is back!!!!

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A million dollars later, a unique take on Bush's recent fund raising trip to the Pacific Northwest, is having its premiere at November's indymedia showings. A million dollars later isn't just another document of another local protest. With a montage of video and interviews from the Seattle and Portland Bush protests our film illustrates a brief but penetrating analysis of the Bush nightmare by William Rivers Pitt.

A million dollars later exposes the a21 conspiracy by the Portland police to take vengeance on peace encampment activists. We don't shrink from our duty to report the local news you won't find in the corporate media. However, A Million Dollars is not focused on what happened to a few white radicals in Portland. This is a film about what how fascism can happen here. And it's a film about fighting back.

[ More about A million dollars later | Schedule/program for November's Videos From the Resistance | Flyer for November showings [PDF] ]

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Around 40 people showed up in the cold last night to let OHSU president Peter Kohler's neighbors know that what he does for a living is not acceptable. Mr. Kohler himself was apparently not home, as he fled the area after learning that animal rights activists would be paying him a visit. A handfull of corporate spies from OHSU and some PDX police officers were left holding the bag.

Dozens of people arrived at Mr. Kohler's luxurious, taxpayer-financed mansion in the West Hills around 6:30pm. They brought candles, a banner, and the sincere belief that what Mr. Kohler does to other animals is wrong. They were met by taxpayer-funded OHSU security forces, who stood on the long, opulent stone stairway leading to the mansion. Throughout the evening, security forces trained large video cameras and spotlights on peaceful demonstrators while the demonstrators gathered into a circle and spoke against animal research. Even the children among us were meticulously videotaped.

Aesop-project | In Defense of Animals | Coalition To End Primate Experimentation

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A resolution against the Patriot Act passed last Wednesday. There are many ways to view this. As a member of the Portland Bill of Rights Defense Committee, I'd like to share my view of this important event.

For nearly a year, the Portland Bill of Rights Defense Committee worked relentlessly to have the City Council pass a resolution. Now they have done it.

Sure, it doesn't include all that we had initially proposed. Yes, it may seem purely symbolic. I ask that people take another look at what the resolution means in the context of the national grassroots movement regarding civil liberties and the JTTF.

First and perhaps easiest, we all know how the current administration and many administrations before have used symbolism and very successfully I might add. Symbolism in these times is incredibly powerful and moves people into action. The content of the resolutions differs greatly. Some include directions for police and some do not. The national grassroots movement has reached the doorsteps of Congressional offices. A good part of why is 1) the shear number of resolutions passed and 2) the call to action people feel from the symbolic nature of the resolutions.

related: [ How did Nazi Germany happen? Here's how: Portland City Council renews PJTTF today ]

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The senate passed Bush's Healthy Forest Initiative last night [Oct. 30]. Effort to amend the bill to address some of the worst aspects of it were voted down everytime by Senator Wyden. Interestingly, Wyden has received the most money of any senator from timber interests so this may explain why he has voted as he has. A dozen or so people, some dressed in colorful costumes held a half hour protest in front of Senator Wydens office today to highlight this issue and hand out information to passersby.

background: [ previous stories on pdx indy about the "Healthy Forests Initiative" | Fire Facts from Siskyou Wild Rivers site American Lands Alliance | Klamath-Siskyous Wildlands Center | Peace With Fire? | Life In A Tinderbox ]

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The cold nights are here and the snow has begun to fall. One wise bull buffalo continues to successfully bewilder the Department of Livestock (DOL) agents. The DOL gathered yesterday at their headquarters on Duck Creek to plan their strategy. Thursday morning they woke early to search for the lone bull a little over a mile outside the park boundary. To their chagrin, the old bull had hidden himself in a maze of willows and could not be found by the agents.

More volunteers are beginning to arrive just in time to help with the many projects underway in preparation for the coming winter.

Tipis are going up in the yard to supply homes for BFC coordinators this winter and spring. Many projects in the kitchen are underway including a new gas stove that will feed many hard working volunteers. Also, both offices will be heated with new propane stoves to create a better environment for all of the equipment because--Mike Mease likes to say--"These are the tools we use to save the buffalo."

Congress to Introduce "Yellowstone Buffalo Preservation Act"
Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) will introduce the Yellowstone Buffalo Preservation Act in the U.S. House of Representatives within the next few weeks. This bill calls for a moratorium on the hazing, capturing, and killing of Yellowstone buffalo on all federal public lands until conditions are met that include allowing buffalo to range freely in areas adjacent to Yellowstone National Park (YNP) and returning management of bison inside YNP to the sole jurisdiction of the Park Service.

YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED NOW

Please take the time to call or write your Representatives and urge them to support the Yellowstone Buffalo Preservation Act by becoming a co-sponsor of the bill. Tell them to contact Representative Hinchey's office for more information.

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Members of the Salvadoran Supreme Court came out against ARENA's draconian Mano Dura anti-gang law last week, calling it unconstitutional and unenforceable. The judicial branch of the Salvadoran government had already set up a confrontation with President Francisco Flores's government by prosecuting less than 1% of the suspected gang members arrested as part of Mano Dura . Judges have condemned the political nature of the law, and raised questions about the effectiveness of the government's overall crime fighting strategy. Still, more than 3,200 young Salvadorans have already been arrested since Mano Dura was proposed by Flores. Intent on keeping the "criminals" in jail, ARENA has introduced a law that would give police the right to book gang members and send them directly to prison without having to go through the courts. The FMLN has long been fighting against these new laws, and joined community and church groups in backing the Supreme Court.

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Violence is not the issue. I don't think it ever was. Not back in the day when the Weather Underground blew up toilets in the Capitol Building and not today as the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) flips out over SUVs and condominiums. Revolution isn't a leather-jacket tactic radicals adopt - it is a transformation of the whole society made by millions. It can be violent, but it's not about violence. And it's definitely not, as the old saying goes, a dinner party. [ Read more... ]

The Dance around the Ego
This article is translated from the German in: zeitzeichen 11/2000: Egoists and self-centered persons have always existed. The shirt was always closer than the coat. At the same time there were values that curbed the human propensity to self-glorification and feelings of omnipotence and recalled limitation and dependence. The person is free and subject to no one; the person is a servant subject to everyone. Only the right balance is regarded as human maturity. Today in a time of media-supported self-glorification, only one thing seems important: having fun. "Being more than appearance" is replaced more and more by "appearance is being". [ Read more... ]

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War in the Woods Moves to Cattermole Timber's Head Office: The war in the woods raging in sacred Elk Creek, near Chilliwack, was brought to Cattermole Timber's head office this morning in a dramatic action taken by a group of forest protectors. A group of about 25 forest protectors and broadcast media visited the Cattermole office in Downtown Vancouver at 1055 W Hastings this morning at 11:20. They scattered saw dust, the remains of a Cheam First Nation sacred site, throughout the office.

Earlier this week, Joe Foy, a spokesperson for the Western Canada Wilderness Committee, said, "It's time to halt the logging at Elk Creek. Hundreds of people wrote in to the Chilliwack Forest Service that they did not want the logging - and when it was approved by the Forest Service anyway, it should come as no surprise that people are protesting the logging."

For Interviews Contact June Quipp (Cheam elder): 604-794-5715

www.elkcreekaction.org

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** ACTION ALERT ** Eugene-Springfield Solidarity Network/Jobs with Justice/Teamsters Local #205:
This week, Circuit City responded to public pressure by admitting that it had wrongfully fired two employees without just cause.

Does the company's admission of guilt mean it will play fair, or is it only trying to cover its tracks? Please join ESSN to let the company know that we are still watching them, and we will not tolerate more union-busting in their store.

Rally for two workers who fought a Fortune 500 company for their jobs back after they were fired for tring to start a union, AND WON. Now they need your help THIS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1st, to show public support to keep their job security stable whie they start a union.

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