Got my Cesar Chavez poster today from Shop Different, a now defunct Apple shop. Very cool poster. Can't decide if I want to hang it in my office here at home or at work. Will piss people off in both places, which doesn't bother me in the least.

Will U.S. Remember Global Goodwill?. Article originally appeared in the Toronto Sun today. It has some faults, like I don't think Israel has pledged support for the terrorism coalition (I could be wrong) and Pakistan's support is still iffy in places. However, I do think the point about Americans taming the bloodthirst needs to be heeded. It would be terrible to have us look just as murderous as those cowards who attacked.

I am concerned about the airline industry. Massive layoffs and it looks like this is only the beginning, But on a positive note, give Southwest a nod for somehow managing to not have to lay anyone off so far. And take a look at their Adopt-A-Pilot program. Very cool.

Using this with permission from mememachine. The author also encourages people to make their own infographic. I wish I knew how....

There is a move to archive the sites that have something to do with Sept. 11 at WebArchivist. I haven't investigated it thoroughly and a friend just used the words "voluntary carnivore" after seeing it, but I am going to look into it more tonight and tomorrow.

Another World is Possible

I saw this as a "please don't let there be war" slogan. I like it. Will be investigating it more.

Slovenské telekomunikácie is offering the people of Slovakia free calls to US until Sunday. How incredible is that?! I have heard from lots of my Slovak friends. Thank you Slovenské telekomunikácie!!

In the last 24 hours I have been called everything from insensitive to traitor to monster. All because I am trying to find the "why" to Tuesday's horror. Never once have I excused, justified or otherwise condoned the actions of the cowards who did this thing. People have said it is not the "right time" to look for explanations. We should think only of those who have been directly affected. Some have said that we should be out to get the cowards and, later, if convenient, we can look for reasons. I don't agree with these opinions. While every effort should, and is, made to help survivors, there needs to be an active voice looking for the whys so that this never happens again. And I want the cowards caught as much as anyone, but I do not want revenge to be the primary objective because it will only beget more violence.

And the one person who I thought would support my opinions has failed me.

How can I do anything today but think about the last moments of the lives of so many who got up, went about their usual morning affairs, heading off to work in the World Trade Center and Pentagon, and stood in the lobbies, conference rooms, offices and watched the planes crash into their buildings. And the people on the airplanes...I hope they had no idea, but I don't think that is a going to hold true. None of us will be the same. And I don't want to hear anymore that it is an "attack on freedom." It is an attack that rages against the freedoms we have in this country and others. Until we face terrorism for what it is, the act of powerless, voiceless, hopeless people, it will continue to happen. Make no mistake...this is cowardaice of the most extreme. And when the cowards are caught, and they will be, I want them punished. I don't know how I want them punished and punished is too weak a word. The only way to respond to the cowardice is with its opposite, courage. And we will need lots of that.

Oh very cool. I am glad I decided to just do some hit and run looks at weblogs from the front page of Blogger 'cause I hit Bushwacker and the list of other more serious, political type (and booklover) weblogs is just what I needed to assure myself that I am not there is intelligent life out there and not just all shit-chat. Not that there is anything wrong with that, just need some substance, too. Ewww...a disgusting analogy popped into my head as I was typing but I refuse to allow it to escape my head.

On Sept 29 at 7 a.m. I will be on an airplane heading to Washington D.C. I am very nervous. Not 'cause flying scares me, though six months ago that would have been the reason. I am nervous because there will be 100,000 other people planning to be in approximately the exact same area at the exact same time as me and lots of them are really angry.

The World Bank (more accurately, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will hold their General Meeting that weekend in D.C. I will be joining protesters from all over the world (though mostly the US) in exercising our political voice telling those organizations that they had better come down from Stratos* and start looking at the world from where the world lives. I am not part of any organized protest. I am going on my own. I am going because I want to hear what is said without the mainstream media coloring it with corporate paintbrushes. I am going because I am tired of always saying I want to do something and never actually doing anything but talk. I am going because I need inspiration.

There is a teach-in all day Sat that I will attend and the "permitted event" is a rally on Sunday which is actually billed as "kid friendly." I am not so sure it will be and I wouldn't ever consider bringing a child to something like this, but I am over-cautious on that account. I am concerned about the violence these protests generate. I am not going to be involved in any violence. I abhor it as a total breakdown of intelligence and an illegitimate means of expression. I don't really know what to expect. And it makes me very nervous. Though not nervous enought to not go.

* Credit for Stratos reference to When Corporations Rule the World, David Korten.

Oh how I wish I could be involved somehow with the Science Year project in the UK. It started on 7 September 2001 and runs through August 2002. The Giant Leap got the whole thing off the ground (see photo below). I am going to keep my eye on this just to see what happens with the project. the web site is wonderful. the project is aimed at 7-19 years and "the adults around them." I like that way of looking at it!

Love this photo. Not sure how long the story will be valid, but it is at Giant Leap. More details at Science Year. And I will write more later.

I want to know more about Second Harvest (including why the site looks so awful) and Ashoka. They have nothing to do with each other, but I was cleaning my bookmarks out and they held my attention a bit longer than some of the other sites I looked at.

Yup, that is what it is. So I think I will leave the Reblogger off since no one reads this blog but me and it would be terribly silly for me to talk to myself any more than I am already.

Nope, not Blogger. It is the ReBlogger. I think.

Hmmm...something is not right with Blogger.

Okay, so there is more than the WebCrossing making me blue.

Anyway...one of the others in the graduate group just sent out an email chastising people for not using the board, so maybe there will be a change.

I am sitting here all teary over the stupidest of things.

WebCrossing has free discussion board software online so anyone can use one of the best bits of coding around to set up their own forum. So...I set up a board for my graduate studies program. This is a group of people who are not great with technology, but knowing this software will not be difficult, I had high hopes.

Stupid me. There is a wonderful post I know everyone in the group would have an opinion on. I waited and waited. No one responded. So, I sent out an email telling everyone there is a great offer on the board and everyone should take a look and put in their two cents. I got a flood of emails saying basically "Oh yeah! That is a great idea. Tell Katie (the poster) to go for it!" ::::sigh:::: They could have all just as easy posted this to the board so that Katie could see it without me having to forward all the emails and putting more mail in boxes that will just get lost in the overflow.

And so I am teary. I know...it is silly. But I just can't understand why people don't take the time to use technology to its better possibility.

I have been listening to a book on tape while in the car. Makes for a more relaxed commute since I tend to get too wound up listening to National Public Radio. I love NPR, but sometimes I just need a break from reality. It is purely an accident that I have this particular book on tape, though. I had ordered what I thought was a book through interlibrary loan and it turned out to be audio. I am so glad I wasn't observant.

The tapes are Ian Carmichael reading the book Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome. It was written in 1889 and is a travelogue of sorts, but not really. It is very funny. And fascinating. And poignant. A scene describing what it might have been like at the signing of the Magna Carta brought tears. Mostly it is funny. Uproarious in places. Giggly in others. And though it was written more than 100 years ago, some of the observations...nay, most of the observations are as fresh as if written last week. Mr. Carmichael's voice is at once soothing, cultured and downright friendly. He reads the British elongated vowels in such a way as not to appear pompous (as some of those BBC folk can sound). Truly a joy.