Monday, November 07, 2005

Linkfest

This is a linkfest, consider yourself warned.

Brenda e-mails to note "Falluja....again and again" (Baghdad Dweller):

A new documentary released by Italian TV station "RAI" shows evidence that the US used chemical and Napalm weapons in Fallujha.
Bodies burned without any traces of fire on the clothes and trust me there are many dead babies.
The documentary called "La strage nascosta" or "The hidden massacre" in English.
You can watch the documentary in Arabic, English and Italian.

Brenda gives a heads up that this is graphic but points out that "Looking away from what our government is doing is irresponsible."

Elaine got e-mails for missing one unplanned day (she'd attended a The World Can't Wait rally that day) and she always takes Thursday off. But she mentioned on Saturday night (or it may have been Sunday morning) that there were a lot of e-mails on this (only one community member from what she said had e-mailed her about it). For the record, Wally blogged this morning at The Daily Jot, Rebecca blogged this evening (as she usually does) at Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude, Mike (ditto) blogged at Mikey Likes It!, Elaine at Like Maria Said Paz, Cedric at Cedric's Big Mix, Betty has a new chapter up at Thomas Friedman Is a Great Man and Kat's planning to post at Kat's Korner. Seth is working and going to school and he posted twice last week at Seth in the City. I'm not seeing a new post up tonight but he's pointed out that he is very busy. The Third Estate Sunday Review had six new entries/features up on Sunday (they only post on Sundays). On the phone with Kat earlier, she asked that I note that here and that I tag all the community sites including this one.

Point? People have many things to read if they want to visit the community sites.

Here's the opening of Betty's latest chapter "From buffets to smokes" (Thomas Friedman Is a Great Man):


Thomas Friedman is obsessed with Chinese food.
Readers of his column, the brave few who stick with him, have probably deduced that from his constant mythical trips to China.
It's all he writes about now. I wonder if readers ask why that is? I know I did.
He's always running to what I call "Dollar China" -- a new buffett that hasn't yet kicked him out. It probably won't. It's a real dive. Run down. Desperate for customers and money. It's a place where no one ever disagrees with a customer so it's heaven for Thomas Friedman who loves to hold court and never be questioned.
"Yes, Mr. Friedman" is the oft repeated refrain while Thomas Friedman occupies the back booth smiling smugly.
He always has to sit with his back facing the wall. He says that's because "we live in terrorist times." I wonder if, pre-9/11, he invented a tale of being the victim of a potential mob hit?
The truth is, he sits with his back against the wall because he must be seen. He must face the room.
I told him, "Thomas Friedman, I think the woman is supposed to face the room" and he told me I would crack from "that kind of pressure."
His concern for me is like his concern for his waistline -- something he occassionally gives lip service to but doesn't much sweat.

Tori e-mails to note Dahr Jamail's "Operation 'Steel Curtain'" (Iraq Dispatches):

There is a huge US military operation once again targeting the Al-Qa'im area of Iraq, this one named "Steel Curtain."
As tomorrow marks the one year anniversary of the beginning of the massacre in Fallujah, the US military pushes on with house to house fighting in the small down of Husaybah, near Al-Qa’im.
According to Al-Jazeera: "Falih Abd al-Karim, an Iraqi journalist, told Aljazeera that US and Iraqi forces were positioned in al-Sikak neighbourhood and north and south of 12 Rabia al-Awal neighbourhood in central Husaybah.
This came after US warplanes on Sunday evening targeted al-Jamahir, al-Risala and other neighbourhoods in the town, destroying houses, and killing and injuring dozens of people, he said. The bodies remained under the debris of the houses because US forces do not allow burials or transfer of the injured to hospitals, Abd al-Karim added.
The US shelling has demolished government buildings, including al-Jamahir primary school, al-Qaim preparatory school for boys, the educational supervision building, al-Qaim post office and communication centre, al-Qaim education directorate and two mosques in the city, he said."

Rena wondered if I was passing on to Ty the praise or just posting it here? (Ty addressed the Paris riots two Sundays ago when it was largely a non topic and made the comparison, now so popular in the press, between it and 1968). I post it here and I also pass it on. I do both because I'm not sure Ty gets the credit he deserves. Ava and I do the TV reviews and everyone knows that. Jim and Dona's personalities come through in roundtables, et al. Jess' love for music has let people see that side of him. Ty works really hard at The Third Estate Sunday Review and I'm not sure that within the community he gets as much recognition as he should. So I'll note two things. First, one summer week, The Third Estate Sunday Review* did a special summer edition that revolved around fiction. There were numerous short stories. The one entitled "K-Boy Tries To Get Back Home (a horrific parable) " was Ty's concept and he executed the early part of that short story by himself, by the time it was turned over to the group, it was pretty much complete already. (Every piece is a group effort except the TV reviews -- which started out as one.) The second thing I'll note is Mike's interview with Ty (at Mikey Likes It!).

But I do pass it on and I also put it up here because I want to be sure that when Ty's recognized by community members that it's noted.

[*Either this Sunday or last, The Third Estate Sunday Review added me to their list of members. Their feeling was that I've worked on every edition -- though I've excused myself from some stories, probably four, during that time -- and Ava and I do the TV reviews. I'd resisted being officially added because that is their site but I agreed recently. So, disclosure, when I say "they," I should probably say "we." Though I'm sure I'll continue to say "they."]

Brad asks what I'm reading and I'm reading, as is everyone for next Sunday's "5 Books, Five Minutes" feature at The Third Estate Sunday Review -- which will only happen time permitting, Margaret Cho's I Have Chosen to Stay and Fight. Susan wonders what I'm listening to? Right now, at this moment, Joan Baez's In Concert Part 2 is playing.













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