By, Cheri Roberts - Piper MTR News
This weekend I attended the Publicizing Truths with Consequence media summit in Santa Cruz, CA representing MTR News Network; an event sponsored by Project Censored, 911Truth.org, and Be The Media. Turnout surpassed projected expectations 3 hours into the first day of this three day conference despite a winter storm that produced relentless rain and wind. At it’s high point there were upwards of 250+ people. The organizers adapted to the overflow and hosted a great event.
A pow-wow of sorts to brainstorm and put into action a more effective means of communicating to a public in desperate need of truth and substance. The event brought together an eclectic mix of concerned citizens, activists, and community writers as well as breaking news Bloggers like Brad Friedman of The BRAD BLOG. Award winning investigative journalists David Ray Griffin, Ray McGovern, and Bob Fritrakis mingled the room with Whistleblowers like Barbara Honegger and retired FBI Special Agent Coleen Rowley. Doug Abort - a representative for the Kucinich campaign, Congressional candidate Cindy Sheehan, and Green Party presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney also attended. All speakers, sponsors and organizers made themselves accessible in order to network, creating - maybe for the first time, a chain of media professionals that run from small town USA all the way to the influentials of DC. Speaking truth to power could get a little easier.
Fellow attendees Matt Sullivan, Editor of the Rock Creek Free Press in DC and Lenny Charles of the I.N.N. World Report said it best the first day of the summit.
Matt points out that,
“We control the web, but we are not powerful in the street”.
While Lenny brings it home with,
“It’s time to think outside the browser”.
With a participant list that reads like a virtual who’s who of today’s alternative media, this summit produced an inspired new army of motivated individuals ready to take on the challenge and rise above the corporate media. The theme seemed to be we are the new mainstream media and although workshop style gatherings were a bit disorganized most seemed to understand the theme and the need to find ways to apply it in their everyday lives.
OH-D Congressman Dennis Kucinich rallied the audience via a piped in conference call the first night emphasizing that,
“Independent media is critical” and the “Last best defense our Nation has” reminding us it is our civic duty as citizens of this democracy.
Coleen Rowley, retired FBI Special Agent stressed,
“I have heard every excuse in the book” for not trying.
She concluded that train of thought with a powerful call to action voiced by two little words when she said,
“Do something!”
Breaking off into affinity groups we learned the deeper meaning of communicating by listening and the importance of real news versus mere opinion. We were coached on identifying the propaganda and told by 25 yr CIA Veteran Ray McGovern that,
“We need to sensitize our co-ctizens” and “we have to speak truth to power” and that in order to do that, we need to,
“get them to identify” with our issues “by identifying theirs”.
Other tools were offered by David Mathison of Be The Media - who spoke on building community media, providing resource ideas and tips for doing so.
As invited guests MTR News Network was privileged to conduct many on and off camera interviews from this event, including a one- on - one with Cynthia McKinney, later pairing her with her long time friend and true Patriot Ray McGovern - who we learned is being treated for lymphoma and will be beginning chemo therapy soon. Stay tuned...
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Inside Info on Inside Job?
By, Cheri Roberts-Piper MTR News
For more than five years the US Government has kept former FBI translator Sibel Edmonds silent, feeding the flames of imagination and suspicion by many within the 911 Truth movement - particularly those who believe in the MIHOP or Made It Happen On Purpose theory. Gagged since Oct. of 2002 - by then Attorney General John Ashcroft, Sibel indeed has information this administration does not want us to know – as we are slowly discovering by ongoing reports from BRADBLOG and the UK Times. However, what remains to be seen is this; does Edmonds have any information that points to 911 being an Inside Job?
The secrecy surrounding her story has made it more secretive making many question whether the government had foreknowledge of the 911 attacks. This is sparked in part by what is known as the Phoenix Memo in addition to the suppression of her sworn deposition in the Burnett v. Al Baraka Investment & Dev. Corp. suit - filed by 600 families of victims of the September 11, 2001 crimes. These questions are further fueled by testimony of another 911 Whistleblower, retired FBI Special Agent Coleen Rowley who in June of 2002 testified before the 911 Commission asserting the FBI mishandled information related to the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Some activists believe Sibel’s information could give evidence to government foreknowledge and potentially point to direct government involvement and planning in the attacks.
I asked 911 Truth activist Nick Bakken from St. Paul, MN what has made him such a supporter of her gag being lifted,
“Well, I never expected her to say anything about 911 Truth, but the States Secret thing is a big deal to me” he explained and went on to say,
“I’m supportive of the gag being lifted because being gagged to protect criminals in our own country is not something anyone should support. The fact that we are infiltrated by moles makes me believe it would have been even easier for an Inside Job theory to be more fact than fiction”.
Brad Friedman of BRADBLOG was at a media conference I attended recently in Santa Cruz, CA. I had a little time to chat with him about Sibel, 911 Truth and the support truth activists rally around her. Understanding he couldn’t reveal any secrets to me I constructed a question whose answer I hope will solve some of the mystery.
I asked Brad if there was any indication Sibel had any kind of information or knowledge of 911 being an Inside Job based on his many discussions with her. In other words, should the Truth movement hold out hope Sibel can help them prove that theory to be true? His answer was an unequivocal,
“No.”
He said,
“In fact, I don’t think the 911 Truth movement is going to like what she has to say.”
The information that is slowly surfacing from Sibel may help provide more evidence of incompetence regarding the crimes that took place on 9/11. The information may also help build a legal foundation for a new investigation into those crimes later on. But, for now, it seems the gag has been in place because of what she knows about the selling of our countries nuclear secrets by the very people we elect and pay to protect us. Those same people that vote on war in our name against nations with nuclear potential and then sell the need for those wars to the American people.
If our government is selling nuclear secrets to other countries while engaged in a War on Terror with no boundaries and those nuclear secrets are used against us, isn’t that in itself an Inside Job?
Let Sibel Speak. If you haven’t already signed this petition now is the time. http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/LibertyCoalition/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1728&t=Liberty Coalition.dwt
For more than five years the US Government has kept former FBI translator Sibel Edmonds silent, feeding the flames of imagination and suspicion by many within the 911 Truth movement - particularly those who believe in the MIHOP or Made It Happen On Purpose theory. Gagged since Oct. of 2002 - by then Attorney General John Ashcroft, Sibel indeed has information this administration does not want us to know – as we are slowly discovering by ongoing reports from BRADBLOG and the UK Times. However, what remains to be seen is this; does Edmonds have any information that points to 911 being an Inside Job?
The secrecy surrounding her story has made it more secretive making many question whether the government had foreknowledge of the 911 attacks. This is sparked in part by what is known as the Phoenix Memo in addition to the suppression of her sworn deposition in the Burnett v. Al Baraka Investment & Dev. Corp. suit - filed by 600 families of victims of the September 11, 2001 crimes. These questions are further fueled by testimony of another 911 Whistleblower, retired FBI Special Agent Coleen Rowley who in June of 2002 testified before the 911 Commission asserting the FBI mishandled information related to the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Some activists believe Sibel’s information could give evidence to government foreknowledge and potentially point to direct government involvement and planning in the attacks.
I asked 911 Truth activist Nick Bakken from St. Paul, MN what has made him such a supporter of her gag being lifted,
“Well, I never expected her to say anything about 911 Truth, but the States Secret thing is a big deal to me” he explained and went on to say,
“I’m supportive of the gag being lifted because being gagged to protect criminals in our own country is not something anyone should support. The fact that we are infiltrated by moles makes me believe it would have been even easier for an Inside Job theory to be more fact than fiction”.
Brad Friedman of BRADBLOG was at a media conference I attended recently in Santa Cruz, CA. I had a little time to chat with him about Sibel, 911 Truth and the support truth activists rally around her. Understanding he couldn’t reveal any secrets to me I constructed a question whose answer I hope will solve some of the mystery.
I asked Brad if there was any indication Sibel had any kind of information or knowledge of 911 being an Inside Job based on his many discussions with her. In other words, should the Truth movement hold out hope Sibel can help them prove that theory to be true? His answer was an unequivocal,
“No.”
He said,
“In fact, I don’t think the 911 Truth movement is going to like what she has to say.”
The information that is slowly surfacing from Sibel may help provide more evidence of incompetence regarding the crimes that took place on 9/11. The information may also help build a legal foundation for a new investigation into those crimes later on. But, for now, it seems the gag has been in place because of what she knows about the selling of our countries nuclear secrets by the very people we elect and pay to protect us. Those same people that vote on war in our name against nations with nuclear potential and then sell the need for those wars to the American people.
If our government is selling nuclear secrets to other countries while engaged in a War on Terror with no boundaries and those nuclear secrets are used against us, isn’t that in itself an Inside Job?
Let Sibel Speak. If you haven’t already signed this petition now is the time. http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/LibertyCoalition/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1728&t=Liberty Coalition.dwt
Monday, January 21, 2008
6 Easy Ways to Save Money When You're Worried About a Recession
By, Cheri Roberts-Piper
Save after the pump
Gas mileage drops as your speed increases. Drive the speed limit and you will save money and possibly lives. Every 5mph over 60mph you drive is like paying an extra dime a gallon, or more.
Bag it
Commit to bringing your lunch to work instead of eating out. Even if you eat lunch off the dollar menu every day chances are you are still spending at least three bucks a day, over a years time that adds up to almost $1,100.
3-way save
Lose that health club membership. You don’t need to go to a gym to exercise or work out. You can get an effective workout in your own home or neighborhood and if necessary, one time purchases on simple equipment will still allow you to save considerably over the years on membership fees not to mention the money you save in gas and time.
Check it out
Instead of buying books or renting movies, borrow them from the library, friends or family.
No charge
Use cash instead of credit. If you don’t have enough cash then you can’t have it. Use credit cards only for emergencies from here on out.
Time for change
Save your change in one place. Don’t lay change here and there around your home or vehicle. Instead have a jar in your entryway, bathroom or bedroom where you can drop your change at the end of the day. Commit to taking the jar and depositing the saved change into your savings acct once a month. It adds up, believe me.
Save after the pump
Gas mileage drops as your speed increases. Drive the speed limit and you will save money and possibly lives. Every 5mph over 60mph you drive is like paying an extra dime a gallon, or more.
Bag it
Commit to bringing your lunch to work instead of eating out. Even if you eat lunch off the dollar menu every day chances are you are still spending at least three bucks a day, over a years time that adds up to almost $1,100.
3-way save
Lose that health club membership. You don’t need to go to a gym to exercise or work out. You can get an effective workout in your own home or neighborhood and if necessary, one time purchases on simple equipment will still allow you to save considerably over the years on membership fees not to mention the money you save in gas and time.
Check it out
Instead of buying books or renting movies, borrow them from the library, friends or family.
No charge
Use cash instead of credit. If you don’t have enough cash then you can’t have it. Use credit cards only for emergencies from here on out.
Time for change
Save your change in one place. Don’t lay change here and there around your home or vehicle. Instead have a jar in your entryway, bathroom or bedroom where you can drop your change at the end of the day. Commit to taking the jar and depositing the saved change into your savings acct once a month. It adds up, believe me.
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