Local

Free Press readers gathered Saturday evening, March 9 for a Cyber-Salon.

Link to salon video.

Mark Stansbery, Free Press Board member, started out the salon by introducing the Board President, Pete Johnson.

Pete introduced the primary speaker, Ramzy Baroud, a US-Palestinian journalist, media consultant, an author, internationally-syndicated columnist, Editor of Palestine Chronicle (1999-present), former Managing Editor of London-based Middle East Eye, former Editor-in-Chief of The Brunei Times and former Deputy Managing Editor of Al Jazeera online. Baroud is the author of six books and a contributor to many others; his latest volume is Our Vision for Liberation: Engaged Palestinian Leaders and Intellectuals Speak Out. His books are translated to many languages including French, Turkish, Arabic, Korean, Malayalam, among others. The Free Press has been running Ramzy’s articles for a decade.

Is It You? 

I woke up early this morning without the aid of my mother calling me or Jean pulling the covers off of my body. I was eager to get to Annie to find out if she was the girl in the picture I took from Mr. Jimmy’s room. I avoided Mr. Jimmy’s questions as I ate my breakfast, grabbed my books, and rushed out of the house, dragging Jean with me. 

“So, what are you going to say to her?” Jean asked me as we approached Annie’s house. 

“I’m gonna say, is this you, and then show her the picture.” 

“Well, now, big Sis is following little Sis’s directions. About time.” 

“You have a good thought now and then.” 

“If it’s not her, then what?” 

“Then nothing. It’s not my business if it isn’t Annie.” 

“It’s not your business now? If you hadn’t been snooping in the first place you wouldn’t even know about the picture. You’re just being nosy that’s all.” 

Monday, March 11, 2024

Facebook event

For the 13th year in a row,
we will be protesting nuclear power by boycotting grid supplied electricity. This is a direct action you take in your own home. Join thousands of others around the world in conserving electricity for the 24 hours of March 11, in remembrance of the victims of Fukushima, past, present, and future and to protest the continued use of nukes.

There are four levels of participation:

1) Basic Conservation. Just make a conscious effort to turn off extra lights, turn the heat down a degree or two and reduce your screen time. Since nuclear power now produces less than 10% of the world's electricity, this level alone is enough to eliminate the need for nukes completely.

2) Severe Conservation. Only use electricity for absolute essentials like heating or refrigeration. Turn off all your screens, lights, and entertainment for the day. This demonstrates how little power we actually need to survive.

The twin slaughters in Gaza and Ukraine spew from the ghastly evil of four awful men focused on destroying democracy itself---Netanyahu, Sinwar, Putin and Trump.

Ending those wars demands naming and ousting the perpetrators.

Putin’s monstrous mass murder in Ukraine has been punctuated by the awful execution of Alexi Navalny, the beloved activist he imprisoned, tortured and left for dead.  Putin has followed by arresting those who merely leave flowers at Navalny’s memorial site, or who dare show the slightest opposition to the Ukrainian carnage.  His homophobia extends to arresting anyone who display rainbows on flags, clothing, art, or even earrings. 

Putin has made clear he’ll tolerate nothing resembling freedom or democracy, even when sham “votes” are under his thumb.  A brutal Tsar in Russia’s worst totalitarian traditions, he is regularly serviced by useful American idiots like Donald Trump and Tucker Carlson.

Saturday, March 9, 7-8pm, this event will be occurring via Zoom

Welcome our speaker, Ramzy Baroud, a US-Palestinian journalist, media consultant, an author, internationally-syndicated columnist, Editor of Palestine Chronicle (1999-present), former Managing Editor of London-based Middle East Eye, former Editor-in-Chief of The Brunei Times and former Deputy Managing Editor of Al Jazeera online.

Baroud is the author of six books and a contributor to many others; his latest volume is Our Vision for Liberation: Engaged Palestinian Leaders and Intellectuals Speak Out. His books are translated to many languages including French, Turkish, Arabic, Korean, Malayalam, and others.

A “question-and-answer” period will be included.

If you have announcements for the progressive community, let us know at <colsfreepress@gmail.com>.

Please use this Zoom link to join this event.

“Dune: Part Two” is a sensory overload of epic proportions. In the highly anticipated sequel to 2021’s “Dune,” director Denis Villeneuve returns to the vast universe of Frank Herbert’s iconic sci-fi saga. It takes sharp storytelling clarity to explore the dangers of prophecy, religious fundamentalism, and how people are manipulated through narratives. Simultaneously, we’re treated to gladiator fights, giant worms, and other exciting thematic elements that never overshadow the central story. While some sci-fi films surrender to spectacle at the cost of story, Villeneuve does his best “Empire Strikes Back” impression and delivers a masterpiece that will have you dialed in.

The plot of “Part Two” picks up where the first film left off, following Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he seeks revenge for the destruction of his family — teaming up with Chani (Zendaya) and the Fremen to face the powers that control the spice on the harsh sandy climate of Arrakis.

“Dune: Part Two” is a sensory overload of epic proportions. In the highly anticipated sequel to 2021’s “Dune,” director Denis Villeneuve returns to the vast universe of Frank Herbert’s iconic sci-fi saga. It takes sharp storytelling clarity to explore the dangers of prophecy, religious fundamentalism, and how people are manipulated through narratives. Simultaneously, we’re treated to gladiator fights, giant worms, and other exciting thematic elements that never overshadow the central story. While some sci-fi films surrender to spectacle at the cost of story, Villeneuve does his best “Empire Strikes Back” impression and delivers a masterpiece that will have you dialed in.

The plot of “Part Two” picks up where the first film left off, following Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he seeks revenge for the destruction of his family — teaming up with Chani (Zendaya) and the Fremen to face the powers that control the spice on the harsh sandy climate of Arrakis.

Free, all are welcome!

Ramzy Baroud is a US-Palestinian journalist, media consultant, an author, internationally-syndicated columnist, Editor of Palestine Chronicle (1999-present), former Managing Editor of London-based Middle East Eye, former Editor-in-Chief of The Brunei Times and former Deputy Managing Editor of Al Jazeera online.

Baroud taught mass communication at Australia’s Curtin University of Technology, Malaysia Campus.

We, the members of the OSU community, are profoundly concerned about recent developments regarding the removal of the OSU Divest initiative from this year's election ballot. It is imperative for our university to cultivate an inclusive environment where every voice, regardless of origin or perspective, is valued and acknowledged.

The decision to exclude the OSU Divest initiative appears to be a deliberate effort to stifle pro-Palestinian viewpoints and hinder constructive dialogue on divestment. Despite the Judicial Panel acknowledging procedural ambiguities and inconsistencies in bylaw interpretation, the proposed solution of a potential re-hearing and special election unfairly penalizes OSU Divest, prolonging an unjust situation unnecessarily.

Ohio Attorney General David Yost – part of the state’s far-right GOP super majority – is deliberately blocking not one but two proposed constitutional amendments backed mostly by African American activists, they claim.

Ohio is the second most voter-purged state behind Georgia and has some of the worst gerrymandered district maps in the country. Many would think that any Statehouse would reverse such undemocratic practices, but this is Ohio, now a MAGA stronghold, which passed HB 458 and signed into law by Gov. DeWine in 2023. HB 458 enacted the nation’s strictest voter ID law and other provisions restricting voters.

Concerned the Ohio GOP is desperately trying to restrict African American voters, a coalition of civil rights groups is leading a grassroots effort to put the “Ohio Voters Bill of Rights” to a statewide vote, which they say would modernize Ohio’s election system with pro-voter policies, such as same-day voter registration and expanded early voting options and locations, among other provisions.