Common Bread, Evergreen's interfaith student group, would like to invite you to join us in Aramaic Chanting this wednesday (February 1st) at 7:00 in the Longhouse Cedar Room. Chants will be led by Jo Thornton Curtz who is a student of Sufi Neil Douglas-Klotz. No knowledge of chanting or the Aramaic language required, anyone and everyone is welcome. Jo will teach us the words and offer the context of these chants as we participate.

Peace,
Kristi Rychener
Coordinator of Common Bread

What!? Hamas won the election!? Seize the government building!

BEIRUT, Lebanon - The controversy over Danish caricatures of Prophet Muhammad escalated Monday as gunmen seized an EU office in Gaza and Muslims appealed for a trade boycott of Danish products. Denmark called for its citizens in the Middle East to exercise vigilance.

Continued

The boycotting, whatever. Feel free to spend your money as you please. In fact, it's probably better the money go toward local ownership. But storming a government building because someone drew up a caricature of Muhammad?

This would be like the Christian Coalition storming a State Department building because Kanye West is appearing on Rolling Stone as Jesus.

Some people need to get a clue.

[via OMJP]

Here's our chance to help the Eastside Women's Health clinic! There are two bills that have a good chance of passing that Rep. Brendan Williams developed based on the Eastside Women's Health clinic's problem with their insurer jacking up rates 30 times (from $3,000 to $90,000) following the arson last January. The excuse given by their insurer was that they do abortions implying that the arsonist was opposed to abortion. Neither the FBI nor the ATF has determined the cause of the arson so it is speculation on the part of the insurer. Even if it might be true, it is not the fault of the clinic that a domestic terrorist chose them to set fire to. They and their patients and the women of this community should not be penalized with the loss of medical access to a legal procedure. Williams has included churches which have seen arson or damage by hate crime in the bills to broaden the appeal and liklihood of passage.

You can try leaving a message at the legislative hotline 1-800-562-6000 for your own district reps.

[update] I'm looking for this bill on William's website, but I don't know the title or number. Does anyone have that information so we can look at the specifics?

BY BRAD SHANNON

THE OLYMPIAN

Tim Eyman says he will file an initiative today to repeal the gay-rights bill narrowly adopted Friday by the state Senate.

The longtime initiative promoter said in an e-mail to supporters and the media late Sunday, “Politicians aren’t thinking about what the voters want. Let the voters decide.

FEMA failed to accept Katrina help, documents say

Homeland Security: 'Of course' not all assets were used

By Jeanne Meserve CNN Washington Bureau

Monday, January 30, 2006; Posted: 10:23 a.m. EST (15:23 GMT)

"Were there federal assets that were not used in Katrina? Of course," a Homeland Security spokesman said.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Federal emergency officials failed to accept offers of possibly life-saving aid from the Department of Interior immediately after Hurricane Katrina, according to documents obtained by CNN.

The Interior Department offered the Federal Emergency Management Agency the use of personnel who were experienced in water rescues and also offered boats, helicopters, heavy equipment and rooms, the documents say.

...escaped prisoners want to back to jail. From newsobserver.com:

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - Lance H. Gauthun had barely escaped from the Thurston County jail before he was hollering for help and back behind bars.

Authorities heard the cries of Gauthun, 20, and a police officer pulled him to safety after he ran or fell down a steep embankment behind the jail late Tuesday and found himself stuck with temperatures in the low 30s, sheriff's deputy Daniel D. Kimball said.

"They actually rescued the escapee from himself," Kimball said Wednesday.

Free trees and training to residents. Residents plant and care for the trees. We all benefit.

Olympia NeighborWoods Program

I know we are in the midst of a wet wet winter and it may be difficult to think about trees. Maybe looking over this site will remind us of the spring that surely will return once again.

A legend to learn about is Jay Butts:

It is time you met Olympia’s tree phantom, a man who is rumored to have struck many times in the dark of night with his shovel, leaving behind a new tree to help green our capitol city.  Jay Butts was an ordinary man with an extraordinary vision:  to build and maintain an urban forest within the developing city.  One of the primary instigators of Olympia’s current Urban Forestry Program, Jay owned a large parcel of land adjacent to Priest Point Park where he planted and tended his own trees.  He willed this wonderful park parcel to the City as a symbol of his commitment to a city full of trees, even after his death; a plaque there commemorates his generosity.

YakimaHearld.com votes no on a convention center for Olympia:

The Olympian newspaper reported that city officials envision a convention center, possibly adjoining a hotel and parking garage, along the underdeveloped Legion Way corridor, within walking distance or a bus ride of the Capitol Campus. They say the state could partner with a hotel chain to build the center.

But we just can't buy into the need for the state to get involved. There are too many other worthy construction projects around the state to warrant making the state capital a convention draw. There are also plenty of other convention centers in the state that rely on attracting groups from outside their city or state as a key component of local economies and don't need the added, subsidized competition.

Seattle, for example, has the Washington State Trade & Convention Center just up the freeway. And the Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center is even closer. In Eastern Washington, Yakima's expanded facility is a needed community asset.