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CYCLISTS in OLYMPIA for PEACE in our STREETS (C.O.P.S.) 1708 Hays Ave. NW Olympia, WA 98502 (360)357-3391 grizzlegrazzle@riseup.net

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Nov. 17, 2006 Contact: T. Claw (360)357-3391

CRITICAL MASS BIKE PARADE MET WITH RESISTANCE FROM THE OPD

Cyclists from Olympia and surrounding areas converged in their monthly ride to support safe, non-motorized transportation. The Halloween Critical Mass was Olympia’s largest in two years, surpassed only by the 2004 election ride. The bike parade was tainted when police harassment ended the ride with unsafe road conditions, multiple citations, and two arrests. The ride left The Evergreen State College at 4:45 p.m. with 75-80 cyclists. There was little or no dangerous or aggravated behavior by cyclists or motorists on the stretch between Evergreen and the intersection of Harrison and Division. The motorists treated the mass of cyclists with respect and a general tone of support. Throughout the ride one or two cyclists would stop at intersections and signal to motorists to slow down and stop, allowing the entire group to get through the intersection safely. In the past, when large rides occurred in Olympia, the Olympia Police Department chose to escort the rides and hold back traffic at intersections for the group’s safety. Those rides were successful, non-violent, and quite fun. At the Halloween Critical Mass, the OPD acted in the contrary. As the group descended the Harrison hill towards downtown, the parade of cyclists picked up approximately 20 additional cyclists and stretched the length of three to four city blocks. The group made one circle around each roundabout, occupying them for less than one minute each, to allow for stragglers to catch up safely and stay as one unified parade as it crossed the 4th Avenue bridge. While passing through the light at the intersection of 4th Avenue and Yashido Street, the light turned red and a bike cop shouted not to run a red light and held his bicycle out in front of the crosswalk. One participant who was badly injured described the incident, “They caused everyone to stop suddenly, turning a perfectly safe situation in to a very dangerous one. I couldn’t stop in time and hit the person in front of me. After a nasty fall I heard one of the policemen say, ‘That’s what you get for trying to run a red light.’ They made absolutely no effort to see if I was okay or apologize for causing my accident.

NEWS DIRECT FROM: http://secretcommunique.blogspot.com/

If they can't stomach it, no need to apply.

Despite whether they find the film offensive, applicants must buy a copy and watch it if they hope to pass the Netherlands' new entrance examination.

The test — the first of its kind in the world — became compulsory Wednesday, and was made available at 138 Dutch embassies.

The test is part of a broader crackdown on immigration that has been gathering momentum in the Netherlands since 2001.

Anti-immigration sentiment peaked with filmmaker Theo van Gogh's murder by a Dutch national of Moroccan descent in November 2004.

Both praise and scorn have been poured on Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk, the architect of the new test and other policies that have reduced immigration by at least a third.

A censored version with no homosexual and nude material had been prepared because it is illegal to show such images in Iran and some other countries, filmmaker Walter Goverde said. "With all the respect I have for all religions, I think people need to understand that Holland has its own liberal side as well," he said.

So in the spirit of everyone dumping their televisions, I thought I'd post some links to free educational resources online that I've come across in my digital meanderings.

Berkeley online

Stanford on iTunes

Wikiversity

MIT for free

Open Source education

I like the internet. Traditional power structures have every right to be afraid.

Downtown plan draws criticism

jeremy pawloski
OLYMPIA - About 30 opponents of the city's proposed "pedestrian interference ordinance" marched through downtown at 5 p.m. Friday, carrying signs and chanting slogans such as "fight poverty, not the poor" and "arm the poor, stop the war."

The protesters also targeted their chants at two downtown businesses that are owned by city councilmen who support the proposed law.

Opponents said the draft ordinance would unfairly outlaw panhandling and violate the rights of the homeless and poverty-stricken.

The draft law, which is on the agenda for Tuesday's City Council meeting, "would make sitting, lying, vending or soliciting within six feet from the edge (of) a building within the downtown area constitute an obstruction of pedestrian or vehicular traffic ..."

"It's public use of public space," protester Tim Nelson said in support of everyone's right to the streets. "The poor people are people, too."

One local businesswoman who joined the protesters, Kanako Wynkoop, owner of the thrift shop Dumpster Values, said she fears police would use the law to harass street people.

"This ordinance is another tool for them to harass and oppress people," Wynkoop said.

READ THE FULL OLYMPIAN ARTICLE (AND CHECK OUT THE COMMENTS TOO)