Chelsea Manning Is Coming to Oakland 

Oakland's California Ballroom is set to host the Animal Liberation Conference 2021, which will from September 24-30. According to the event organizers, a wide range of activities will include "trainings for the revolution, games, plant-based food trucks, and the Animal Liberation March in San Francisco." And one of the keynote speakers Pentagon whistleblower Chelsea Manning. 

Manning served seven years of a 35-year sentence for exposing US war crimes in Iraq. Her sentence was commuted by President Barack Obama but Manning was jailed two more times for refusing to testify against WIkileaks whistleblower Julian Assange. Manning, who found herself confined in all-male prisons, attempted suicide during her captivity. 

Manning will be the keynote speaker at Saturday's September 25 event at noon in the California Ballroom. Leading animal rights groups—including Direct Action Everywhere (DXE), Animal Rebellion, and the Animal Save Movement—hope to inspire activists "to take bold, collective action to achieve revolutionary social & political change for animals." For all the details, check the conference website online. [Late-breaking news. Chelsea Manning has reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 and may not be able to attend this event.] 

Getting Off on the Right Foot 

The REI sporting goods co-op recently emailed a promo for its autumn footwear sale. The wording of the ad was a little unsteady. The subject line read: "Running Shoes for Comfy Fall." 

The idea of a "comfy fall" reminds me of the warnings that appear in front of the doors of mass transit rail cars that read: "Watch Your Step" and "Have a Nice Trip." 

A Chronic Condition 

A recent a nod in the direction of the Chronicle's pun-loving headlines, provoked the following dispatch from local Planetarian phil allen: 

"From the Refrigerator News—posted Chron headlines from the past: 

'Dire Report on Blondes a Washout,' 'Mental Ward Plan Called Reasonable,' and 'Extra Anesthesia Needed for Redheads.'" 

Fashion Plates 

A BMW rolling down the Berkeley streets was seen flashing a license plate that read: DL MAKR. Also spotted: an enigmatic license plate on a silver Kia that read: N8TR[heart]ER. Message? "Nature Lover." 

America: Fulfilling Bin Laden's Prophesy  

Reuters reporter Naimul Karim (naimul@gmail.com) recently offered this salient summation of Washington's wasted, wasteful war in Afghanistan: 

"As far as I am concerned, Bin Laden has won. No sugar-coating it. Our freedoms gone, freedoms that he (supposedly) hated, our reputation and moral fabric in tatters, our country bankrupt, infrastructures decrepit, society in disharmony, the future rudderless…. Most bitter of all, Bin Laden even didn’t have to do it—he made us do it ourselves. That’s because he knew us better than we know us…." 

Afghanistan Was No Surprise: The Military Knew 

In July 2017, the Military.com website posted an article under the title:
Countries with the Worst Militaries, The article identified the Pentagon's top three lost causes as Afghanistan, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. 

Addressing the Afghan situation, Military.com offered this prophetic assessment:
"Afghanistan makes the list despite the decade-plus of training from ISAF [International Security Assistance Force] advisors. The sad truth is that all that nifty training doesn’t make up for the fact that the ANA [Afghan National Army] will likely collapse like a card table when the US leaves Afghanistan — if the US ever leaves Afghanistan." 

Regarding Iraq, Military.com wrote:
"Despite years of training from US and British forces, as well as $26 billion in investments and military aid, the Iraqi Army has only 26 units considered 'loyal.' On top of that, Iraqi lawmakers discovered 50,000 “ghost soldiers” in its ranks — troops who received a paycheck, but never showed up for work. In 2014, ISIS was able to overrun much of Western Iraq as Iraqi troops fled before the Islamist onslaught." 

And addressing the Saudi Kingdom, Military.com wrote: 

"The Saudis are currently engaged in a coalition military operation in Yemen with the United Arab Emirates [supported by the US] in an effort to expel Houthi tribesmen from Sana’a and re-establish the Sunni rulers. And they can't…. They’ve been there since March 2015 and the Houthis are still in the capital." 

It's now seven years later and the Houthis are still in the capital. 

Nuclear Subs Down Under 

The US, UK, and Australia have just made waves this past week by announcing "AUKUS"—a tri-partite military trade deal that will bring US nuclear-powered submarines to Australia—dangerously close to the contested South China Sea. 

Why is it called AUKUS? That's a combination of the initials Australia, UK, and US. Reporting from Australia, Dr Alison Broinowski AM (Acting President of Australians for War Powers Reform) suggests two other explanations for AUKUS:
(1) This diplomatically puts the smallest nation first 

(2) It sounds like something out of "Lord of the Rings." 

Dr. Broinowski also notes that, if you put the "US" first, it would read "USUKA," which makes more sense because "USUKA would sound like 'You sucker, Australia.' Which is true." 

AUKUS also can be read as "Aw, cuss!" but Dr. Broinowski assures me: "We don’t say ‘aw cuss’ at this end of the world." 

Australia's Defense Policy Explained 

 

Celebrate International Peace Day with a Blue Scarf 

With the approach of the UN International Peace Day on September 21, there's been a run on ordering Sky Blue Scarves. These long, blue wraps were originally created by grassroots activists in Afghanistan, in response to Professor Noam Chomsky’s challenge to build "a world free of borders." The Afghan activists explain that the blue scarf “represents our collective wish as a human family to live without wars, to share our resources and to take care of our earth under the same blue sky.” 

In 2008, a small gathering of women from RAWA bravely gathered in war-torn Kandahar wearing Blue Scarves while they called for prayed for peace and justice in Afghanistan. Another 1,500 brave women joined them in what became known as the "Blue Scarf movement." Thousands more joined joined the movement with the assistance of Unifem. (You can read more at TheBlueScarf.org.) 

In 2011, the Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers marched alongside the women and members of The Simple Way. They began handing out blue scarves at their events and, soon, a global movement was born. 

Afghanistan's Blue Scarves were brought to the US by members of Voices for Creative Nonviolence and promoted by Friends Without Borders. And now, a new generation of hand-crafted, 14″ x 60" cotton Sky Blue scarves are available in the US from World BEYOND War. 

 

[Full disclosure: I'm a WBW board member.] 

News that Cheers the Ears 

Now that California's Recall Ruse has been "resoundingly" rejected, let's take some added pleasure in the following bit of political news. 

Organizers of a pro-Trump rally in Kentucky recently promised: "The Biggest Patriot Rally Of The Year—A True Reunion Of We, The People, combining the biggest names in the conservative patriot movement including Gen. [Michael] Flynn, Lin Wood, Candace Owens, Mike ["Pillow Guy"] Lindell, and many others along w/top notch Christian & Country Music Entertainment! Simply put: This will be THE 'Event Of The Year' for American Patriots!" 

The Trumpalooza promoters predicted a mega-MAGA crowd of 10,000. And how many pro-Trumpers showed up to crash the gate? 300. 

The Daily Kos' offered this post-event comment:
"if you’re expecting 10,000 enthused MAGA mites and only 300 show up, maybe it’s finally time to fold the denim tent you’ve kept propped up for the day of Donald Trump’s triumphant return." 

Adding to the lack-luster non-event, was a photo taken at the rally that showed a car with a political statement painted on the back window. It read: "Trump Won!! Bidan [sic] is a cheater." 

EXXON Knew 

Fossil fuel companies knew about the threat of the climate crisis decades ago. Over the course of nearly forty years, these companies spent millions of dollars to spread doubt and misinformation about the dangers of fossil fuels and stall the transition to renewable energy. 

That’s why Rep. Ro Khanna and the climate activists at 350.org are demanding that top Big Oil executives testify in front of Congress—even if it requires subpoenaing them. As Chair of the Environmental Oversight Subcommittee, Khanna is eager to hold these Big Oil, Coal, and Gas executives accountable.  

We can help Rep. Khanna's campaign by supporting his call for a Congressional hearing to grill the Big Oil executives under oath. 

The $3.5 Trillion Bill that Terrifies Corporate America

UCB Economics Prof. Robert Reich recently extolled the virtues of the Democrat's visionary budget proposal: "Child care. Universal pre-K. Free community college. Paid leave. Medicare expansion. Climate action. Taxes on the rich and corporations. It’s all in the Democrats' $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill." The podium is yours, professor: 

 

ACTION ALERT: Ban Politicians from Owning Weapons Stocks 

The US war in Afghanistan may finally be behind us but war-profiteering continues unabated. According to an investigation by Sludge, at least 11 Senators and 36 Congress members (and/or their spouses) own millions in defense-contractor stocks. The rule here should be clear: If you're a politician who has an interest in conflict, you've got a conflict of interest. 

This isn’t a partisan issue: these 47 conflicted politicians are both Democrats and Republicans. To find out which politicians are profiting from war, click here. (Preview: The most conflicted US senator is Rhode Island Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse, with a whopping $500,000 invested in Honeywell, Lockheed Martin, and Raytheon.) 

It’s really simple, says the ActionNetwork: Members of Congress shouldn’t be allowed to own weapons stocks—especially from major defense contractors like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Raytheon.  

Defense contractors make most of their money from the US government and pocket massive returns for themselves and their shareholders. Half of the $14 trillion in Pentagon spending over the past two decades went directly to arms industry contractors. 

"It’s a moral failure," says the ActionNetwork: Elected officials should not be profiting off death and suffering. "We need leaders acting in our interest, not in the interest of their wallets." 

ACTION: Urge Congress to enact the Ban Conflicted Trading Act. 

Mars and Stars 

Here's a taxpayer-funded, celestial gift from NASA. A stunning, other-worldly panorama—captured on February 20, 2021 by the Navigation Cameras aboard NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover—was stitched together from six individual images and sent back to Earth over a distance of 246 million miles. The result is magical. Click here to connect to the image on Facebook. [https://www.facebook.com/1538781282/posts/10226951732689491/] 

Press your cursor on the image and you'll be able to direct your gaze across the Martian landscape. Pause and marvel at the revelation of what a starry nighttime sky really looks like—without a polluted atmosphere standing in the way. 

Credits go to NASA/JPL-Caltech, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and image editor Hugh Hou, whose 360-degree full-sky experience was accomplished using Oculus Quest 2 software. 

The Bountiful and Bogus Mysteries on Mars 

 

Since the Perseverance Mars Rover settled in on the Martian plains, YouTube has become saturated with images that appear to show an array of bizarre sights on the Martian landscape. Many seem to be "teasers"—promoted with provocative display images that never appear in the actual videos. 

Some of these tease-pages are beyond laughable but the fact remains: the detailed panoramas that the Rovers have been beaming back to Earth have turned the red planet into the solar system's largest Rorschach Test. 

Among the alleged sightings: an "iguana," an "unusual shadow," a roving "caveman," a "Martian lady," a Martian "walker," a "pile of bricks," a "reptile," a "fence of stones," a "mysterious crater," a "pyramid," a "large chain," a "tent," an "electric power pole," a number of "faces," an "animal skull," a "cave," a "tunnel," a Martian "camel," a "herd of camels" [recommended], a "stone obelisk," odd "sculptures," a "strange light," and, on September 11, a "possible alien spacecraft" in the sky—See below: 

 

End Note 

The following alert has been popping up at the end of emails sent by some of my activist friends: 

NOTICE: Due to Presidential Executive Orders still not rescinded by the present administration, the National Security Agency may have read this email without warning, warrant, or notice, and certainly without probable cause. They may do this without any judicial or legislative oversight.  

 

SMITHEREENS: Reflections on Bits & Pieces 

By Gar Smith / The Berkeley Daily Planet 

Chelsea Manning Is Coming to Oakland 

Oakland's California Ballroom is set to host the Animal Liberation Conference 2021, which will from September 24-30. According to the event organizers, a wide range of activities will include "trainings for the revolution, games, plant-based food trucks, and the Animal Liberation March in San Francisco." And one of the keynote speakers Pentagon whistleblower Chelsea Manning. 

Manning served seven years of a 35-year sentence for exposing US war crimes in Iraq. Her sentence was commuted by President Barack Obama but Manning was jailed two more times for refusing to testify against WIkileaks whistleblower Julian Assange. Manning, who found herself confined in all-male prisons, attempted suicide during her captivity. 

Manning will be the keynote speaker at Saturday's September 25 event at noon in the California Ballroom. Leading animal rights groups—including Direct Action Everywhere (DXE), Animal Rebellion, and the Animal Save Movement—hope to inspire activists "to take bold, collective action to achieve revolutionary social & political change for animals." For all the details, check the conference website online. [Late-breaking news. Chelsea Manning has reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 and may not be able to attend this event.] 

Getting Off on the Right Foot 

The REI sporting goods co-op recently emailed a promo for its autumn footwear sale. The wording of the ad was a little unsteady. The subject line read: "Running Shoes for Comfy Fall." 

The idea of a "comfy fall" reminds me of the warnings that appear in front of the doors of mass transit rail cars that read: "Watch Your Step" and "Have a Nice Trip." 

A Chronic Condition 

A recent a nod in the direction of the Chronicle's pun-loving headlines, provoked the following dispatch from local Planetarian phil allen: 

"From the Refrigerator News—posted Chron headlines from the past: 

'Dire Report on Blondes a Washout,' 'Mental Ward Plan Called Reasonable,' and 'Extra Anesthesia Needed for Redheads.'" 

Fashion Plates 

A BMW rolling down the Berkeley streets was seen flashing a license plate that read: DL MAKR. Also spotted: an enigmatic license plate on a silver Kia that read: N8TR[heart]ER. Message? "Nature Lover." 

America: Fulfilling Bin Laden's Prophesy  

Reuters reporter Naimul Karim (naimul@gmail.com) recently offered this salient summation of Washington's wasted, wasteful war in Afghanistan: 

"As far as I am concerned, Bin Laden has won. No sugar-coating it. Our freedoms gone, freedoms that he (supposedly) hated, our reputation and moral fabric in tatters, our country bankrupt, infrastructures decrepit, society in disharmony, the future rudderless…. Most bitter of all, Bin Laden even didn’t have to do it—he made us do it ourselves. That’s because he knew us better than we know us…." 

Afghanistan Was No Surprise: The Military Knew 

In July 2017, the Military.com website posted an article under the title:
Countries with the Worst Militaries, The article identified the Pentagon's top three lost causes as Afghanistan, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. 

Addressing the Afghan situation, Military.com offered this prophetic assessment:
"Afghanistan makes the list despite the decade-plus of training from ISAF [International Security Assistance Force] advisors. The sad truth is that all that nifty training doesn’t make up for the fact that the ANA [Afghan National Army] will likely collapse like a card table when the US leaves Afghanistan — if the US ever leaves Afghanistan." 

Regarding Iraq, Military.com wrote:
"Despite years of training from US and British forces, as well as $26 billion in investments and military aid, the Iraqi Army has only 26 units considered 'loyal.' On top of that, Iraqi lawmakers discovered 50,000 “ghost soldiers” in its ranks — troops who received a paycheck, but never showed up for work. In 2014, ISIS was able to overrun much of Western Iraq as Iraqi troops fled before the Islamist onslaught." 

And addressing the Saudi Kingdom, Military.com wrote: 

"The Saudis are currently engaged in a coalition military operation in Yemen with the United Arab Emirates [supported by the US] in an effort to expel Houthi tribesmen from Sana’a and re-establish the Sunni rulers. And they can't…. They’ve been there since March 2015 and the Houthis are still in the capital." 

It's now seven years later and the Houthis are still in the capital. 

Nuclear Subs Down Under 

The US, UK, and Australia have just made waves this past week by announcing "AUKUS"—a tri-partite military trade deal that will bring US nuclear-powered submarines to Australia—dangerously close to the contested South China Sea. 

Why is it called AUKUS? That's a combination of the initials Australia, UK, and US. Reporting from Australia, Dr Alison Broinowski AM (Acting President of Australians for War Powers Reform) suggests two other explanations for AUKUS:
(1) This diplomatically puts the smallest nation first 

(2) It sounds like something out of "Lord of the Rings." 

Dr. Broinowski also notes that, if you put the "US" first, it would read "USUKA," which makes more sense because "USUKA would sound like 'You sucker, Australia.' Which is true." 

AUKUS also can be read as "Aw, cuss!" but Dr. Broinowski assures me: "We don’t say ‘aw cuss’ at this end of the world." 

Australia's Defense Policy Explained 

 

Celebrate International Peace Day with a Blue Scarf 

With the approach of the UN International Peace Day on September 21, there's been a run on ordering Sky Blue Scarves. These long, blue wraps were originally created by grassroots activists in Afghanistan, in response to Professor Noam Chomsky’s challenge to build "a world free of borders." The Afghan activists explain that the blue scarf “represents our collective wish as a human family to live without wars, to share our resources and to take care of our earth under the same blue sky.” 

In 2008, a small gathering of women from RAWA bravely gathered in war-torn Kandahar wearing Blue Scarves while they called for prayed for peace and justice in Afghanistan. Another 1,500 brave women joined them in what became known as the "Blue Scarf movement." Thousands more joined joined the movement with the assistance of Unifem. (You can read more at TheBlueScarf.org.) 

In 2011, the Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers marched alongside the women and members of The Simple Way. They began handing out blue scarves at their events and, soon, a global movement was born. 

Afghanistan's Blue Scarves were brought to the US by members of Voices for Creative Nonviolence and promoted by Friends Without Borders. And now, a new generation of hand-crafted, 14″ x 60" cotton Sky Blue scarves are available in the US from World BEYOND War. 

 

[Full disclosure: I'm a WBW board member.] 

News that Cheers the Ears 

Now that California's Recall Ruse has been "resoundingly" rejected, let's take some added pleasure in the following bit of political news. 

Organizers of a pro-Trump rally in Kentucky recently promised: "The Biggest Patriot Rally Of The Year—A True Reunion Of We, The People, combining the biggest names in the conservative patriot movement including Gen. [Michael] Flynn, Lin Wood, Candace Owens, Mike ["Pillow Guy"] Lindell, and many others along w/top notch Christian & Country Music Entertainment! Simply put: This will be THE 'Event Of The Year' for American Patriots!" 

The Trumpalooza promoters predicted a mega-MAGA crowd of 10,000. And how many pro-Trumpers showed up to crash the gate? 300. 

The Daily Kos' offered this post-event comment:
"if you’re expecting 10,000 enthused MAGA mites and only 300 show up, maybe it’s finally time to fold the denim tent you’ve kept propped up for the day of Donald Trump’s triumphant return." 

Adding to the lack-luster non-event, was a photo taken at the rally that showed a car with a political statement painted on the back window. It read: "Trump Won!! Bidan [sic] is a cheater." 

EXXON Knew 

Fossil fuel companies knew about the threat of the climate crisis decades ago. Over the course of nearly forty years, these companies spent millions of dollars to spread doubt and misinformation about the dangers of fossil fuels and stall the transition to renewable energy. 

That’s why Rep. Ro Khanna and the climate activists at 350.org are demanding that top Big Oil executives testify in front of Congress—even if it requires subpoenaing them. As Chair of the Environmental Oversight Subcommittee, Khanna is eager to hold these Big Oil, Coal, and Gas executives accountable.  

We can help Rep. Khanna's campaign by supporting his call for a Congressional hearing to grill the Big Oil executives under oath. 

The $3.5 Trillion Bill that Terrifies Corporate America

UCB Economics Prof. Robert Reich recently extolled the virtues of the Democrat's visionary budget proposal: "Child care. Universal pre-K. Free community college. Paid leave. Medicare expansion. Climate action. Taxes on the rich and corporations. It’s all in the Democrats' $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill." The podium is yours, professor: 

 

ACTION ALERT: Ban Politicians from Owning Weapons Stocks 

The US war in Afghanistan may finally be behind us but war-profiteering continues unabated. According to an investigation by Sludge, at least 11 Senators and 36 Congress members (and/or their spouses) own millions in defense-contractor stocks. The rule here should be clear: If you're a politician who has an interest in conflict, you've got a conflict of interest. 

This isn’t a partisan issue: these 47 conflicted politicians are both Democrats and Republicans. To find out which politicians are profiting from war, click here. (Preview: The most conflicted US senator is Rhode Island Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse, with a whopping $500,000 invested in Honeywell, Lockheed Martin, and Raytheon.) 

It’s really simple, says the ActionNetwork: Members of Congress shouldn’t be allowed to own weapons stocks—especially from major defense contractors like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Raytheon.  

Defense contractors make most of their money from the US government and pocket massive returns for themselves and their shareholders. Half of the $14 trillion in Pentagon spending over the past two decades went directly to arms industry contractors. 

"It’s a moral failure," says the ActionNetwork: Elected officials should not be profiting off death and suffering. "We need leaders acting in our interest, not in the interest of their wallets." 

ACTION: Urge Congress to enact the Ban Conflicted Trading Act. 

Mars and Stars 

Here's a taxpayer-funded, celestial gift from NASA. A stunning, other-worldly panorama—captured on February 20, 2021 by the Navigation Cameras aboard NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover—was stitched together from six individual images and sent back to Earth over a distance of 246 million miles. The result is magical. Click here to connect to the image on Facebook. [https://www.facebook.com/1538781282/posts/10226951732689491/] 

Press your cursor on the image and you'll be able to direct your gaze across the Martian landscape. Pause and marvel at the revelation of what a starry nighttime sky really looks like—without a polluted atmosphere standing in the way. 

Credits go to NASA/JPL-Caltech, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and image editor Hugh Hou, whose 360-degree full-sky experience was accomplished using Oculus Quest 2 software. 

The Bountiful and Bogus Mysteries on Mars 

 

Since the Perseverance Mars Rover settled in on the Martian plains, YouTube has become saturated with images that appear to show an array of bizarre sights on the Martian landscape. Many seem to be "teasers"—promoted with provocative display images that never appear in the actual videos. 

Some of these tease-pages are beyond laughable but the fact remains: the detailed panoramas that the Rovers have been beaming back to Earth have turned the red planet into the solar system's largest Rorschach Test. 

Among the alleged sightings: an "iguana," an "unusual shadow," a roving "caveman," a "Martian lady," a Martian "walker," a "pile of bricks," a "reptile," a "fence of stones," a "mysterious crater," a "pyramid," a "large chain," a "tent," an "electric power pole," a number of "faces," an "animal skull," a "cave," a "tunnel," a Martian "camel," a "herd of camels" [recommended], a "stone obelisk," odd "sculptures," a "strange light," and, on September 11, a "possible alien spacecraft" in the sky—See below: 

 

End Note 

The following alert has been popping up at the end of emails sent by some of my activist friends: 

NOTICE: Due to Presidential Executive Orders still not rescinded by the present administration, the National Security Agency may have read this email without warning, warrant, or notice, and certainly without probable cause. They may do this without any judicial or legislative oversight.