weather advisory

when rain is
the subject of
prayer in places
where drought
and famine are
accompanied by
injustice
war
the dishonoring
of women
corruption in all
places
cracks in empires
barely known yet
too well known……..

when prayers
for rain are uttered
in such circumstances
such times
expect a thunderstorm
of sand….and i’ll
have more on my
forecast at eleven
and all other
hours day and night
without stop.

berkeley ca
ides of march 2011

gary hicks
longmarch2009@yahoo.com

2011 March 9 – 15 TOP3 [GREAT EAST JAPAN DISASTER]
Independent team of experts should deal with N-crisis: Shii
March 15, 2011

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo suggested that the government give a mandate to the Nuclear Safety Commission, which is independent from atomic-power promoters, to handle the ongoing nuclear crisis.

At a press conference on March 14, Shii pointed out that the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, the present organ dealing with the nuclear accidents, is part of the pro-nuclear Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry.

Citing the fact that the government did not inform the public of the explosion at the No.1 reactor of Fukushima No.1 Nuclear Power Plant (Mar.12) until five and a half hours after the explosion, Shii said, “I must say this was an irresponsible response. The government should swiftly reveal accurate facts to the public and inform them of how the government intends to cope in the event the worst-case scenario occurrs.”

Referring to the following explosion at the No.3 reactor of the same plant (Mar.14), Shii said, “The No.3 reactor uses plutonium. If that leaks, the damage will be tremendous.”

As for the planned outage of March 14, Shii criticized Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) for cutting electricity without appropriately explaining about what areas are subjected to the blackout, when the blackout starts, or what happens to medical institutions and to people on oxygen at home.

He pointed out that there is the possibility of serious health and safety problems occurring and stated, “The JCP demands that the government instruct TEPCO to go through acceptable procedures before implementing the planned outage.”

* * *

At about 6:00 a.m. of March 15, an explosion occurred at the No. 4 reactor and another explosion was heard at 6:14 a.m. at the No.2 reactor of Fukushima No.1 Nuclear Power Plant. After 8:00 a.m., TEPCO staff at the plant, except for essential workers, were evacuated, announced TEPCO officials.

http://www.japan-press.co.jp/

In spite of the unending ideological brainwashing promulgated by the U.S. corporate media, many residents of this great nation are waking up and recognizing the abuses of working people here.

In a recent Rasmussen poll, 11% of likely U.S. voters think communism is superior to the current U.S. system of politics and economics. 13 % were not sure which system is superior. 27 % did not believe that communism is a failed ideology.

Given the lies and distortions about communism which have become the mainstays of the mass consciousness, this is truly amazing. The corporate media has portrayed communism as something worse than a nuclear meltdown. However, it appears that in reality the real nuclear meltdown in Japan which threatens the very existence of life on the planet may be attributed to the capitalists who chose to cheap it on the construction of the doomed facilities in order to increase profits for the wealthy of the planet.

More working people need to wake up and realize that the corporate media has been deceiving them and turning them against themselves. Only with a party dedicated to defending working class struggles, can working people save our planet from the ravages of capitalism. That party is not the Democratic Party. It is not various Social Democratic Parties. It is the Communist Party!

cpusahouston@comcast.net

http://www.latinocongreso.org/

March 25-27, 2011
Crowne Plaza, Austin, Texas

A newly released documentary will be featured at the National Latino Congreso in Austin, Texas

Saturday, March 26th at 8:00 p.m.

“Will the Real Terrorist Please Stand Up!”

Produced by Emmy-Award Winner Saul Landau will be featured at the upcoming Congreso Latino. Nelson Valdés, Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of New Mexico and one of the many people interviewed in the documentary will be present at the screening to respond to any questions by the audience (see brief bio below)

WHAT DID CUBA DO TO US?

In April 1961, the CIA sent a force of Cuban exiles to overthrow the Cuban government. This resulted in the Bay of Pigs Fiasco. Fifty years later, a new documentary shows that US-backed violence against Cuba continued for decades. The new film, with Danny Glover, anti-Cuba terrorists, and Fidel Castro himself (filmed recently) is combined with fascinating archival footage and a rare recorded interview from prison with one of the Cuban 5. These men are serving long sentences in US prisons for trying to stop terrorism against tourist sites in their country.

“Will the Real Terrorist Please Stand Up!” provides every professor and specialist with an invaluable teaching and learning tool about US-Cuba policy and the history of terrorism in that policy. It also explains the story of and context for the “Cuban 5,” the Cuban agents who penetrated Miami exile groups to stop their plans for violence against the island, and ended up in US prisons.” Julia Sweig, Nelson and David Rockefeller Senior Fellow for Latin America Studies and Director for Latin America Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.

“It’s a real Who’s Who of key figures in the more than half-century-long grudge match over Cuba.” Tracey Eaton former Dallas Morning News’ Bureau Chief, Havana

Brief biography of Nelson Valdés: Cuban by birth, Professor Nelson Valdés first came to the US at age 15 and has maintained continuous contacts with family and associates on the island since then. In 1970 he was the first to translate the speeches of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara into English. He has written extensively on the politics and development in Cuba, Venezuela and elsewhere in Latin America. Professor Valdés is Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of New Mexico and the creator and Director of the first university computerized database on Latin America, the LATIN AMERICA DATA BASE which he directed from 1986-1996. He also created the Cuba-L listserver in 1992 which continues to run on a daily basis. Nelson Valdés is considered by other Cuba experts to be the living Encyclopedia on Cuba and US-Cuba relations.

Check out:

http://groups.google.com/group/communist-university/web/anti-imperialism-war-and-peace—index

Dale Wortham, President of Harris County AFL-CIO

By James Thompson

HOUSTON – Today I attended a strong rally in front of the Houston City Hall to oppose the draconian cuts in services for working people proposed by the Texas Republican party. The rally was called by the Stonewall Democrats and a member of IBEW, Turner Wright. About 1000 working class people attended the rally and were united in their opposition to attempts by the Texas Republican party to slash the budget for state services for working people. Participants were a diverse group representing both men and women from all ethnic and racial groups mirroring the popultation of Houston.

Republicans are proposing to slash education and health care benefits for poor and working people and their families in an effort to boost profits for giant Texas corporations and enhance the lifestyles of the ultra-wealthy in this state.

A smaller, less significant, Tea Party contingent was present with the obvious agenda to disrupt the democratic process. About 75 Tea Party fanatics were present. They showed their true colors when one of them made their way to the podium of the main event and physically assaulted the President of the Harris County AFL-CIO, Dale Wortham. This maniac was easily subdued by the mounted police of the Houston Police Department (HPD) who were there to keep the peace and did their job without flaw. HPD should be commended for their support of free speech. Other Tea Party people paraded signs proclaiming profanity, hate and civil disorder as is usual of their members. One sign read “I’d rather be a right wing nut job than a left winger with no nuts and no job.”

The rally was made up of an interesting mix of various progressive groups. Union organizations as well as peace organizations were present in full force. AFSCME, CWA, UFCW, Houston Interfaith Worker Justice Center, Houston Unido, Progressive Action Alliance, Houston Peace and Justice Center, Radio Station KPFT, CRECEN, USW, SEIU, TSEU, Houston Communist Party, and the Green Party as well as progressive Democrats were present and working together to form a powerful coalition to oppose the reactionary right-wing, anti-working people forces of the ultra wealthy. As we left, we were treated to a live performance of Communist Party member Woody Guthrie’s inspiring song, “This land is your land.”

Solidarity with the public service workers in Wisconsin was at the top of the agenda. Opposition to the reduction in services of benefit to working people and their families in Texas and Wisconsin was loudly professed. Legitimate participants in the rally were well aware that what is under assault in Wisconsin and other parts of the country can be lost just as easily in Texas. Fightback is necessary and required in Texas and Wisconsin.

It should have been obvious to all present that the class war is now in full swing. The assault on working people’s rights and services is being spearheaded by the Texas Republican Party, which is merely a puppet of the ultra-wealthy in Texas. Fightback was alive and well in Houston today.

What is in question is whether working people can remain united and fight for their rights and reverse the agenda of the ultra-right who are the paid servants of the ultra-wealthy. The Tea Party distinguished themselves today as the preferred front line thugs of the richest people in the U.S.A. Their hostile, aggressive efforts were easily thwarted by the peace loving working people of Houston with help from the Houston Police Department. Working people were the real winners by standing out as an example of civility and sanity and exercising their free speech rights. There are plans for many more demonstrations in Texas to oppose the reactionary stance of the Texas legislature and Governor, Rick Perry. We should remember that the overall trajectory of human history is social progress. Unity has resulted in the abolition of slavery and institution of education and health care. Unity can prevent the right wing nut jobs from rolling back working people’s achievements. Unity will lead to progress! It is not sufficient to fight, it is necessary to win! The fuel of progress is struggle!

PHill1917@comcast.net

By James Thompson

As the catastrophe unfolds as a result of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan, a question emerges about the ownership of nuclear power plants in particular and utility companies in general. Given the as yet unknown horrors which will undoubtedly result from the damage to the three nuclear reactors near the giant metropolis of Tokyo, the world must consider the wisdom of such dangerous enterprises being under the control of privately held companies. The nuclear reactors in question are owned by the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO).

The TEPCO corporate overview statement written before the present calamity makes note that one of their power stations remains closed since it was damaged in 2007. The statement also complains that market competition has made it difficult for the company to operate.

Anyone in their right mind knows that nuclear reactors are not toys with which to play. Gambling on humanity’s future and the survival of people living in the vicinity of such facilities is a crime against humanity. Many anti-nuclear activists argue that reactors are too dangerous to be reliable sources of energy for human beings. This incident proves their point.

It is outrageous for such facilities to be in the hands of corporations whose primary goal is not the safety of people, but the amassing of continually expanding profits. As profits fall during times of crisis, corporations cut more and more corners by reducing personnel and slashing safety standards in order to increase profits.

Reports also indicate that the reactors were designed by the multinational corporation General Electric. Again, a private company designing such a facility is truly frightening. As corporations compete with each other for lucrative contracts, the company that can undercut all the others is likely to win. This means lowering safety standards, reducing staff, etc. to increase the profit margin.

We are seeing a lot of global catastrophes these days as a result of this privatization of energy companies and their Hell-bent drive for profits. The BP catastrophes in the Gulf of Mexico and Texas City are two such examples. It is reported that there have been upwards of 800 earthquakes in North Central Arkansas over the last six months which some experts attribute to unbridled natural gas companies’ explorations there.

The safety of human beings and other inhabitants of the world should take precedence over corporate profits. Also, it should be remembered that many humans invest their life savings in such corporate monsters. When catastrophes like the ones mentioned above occur, those people who have invested their money find themselves in poverty after a life of hard work, a frugal lifestyle and careful investing in powerful corporations.

What is needed is a mass movement for the nationalization of utility and energy companies on an international scale. UN oversight and regulation should be implemented to ensure the safest possible conditions for humans and other species living on our very fragile globe. Maximum safety regulations and enforcement of such dangerous industries should be maintained as well as funding for research for the development of such industries and the development of alternative sources of fuel and conservation.

How many more BP, TEPCO, GE and other corporate madness inspired apocalypses will be necessary to put humanity on a sane path to a safe, clean environment? How many more disasters can we, as global residents, survive? What will it take to break the stranglehold that corporations have on our lives and the lives of our children? Fightback must begin now and on a global scale if humanity is to survive the ravages of capitalism!

PHill1917@comcast.net