Meet Polkadot - Olympia's Own Non-binary Gendered Trans Children's Book Character

Not only does Olympia's own Danger Dot Publishing have the corner on this particular niche market of kids books on a local level with this beautiful story in a burgeoning field of interest, but they've also successfully helped 17 LGBTQ Ugandans escape oppression via their own kind of 'underground railroad'. They get my 'this is fucking righteously awesome award so far this year. -skycosby

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Now available at Last Word Books, as well as at the publisher's website:

http://dangerdot.com/ordermeetpolkadot/

“Meet Polkadot,” is an accessible introduction to the main character in our series, Polkadot. Polkadot as well as Polkadot’s big sister Gladiola and best friend Norma Alicia, introduce our readers to the challenges and beauty that are experienced by Polkadot as a non-binary, trans kid. While Gladiola learns how to engage with information that she “didn’t know she didn’t know,” Norma Alicia provides Polkadot with a generous, additional perspective on how identities intersect and how allyship works. “Meet Polkadot,” tells Polkadot’s story from a transgender-liberation and feminist perspective and explores the complexity of identity in gentle and real terms. For ages 3-130!

Occupy Activists From Across US And Abroad Converge in Olympia

Over President's Day weekend, Olympia, Washington became the first city in the nation to host a major national occupy movement conference. Activists from all across the country gathered to participate in three days of organizing activities, including dozens of workshops, training sessions and meetings. The Occupy Solidarity Social Forum was sponsored by the Alliance For Global Justice and Occupy Olympia.

Over 300 people attended the event, and organizers are calling it a great success. Due to the large number of activists on board an Amtrak train coming in from California, folks along the route renamed it the "Occupy Express." The train was met by a boisterous welcoming party of conference organizers when it arrived at the station in East Olympia.

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Verna Press: David Rowe & Peter Anderson Poetry Reading

Check out this reading preceding Drunken Poetry this coming Monday, at 7pm:

A native of Worcester, Mass., David Rowe was educated at Swarthmore. His poems have appeared in the Cortland Review, the North American Review, Big Bridge, Dorado, Solid Quarter, Exquisite Corpse, YAWP, & in the anthology, the Maple Leaf Rag. A poet equally of the stage & the page, David has read his poetry on the Moe Green Poetry Show & WWOZ, & at countless venues both in the States & abroad.Locally, David has been for many years a stalwart presence at the Maple Leaf & Goldmine readings, helped represent New Orleans when Wave Books’ Poetry Bus Tour (2006) & S.A. Griffin’s Poetry Bomb Tour (2010) hit town, served as poet-in-residence at Peter Anderson’s Beauty Shop, & currently teaches poetry writing at the Covenant House, a shelter for homeless youths. His full-length collection, Unsolicited Poems, is available at http://www.vernapress.com.

When	Mon Sep 19 7pm – 8pm Pacific Time
Where	Last Word Books (map)

Join Us for Drunken Poetry this coming Monday at 8:30pm!

Come celebrate the power of the spoken word in our torn apart, remodling, expanding book shop!

Drunken Poetry Voted Best Literary Night by the Weekly Volcano

Last Word Books Voted Best Bookstore in Olympia by KOMO News!

WE'RE EXPANDING our store in Olympia! Last Word Books September 2011 Events, Newsletter & Coupons http://conta.cc/qD6DKV

Post-Fukushima: 44% Increase in Infant Mortality Rates Up West Coast of North America

http://pregnancy-blog.parentingweekly.com/2011/06/are-babies-on-west-coast-dying-from.html
This one's a bit older, I believe it's up to 44%. It got challenged for accuracy and alarmingly came back even worse.

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http://fromthetrenchesworldreport.com/lies-from-fukushima-are-killing-babies/5047
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The province of British Columbia today announced that infant mortality for the first six months of 2011 exceeded the infant mortality for all of 2010.

Officials attribute the infant mortality spike to "poor parent training."

In the CBC story on the announcement, no mention was made of Fukushima.

- http://www.nuc.berkeley.edu/node/4550
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Infant Mortality Higher From Radiation US and Canada West Coast Study Finds
These folks touch on some interesting subjects not all of you may agree with...
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http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/health-headlines/2011/6/13/janette-d-sherman-md-and-joseph-mangano-is-the-dramatic-incr.html

Rumor has it that Last Word Books is the only Olympia business to apply for and get approved for a Busking Permit? WTF? Can anyone confirm this?

HAPPY 9TH BIRTHDAY LAST WORD BOOKS!

We don't have a heck of a lot goin' on, but please do drop in this week and wish us a Happy Birthday!

And check out our event on Tuesday: http://lastwordblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/mob-roll-northwest-bicycle-tour-and.html

MOB ROLL Northwest Bicycle Tour and Belated Last Word Books Birthday Bash!

TUESDAY MAY 10th from 4:00pm - 5:30pm behind LAST WORD BOOKS

Join us to celebrate bicycles, books, birthdays, brews and the power of the spoken word!

If you're not doing anything this week, hop on the MOB ROLL Bicycle Tour and see the Northwest in style!

Full Schedule of Events:

Bellingham -Tues, May 3rd

The HUB 6-8PM Meet-Up & Ride around town.
903 1/2 N. State St.,
Bellingham, WA, 98227
360.255.2072

The Cabin Tavern 9PM till Late ($3 Suggested Donation)
(360) 733-9685
307 W Holly St, Bellingham
Royale (Hip-Hop) & I-Coyote (Indie Rock) & Roll 'Em (Short Film Showcase) Make.Shift. Bicycle Powered!!!

Weds, May 4th - 9 am Meet-up @ The HUB then 50 mile ride to:
CONCRETE, WA

Stern & Faye Print Farm
37607 Cape Horn Road
Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284
6PM
Royale (Hip-Hop) & I-Coyote (Indie Rock) & Roll 'Em (Short Film Showcase)
Poeisis Think Tank

Thurs, May 5th - 10am Meet up at Stern & Faye Printers and 45 Mile ride to:
ANACORTES, WHIDBEY ISLAND, WA

The Business Record Store
402 Commercial Ave
Anacortes, WA 98221
360-293-9788
5PM-5:30 Free All Ages In-Store Performance of Royale (Hip Hop) w/Anja Claire (Cellist/Singer)

Skagit Cycles
1620 Commercial Ave.
Anacortes, WA 98221
360-588-8776
6PM Meet-Up & 20 mile ride to Oak Harbor

Vagabond Sound
545 W. Technical Drive
Oak Harbor, WA 98277
(360) 672-4420
8PM All Ages $5 Adv/ $7 @ Door
Royale (Hip-Hop), MMF (Hip-Hop), Anja Claire (Cellist/Singer), Roll 'Em (Short film showcase)

Friday May 6th
9 AM Meet at Bikes Northwest
31531 Sr 20, Oak Harbor, WA (360) 279-8919
& Ride 40 miles to Clinton Ferry
Take Ferry
& Ride 30 miles to SEATTLE, WA!

The Piranha Shop
1022 1st Ave. S, Seattle, WA 98134
206-856-5858
6PM - Street BBQ, Piranha feeding, kiddie pool, & art by Jamie Healy
8PM - Royale, (Hip-Hop), Free Whiskey (Hip-Hop), Mouth (Digital Hardcore), I-Coyote (Indie Rock), Anja Claire (Cellist/Singer), Roll ' Em (Shortfilm Showcase)

Saturday May 7th

2PM - ALL CITY RIDE - Starting from Bombus Bikes in the INS Building
815 Airport Way South
Seattle, WA 98134
(206) 349.7347

The Cornerstone Open Mic & Artist Showcase
FREE & ALL AGES with Spoken Word, Freestyle Ciphers, Live Band, DJ
8:30 PM @
Faire Gallery & Cafe
1351 E. Olive Way
Feat. Royale (Hip-Hop) & Anja Claire (cellist)

Sunday May 8th

2PM - ALL CITY RIDE - Starting from Bombus Bikes in the INS Building
815 Airport Way South
Seattle, WA 98134
(206) 349.7347

8PM - Bombus Bikes open house in the old INS Building
815 Airport Way South
Seattle, WA 98134
(206) 349.7347
Royale, (Hip-Hop), Free Whiskey (Hip-Hop), Mouth (Digital Hardcore), I-Coyote (Indie Rock), Anja Claire (Cellist/Singer), Roll ' Em (Shortfilm Showcase)

Monday May 9th

Meet at 10AM Bombus Bikes @ Old INS Building
Ride to Fauntelroy Ferry
Ride Across Vashon Island
Take Tahlequah Ferry
for a 33 mile ride to TACOMA

Vashon/Tacoma TBA.......if you have connections let us know....206.349.7347-Shane

Tuesday May 10th
Morning Meeting spot TBA
then Ride 30 Miles to Olympia, WA

Freeschool 2:30 - 3:30 Poiesis Think Tank

4:00-5:30
Last Word Freestyle Cypher @
Graffiti Freewall Behind Capitol Theater (Weather Permitting)
PA bumping beats out the back of the Bombus Bike Van
If its pouring then it'll move into Last Word Books.

5:30 Ride to Eastside House Party

6-8PM
Eastside Rooftop House Party
Address TBA
Royale (Hip-Hop), I-Coyote (Indie Rock), Dylan Clifthorne (multi-instrumentalist), Anja Claire (Cellist/Singer) Manimal (Jazz)

8PMish Sunset Ride Crosstown to the Westside

9PM Till Late
Westside Basement House Party
Address TBA
Royale (Hip-Hop), Free Whisky (Hip-Hop), I-Coyote (Indie Rock), Dylan Clifthorne (multi-instrumentalist), Anja Claire (Cellist/Singer) Manimal (Jazz), Roll 'Em (Shortfilm Showcase)

Wednesday May 11th

10 AM Meet @ Last Word Books and ride 60 miles to Gig Harbor via Shelton.

Gig Harbor Events TBA......if you have connections pass em on.... 206.349.7347-Shane

Thursday May 12th

Meet-UP TBA
Ride 25 miles to Bremerton

8PM @ AFU Hall
318 N. Callow Ave
Royale (Hip-Hop), The Collected Unconcious (Hip-Hop), Mal de Santos (Hip-Hop), Troy Bomb, (Hip-Hop), I-Coyote (Indie Rock), Roll ' Em (Shortfilm Showcase)

after show .....NIGHT RIDE to Port Townsend!!!


Friday the 13th
Where did you wake up in Port Townsend after the night ride???

TBA - Cob building work shop

3PM - Ride from the Recyclery
612 Polk Street - (360) 643-1755

4-6PM The Boiler Room
711 Water Street
(360) 379-8247
All Ages - Free
Royale (Hip Hop), Mouth (Digital Hardcore), I-Coyote (Indie Rock)

ride

6:30-8PM Storytelling, spokenword, Poeisis Think Tank - Location TBA

ride

8-11 PM Royale (Hip Hop), Mouth (Digital Hardcore), I-Coyote (Indie Rock), & Roll 'Em (Shortfilm Showcase) - Location TBA

Saturday May 14th
Meet-Up at the Recyclery @ 10AM for 40 mile ride to INDIANOLA
Meet-at Salmon Hatchery roughly at 1PM @ intersection of Indianola Rd & Miller Bay Rd.
Ride to 3.3 miles to dock - jump off dock upon arrival!

6-9PM @ Stuntz Cabin
Royale (Hip- Hop), I-Coyote (Indie Rock), Mouth (Digital Hardcore), Blood Pump (Metal), Manimal (Jazz)

9:30 PM @ Dock - Roll 'Em (Short Film Showcase)

11:00PM till Late @ Stuntz Cabin = Deejay Funk Yeah!!!

Combating Radiation with Herbs & Why Not to Take Potassium Iodine (yet)

This is a nice piece from Santa Cruz Natural Health. I have detailed some important points in red below:

Nuclear Fallout, Radiation, Japan, & the West Coast

Written on March 16, 2011 by Brie in Uncategorized

In the past week I have been bombarded by questions from clients and loved ones about how to deal with potential radiation fallout from nuclear disaster in Japan. As of Wednesday, new, worsening problems are being reported in 2 more out of 6 reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant, and it is being considered a very serious problem in Japan, due to leaking of radioactive material into the environment. Attempts to cool the reactors with seawater to prevent them from melting seem to be failing. Radioactive Iodine and Ceasium have been detected in the region surrounding the plant; iodine accumulates in receptor sites in the thyroid gland, and ceasium affects soft tissues. Radioactive iodine decays pretty quickly—most of it will be gone within a month. Radioactive ceasium clears from the body within about a week, but can stay in the environment for 30 years and continue to cause problems. Levels of radiation as high as 400 millisieverts per hour have been recorded at the plant itself, but most reports are showing that on average the level at the plant since the earthquake have been around 10 millisieverts or less.—15 millisieverts is equal to one abdominal CT scan. Exposure to levels around 400 millisieverts for several hours could cause radiation sickness.

At this point, while there is risk for leaked radiation to cross the pacific and reach us here on the California coast, in order for the levels that reach us to be high enough to warrant alarm, there would have to be catastrophic release of radiation in Japan. Even then, it would take 5-15 days to migrate here, and would still dissipate largely in it’s migration across the water. That said, Dr. James Thrall, radiologist-in-chief at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and president of the American College of Radiology, said recently that “anything more than about 50 millisieverts may be cause for alarm, including the use of potassium iodide pills to mitigate exposure.” The radiologist claims that studies conducted after the atomic bombing of Japan during World War II showed those exposed to 50 millisieverts or more of radiation were at increased risk for leukemia and cancer.

As of 3 days ago, health food stores throughout the west coast have completely sold out of Potassium Iodide due to the rush of people wanting to protect themselves. As a health care practitioner, this is concerning to me, because while it is a “natural” substance, available over the counter, it should also not be administered in the doses needed for this kind of radiation protection without the observation of a medical professional. Here are some of the reasons why:

The doses needed (taken daily for up to 2 weeks) to protect your thyroid from taking up radioactive iodine are as follows:

Birth to 1 year 65mg daily (1/2 IOSAT tablet)

Age 1 to Adult 130mg daily (One IOSAT tablet)

The reason this works is basically that if all the receptor sites in your thyroid gland are saturated with iodine, they can’t take up the radioactive iodine that would compete for the same sites.

(Here is an explanation of why Iodine Tablets are distributed by the government when radiation toxicity is a danger:)

However, it is not natural for our thyroid to have every site filled with iodine molecules, and this can rapidly promote overstimulation of the gland and too much thyroid hormone activity in our bodies. “Taking high doses of iodine can itself have adverse effects, including causing abnormalities of thyroid function,” said Dr. Alan Gaby, the author of the textbook, “Nutritional Medicine.” “Personally, I would not take a large dose of iodine without any clear evidence of radiation exposure.

For people with hyperthyroidism, this is a big, big problem. For most people with low thyroid, which happens from a variety of causes, this can actually be a really destructive thing as well. For people with thyroid disease in their family, who don’t yet exhibit signs of thyroid disorder, or who haven’t yet been diagnosed, this can trigger the onset of symptoms related to thyroid problems. In short, there are a huge number of undiagnosed people that these types of problems affect, walking around in the general public, who may chose to preemptively dose themselves with Potassium Iodide without understanding the proper time to use it or proper dosage guidelines, and may inadvertently cause themselves some problems!

The second issue is that the doses mentioned above are about 10-100 times the doses recommended on products available thru your natural food store. 1 Milligram equals 1000 micrograms. So, in the event that radiation levels rise here on the west coast to the point that we do need to take Potassium iodide as radiation protection, it is important to understand how much to take and for how long. Food sources, such as iodized salt or sea vegetables, simply don’t contain enough actual iodine molecules to thoroughly and continuously saturate the receptors in your thyroid gland.

The other issue is that while Potassium iodide will protect you from radioactive iodine, in the event of a nuclear disaster, there are many other types of radioactive isotopes that are released into the atmosphere:

The final issue is side effects!

Here are some of the possible side effects from taking iodine at these doses: acne, loss of appetite, or upset stomach (especially during the first several days, as the body adjusts to the medication), fever, weakness, unusual tiredness, swelling in the neck or throat, mouth sores, skin rash, nausea, vomiting, stomach pains, irregular heartbeat, numbness or tingling of the hands or feet, or a metallic taste in the mouth.

Everyone is exposed to some amount of radiation, daily. If you fly on airplanes, use a cell phone, or lay in the sunshine, you are absorbing radiation. Short of an emergency with actual reported high levels of measured radiation, I do not advise starting KI at this time. In the meantime, there are things we can do that in my opinion are more reasonable, to protect ourselves from radiation in general. Believe it or not, hot, soapy water, rinses radioactivity acquired from the air, off of your skin. One of the first things they do with people near the plants who they measure and find high levels of exposure, is wash them off with soap and hot water, (in a shower, not a bath) so the water rinses off of their body.

Eleuthero, or Siberian Ginseng, lessens the effects of radiation on the body. This is used often with people who are undergoing radiation or chemo to protect their bodies from the toxic side effects, and in fact, was handed out to citizens during the catastrophic nuclear spill at Chernobyl to help protect them.

Reishi mushroom prevents cellular damage. Besides having profound anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, tumor & cancer preventive actions, it also has radio protective properties.

In studies in Japan, mice treated with a compound found in shiitake mushrooms prior to radiation exposure were found to have complete protection from lowered blood cell counts normally caused by radiation exposure.

And Cordyceps has been proven to protect bone marrow and intestinal lining specifically from the effects of radiation exposure.

Supplementing with these botanicals and increasing the amount of seaweeds you eat in the next several weeks will offer you a good deal of protection from low level drift, and in the unlikely event that the west coast ends up in a crisis where Potassium iodide dosing is necessary, these herbs will offer you multifaceted extra defense. Please call my office if you need assistance getting a hold of any of these

Be our friend on IndieBound!

Or else! C'mon rebelious booklovers, show us some love.

Anastacia Tolbert Poetry Reading Saturday March 5th @ 8:00 pm

Anastacia Tolbert is a multifarious mix of grit, sunshine, alphabet juice & butterflies. She is a writer, performance artist, documentarian, teacher and workshop facilitator.
http://www.anastaciatolbert.com/     http://anastaciatolbert.blogspot.com/2010/10/ahimsa.html
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Anastacia Tolbert is a writer of poetry, prose, plays, and journalism. She is a graduate of the Cave Canem program for African American poets and holds an undergraduate degree in English and Creative Writing from the University of Missouri at Kansas City. She is currently Resident Writer and 8th Grade Teacher at the Seattle Girls School.

She received a 2004 San Diego Journalism Press Club Award for her article “War Torn.” In 2007, she wrote, co-produced and co-directed GOTBREAST?, a documentary about women and body image. She is a 2010 Hedgebrook Writer in Residence.

She has taught writing, poetry and performance workshops to students of all ages at schools, literary centers, battered women’s shelters, youth camps, and libraries. She has facilitated creative writing workshops for adults at Seattle's Richard Hugo House, the country's third-largest literary center.

Anastacia’s poetry and prose have appeared in many journals and magazines, including Essence, Saltwater Quarterly (April 2011), and San Diego City Beat, as well as in the anthologies, Things Lost, Cave Canem XI,  Alehouse Journal, The Drunken Boat, Reverie, Check the Rhyme: An Anthology of Female Poets & Emcees (which was nominated for the 2007 NAACP Award), and I Woke Up and Put My Crown On: 76 Voices of African American Women. She has performed her poetry in more than fifty venues, including colleges, writers’ conferences, and art museums, and as a featured artist on six radio stations.

Anastacia says of her work:

When I was growing up in the Midwest in the late 70s and 80s, women writers were typically stereotyped as "gifted" but poor, wishful bohemians -- people proud to be labeled writers while suffering from acute cases of “starving artist syndrome.” I distinctly remember a journalism professor telling me in front of an ambitious class of fifty that I would never be able to do anything with my creative writing skills, except maybe copy editing... if I was lucky, and that I should immediately come to the realization that I would never generate income doing creative writing...and no one outside of my family would ever read my work.

Fortunately, I don’t believe in luck and I’ve been an active participant in manifesting my writing goals.

My poetic form uses white space as narrator and seeks to be a drum for feminism, race, sexuality, trauma and grief. My poems often reflect on a succinct moment, using voice or character development as catalysts to tell a story in the progression of stanzas.

Andrej Grubajic - Speaking Event - Wobblies, Zapatistas, Anarchism, the Balkans, and more!

Friday, December 10th, 7:00 PM at Last Word Books 
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Andrej Grubacic is an anarchist dissident and historian who has written prolifically on anarchism and the history of the Balkans. He is a lecturer at the ZMedia Institute and University of San Francisco.
Following the collapse of Yugoslavia, Grubacic was based in Belgrade, before leaving his position as assistant lecturer of History at the University of Belgrade (due to tensions relating to his political activism) and relocating to the Fernand Braudel Center at SUNY Binghamton in New York, United States where he taught in the Sociology department.

Grubacic is founding member of the Global Balkans network of the Balkan anti-capitalist diaspora, the Yugoslav Initiative for Economic Democracy, Kontrapunkt magazine, and ZBalkans – a Balkan edition of Z Magazine on whose editorial board he also sits. He is or has been active as an anarchist organizer in networks such as Planetary Alternatives Network, the post-Yugoslav coalition of anti-authoritarian collectives DSM!, Peoples Global Action, the World Social Forum, Freedom Fight and, most recently, as a program director for the Global Commons.

His works include books in Balkan languages, chapters and numerous
articles related to the history and utopian present of the Balkans.

His affinity towards anarchism arose as a result of his experiences as a member of the Belgrade Libertarian Group that derives from the Yugoslav Praxis experiment.

Last Word Books Birthday Bash!

Come celebrate 8 years of dreams and the millions of words that have passed through these doors as we have continually beaten the odds of corporate cannibalism.  Drink to the future of Last Word Books and take a sneak peek at Last Word Press.

Get down to the Pasties.
Sample beers from Epics Ales.
Dancing all night rent-party style.
Special guest appearance by Michel J Fox.
FishTale on Tap
Door Prizes
DJ El Goonie and others


$5 Donation or $3.00 with a book donation.

Start Time:	Saturday, May 8, 2010 at 8:30pm
End Time:	Sunday, May 9, 2010 at 5:30am
Location:	David's House
Street:	1620 Thurston Ave NE
City/Town:	Olympia, WA

Until We Win: West Coast Solidarity Emerges in Response to Police Violence

From Portland's IndyMedia...

On March 22, a Portland police officer shot and killed a mentally ill houseless man at Hoyt Arboretum. Jack Dale Collins was an important figure in the Portland houseless community, known and loved by many. His killer, Chris Walters, responded to a call about a "drunk transient," of which Collins was neither, and shot him four times within three minutes.

This occurred around 3:00 PM. Within five hours, about fifty people had gathered in a public park on eastside to discuss strategic reaction to the second police murder this year. A spontaneous march to the Burnside precinct was lively and militant in nature. The same scene was repeated the following evening.

The following days were filled with a diversity of tactics in resistance to state and police violence. Organizations like Everyday People, who formed in the aftermath of the Aaron Campbell shooting, pursued reform along legal lines as they had before. Churches discussed community assemblies and planned speaking engagements with Jesse Jackson. The Portland anarchist community, which has been notoriously quiet for a few years, has exploded into action.


This seems to be indicative of a larger trend within the North American anarchist space. For several years, anarchists have been turned inward, creating a public face of the occasional animal or earth liberation communiqué and a whole lot of punk shows. Popular ideas seem to be moving to a place of open anarchist identification within larger communities, with dual focuses on insurrection against the state and solidarity-building projects within communities.

Anarchists and other radicals in Oakland, San Francisco, Seattle, and Olympia picked up the banner of anti-police sentiment bravely after the March 29 march in Portland received much corporate coverage as a "riot." Friends of friends of friends exist in every major city. People were talking.

Within a few days, a call-out occurred for West Coast days of solidarity on April 8th and 9th. It is unknown which city first made the call. Pre-existing relationships between anarchists of different cities were used to coordinate action, as well as independent media websites such as Portland Indymedia and Indybay.

Thursday, April 8: San Francisco radicals planned to occupy a BART platform, an action meant to push for further accountability for the execution of unarmed Oscar Grant III by BART police on New Years Day, 2009. At 4PM, demonstrators flooded the Embarcadero Station platform and chanted. Hundreds of flyers handed out to commuters explained that there were officers involved who had not been investigated at all, and demanded that BART police as an institution are disbanded. As of this writing, no demonstrators have been arrested for the BART action.

635 miles north, in Portland, the first day of action was a road blockade at NW 13th and Everett by anarchists and other radicals. At 5PM, anarchists rushed into the street in full black bloc, quickly stretching caution tape between the four corners and moving pallets, planter boxes, dumpsters, and newspaper boxes into the intersection to strengthen their barricades. The intersection was chosen because it is historical to Portland. In 2006, Portland Police beat James Chasse nearly to death there. He suffered 16 broken ribs, 46 contusions, and multiple blows to the head. Chasse, a houseless poet and musician, died after being dragged into the patrol car. The entire incident happened in front of an upscale restaurant where people were dining.

Flyers were distributed about Chasse's death and anarchists held down the intersection for an hour, as previously planned. Demonstrators engaged with customers of the same restaurant about the lack of accountability surrounding Chasse's death. Corporate media noted that the police had "dispersed" the demonstration. However, this reporter's investigations indicate that the anarchists arrived and left on their own time. After an announcement about an assembly the following day, they melted back into the urban landscape. As of this writing, no demonstrators have been arrested for participating in the Road Bloc.

114 miles north. Olympia, Washington. At 7PM, between 30 and 100 people gathered in a parking lot. Many appeared to be anarchists, dressed entirely in black with masks and gathered behind a banner that read, "Jail the Cops, Burn the Prisons." The march proceeded towards the downtown area, occasionally erupting into militant action as members of the black bloc broke bank windows, spray painted anti-police slogans, and disrupted corporate media coverage of their actions. Eventually, 29 demonstrators were corralled and arrested. Most were booked and released. Two demonstrators were accused of attacking police officers, and two others of attacking a corporate media journalist. They made their first court appearances on Friday afternoon.

Police Commander Tor Bjornstad of Olympia remarked, "It may be related to similar protests in Portland, Oregon." Call-outs in the weeks leading up to the Days of Action and communiqués received later are open about the network of anarchist organizing. The solidarity actions took form all along the West Coast. Corporate media coverage is increasingly aware of the solidarity implied by the simultaneous Days of Action.

Friday, April 9th: About 100 people gather in front of Seattle community college and begin to march, snaking around Capitol Hill. The march seemed to be made up of an anarchist contingent, a houseless youth contingent, and a more varied crowd of demonstrators. The march was heavily policed from the outset, and police officers violently prevented marchers from taking the streets. After demonstrators attempted to pull a dumpster out and use it to protect themselves from the police, five arrests occurred. The arrestees appeared to be injured during the encounter. Only three of the five were booked and the march dispersed soon afterwards.

145 miles south. Portland, Oregon. As promised, the anarchists were back at the notorious downtown intersection at 5PM. This time, the police were not caught off guard. Bike cops and mounted police lined the streets, outnumbering the demonstrators markedly. However, the same public call-out that had stimulated police repression also invited many concerned members of the public, including students, houseless individuals, and parents. Flyers were dispersed to passersby and diners at the upscale restaurant explaining the Black Bloc tactic. Fox News and the Portland Police were disappointed when the crowd gathered in a large circle, found a facilitator, and proceeded to hold an intense discussion about the role of police in their communities, alternatives to the police, and the viability of different tactics of resistance. The assembly moved a few blocks to a park after about an hour, being joined by more families and a few angry folks in opposition. People spoke their minds, exchanged contact info, and the action was over by 7PM. Ending with "One chant to unite us all: Cops, Pigs, Murderers!"

The successes and failures of individual actions aside, we must count it as a victory that anarchists and other radicals were able to coordinate simultaneous actions in several cities. Widespread resistance indicates a widespread problem, which lends credence to the idea that police violence is not a few bad apples, it is a poisonous tree that must be uprooted.

Besides proving the ability of anarchists to coordinate nationally, this past few weeks of actions has began to hint at the power of those in opposition to the state. Corporate media has implicated fear at the reactions of anarchist response to continual police murder proving that they are becoming a legitimate threat. Not only in their ability to attack the state, but also to create healthy alternatives outside of it.

As of this writing, another man has been killed by police this weekend in Cornelius, Oregon. Based on initial information, it seems that the circumstances of his death were similar to the James Chasse murder. More actions are being planned. Will the fledgling network of West Coast resistance grow and respond to the constant threat of police murder? Only time will tell.

Witness Ye, The Rebirth of Drunken Poetry!

EVERY FIRST MONDAY

OF THE MONTH

@ LAST WORD BOOKS

8:30 - 10:30 in the PM

The Way Things Work

Readings operate on a first-come first-serve sign-up basis. Our time is limited so we’re looking for something in the ballpark of three poems of moderate length or one long poem and one short from each reader. You must however submit a piece to be read by the Designated Drunk, who will be chosen at the end of each reading or shortly after and will be informed well before the next reading. We encourage the buying of drinks for the Designated Drunk.

Make it good because submissions will be considered for publication on the blogs and anthologized in a chapbook published quarterly by Last Word Press. Since this event will, at least for the time-being, take place in our bookstore, and since we will be JUICING YA'LL UP WITH FREE WINE, (*ahem* sans banquet-license)... this has to be one of those official 'private party' sorts of deals... meaning we will at some point attempt to make a show of locking the door.

Statutes and Limitations:

• This event is in a bar. You must be at least 21 to read. not currently in a bar, so come one, come all!
• No nature poetry. It’s been done and there are a thousand other outlets for it in Olympia
• No Slam. You’re not Saul Williams. That’s okay.
• Drunken Poetry is not a public therapy session; don’t try to turn it in to one.
• Unless it’s extremely well written we don’t care about that time you tried to kill yourself when you were sixteen. Try again.
• Drink, write, edit, submit, read, drink, repeat.

And, conveniently enough, the poetry reading will stagger off stage just in time for everyone to stumble over to Jazz Night at the Royal to tie a few more on, moron!

Hack Bloc and Ms Valerie Park Distro

Josh from the unfortunately-defunct-but-always-awesome SSO Press has a new project up and running: ms. valerie park distro with lots of cool local Oly cds, zines, tapes, vinyl and lots more. check it out and pick up something for your relatives, to help them better understand the Olympia scene.

The John Towery page has been up and running for awhile now, highlighting Olympia's favorite infamous government snitch. It's hosted by Oly Hack Bloc (who's site is down right now for some reason, anyone know why?). But the main page for the Hack Bloc project is up for your perusal. Interesting project: "Our mission is to research, create and disseminate information, tools, and tactics that empower people to use technology in a way that is liberating. We support and strengthen our local communities through education and action. We strive to learn from each other and focus our skills toward creative goals, to explore and research positive hacktivism, and to defend a free internet and free society!"

An Interesting exchange

We received this e-mail the other day which resulted in the following exchange:

I've seen your new street sign (“Medicare is socialism, dunce”). I was disappointed in the tone (referring to others as a dunce is unnecessary and not helpful in making better communication). Beyond that, I'm not sure you're right. Medicare seems more like corporatism (dividing the means of production between government and private enterprise based on the market) which was one of the hallmarks of Italian fascism. In short, I think the certainty and arrogance of the sign was unwarranted.

Regards,

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I agree the tone was poor. However everybody that works here can put messages on our reader board. I hope the author was intending to point out our government does have some positive examples of social services: schools, fire departments, police, Medicare, all of which could technically be called "socialism." A silly semantics argument on both sides in my opinion. Also a poor choice of the author to call names.
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power." -- Benito Mussolini (lots of reference but verbatim quote is up for debate)
Historically Fascism has has been interested in authoritarian control over everything. I think Black Water or Haliburton are good examples in current times (note merging state and corporate power verses dividing). Some obvious historical examples of Fascism and their approach to medicine could be banning birth control, eugenics, and death camps. Fascism by definition is not Democratic.
We do have many current examples of "socialized medicine" Most of which are much cheaper, more effective and produce longer healthier lives then the corporate private system we have here. I'm not one that wants government telling me what to read, taking away my condoms, or building bombs, but I do know social medicine has a far better track record than corporate medicine. Like schools, the fire department and police, health care is a situation where service must come before profit. We tried putting profit first and it failed. The majority of Americans agree, unfortunately the strangle hold of corporate interest has made democracy non-functional bring us back to Corporatism, Fascism, Mussolini and merger of state and corporate power.

-Last Word Books

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Thanks for your prompt, thoughtful and thorough reply. For what little it
is worth, I agree with you completely...both about the many positive
examples of government social services and about your examples of fascism
(and its dangers). Personally, I fully support (whatever that means)
socialized medicine. I also agree that far too many Americans have bought
into the message given by corporate power. I wish the advertising for my
business could be that effective. :-)

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