Williamsburg and Greenpoint process 30% of the commercial waste in New York City. Williamsburg/Greenpoint OUTRAGE is a coalition of city groups banding together to reduce the neighborhood's waste burden.

They're having a fundraiser Saturday June 18th to raise money so they can continue their terrific work.

When: Saturday June 18th from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Rain Date: Saturday June 25, 2005
Where: St. Francis Church Yard (Humboldt & Conselyea)
(L to Graham Ave.- Map)
What: BBQ, Music, Raffle, Face-painting and More!
Cost (Suggested Donation): $5 adults/ $2 Kids includes
food and beverages!

Want to help or need more information?? Volunteers Needed! Call Williamsburg/ Greenpoint OUTRAGE (Organizations United for Trash Reduction and Garbage Equity) at (718) 388-5454 ext. 170 or e-mail outrage@stnicksnpc.com to volunteer, donate items.

The group Mainstreet Moms Operation Blue (MMOB; formerly Mainstreet Moms Oppose Bush) has an excellent public action scheduled for June 1st and they need your help to span all 50 states. In response to Bush's Bullshit "Leave No Child Behind" and the pseudo-draft, MMOB is carrying out a "Leave my Child Alone" campaign. The idea is to have house parties around the nation on June 1st to do the following:

1. help parents "opt out" their kids from the war

2. Write letters to your local Superintendent & School Board encouraging the endorsement of the Optimum Opt Out Resolution

3. Join in on a nationwide phone call (optional), with an expert panel addressing No Child Left Behind, military recruitment, and privacy issues.

Sign on as a citizen co-sponsor of the Student Privacy Protection Act (H.R. 551)

Opt Out your Kids THIS IS REAL AND VERY IMPORTANT IF YOU HAVE SCHOOL AGE KIDS!!!!!!!!!)

Adopt a school to protect the rights of all students at that school.

Host a House Party to spread the word.  read more »

Help elect the former head of the New York Civil Liberties Union to be our Public Advocate. This is the guy who is out there protesting with us and standing up for us in court. We need a strong civil liberties advocate representing us. Donation: $25 and up, rsvp 917-822-3805

“Say Goodnight Gracie Mansion

There is nothing like the double-speak of the power hungry. Here's an example, I've even highlighted it for you.

[via New York Police Want 400 More Surveillance Cameras - New York Times]:

The New York Police Department supports its contention that surveillance cameras actively deter crime by citing the changes in the 15 housing projects equipped with the cameras. Crime dropped an average of 36 percent from the year before the cameras were installed to the year afterward, according to Joanne Jaffe, chief of the housing bureau.

Most of that decline came in quality of life crimes like graffiti and public urinating.

Ever since the Giuliani administration, petty vandalism like graffitti or social nuissances like public urination have been upgraded to the category crime.

Now I don't know you, but when I think of a crime committed, I think :

Crime = theft, not planting a garden in an abandoned lot.
Crime = murder, not fishing without a permit.
Crime = selling crack-cocaine, not smoking in a bar.
Crime = child abuse, not letting your kid pee by a tree.

It's that simple.

That riding a bike out of the bike lane is now lumped in with rape should not only be outed as a false legacy of the Guiliani years; but it should be considered in and of itself a crime.  read more »