Editor And Publisher reported yesterday that charges will be dropped against journalists recently arrested at the Republican National Convention. The mayor of St. Paul, Chris Coleman, had the following to say regarding the decision… "This decision reflects the values we have in St. Paul to protect and promote our First Amendment rights to freedom of the press. At the scene, the police did their duty in protecting public safety. In this decision, we are serving the public's interest to maintain the integrity of our democracy, system ...More »

Here are a few things of interest today… The Azizabad Air Strike Initially the US military denied that they had made a mistake. In fact, they continued to deny that they had made a mistake for days following the devastating air strike on the village of Azizabad in the Afghan province of Herat that left some 90 people dead, including women and children – which was independently confirmed by the United Nations. That said; authorities in Afghanistan have arrested three men suspected of providing false intelligence regarding ...More »

The following (mostly audio) is what Democracy Now's Nicole Salazar's camera captured during her arrest in St. Paul where she, along with producer Sharif Kouddous, were covering protests outside the Republican National Convention. After hearing about the incident, Amy Goodman left the convention floor and went to where Kouddous and Salazar had been arrested. She was then promptly arrested herself. More »

Security was tight during the Democratic National Convention, but not so tight that the Republicans are going to tolerate being ‘out done’. As Glen Greenwald reports, things have been transpiring in Minneapolis prior to the RNC that take the cake… “Protesters here in Minneapolis have been targeted by a series of highly intimidating, sweeping police raids across the city, involving teams of 25-30 officers in riot gear, with semi-automatic weapons drawn, entering homes of those suspected of planning protests, handcuffing and forcing them to lay on ...More »

President Bush gave a speech today at Monticello, once the home of Thomas Jefferson. As he began speaking, dissenters in the audience became vocal, as is their Constitutional right. Ironically, as the first of them was being dragged away by the Secret Service, the President had the audacity to claim that that was the great thing about America – that Americans have the right to free speech… …and after about 20 or seconds of it they get dragged away and turned over to local authorities. You ...More »

Susie Jackson hails from London, England. This is her first entry as an author at matthewgood.org. Her focus as an author will primarily be British political, human rights, and foreign affairs issues. Detention Without Charge Last Wednesday UK MPs voted by 315 votes to 306 to give a government minister the power to extend to 42 days (from 28) the period of time for which terror suspects can be held without being charged with any offence. The bill would still have to be ratified in the House ...More »

It’s eight o’clock in the morning. I have no idea what I am doing up, other than the fact that I went to bed pretty early. I watched The Other Boleyn Girl last night after rehearsal and prior to passing out. Why is it that no one can portray the Tudors with any historical accuracy? Recent Catastrophes Matters in China are looking grimmer by the day, as are conditions in Burma. One searches for words to put such catastrophes into context, but there are few. The ...More »

One minute you’re eating your oatmeal, the next minute you’re not. One minute you’re walking down the street, the next minute you’re just another statistic that the world doesn’t want to hear about because there are already far too many statistics. In a letter to James Madison in early 1787, Thomas Jefferson wrote - “I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical.” Truer words were never spoken, ...More »

Updated: Some video footage of what happened, here: Mr. Shelbourne went to Everest Restaurant on Queen St today to demand an apology from management that has told him they don't serve customers in wheelchairs, and asked him never to come back. Mr. Shelbourne was joined by 20 supporters today. Mr. Shelbourne entered Everest asking to speak with restaurant manager Karma Sanchok who had previously told him they don't serve people in wheelchairs. Mr. Shelbourne sought a public apology from Ms.Sanchok and the restaurant, and a promise ...More »

This entry is part 1 in a series of entries exploring monetary systems with regards to public knowledge and awareness in the United States and Canada, its origins and history, and present day status. What better place to begin than with a video from George Carlin, about the state of affairs today... More »