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Hello,

Blogs are a familiar feature on the internet - where users post content in an accumulating manner, with comments, and search options, etc. They facilitate expression and exploration, and via attached comments, also debate and synthesis.


Reading and
Navigating Blogs

Our blogs are quite powerful. Each writer can post, as is typically the case. Sustainers who have the option can also post, however. All Blogs appear in the blog system, and sometimes also in content boxes the top page of ZNet - and always via the left menu of the top page - and can be found via searches, etc.

Commenting on blogs follows the blogs, attached at the bottom, and blog comments, like all others, are also visible in many places that show comments including in the forum system. In addition, the entire blog system gathers content for everyone - but one can look at the accumulating content in many ways.

  • For example one can look at one writer's efforts - so one is seeing what is effectively a blog system for that one writer, or Sustainer.
  • One can also look at the content by topic, seeing blogs that are tagged as being about a certain topic - or place, as well. Thus, when doing that, it is a blog system about a topic, or a place, with many contributors.
  • One can look at only writer blogs, or only sustainer blogs, as well.
  • One can look at blogs for particular Groups, too.

All this is easily done using the left menu. Searches allow even more variables and refinements.


Creating Blog Posts

If you are a Sustainer with permission, and are logged in, you will see a link in the left menu for you to post a blog - and you can use that to post one, and then tag it various ways (such as with a topic or place, or a group tag), and once you do, it is in the system with you as the author.

You can also use the console button to the left to post a blog - anytime and from anywhere in the site, as long as you are logged in.

Meanwhile, enjoy the blogs - and, by the way, if you are a Free Member or a Sustainer with a ZSpace page, of course you can put one or more content boxes on it, pulling blog links of any sort you may want to filter for, for example, by you or by your friends or by others - and by topic, about places, for groups, etc.

Blogs

50

David Peterson's Blog

Web Address: http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/davidpeterson
Bio: I am an independent writer and researcher based in Chicago. (More)

All Peterson Blogs

Please Do Not Disturb

By David Peterson at Nov 10, 2004


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Let's say the American assault on the Iraqi city of Fallujah officially began over the past weekend, November 6-7, 2004. (Though feel free to date the start of the whole ongoing campaign any time you think most faithful to the facts. For example, early April, 2004, after those four Blackwater USA mercenaries were roasted. Or maybe March 19, 2003. September 11, 2001. Early August, 1990, onward. You pick it: They all have a right to lay claim to some historical accuracy.) Since the word was leaked last Friday that the UN Secretary-General had addressed letters dated October 31 to each of the three heads of state directly involved with the imminent assault on Fallujah, the American President, and the British and the Iraqi ("Interim") Prime Minsters, the UN Secretary-General and his official spokesman, Fred Eckhard, have, as usual, been focusing their attention on crises other than Iraq, such as the Sudan and, for the past week, the Côte d'Ivoire. It is laughable to watch the UN's principal organs of propaganda---as reflected in the interests and concerns of the Secretary-General and the UN News Center---carve up the contemporary world and try to allocate the world's interests and concerns according to their carving. Indeed. Following the revelation that Annan's letter to the heads of state occupying Iraq existed (e.g., Los Angeles Times, Nov. 5)---and do notice that its existence was not publicized by the UN itself, quite unlike all of its high-profile missions to other places, the Sudan in particular---Annan has remained almost silent on Iraq, while his spokesman had this exchange with a reporter on Monday (Press Briefing, Nov. 8, 2004):
Question: Within the context of the letter to the United States and Great Britain, does the Secretary-General have any remarks about the violence since the beginning of the invasion? Spokesman: No, I think I already had that question, and... (interrupted). Question: (Inaudible)... from the context of the letter to... (interrupted). Spokesman: No. I have nothing to say today on what's happening in Fallujah....
(For the record: It is fitting that Kofi Annan should have addressed his October 31 letter to George Bush, Tony Blair, and Ayad Allawi. After all, these three gentlemen are the heads of the three states currently engaged in the military occupation of Iraq, and the violent suppression of the resistance this occupation has spawned---the "Interim" Iraqi Government being as much a foreign occupying power within Iraqi national life as the American and the British. And don't kid yourselves otherwise.)
With respect to Iraq, here's where the UN News Center's coverage of the American escalation for the past seven days leaves us as of mid-day Wednesday, November 10:
* "Annan says UN will do all it can to help Iraqis advance political process," UN News Center, November 5, 2004 * "Annan and Iraq's UN envoy meet for discussions on Fallujah, elections," UN News Center, November 8, 2004 * "UN refugee agency voices extreme concern for Iraqis fleeing Fallujah assault," UN News Center, November 9, 2004
Pretty paltry stuff, I think you'll agree. Better to keep the focus on the safe crises---the ones far from the madding Americans. Situation normal. PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB.
An Appeal from Fallujah to Kofi Anan and the UN, Kassim Abdullsattar al-Jumaily, President, Center for the Study of Human Rights and Democracy, Fallujah "U.N.'s Annan Seeks to Prevent an Assault on Fallouja," Maggie Farley, Los Angeles Times, November 5, 2004 "Annan Defends Letter Warning of Fallouja Risk," Maggie Farley, Los Angeles Times, November 6, 2004 "The crushing of Fallujah will not end the war in Iraq," Patrick Cockburn, The Independent (London), November 9, 2004 "America failing test of history as offensive compared to terror tactics of pariah states,"Charles Glass, The Independent (London), November 9, 2004 "The Fire Is Spreading," Dahr Jamail, Iraq Dispatches, November 9, 2004 Iraq Occupation Watch Like Flies to Wanton Boys, ZNet Blogs, November 6, 2004 False Dawn, ZNet Blogs, November 8, 2004
Person

By Shannon, James at Nov 11, 2004 01:58 AM

Iraq is about OIL. Period. 40% of the world's endowment of Oil is in Saudi Arabia. Saudi wealth funds terrorism. Period. 20% is in IRAQ. 5% is in the US. Why does the Oil in Iraq now belong to the people, but the Oil in Texas belongs to Bush.?

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