October 2010 - Page 5 of 6

Liberian Women Find Their Voice

Tamasin Ford October 11, 2010 Tamasin Ford

(IPS) – “Voice for the voiceless” is the slogan adorning the walls of Liberia’s first and Africa’s second radio station for women.

Situated down a bumpy, dirt track on the edge of the capital, Monrovia, the Liberia Women Democracy Radio (LWDR), claims it wants to advance women and promote change. In a country trying to rebuild itself after 14 years of civil war in which women bore the brunt of the violence, they remain the most vulnerable group in society.

“Before the radio station, we couldn’t get our voices heard. The big people wouldn’t take our problems seriously,” says Deborah Reeves, a mother of four in Monrovia. “Now they hear them over and over.” read more

The Long War: Year Ten in Afghanistan

Andrew Bacevich October 11, 2010 Andrew Bacevich

Happy Anniversary, America. Nine years ago on October 7, 2001 a series of US air strikes against targets across Afghanistan launched the opening campaign of what has since become the nation's longest war. Three thousand two hundred and eighty five days later the fight to determine Afghanistan's future continues.

The High and the Mighty: Legalizing Marijuana?

Fault Lines, Al Jazeera October 8, 2010 Fault Lines, Al Jazeera

Source: Al Jazeera

Cannabis is California’s number one cash crop. This fall, voters will decide whether or not to fully legalize the drug and transform US drug policy.

The implications are huge if it passes. It will have a profound effect on the state’s struggling economy, the overburdened criminal justice system and even the raging drug war in neighboring Mexico that has claimed nearly 30,000 lives.

In the meantime, no politicians running for statewide office are supporting the measure. What does that say about the politics of cannabis? read more

10/10/10 Global Work Party for Climate Solutions

Bill McKibben October 8, 2010 Bill McKibben

Looking back a few weeks, we were bitterly disappointed when the White House failed to act on our request that they put solar panels back on the roof.

But in truth, I’m almost happy that they waited. Today’s announcement that the Obamas will be taking their showers and cooking their breakfast courtesy of the sun could not have come at a better moment. We’re four days away from the start of the weekend’s giant Global Work Party, and this is the perfect example of everything that we’ve been talking about for almost a year: it demonstrates the power of individual actions to carry political impact. read more