January 2006 by The Yeti

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Contents

Lou Bega; one hit wonder, or modern day Nastrodamus?

The 2005 hurricane season left many of us at the Yeti searching through our middle school CD collections to re-listen to Lou Bega’s seemingly shallow 90’s pop hit. Is it possible that Bega was talking about Hurricane Categories as he foretold the Mambo #5? Was Lou actually being sarcastic when he said that Rita was all he needed? The song also mentions Katrina and Wilma. Well not really; but Bega certainly was prophetic to list the names of the national founders of Sorority Zeta Tau Alpha; Monica, Erica, Tina and Jessica. As of Jan. 6th Tropical Storm Zeta makes 2005 not only the most active season in history but also the longest running. If you play the song backwards at one point it says Arafat is dead…now that’s eerie.

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From Lake Bradford at Gaines St: After turning onto Lake Bradford from Gaines, make your second right onto Airport, make your second left onto Mayhew, and then your first right onto Sharky Rd., there is no street sign. The house is on the right. From Lipona at Pensacola St: Take Lipona south, cross over Bellevue Way and Jackson Bluff, make your first left onto Mayhew, then make your fourth left onto Sharkey. The house will be down a little ways on your left.

One Issue

Sponsor: Deborah Hall

Directions to Benefit Party for the Yeti: 1650 Sharkey St.

Kelsey Visser (Editor) Alex Joyce (Editor Ryan Brody (Layout) Brett Ader Dan Clifton Parker Dority J.P. Eason Nialls Fallon EJ Masicampo Claudia Navas Carlos Perez Cassie Smith Sarah Stinard-Kiel Steve Tate Christian Taylor Jen Toth

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by JP Eason

The Slant Textbooks A Missing Peace FSU Inc. Popping Old Pimples Mid-East Update Feds Spy on Students Press Briefing ParEcon Run-off Voting Recycling Crossword 15 Best of Tally 16 Sex and the Campus Gasp 17-18 Reviews

2 3 4 5-6 7 8 9 10 11-12 13 14

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The

Slant

Argentina gets the IMF monkey off its back

Although in 2003 Argentina’s centre-left government battled successfully with a reluctant IMF to reduce their interest rates, recent threats from bondholders in Japan, Europe, and the United States have reinvigorated the organization’s penchant for loan sharking. As such, Argentina announced that it will pay back $9.57 billion to the IMF Tuesday, in hopes of extricating itself once and for all from a neoliberal trade cycle that has defined the countries economy for nearly 22 years. The deal, according to Argentinean President Kirchner, will alleviate $1 billion of interest. “We are not going to repeat the history of the past... We don’t want new agreements that will frustrate us and the world. For many years we were on our knees before financial organizations and the speculative funds... We’ve had enough” Kirchner recently declared. He also thanked Venezualan president Hugo Chavez, whose country purchased nearly $1 billion of Argentine bonds to be paid back by the billion saved in paying interest to the IMF and private loans.

News & Views

Tom DeLay Steps Down as House Majority Leader. Embattled and scandal stricken, Rep. Tom DeLay announced that he will not seek reinstatement as House Majority Leader. This announcement leaves a vacuum of power within the leadership of the Republican Party, which several highranking republican representatives are seeking to fill, including Majority Whip Roy Blunt as well as Rep. Joe Boehner. Delay’s decision to vacate his post as House Majority Leader is further proof that the numerous scandals that have recently plagued the Republican Party are beginning to take their toll on the leadership.

Once powerful Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff pleads guilty, agrees to cooperate with Federal Investigation.

Evo Morales Bolivian labor candidate takes the presidency

Prominent Washington Lobbyist Jack Abramoff pled guilty to various charges including defrauding millions of dollars from Native American tribes and admitted to various acts of bribery and corruption. Ohio Republican Representative Bob Ney allegedly received bribes from Abramoff in return for assistance with a casino purchase in Florida. Jack Abramoff is a longtime friend of several prominent conservative political figures such as former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, former Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed, and Americans for Tax Reform director Grover Norquist. “Words can never express my sorrow and profound regret,” Abramoff told U.S. District Court Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle. I’m sorry Jack, but we do not believe you.

One can without a doubt draw parallels between the landslide victory of now Bolivian President Evo Morales in last month’s election with that wrought by Hugo Chavez in Venezuela several years ago. The question is whether or not Morales will be able to follow suit and crush the brutal and overwhelming pressure from international financial institutions like the IMF, foreign corporations, and an extant oligarchy that will not lie down without a fight. The population of Bolivia, however, seen by massive demonstrations and movement against privatization and neoliberal efforts to dominate them, reveals a population that will by no means limit themselves to spectatorship now that “their man” is in office. The mounting struggle for liberation from corporate and imperial degradation could very possibly congeal on multiple fronts into a sustainable effort capable of cashing in on their new government’s revolutionary promises to redistribute wealth and promote significant social change.

The IMF Gets Hold of Iraq Rebuilding a bombed out country takes tons of money and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is the only place to get mountains of cash in a hurry. The only problem is the IMF requires countries to “restructure” their economy by privatizing government services and selling off precious resources. The IMF forced Iraq to raise the price of gas three times higher than it was prior to the invasion in exchange for rebuilding money. Imagine if the price of gas went from $2.50 to $7.50 overnight. The economy would collapse. The IMF doesn’t care about the Iraqi people, they only care about getting their high interest loans get paid back. The IMF says it helps countries progress but in reality it is a vehicle for large corporations to exploit the resources of less developed countries.

Chomsky debates Alan Dershowitz In the recently made available November debate at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University entitled Isreal and Palestine After Disengagement, Professors Noam Chomsky and Alan Dershowitz, explore myriad issues such as the prospect of peace, future solutions, the idea of pragmatism, and the role of the United States. The debate can be watched, listened to, or read at DemocracyNow.com 2

Take Action on Affordable Textbooks Now!

hway To H g i H elp he

TAlternative Break Corps

We at The Yeti would like to begin this new year and new semester by setting a goal for ourselves and our school. The price of textbooks is out of

Alternative Break Corps is a student service organization of FSU that sends students on various service trips to different parts of the US and the world to reach out to disadvantaged communities.

control and we must find a way to make them affordable. Included with each new issue

of The Yeti this semester will be an update on the status of FSU’s involvement with establishing a textbook exchange or rental program, two economical options being employed at universities around the country.

Spring Break 2006 US Trip Issues: HIV/AIDS Relief English Literacy Program Inner City Youth Children with Terminal Illnesses

Our staff adopts the resolution below and we urge you to rip this page out, sign it and bring it

Hurricane Restoration Low-Income Housing Summer 2006 International Trip Issue: Children’s Orphanage in Panama

to President TK Weatherall’s Office in room 211 of the Westcott Building.

Spring Break Applications Due January 18 Stop by the Center for Civic Education & Service to pick up an application Email questions to ABC@admin.fsu.edu (Accepting FAMU and TCC students)

A Resolution in Support of Affordable Textbooks Whereas, according the investigation by the Government Accountability Office of Congress and a survey by the Student Public Interest Research Groups (Student PIRGs), students spend an average of $898 per year on textbooks, or 26% of the cost of tuition at an average four year university and 72% of tuition at the average community college, and; Whereas, textbook prices have increased at four times the rate of inflation between 1994 and 2004, and; Whereas, textbook publishers add extra items to textbooks - such as CD-ROMs and workbooks - that drive up average prices by 10-40% and that over 65% of faculty surveyed say they “rarely” or “never” use, and; Whereas, textbook publishers put new editions on the market frequently - often with few content changes - making the less expensive used editions obsolete and difficult to find, even though 76% of faculty surveyed said they thought new editions were justified “half the time” or less, and; Whereas, over 700 math and physics professors from 150 universities have called on Thomson Learning to stop issuing unnecessary new editions of it’s introductory math and physics books, and; Whereas, access to education is so important to society that the education market must be held to a higher standard, therefore: Be it Resolved, FSU Students declare that any commercial practices that serve to drive up educational costs while providing little to no additional educational value are unacceptable, and therefore

SIGN NAME

DATE

Be it Resolved, FSU Students call upon college textbook publishers to adopt the following practices: • • • • •

Keep the cost of producing textbooks as low as possible and keep textbook editions on the market for as long as possible without sacrificing educational content; Give faculty and students the option of buying textbooks “unbundled”; Give preference to paper or on-line supplements to current editions over producing entirely new editions; Pass on cost-savings to students once purely online textbooks are on the market; and Disclose to faculty member all of the different products they sell - including both bundled and unbundled options, list how much each of those products cost, and the length of time they intend to produce the current edition;

Be it Resolved, FSU Students encourage individual faculty and departments to give preference to publishers and textbooks that incorporate the above practices when the educational value is comparable, and be it; Be it Resolved, FSU Students call upon the University to establish as many forums for students to purchase as many used books as possible, including rental programs and bookswaps, and be it; Be it Resolved, The Yeti will forward a copy of this resolution to the following parties: the FSU Student Government, FSU President T.K. Wetherell, The FSView & Florida Flambeau, the Association of American Publishers, and the Student Campaign for Affordable Textbooks.

by Kelsey Visser here is a U.S Department of Defense, why not a U.S blowing of hot air, but it is time for the American people to Department of Peace? This may sound like a ‘yeah call their bluff. right,’ way out in left field (or at least left wing) concept, but since September of 2005, it has become more of The Department of Defense is allotted $400 billion a year a reality. by the federal government, and the proposals in front of congress indicate that the cost to maintain a Department of Having a Department of Peace is not a new concept, and was Peace would only require approximately two percent of that first proposed by Dwight D. Eisenhower at the beginning of budget. It is a practical demand, considering that much of his presidency in response to the horrific experiences he had that money would be spent providing needed assistance to in World War II. Although the legislation was introduced programs already in existence on the city, county and state to the House of Representatives during the 107th and 108th level. Also from this budget would emerge an Academy of congress and did not successfully pass, this bill has gained Peace, which would be a sister organization to the U.S Milia tremendous amount of support since its reintroduction in tary Academy. Perhaps in time, learning to become an exSeptember; and it is easy to see why. With public support pert in conflict resolution at the Academy of Peace will be for the war in Iraq decreasing, it is hard to ignore just how as prestigious as learning to become an expert in killing at much focus and resources are allotted to war, and just how the WestPoint Military Academy. little are allotted to the supposed ‘reason’ for waging war in the first place, peace. Having such a Department would by no means balance out our government’s war machine foAs there is a Secretary of Defense for the Decus, but it would be a significant start, partment of Defense, there would similarly and would be an incredible symbol be a cabinet level Secretary of Peace who that the American people care about would provide the President and all other the way our country conducts itself Departments with researched, credible, domestically and internationally. nonviolent solutions to both international Dennis Kucinich left the audience and domestic conflict. At the Southwest with this thought during his closing Florida’s 16th annual World Day of Peace, statement on a U.S Department of guest speaker Jeffrey Weisberg stated that Peace: “We are charged with the re“the Department of Peace would focus on sponsibility of changing this country, peaceful conflict resolution, prevent violence and I believe this country is ready, and I and promote justice and democratic principles to believe the world is ready to see America expand human rights”. get involved in something like this”.

Also attending Southwest Florida’s Peace gathering, via live audio from London, was Dennis Kucinich. Mr. Kucinich has been an instrumental force in building support for the U.S Department of Peace campaign and has proposed the bill for the third time in the House of Representatives. As a result of diligent people around the country, sixty-one members of Congress have now signed on to co-sponsor the bill (#H.R. 3760) in the House of Representatives, and the bill has now been introduced in the Senate (#S. 1756). Activist groups for the Department of Peace now exist in all 50 states and are represented in 285 congressional districts. The most surprising support however, has emerged from the Pentagon. Heart Phoenix quoted their recent statement for the audience, that the U.S government should “put as much energy into waging peace as to waging war.” It may be too early to determine if this is more political positioning and

To read more about the U.S Department of Peace and learn how you can help it become a reality, go to ThePeaceAlliance.org. Here you will find useful information about how to go about contacting your representatives, how to write a letter to your local newspaper urging them to discuss this issue, and most importantly, this is where you can read the bill for yourself!

YOU make the difference! Talk to your Senators and Congress people and let them hear why you think a Department of Peace is necessary.

State Senator: Alred J. Lawson U.S Representative: Allen Boyd (850) 487-5004 (850) 561-3979 www.house.gov/writerep/ lawson.alfred.web@flsenate.gov

FSU Incorporated? Governor Bush tries to Privatize the University System and Dismantle University Unions - Workers and Students Fight Back each university. By breaking up the university system, Bush and Thrasher thought they could nullify the unions and their contracts, and they almost succeede

Campus Workers Fight Back After the unions were decertified, faculty and staff were forced to hold new elections to reassert their right to form a union. Workers scrambled to organize elections, and while most won union representation, many ended up much weaker than they were originally. After the break up, some university administrations rushed to create new employee classifications that were exempt from unionization, others used bribes or intimidation to dissuade workers from trying to reestablish their union. As a result, the size of union bargaining units shrunk significantly at several universities. For instance, the FSU staff union (AFSCME) is only a third as large as it was prior to the privatization scheme.

SOLD

FOR SALE

What Unions Represent

Faculty and Staff? The unions sued the state, claiming their union certification Staff (maintenance and and existing contract should be custodial workers): recognized by their new employer: The American Federation of State, County, and the new Boards of Trustees at Municipal Employees each university. In February of (AFSCME): 2005, the 1st District Court of Appeals agreed with the unions, Faculty: The United ruling that “State government Faculty of Florida (UFF) cannot…unilaterally terminate its obligations under a collective bargaining agreement simply by re-organizing the Executive Branch, where the employees affected perform the same work, in the same jobs…”

by Alex Joyce

ver cocktails at the Governor’s Club, Governor Jeb Bush and then-Speaker of the House, John Thrasher, penciled their strategy for privatizing Florida’s education system on the back of a napkin. The plan aimed to break up the state’s university system – a scheme they hoped would dissolve the faculty and staff unions across the state. Bush, Thrasher and their big business advisors (the Council of 100) believe Florida’s universities should become private corporations, complete with a CEO and Board of Trustees. If the universities become corporations, faculty and staff would be forced to negotiate separate contracts at each school rather than a unified, statewide Guess who’s on the FSU contract. Since organizing Board of Trustees? None themselves into unions in other than John Thrasher. the 1970’s, faculty and staff have negotiated statewide contracts covering the whole university system.

Union officials told the Yeti they were currently working to get universities to obey the court ruling and recognize the original unions and old contract. And that’s where things are now. Governor Bush’s strategy of ‘divide and conquer’ has resulted in smaller, weaker unions at most schools. On the other hand, the frontal assault on workers by Jeb Bush and his corporate buddies has lit a fire under many faculty and staff. For the first time in years, the FSU faculty marched to Westcott this past summer to demand that the administration negotiate fairly. The administration was offering faculty a mere 2 percent “merit” pay increase, the lowest increase of anywhere in the state. After 19 months of heated negotiations, the administration finally relented and offered a 5.6 percent increase. “It’s not everything our faculty deserve, but it’s a good first step in a long range effort to bring

In January 2003, the state legislature dissolved the Board of Regents, the state board that oversaw the university system, and established individual Boards of Trustees to govern 5

our faculty in line with our peer institutions,” said Jack Fiorito, the faculty union president. Meanwhile, the administration at FAMU has stubbornly refused to negotiate a fair contract with faculty and the negotiations remained deadlocked. In the fall of this year, the staff union successfully negotiated a new contract with FSU. Pay wasn’t the central issue, however, because the legislature mandated a small pay increase for all university workers, to which the staff agreed. With pay off the table, the main concerns were job security and privatization. The president of the staff union, Richard Williams, said that the FSU administration negotiated fairly and that he was pleased with the new contract. Mr. Williams said he was particularly proud of a provision in the contract that prevents workers from being fired if any of the services they provide are privatized in the future. “Job security is really the biggest issue… and I think that provision is something that other workers around the state would really want,” said Williams.

Students Ready to Fight with Workers For years student groups on campus, particularly Students United for Peace and Justice (SUPJ), have wanted to form strong bonds with campus workers. Now that dream is becoming a reality.

A few weeks ago, students approached the staff union about having a meeting this Spring to discuss how students can help ensure campus workers are treated fairly. Students are eager to fight for a living wage for campus workers, but they also say their role is to follow the worker’s lead. “If the union decides to begin a living wage campaign, students are ready and willing to dedicate their lives to the struggle,” said one student involved in SUPJ.

How You Can Get Involved If you’re interested in fighting privatization, helping campus workers, exposing the myths of corporate globalization, and speaking out against war, get involved with Students United for Peace and Justice. The group meets every Wednesday night at 9pm in Room 211 of the Student Union. SUPJ can be reached at fsustudentsunitedforpeace@hotmail.com The privatizing of higher education is just one piece of the conservative movement’s grand vision of privatizing government all together. One of Bush’s closest economic advisors is a most dreadful man named Grover Norquist. Grover once said he wanted to starve government until it was so small he could “drag it into the bathroom and drown it in the toilet.” Are you ready for the Xtreme free-market society?

The FSU Environmental Service Program presents

Recycling Awareness Week January 17-20

Recycling Forum with Q&A

Recycling Fair

Organizations tabling to educate students on recycling

Hear what educated speakers have to say about how and why one should recycle.

Tuesday, Jan. 17 9am to 4pm at the Integration Statue

Thursday, Jan. 19 - 6-8pm Student Services Bldg, rm 203

Campus Clean-up & Soy Lent Green

Electronics Drive

Bring your old electronics to be recycled! Wednesday, Jan. 18 9am to 4pm at the Integration Statue

Sponsored by the Environmental Service Program and Service Learning Program Contact: sgaenvironmental@admin.fsu.edu

Friday, Jan. 20 5PM Westcott Fountain 6PM (place TBA)

Popping Old Pimples: why the U.S. embargo of Cuba must go

n November 8, 2005, in a not-so-surprising display of international contempt, the United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly against the U.S. embargo of Cuba. The vote was 182 to 4 (the United States, Israel, Palau, the Marshall Islands), with 1 abstention, Micronesia. Over the past 14 years the results have remained constant; the United States has occupied a lonely position among the Globe’s leaders and has shown no sign of recognition of the world’s democratic opinion of Cuba. John Bolton, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., crudely dismissed the annual vote as “an exercise in irrelevancy.” Although not legally binding, the vote reflects growing opposition to one of the most pernicious vestiges of U.S. Cold War policy.

History

by Carlos Perez

erally and figuratively as a result of food shortages and Castro reluctantly turned to tourism to generate hard currency. Eager to twist the knife, Congress, at the bidding of the politically potent CubanAmerican community, passed the HelmsBurton Act in 1996 to internationalize the embargo. This law holds that any foreign company that “knowingly traffics in property Cuba confiscated, without compensation from a U.S. person” will be subject to legal action. The international community condemned the law as an attack on their sovereignty; and like past attempts, the Helms-Burton Act did not produce the desired results. In 2000, Congress slightly reduced select trade barriers to legalize the sale of US food and medicine to the island. Latin American Working Group (LAWG), an advocacy group focused on US-Latin American relations, reported that “$250 million dollars in U.S. agricultural products have been sold to Cuba as of mid-2003.” Both Cubans and U.S. farmers have welcomed this development, despite its limitations. While increased interaction with Cuba is a positive step, this upgrade in the Embargo has been overshadowed by recent policy blunders.

The U.S. embargo of Cuba began under the Eisenhower administration in 1960 in the form of a reduced import quota on sugar—Cuba’s chief export and the driving force behind much of its history. After ousting U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista in January 1959, rebel leader Fidel Castro boldly set out to make good on revolutionary promises by transforming Cuba. Aiming to sever Cuba’s historic dependence on the United States, Castro launched a series of social and economic programs designed to undercut U.S. influence in sugar, mining, and utilities industries. Washington was not pleased. In the intense context of the Cold War, where anti-colonial, anti-imperialist sentiment had been bubbling since the end of World War II, Washington policymakers feared that a successful Cuban Revolution would spawn similar movements throughout the hemisphere. Accordingly, Washington did everything within its power to undermine the revolution. From 1960-1962, the United States imposed trade sanctions; broke diplomatic relations; trained Cuban exiles to invade the island Under the Bush administration, Cubans and U.S. citizens have at the Bay of Pigs; conducted covert sabotage missions under suffered greatly from intensification of Operation Mongoose; and routinely made assassination attempts against Castro. “In its 45-year history, the the embargo. Most notably, tighter restrictions on travel and remittances have met embargo has been a fierce criticism from citizens and human Ironically, Washington’s full frontal asrights groups. However, both Bush and sault on the revolution turned Cuba to the counterproductive failure.” Castro are to blame. Human Rights Watch Soviet Union, who offered preferential has reported that “Cuba routinely refuses to grant its citizens treatment for sugar imports in exchange for soviet crude oil. permissions to leave their country and often denies those who Consequently, for the first 27 years of its life, the U.S. trade have left permission to return.” Compounding Cuba’s restricembargo, despite having negative consequences for the people tions has been the Bush administrations own contribution to the of Cuba, failed to fulfill its purpose of upending the revoluproblem, severely limiting the rights of U.S. citizens to travel to tion. In fact, the embargo turned into a powerful propaganda the island in June 2004. Under the new rules, individuals are altool for Castro, who frequently invokes the embargo as a symlowed to visit the island only once every three years and only if bol of U.S. aggression and culprit for Cuba’s economic woes. that individual has immediate family living in Cuba. As a result of this policy, to cite just one of many terrible consequences, Things changed after the collapse of the Berlin Wall. Without Human Rights Watch recently published that “a Cubanthe aid from the Soviet Union, Cuba descended into the “speAmerican woman was forced to end her (cont. on p.19) cial period” in the early 90’s. Cuban’s tightened their belts lit- 7

Iraq War Figures

Israel / Palestine:

by Matthew Davis

In the Palestinian territories, President Abbas is struggling to maintain control amidst factional rivalries and the ongoing Israeli occupation. In the run-up to the January 25th election the ruling party, Fatah, has become openly split and barely managed to create a unified list of candidates. Heading up their list is Marwan Barghouti, one of the leaders of the first Intifada, who is currently serving five life sentences in Israeli prison. Some moderate Palestinians have expressed concern that Hamas may win the majority of seats in government, but Barghouti said recently that “Hamas is not an alternative to the Fatah movement, but a partner.”

American Troops Killed: 2,210 (Jan. 8, 2005)

American Troops Wounded: 15,955

In Israel, the new Kadima party created by Ariel Sharon is being overshadowed by the prospect of his untimely death. Sharon, widely considered to be a war criminal for his part in the massacres at Sabra and Shatila, has crafted a new moderate image since the withdrawal from Gaza. Since December 14th, Israel has approved or begun the construction of over 600 news settlement buildings in the occupied West Bank. Despite these ongoing violation of the so-called ‘Roadmap’, on December 22 the U.S. Congress approved $600 million for joint military endeavors (bringing total disclosed military aid for fiscal year 2006 to $2.28 billion).

(Dec. 31, 2005)

Iraqi Civilians Killed: 27,787-31,317

(The U.S. military does not keep a record of the number of civilians killed in Iraq, and some journalists say the number is actually past 100,000 dead.)

Iran:

The Iranian government has produced a device that can separate uranium from its ore, though it continues to claim the technology will only be used for electricity. The United States is still pushing to bring the matter up before the UN Security Council, which might issue economic sanctions or recommend other action. Meanwhile, the German press has been issuing new credible reports suggesting planning for a joint US-Israeli strike on Iranian facilities, possibly as soon as early 2006.

Statistics from Department of Defense, IraqBodyCount.org

(cont. from p.18) frequent trips to care for her ailing father, a widower with advanced Alzheimer’s disease and no immediate relatives left in Cuba.”

Egypt:

To end the 2005 year, ‘President’ Mubarak sent an estimated 20,000 riot officers into a squatter settlement to forcibly clear out 2000 Sudanese refugees, resulting in at least 25 deaths. Egypt, one of the largest recipients of U.S. foreign aid, has faced increasing scrutiny since their farcical election and the recent arrest of opposition leader Ayman Nour. Critics have suggested that Mubarak is trying to present a false choice to Western leaders, between his dictatorial rule and the more fundamentalist perspective voiced by the Muslim Brotherhood.

Resolution In its 45-year history, the embargo has been a counterproductive failure. The US government’s current goal of bringing a “rapid and peaceful transition to democracy” on the island is undermined by its own policies of isolation, preventing a more fruitful interaction between the people of Cuba and the US. Both Cuba and the United States are in direct violation of travel rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; Cuba is no longer a “threat” to national security; the international community is decisively opposed; domestic opposition is growing; it’s time to end the embargo, or as Cubans know it, “El Bloqueo.”

Syria:

For more info: wola.org, lawg.org, hrw.org 8

The former Vice President Abdel-Halim Khaddam has been kicked out of the ruling Baath party in Syria, after accusing the President of being responsible for last February’s assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Al Hariri. The assassination led to mass protests in Lebanon, which proved instrumental in ending Syria’s 29-year military presence in that country. Khaddam made his accusation from exile in Paris, where he has lived since last June. He now faces charges of treason if he returns.

Bush wants to Spy on Students, Students Say “Piss Off” and the Guardian all broke stories about thousands of unauthorized wiretaps that were approved by the president, both Bush and Cheney responded with a proverbial raised middle finger. Speaking to reporters, Cheney said “the president of the United States needs to have his constitutional powers unimpaired, if you will, in terms of the conduct of national security policy.” In an Orwellian press conference, Bush tried to assure the public that the domestic spying was actually aimed at preserving civil liberties. “I want to make sure the American people understand, however, that we have an obligation to protect you, and we’re doing that, and at the same time, protecting your civil liberties,” Bush said with a smile. In short, the Bush Administration believes that the executive branch is above the rule of law. by Alex Joyce

The new spying law does not just apply to universities. Online communication companies and city governments are also required to overhaul their networks to allow push-button access by the federal government.

resident Bush had another brilliant idea for defending democracy. As part of his ‘War on Terrr,’ Bush is requiring universities to redesign their internet networks so that the government can monitor all emails and internet usage from a central office. And here’s the kicker: the universities have to pay for it themselves. Universities would have to charge at least $450 more per student in tuition each year to fund the network changes, and that’s the low estimate. So we get to pay more and give up our privacy, awesome.

The FSU Administration should refuse to implement the changes. Not only would it protect the privacy of students and faculty, but it would save money and prevent an unnecessary hike in tuition.

Take Action

Students need to take action to protect their privacy. Email the FSU Senate President, Gabriel Pendas, and urge him to introduce a resolution demanding that the university not allow spying on students. Gabriel’s email is sgaspres@admin.fsu.edu

Even though the new law requires a warrant before the government can snoop around, President Bush doesn’t believe in court oversight of government spying on citizens. When the Washington Post, the New York Times

The Yeti Asks

Every new year brings the opportunity to start fresh, set new goals, and create higher standards for yourself. If one man can use a little new year selfimprovement, it’s George W. Bush whose approval ratings reached an all-time low of 37% this last November. To help out our good ole friend “Dubya”, the Yeti decided to ask the people of FSU,

“What should Bush’s new year’s resolution be?”

“just to be a bit more openminded.” Clare, 18 Voice Performance and Italian 7

“make new friends” Aneseh, 19 Education

elen Thomas was the first woman member of the Whitehouse Press Corps and has covered every president since JFK. She has been a steadfast defender of the public’s right to know and has kept the Bush Administration’s feet to the fire on their illegitimate reasons for launching the war on Iraq. In a recent interview, Helen condemned the Bush Administration saying, “this is the worst president in all of American history.” Below is a snippet from a recent Whitehouse Press Briefing. It is both hillarious and utterly terrifying.

plish in Iraq -Q I want to know why we’re still there killing people, when we went in by mistake. MR. McCLELLAN: We are liberating people and freeing people to live in a democracy. And why we’re still there -Q Do you think we’re spreading democracy when you spy and put out disinformation and do all the things that -- secret prisons, and torture?

Q The President has publicly acknowledged that we went to war under false information, mistaken information. Why does he insist on staying there if we were there falsely, and continue to kill Iraqis?

MR. McCLELLAN: It is true. He was a threat. And the threat has been removed. Q We had sanctions, we had satellites, we were bombing. MR. McCLELLAN: Let’s talk about why it’s so important, what we’re working to accom-

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I reject that. We’re liberating and freeing people and we’re targeting the enemy. We’re killing the terrorists and we’re going after the Saddam loyalists.

MR. McCLELLAN: And you know who is responsible for most of that? It’s the terrorists and the Saddam loyalists who want to turn back to the past. Q We didn’t kill anybody there?

Q And a right decision to move in and to tell the people, the American people, that it was all a mistake, and stay there?

Q That isn’t true. We had a choke-hold on him.

Q By killing people in their own country?

Q The President said 30,000, more or less.

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, maybe you missed some of his recent speeches and his remarks, but the President said it was the right decision to remove Saddam Hussein and his regime from power --

MR. McCLELLAN: I don’t think he said that. He said that Saddam Hussein was a destabilizing force in a dangerous region of the world --

a debate, or you can let me respond to your questions. I think this is an important subject for the American people to talk about. By advancing freedom and democracy in the Middle East we’re helping to protect our own security. It’s a dangerous region --

Yeti of the Month

MR. McCLELLAN: I reject your characterizations wholly. I reject your characterizations wholly. The United States is helping to advance freedom in a dangerous region of the world. Q -- recognize this kind of -MR. McCLELLAN: For too long we thought we had stability by ignoring freedom in the Middle East. Well, we showed -- we saw on September 11th -Q -- 30,000 plus? MR. McCLELLAN: Well, Helen, we can have

“take more time off work” Seth, 23 Social Psychology

MR. McCLELLAN: Our military goes out of the way to minimize civilian casualties. They target the enemy -Q You admit they kill? MR. McCLELLAN: Well, we’ve got a lot of technology that we can use to target the enemy without going after -- without collateral damage of civilians. And that’s what our military does. Q Are you kidding? MR. McCLELLAN: Oh, I’m going to stand up for our military. Our military goes out of the way to protect civilians. In fact -Q Fallujah, we didn’t kill any civilians? MR. McCLELLAN: We freed some 25 million people in Iraq that were living under a brutal regime.

“Stop that war over there and use the money to help everyone out over here.”

“Learn a new language... maybe english.”

Ellis, 48 FSU Custodial Employee

Chris, 28 Art

From Competition to Cooperation: An Interview with Radical Economist Robin Hahnel

rofessor of Economics at American University for over twenty years, Robin Hahnel is a lifetime political activist and radical economist. Politically he considers himself a product of the New Left with strong leanings towards libertarian socialism. Professor Hahnel is perhaps most famous for his work on participatory economics (parecon) done in collaboration with Z magazine editor Michael Albert. Yeti: Many in the United States believe that despite its shortcomings, capitalism is the “best we can do.” Why should people refuse to “settle” for capitalism?

Work: Production is carried out by worker councils where each member has one vote, individual work assignments are balanced for desirability and empowerment, and worker’s efforts are rated by a committee of their peers and serve as the basis for consumption rights. Proponents of participatory economics believe that taking participation seriously requires balancing jobs for empowerment, just as taking equity seriously requires balancing jobs for desirability. This does not mean everyone must do everything, nor an end to specialization. Each individual will still do a very small number of tasks, but some of them will be more enjoyable and some less, and some will be more empowering and some less.

Personal sacrifice or effort is rewarded in a participatory economy because any other system of compensation is unfair. In capitalism people are Even at its best capitalism creates systematic inequities rewarded according to the value of the contribution of the productive that cannot be morally justified and cannot be capital they own as well as the value of the contribution of their eliminated as long as private enterprise and markets labor. But this means that in capitalism a Rockefeller heir persist. As energetic as capitalism may be, private who inherits large amounts of productive capital but never enterprise and markets badly misallocate our resources works a day in his life enjoys an income hundreds of times and energies, forcing us to run faster and faster, but greater than that of a skilled brain surgeon. In market increasingly in the wrong directions. Despite the facile socialism while “capitalist injustice” may be eliminated, equation of capitalism with freedom and democracy people are rewarded according to the market value of that is ubiquitous today, capitalism the contribution of their labor. Since systematically disenfranchises workers the market value of the services of “ ...capitalism systematically and consumers while empowering a skilled brain surgeon will corporations, and stands as a growing disenfranchises workers and be many times greater danger to, rather than a bulwark of than the market value consumers while empowering political freedom. Finally, capitalism of the services of a corporations, and stands as a creates powerful incentives to abuse the garbage collector growing danger to political natural environment and disincentives no matter how freedom.” for individual parties to undertake hard and well environmental protection and the garbage restoration. The difference between collector twenty-first century and twentieth century capitalism works, remuneration will be will be that “born again” capitalism may well kill us unjust in market socialism all since it begins with “initial conditions” -- 6 billion as well. Only if people people, powerful modern technology, and a damaged are rewarded according to ecosystem -- that can do in mother earth in fairly short sacrifices they make will the order. Moreover, we do not have to accept the economics distribution of burdens and of competition and greed as our inevitable fate. The benefits in the economy be human species is not so hopelessly challenged that we equitable. cannot forge an economics of equitable cooperation. Consumption: Every Yeti: You propose an alternative to capitalism called individual, family, or living Participatory Economics or “Parecon” for short. unit belongs to a neighborhood What are the main features of this model? consumption council. Each The model of a participatory economy neighborhood council was designed to promote: (a) economic belongs to a federation of justice, or equity, defined as economic neighborhood councils the size of reward commensurate with sacrifice, or a precinct. Each precinct federation effort; (b) economic democracy, or selfbelongs to a city ward, or rural county management, defined as decision making federation. Each ward belongs power in proportion to the degree one is to a city consumption council, affected by a decision; and (c) solidarity, each city and county council defined as concern for the well being belongs to a state council, and of others — all to be achieved without each state council belongs sacrificing economic efficiency while to the national consumption promoting a diversity of economic life council. The major styles as well. The major institutions used reason for to achieve these goals are: (1) democratic “nesting” councils of workers and consumers, (2) consumer jobs balanced for empowerment and desirability, (3) councils into ever remuneration according to effort as judged by one’s larger federations is work mates, and (4) a participatory planning procedure to allow for the fact in which councils and federations of workers and that different kinds of consumers propose and revise their own activities consumption affect under rules designed to guarantee outcomes that are different numbers efficient, equitable, and environmentally sustainable. 11 of people. Some

decisions affect only local residents, while others affect all who live in a city, county, state, or nation. Failure to arrange for all those affected by consumption activities to participate in choosing them not only implies a loss of self-management, but, if the preferences of some who are affected by a choice are disregarded or misrepresented, it also implies a loss of efficiency as well. One of the serious liabilities of market systems is their systematic failure to allow for expression of desires for social consumption on an equal footing with desires for private consumption. Having different levels of consumer federations participate on an equal footing with individual worker and neighborhood councils in the participatory planning procedure prevents this bias from occurring in a participatory economy.

other councils. The planning process continues until there are no longer excess demands for any goods, any categories of labor, any primary inputs, or any capital stocks -- in other words, until a feasible plan is reached.

The IFB has no discretionary power to set prices, much less to dictate what workers or consumers can do. The IFB bears no resemblance to GOSPLAN in the former Soviet Union which was a central planning bureaucracy that did have power over who would produce what, and how they would produce it. But in participatory planning workers and consumers propose and revise their own activities in a process that reveals the social Individual members of neighborhood councils present their consumption costs and benefits of their proposals. Not only does each worker requests accompanied by the effort ratings they receive from their co- and consumer council make its own initial proposal, they workers. Using “indicative prices” generated by the participatory planning are responsible for revising their own proposals as well. The process, the social cost of each consumption proposal is calculated to planning procedure is designed to make it clear when proposals determine if a person’s consumption request cost to others is commensurate are inefficient or unfair. And other workers and consumer with the sacrifices he or she made for the benefit of others in work. While councils can disapprove of proposals when they are unfair or no consumption request justified by a work effort rating can be denied inefficient, but revisions of individual proposals are entirely up to by a neighborhood consumption council, neighbors can express their each individual worker and consumer council. This aspect of the opinion that a request is unwise, and neighborhood participatory planning procedure distinguishes it councils can also approve requests on the basis from all other planning models and is a critical “The human species is not of need in addition to merit. Someone can means of providing workers and consumers with so hopelessly challenged borrow or save by consuming more or less the opportunity for self-management. that we cannot forge an than warranted by her effort level for the year, and anyone wishing to submit an Yeti: What can people do now to promote the economics of equitable anonymous request to protect his or her economics of equitable cooperation? What cooperation.” privacy can do so. role can progressive social movements play in this struggle? Participatory Planning: The participants in the participatory planning procedure are the worker Before we will be able to replace competition and greed councils and federations, the consumer councils with equitable cooperation, before we can replace private and federations, and an Iteration Facilitation enterprise and markets with worker and consumer councils Board (IFB). Conceptually, the planning and participatory planning, we will have to devise intermediate procedure is quite simple. (1) The IFB means to prevent backsliding and regenerate forward announces current estimates of the momentum. For the foreseeable future most of this must be social opportunity costs for all goods, done by combining reform work with work to establish and resources, categories of labor, and expand imperfect experiments in equitable cooperation. Both capital stocks, or what we call their kinds of work are necessary. Neither strategy is effective by “indicative prices.” (2) Consumer itself. councils and federations respond with consumption proposals. Reforms alone cannot achieve equitable cooperation because Worker councils and as long as the institutions of private enterprise federations respond and markets are left in place to reinforce antiwith production social behavior based on greed and fear, progress proposals listing toward equitable cooperation will be limited, and the outputs they the danger of retrogression will be ever present. propose to make Moreover, reform campaigns undermine their and the inputs they leaders’ commitment to full economic justice and need to make them. democracy in a number of ways, and do little to (3) The IFB then demonstrate that equitable cooperation is possible, calculates the excess or establish new norms and expectations. On demand or supply for the other hand, concentrating exclusively on each final good and organizing alternative economic institutions within service, capital good, capitalist economies also cannot be successful. natural resource, and First and foremost, exclusive focus on building category of labor, and alternatives to capitalism is too isolating. Until adjusts the estimate of the non-capitalist sector is large, the livelihoods the opportunity cost of most people will depend on winning reforms in for the good up, or down, in light the capitalist sector, and therefore that is where most people will of the excess demand or supply. become engaged. But concentrating exclusively on experiments (4) Using the new estimates of in equitable cooperation will also not work because the rules of opportunity costs, consumer capitalism put alternative institutions at a disadvantage compared and worker councils to capitalist firms they must compete against, and because market and federations forces drive non-capitalist institutions to abandon cooperative revise and resubmit principles. Therefore, concentrating exclusively on reforms, and their proposals. focusing only on building alternatives within capitalism are both Individual worker roads that lead to dead ends. Only in combination will reform and consumer campaigns and imperfect experiments in equitable cooperation councils must successfully challenge the economics of competition and greed continue to revise in the decades ahead. their proposals until they submit Interview conducted by: one that is Carlos Perez and Steve Tate accepted by the 12

by E. J. Masicampo

n the 2004 presidential election, I voted for David Cobb: an anti-war, pro-gay rights Green party candidate, and someone most of you have probably never heard of. I voted for him because he stands for a lot of the same values that I do. Makes sense, right? Unfortunately, voting doesn’t always work out this way. Most of my left-leaning peers cast their votes for John Kerry—not so much because they wanted him to win, but because they wanted George W. Bush to lose. In this country, you don’t vote for someone. You vote against them. This is why our voting system sucks. The United States employs a plurality voting system. This means whoever gets the most votes wins. It’s a simple system and it makes sense, but it leads to two-party governments and forces citizens to engage in tactical voting. Rather than choose the candidate we like most, we must consider which candidates are likely to win and vote based on the probable outcome we most (or least) desire.

Instant RunoffVoting also promotes positive campaigns by creating the need for candidates to vie for 2nd and 3rd choice votes. IRV has been shown to increase voter turnout and, while it may sound complicated, has endured for decades in Ireland and Australia.

So why haven’t we had Instant Runoff voting before? Our forefathers put the current voting systems in place before voting theory even existed. That’s right: plurality voting is so 18th Century. Of course, now that we know there are better options we can do something about it. Instant Runoff Voting has recently been adopted by cities in California, Maryland, Michigan, and Vermont, and groups in favor of IRV Your Preference for President have been organizing all around the country. In light of recent elections, many people have been advertising 1st 2nd 4th 3rd the need for voter reform and IRV is one thing we can adopt to improve the process. Instant Runoff Voting addresses many of the issues that have come up in recent elections, and promises to open up the political field to more candidates and a wider range of ideas. Do me, yourself, and David Cobb a favor and get with the times.

Sample Ballot

Bush Gore

The majority of Americans realize this Nader and consequently many choose not to vote. When you’re presented with only two viable candidates and you hate them Buchanan both, voting can feel pretty pointless. There are ways around this, however. What many voters don’t realize is that plurality voting is just one of the many systems we could be using in our elections. In fact, voting theorists tend to describe plurality voting as one of the worst systems out there.

For more information, go to these websites: http://www.instantrunoff.com/ http://cirv.org/ http://www.fairvote.org/

An alternative system that has been gaining support is Instant Runoff Voting (IRV) which requires a winning candidate to earn a majority--rather than just most--of the votes. The IRV method allows voters to rank their candidates in order of preference (first, second, third, etc.) so as to simulate a runoff election. If a candidate wins a majority of the first-preference votes, the election is over and that candidate wins. If not, the last place finisher is eliminated and ballots for the last place candidate are recast based on their second choices. This resembles two-round runoffs or primary elections, except that the recorded rankings allow the runoff to take place instantly. In the current system, people don’t want to vote for third party candidates in fear that doing so will push close elections in undesirable directions. Third party candidates are often encouraged to refrain from running for this same reason. Many blame Ralph Nader for spoiling the 2000 election in Bush’s favor by pulling votes away from Al Gore. Instant Runoff Voting eliminates these third-party spoiler effects by guaranteeing voters of losing candidates that their opinions will still count if the election is close.

Crossword:

Corporate Slogans Can be Fun!!

Corporations are a huge part of American Life. Billions of dollars are spent developing and marketing products directly to you. Chances are, unless you live in a cave (Yeti), then you are familiar with more of these catchy slogans than you may even realize. In this zany crossword fill in the name of the corporation which fits the slogan already buried deep within your subconscious. 9If you get a headache then, stop. Think. Tylenol.

The Ins and Outs of Recycling by Jacqueline Martin

hat are you going to do with this Yeti when you are done reading it? Reduce: only take as many copies as you plan on distributing or reading. Reuse: pass it on to your friends. Recycle? Oh yeah! Where Can I Recycle? Residents that have curbside trash service are lucky to also have curbside recycling. The rest of us that live in dorms or apartments have to exert extra effort. If you are ambitious you could rally other avid recyclers to demand that your apartment complex offer a recycling dumpster next to the trash. The cost to the owner is the bin and a parking space, but it could save in landfill fees. Otherwise you can bag it and drop it off at a recycling center. The Florida State University Recycling and Waste Management Service is located on Madison Street, by the Intramural Fields, and accepts all types of recycling between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. For larger items, the Leon County Landfill is a few miles past Capital Circle on Apalachee Parkway. What Can I Recycle? The City of Tallahassee, Leon County, and FSU collect all types of paper, cardboard, glass, aluminum, plastic, electronics, batteries and other hazardous waste. There are several things that unfortunately can’t be recycled through the City/County program, but their website has a list of places you can take things like egg cartons, batteries and appliances. Go to http:// www.talgov.com/you/solid/beyond.cfm for the complete list. Is Recycling Profitable? Currently, paper, cardboard, and aluminum are very profitable in Tallahassee. Like all business, it depends on the supply and the demand. The abundant timber resources of the southeast has historically fostered a vibrant paper industry, so it makes sense that paper recycling would do well here. Plastic recycling does not profit here because we do not have the industries that buy recycled plastic, like the pharmaceutical industries

Across

1. Zoom Zoom 2. Change the way you look at color 3. Be all you can be 4. Just do it 5. Relax, go nuts 6. Think outside the bun 7. The document company 8. No battery is stronger longer 9. We never stop working for you 10. Fly the friendly skies 11. The fresh maker 12. The ultimate driving machine 13. Betcha can’t have just one

in New Jersey. Aluminum is shipped to Atlanta, where a major Coca Cola distribution plant is, and glass is sent to Jacksonville. Also like normal business, monetary returns depends on the volume of goods. A recycling plant costs a lot of money, which is a fixed cost. If the City only collects a small amount of recyclable goods, then there is a high cost to recycle per unit. If everyone recycles as much as they can, then there is enough recycled goods to make it worthwhile to invest in this technology. As this industry spends more money on research and development it will become more efficient, as we have seen over the past few decades. Doesn’t my recycling just get thrown in with the trash anyway? It might look like the City is dumping your sorted recycling into one large truck, but there is actually a divider in the truck to keep the materials separate. In Tallahassee it makes both economic and environmental sense to collect recycled goods and sell it to Recycled Fibers (the local recycling distribution center) because we have invested in the necessary infrastructure. Leon County has only one landfill, and it is in the County’s best interest to reduce the waste stream. The local government is embarking on new programs to recycle non-traditional materials like cell phones and other electronics. They have just teamed up with FSU to create a sustainable campus. Join us on FSU campus the week of Jan 17th through the 20th to find out more. Measuring the full effect of our trash is about making informed choices. In today’s world, recycling your stuff, and then buying things made from recycled materials is one of the best environmental choices you can make. You can contact the FSU Environmental Service Program sgaEnvironmental@admin.fsu.edu or visit the FSU Service Learning Program at http://www.fsu.edu/~service/sl/recycling.htm for more information.

Down

10. See what brown can do for you 14. We try harder 15. Fair and balanced 16. Kill bugs dead 17. Think different 18. Thousands of possibilities 19. Give me a break 20. The most trusted name in news 21. Kid tested mother approved 22. Keeps going and going 23. Australian for beer 24. Because you’re worth it 25. Get more 26. It’s everywhere you want to be

10 10

ANSWERS Across: 1. Mazda, 2. Nexus, 3. Army, 4. Nike, 5. Planters, 6. Taco Bell, 7. Xerox, 8. Duracell, 9. Verizon, 10. United, 11. Mentos, 12. BMW, 13. Lays Down: 10. UPS, 15. Fox, 16. Raid, 17. Apple, 18. Best Buy, 19. Kit Kat, 20. CNN, 21. Kix, 22. Energizer, 23. Fosters, 24. L’oreal, 25. T Mobile, 26. VISA

onsidering one would not normally think of Tallahassee as a haven for the mind or the inner self, it is a pleasant surprise to have more than one nourishing meditation place to choose from. Specifically, one that began seven years ago, initially as a small study group that met to discuss Shambhala Buddhism (based on Tibetan Buddhism as taught in the West). This recently expanding Tallahassee group has embraced the community with their Shambhala Meditation Center.

By Claudia Navas

Nestled off of South Monroe Street on 216 Oakland Avenue, the quaint building sits amid trees, almost uniformly blending into its outdoor surroundings. Walking through the house-like structure, a long hallway navigates past various offices and concludes at Suite #3. Once inside, the front room leads the way to the mediation room as well as to the adjacent patio area. The harmony between the outside and inside is a seamless connection; paralleling the relationships between each of the participants of the mediation group. Speaking in a soft and easygoing but equally passionate manner, Adrienne Gautier, one of the center’s instructors, describes Shambhala as “a way to live in the world with the idea of creating an enlightened society by starting with yourself and getting to know yourself.” In other words, practicing meditation is a way to be mindful, awakened and brave about confronting everyday neurosis without “going into your cocoon or turning away from suffering.” In relation to events in the world, it is so easy to give up and escape. This group places emphasis on knowing your own mind and heart in order to embrace the now. Since there is no mention of a dogma or a god during the scheduled meetings, people from all religions, or lack thereof, are welcome. The mélange of people that gather for meditation ranges in age, race, profession and views, but can still relate to one another based on the simple notion of finding a path to their inner self. In addition to Tuesday night meditation and chanting (from 7 pm – 8pm) and Wednesday night meditation and discussion (from 7pm – 8:30 pm, with light supper ½ hour prior), the center offers its grounds for silent lunch on Mondays (available 11:30 am – 1:30 pm), monthly mediation instruction, as well as scheduled retreats for the increasing training levels of Shambhala. The weekly gatherings are free, and although donations are not obligatory they are accepted. Like a precious charm tucked into one of Tallahassee’s many pockets, the Shambhala Mediation Center presents an organic space that suggests use of its teaching for the betterment of oneself and in turn, of others. Despite the clutter and congestion, evident in various facets of everyday life, it is nice to know that centers such as this one are accessible. Please visit the Tallahassee Shambhala Meditation Group website at www.webdharma.com/shambhala/index.html for directions, contact information and a weekly schedule. For other options in meditation centers, go to www.webdharma.com

SEX CAMPUS AND THE

Happy Anniversary!

By Cassie Smith

nomination of Samuel Alito, Roe is in serious trouble and it appears its overturning may be on the way. If Roe is overturned, the decision becomes a state matter and the laws will vary on a state by state basis. Three states (IL, KY, LA) have laws stating that if Roe is overturned, abortion will be prohibited. Five states (AR, MO, NE, ND, PA) have laws declaring their intent to ban abortion to the fullest extent permitted by the Constitution. Two states (LA, UT) have declarations saying their policy is “to protect the unborn as persons” under state law. Over all, forty states have laws banning post-viability abortions. Only four states (CT, ME, MD, WA) have laws affirming the right to an abortion before viability and only one state (NV) provides the right within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy.

During my Christmas shopping I ran into an ex. We awkwardly exchanged “how are you’s” and stood there until he blurted out “I’m having a baby.” I couldn’t tell if it was remorse or anxious joy behind his words, but I felt terrible. I resisted the urge to ask if it was an accident and just smiled. Four months ago when I saw loser daddy-to-be he was dating a leggy blonde whom he was planning to dump for a purple haired girl he was sleeping with, not exactly the baby type. I saw mommy-to-be coming towards us and said I had to go to the bathroom to prevent the most uncomfortable situation in my life from getting worse. I sized her up as I passed, she couldn’t have been more than 22, and she looked miserable. With so many voices opposed to Roe, every voice for it must be heard. This month the Women’s Center is hosting a variety of events focused I was convinced it was an accident; no way she and the ex had met on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, contact them at 644-6453 for more and decided they were ready to have a baby in the four months (at information. Also, Planned Parenthood’s office is located on Pensacomost) they’d been dating. Too many women today forget the decision la, and can be reached at 574-7455. They always have open doors and and power we have over our bodies. I wanted to tell her “there are so plenty of information if you need it. many options available if you accidentally get pregnant!” As the an“Some Women are Born “Women Deseve Better niversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court abortion decision Leaders” than Abortion” approaches, we all need to be more conscious of this right. If we forget who:Sarah Weddington who: Cathy Cleaver Ruse this control over our bodies, we will forget to fight for it and we neglect (the lawyer who won Roe (Pro-Life Activist) to imagine what will happen if we are left “Roe-less.” This January 22nd, the Roe v. Wade decision turns 33. It’s been upheld through the years, though chipped away at in numerous other cases. However, with the appointment of Chief Justice John Roberts and the

GASP TRAVEL

Everyone has had some unique moment in their life that literally took their breath away. Share the feeling with us, leave us breathless, make us gasp in the magic, simplicity, or the integrity in that moment of your discovery. Send your fabulous, colorful submissions, (no longer than 150 words) as well as a photo to: gasp_yeti@yahoo.com

v. Wade) when: Jan.19th, @7pm where: Florida Ballrooms

when: Jan. 31, @7pm where: Student Services bldg. 208, FSU campus

Questions about these events? Contact Catherine Slocum: sgawc@admin.fsu.edu

A winter’s mist sheets our hoodies and heavily coated shoulders. People litter the streets as I carry a dozen wrapped tulips from the bloemenmarkt back to our quaint hostel. The tender bulbs, colored like delicious fruits, spruce up our room. I place them in water bottles and scatter them around.

Nearing the end of our trip, we try to squeeze out all the city has to offer, walking to and fro on the web of streets; constantly hearing the light ring from the bell of a bike, crossing canals at every other corner, pleased with the modern and historical architecture and admiring the laid back atmosphere. I relish in knowing that the word for ‘thanks’, bedankt, in addition to Van Gogh, Vermeer, hashish and poffertjes (tiny buckwheat panAs we adjust, we pass the days walking from sight to sight through cakes) will roll off my tongue with more ease than before. the crooked streets. The nights are spent strolling the city, under colored bulbs and neon lights. Amsterdam is a city built like As our taxi pulls up to our departing terminal, flurries and latspokes on a wheel, with each straat lined with lively bars and er flakes of snow blow down over the traffic of cars and onto aromatic coffee shops amid residential homes. We dodge bikes the ground. In the and people that zip by us steadily and with direction, while we distance, the heart stand wondering which direction to go towards Rembrantplein of Amsterdam remains hidden, with or Dam Square. its locals and tourTo dazzle our palettes, we eat a heaving variety of pannekoek ists alike rising to (Dutch pancakes) and sweet waffles embedded with syrup, or a blissful, snowy stroopwafles, almost daily. On occasion, store bought bread and morning. local selections of kaas (cheese) serve as easy to make sandwiches that relieve our appetites. 16

Amsterdam By Claudia Navas Landing at Schipol Airport, I feel relaxed from the business class trip over the Atlantic. The pilot announces it’s 5 minutes till 6 am, and while my watch still clings to 1 am, my time, I soon become anxious to once again greet the Netherlands.

THE BEST:

ufjan Stevens- Illinois: Sufjan Stevens released yet nother year has passed; while I may not be another literate, soulful, and greatly entertaining look at a fan of nostalgia, it’s difficult to not look America. We can only hope his next 48 state-related releases will back over the year. 2005 saw the release be as good as this. of some of the best and worst music of our timeand we at the Yeti feel that these releases deserve Kanye West- Late Registration: With Late Registration, Kanye recognition. Through the usage of a scientific musicWest gives modern rap music resounding and undeniable relevance. rating algorithm (Coffee plus cigarettes times an The mixture of intelligent lyricism and Jon Brion’s production undeserved sense of elitism divided by a disconnect melded to create one of the year’s most talked-about releases. from reality equals good music criticism!) we have compiled a list of some of our favorite albums of MIA- Arular: Incredibly catchy beats 2005 and of course, the worst. - Ryan Brody mixed with a generous helping of political commentary made this album an undeniable success with wide-appeal that is properly played with broken synthesizers and only two band members, or My Bloody Valentine playing with a more deserved. direct punch. Broadcast - Tender Buttons: Feedback. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah- Clap Your Hands Say Static. Harsh buzzing noises. These are the primary instruments Yeah: So many bands these days attempt to imitate The that comprise the surprisingly compelling Tender Buttons, which Talking Heads that any band that seems to borrow hooks is at heart a fairly simple pop album. Imagine Stereolab being from them is generally regarded as dull and derivative. Clap your Hands Say Yeah have proven that the sonic THE WORST: territory unveiled by David Byrne hasn’t been completely made cliche.

Crazy Frog, Jingle Bells / Last Christmas- One part cell-phone ringtone, one part obnoxious novelty, three parts unintentional criticism of modern consumer and mobile culture.

Toby Keith, Honkytonk University - pander |pandər| verb [ intrans. ] (pander to) 1. gratify or indulge 2. To create hawkish country music marketed towards red states. NickleBack, All the Right Reasons All the Right Reasons to stop listening to modern rock radio stations. Scott Stapp, The Great Divide- This album features the music of Scott Stapp.

Lightning Bolt- Hypermagic Mountain: This is a release full of chaos, or perhaps it was entropy? It’s a bit like listening to the soundtrack that surely must have accompanied the big bang, really. Not to be overly grandiose or anything. The Dirty Projectors- The Getty Address: Instructions on how to make a “Getty Address” : 1.5 oz. epic poem; 1 tablespoon Mt. Eerie album; 3 shots of Yale dropout turned prolific and downright bizarre songwriter; shake well. Serve over ice. Honorable Mentions: The New Pornographers infused our lives with more catchy Canadian pop. The Mountain Goats took dark subjects and made musical lemonade. Animal Collective released an accessable but wonderfully odd album. Deerhoof rocked.

by KYLE DEVRIES here are some secrets that are necessary, should they come out they would cause irreparable harm. These are the secrets that are the hardest to keep, the ones that rip at the very nature of our souls and lay bloodbare our weaknesses. These are the secrets that could kill us should they become known and will kill us if we keep them locked inside of ourselves. Brokeback Mountain is the story of two men harboring this kind of secret and is based on the short story of the same name by Pulitzer Prize winning Annie Proulx. Deep in the Midwest, Ennis Delmar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhal) meet while working as farmhands on Brokeback Mountain in Wyoming. These two cowboys share a summer on the mountain keeping watch on flocks of sheep while their friendship grows. As the summer progresses a peculiar emotion arises between the two – love. This movie is a moving tale about the love that flares between the two men and how they survive in a society that would see them dead if it knew their secret. One of the most amazing facets of this movie is its realism; when you are watching the movie you cannot help but be swept away by the thought that this is what it was

like. People were put into this sort of situation everyday. It’s relevant because, people still are. Heath Ledger doesn’t just act out Ennis Delmar, but rather he becomes the character. Ledger manages to capture the stillness and subtlety of

Wyoming through Ennis, playing a quiet and gentle soul who is torn between the choices he must make and the simple life he wants to lead. Jake Gyllenhal plays a Jack Twist who brings vitality to the story and that contrasts Ledger’s character perfectly. Overall this movie is incredible. It tells a truly sad story that will reach into your heart and communicate with you in a way that is rare in movies these days. Although the story may seem slow at times, this mirrors the slow

Confessions of an Economic Hitman T Review By ALEX JOYCE

he best way to describe this thrilling personal account of the shadowy world of global corporate manipulation is to let the author tell it himself. After all, John Perkins was an economic hit man for twenty years.

If you are interested in corporate globalization, or you’ve ever wondered how developing countries get mired in billions of dollars of debt, or why the loan money never even leaves the United States, or what type of people orchestrate these shady deals, read this book! The opening paragraph of the preface sets the stage for this gripping story >>>

pace of living outside of modern society in rural Wyoming, and this is an example of the masterful storytelling of director Ang Lee. For all the straight guys who are thinking “I don’t want to see some guy doing another guy”, get over yourselves; and, if you can’t, don’t worry as there is only one 10 second sex scene and you don’t see anything. This movie is about the love between the two men, a love that is so beautiful and true it will reach into the icy heart of even the most homophobic conservative and thaw it. No matter who you are or what your tastes may be do not miss this movie, I promise that you will enjoy it. This is a simple story of love, the old-fashioned kind that Hollywood rarely produces anymore, and such stories transcend preconceived notions of sexuality and gender. Don’t forget either, the important lesson that this movie has to offer: this still happens. Millions of gay Americans still hide afraid in the closet because of the repercussions that society threatens them with. There is a reason that around two thirds of all teen suicides are among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender individuals. Life is not easy and many live with fear in their hearts. I urge you all to go see this movie and come away from it a little more understanding and a little more compassionate. Brokeback Mountain is currently playing at the Miracle 5 Theatre on Thomasville Road. Kyle DeVries also runs a campus based organization, Activists for Gay Equality, which works hard towards equality on a community, state and national level. This group is open to all members of the community both gay and straight. To learn more please contact Kyle: kyle@gayequality.org or call 352-978-2082.

“Economic hit men (EHMs) are highly paid professionals who cheat countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars. They funnel money from the World Bank, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and other foreign “aid” organizations into the coffers of huge corporations and the pockets of a few wealthy families who control the planet’s natural resources. Their tools include fraudulent financial reports, rigged elections, payoffs, extortion, sex, and murder. They play a game as old as empire, but one that has taken on new and terrifying dimensions during this time of globalization. I should know; I was an EHM.”