The Resurrection of America
and Salvation of our Species

April Fools' Day (sometimes called All Fools' Day) is an annual celebration in some European and Western countries commemorated on April 1 by playing practical jokes and spreading hoaxes. The jokes and their victims are called April fools. Some newspapers, magazines and other published media report fake stories, which are usually explained the next day or below the news section in smaller letters. Although popular since the 19th century, the day is not a public holiday in any country. Aside from April Fools' Day, the custom of setting aside a day for the playing of harmless pranks upon one's neighbor has historically been common around the world....wiki

Sometimes looking back gives you better focus when you look forward. I caught a piece on the world channel about Henrietta Boggs (who I once knew as Henrietta MacGuire). As a young woman she moved to Costa Rica and became the first lady of the Revolution in the late 40's and early 50's. http://stonetosoup.org/project/first-lady-of-the-revolution/  a quick look and trailer

Article from a Central American point of view
http://www.ticotimes.net/tico_longform_post/discovering-henrietta-the-al...

PBS World channel broadcast a 50 minute version of her story. May be this link will work...
http://www.pbs.org/video/first-lady-of-the-revolution-ybanpz/

Her work 70 years ago provides benefits and offers lessons to this day. Her voice was instrumental in getting women the right to vote, and she played a role in preserving natural lands (a quarter to one third of all Costa Rica is protected) and encouraged the disbanding of the army.

Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador are plagued by chronic poverty and violence that have sent a flood of refugees fleeing to the United States. Panama has gained the unwanted title as a world capital for money laundering and corruption. And all of them, plus Nicaragua, face recurrent political upheaval.
Yet amid this chaos, one Central American neighbor remains an island of political stability, economic prosperity and contentment: Costa Rica.
The country's secret is something that virtually no other country in the world can claim — no standing army. It has used the savings from defense spending to improve education, health care and a durable social safety net.
In 2018, Costa Rica will mark its 70th anniversary since it abolished its military, and that seems to suit the population. It ranked first in Latin America and 12th in world in happiness, according to the 2017 World Happiness Index. The Happy Planet Index ranked it No. 1 in the world.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/01/05/costa-rica-celebrat...

This article and the following response indicate there are still issues
http://www.coha.org/costa-rica-an-army-less-nation-in-a-problem-prone-re...

They go to the polls today. I wish Costa Rica the best. (2 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky7LElHzkq4

Henrietta turns 100 this May. She lives in Montgomery. Peace old friend!

I would argue Costa Rica is a case study providing a clear example of the benefits of ceasing global aggression and bringing our young folks home. Last week there was an outcry by many young (and old) people to stop the violence here at home. Our violence at home is a reflection of the violence that our corporate oligarchy perpetrates around the world.

But perhaps we are at a teachable/learning moment? There is a effort to recall our troops home...
http://noforeignbases.org/

Invitation to Join a United Day of Action
Against U.S. Wars at Home and Abroad
on the weekend of April 14 –15.

That weekend is right before Tax Day, Earth Day, and May Day, which gives us the ability to draw attention to the increase in military spending and the unpopular new tax bill, to point out that the U.S. military is the largest polluter in the world and to address the growing deportation and vilification of immigrants, as well as violation of labor rights.

They are open to adding events if any of you are interested.

Will Peace Break out?
How about North Korea's end around run, meeting with China and now South Korea, before meeting with T-rump? Tim Shorrock, correspondent for The Nation and the Korea Center for Investigative Journalism discusses the situation (video or text)
https://www.democracynow.org/2018/3/29/as_north_korea_talks_with_china

Another hopeful sign...
The Denver chapter of Democratic Socialists of America, or DSA, successfully convinced the Denver Democratic Party to endorse a key tenet of democratic socialism in their party platform. The party’s official platform now includes the following plank:
We believe the economy should be democratically owned and controlled in order to serve the needs of the many, not to make profits for the few.
https://theintercept.com/2018/03/29/denver-dsa-democrats-socialism/

There is also a movement to create a peoples party. They are looking for the development of local chapters
https://www.forapeoplesparty.org/mpp_chapter_building_guide/
Here is their platform – looks like a good start:
https://www.forapeoplesparty.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/MPP-Platform...

The people's party is also working with the poor people's campaign
https://poorpeoplescampaign.org/
MeteorMan has an essay up about his work with the campaign...
https://caucus99percent.com/content/poor-peoples-campaign-update

Then there's teachers leading the labor struggle....now in Kentucky and Oklahoma
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/03/30/standwithteachers-wave-red-...
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/03/29/oklahoma-teachers-win-pay-r...

On the Environmental Front...

More success in the courtroom against the oil companies. Last year, the coastal cities of San Francisco and Oakland sued the five big oil companies, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Exxon Mobil, BP, and Royal Dutch Shell, with the charge of public nuisance, seeking billions of dollars for protections against sea level rise due to climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuel. The case is ongoing.
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:21481:Big-Oil-and-Climate-Science-on-Trial (video or text)
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/03/30/victory-people-judge-tosses...

Cities seem to be taking the lead. Mayor Catherine Pugh signed the Crude Oil Terminal Prohibition on Wednesday, March 28. The bill will change the city’s zoning code to prohibit the construction of new crude oil terminals and the expansion of the city’s two existing facilities. Baltimore is the first east coast city to pass a ban of this kind. http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&I...

And remember the young folks that filed their constitutional climate lawsuit, called Juliana v. U.S., against the U.S. government in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon in 2015?

That suit is still alive as well...

Due to the Trump administration’s drastic tactics before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to silence the voices of youth and keep science out of the courtroom, the trial will not begin on February 5th, as originally scheduled. 
On March 7, 2018 the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the Trump administration’s “drastic and extraordinary” petition for writ of mandamus
https://www.ourchildrenstrust.org/us/federal-lawsuit/

Climate activists are cheering after a district judge in Boston on Tuesday ruled that 13 fossil fuel pipeline protesters were not responsible for any infraction because of the necessity of their actions.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/03/28/judge-drops-charges-against...

All may not be well with the environment....three-eyed Billy explains the EPA approach to environmental apocalypse in this 1 min cartoon
https://www.truthdig.com/cartoons/5-steps-to-environmental-apocalypse-vi...

Hooray for Real Reporting and Whistleblowers

I appreciate those who try to help us understand what is going on around us. Julian Assange comes to mind this week. Everything wikileaks has published has been confirmed. But some truths are more painful than others. He crossed the line when he criticized Spain. ..and Germany. The oligarchs will give him no rest. John Pilger lays out the case in this clip. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9n5irwWHfI (11 min)
Jimmy Dore weighs in too https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oc8wvAucS9o (12 min)

John Pilger had some insightful comments about the expulsion of Russian diplomats too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxRiG8vRRBk (6 min)

Chelsea Manning , Army whistleblower, transgender activist, spent seven years in military prison after leaking a trove of documents about Iraq and Afghanistan and the State Department to WikiLeaks in 2010, now running for U.S. Senate in Maryland. (video or text)
https://www.democracynow.org/2018/3/27/we_cannot_wait_for_change_freed

Truthsayers now and in the past, have helped us to understand the reality of our condition. Here's a 2 min clip (with text) about 1800's reporter Ida B. Wells
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:21460:Women%27s-History-Month-Highlight%...

So as they play spy vs spy, the real puppet masters are at work ...
Cambridge Analytica, owned by Robert Mercer, is in the news, but other companies -- like the Koch Brothers' i360 and Karl Rove's Data Trust -- are far more dangerous, says investigative reporter Greg Palast (18 min or text)
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:21461:Cambridge-Analytica-Is-Not-Alone%3...
Ari Berman suggest the rigging of the census will also undo what little democracy remains
https://www.democracynow.org/2018/3/28/journalist_ari_berman_if_trump_is (video or text)
Greg Palast comments on the census question too. (5 min or text)
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:21478:The-Census%3A-Hidden-Agenda-Behind...

The former national security briefer to George H.W. Bush, Ray McGovern, talks about John Bolton, Russia, and the CIA’s twitter account engaging in domestic propaganda by campaigning for Gina Haspel. McGovern, who spent 27 years at the CIA, also explains why the elder Bush called Bolton and his crew the “crazies.” The middle portion of the podcast or read the text...
https://theintercept.com/2018/03/28/intercepted-podcast-donald-trumps-st...

Russia has the power to destroy the U.S. several times over, and unprecedented bipartisan hawkishness in Washington is driving the world to a precipice by blocking diplomatic talks, demonizing Putin, and delegitimizing the system in Russia says Prof. Richard Sakwa
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:21446:US-and-Russia%3A-New-Age-of-Nuclea...
He continues, “With the New START treaty set to end in 2021 and no substantive nuclear arms talks underway, the United States and Russia have entered "a phase of enormous danger,"
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:21456:US-and-Russia%3A-New-Age-of-Nuclea...

More shuffling positions in the executive branch...VA head ousted because he won't support privatization.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/03/29/warnings-koch-brothers-infl...
https://www.democracynow.org/2018/3/30/david_shulkins_firing_at_the_va (video or text)

Jelena McWilliams will be the new FDIC director and this will mean a "slaughter" of the remaining banking regulations, which will already be significantly weakened via a new law to be passed soon by Congress, says former financial regulator Bill Black
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:21453:Trump-Appoints-Yet-Another-Deregul...

Money makes the world go around....(and I thought it was gravity?)

Max and Stacy are in Puerto Rico, The territory is interested in being a crypto currency innovator. Max reviews how crypto could help over come the US Dollar. (1st 15 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aWoVh6xJ6g

Venezuela's cryptocurrency is deemed illegal by T-rump. Does he have a clue about crypto?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_0XlTGG6Hk (1.5 min)

No Peace in the Middle East...
Another one sided episode – Israeli forces killed at least 15 Palestinian protesters in Gaza on Friday, and injured hundreds more with live fire, as up to 50,000 residents of the besieged enclave answered an activist’s call to embrace civil disobedience by demonstrating close to the border fence, an area defined by the Israel Defense Forces as a closed military zone.
https://theintercept.com/2018/03/30/israel-gaza-march-killed-protest/
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/03/31/day-after-shooting-dead-lea...

Saudi Prince Charming continues his PR venture
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/03/29/saudi-crown-prince-socially...
There's even a slick ad free pro Saudi magazine available...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDmq3EUMjDA (5 min)

Will we leave Syria quickly like T-rump promised this week?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xl-Fr4as7-Y (40 sec)
This weekend he is reassessing our role in Syria (3 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoddKqAnA7o

So we live in a world surrounded by fools....but sprinkled with heroes. There are positive signs. We know there is a path forward, but it is difficult to imagine how we turn this battleship of a nation and create a peace and harmony with the planet and one another. We start the revolution with ourselves. We must be the change. Perhaps it is a new year, and a new time...

In the Middle Ages, New Year's Day was celebrated on March 25 in most European towns. In some areas of France, New Year's was a week-long holiday ending on April 1. Some writers suggest that April Fools' originated because those who celebrated on January 1 made fun of those who celebrated on other dates. more from wiki