This has been a slow news week. It was not that the news stopped, rather what the news media has had to report is a replica of what they said last week - and the week before. SARS continues its rampage. Violence continues in the Middle East as the Euro-American road map is contestedby the Palestinians and Israelis. The state of Georgia is still fighting the Civil war. The pope has declared more saints. Saddam remains hidden, and the US mishandling of the Iraqi occupation has a new coach. President Shrub continues to push not only for the appointment of two more ultraconservative Appeals Court Judges but, despite his winning 121 previous appointments to argue that the appointment process needs revision. And librarians around the country have begun destroying records of what people are reading as part of their protest against the Patriot Act.

Over here

We won't stand for it: Students from Maryland state universities protested massive budget cuts by visiting Annapolis and staging a sit-in.

Scrutiny on the bounty: According to a WYPR piece on the over 600 "detainees" in Guantanamo Bay, some prisoners were snapped up in Afghanistan based on bounty money promised by the US. A lawyer who represents a Guantanamo prisoner obtained copies of U.S. leaflets that were distributed to Afghan citizens saying, "Feed your family for life, turn in an Arab." Quite a few of the dangerous "illegal combantants" could be anything but.

And you thought the schools were bad before: This week it was reported that city school spending was to be cut by 43 million with 600 positions removed and 100 layoffs. In addition on the chopping block was the demotion of 225 academic coaches to reduce the budget in the schools. According to the 5/8/03 Sun article, a principal from Robert Poole Middle Schools said the coaches were, "the best thing in urban education in 30 years."

They must have been building it one step at a time: The bridge over Charles Street is finally planned to reopen on June 27. After the myriad, bizarre detours commuters have taken since May 2000, how will they get accustomedto a straight shot? And then, how will the Tapas Teatro crowd stand the smog and noise?

There can be only one: Thought media consolidation couldn't get any worse? Think again. NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox are fast on their way to being restructured under the same corporation. The Federal Communications Commission is planning to authorize these changes on June 2nd. Tell congress you support media diversity.

Brother, can you spare a dime? Current unemployment estimates are that 10.2 million people are unemployed. At least a million and a half people are not counted as unemployed because they have become discouraged and stopped looking for work.In addition an estimated 4.8 million people are working part time because they can't find full time jobs. Since the beginning of the Bush administration, an estimated 2.7 million jobs have been lost. Interesting to note that the British Reuters reported this fact, and the American Associated Press article -- on exactly the same topic -- failed to include mention of this statistic.

Over there

To the victor go the Belgian spoils: Iraqi civilians are planning to sue General Tommy Franks and other US Military officials for war crimes in Iraq. The complaint will hold that coalition forces indiscriminately killed Iraqi civilians, killed many in the bombing of a Baghdad marketplace, and did not take measures to prevent looting in hospitals. Hearings will take place in a Belgian court next week. The Bush Administration has warned Belgium against using its courts for "political ends" and says there will be diplomatic consequences should the complaint go to court.

You mean we're supposed to have a blueprint for that too? Barbara Bodine, the US coordinator for central Iraq, joined general Jay Garner the head of the "Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Aid in losing her job after only three weeks of service. It has become more apparent that the American occupying forces have no strategy for the reconstruction of the damages created. (The Guardian)

We'll show you ours whether you show us yours or not: India and Pakistan, with their history of war since 1947, took another step at maintaining the status quo as Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee rejected Pakistan's proposal that the two countries begin a program of mutual destruction of their nuclear weapons.

I thought we were done over there: Recent assertions by US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld that major combat operations in Afghanistan are over, and that the US focus will now be reconstruction, may be questioned by reports that the Taliban is reorganized and gaining strength. According to the Christian Science Monitor, the Taliban is developing new leadership, organizing a new offensive, and getting support from like-minded leaders of religious parties in Pakistan.

Suicide bombers: a number of studies of suicide bombers from several groups and countries indicate, contrary to the stereotype, that suicide bombers tend to be well-educated, middle class political activists.The studies disconfirm the notion that they are destitute, fatherless, ignorant, or seeking paradise (New York Times, May 5).

This week in history: French student workers revolt (1968), death of Robert F. Kennedy (1968), Susan B. Anthony arrested for voting (1872), massive protests against the conviction of Sacco and Vanzetti (1924),Betsey Ross arrested for debauchery -- sews flag as community service.