WHAT'S NEW AT INFOSHOP.ORG

-----------------------------------------------------------
November 1, 2004 | number 4.1 | Pre-election chaos edition
-----------------------------------------------------------

"Either you repeat the same conventional doctrines everybody is saying, or else you say something true, and it will sound like it's from Neptune."
-- Noam Chomsky

Welcome to another update on Infoshop.org and the Alternative Media Project! This update is meant to help you find new features on our website and keep you updated on the projects of the Alternative Media Project. As Infoshop.org heads toward its tenth anniversary in January 2005, we are pleased to share with you all of the new things going on with our project.

Infoshop.org has been causing trouble on the web since it went online in January 1995 as the Mid-Atlantic Infoshop. We are a collectively-run project with volunteers participating from around the world. The website currently averages over 6 million hits per month and over 150,000 unique visitors. Infoshop.org is considered by many to be a valuable resource to the anarchist and anti-capitalist movements, as well as for thousands of people who are simply looking for alternative information in a system run by big media capitalists. The website is graciously hosted by the flag.blackened.net server, which is run by a collective of anarchist and anti-authoritarian digital activists. The Alternative Media Project, a nonprofit based in Arlington, Virginia, runs Infoshop.org. More info about AMP can be found at: http://www.infoshop.org/amp.html

Contact us at:
Alternative Media Project
PO Box 7171
Shawnee Mission, KS 66207
(mail sent to our Virginia address will still get to us)

#########################################################

Announcements List
You can now join our special announcements-only e-mail list:

http://www.infoshop.org/mailman/listinfo/infoshop-announce

SMS Text Messaging Updates – The Infoshop “Smart” Mob
Infoshop updates and announcements now available via text messaging!
Set up an account at http://txtmob.com/ and join the “Infoshop” channel.

#########################################################

UPDATE ON RECENT DOWNTIME

Infoshop.org and all the websites on Flag.blackened.net experienced an outage of several days. We are sorry that the FBI, hackers, or right wing extremists didn’t cause this outage. Like most website outages, this was caused by a mundane, yet frustrating, problem: we couldn’t reach the person necessary to physically reboot the server. We have also experienced problems lately due to the huge amount of traffic that comes to Infoshop.org and Flag websites. We are working on plans to relocate the server and add new servers early next year. We are also exploring partnerships with other sites that have come forward to offer mirroring services for us. All of this should improve service for Infoshop, increase uptime of Infoshop News, and make the website “faster.”

#########################################################

INFOSHOP.ORG IS 110% FRESHER

A website that is almost 10 years old gathers lots of dust and tons of dead links. In early October, we started a project to completely update the website. We’ve slimmed down pages such as the Infoshop home page. We are standardizing navigation features and are using spreadsheets to give the website a more coherent look and feel. We’ve eliminated dead and obsolete pages and added new ones to help people find content on the website. We haven’t fixed our search engine yet, but people can temporarily search the website using Google.

This upgrade and overhaul of Infoshop will continue until the end of the year. We will be adding more pages and content. We need your help, especially in identifying dead links. If you have suggestions about content for pages, please send us material, link suggestions, and so on.

Infoshop.org is now running several wikis, which are interactive areas where people can add new content and edit existing material. We invite you to participate in these new features.

The Matrix
A database on corporations, capitalists, the ruling class and opposition to them
http://www.infoshop.org/octo/matrix/index.php/Main_Page

InfoshopOpenWiki
Our “open” wiki, featuring general subject pages, an anarchist encyclopedia, and much more.
http://www.infoshop.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

Science Fiction and Fantasy Wiki
Everything for the fan of science fiction and fantasy
http://www.infoshop.org/sf/index.php/Main_Page

-----------------------------------------------------------

COMING SOON!

Infoshop Online Store
Buy t-shirts, books, magazines and make donations. Our new Infoshop.org t-shirts are currently being printed.

Infoshop Food
A portal for those who love food, who work on farms, and/or live in rural areas

-----------------------------------------------------------

NEW FEATURES AND PAGES AT INFOSHOP.ORG

Infoshop in French
http://www.infoshop.org/fr/
Speak French? Volunteer to help with this project. Submit news items and links.

Infoshop in Portuguese
http://www.infoshop.org/pt/
Speak Portuguese? Volunteer to help with this project. Submit news items and links.

Infoshop Media Guide
http://www.infoshop.org/altmedia.html
A growing section with links to independent and corporate media

Infoshop A to Z
http://www.infoshop.org/a_to_z.php

Infoshop by Subject
http://www.infoshop.org/subject_guide.php

News Feeds
http://www.infoshop.org/rss.php
We’ve got news feeds! And we tell you about some others too!

Media Reform, Media Monopoly, Media Revolution and DIY Media Activism
http://www.infoshop.org/media_monopoly.php

RNC Protests Archive
http://www.infoshop.org/rnc2004archive.php

Hate Mail
http://www.infoshop.org/hatemail.html

-----------------------------------------------------------

New @ the Infoshop Library

Anarchosyndicalism by Rudolf Rocker
http://www.infoshop.org/library/anarchism/writers/rocker/anarchosyndicalism/as1.php

Reflections on Student Activism by Abbie Hoffman
http://www.infoshop.org/library/activism/writers/studentactivism_hoffman.php

A Project of Anarchist Organisation by Errico Malatesta
http://www.infoshop.org/library/anarchism/writers/malatesta/anarchist_organization.php

Malatesta on Syndicalism
http://www.infoshop.org/library/anarchism/writers/malatesta/malatesta_syndicalism.php

-----------------------------------------------------------

UPDATES

Dear Emma has answered more questions:
http://www.infoshop.org/dearemma.html

Anarchist FAQ has been updated to version 11:
http://www.infoshop.org/faq/index.html

Anarchist Neighborhood section has been revamped and includes new cities:
http://www.infoshop.org/hood.html

Many of our other pages have been recently updated!

-----------------------------------------------------------

BREAKING GLASS PRESS

Breaking Glass Press is Infohop’s publishing imprint. We recently published a guide to representing yourself without a lawyer. Early in 2005, we will be publishing the Black Bloc Papers I & II. The first volume is newly updated and expanded from a previous edition and volume two will feature new material about black blocs from the past three years.

Going Pro Se (Representing yourself without a lawyer)
http://www.infoshop.org/breakingglasspress/ProSe.pdf

-----------------------------------------------------------

PRACTICAL ANARCHY

Practical Anarchy is now a magazine printed with a color cover and expanded content. Copies of our Spring 2004 issue are still available. Members of the collective are preparing our Winter 2004 issue on “Health” right now. In 2005, we are aiming to publish four issues during the year. We welcome submissions for future issues. Practical Anarchy is available in bulk from AK Press or directly from us.

-----------------------------------------------------------

AMP ORGANIZATIONAL

The Alternative Media Project advisory board met in August in New York City.

The AMP Collective recently added Vlad as a member. Vlad is currently helping with Infoshop News.

AMP moved its main post office box to Shawnee Mission, Kansas, although the Arlington address is still current. Items that require immediate attention should be sent to the Kansas address.

AMP has made a partnership with Counterpoise magazine to provide them with reviews.

-----------------------------------------------------------

HOW TO HELP!

First, some important, helpful pages:

Infoshop FAQ:
http://www.infoshop.org/faq.html

Volunteer:
http://www.infoshop.org/volunteer.html

Infoshop.org runs on the love of a growing cast of volunteers. There are many areas of Infoshop where one can become a volunteer right away. We are still looking for people to help with the Anarchist Youth (youth.infoshop.org) and science.infoshop.org websites. You can become a volunteer in these projects by registering at these sites and then sending us a message about yourself, your interests and how you'd like to help.

If you speak Italian, Spanish, German, French, Portuguese or Swedish, you can also register at one of our corresponding language sites and become a volunteer.

INFOSHOP.ORG TRANSLATION AND HELP E-MAIL LISTS

The following lists are for Infoshop volunteers:
infoshop-ca :: Infoshop.org spanish
http://flag.blackened.net/mailman/listinfo/infoshop-ca
infoshop-de :: infoshop.org auf Deutch
http://flag.blackened.net/mailman/listinfo/infoshop-de
Infoshop-fr :: Infoshop.org in French
http://flag.blackened.net/mailman/listinfo/infoshop-fr
infoshop-it :: infoshop.org in italiano
http://flag.blackened.net/mailman/listinfo/infoshop-it
infoshop-pt :: Infoshop.org portuguese
http://flag.blackened.net/mailman/listinfo/infoshop-pt
Infoshop.org Virtual Reference Desk
If you'd like to join a list to help answer Infoshop queries, please send an email to chuck [at] mutualaid.org

HELP PROMOTE INFOSHOP.ORG

We appreciate the grassroots efforts by folks to publicize the existence of this website, including whoever spraypainted "infoshop.org" on that billboard outside of Sacramento. You folks make it possible for the Graffiti Abatement Squad workers to keep drawing paychecks. We also appreciate those of you who are leaving our URL on the walls of restrooms of fine vegetarian restaurants around the continent. We have a page with ideas and materials that can help with this at: http://www.infoshop.org/outreach.html

-----------------------------------------------------------

DONATE TO INFOSHOP

Infoshop.org and the Alternative Media Project really appreciate donations from our supporters. Right now we are raising money to publish the new issue of Practical Anarchy magazine, print Infoshop t-shirts, create a nest egg for Breaking Glass Press, and start covering staff costs. While our financial needs are modest, anything you can contribute will help this project thrive.

Please visit our donations page if you’d like to contribute:
http://www.infoshop.org/donate.html

Donate via snail mail:
Alternative Media Project
PO Box 7171
Shawnee Mission, KS 66207

Checks can be made out to “AMP” or the “Alternative Media Project.” Sorry, but AMP is not a tax-deductible project at this time.

MANY THANKS go out to those of you who have generously supported this project with your donations and words of support. If you’ve donated to us in the past year, you are welcome to join the Infoshop sustainers email list.

-----------------------------------------------------------

NEWS WIRE FROM INFOSHOP NEWS

The Infoshop.org News email list disseminates a range of anarchist, activist and alternative news, both from alternative and corporate sources.

Subscribe today!

http://flag.blackened.net/mailman/listinfo/infoshop-news

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

TODAY AT INFOSHOP NEWS

Morpheus: Elections Are A Scam
http://www.infoshop.org/inews/stories.php?story=04/10/31/7212381

Tom Wheeler: Terror & Democracy
http://www.infoshop.org/inews/stories.php?story=04/10/31/3175370

Jason McQuinn: Part-time Anarchists: Voting for Empire
http://www.infoshop.org/inews/stories.php?story=04/10/31/4268020

Lawrence Jarach: Anarchists have forgotten their Principles
http://www.infoshop.org/inews/stories.php?story=04/10/31/4048233

Anarcho: 100,000 plus dead. Mission Accomplished?
http://www.infoshop.org/inews/stories.php?story=04/10/31/3285167

Moving On: Liberation from the ABB Straitjacket
http://www.infoshop.org/inews/stories.php?story=04/10/31/2969171

RNC REDUX: Anarchist Analysis of the 2004 RNC Protests
http://www.infoshop.org/inews/stories.php?story=04/10/31/1811976

Kirsten Anderberg: Exhibitionism, Trolls and Indy Media
http://www.infoshop.org/inews/stories.php?story=04/10/31/2628729

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

HOT LINK OF THE WEEK

Indymedia USA
http://indymedia.us/en/index.shtml

-----------------------------------------------------------
Contact the Infoshop.org webmaster at: chuck [at] mutualaid.org
-----------------------------------------------------------
Anti-copyright 2004
Infoshop.org
-----------------------------------------------------------
## END ##