The Salem-News.com Staff Page
Salem-News.com Presently has 76 Writers in 16 CountriesWelcome to the most unique and interesting news group in the nation. Salem-News.com is also the first exclusively Web news organization in the world. Not a blog, but a full service multimedia news site staffed by award-winning professional journalists and a wealth of diverse writers from all over the world. In addition to having writers in 15 U.S. states, we are also based in Argentina, Australia, Cambodia, Canada, Vietnam, Egypt, Germany, Great Britain, Iran, Japan, Lebanon, Palestine, (West Bank and Gaza) Russian Federation, Turkey, Uganda and Vietnam.
Salem-News.com was created as a present and future answer for the needs of a wide range of news consumers in Oregon, across the nation and around the world.
Salem, Oregon is one of many locations in the U.S. of 250k or more, that are not adequately supported by a local television market. We see the 'New Media' revolution as an opportunity to bring more news to these areas and also as a venue for emerging and veteran journalists, and we want it to be more than just an extension of the existing overly commercial mainstream news market.
Our goal is to provide news and information that is honest and up to the minute, without compromising a strong moral and ethical code that we believe should guide all journalists. You will never see certain types of advertisement here, like big pharma, because we refuse to do business with them, and our writers are clear about that.
Salem-News.com does not charge visitors a fee to view the our stories after they are a few days old, unlike the majority of daily newspaper Websites. We do not allow pop-up advertising or any other similar invasive practice. Everything we publish is on the Web forever and logged by Google as well as Salem-News.com.
The site was created by Web Designer Matt Lintz who built Salem-News.com to the specifications of our journalists. It is a full multimedia site with constantly added images, stories and video reports and programs.
Salem-News.com carries a 5/10 Google ranking which we are very proud of. This hard earned rating is a result of publishing news consistently and accurately for over half a decade. Salem-News.com performance can be judged by a number of independent Website evaluators like alexa.com.
As of early 2011, Salem-News.com is on the verge of publishing our 18,000th online news article.
If there is any one subject that tends to dominate our interest and reports, it is certainly the conflicts that the U.S. is engaged in funding overseas; namely the Arab - Israeli conflict. As an embedded photojournalist/reporter, Tim King has spent months covering operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan for Salem-News.com. Our photographer/writer Dexter Phoenix who originally hails from London, has extensive experience covering fighting in Israel, Palestine, Lebanon and also parts of Africa.
In his career, Salem-News.com's Dr. Phil Leveque was an Army Combat Infantryman in WWII, an esteemed Osteopathic Physician, Professor of Pharmacology and Forensic Toxicologist. There are few rivals when it comes to medical knowledge and particular specialties like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Dr. Leveque has written several dozen articles specifically about PTSD and the Veterans Administration, as well as his other specialty, medical marijuana. Dr. Leveque helped establish the program in Oregon and was at one point one of the state's busiest doctors specializing in this increasingly accepted natural medical treatment.
Our writers specialize in all kinds of things and they hail from all over the nation, and world. All are dedicated people who have integrated into the system that Tim King established years ago with Salem-News.com's original News Director, Kevin Hays.
Ersun Warnke, Salem-News.com's Business/Economy Reporter, delivers sizzling reviews of local politics and state government. Along with Henry Ruark and Daniel Johnson, Jeff Gates, Gordon Duff and many others, articles published here cut through the maze of bureaucracy that government often becomes.
One area this site covers seriously is medical cannabis. We are part of the current world view and do not have any reason to be anything less than forthright in our reports and discussions on the subject. This is a new century and we refuse to be bullied or intimidated.
Our writer Marianne Skolek in South Carolina is powerful in her reviews of the pharmaceutical industry's dirty deeds. She has every right, after losing her daughter to an Oxycontin overdose. She keeps tabs on Purdue Pharma like a hawk. Tim King calls her the team's 'Super Hero' writer, because she has and continues to make a difference in the world on a profound level. In 2007 she testified against Purdue in Federal Court at the sentencing of their three CEO's, Michael Friedman, Howard Udell and Paul Goldenheim, who pled guilty to charges of marketing OxyContin as less likely to be addictive or abused to physicians and patients. We may write about medical marijuana which is legal, but dangerous drugs are on our radar, with Marianne in point position.
Salem-News.com was launched in the summer of 2004 when founder Tim King was a photojournalist/reporter with KATU, the ABC station in Portland, Oregon. At the time Tim's wife and current business partner Bonnie King, was the Newspapers in Education Manager for the Statesman Journal newspaper.
Today Bonnie King is Salem-News.com's Publisher, Tim King serves as the News Editor. Other team members help with production and new local video is the specialty of our News Photographer Jerry Freeman.
Our Opinion-Editorial Writer is Henry Clay Ruark. At the age of 92, Henry is the oldest working journalist in the nation. Tim says 'Hank' has a mind that can run circles around people one third his age.
While the site is staffed by many Oregon writers, Salem-News.com also has a strong contingent of California-based writers. They include former ABC VP Bruce Sallan in Agoura Hills, Ken Ramey in Paso Robles who specializes in religious issues, talented Los Angeles Attorney, Dr. William K. Barth Ph.D. and Phil Northcutt in Santa Rosa, a Marine Iraq Vet who keeps up on VA related subjects.
In fact there is a strong Marine Corps connection to the Salem-News.com staff that really started moving after Tim's reports on the now closed El Toro Marine Corps Air Station in Irvine, California in early 2008. Salem-News.com reports exposed how the base was heavily contaminated with numerous deadly toxic substances like TCE, PCE and Benzene, as the city of Irvine and Lennar Homes were moving forward with plans to build a park and new homes on the contaminated soil. Soon other former El Toro Marines began corresponding regularly and today there are eight former U.S. Marines writing for Salem-News.com. They are Tim King, Alan Sabrosky, Bob O'Dowd, Gordon Duff, Jerry West, Chuck Palzaao and Phil Northcutt.
Both Dr. Phil Leveque and noted Author Jeff Gates are U.S. Army Combat Veterans. Henry Ruark, Jerry Freeman, Q Madp and Gerry Villani all served in the military as well.
When a nation is at war, it makes sense that at least a portion of any media group should be comprised of veterans. We take that a step further.
Other staff members like Ken O'Keefe, Alysha Atma and Allan Erickson are activists. Bernard Powell is an author who operates a paranormal research group in Oregon.
Salem-News.com writers are from Canada. Daniel Johnson is a frequent contributor who generates provocative articles that examine politics in the U.S. from a much needed outside perspective. Jerry West is a longtime journalist who grew up in the U.S. but made Canada his home after the Vietnam War.
This team of dedicated writers has made many differences in the world already. Our group looks forward to growing and expanding in the future.
Below is our team of writers. Most have email addresses ad if you are unable to reach anyone, you can always write to our newsroom at newsroom@salem-news.com. Some writers have a link at the base of their entry that will lead you to all of their published work on Salem-News.com.
Salem-News.com Writers by RegionArgentina
Gail Parker - (Birds of Patagonia, Salem-News.com Contributor)
Australia
Ivan T. Brecelic - (Asian Affairs/World News, Salem-News.com Contributor)
Canada
Daniel Johnson - (Political/Cultural Columnist) Jerry West - (World Politics; regular , Salem-News.com Correspondent)
Cambodia
David Victor MacMillan - (MIA Affairs/Asia News, Salem-News.com Correspondent)Egypt
Dr. Ashraf Ezzat - (Physician, Salem-News.com Correspondent in Egypt)Germany
Dr. William Hathaway - (Professor, Author and Salem-News.com Contributor based in Germany)Great Britain
Alan Hart - (Esteemed Award-Winning BBC and ITN TV reporter; Middle East and World News, Salem-News.com Contributor)
Gilad Atzmon - (Musician / Arab / Israeli Issues, regularly featured Salem-News.com Correspondent)
Nahida Izzat - (News Poet and Current Affairs, Religious and Women's Issues, Salem-News.com Correspondent)
Mamoon Alabbasi (Poet, Writer, Salem-News.com Correspondent in London)
Lauren Booth - (Salem-News.com Correspondent: Middle East and World News)Iran
Kourosh Ziabari - (Frequently featured Salem-News.com Correspondent in Iran - Winner of Top National Presidential Journalism Awards))Japan
Maidhc Ó Cathail (Middle east Affairs, Salem-News.com Correspondent in Osaka, Japan)Lebanon
Dr. Franklin Lamb - (International Attorney, activist for Palestinian Refugees in Beirut, Lebanon; regularly featured Salem-News.com Correspondent)Palestine
Ken O'Keefe - (Noted World Activist for Humanitarian Rights; Salem-News.com Gaza Correspondent)
Dr. Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD - (Professor formerly with buth Duke and Yale Universities; regularly featured Salem-News.com Bethlehem Correspondent)
Yousef Al-Helou - (Gaza Correspondent)Russian Federation
Oleg Shirokov - (Salem-News.com News and Cultural Affairs Correspondent in Russian FederationTurkey
Belén Fernandez (Author and frequent Salem-News.com Correspondent in Istanbul)Uganda
Kiflu Hussain - (Attorney and Salem-News Writer based in Uganda)United States
Arizona
Jeff Gates - (Author / Attorney / Salem-News.com Contributing Writer)California
Kenneth G. Ramey - (Religious and Current Affairs, Salem-News.com Correspondent)
Ralph Stone - (National & World Politics, frequent Salem-News.com Correspondent)
Dr. William A. Cook - (Professor, National & World Politics, Salem-News.com Contributor)
Dr. William Barth - (Attorney, National & World Politics, Salem-News.com Contributor)
Phil Northcutt - (California Veterans Issues, Salem-News.com Contributor)
John McCarthy - (Military & World Politics, Salem-News.com Contributor)
Lesli Moore Dahlke - (Environmental Health, Salem-News.com Contributor)
Alison Weir - (Leading Activist and Writer for Arab / Israeli Issues, Salem-News.com Correspondent)Florida
Eileen Fleming - (US/Mid East Correspondent & Chronicler of Israeli Nuclear Whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu; regularly featured , Salem-News.com Correspondent)Illinois
James Wall - (Current Events, Religion, World Affairs, regular Salem-News.com Contributor)
Terrence Aym - (Taking Aym with Terrency Aym - Science, Technology, Nature Writer; frequent Salem-News.com Writer)Massachusetts
Karin Maria Friedemann - (Israel & Palestine Writer, Salem-News.com Contributor)
Agron Belica - (Author, Musician and Religious Affairs Writer, , Salem-News.com Contributor)Minnesota
John Uldrich - (Marine Corps and Air Quality Writer and Consultant, Salem-News.com Contributor)Mississippi
Dr. Alan Ned Sabrosky Ph.D. - (Professor, National & World Politics, Salem-News.com Contributor)New Hampshire
David Bedworth - (Veteran Related Issues, Salem-News.com Contributor)
Robert Collinsworth - (World Politics, regular Salem-News.com Contributor)
Dr. M. Dennis Paul, Ph.D. - (National & World Politics; Salem-News.com Contributor)New Jersey
Robert O'Dowd - (Marine Corps, History and Environmental Issues; frequent , Salem-News.com Contributor)Ohio
Gordon Duff (Military & World Politics, Salem-News.com Correspondent)
Luke Easter - (News Poet, Salem-News.com Contributor)Oregon
Bonnie King - (Salem-News.com Publisher / Writer / Producer)
Tim King - (Salem-News.com News Editor/Writer/Photographer)
Henry Clay Ruark - (Salem-News.com Op-Ed Writer)
Dr. Phillip Leveque - (Professor, retired Physician, Medical Marijuana & PTSD Specialist, frequent Salem-News.com Contributor)
Glen Bledsoe - (Salem-News.com Cartoonist / Artist / Professor, regular Salem-News.com Contributor)
Ersun Warncke - (News Columnist and Web Designer, Salem-News.com Contributor)
Jerry Freeman - (Salem-News.com Photographer / Writer)
Dexter Phoenix - (Salem-News.com Photographer, Salem-News.com Contributor)
Amanda Leduc - (Community Affairs Writer, Salem-News.com Contributor)
Bernard Powell - (Paranormal Reports, Salem-News.com Contributor)
April Scott - (GM Food and Family Issues, Salem-News.com Contributor)
Allan Erickson - (Oregon Political Writer)
Q Madp - (Military and Veteran Affairs Photographer)
JD Adams - (Paranormal / Science and Nature Writer, frequent , Salem-News.com Contributor)
Austin King - (Salem-News.com Entertainment Writer / Musician)
Alysha Atma - (Salem-News.com African Affairs Correspondent)
Lee Coyne - (Community Affairs Writer)
Coral Anika Theill - (Domestic Violence Author, Marine Corps Historian, Salem-News.com Contributor)
Sean King - (Music and Technology, Salem-News.com Contributor)
Kevin Montgomery - (News Photographer, Salem-News.com Contributor)
Lela Taylor - (Community Affairs Writer, Salem-News.com Contributor)
Gerry Villani - (U.S. & Asia Photographer / Correspondent)
David Duncan - (Technology)South Carolina
Marianne Skolek - ('Eye on Big Pharma', frequent Salem-News.com Correspondent)
Doug Dickerson - (Management Moments, Salem-News.com Weekly Contributor)Tennessee
CoCo McCain (Attorney, Salem-News.com Contributor, Writes Weekly Column 'The Good Stuff')Washington
Matt Lintz - (Internet Technology Director)
Khalil Nouri - (Afghanistan and Middle East Affairs, Salem-News.com Contributor)
James Lewis - (Chief Technical Advisor)
Eric Akiskalian (Salem-News.com Surf Report, Salem-News.com Contributor)Wisconsin
Dr. Kevin Barrett - (Middle East Politics & U.S. Affairs, Salem-News.com Contributor)Vietnam
Chuck Palazzo - (Salem-News.com Correspondent in Vietnam: Agent Orange Monsanto beat)
Bonnie King
Salem-News.com Publisher
Email: bonnie@salem-news.com
Bonnie King`s career is unique, she is one of the few media professionals who has extensive time in four relevant areas; radio, television, newspaper and Internet. She has been with Salem-News.com since August '04.
Her television career began in 1988, at Lincoln City, Oregon`s cable TV station, TV 10, in dual roles as News Anchor and Sales/Promotion Director. This was a natural evolution of her journalistic aspirations, since she was first "bit by the bug" while serving as Editor in Chief of her high school yearbook for two years. She graduated from Bassist College in Portland, Oregon in 1986.
Bonnie has interviewed legends like Aaron Spelling, Hugh Miles and Peter Frampton; others include Nadia Komenich, the feisty Judge Mills Lane, and the stars from CHARMED, FELICITY, ROSWELL, 7TH HEAVEN and BUFFY the VAMPIRE SLAYER. She has interviewed Oregon`s governors, congressmen, and she was on the award-winning news crew that first spoke to Evander Holyfield the night of the notorious Tyson ear-biting incident.
Her first full length documentary, `Fallen Fortress at Cape Lookout` aired on Oregon Public Broadcasting in 1993, for which she was the Producer alongside Tim King, Executive Producer. She is presently working on two Oregon based historical documentaries.
Bonnie has served in a number of positions in the broadcast industry; TV Production Manager at KVWB (Las Vegas WB) and Producer/Director for the TV series "Hot Wheels in Las Vegas" (2 seasons); TV Promotion Director for KYMA (NBC), and KFBT (Ind.); Asst. Marketing Director (SUPERSHOPPER MAGAZINE); Director/Co-Host (Coast Entertainment Show); Promotion Director (KBCH/KCRF Radio); and, Newspapers In Education/Circulation Sales Manager (STATESMAN JOURNAL NEWSPAPER).
Bonnie has a depth of understanding that reaches further than just behind the scenes, and that thoroughness of her nature is demonstrated in the perseverance to correctly present each story with the wit and wisdom necessary to compel and captivate viewers.
View articles written by Bonnie King
Tim King
Salem-News.com Vice-President/Executive Editor
Email: tim@salem-news.com
Tim's myspace: myspace.com/timsalemnews
Tim King launched Salem-News.com during the summer of 2004 when he was a photojournalist/reporter for KATU Channel-2 News, the ABC affiliate in Portland, Oregon. Assigned to cover Salem for the station, Tim began Salem-News as an overflow for his daily work for the television station.
About a year and a half later, Tim left KATU to become fully devoted to the growth, development and daily news needs of Salem-News.com along with Bonnie King, who had left her position at the Statesman Journal in Salem, Oregon where she served as the Newspapers in Education Director.
After two years, Salem-News.com was selected by Google to be one of its contributing news organizations and traffic on the site grew ten times overnight; with the daily number of visitors jumping from 600 to 6,000.
Over the winter of 2006/2007, Tim spent two months in Afghanistan covering the war there through the eyes of 900 Oregon soldiers.
Tim reported for Salem-News.com and Oregon's KPTV FOX-12 from a number of regions and situations in Afghanistan. His stories showed the poverty and despair ever present in this war torn land. Tim spent time in Kabul, Jalabad, Mazur-e-Shariff, Gardez, Ghazni and many other locations. In addition to turning 30 news reports for Salem-News.com and Oregon's FOX-12 in Portland, his work was also shown in two documentaries produced by the Portland FOX station in the weeks following his return.
Salem-News.com founder Tim King's professional life in pictures.
More recently, Tim spent five weeks covering the war in Iraq, embedded once again with an Oregon Guard unit. Tim produced reports with the Army's 101st Airborne and Marines from the 2nd Marine Air Wing during the summer of 2008. Based primarily out of the Air base at Balad, better known to soldiers there as 'Mortaritaville' due to its frequent reception of rocket and missile attacks. Tim spent time in Baghdad, and also with Marines at the Al Asad Air Station in Iraq's Anbar Province. Tim's stories for Salem-News.com ranged from combat patrols with the Army and Marines, and memorable videos and articles; including a focus report on a Navy doctor based with the Marines, who helped several Iraqi children receive heart surgery in Israel, and a report of a harrowing night in an Army helicopter flying around Iraq packed with Iraqi 'detainees' who were kicked and abused by the Americans in the Army aircraft.
Since spending time in the Middle east, Tim has become increasingly interested in the struggle of the Palestinian people who live with the daily occupation and related oppression of Israel. The Salem-News.com team generates new reports about Israel and Palestine constantly; and the team also explores and exposes other vital issues that impact this section of the world. It always invariably, is interrelated with US affairs.
Another huge aspect of Tim's work at Salem-News.com has revolved around the contamination of the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station in Irvine, California, which officials planned to turn into a park and housing subdivision, in spite of the fact that the ground is seriously contaminated with several deadly chemicals. Working with several other Salem-News.com writers who also served as Marines at El Toro, Tim has generated a steady stream of news reports that have seriously impacted the proposed redevelopment of the base, which today is just a ruin.
Tim's Background prior to Salem-News.com
Tim receives Oregon AP Award: Spot News Photographer of the Year 2004
Tim`s history is steeped in his ability and desire to tell a great story - which first led him to the television newsroom in 1988, serving as News Anchor/Reporter for Lincoln City, Oregon`s cable TV station, TV 10. That`s where Tim found his calling.
Since those first years, Tim has moved on to serve as News Photojournalist/Reporter for KATU (ABC), Photojournalist at KVVU (FOX), KVBC (NBC), and KYMA (NBC), the News Assignment Editor for KVVU (FOX) in Las Vegas, NV, as well as radio News Director (KBCH/KCRF). In addition, he was the Producer/Host for the `Coast Entertainment Show`, Executive Producer (creator) of the TV series `Hot Wheels in Las Vegas`, and Executive Producer of the 30-minute documentary `Fallen Fortress at Cape Lookout` which aired on Oregon Public Broadcasting in 1993.
Also significant among his achievements are the 2 years he spent as a Wildlife Rescue team leader on the coast of Oregon; and his service in the US Marine Corps with MWSG-37 in the 3rd Marine Air Wing at El Toro.
Tim`s career in the broadcast industry has afforded him many opportunities to cover incredible stories as well as meet innumerable celebrities and dignitaries. He has flown in many military planes including an F-16 Air Force Fighter, and produced a three-part series on aviation history of the Southwest region of the United States. Aviation is one of Tim`s passions.
Tim major in journalism at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, California. He holds numerous awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing, including the Oregon AP Award for Spot News Photographer of the Year (2004), the first place Electronic Media Award in Spot News, Las Vegas, (1998), Oregon AP Cooperation Award (1991); and several other awards including the 2005 Red Cross Good Neighborhood Award for reporting.
Matt Lintz
Salem-News.com Webmaster / Creator
Occasionaly writes games and diversions: Diversions and Daily Cryptogram Puzzles Working on a mobile - pc (html5) friendly site MobSor
Currently working on some projects up north near Bellingham Washington, looking to return to working in the Salem area soon. See Whatcom-Views which is a simple news / images of that area.
The person behind the action at Salem-News.com is Matt Lintz, a graduate of the Institution of Technology in Spokane, Washington. Matt is another Northwest native who found his niche in technology and lives at the forefront of it.
It isn't just the concept, it is the ease of Salem-News.com's design and operation, the search engine that always leads to the desired information, the fact that a person does not have to strain or spend minutes seeking a particular story, that is Matt's design for a news Internet Website.
Matt studied networking and computer security receiving a Bachelors of Science degree in 2005, and that was attained after a life already spent in computer technology.
Henry Clay Ruark
Salem-News.com Opinion / Editorials
S-N Staff:
Henry Clay Ruark is a former newspaper reporter; educational and audio-visual media specialist; agency, institution, corporate public information officer; national trade magazine publisher and editor; and Chicago-based communications media consultant for agency, institution, individual and corporate clients.
Splitting a “very checkered” career between journalism and education, he has written and worked for many newspapers while continuing in educational assignments. He has taught at every level from grades to graduate school, agency/institution seminars, and corporate conferences; written, edited and produced both print and visual learning media in all formats; and written for weeklies, dailies, newsletters, journals and magazines.
At 91, he is still intermittently writing ”on assignment” for editors served for decades; and for S-N Op Eds.
Hank is registered as a Democrat, but disregards any and all political-party disciplinary or bias for “the precious independence demanded as foundation for professional reporting”, insisting that one cannot be Democrat, Republican; OR Libertarian,Independent, any more than one can be four-legged and two-faced. Probing, controversial, confirmed conversation (read:”honest, open, democratic dialog”) demands writer be independent, Hank firmly believes.
His photo, taken in December 2009 in front of his son Loren's live truck in Eugene, Oregon, offers a hint of this reporter's connection to a whole generation of younger Ruarks in news today.
Dr. Phil Leveque
Salem-News.com Medical Expert/Staff Writer
Email: newsroom@salem-news.com
In a unique new segment, Salem-News.com brings viewers the words and wisdom of one of Oregon's most famous doctors, Dr. Phillip Leveque, a man who fought in World War Two and now fights to make access to marijuana a matter of reality. He also was instrumental in the initial changing of Oregon law that allowed medical the use of Medical Marijuana in the first place.
He's been a fighter since his days in the Army during World War Two, when he captured 26 Nazi officers in a single day by himself. These days this veteran physician fights for the rights of patients who use marijuana as a medicine and for veterans suffering from PTSD, something he is no stranger to.
The world is changing fast and medical marijuana is a daily reality for thousands of patients in Oregon, and hundreds of thousands of people nationwide who suffer from a variety of illnesses.
But who can pot smokers turn to for medical care? Needless to say, a vast majority of users are hesitant to discuss their use with physicians, and doctors are fearful when it comes to discussing a substance that potentially violates the law.
Federal laws still consider possession of pot illegal, even though states and individual counties have adopted their own standards. Because of the federal shadow cast on the situation, hundreds of thousands of legal users and millions of illegal users, go without adequate medical advice.
Until now. We are extremely proud to have this lifelong healer and former WWII combat soldier on our primary team of writers at Salem-News.com
Daniel Johnson
Salem-News.com Social Analyst/Commentator
Email: DanielJohnson@telus.net
Daniel Johnson was born near the midpoint of the twentieth century in Calgary, Alberta. In his teens he knew he was going to be a writer, which explains why he was one of only a handful of boys in his high school typing class—a skill he knew was going to be necessary.
Daniel began his journalism as a freelance writer in 1974. A few years later he was hired as a reporter for the Airdrie Echo in a town (now city) a few kms north of Calgary. Within a couple of years he was the editor but continued to do most of the writing and photography for the paper.
He expanded from there to do some radio and TV broadcasting for the CBC as well as free lance writing for Maclean’s the Globe and Mail, and a variety of smaller publications. He stopped trying to earn a living in journalism in the early 1980s, because he had no interest in being a hack writer for the mainstream media. Corporate writing, while lucrative, was also soul-destroying.
He turned his hand and mind to computers and earned a living as a programmer and software developer until he retired from that field in 2008.
He has been writing exclusively for Salem-News.com since March 2009 and continues to work on a creative non-fiction book which he began in 1998.
Leonardo (Glen L. Bledsoe)
Salem-News.com Cartoonist
Glen L. Bledsoe was born and raised in Indiana.
He graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelors of Art in Fine Arts and was a student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for several years.
Glen made his home in Oregon in the early 80's where he continues to enjoy the mild climate and lack of sales tax.
He and his wife Karen have published seventeen books together for the school library market. Glen has written extensively on the issues of technology and education for the National Education Association and other publications.
When he not is creating "Nota Bene by Leonardo," Glen is either teaching, writing a novel, composing music, or reading.
Lauren Booth
Salem-News.com Political Strategist
Email: newsroom@salem-news.com
Lauren Booth is a British broadcaster, journalist and human rights activist who has been writing political articles and columns for UK national newspapers since the 1990's. Predominantly the Mail on Sunday. During a prolific journalistic career, Lauren has written for the New Statesman, the Sunday Times, the Guardian and the Daily Mail. In 2005, she visited the West Bank to interview Mahmoud Abbas. Having witnessed the Occupation first hand and has since become an outspoken advocate for Palestinian rights.
In 2008, Lauren Booth was onboard the FreeGaza; the first ship to break Israel's illegal siege of the Gaza Strip. She was then refused exit via either Israel or Egypt for a month, stating at the time 'it's an honour to be under siege with the people of Palestine and to feel what it is like to survive under the illegal Israeli occupation.
Lauren has been a forthright campaigner against the war in Iraq. She supports the Stop the War Coalition, Media Workers Against the War and the FreeGaza Movement.
Since 2008, Lauren has worked for the 24 hour international English-language news channel Press TV. Lauren presents 'Remember Palestine' and a soon-to-be aired new series on the Palestinian Diaspora.
In October 2010 Lauren announced at the Global Peace and Unity event that she had embraced Islam..
Alison Weir
Salem-News.com Publisher
Email: alisonweir@gmail.com
Alison Weir's goals are peace and understanding and the realization of a real multi-cultural place where people are not continually scrutinized and referred to as 'terrorists' in order for one side to further its difficult political position.
As a former journalist, Weir has traveled throughout the West Bank and Gaza, and speaks widely on this topic; in the past having given two briefings on Capitol Hill, three talks at the Asia Media Summit in Kuala Lumpur (at the end of the month she will be speaking at the Summit in Beijing), presentations in Ramallah and Bethlehem, and lectures at numerous campuses across the US, including Harvard Law School, Stanford, Yale, UC Berkeley, MIT, Vassar, and the Naval Postgraduate Institute.
Weir has received awards from the Council on American Islamic Relations and the American Arab Anti-discrimination Committee, and she was asked to contribute a chapter to Project Censored's 2005 volume. She was inducted into membership of Phi Alpha Literary Society, founded in 1845 at Illinois College, the award citing her as a “Courageous journalist-lecturer on behalf of human rights." She was the first woman to receive an honorary membership in Phi Alpha history.
Her writings on this topic have appeared in publications including The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, The Link, CounterPunch, the Bay Guardian, and anthologies published in the US and abroad. She was the narrator of the award-winning documentary "Occupation 101." Weir was the subject of the Public Access program "Off the Charts," produced by Alternate Focus, and is a member of the board of directors of the Council for the National Interest and New Policy.
Gilad Atzmon
Salem-News.com Contributor in London
Email: giladatzmon@mac.com
Gilad Atzmon was born in Israel in 1963 and had his musical training at the Rubin Academy of Music, Jerusalem (Composition and Jazz). As a multi-instrumentalist he plays Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Baritone Saxes, Clarinet and Flutes. His album Exile was the BBC jazz album of the year in 2003. He has been described by John Lewis on the Guardian as the “hardest-gigging man in British jazz". His albums, of which he has recorded nine to date, often explore political themes and the music of the Middle East.
Until 1994 he was a producer-arranger for various Israeli Dance & Rock Projects, performing in Europe and the USA playing ethnic music as well as R&R and Jazz.
Coming to the UK in 1994, Atzmon recovered an interest in playing the music of the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe that had been in the back of his mind for years. In 2000 he founded the Orient House Ensemble in London and started re-defining his own roots in the light of his emerging political awareness. Since then the Orient House Ensemble has toured all over the world. The Ensemble includes Eddie Hick on Drums, Yaron Stavi on Bass and Frank Harrison on piano & electronics.Also, being a prolific writer, Atzmon's essays are widely published. His novels 'Guide to the perplexed' and 'My One And Only Love' have been translated into 24 languages.
Over the years Gilad Atzmon's music has moved more and more towards a cultural hybrid. As a bandleader and reed player he has been amazing his listeners with his powerful personal style that combines great bebop artistry and Middle-Eastern roots in a sophisticated, sometimes ironical manner. Influenced by Coltrane’s powerful approach on the sax, Gilad's live performances are simply breathtaking and overwhelming.
Gilad's latest album ‘In Loving Memory of America’ was highly praised by the British music press. Here are just a few quotes:
"Atzmon's fluid lyricism is in full flow on songbook classics and worldly originals. But as sweet romance morphs to modernist uncertainty, the bittersweet balance and rich emotional palette equally impress." Financial Times ***** March 2009
"Gilad Atzmon, the expat Israeli saxophonist/clarinetist, combines thrilling jazz musicianship with a maverick political intelligence" Guardian ****
"Like the best of albums" Jazzwise **** March 2009
"Atzmon always manages to tell a story" Uncut **** March 2009
"One of the finest alto players around, Gilad pays his respects to Bird i...It's striking how similar Gilad's sweet, open-throated sound is to Parker's, but as you'd expect from the fiery philosopher-turned-Blockhead, this is no tribute album." BBC Music Magazine March 2009As a member of the Blockheads, Gilad has also recorded and performed with Ian Dury, Robbie Williams, Sinead O'Connor and Paul McCartney. Gilad has also recorded with Robert Wyatt, the Water Boys and many others. In 2007 Gilad extended his role as a Producer, working with outstanding singer-songwriter Sarah Gillespie to produce her debut album released in September 2009.
In 2008-9 Gilad also produced the Brazilian percussion star Adriano Adewale. The multi ethnic Irish band Yurodny and is currently producing the UK legendary bass player Norman Watt-Roy’s debut album.
Alan Hart
Salem-News.com Writer in London
Email: newsroom@salem-news.com
One of the biggest names in the history of Mideast TV reporting is Alan Hart, the London-based former BBC and ITN Reporter. who found his path into the media reporting world at the young age of 17. Alan soon began receiving assignments as a 'stringer' correspondent for all but one of Britain’s national newspapers. He was also turning reports at this point for the three main international news agencies - Reuters, Associated Press and UPI. After years in Africa, a more experienced Alan Hart back to England, where he secured a job with the Daily Telegraph. Alan explains that it was in Vietnam, where he watched America spend six million dollars a minute destroying two countries in a war that could not be won, and possibly should never have been fought, that he first began to really question things, and not merely report. There were few key world leaders who didn't know and work with Alan Hart. It is a fabulous history of the biggest names of the world. Alan says that in his tv reporting days he was "Celebrated within the industry for my scoops and my special relationships with leaders on both sides of the many conflicts I covered."
Alan is a fiercely independent thinker. He says he hates all labels and isms and has never been a member of any political party or group. He prefers to judge issues on their merits. Today, Alan is an author who writes about the Middle East. Look for our reports about his U.S. tour.
Learn more about Alan: AlanHart.com
And to learn even more of Alan's fascinating life, visit this story: Getting to the Hart of the Matter with One of the World's Most Experienced Reporters
======================================================
Alan Hart is a former ITN and BBC Panorama foreign correspondent who covered wars and conflicts wherever they were taking place in the world and specialized in the Middle East.
Over more than four decades Alan Hart enjoyed intimate access to, and on the human level friendship with, leaders of both sides including Golda Meir, Mother Israel, and Yasser Arafat,Father Palestine. (Others included Moshe Dayan, Shimon Peres, Nasser, Sadat, King Faisal, King Hussein—the list is long). He also participated at a leadership level in the secret politics of the search for peace in the Middle East (as an intermediary between Arafat and Peres when it was presumed that Peres was headed for leadership).
Alan recently announced the American edition of his epic book, Zionism: The Real Enemy of the Jews, Vol. 1: The False Messiah. This is Alan Hart’s epic three-volume journey through the propaganda lies and the documented truth of history as it relates to the making and sustaining of what has come to be called the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.
He blogs on AlanHart.net, and tweets on twitter.com/alanauthor
See also:
- President Obama’s opportunity to speak truth to power: Part 1
- President Obama’s opportunity to speak truth to power – Rahm Emanuel does it for him – Part 11
- Open Letter to President Obama: Change the Rules of the Game
- An Appeal to the American People
Zionism: The Real Enemy of the Jews. The sub-title of this volume is Conflict Without End? It takes the story from the 1967 war and the creation of Greater Israel to the present and the question: Is Peace Possible?
Will President Obama be allowed to deliver an acceptable amount of justice for the Palestinians in order to achieve peace for all and, if not, what’s the most likely future for the region and the world?
Reviews:
"... immensely readable and a magnificent piece of work ..."
-- Clare Short, MP and Int'l Development Sec't in Blair Govt"... elucidates the dangers involved in the unconditional Western support for Zionism and its oppressive policies against the Palestinians."
-- Ilan Pappe, Leading Israeli revisionist Historian"... principled, ... historical, ... excellent, even heroic, in effort and scope."
-- Mark Bruzonsky, founder, MiddleEast.org; World Jewish Congress, first Washington Representative
Terrence Aym
Salem-News.com Contributor
Born in Minnesota, Terrence Aym grew up in the Chicagoland suburbs. Having traveled to 40 of the 50 states and lived in 7 of them, Aym is no stranger to travel. He's also spent time in Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia and Western Africa.
An executive for many years with Wall Street broker-dealer firms, Aym has also had a life-long interest in science, technology, the arts, philosophy and history. If it's still possible to be a 'Renaissance man' in the 21st Century, Aym is working hard to be one.
Aym has several book projects in the works.
Recent events:
Pravda has published an article about one of Terrence Aym's Helium articles. Caution...it's about giant spiders! 'Fact or Fiction? Giant Spiders in Africa...and USA'
Recently, Terrence Aym was a guest on Johannesburg, South Africa's popular evening radio talk show 'State of the Nation' with David Gleason on Classic FM. The show aired live at 7:00 p.m. Johannesburg time. An MP3 download of the show is available here: State of the Nation with David Gleason
Art Bell (inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2009) and Dr. Peter Ward (Professor of Biology, a Professor of Earth and Space Sciences, and Adjunct Professor of Astronomy at the University of Washington in Seattle) opened the second half hour of the popular late night radio show, "Coast to Coast AM" with a serious discussion of Terrence Aym's article, "How BP Gulf disaster may have triggered a 'world-killing' event."
The Russian press has discovered Terrence Aym. Pravda-one of Russia's oldest and most read newspapers-ran a front page article about the Gulf and referenced Terrence Aym and his articles. english.pravda.ru/
NewsTime, one of Johannesburg, South Africa's major newspapers, has a web presence too. NewsTime featured an article about Terrence Aym and the unfolding disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. You can read it here: THE GREAT BP BORGORYGMI
Media sites that have recently featured Aym, and/or discussed his articles, include ABC News, TIME Magazine, Business Insider, Crunchgear.com, Discover, Dvice, Benzinga and more.
Aym's science article, an extrapolation of cascading events, 'Doomsday: How BP Gulf disaster may have triggered a 'world-killing' event' stirred up a great deal of interest around the world and was the topic of discussion on blogs across 5 continents.
Read it here: How BP Gulf disaster may have triggered a 'world-killing' event - helium.com
On June 30 Terrence Aym's article "How the ultimate BP Gulf disaster could kill millions" was the subject of a lively discussion on the popular late night radio talk show, Coast to Coast AM with George Noory who opened his program reading from the article.
Noory reads excerpts of article here
An audio archive of each hour of the show's first two hours is also available: helium.com/users/529618
Terrence also reports for Before It's News and is an OpEd News Contributing author
Other publications Aym has written for include:
Personal Investing News Magazine
Individual Investor Magazine
Online Investor Magazine
Silicon Investor
The Los Angeles Sentinel - a daily newspaperAlso see:
twitter.com/TerrenceAym
Terrence Aym | Write on! | Facebook Fan Page
James Lewis
Salem-News.com Chief Technical Advisor
Email: jim.lewis@live.com
James Lewis has been associated with the Salem-News.com team far longer than the site has existed. An old friend of Tim and Bonnie King's from the time of their first TV news jobs in Lincoln City, Oregon, Jim is Salem-News.com's Chief Technical Advisor, and has contributed greatly from day one with his incredible set of Internet and computer based skills.
He and his wife Brynnen Lewis have two wonderful daughters and Jim has spent a significant portion of the last several years in the employment of Microsoft in Seattle, Washington. Jim earned his Bachelor's Degree in Software Engineering from the Oregon Institute of Technology in 2003.
Jim brings the most cutting edge skills to the drawing table, where the future of Salem-News.com is plotted and executed. He works with our development team headed by Web Designer Matt Lintz, who is assisted by our writer and multi talented 'Whiz Kid' for a lack of better terms, Ersun Warncke. Jim's background with Microsoft adds greatly to his highly effective education, which is diversified by all kinds of computer and Web development advances.
Jerry Freeman
Salem-News.com News Photographer/Reporter
Email: newsroom@salem-news.com
Jerry Freeman is part of a new generation of dedicated news photographers who are entering the Internet news industry as a second career. He shares in common with many people the dream of becoming a visual journalist.
Joining the Navy at an early age, and the Oregon Army Guard a few years later, Jerry has a wide range of life experiences. He describes himself as “an old truck driver with a new-found passion to bear witness to the world’s events.”
Teaming up with Salem-News.com he embarks on a new career as a video news photographer and reporter. Stay tuned, and see how it turns out. Jerry seems to exhibit natural talent and is already becoming a published member of the Salem-News.com team.
Nahida Izzat
Salem-News.com Poet and Contributing Writer
Email: nahidaexiledpalestinian@gmail.com
Nahida Izzat is a Jerusalem-born Palestinian refugee who has lived in exile for over forty two years, after being forced to leave her homeland at the tender age of seven in 1967, during the six-day war.
She has a degree in mathematics, but art is one of her favorite pastimes. She loves hand-made things and so makes dolls, cards, and most of her own clothes. She also writes poetry, participates in written dialogues and believes in building bridges, not walls.
She started writing when her friends insisted she should write about her memories, experiences and feelings as a Palestinian.When she did it all came out sounding—she was told—like poetry! So she self-published two books: I Believe in Miracles and Palestine, The True Story.
Her dream is to return back home to a free and liberated Palestine.
If you like poetry and are intrigued by the notion of helping the Palestinian people and learning more, you can purchase Nahida's books, I Believe in Miracles and Palestine, The True Story by visiting:
I Believe in Miracles: a Collection of Palestinian Poems
ISBN 13: 9780954839109 | ISBN 10: 0954839102
£12.99 paperback Nahida Izzat (2004)
Marianne Skolek
Salem-News.com Drug Awareness Reporter
Email: mskolek@aol.com
Marianne is an Activist for Victims of OxyContin throughout the United States and Canada. In July 2007, she testified against Purdue Pharma in Federal Court in Virginia at the sentencing of their three CEO's, Michael Friedman, Howard Udell and Paul Goldenheim, who pled guilty to charges of marketing OxyContin as less likely to be addictive or abused to physicians and patients.
She also testified against Purdue Pharma at a Judiciary Hearing of the U.S. Senate in July 2007. Marianne works with government agencies and private attorneys in having a voice for her daughter Jill, who died in 2002 after being prescribed OxyContin, as well as the voice for scores of victims of OxyContin. She has been involved in her work for the past 7-1/2 years and is currently working on a book that exposes Purdue Pharma for their continued criminal marketing of OxyContin.
Marianne is a nurse having graduated in 1991 as president of her graduating class. She also has a Paralegal certification. Marianne served on a Community Service Board for the Courier News, a Gannet newspaper in NJ writing articles predominantly regarding AIDS patients and their emotional issues. She was awarded a Community Service Award in 1993 by the Hunterdon County, NJ HIV/AIDS Task Force in recognition of and appreciation for the donated time, energy and love in facilitating a Support Group for persons with HIV/AIDS.
Marianne recommends these links for people who want to know more about the dangerous and deadly drugs the U.S. government approves of:
oxydeaths.com/news_chilling.htm
nytimes.com/2007/05/10/business/11drug-web.html?
blog.nj.com/njv_bob_braun/2007/07/sometimes_only_justice_can_rel.html
judiciary.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=2905&wit_id=6612
Ersun Warncke
Salem-News.com Business/Economy Reporter
Email: warncke@comcast.net
Ersun Warncke is a native Oregonian. He has a degree in Economics from Portland State University and studied Law at University of Oregon. At a young age, his career spans a wide variety of fields, from fast food, to union labor, to computer programming. He has published works concerning economics, business, government, and media on blogs for several years. He currently works as an independent software designer specializing in web based applications, open source software, and peer-to-peer (P2P) applications.
Ersun describes his writing as being "in the language of the boardroom from the perspective of the shop floor." He adds that "he has no education in journalism other than reading Hunter S. Thompson." But along with life comes the real experience that indeed creates quality writers. Right now, every detail that can help the general public get ahead in life financially, is of paramount importance. Ersun said, "In my reporting at Salem News I will be doing my best to apply this style of historically informed critical analysis to the most important issues in the areas of investment, economics, business and government that face the citizens of our State. Whether you are an investor, business person, worker, or farmer, it is my hope that my reporting will be informative, enlightening, and profitable for you."
You can read more of Ersun's articles at demockrazy.com
Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD
Salem-News.com West Bank Reporter
Email: mazin@qumsiyeh.org
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Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh teaches and does research at Bethlehem and Birzeit Universities in occupied Palestine. He previously served on the faculties of the University of Tennessee, Duke and Yale Universities. He served on the board/steering/executive committees of a number of groups including Peace Action Education Fund, the US Campaign to End the Occupation, the Palestinian American Congress, Association for One Democratic State in Israel/Palestine, and BoycottIsraeliGoods.org. He is now president of the Palestinian Center for Rapprochement Between People and coordinator of the Popular Committee against the Wall and Settlements in Beit Sahour. He advised many other groups including Sommerville Divestment Project, Olympia-Rafah Sister City Project, Palestine Freedom Project, Sabeel North America, and National Council of Churches of Christ USA. He is an active member of a number of human rights groups (Amnesty, Peace action, Human Rights Watch, ACLU etc.). He published several books the most acclaimed of which is "Sharing the Land of Canaan: human rights and the Israeli/Palestinian Struggle" which was also translated to spanish.
He also has an activism book published electronically on his web site (qumsiyeh.org). His main interest is media activism and public education. He published over 200 letters to the editor and 100 op-ed pieces and interviewed in TV and radio extensively (local, national and international). Appearances in national media included the Washington Post, New York Times, Boston Globe, CNBC, C-Span, and ABC, among others. He also regularly lectures on issues of human rights and international law. He has a new book out shortly titled “Popular Resistance in Palestine: A history of Hope and Empowerment" which reviews resistance going back to the beginning of the Zionist project in the 19th century until today. Salem-News.com is extremely proud to work with Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD
A Bedouin in Cyberspace, a villager at home
Also please visit: pcr.ps
Doug Dickerson
Contributing Writer, Business
Email: managementmoment@gmail.com
Doug Dickerson is the former editor of the Berkeley Independent newspaper in South Carolina and is currently the Director of Management Moment Leadership Services. Doug’s writing has been recognized by the South Carolina Press Association, having won awards for enterprise reporting, series of articles, and for humor column writing.
Doug’s passion for communicating leadership principles and personal development is crystallized through his Management Moment column and leadership columns he writes.
Leadership development is a passion to which Doug is strongly devoted. Sharing positive leadership lessons taken from his Management Moment columns, Doug is available to speak for your organization. To schedule Doug to speak contact him at managementmoment@gmail.com
Read more of Doug’s columns on his blog at dougsmanagementmoment.blogspot.com
Dr. Kevin Barrett
Salem-News.com Political Expert; Mideast and Islamic Affairs
Email: kbarrett@merr.com
Dr. Kevin Barrett, co-founder of the Muslim-Christian-Jewish Alliance for 9/11 Truth, has taught English, French, Arabic, American Civilization, Humanities, African Literature, Folklore, and Islam at colleges and universities in the San Francisco Bay area, Paris, and Madison, Wisconsin.
He is the author of Truth Jihad: My Epic Struggle Against the 9/11 Big Lie and the editor of 9/11 and American Empire: Christians, Jews and Muslims Speak Out.
Barrett grew up in a family of lapsed Unitarians (which is about as lapsed as it gets) and reverted to Islam in 1993, a move that gradually impressed upon him the gravity of the moral choices we make in this life. Barrett’s dissertation is on Islam and Moroccan legend. He is also the author and illustrator of the cult classic A Guide to Mysterious San Francisco, published under the pseudonym of “Dr. Weirde.” (He begs Allah’s forgiveness for that slightly twisted book.) Barrett became a 9/11 truth activist in 2004 after reading David Griffin’s The New Pearl Harbor and conducting follow-up research that convinced him Griffin had accurately summarized evidence indicating 9/11 was an inside job.
. Turned down for a tenure-track job at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and later other teaching jobs, due to his political opinions, Barrett plans to continue fighting for academic freedom until he and other truth-seeking scholars are vindicated. He has appeared in several documentary films, lectures widely on 9/11 and hosts three radio programs on three different patriot networks, as well as a daily news show on Pacifica Radio.In July 2004 he rashly rejected a plum post-doc at the University of California because it was funded by the 9/11-disinformation-sponsoring CIA-linked Ford Foundation. In the summer of 2006, Republican state legislators and Fox newscasters demanded that Barrett be fired from his job teaching an introductory Islam class at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, but the University refused to buckle, and Barrett got high marks from his students
Eileen Fleming
Salem-News.com World Issues Writer
Email: ecumei@gmail.com
Eileen Fleming is the Producer of "30 Minutes with Vanunu" and "13 Minutes with Vanunu" Founder of WeAreWideAwake.org, Eileen is a Feature Correspondent for Arabisto.com, Author of "Keep Hope Alive" and "Memoirs of a Nice Irish American 'Girl's' Life in Occupied Territory" and BEYOND NUCLEAR: Mordechai Vanunu's FREEDOM of SPEECH Trial and My Life as a Muckraker:2005-2010 youtube.com/user/eileenfleming.
Eileen explains her aspirations of running for a Congressional seat in her home state of Florida, "One must act locally and think globally, for to whom much is given, much more is required. I will work to protect the environment, the nurturing of children and will donate all my tax home pay after work related expenses to the building of Habitat for Humanity homes for qualified single parent families.
We are extremely happy to have Eileen and her devoted writing and efforts as part of our team at Salem-News.com. We are a group that is playing for keeps with the constant delivery of hard, gritty information that is sometimes incredibly hard to swallow, but a necessary bitter pill.
Belén Fernandez
Salem-News.com Correspondent in Instanbul
Email: belengarciabernal@gmail.com
Belén Fernandez is an editor at pulsemedia.org. Her articles also have appeared in CounterPunch, Palestine Chronicle, Palestine Think Tank, Rebelión, Tlaxcala, The Electronic Intifada, Upside Down World, and Venezuelanalysis.com. Her book “Coffee with Hezbollah,” a humorous political travelogue chronicling her hitchhiking trip through Lebanon in the aftermath of the 2006 Israeli assault, is available at Amazon, Amazon UK, and Barnes and Noble.
All you have to do to support this talented writer and really discover her amazing story, is click the photo above, it is a link that will take you to a page about the book, with information about how to order it.
Born in Washington, DC, in 1982, Belén earned her bachelor's degree with a concentration in political science from Columbia University in New York City. Her diverse background of worldwide experiences, created a fantastic writer; one whose work we are extremely happy to share with Salem-News.com viewers.
We can not overemphasize the importance of having a Correspondent in Turkey, which is a large nation; very central to the ongoing political strife between Palestine and Israel, and the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Belén's articles are timely and relevant and once again, it is time that Americans receive more news from people who live in the places where the stories are happening.
Ralph E. Stone
Salem-News.com Contributor
Email: stonere@earthlink.net
Salem-News.com writer Ralph E. Stone was born in Massachusetts. He is a graduate of both Middlebury College and Suffolk Law School. We are very fortunate to have this writer's talents in this troubling world; Ralph has an eye for detail that others miss.
As is the case with many Salem-News.com writers, Ralph is an American Veteran who served in war. Ralph served his nation after college as a U.S. Army officer during the Vietnam war. After Vietnam, he went on to have a career with the Federal Trade Commission as an Attorney specializing in Consumer and Antitrust Law.
Over the years, Ralph has traveled extensively with his wife Judi, taking in data from all over the world, which today adds to his collective knowledge about extremely important subjects like the economy and taxation.
Since leaving his full time role with the Federal Trade Commission, Ralph retired and has become closely involved in domestic violence prevention and consumer issues. We are happy to have him aboard this important team.
Yousef Al-Helou
Salem-News.com Gaza Correspondent
Email: ydamadan@hotmail.com
Yousef Al-Helou is a freelance journalist based in Gaza who writes for Salem-News.com, Press TV and other world news organizations from the war-torn occupied Palestinian Gaza Strip.
We at Salem-News.com greatly appreciate Yousef's contribution for our readers. The siege of Gaza is one of the most upsetting and seemingly avoidable military events since the dawn of the new Millennium. Having someone in the field there able to send fresh reports to us offers our viewers the freshest perspective from the scene that they are likely to find in western media.
Yousef's view of the ongoing struggle in Gaza is eye-level and he never stops talking to the affected people and asking the important questions that many would have shielded from the world.
Yousef Al-Helou's original articles on Salem-News.com can be found at this link: GAZA REPORTS.
Q Madp
Salem-News.com Photographer
Email: Q@IraqWarHeroes.com
A one-man operation, Q Madp attends funerals and memorials for lost service members in the Northwest whenever possible to pay his respects. He photographs the services, then posts a limited amount of them on the hero’s Tribute Page of IraqWarHeroes.org, and provides other photos at no cost to the immediate family member. No strings attached. It's a Thank You for the sacrifice that they have made.
Nearly 30,000 pictures are posted to Q's site, available for public viewing. He updates his site daily, with very few exceptions, with current releases of names from the Department of Defense and photos or other material mailed in by relatives, friends and others that wish to add to a Tribute Page of one of the fallen.
“I’m not into the politics. We have to take care of our men and women in uniform. And we have to give them respect, even after they’re gone. Besides that, nothing matters. I create a visual record that can be passed on to the next generation, especially to the ones too young to know now.”
Q does this out of the goodness of his heart, out of his sense of duty, in appreciation of our soldiers’ sacrifice, and that of their family and friends. He has been asked to attend services again and again, even where no media or public was allowed. “Sometimes they don’t want any family members to be shown in pictures. I can respect that. Those never show up anywhere but on their CD.” Q is a man of his word.
“This is something many people won’t talk about, but we’ve lost a lot of people to PTSD after they’ve come home. It’s not in the news much, but everyone needs to know about PTSD and what affect is has on the person suffering, and what it does to the people around them, so they will know how to get help,” Q said.
Rarely does Q step from behind the camera; never does he ask for thanks, and usually only gives his web address for acknowledgment of his efforts. Donations, however, are gladly accepted.
To help Q, Mail a check or money order to:
Q Madp
P.O. Box 86888
Portland, OR 97286-0888
Kenneth G. Ramey
Salem-News.com Religion and Philosophy Writer
Email: darken1@sbcglobal.net
When we met Kenneth G. Ramey, he was a "writer without a Website" who was generating excellent, provocative articles on the subject of religion and world affairs.
We are pleased that Ken's "lone wolf" approach as a writer has been replaced by a spot on our team of writers at Salem-News.com.
Ken confronts the hard issues of politics and religion from a logical point of view that combines interesting insight with history into the truth, or lack thereof, that underlies the strengths and weaknesses of the Religious Right’s determination to use American politics for its own misguided, or selfish, interest.
It’s rare for a writer to balance his writing between religious values and the secular guarantees of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights with the knowledge that Ken possesses, and to do it so effectively.
Ken was born in Minnesota but was raised in California since 1932. He is the youngest of four boys raised by his mother alone during the dark years of the Great Depression. He Graduated from SFSU in the 1970s when in his mid-forties, majoring in Spanish North American History, and added three years of post-graduate study, much of it in Philosophy and Religion. He worked hard all his life in and out of doors, except for college and the fifteen years he was in banking, seven of them as Training Director in Administration.
Ken has known tragedy in his lifetime and has overcome them. He is well suited to discuss everything from the low to the highs. that give of us hope.
We live at a critical time in history and believe Ken's views represent the view of many who are tired of the commercialism and false interpretations about religion today.
Watch for Ken's articles on religion, philosophy, politics and history.
View articles written by Kenneth G. Ramey
Dexter Phoenix
Salem-News.com Photographer/Reporter
Email: dexter_phoenix@hotmail.com
Dexter Phoenix has worked as a staff and freelance photographer since the mid-1990's and has a wealth of professional experiences on his resume. We welcome his presence to our staff and Salem-News.com.
His list of assignments includes the European Forest fires in 1998, he photographed oil rigs in Southern Tunisia, while documenting local traditions and livelihoods mostly in the poorer areas of Southern Tunisia. In 1999, Dexter went to Algeria to document the impact of French colonization on the local people and their lifestyle, as well as the hidden dangers of the country - especially for foreign people. In Somalia he witnessed horrific scenes of dismemberment among victims in that ongoing internal strife; and also the power and influence of warlords over the local population; its abject poverty and harsh environment of the Southern Region and leftovers of the American Forces. In Angola, Dexter covered the story of Savimbi who returned to his guerrilla tactics, due to The FAA who pushed Savimbi out, and took more control over diamond producing sites, exploring why Angola is still devastated after nearly 40 years of civil war. Despite its natural resources, over 90% of Angolans live in poverty, two thirds of them on less than a dollar a day. Dexter covered the risks of foreign oil workers working in Angola, especially about the kidnapping situation that seemed to be a common occurrence in Angola. In 2003-2007 in France he photographed the French riots: burnt cars and damaged shops; the clash between the rioters and the police; the riots the day after, and the impact on local businesses.
Dexter covered the War in Lebanon: photographing people fleeing their villages like Ben Jbail, Naqoura, Nabi Uwaydah) and people hanging on to their livelihoods; the slow advance of the Israeli army; Lebanese people fighting back under the cover of civilian clothes (Hezbollah). In Israel he visited places from - Qiriat Shmona, to Ma'lot Tarshiha, Bezet, Nahariyya, Haifa, Nazareth, Tiberius, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Qiryat Yam, Akka, Mizpe Hanita, Matulla, and Ramot.
Staying in places where the Hezbollah rocket attacks were being fired at mostly - in Haifa, Matulla, Qiriat Shamona, and Ma'lot. Being with the Israeli troops engaging and firing back at Lebanon. Also being there as they pushed through slowly over Lebanon's border. Seeing endless military supplies and personnel that carried on day and night until the war ended. He also documented the locals who stayed behind, and tried to live their lives normally. The damage the rockets left behind in the cities and towns. In Palestine, Dexter visited Hebron, Ramallah, Belain (15km from Ramallah), Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Jericho, and the West Bank, photographing among many other things, Palestinian demonstrations and the clash with Israel's army; the lives of the people living under the control of the Israeli security forces; landscapes of the holy sites of the Christian, Muslim and Jewish religions, interviewing the local families about their missing sons and daughters that have fought for their independence. In Turkey Dexter saw the integration of the Kurds within the Turkish community. The potential terrorist threats that could affect their tourism industry, one of the main sources of income for Turkey.
This native of Great Britian moved to Los Angeles in 2007, where he photographed general news, general Interests, sports, freelance model photo work, and also stock images. In his career Dexter has had photos published: World wide, in many magazines and newspapers and online. Throughout the course of his career he has experience with technology of all imaginable types. In his career as a photographer Dexter has covered stories in Norway, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Great Britain, France, Mexico, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Turkey, Somalia, Tunisia, Algeria, Angola, Iran, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Colombia, and the United States. Email inquiries about photo purchase to Dexter at the above address.
View articles and photos by Dexter Phoenix
Kourosh Ziabari
Salem-News.com Iran Correspondent
Email: kziabari@gmail.com
Kourosh is awarded by President Ahmadinejad
Kourosh Ziabari is an Iranian media correspondent, freelance journalist and the author of Book 7+1. In addition to his work with Salem-News.com he is a contributing writer for websites and magazines in the Netherlands, Canada, Italy, Hong Kong, Bulgaria, South Korea, Belgium, Germany, the U.K. and the U.S. He was once a member of Stony Brook University Publications’ editorial team and Media Left magazine’s contributing writer, as well as a contributing writer for Finland’s Award-winning Ovi Magazine.
As a young Iranian journalist, he has been interviewed and quoted by several mainstream mediums, including BBC World Service, PBS Media Shift, the Media Line network, Deutsch Financial Times and L.A. Times. Currently, he works for the Foreign Policy Journal as a media correspondent. He is a member of Tlaxcala Translators Network for Linguistic Diversity and World Student Community for Sustainable Development (WSC-SD)
We at Salem-News.com are extremely pleased to offer the journalistic observations of this dynamic writer, who delivers a message that few western people actually hear. The best source for news out of Iran, comes from within Iran.
Iran's President honored Kourosh Ziabari during the closing ceremony of National Festival of Iranian Youth in July 2010.
Kourosh Ziabari was named the winner of winners in the category of media activities. He was honored by the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, receiving the honorary mention signed by him and the silver medal of Iran's Superior Youth. The media activities category did not award the Gold and Bronze medal to any participant.
_____________________________
From Salem-News.com Editor Tim King: My favorite personal story about Kourosh, involves an article he wrote, titled, In Praise of 'Salem News' which related how surprised he was to find an American media group that welcomed his work, that was not specifically an Islamic American group.
He assumed that in order to carry a point of view like his own, I had to be a Muslim convert, and I think he was most pleasantly surprised to learn that we are none of the above, and all of the above, at the same time.
Every major faith in the world is represented by our team, we have over 60 writers based in 13 countries, and our goal is always to diversify more. Perhaps over time, with the help of really talented writers like Kourosh Ziabari, we all have a chance. Congratulations to our brother and fellow Salem-News.com writer, it is an honor to share space with you Kourosh!-
Bernard Powell
Salem-News.com Paranormal Research Writer
Email: bpowell-sa@comcast.net
Bernard Powell is a local Author and Independent Publisher; he is a devout student of religion, mysticism and the language of occult symbolism. He has had a life-long interest in all branches of the paranormal; he is also the founding member of a Salem-based paranormal research society called OPHIR (Occult & Paranormal House of Investigational Research). You can visit their site at Team-OPHIR.com or you can contact him directly at: bernard@Team-OPHIR.com
His first book, “Path of the Heretic, Liber Erratum” is available for purchase at Amazon.com, the url is: Path of the Heretic. Bernard's sound approach to paranormal research involves careful steps and heaps of skepticism. In fact it seems at times that he is far more interested in disproving reported paranormal events than corroborating them. This makes the findings of he and his team all the more credible when they do deem a location to be genuinely haunted or active. Another part of Bernard's credibility stems from his broad understanding of the history of religion. He scoffs at the term "ghosthunter" and explains that the approach he takes in this area is far more serious, besides ghost hunter certainly implies that the people involved are trying to actually locate and capture spirits, and that is not the way it works.
Visit this link to catch the latest Salem-News.com articles from Bernard Powell.
Alysha Atma
Salem-News.com African Affairs Correspondent
Email: alyshann78@comcast.net
So who am I? I am a culmination of all my experiences most importantly knowledge and all that I still need to learn; lessons of love, laughter and the extraordinary giving of both young and old. I have had the enormous fortune of learning from the best, every person around me, and the amazing strength and fortitude of those I have never met but will always strive to listen to.
I continue to work and write because I believe in the power of community and the power of one, both contradictory to each other and yet can move together in a very powerful way. I feel a responsibility to use my place, freedoms and connections here in the US to stand up and yell for those who need my voice and actions. I have seen such strength in my fellow humans that I cannot even begin to comprehend, they have traveled distances, have gone without food, water, shelter and safety for days and weeks at a time. I have a responsibility as a fellow human to put our common humanity before anything else. Everyone deserves to look towards tomorrow, to dream of a safe future and to have a peaceful present.
I believe in our common humanity and that geographic location shouldn’t dictate if my family dies because of religion, race, creed or ancestry or most importantly human greed. With knowledge comes responsibility, which one has choices and must choose to respond. We as Americans have the freedom to make choices every day, from the type of toothbrush we use to the news we watch, the books we read and most importantly to stand for others who may not have the ability or choice. I believe in that power of choice, the power of knowledge, we again can choose to educate ourselves further on issues or simply walk away. I choose not to walk away but to act with the knowledge that I have, knowing that I have opportunities, a voice and connection to others who own the same. I continue to look because I continue to act, I don’t always like what I see and at times I feel helpless. I believe however that as we all love and have compassion, can breath and feel that we have a responsibility to reach into that commonality and bring to the surface a loud response when others are in such desperate need. Looking and learning isn’t always easy but acting can be. I learned from a young child that one toothbrush can turn into 100 and that small act can feel as good as giving a million dollars. Acting is acknowledging that we all are in need and need one another.
My greatest teachers are my husband and son. My husband has been my pillar of strength and my steadfast rock; he helps me to focus my energy and emotions. My son has taught me there is nothing greater than a smile, with much laughter and most importantly that we can all “grow up to be superheroes”. The world has many obstacles but it also has much in common; humanity, love, respect and grace. You may never know the reasons why or how or the impact that is made, and that is OK my friend.
Lee Coyne
Salem-News.com Community Writer
Email: luckycoyne@yahoo.com
A combined career of journalism and gerontology shaped the values of this writer-therapist, who often views the world as the masks of comedy and tragedy placed upon the scales of justice. For him, optimism inevitably wins.
"Lyrical Lee" has traveled to 30 nations aboard and was once a press intern at the UN. His first published article was in The NY Daily News in '59, dealing with the need for integrity in public office.
He also launched the nation's first tele-conference on health education for shut-ins, created the Eldermentors project in VA to pair retirees with immigrant students needing role models, and was the main catalyst behind CCTV's "Public Public" panel show here in Salem.
Lee received his BA in International Relations and an MSW in community organization. He currently serves as a member of Salem's Library Advisory Board.
David MacMillan
Salem-News.com Contributor in Cambodia
Email: newsroom@salem-news.com
Australian born David Victor MacMillan, 29-years old at the time of this writing, has been living in Vietnam for 8 years. He is a commercial artist, designer, ex- front man of Australian Punk/reggae band Scarred Hope, ex-nurse, actor, martial artist, security expert, stylist, some time bodyguard, veteran resident of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and a tracker and investigator who specializes in Missing Person cold cases.
Dave has been on the trail of Sean Flynn, Dana Stone and all of their other missing journalist colleagues in Cambodia for the last three years and led the team responsible for the highly controversial attempt to recover Flynn's remains in Cambodia in March 2010.
Dave says steadfastly that he won't stop until he finds Sean Flynn's remains. "I have been given this Indiana Jones tag because I do things differently." He sure does, beginning each day at 5:00 a.m., riding up to 120km through rubber plantations and bandit country looking for leads.
And while on a dig, he doesn't mind using his North Queensland gruff to get the team motivated. "I call my workers slack bastards if they cant keep up with me and dig all day long."
He says he has always been fascinated by Sean's disappearance since he was a child, adding that he was a cult-fan of Errol Flynn and a founder of the Flynn Society of Indochina on Facebook. "Most of the other members are just in it for the hell of it but my interest is far beyond that," he says. "I came to Asia because I want to solve this mystery."
Dave's mission in this life is very much a match with Salem-News.com's; a news agency that devotes large amounts of space to issues relating to both military veterans, and those challenges relating to the safety of journalists who cover combat operations.
Dr. William A. Cook
Salem-News.com World Affairs Writer
Email: wcook@laverne.edu
Dr. William A. Cook Ph.D. is Professor of English at the University of La Verne in southern California. Bill received his B.A, from King's College and his M.A. and Ph.D. from Lehigh University. His Field is American Literature and his areas of interest include Nathanial Hawthorne (whose picture is below ) and mythology.
Professor Cook served time as the Academic Vice President of the University but now the Department of English is pleased to enjoy his full attention. He maintains a prolific writing career and in his spare time he lampoons sacred cows and draws political cartoons. He serves as senior editor at MWC News and has written for Counterpunch, the Palestine Chronicle, the Pacific Free Press, the Atlantic Free Press, Information Clearing House, Dissident Voice among others. His books on the mid-east include Tracking Deception: Bush Mid-East Policy, The Rape of Palestine, and a fictional work, The Chronicles of Nefaria, to be published soon in Arabic.
Salem-News.com greatly appreciates the opportunity to deliver Dr. William Cook's sharp and insightful articles to a public that is tired of receiving news from reporters who take on a new assignment every day, often with little understanding of the related issues. Some, like Bill Cook, are far ahead of the game in terms of world perception, experience and understanding, and they possess that accumulated knowledge that drives comprehension to new levels.
William Barth
Salem-News.com Political Strategist
Email: wkbarth@yahoo.com
Dr. William K. Barth recently completed his doctoral thesis at the University of Oxford’s Department of Politics and International Relations.
He also recently concluded his term as an Associate Fellow at the University’s Rothermere American Institute, and a alumnus member of St Antony’s College, Oxford.
Dr. Barth’s recently published his D.Phil. thesis entitled On Cultural Rights: The Equality of Nations and the Minority Legal Tradition (Boston, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 2008). Prior to initiating his thesis, Dr. Barth served as a senior lawyer for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
He received his Master of Public Administration Degree from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government (’86) and Juris Doctor from Loyola University School of Law (’79). He has been a member of the California State Bar in good standing since 1979.
Dr. William K. Barth's book link is: brill.nl/default.aspx?partid=210&pid=30599
You can visit his blog page at this address: thebarthreport.com/
Jeff Gates
Salem-News.com International Affairs
Email: jeffgates2@gmail.com
Jeff Gates is an author, educator, attorney, merchant banker and adviser to policy-makers worldwide and Vietnam veteran. Jeff was counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance (1980-87) working for Democrat Russell Long, son of Louisiana Governor and U.S. Senator Huey P. Long.
Law practice w/ former Senators Russell Long, Democrat of Louisiana and Paul Laxalt, Republican of Nevada, chairman of Ronald Reagan’s presidential campaigns.
During his career Jeff has served as Counsel to Kelso & Company, Manhattan-based merchant bankers, completing $4 billion in transactions in 24-months, including the $3 billion leveraged buyout of American Standard, Inc., with employees and managers gaining a 33% stake in this multinational firm.
Jeff wrote Democracy at Risk – Rescuing Main Street from Wall Street (April 2000). Written as a sequel to The Ownership Solution –Toward a Shared Capitalism for the 21st Century (1998). Both books cited by presidential candidate Ralph Nader when branding U.S. Greens “the party of the new populism.” Guilt By Association – How Deception and Self-Deceit Took America to War (2008).
He has experience working wiht 35-plus governments, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Guyana, Haiti, Hungary, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Puerto Rico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Trinidad, Tunisia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and the U.K. South Korean President Kim Dae-Jung announced August 2000 that the Korean edition of The Ownership Solution was his vacation-reading pick.
Jeff is a contributor to trade, professional and popular publications worldwide: Financial Times, Japan Times, Financial Executive, M&A Today, Boston Review, Latin Finance, East/West Business Report, Society, Human Resource Management, Los Angeles Times, National Journal, World Times, The Humanist, Peace Review, Business Ethics, America, Tikkun, Whole Earth, Perspectives, Journal of Society of Organizational Learning, Journal of Organizational Change Management, et.al.
He is a graduate of the University of Virginia (B.A. in Honors Economics); J.D. from University of California, Hastings College of Law. Partner, Washington office of Powell, Goldstein, Frazer & Murphy. Faculty in the MBA program, Emory University. Vietnam veteran (1LT, U.S. Army). Jeff Gates is a native of Athens, Georgia. His latest book is Guilt By Association — How Deception and Self-Deceit Took America to War (2008). His previous books include Democracy at Risk: Rescuing Main Street From Wall Street and The Ownership Solution: Toward a Shared Capitalism for the 21st Century. For two decades, an adviser to policy-makers worldwide. Counsel to the U.S. Senate Finance Committee (1980-87).
For more: information, visit: criminalstate.com You can email Jeff Gates at this address: jeffgates2@gmail.com
Alan Ned Sabrosky
Salem-News.com World Affairs
Email: docbrosk@comcast.net
Alan Sabrosky (Ph.D., University of Michigan) is a writer and consultant specializing in national and international security affairs. In December 1988, he received the Superior Civilian Service Award after more than five years of service at the U.S. Army War College as Director of Studies, Strategic Studies Institute, and holder of the General of the Army Douglas MacArthur Chair of Research. He is listed in WHO'S WHO IN THE EAST (23rd ed.). A Marine Corps Vietnam veteran and a 1986 graduate of the U.S. Army War College, Dr. Sabrosky's teaching and research appointments have included the United States Military Academy, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Middlebury College and Catholic University; while in government service, he held concurrent adjunct professorships at Georgetown University and the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). Dr. Sabrosky has lectured widely on defense and foreign affairs in the United States and abroad.
His published work includes thirteen books or monographs and over one hundred forty articles, chapters and book reviews. Among his most recent books are Alliances in U.S. Foreign Policy, The Recourse to War: An Appraisal of the "Weinberger Doctrine", and Prisoners of War? Nation-States in the Modern Era; he is completing a book-length study on the U.S. use of military force as an instrument of foreign policy, called Presidential War: The Politics of Military Intervention. He currently owns a computer business and resides in Jackson, Mississippi.
Bob O’Dowd
Salem-News.com Environmental and Military Reporter
Email: rodowd@live.com
Bob O’Dowd is a former U.S. Marine with thirty years of experience on the east coast as an auditor, accountant, and financial manager with the Federal government, half of that time with the Defense Logistics Agency in Philadelphia.
Bob is somewhat like the accountant played by Jack Lemmon in “The Apartment.” Bob worked in “insane workplaces” similar to the insurance company office setting pictured in the film. No work cubicles. Lots of noise. Mechanical calculators. Phones ringing. Unlike Jack Lemmon, Bob didn’t have a key to an apartment he could share with bosses needing a place to rendezvous with lovers. Instead, he shared one with two Navy veterans, recent graduates of Villanova, who hosted weekend parties with kegs of beer and lots of girls. It wasn’t Animal House, but a close tie. Not exactly the image of an accountant, but then Bob was not your typical accountant.
Originally from Pennsylvania, he enlisted in the Marine Corps at age 19, served in the 1st, 3rd, and 4th Marine Aircraft Wings in 52 months of active duty in the 1960s. Bob’s sense of humor has occasionally gotten him in trouble. Leaving San Diego with 1,000 other Marines in November 1964, Bob was the Marine who lead the “Mickey Mouse” theme song to get the attention of a Marine Major in charge of the draft. It was a warm day for San Diego, Marines were in starch utilities (work cloths), carrying a seabag full of clothing on one shoulder and another dry cleaned set of dress greens in their free hand. Most Marines were in poor humor and soaking wet in sweat after standing in line in the hot sun for a few hours. To relieve the tension, Bob started to sing the “Mickey Mouse Theme Song.”
“Who's the leader of the club
That's made for you and me
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E
Hey! there, Hi! there, Ho! there
You're as welcome as can be
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-EMickey Mouse!
Mickey Mouse!
Forever let us hold our banner
High! High! High! High!Come along and sing a song
And join the jamboree!
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E”It worked. One thousand Marines took up the song in full voice, tourists in the San Diego harbor stared in amazement, the ship’s company watched and laughed at the rails. The only one who didn’t appreciate the humor was the Marine Major who stood in apparent disbelief on the forward weather deck of the transport. It worked. Within minutes, the entire Marine draft was hustled aboard ship. Who ever said Marines lacked a sense of humor?
A graduate of Temple University, Bob like Jack Lemmon married late. Bob and Grace have been married over 31 years; have two adult children and two grandsons. Bob and Grace are opposites in more ways than one. Grace, a professor of English at La Salle University, has little patience for anyone who enjoys “reading math books.” Bob would rather do math problems than go to a movie. Go figure. Opposites must attract.
Research on El Toro is where Bob intersected with Salem-News.com. Bob served in the exact same Marine Aviation Squadron that Salem-News founder Tim King served in, twenty years earlier. With their combined on-site knowledge and research ability, Bob and Tim and a handful of other ex-Marines, have put the contamination of MCAS El Toro on the map. The base is highly contaminated with TCE, trichloroethylene.
Gordon Duff
Military Reporter
Email: Gpduf@aol.com
Gordon Duff is a Marine combat veteran and a regular contributor to Veterans Today. He specializes in political and social issues. You can see a large collection of Gordon's published articles at this link: VeteransToday.com.
He is an outspoken advocate for veterans and his powerful words have brought about change. Gordon is a lifelong PTSD sufferer from his war experiences and he is empathetic to the plight of today's veterans also suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Other topics range from veterans protesting government land grabs, to Agent Orange, PTSD and an endless of subjects that affect his combat veteran brothers.
We greatly appreciate the opportunity to feature Gordon's timely and critical reports on Salem-News.com, a news organization staffed by a number of veterans, particularly former U.S. Marines. Some of Gordon's articles rank among our most visited and it is clear that he is taking no prisoners in his fight for Veterans and fellow Marines and everyone else affected by the lack of support they receive from their own government.
Gordon is highly traveled, having recently returned from a trip to the Mideast that included meetings with high level officials in Pakistan whose poits of view are featured in his reports. There are those who know because they go and Gordon, in a lifelong way, typifies the person who takes the time to travel this world and learn the facts for himself.
Ken O'Keefe
Salem-News.com Correspondent
Email: newsroom@salem-news.com
Ken O'Keefe is a former U.S. Marine who served in the 1991 Gulf War and subsequently spoke out about the use of depleted uranium as a "crime against humanity" and the US military using soldiers as "human guinea pigs" with experimental drugs that were directly linked to Gulf War syndrome.
He is also a social entrepreneur utilizing direct action marine conservation, though Ken is more widely known for leading the human shield action to Iraq and as a survivor of the Israeli attack on the MV Mavi Marmara in which he participated in defending the ship and "disarming two Israeli Commandos".
On January 7, 2004, O'Keefe burned his US passport in protest of American Imperialism and called for US troops to immediately withdrawal from Iraq. He replaced his US passport with a "World Passport", subsequently proclaiming himself a "Citizen of the World" with “ultimate allegiance to my entire human family and to planet Earth." His is also legal citizen of Ireland and Palestine citizenship.
We are extremely happy that Ken is among our team of writers at Salem-News.com; he is possibly the most interesting and involved American in the effort to bring peace to the conflict between Palestine and Israel.
Read Ken O'Keefe's Biography, you can also visit Ken's Ken's Website alohapalestine.com
Phil Northcutt
Salem-News.com Veterans Issues Reporter
Email: philipnorthcutt@gmail.com
Phil Northcutt is combat veteran of the Iraq war and a former infantry Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps. He is an agriculture student at Santa Rosa Junior College, and works as a veterans advocate connecting veterans in need to the resources and non-profits that assist them.
He has experience as a music promoter, television and mobile media producer with a background in printing. Phil is an outspoken advocate of medical cannabis for veterans with issues of Post Traumatic Stress.
We at Salem-News.com are extremely happy to add Phil to our staff of writers, many of whom are combat veterans, and allow a place for his strong voice that has already made a difference for many. Phil is our first writer who is a combat veteran of the Iraq War.
Jerry West
Salem-News.com Writer
Email: newsroom@salem-news.com
Jerry West grew up on a farm in Fresno County, California, and served with the US Marine Corps from 1965 to 1970 including 19 months in Vietnam with the Third Marine Division, and three years at MCAS Iwakuni where he became an anti-war organizer in 1970.
He earned an Honors Degree in History at the University of California, Berkeley, and did two years of graduate study there.
While in university he worked seasonally in fire and law enforcement with the US Forest Service. After university he worked for a number of years in the international tour industry in operations and management before moving to a remote village on the west coast of Vancouver Island where he is currently the editor and publisher of The Record newspaper serving the Nootka Sound region.
He is a Past President of the Northern California Land Trust, and a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
Chuck Palazzo
Salem-News.com Vietnam Correspondent
Email: chuck_pal@yahoo.com
Chuck Palazzo is a lifelong writer and activist who served as a U.S. Marine during the Vietnam War, from 1970-1974. He was trained in 02 (intelligence) and ended up with 1st and 3rd Force RECON seeking out and destroying NVA SAM sites.
He says there was no real intelligence needed, except to detonate and get the hell out and hope to get picked up at the designated LZ. Primarily Da Nang area and points north, and the central highlands (Dalat, etc.).
Today Chuck lives in Da Nang, the same place he served during the war. Chuck says we all have the war stories, but that is not what he chooses to write about.
In his words, "I am now all about helping my fellow VET, getting through our ever growing bureaucracy, and helping the Vietnamese who were innocently affected. Agent Orange and fighting the US Chemical Companies is one of my passions. Talking to other VETS, wherever they fought, is another. I also want the opportunity to perhaps allow the Vietnamese to be heard via me or actually do some interviews. For what we did, they are an incredibly forgiving people and have welcomed me with open arms."
He decided to relocate his small software development business to Vietnam about a year ago. In addition to his partner, all of their employees are Vietnamese.
As Salem-News.com continues to cover the wars overseas and fights for veterans on numerous and never ending fronts, we wholeheartedly welcome Chuck Palazzo to our team, and we especially appreciate what he does for Veterans and for the People of Vietnam.
David Bedworth
Salem-News.com Contributing Writer
Email: bedworth53@gmail.com
Salem-News.com has a wide variety of contributing writers, but the most common thread may be issues related to veterans, and specifically, issues related to the Marine Corps.
David Bedworth is the tenth former Marine to join the Salem-News.com writing team, and we are happy to welcome this former Lieutenant Colonel to our ranks.
A disabling encounter with prostate and brain cancer have put David in a situation where he cannot work and has limited abilities as a result of treatment.
However, brain surgery seems to have stimulated a long dormant creative surge in literature, music and poetry.
He is involved with contributions to the Student Operated Press and Newsblaze and is working with his sister on a collection of illustrated poems.
He also helps a group of ill veterans and family members who were exposed to contaminants at the Marine Corps Base at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
This is a subject that Salem-News.com has paid serious attention to for years, that we are increasing our coverage of at this point. Dave's joining our team will amplify our ability to pay more attention to Camp Lejeune, since our writers have concentrated primarily to exposing the contamination at MCAS El Toro, and we could not be more happy about it. Welcome aboard Sir!
Luke Easter
Salem-News.com Poet
Email: lyricsfromlucas@aol.com
Luke Easter is a poet who writes about things that are very close to the heart of Salem-News.com. He explained what drives him to try to heal the world with an approach that reaches people on a different level, one known for centuries, yet too often forgotten in the one we live in.
Why is it important to me? We live in a world of social & economic injustice. The main reason for founding America in the first place was to relieve the oppression of the King of England. Patrick Henry said it best, “give me liberty or give me death.” And yet, all too often death seems to be the only way out. Why is there such a high suicide rate especially among teens, in the land of the free & the home of the brave? What makes headlines? Good news? Ha! More depressing stories than anything else. I feel poetry takes an edge off the hurt of bad news while still delivering it but in a, “glitzy” sort of way. Giving a different perspective. Kind of like a slap in the face as opposed to a knife in the back. At least with the slap you’ll live to see another day and you will know whom it’s from. I wasn’t here for the beginning of the world but at 59, I just might be here for the end. Let’s not allow the satanic evils of this world a foothold in the truth and justice pioneers fought so hard to establish.
Even though it’s still a knife, rhyme poetry helps to dull the blade. And that’s my job.
Then there are those, “seemingly” usually buried on the last page (but not on Salem-News.com) rare occasions where the knife becomes a stick of butter. And that just makes my contributions not only easier but a whole lot sweeter too. Love or hate it, whatever the case, this is what I do.
Isaiah 1:17 (Amplified Bible) Learn to do right! Seek justice, relieve the oppressed and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.
John Uldrich
Salem-News.com Environmental and Military Reporter
Email: John Uldrich
John Uldrich has common roots with several members of the Salem-News.com team. Like Tim King, Robert O'Dowd and Roger Butow, he is a former US Marine from MCAS El Toro who survived serving at what we now know, is a massively contaminated closed-down military base; one that Irvine, California politicians and developers, believe should be used as a housing community and park. Working very closely with this news team for the last three years, John has been an instrumental player in our fight to expose the deadly toxic base for what it is, and we have had great success.
Like most Marines, John Uldrich is not a man of small aspirations. He is a candidate for Governor with the Independence Party in Minnesota. When he takes office, John will be the State’s “Commander-in-Chief”, with all the more power and ability to bring about positive change in this country, with an eye on all - but a focus on Veterans.
John has a rich and varied background that lends itself particularly well to his work today as a representative of the needs of the citizens of Minnesota, and the United States, whether he is in office or not.
To learn more about John's campaign, visit: johhnuldrichforgovernor.com
Coral Anika Theill
Salem-News.com Reporter
Email: coraltheill@hotmail.com
Coral Anika Theill is an author, advocate and survivor. She teaches that when we truly embrace our pain and suffering, and are able to be authentically grateful for our wounds and the brutality that we may have endured, we become 'healed healers' - Making Light of the Dark.
Coral formerly lived in Oregon for twenty years, until seeking safety from a long term marriage involving domestic violence, rape and ritual abuse. Her published book and true life story, BONSHEA: Making Light of the Dark exposes the dark side of humanity when all people are not valued. Her personal story of twenty years of marital abuse, involving mental, physical, and ritual abuse, is condoned within some of the fundamental, evangelical Christian movements (cults) that thrive today. Her story is also about injustice, the failings of the Oregon court system, and the stigma associated with mental illness.
BONSHEÁ: Making Light of the Dark shares her search for freedom and light in a society based on patriarchal religion and laws. It openly speaks about the ideas and beliefs in our society which foster sexism, racism, the denigration of human rights and the intolerance of difference. Her documentation exposes the dark side of human nature when all people are not valued. A healthy society must have the courage to address these issues, speak about them, examine them and bring them to light. Indifference encourages, "silent violence"-the type of violence she experienced in her home, in the community, religious circles and judicial system. Nobel laureate, Elie Wiesel states, "The indifference to suffering makes the human inhumane." "A few years ago, I believed by sharing my truth and breaking my silence, my very life would be threatened. Breaking the silence and "telling secrets" takes courage. I have discovered there is more danger in keeping secrets. If violence cannot be talked about, it cannot be stopped. I truly believe more victims would be willing to share their pain, fear and shame if they could expect to be believed, respected and vindicated. A victim's first scream is for help, a victim's second scream is for justice."
"The injustice committed against me is not just the physical separation from my children, but the willful desecration of the mother-child relationship and bond, a sacred spiritual and emotional entity. Forcibly taking a mother's children, and then controlling her emotionally by withholding contact must be publicly recognized as one of the greatest forms of 'misuse' of the American justice system and one of the greatest hidden vehicles for wide-spread socially approved physical and emotional abuse and control." - Coral Anika Theill
For the past 11 years she has lived under a 'state address confidentiality program' from her ex husband, Mr. Marty Warner, for crimes of abuse, and from a V.A. unlicensed therapist, George D. Amiotte, for attempted murder and theft. During this time, she was also homeless for several years due to disability and ongoing court trauma and abuse (legal stalking) instigated by her ex husband. Difficult experiences in life have softened rather than hardened her. She believes there is beauty in the ashes, sanity is madness put to good use, normal is only a setting on your dryer, and the secret to a long life is knowing when to go. When a person shows you who they are BELIEVE THEM! After decades of child abuse, marital, ritual and court abuse, Coral is at peace with her life and her past and has learned that as she honors herself, she honors God. She no longer embraces the ideological rigidity of patriarchal religions and "Christianity" but wishes to help those who are being abused in the name of "God." She believes most people long to be understood more than they wish to be 'loved.' In regards to her religious outlook, Coral thinks the Dali Lama sums it up best. "My heart and mind are my temples, my religion is kindness."
Coral believes in the inherent worth of every person and that we are all interconnected and bonded together by the fact that each and everyone of us faces personal trials, traumas and crisis. Each one of us is challenged to reframe and use the tragic moments in life for personal empowerment and for encouraging others. She hopes and prays the Marines and soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq can come home soon. Coral reminds those around her, 'Your trauma is not who you are....just what happened to you." "If you can't help, just do your best not to hurt."
Coral Anika Theill is available for speaking engagements or forums. Presently, she is writing her third book, "The Gift of Healing is Our Birthright." Her email is listed above.
Website for BONSHEA: Making Light of the Dark bonshea.com
- May-8-2010: A Mother Does Not Forget Her Children: First March on Washington for Mothers of Lost Children - Coral Anika Theill Salem-News.com
- May-10-2010: SILENT VIGIL AT WHITE HOUSE: Mothers of Lost Children - Coral Anika Theill Salem-News.com
- Nov-29-2007: Welcome to Oregon: Land of Domestic Abuse Endorsement - Coral Anika Theill Special to Salem-News.com
- May-12-2007: Abuse Under the Watch of Oregon's Justice System - Tim King Salem-News.com
- Nov-28-2007: Marital Rape and Abuse Victim Seeks Justice From Oregon's Governor - Coral Anika Theill Special to Salem-News.com
- May-10-2009: Oregon Should Consider Coral Theill this Mother's Day - Tim King Salem-News.com
- May-29-2008: What Abuse Survivors Expect from the Portland Crime Victims Conference - Tim King Salem-News.com
- Oct-15-2008: PSA Targets Sarah Palin's Anti-Abortion Position - Tim King Salem-News.com
Bonshea: Making Light of the Dark can be ordered from: barnesandnobe.com, amazon.com or iUniverse.com
Leslie Moore Dahlke
Salem-News.com Contributor
Email: lesli@alossofinnocence.com
Born and raised in the Golden State of California, Lesli Moore Dahlke is one of the few rare native Southern Californians.
She is a child of the 50’s — "We had one of the first huge color television sets when they were first presented to the public in 1954. The neighbors 'just happened by' for a visit during the limited hours of TV broadcasting for a peek. I have always lived in the San Fernando Valley, which is a vast suburb of Los Angeles."
Lesli studied journalism and recieved a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Television and Film Production from California State University Northridge.
Her credits include commercial film production, numerous areas of television production; including producing live sports programming, documentaries for The Discovery Channel, PBS Network programming and Telecourse, as well as producing the first series for the Playboy Channel and various other ventures.
Her experiences were vast, challenging and never routine. Until my career came to a crashing halt.
Life’s most challenging experiences were yet to come, with the diagnoses of two virulent cancers caused by Lesli's exposure to Agent Orange while with the USO as an innocent 18-year old girl.
Her story continues with everyday battles and successes. Salem-News.com is extremely happy to carry Lesli's work as she represents a face on the Agent Orange casualty list that is almost never heard. Our writers frequently discuss the impact that this chemical and its parent company, Monsanto, has had on the American legacy. We're awfully glad they are here to do this, we only wish there were far more, but that is not possible.
Lesli said, "I hope you will join me for this journey as it unveils itself to you and I both!"
Khalil Nouri
Salem-News.com Writer
Email: khalil.nouri@gmail.com
Khalil Nouri was born in an Afghan political family belonging to the Mohamadzai clan of the Pashtun Durani confederacy. His father, uncles, and cousins were all career diplomats in the Afghan government. His father was also amongst the very first in 1944 to open and work in the Afghan Embassy in Washington D.C., and subsequently his diplomatic career was in Moscow, Pakistan, London and Indonesia. Throughout all this time, since the 1960’s, Khalil grew to be exposed in Afghan politics and foreign policy.
During the past 35 years he has been closely following the dreadful situation in Afghanistan. His years of self- contemplation of complex Afghan political strife and also his recognized tribal roots gave him the upper edge to understand the exact symptoms of the grim situation in Afghanistan. In that regards, he sees himself being part of the solution for a stable and a prosperous Afghanistan, similar to the one he once knew. One of his major duties at the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan in 2002 was advisory role to LTG Franklin Hegenbeck. He has worked closely with the Afghan tribes and his tribal exposure is well tailored for unobstructed cross-cultural boundaries within all Afghan ethnicities. He takes pride in his family lineage specifically with the last name “Nouri” surnamed from his great-grandfather “Nour Mohammad Khan” uncle to King Nader-Shah and governor of Kandahar in 1830, who signed the British defeat and exit conformity leaving the last Afghan territory in second Anglo-Afghan war. Khalil is a guest columnist for Seattle Times, McClatchy News Tribune, Laguna Journal and a staff writer for Veterans Today. He is the cofounder of NWSC Inc. (New World Strategies Coalition Inc.) a center for Integrative-Studies and a center for Integrative-Action that consists of 24- nonmilitary solution for Afghanistan.
The function of the Integrative-Studies division (a native Afghan think tank) is to create ideas and then evolve into concepts that can be turned over to the Integrative-Action division for implementation. Khalil has been a Boeing Engineer in Commercial Airplane Group since 1990, he moved to the United States in 1974. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, and currently enrolled in Masters of Science program in Diplomacy / Foreign Policy.
CoCo McCain
Salem-News.com Contributor
Email: TheGoodStuffDesk@cocomccain.com
Dreams are funny things! Sometimes you pick them, but sometimes … they pick you. In this case, The Good Stuff journey definitely picked me! On November 11, 2009, The Good Stuff picked me up and then plopped me down right in the middle of uncharted waters. Some call it chance, I call it a miracle.
Let me explain. I'm the girl-next-door. Really, I am. When I was in law school, I actually married my next-door neighbor. I'm still head over heels for that same neighbor, and now I'm a housewife and I have three very busy little boys! I'm also a daughter and sister, a friend and a neighbor. I try my best to work hard, give back, and make it to a yoga class.
As noted, I'm your ordinary girl-next-door … but on that one November day in 2009, I was given an extraordinary dream! A dream to shine a light on all the good things that happen every single day! Everyday acts of love, bravery and generosity. Everyday acts of determination, kindness and triumph in the face of tragedy. The simple things that make life so rich and rewarding! The zest and marrow of life.
From the very beginning the vision for The Good Stuff has been crystal clear: shine a bright light on the good in life because sharing the good has the power to touch lives around the world.
Touching lives around the world … what a wonderful, beautiful and magical dream. What do you call it when something magical and extraordinary happens? Do you call it chance … or do you call it a miracle?
The Good Stuff definitely feels like a miracle – but the most exciting part of "My Story" is "Your Story!" The Good Stuff is about YOU! It's about YOUR STORY! It's about all the good you see happening around you every day!
So, if I may … please allow me to WELCOME you to The Good Stuff! A place that is here to share your story and celebrate the good things that happen every single day. YOU are important and YOUR STORY is too! Together, we can shine a light. Together, we can reach out and touch lives!
I can't wait to hear from you, so please write soon and tell me your story at Dreams are funny things! Sometimes you pick them, but sometimes … they pick you. In this case, The Good Stuff journey definitely picked me! On November 11, 2009, The Good Stuff picked me up and then plopped me down right in the middle of unchartered waters. Some call it chance, I call it a miracle.
So, if I may … please allow me to WELCOME you to The Good Stuff! A place that is here to share your story and celebrate the good things that happen every single day. YOU are important and YOUR STORY is too! Together, we can shine a light. Together, we can reach out and touch lives!
I can't wait to hear from you, so please write soon and tell me your story at www.CoCoMcCain.com. Until then … may you live, give and grow with all the good in life.
Love,
COCO
James M. Wall
Salem-News.com Contributor in Chicago
Email: jameswall8@gmail.com
James M. Wall is currently a Contributing Editor of The Christian Century magazine, based in Chicago, Illinois. From 1972 through 1999, he was editor and publisher of the Christian Century magazine. Jim launched this new personal blog April 24, 2008.
Journalism was Jim’s undergraduate college major at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia. He has earned two MA degrees, one from Emory, and one from the University of Chicago, both in religion.
He is an ordained United Methodist clergy person.
He and his wife, Mary Eleanor, are the parents of three sons, and the grandparents of four grandchildren. They live in Elmhurst, Illinois.
Jim served for two years on active duty in the US Air Force, and three additional years in the USAF (inactive) reserve. While serving with the Alaskan Command, he reached the rank of first lieutenant.
He has worked as a sports writer for both the Atlanta Journal and Constitution, was editor of the United Methodist magazine, Christian Advocate for ten years, and editor and publisher of the Christian Century magazine for 27 years, starting in 1972.
Time magazine wrote about the new editor, who arrived at the Christian Century determined to turn the magazine into a hard-hitting news publication. To read what Time had to say about the 44-year-old new editor, click here.
Time concluded its essay with this summary of what the editor had planned for the future.
He sees the mainstream churches at least as often foolish as they are wise. He believes that the Century, and liberal Protestants generally, must shift from pious approval of their churches to a more realistic and vigorous appraisal. Concludes Wall: “What we have to say about the church and the world will be gutsy and robust.”
The inspiration for Wall Writings comes from that mindset and from many other sources that have influenced Jim’s writings over the years, including politics, cinema, media, American culture, and the political struggles in the Middle East.
He has made more than 20 trips to that region as a journalist, during which he covered such events as Anwar Sadat’s 1977 trip to Jerusalem, and the 2006 Palestinian legislative election. He has interviewed, and written about, journalists, religious leaders, political leaders and private citizens in the region.
Wall Writings deals with all of these topics, and others, as they emerge, from within an understanding of the ambiguity of the human condition as perceived from a religious perspective.
Wall Writings was initially used by Jim as the title of his column in the Georgia Tech Technique, when he served as sports editor of that publication.
He often finds inspiration from cinema and from music and lyrics from songs, like this one, “The Sounds of Silence”:
, And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon God they made.
And the sign flashed out its warning,
In the words that it was forming.
And the signs said, the words of the prophets
Are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls.
And whispered in the sounds of silence.
This song addressed the uneasy mood that permeated a rebellious period, the 1960s, a mood chronicled in Director Mike Nichols’ film, The Graduate.
“The words of the prophets” come to us from different places, like subway walls, tenement halls, poetry, movies, novels, and surprise gifts of grace that break through the mists of secular creativity.
Such a moment comes to us when first we encounter the deadpan expression of Dustin Hoffman, as Benjamin, a recent college graduate, who has returned to his stultifying suburban home. At a family party, the most important advice a friend of his father’s can give him is “plastics”. The only meaning Benjamin can expect in a godless universe is to be found in a successful career that gives him a home in the suburbs with a swimming pool out back.
Read the signs wherever you can find them, and then act upon them.
Visit Jim's Website: Wall Writings
Ivan T. Brecelic
Salem-News.com Contributor in Australia
Email: newsroom@salem-news.com
Ivan T. Brecelic has been writing about South East Asia for the past two decades. In his own words, "He is attracted to the extreme side of life where humanity functions at its best."
Perhaps that is why Ivan has been following the search for Sean Flynn, son of swashbuckling actor Errol Flynn, who went missing in April 1970 when the U.S. military invaded Cambodia. His work in this area crosses paths with Salem-News.com founder Tim King, who has been following the Sean Flynn story for many years. Of particular interest is Ivan's coverage of fellow Australian Dave MacMillan's search for this historic photojournalist.
Ivan's writing takes you on a fascinating journey; from the bustling and vibrant crowds of SE Asia; to the tranquil side of art and expression; packed with images and stories that will leave readers thought filled and intrigued. His feature articles have appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald, The Courier Mail, Ralph, and publications in Europe, syndicated by Planet Syndication.
Based out of Perth, Australia, Ivan T. Brecelic travels frequently to a growing array of destinations to meet the people and see the sights that fuel his writing ambitions.
You can more of Ivan T. Brecelic's work by visiting: Ivan T. Brecelic on tripatlas.com
Learn more about the search for Sean Flynn through Ivan's blog: Vanishing Flynn blogspot.
William T. Hathaway
Salem-News.com Contributing Writer
Email: william.hathaway@ewetel.net
William T. Hathaway is author of the novels A World of Hurt, CD-Ring,, Summer Snow and a nonfiction book, Radical Peace: People Refusing War. He also wrote the screenplay for Socrates, an educational film starring Ed Asner that was broadcast on PBS.
Hathaway began his writing career as a newspaper reporter in San Francisco, then joined the Special Forces to research a book about war. Based on his experiences on a combat team in Vietnam, A World of Hurt won a Rinehart Foundation Award for its portrayal of the psychological roots of war.
After the war Hathaway became a peace activist. In his latest book, Radical Peace, he wrote, "Since then my books and articles have centered on this theme, as do many of my nonwriting activities. It's become my beat, as they say in the newspaper business."
Visit this link: Radical Peace
CD-Ring is a young-adult novel about a boy learning the need for peaceful communication. Summer Snow is set amidst the war on terrorism as an American warrior falls in love with a Sufi Muslim and learns from her an alternative to the military mentality.
Radical Peace presents the first-person experiences of war resisters, deserters, and peace activists in the USA, Europe, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Just released by Trine Day, an Oregon publisher, it's a journey along diverse paths of nonviolence, the true stories of people working for peace in unconventional ways. More information and sample chapters are posted on a page of the publisher's website at http://media.trineday.com/radicalpeace
Active in leftwing politics, Hathaway is a member of the Socialist Party USA, the Fellowship of Reconciliation, and the War Resisters League.
Hathaway was born in Mississippi, raised in the Rocky Mountain region, and educated at Columbia University and the University of Washington. He was a Fulbright professor of creative writing and American studies at universities in Germany, where he currently lives.
The book he's now writing, Wellsprings: A Fable of Consciousness, deals with Transcendental Meditation as a means to peace. He was made a teacher of Transcendental Meditation by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
A selection of his writing is available at http://www.peacewriter.org
Kiflu Hussain
Salem-News.com Correspondent in Uganda
Email: kiflu.hussain08@gmail.com
At the time of writing this, I have already logged over 16,945 days on this planet by being alive and kicking well. To be precise, I was born on September 5, 1964 in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia. I was trained as a lawyer in Addis Ababa University, Faculty of Law whereby I received a diploma in 1986.I worked in different state enterprises and corporations as an attorney until I landed in a concentration camp in October 2005 on a farcical trumped up charge of corruption. After being denied bail for one solid year, I was released in October 2006.On top of being threatened by another round of incarceration, I found the outside world itself to be one big concentration camp since fear and suspicion had descended on the land due to the brutal crackdown in July and November 2005 that saw the massacre of over 200 civilians in Addis Ababa alone.Hence, I decided to flee whereby I sought asylum in Uganda in January 2007.
The passion for writing I guess came from reading. It’s inevitable that the more one reads, the more one develops the urge to write.Although,I published a couple of my articles in Ethiopia on the English Reporter, then a weekly newspaper along with a few of my Amharic articles on the defunct Addis Zena,it’s in Uganda after I sought refuge that I contributed a lot of my writings to the local papers and various websites such as Daily Monitor, Uganda Record, The New Vision, Ethioquestnews, Garowe Online,WardheerNews etc.The reason for this is clear.Ethiopia,despite being a seat of the African Union had never produced a regime that allows even the minimum space for dialogue that other people in Africa enjoy so naturally. So my ending up as a refugee in Uganda is a blessing in disguise for it accorded me with the opportunity to write. At the same time, unfortunately, I learned by virtue of my refugee status as to how deep the hypocrisy of the “international community” goes down. Thus, I redefined the term refugee as follows.
R-rooted out
E-exiled
F-frightened
U-unwelcome
G-globally shunned
E-expendable to capricious politics
E-eternally endangered
Whether you welcome me or not you will get to hear from me or about me via my eclectic writings.
Kiflu Hussain
An Ethiopian Refugee in Uganda
10 February, 2011
Dr. Ashraf Ezzat
Salem-News.com Correspondent in Egypt
Email: amenhotep.55@gmail.com
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time”
LITTLE GIDDING (No. 4 of ‘Four Quartets’)T.S. Eliot
“Hegel was right when he said that;
We learn from history that man can never learn anything from history”
George Bernard Shaw
Dr. Ashraf Ezzat is an Egyptian medical doctor whose passion has always been writing. He says of all the human-related studies, he finds himself attracted to history. Ashraf stresses that history helps us understand change and how the society we live in came to be.
He says Egyptology holds a special place in his heart, for Egypt is where the human conscience sprouted. In ancient Egypt all things civilized began to evolve. "I write articles and share posts of interest to me and hopefully to a lot of people."
Dr. Ashraf Ezzat says you can drop him a line any time at:
"I like to exchange knowledge and experience, I think that`s what Blogging is all about."
Eric Akiskalian
Salem-News.com Contributor
Email: ericakiskalian@mac.com
Eric has been an avid surfer and ocean lover since the age of nine. It was a neighbor’s board that Eric’s Mom paid $30.00 for as a Christmas present. From there, he learned how to surf along the shores of Santa Barbara, CA. Pretty soon, it was an every day affair, after school, during school, on the weekends and whenever he could get to the beach. Weather he had to beg and plead with his Mom, cut class, walk, ride his bike or whatever, Eric would find a way to get to the beach. It was very clear from that point forward, that this was going to be a life long passion of his, and nothing would stop Eric from doing what he loved more than anything else, being in the water. Well, so he thought!
In his early twenties Eric had made a pretty strong name for himself as an aggressive and talented young surfer. Eric was never really into the competition scene but decided one year to give it a shot. Some how he managed to get in the 1980 U.S. Stubbies Pro/AM Event that was held in San Diego, CA and surfed his way to the finals. When it came to the final event of the man on man heats, Eric and his friend Davey Smith ended up competing against one another and needless to say, Davey took the heat.
“It was a great experience as I can remember but I also remember not really being anymore stoked on events even though I did really well during my first major contest. I just never had the desire to be a part of the whole contest scene and decided that it wasn’t what I wanted.”
Eric riding Oregon's South Reef
It was soon after that Eric got a photo in Surfer Magazine in a full page spread and that wasn’t even a big enough motivator to keep him on the right track. After that, he just dropped out of the whole surfing scene completely. This and a lack of motivation was due to his cocaine addiction that had been slowly creeping up on him along with all the heavy parting he was doing. In 1987, Eric realized that his addiction had taken its toll and a good solid 8 years were wasted away. It was time to face reality and make a decision that would change his life forever. Eric remains and has been drug free since 1987 and many positive changes have occurred in his life. One of the many decisions he made was to get back into surfing which is something he knew he missed and loved very much. So back in the water he went and what a positive experience it has been ever since.
It was during the early 90’s when Eric realized that he needed more of a challenge with his surfing than the normal size surf. So he started searching for bigger waves whenever he could. In 1996 Eric paddled out at Mavericks on his 8’ 10” gun on a solid 18’-20’ day and new right then and there that he had to go home with his tail between his legs and train harder then ever.
Today, Eric is 50 years old and is shaping what the new late 30’s, early 40’s should look and act like. With his enthusiasm and young spirited attitude he continues to chase the biggest swells all over the world while building a name for himself and his company Towsurfer.com. With the many experienced and professional big wave surfers that he is surrounded by, he has been able to obtain much knowledge and experience about surfing and towing big waves. Having traveled abroad to many locations has also given Eric new sights and opportunities for the future.
Eric's tow partner Keith Galbraith
Eric is committed more than ever in his love for the sport of surfing. Today he is as a sponsored Pro/AM surfer, pursuing his goals and ambitions in the big wave arena of tow-in surfing.
“I guess for me today, it’s kind of like reliving a dream I may have had as a young surfer before I started using drugs and doing all that parting. What’s kind of cool is that the dream is unfolding right before my eyes at 50. Surfing is a lifestyle for me and it is my new addiction!”
Eric is the sole owner and creator of Towsurfer.com, a leading big paddle wave paddle and tow-in website dedicated to the sport of extreme surfing, athletes, photographers, contests, promoters and the industry at large. He also owned a production company called Akiskalian Productions that he started in 1987. This company had a main focus on marketing, advertising, corporate and non-corporate sponsorships, project development, media relations, television and video productions. Eric has been involved with producing and hosting cable news and entertainment television shows since 1990.
Eric was also the Founder/President of the Association of Professional Towsurfers (APT) a California Non-Profit Mutual Benefit Corporation.
The specific purpose of this corporation was to promote and encourage the responsible growth and development of professional tow-in surfing; to encourage safety, in connection therewith; to develop and sanction events, including championships; and to improve business conditions in connection with foregoing; all for the benefit of professional competitor members, and other members of the Corporation, the promoters and sponsors of sanctioned tow-in surfing events around the world.
"Keep The Dream Alive!"
Kevin Montgomery
Salem-News.com Reporter/Photographer
Kevin Montgomery has a fascinating history when it comes to the evolution of computer technology. In the early years, the 1970's, Kevin studied and worked with people who would all go on in their own ways to bring high technology in the world to where it is now.
For many years, Kevin was an active member in the HAM TV world. What is that? Live TV transmitted from point to point, like HAM Radio. Here Kevin learned the in's and out's of doing a TV live shot and he often built the equipment that it took to do it.
Today, Kevin works in any number of areas at Salem-News.com. Reporting, photography, editing, and he is the one person you can always look to when a piece of equipment fails, like a video cable, or a computer hard drive, or any construction or electrical need.
Kevin also has plans to produce a weekly entertainment program for the Salem TV station KWVT.
With all of those things to keep him occupied, Kevin says he can't stay busy enough, and these days he doubles as a deck hand on the Willamette Queen, the Willamette River sternwheeler.
Sean King
Salem-News.com Teen Reporter
Salem-News.com has the oldest and youngest working journalists in the nation. At the age of 14, Sean became the youngest broadcast TV News reporter in the NW when he was selected as a Salem Correspondent by ATTN's NW Teen News, which aired on Salem's KWVT.
Sean also has substantial time under his belt in the cable access world, where he has volunteered for Salem Oregon's CCTV group. His show ran for several months in 2005 and was a hit with younger and older audiences.
Sean assists other CCTV producers with Music Around Salem, a show that highlights local bands from the capitol city music scene.
Sean's devotion to video production, acting and news delivery first at Leslie Middle School in South Salem, and presently at MACA (Media Arts & Communications Academy) represents a defining period for this reporter/producer.
Literally raised in a TV news household, Sean is able to understand and report about many things with a fresh, undiluted perspective.
Sean has several videos hosted on Youtube. One of which, entitled "Cradle of Filth- My Humps" with nearly a million views, is very popular among the YouTube community.
Now a high school senior, Sean continues his involvement in journalism and video production and is an active representative in the community for Salem-News.com.
Lela M. Taylor
Salem-News.com Reporter / Community Editor
As the daughter of an Oregon logger, Lela grew up living in different areas in Oregon.
In 1973, entering into her second marriage and with four children, Lela had to make the decision to go back to school and finish her education so she could become self-sufficient from the government programs that was helping her family survive.
She first volunteered at the non-profit organization known as Cry of Love to get experience in working in a social service environment. She then went on to graduate from Chemeketa Community College where she obtained two Associates degrees.
Lela has experience with humanity, having served with the non-profit Women’s Crisis Service, the Marion County Legal Aid Society, and as the Producer of the local TV show Public Pulse, which examines issues relevant to Oregon's capitol city.
Lela produced her own talk show called Think About It and was the host of the show, which aired for four years. After gaining skills as a director and editor, she directed a show called Reflections with Javier, which was an umbrella for three other shows called, Winds of Change, a political format; Art with a Soul, art and entertainment program; and Other Side of the Coin a religious format.
Two Best of the Northwest awards were won by two of the episodes from this series.
Lela’s latest endeavors have been to expand into the world of journalism with Salem-News.com, where she now works with Tim and Bonnie King as their Community Editor. Lela covers community events and write commentaries on social issues. Her quote for life is from Henry David Thoreau "We must walk consciously only part way toward our goal and then leap in the dark to our success."
Lela is a regular contributor to the Out door pictures from Oregon photo album.
Gerry Villani
Salem-News.com Advertising Representative/Photographer
Email: villaniphoto@yahoo.com
Gerry Villani has been a resident of Salem, Oregon since 1964, and he has watched the capitol city grow and change significantly over the years. After graduating from Mount Hood Community College in Oregon with an AA in journalism, Gerry traveled the world as a photojournalist for the U.S. government from 1974-1986, then worked for state government and then put his communication skills to work for companies in Salem, Tualatin, and Beaverton before joining Salem-News.com.
Among other accomplishments, Gerry has taken thousands of photographs and is developing a photo stock company that will be marketed through Salem-News.com. Gerry's skills in technology are ever increasing, and he holds a Certificate in Computer Operations from Chemeketa Community College which he earned in 1986.
To learn more about Gerry's photography, visit his site villaniphoto.com
Karin Maria Friedemann
Salem-News.com Contributor
Email: togethertalk@hotmail.com
Karin Maria Friedemann is editor of World View News Service groups.yahoo.com/group/wvns/ and an op ed columnist for the Khaleej Times (Dubai). She blogs at karinfriedemann.blogspot.com and mariahussain.wordpress.com. She enjoys writing about Jewish and Middle East affairs and her occasionally outrageous personal advice column "Ask Maria." She has written for the Muslim Observer, Islamic Horizons and the Message magazine on local politics, the halal meat industry and women's issues.
Born 1970 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Karin now resides in Boston, Massachusetts. She is a full time mother of four children, all born at home. She registered Republican to vote for Ron Paul in the primaries but ended up voting for Cynthia McKinney for president. Karin has played the violin/fiddle since she was four years old and was a member of the Don't Look Now Jug Band in Detroit's Cass Corridor for ten years. She spends most of her time at home with husband Joachim Martillo and family. Her favorite hobby is sewing patchwork, which her kids are learning, and her favorite album of all time is Hank Williams Sr.'s gospel album.
She is Director of the Division on Muslim Civil Rights and Liberties for the National Association of Muslim American Women.
David Duncan
Original Salem-News.com Web Designer
David Duncan has been part of the Salem-News.com team since the beginning in the early summer of 2004. The original Web design was David's work, that is what got the whole thing going in the first place until the arrival of Matt Lintz.
David continues to be involved though his other committments keep him jumping too. David has spent years working as a volunteer at Salem's CCTV, the local community cable access channel.
He has also recently completed working on a full length movie that was approved by the Screen Actors Guild.
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