Peace Works was sponsored by The Rachel Corrie Foundation. This year's event featured performances by several speakers. About 20 different readings were presented by the readers. Here are some photographs from the event:

Erica Lord:

Vaude deVille:

Brian Jones:

Here's a link to the whole set (33 photos).

photo by Chaney

I used to acquire bad versions of Beatle songs sung by other artists. It all started with hearing Bing Crosby's version of "Hey Jude" on the radio in 1980, but it grew into something of a disease. However, I eventually cured myself.

So here is how I cured myself. In 2003 I drove to Redding, California to visit a friend. By that time I had collected over 15 hours of "Yesterday" alone. So I played them all back-to-back on the way south, and part of the way north. They didn't end until I hit Salem on the return trip. By that time I had become another person-- a person no longer interested in hearing another version of Beatles song sung by a different artist.

Anyway, for your bibliographic pleasure, here is list of the artists who covered "Yesterday" that serenaded me to Redding, and back again to Salem. From Salem to McCleary I was numb and almost comatose:

[Via OMJP]

Olympia PMR Joins Grays Harbor Activists to Protest War and Massive Deployment of Military Cargo to Iraq

Members of Port Militarization Resistance (PMR), an Olympia-based grassroots organization, protest in solidarity with Grays Harbor activists (Olympia, WA) Tuesday, two dozen Kiowa and Blackhawk helicopters landed in Aberdeen to be shipped in a massive deployment of military cargo to Iraq. A Navy ship arrived in the Port of Grays Harbor at 10:25 this morning.

On Friday, about 30 PMR activists joined Aberdeen peace groups in a weekly vigil sponsored by the “Grays Harbor Grannies.” Following the vigil, the group moved to a free speech area, as designated by law enforcement, to protest militarization of the Port of Grays Harbor. Activists are objecting to the illegal attack and occupation of Iraq “resulting in a humanitarian crisis,” and use of the publicly funded port to ship military cargo in support of that illegal war.

Port protest activities have been planned for the weekend and beyond.

Olympia PMR activists declare that “the invasion and occupation of Iraq is contrary to the rule of law inasmuch as it defies agreements that expressly prohibit the belligerent and aggressive invasion of a sovereign nation,” and further, “we can best support our troops by safely bringing them home.” Local law enforcement agencies have designated a "Public Assembly Area" on swampy grounds hundreds of feet from the port property at Port Dock Road for use by "protesters." The area is across from the Home Depot and slightly west of Terminal 4 where the cargo is being stored. "They'll do everything they can to control our message and keep us as far away from the port as possible," said activist Molly Gibbs. "They want to keep us out of sight so cameras can't see what's being loaded in the background."