The Contemporary Museum in downtown Baltimore is hosting a "Headquarters" project that looks at the U.S. prison system, how it has evolved, and how it is interlinked with urban blight. Unlike traditional museum exhibits that prioritize paintings and photographs, this museum "project" features artwork, a weekly Thursday night discussion, and attempts at artistic intervention into everyday life.

The US House of Representatives votes on the corporate media's "COPE Act" Thursday May 4th. It will shift Internet and Cable media access power to the corporations, weakening our voices in the future.

Ten things you didn't learn about nuclear power on this the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster.

While the 72 percent will stand, it will be phased-in with a first 19 percent hike in July 2006. That will be followed by a 25 percent hike in June 2007, and another hike in January 2008, all to equal a total 72 percent rate increase. With Maryland Governor Bob Erhlich backpeddling from his vow to call a special session, it looks unlikely a reduction will occur. For those using BGE's budget-billing method to even out monthly payments over the year, a hike already is in effect.

Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD) voted against the Iraqi War, but she has consistently voted to fund it. She poses as a liberal, but on the Iraqi conflict, there is little or no difference between her complicity in that wrong and that of VP Dick Cheney. He was recently booed at a baseball game. When will the people of Maryland begin booing her? Another funding for the Iraqi War vote is coming up in late April. Will Mikulski again support the Bush-Cheney Gang?

Now, War Hawks within the Bush-Cheney Gang are planning a First-Strike against Iran. It may come just before the Nov. midterm elections. The Neocon Paul Wolfowitz concocted the notion of a Pre-emptive War. His target, in 2003, was Iraq. Every time I hear Wolfowitz’s name mentioned, I curse him for all the deaths and suffering that his scheme has caused to the peoples of that unfortunate country, our brave troops and to our dwindling treasury.

A monthly column of polical commentary. This month: News Media Control

As arctic ice melts, vast untapped reserves of oil, natural gas and coal are becoming easily accessible. Open water in the arctic also means cheap and easy Atlantic-Pacific transport of said oil, gas, and coal. There's billions to be made by the greedy in an ice-free arctic and an environmentally devastating "gold rush" has already begun….