Welcome to the Big Muddy Independent Media Center!

     The Big Muddy Independent Media Center is a grassroots community group dedicated to providing the people of Southern Illinois with an outlet for news, commentary, and dialog about stories and issues that are underrepresented or misrepresented in other media outlets.
     The following is our collection of featured stories: news, issues, and events for your consideration. You can use the links at the top and side of the page to learn more about us or find stories on a specific topic.
     We also encourage you to "Be The Media" by posting your own news. You just need a web host (use a Hostgator coupon code) and some free blogging software (Drupal or Wordpress). Your story may even be featured here on the main page!

Seed Swap

Announcing the third Carbondale Seep Swap of the century!

SEED SWAP!
March 3, 2012
Township Hall (enter from the back)

217 E. Main St. Carbondale, IL (across from Bank of Carbondale)

SWAP: 9 am to 11

PRESENTATIONS and skill sharing: 11-12

A seed swap is a free do it yourself event where people exchange seeds they have saved themselves. Are you an experienced gardener or newly curious? The public is invited to come to the Seed swap with leftover seeds, purchased seeds they have saved and what ever people have gathered and saved from their gardens or the wild. People should double check to ensure their seeds are Non-GMO (genetically modified seed) and that they are not hybrids.

The seed swap is an event that strengthens the diversity of heirloom seed germ plasm- the more different seeds get selected and redistributed in our region, the stronger our future food supply becomes. Growing food locally will help this region through times of change. It takes 7 calories of energy to produce 1 calorie of food that ends up in your grocery store: Many cities are discovering that the route back to food security is to think locally.

At the seed swap, the early birds bring the seeds, and all are welcome to attend, to learn, and no seeds are necessary if you want to get a start on your garden.

No experience necessary; people who are just thinking about growing plants for the first time are especially welcomed.

For all interested in growing their own food, herbs and flowers.

For all who are interested in food security for all in the Southern Illinois region.

Learn about the connections between local food, nutrition and economic justice.

Seeds will be shared and exchanged from 9 to 11; presentations, including hands on sessions for practical growing skills and talks about the relationships between economic justice and food security will begin at 11.

The Seed Swap this year will be nested within an extraordinary weekend of meetings and presentations that comprise the first Carbondale Social Forum! This will held at the Big Muddy Independent Media Center, 214 No. Washington Street, from noon March 3- 8 pm, and the entire following day!

Presentation on Jan 29th

Who We Are:
Our Roles and Their Destruction,
a presentation by two regional anarchists.

Many within the Occupy movement have been drawn there because of its on horizontal and decentralized power structures, direct democracy, direct action, and a critique of social life dominated by consumer and market values. These themes have a long history within the anarchist tradition, and many anarchists have been participating in occupations throughout the country. This teach-in, while not explicitly focused on the Occupy movement, will introduce us to an anarchist analysis of wage labor and gender as exploitative social categories. It will be a chance to pursue a deeper analysis of the ways in which a capitalist economy sustains itself by shaping our daily lives, our desires, and our bodies in accordance with its demands, and to learn about the anarchistic approaches to resisting this process.

Kat Waters will discuss the interconnected systems of Capitalism and Patriarchy that constitute a war against all of us and give us reason to fight.

Padraig Lawless will give a brief explanation of various repressive roles we've been assigned and how they function, along with wage-slavery and consumerism, as means of social control.

The presentations will be followed by a Q&A and discussion.

WHERE: the Independent Media Center (214 N. Washington St., Carbondale)

WHEN: Sunday, Jan. 29 @ 2pm

Live Music at the IMC

LIVE MUSIC!!

Sat, January 28, 8pm – Sun, January 29, 1am

Big Muddy IMC, 214 N. Washington St. (map)

Human + Plus
found-sound-psy​chadelic-harmon​ies from Lawrence, Kansas

Cherry St. Volcano
rock&roll from Herrin

Earth Masters
heavy-wave-slow​ed-down-noise-p​op from Brooklyn

A Factory Binge
loud-punk-rock from Herrin

Rooster Noodle Soup feat. Crass Culture
anarcho-squatte​r-hip-hop from St Louis

show starts @ 8pm
$3-$5 suggested donation
This is an all- ages show and alcohol-free event

film fridays are back!

Film fridays are back y'all!

friday jan 20th @ 7:30pm : Featuring animated shorts by: Norman McLaren & Bill Plympton
And a the feature "Wizards" by Ralph Bakshi

Friday jan 27th @ 7:30pm: "the Take"
In the wake of Argentina's dramatic economic collapse in 2001, Latin America's most prosperous middle class finds itself in a ghost town of abandoned factories and mass unemployment. The Forja auto plant lies dormant until its former employees take action. They're part of a daring new movement of workers who are occupying bankrupt businesses and creating jobs in the ruins of the failed system.

But Freddy, the president of the new worker's co-operative, and Lalo, the political powerhouse from the Movement of Recovered Companies, know that their success is far from secure. Like every workplace occupation, they have to run the gauntlet of courts, cops and politicians who can either give their project legal protection or violently evict them from the factory.

The story of the workers' struggle is set against the dramatic backdrop of a crucial presidential election in Argentina, in which the architect of the economic collapse, Carlos Menem, is the front-runner. His cronies, the former owners, are circling: if he wins, they'll take back the companies that the movement has worked so hard to revive.

Armed only with slingshots and an abiding faith in shop-floor democracy, the workers face off against the bosses, bankers and a whole system that sees their beloved factories as nothing more than scrap metal for sale.

With The Take, director Avi Lewis, one of Canada's most outspoken journalists, and writer Naomi Klein, author of the international bestseller No Logo, champion a radical economic manifesto for the 21st century. But what shines through in the film is the simple drama of workers' lives and their struggle: the demand for dignity and the searing injustice of dignity denied.

Seed Swap. Sat. Feb 19, 11-2 pm

The second ever of the century-- Seed Swap!!!

Saturday, February 19, 2011
11-2 pm

214 N. Washington Street, Carbondale, IL
(1/2 block North of Town Square Market)

Do you grow your own food?
Are you a beginning or experienced seed saver?
Come share knowledge and seeds.
No experience, or seeds required.

All vegetable and flower seeds or starts welcome
Learn about open pollinated, heritage and "true" varieties
Learn about how to save your own seeds
Bring images from your garden last year to share on our wall of green

*** 12:00 - Talk by Vinny Porbaznik of Dayempur Farm on saving and breeding seeds.

*** 12:45 - Presentation by Orlan Mays on the youth gardening program in Carbondale.

*** 1:00 - Demonstration by Steve Smith of Hollow Pumpkin Farm on how to start seeds indoors, potting mix, and timing for different varieties!

sponsored by YOU!

I Know I'm Not Alone with Michael Franti. Fri Feb 4 at 7 pm

in

franti

Depressed by the war? So are we! Guest host Alex Paul of WDBX presents I Know I’m Not Alone, a feature documentary by musician and activist Michael Franti of Spearhead. Shot on a 3- week journey to Iraq and the Palestinian Occupied territories in 2004. Franti writes, "This film came out of my frustration with watching the nightly news and hearing generals, politicians, and pundits explaining the political and economic cost of the war in the Middle East, without ever mentioning the human cost. I wanted to hear about the war by the people affected by it most: doctors, nurses, poets, artists, soldiers, and my personal favorite, musicians."

Cache Girl Saves the World

Cache Girl Saves the World (DVD cover): This is the cover art of Cache Girl Saves the World, a "novel in visions" produced by author Adam E. Stone and musician and storyteller Thirza Defoe.Cache Girl Saves the World is a pioneering experiment in film and literature produced by author Adam E. Stone and musician and storyteller Thirza Defoe. This project explores an innovative new approach to storytelling, combining audio of the novel's text with music and still photographs of the story's action to create a "novel in visions." The images, words, and songs of this visual novel tell the tale of Ta'li, a young woman on a physical and spiritual journey in search of healing for herself and a way to awaken empathy in the hearts of her fellow humans.

Sun. Dec 19, 6 pm. Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping

Sun. Dec 19, 6 pm. Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping

Reverend Billy Talen has been preaching salvation for the commodity-addicted flock for over a decade. He helps the wicked credit card charger to understand there is indeed life after shopping. This evening we will sample films made by and about the Church of Stop shopping, including the Last Televangelist and an assortment of medleys from the choir. This is not to be missed! Join in with us for a preach-athon and some delicious holiday cheer. More about Reverend Billy at http://www.revbilly.com/work/the-last-televangelist

Reverend Billy!

Reverend Billy!
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