Slight edge to Doug.
Labels: comedy, music, you will burn in hell for watching this post
Dec. 30
Around The Internets Plain and Simple
Not sure what this is about but
it sure looks interesting. .
Must
Read (with footnotes) and Must See "The Story of Stuff". Billed by one
viewer as kind of a shorter more immediate version of "An Inconvenient Truth",
this ties together a lot of interesting and suppressed observations of the world
and the United States. See it here:
And for
Sunday my two
fave atheism motivational posters:
Very good
Google talk about the
problem with copyright and its future with Cory Doctorow.
Must Read
piece called the "Bipartisan
Zombies" by Digby. This is the also the problem with Obama's "Let's just get
along" approach. The other side is radical and extreme. They hate civil
governance and all notions of fairness. They have to be fought as Edwards has
said. An excerpt:
The idea among these Village elders is that only through bipartisan cooperation can we "get anything done." Well, if bipartisanship is defined like this, I suppose they are right:
As Congress stumbles toward Christmas, President Bush is scoring victory after victory over his Democratic adversaries. He:
Beat back domestic spending increases.
Thwarted an expansion of children's health coverage.
Defeated tax increases.
Won Iraq war funding.
Pushed Democrats toward shattering their pledge not to add to the federal deficit with new tax cuts or rises in mandatory spending.
[...]
"The Democrats are learning this isn't the early 1970s, when the Republican Party was Gerald Ford and 140 of his friends," said Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. "There are 201 of us, and we will be heard."Recall that the president's approval rating hovers at 30% and the rating of the is GOP minority in congress far lower. It appears to me that they know very well how to "get things done" not only on a purely partisan basis but with more than 70% of the country disapproving of their actions. They don't need no stinkin' bipartisanship.
Must Read by
Glenn Greenwald. This goes back to the masses as "little people" argument. An
excerpt:
And thus we have a perfect oligarchical system in which, literally, our most powerful and well-connected elite are free to break the law with impunity, exempt from any consequences. While exempting themselves, these same figures impose increasingly Draconian "law and order" solutions on the masses to ensure that even small infractions of the law prompt vigorous prosecution and inflexible, lengthy prison terms.
As Matt Stoller recently noted in an excellent post on the bipartisan orthodoxies that are untouchable in political debates, "there are 1 million people put in jail for doing what Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and George Bush have done" (buying and consuming illegal drugs) and "2 million people are in prison in America, by far the highest total of any other country in the world." It's almost impossible for the non-rich to defend themselves effectively against government accusations of criminality, and judges have increasingly less sentencing discretion to avoid imposing harsh jail terms. Punishment for crimes is for the masses only, not for members in good standing of our political and corporate establishment.
Where our political elite break the law, our leading media stars and pundits fulfill their central purpose by dutifully arguing that establishment figures who have broken the law have done nothing wrong and deserve protection, even our gratitude, when they do so. In the view of our establishment, even mere civil liability -- never mind criminal punishment -- is deeply unfair when imposed on lawbreaking corporations, as we see in the "debate" over telecom immunity.
New
Holt Bill. From Bradblog:
Simplified Legislation Offers Money to Jurisdictions Who Wish to Move to Paper Ballots, Optional Audits...
Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ) is trying again. After learning a lesson or two, from his failed attempt to push an unpopular Election Reform bill (HR811) through Congress, he's scaling back in hopes of getting something passed that may help bring accountability to the 2008 election cycle.
The latest version of the bill, coming in at a relatively slim 20 pages, is available here [PDF].
We certainly applaud the effort in general, and note that it mirrors some of the simple, doable-by-'08 initiatives we've been speaking with a few folks in Congress about behind the scenes.In brief, the bill we've been discussing, with several Congressional offices, after common ground discussions with a number of EI advocates, a representative from the National Association of Counties (NaCO) and even a Republican who had initially worked on the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), but disliked the resulting bill, would call for the following:
Money to states and/or counties who wish to move to paper ballot systems.A requirement that all voters be asked before voting if they wish to vote on paper (and that those paper ballots actually be counted before unofficial tallies are released to the media).Grant money to further study disability voting technology and hand-counting systems.Restrictions to no more than one DRE per polling place to marginally meet HAVA's mandate for voters with disabilities.
Holt's new bill would do a few, if not all of those things.
In his run at it this time, his bill would simply offer federal funding for jurisdictions who wish to move to paper ballots (that's good), and also offer money to help pay for post-election audits of those ballots...if they choose to do so. It also sets aside money for study of disability voting technology, as we'd also recommended.
Perhaps he has become a bit too timid after his previous unfortunate experience. Though the bill has not yet been introduced officially --- so language is not yet finalized, thus we'll hold full fire until we see the final product --- the audits recommended in his bill would be optional. As well, there are currently no requirements in his bill to mandate that Election Officials actually count those paper ballots, paid for with federal dollars, before releasing unofficial vote tallies to the media. That last is no small point (just ask Al Gore or Christine Jennings).
Related: More Proof that the 2004 election was stolen.
Quick note: when you destroy the ballots so that you can't make a full recount what should you conclude about the truthiness of the election results?
Cool
profile of former
basketball player and now urban organic farmer Will Allen. I guess there are
Black American environmentalists. I first saw this guy on a very good show on
the science channel called "Invention".
Dec 29
For some
reason our fine alt weekly paper the City Paper dropped the cartoon strip Tom
the Dancing Bug, which can usually be found buried in their classifieds section.
While it hasn't been absolutely hilariously funny as of late Ruben's worst is
still funnier than Derf. And his best, especially his rare social and political
commentary, is as good as it gets. Here he is talking about this wonderful new
group known as the "science racists" ("Look, I hate you, but it's all scientific
don't you see old boy..."), represented most ably by
Gene Expression although it seems more
moderate of late now that my
old nemesis Godless
Capitalist (Who rooted against the Ethan Hawke character in Gattaca...) no
longer writes for them. I think white folks should participate in the
experiment....Update: The geniuses at Gene Expression have altered the original
GC post to show html text. They forgot to sweep away Google cache though, so
here is Godless
again. Aren't they proud of one of their past contributors? Can't imagine
why not he was so right about the Iraq War especially with his high IQ and
all....I wrote a response to that by the way which I'll think I'll repost. Some
of my best writing...
Now Youse (or Yinz) Can't Leave.
(For background go see this Youtube clip from "A Bronx Tale".)
Let's say, for a moment, that you
took a good look at the situation here in the US and you think its time to
leave, kind of like Peter Drucker and other prescient Jews who left Germany in
the 30s. You're on a no fly list and you're pretty sure you're being watched and
you're absolutely certain that when the Blackwater death squads hit the street
after the next natural or manufactured "shock" they'll be knocking on your door
and it won't be to socialize. So you've thought about making a move to Canada.
Seems like a nice place.
Well, think again. These guys don't want "youse" to leave. Nice guys.
Two peace activists were recently denied entry into Canada, now run by a conservative. Jim Hightower has the story. Yes, you should find this frightening. At a certain point, as Naomi Wolfe points out in one of her talks about the signs of fascism, Jews weren't allowed to leave. They weren't stopped from leaving because the Germans liked them. In fact, the Germans had other plans for the Jews as history has shown us. And more than likely there are similar Gitmo/concentration camp plans for dissenters. Not a good sign.
Dec. 25
Video Showdown
Special: Peanuts Theme with Christmas Lights versus South Park's Merry Fucking
Christmas. And so it begins...
vs.
Link:
sevenload.com
And here's a special Greg Palast
Christmas Story. You can see this story on Democracy Now this Thursday I
believe. I highlighted the notable parts.
Good and Evil at the Center of
the Earth:
A Quechua
Christmas Carol
by
Greg Palast
December 24th, 2007
[Quito] I don't know what the hell seized me. In the middle of an hour-long interview with the President of Ecuador, I asked him about his father.
I'm not Barbara Walters. It's not the kind of question I ask.
He hesitated. Then said, "My father was unemployed.
He paused. Then added, "He took a little drugs to the States... This is called in Spanish a mula [mule]. He passed four years in the states- in a jail.
He continued. "I'd never talked about my father before."
Apparently he hadn't. His staff stood stone silent, eyes widened.
Correa's dad took that frightening chance in the 1960s, a time when his family, like almost all families in Ecuador, was destitute. Ecuador was the original "banana republic" - and the price of bananas had hit the floor. A million desperate Ecuadorans, probably a tenth of the entire adult population, fled to the USA anyway they could.
"My mother told us he was working in the States."
His father, released from prison, was deported back to Ecuador. Humiliated, poor, broken, his father, I learned later, committed suicide.
At the end of our formal interview, through a doorway surrounded by paintings of the pale plutocrats who once ruled this difficult land, he took me into his own Oval Office. I asked him about an odd-looking framed note he had on the wall. It was, he said, from his daughter and her grade school class at Christmas time. He translated for me.
"We are writing to remind you that in Ecuador there are a lot of very poor children in the streets and we ask you please to help these children who are cold almost every night.
It was kind of corny. And kind of sweet. A smart display for a politician.
Or maybe there was something else to it.
Correa is one of the first dark-skinned men to win election to this Quechua and mixed-race nation. Certainly, one of the first from the streets. He'd won a surprise victory over the richest man in Ecuador, the owner of the biggest banana plantation.
Doctor Correa, I should say, with a Ph.D in economics earned in Europe. Professor Correa as he is officially called - who, until not long ago, taught at the University of Illinois.
And Professor Doctor Correa is one tough character. He told George Bush to take the US military base and stick it where the equatorial sun don't shine. He told the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, which held Ecuador's finances by the throat, to go to hell. He ripped up the "agreements" which his predecessors had signed at financial gun point. He told the Miami bond vultures that were charging Ecuador usurious interest, to eat their bonds. He said We are not going to pay off this debt with the hunger of our people. Food first, interest later. Much later. And he meant it.
It was a stunning performance. I'd met two years ago with his predecessor, President Alfredo Palacio, a man of good heart, who told me, looking at the secret IMF agreements I showed him, "We cannot pay this level of debt. If we do, we are DEAD. And if we are dead, how can we pay?" Palacio told me that he would explain this to George Bush and Condoleezza Rice and the World Bank, then headed by Paul Wolfowitz. He was sure they would understand. They didn't. They cut off Ecuador at the knees.
But Ecuador didn't fall to the floor. Correa, then Economics Minister, secretly went to Hugo Chavez Venezuela's president and obtained emergency financing. Ecuador survived.
And thrived. But Correa was not done.
Elected President, one of his first acts was to establish a fund for the Ecuadoran refugees in America - to give them loans to return to Ecuador with a little cash and lot of dignity. And there were other dragons to slay. He and Palacio kicked US oil giant Occidental Petroleum out of the country.
Correa STILL wasn't done.
I'd returned from a very wet visit to the rainforest - by canoe to a Cofan Indian village in the Amazon where there was an epidemic of childhood cancers. The indigenous folk related this to the hundreds of open pits of oil sludge left to them by Texaco Oil, now part of Chevron, and its partners. I met the Cofan's chief. His three year old son swam in what appeared to be contaminated water then came out vomiting blood and died.
Correa had gone there too, to the rainforest, though probably in something sturdier than a canoe. And President Correa announced that the company that left these filthy pits would pay to clean them up.
But it's not just any company he was challenging. Chevron's largest oil tanker was named after a long-serving member of its Board of Directors, the Condoleezza. Our Secretary of State.
The Cofan have sued Condi's corporation, demanding the oil company clean up the crap it left in the jungle. The cost would be roughly $12 billion. Correa won't comment on the suit itself, a private legal action. But if there's a verdict in favor of Ecuador's citizens, Correa told me, he will make sure Chevron pays up.
Is he kidding? No one has ever made an oil company pay for their slop. Even in the USA, the Exxon Valdez case drags on to its 18th year. Correa is not deterred.
He told me he would create an international tribunal to collect, if necessary. In retaliation, he could hold up payments to US companies who sue Ecuador in US courts.
This is hard core. No one - NO ONE - has made such a threat to Bush and Big Oil and lived to carry it out.
And, in an office tower looking down on Quito, the lawyers for Chevron were not amused. I met with them.
"And its the only case of cancer in the world? How many cases of children with cancer do you have in the States?" Rodrigo Perez, Texaco's top lawyer in Ecuador was chuckling over the legal difficulties the Indians would have in proving their case that Chevron-Texaco caused their kids' deaths. "If there is somebody with cancer there, [the Cofan parents] must prove [the deaths were] caused by crude or by petroleum industry. And, second, they have to prove that it is OUR crude which is absolutely impossible. He laughed again. You have to see this on film to believe it.
The oil company lawyer added, "No one has ever proved scientifically the connection between cancer and crude oil." Really? You could swim in the stuff and you'd be just fine.
The Cofan had heard this before. When Chevron's Texaco unit came to their land the the oil men said they could rub the crude oil on their arms and it would cure their ailments. Now Condi's men had told me that crude oil doesnt cause cancer. But maybe they are right. I'm no expert. So I called one. Robert F Kennedy Jr., professor of Environmental Law at Pace University, told me that elements of crude oil production - benzene, toluene, and xylene, "are well-known carcinogens." Kennedy told me he's seen Chevron-Texaco's ugly open pits in the Amazon and said that this toxic dumping would mean jail time in the USA.
But it wasn't as much what the Chevron-Texaco lawyers said that shook me. It was the way they said it. Childhood cancer answered with a chuckle. The Chevron lawyer, a wealthy guy, Jaime Varela, with a blond bouffant hairdo, in the kind of yellow chinos you'd see on country club links, was beside himself with delight at the impossibility of the legal hurdles the Cofan would face. Especially this one: Chevron had pulled all its assets out of Ecuador. The Indians could win, but they wouldn't get a dime. "What about the chairs in this office?" I asked. Couldn't the Cofan at least get those? "No," they laughed, the chairs were held in the name of the law firm.
Well, now they might not be laughing. Correa's threat to use the power of his Presidency to protect the Indians, should they win, is a shocker. No one could have expected that. And Correa, no fool, knows that confronting Chevron means confronting the full power of the Bush Administration. But to this President, it's all about justice, fairness. "You [Americans] wouldn't do this to your own people," he told me. Oh yes we would, I was thinking to myself, remembering Alaska's Natives.
Correa's not unique. He's the latest of a new breed in Latin America. Lula, President of Brazil, Evo Morales, the first Indian ever elected President of Bolivia, Hugo Chavez of Venezuela. All "Leftists," as the press tells us. But all have something else in common: they are dark-skinned working-class or poor kids who found themselves leaders of nations of dark-skinned people who had forever been ruled by an elite of bouffant blonds.
When I was in Venezuela, the leaders of the old order liked to refer to Chavez as, "the monkey." Chavez told me proudly, "I am negro e indio" - Black and Indian, like most Venezuelans. Chavez, as a kid rising in the ranks of the blond-controlled armed forces, undoubtedly had to endure many jeers of "monkey." Now, all over Latin America, the "monkeys" are in charge.
And they are unlocking the economic cages.
Maybe the mood will drift north. Far above the equator, a nation is ruled by a blond oil company executive. He never made much in oil - but every time he lost his money or his investors' money, his daddy, another oil man, would give him another oil well. And when, as a rich young man out of Philips Andover Academy, the wayward youth tooted a little blow off the bar, daddy took care of that too. Maybe young George got his powder from some guy up from Ecuador.
I know this is an incredibly simple story. Indians in white hats with their dead kids and oil millionaires in black hats laughing at kiddy cancer and playing musical chairs with oil assets.
But maybe it's just that simple. Maybe in this world there really is Good and Evil.
Maybe Santa will sort it out for us, tell us who's been good and who's been bad. Maybe Lawyer Yellow Pants will wake up on Christmas Eve staring at the ghost of Christmas Future and promise to get the oil sludge out of the Cofan's drinking water.
Or maybe we'll have to figure it out ourselves. When I met Chief Emergildo, I was reminded of an evening years back, when I was way the hell in the middle of nowhere in the Prince William Sound, Alaska, in the Chugach Native village of Chenega. I was investigating the damage done by Exxon's oil. There was oil sludge all over Chenega's beaches. It was March 1991, and I was in the home of village elder Paul Kompkoff on the island's shore, watching CNN. We stared in silence as "smart" bombs exploded in Baghdad and Basra.
Then Paul said to me, in that slow, quiet way he had, "Well, I guess we're all Natives now."
Well, maybe we are. But we don't have to be, do we?
Maybe we can take some guidance from this tiny nation at the center of the earth. I listened back through my talk with President Correa. And I can assure his daughter that she didn't have to worry that her dad would forget about "the poor children who are cold" on the streets of Quito.
Because the Professor Doctor is still one of them.
*****
Watch the Palast investigation, Rumble in the Jungle: Big Oil and Little Indians, on BBC Television Newsnight, now on-line via www.GregPalast.com - and Thursday's US broadcast of Democracy Now.
For a copy of Palast's prior reports from Venezuela for BBC and Democracy Now, get "The Assassination of Hugo Chavez," on DVD, filmed by award-winning videographer Richard Rowley.
Dec. 23
Looks like CIGNA murdered this
girl by delaying much needed care. They've done it before but this could be a
tipping point event. They're murderers who use spreadsheets instead of knives
and guns and they kill many many more people. How I hate the insurance
companies. Links
here and
here.
Somewhat Related: Wexler
argues that if we're going to move on our issues like health care for all this
term (instead of playing out the clock and hoping that the democratic congress
can expand while doing nothing to challenge mr 25 percent (not a winning
strategy as we'll probably discover)), we need impeachment as a lever. I'm
quoting the whole thing here. Add your name to those calling for impeachment
here.
I was serving in
Congress and on the Judiciary Committee for the ridiculous and politically
motivated impeachment hearings of President Clinton. During that witch hunt Newt
Gingrich, Tom Delay, and Ken Starr wasted a year and a half on investigations
and hearings about President Clinton's personal relations. However, this
attempted coup d'etat by Republicans against President Clinton was not and
should not be the standard of impeachment that was enshrined by the Founders in
our Constitution.
First, impeachment hearings are only proper when significant allegations exist
that the President or Vice-President, or others civil officers, committed
actions within their official duties that constitute 'High Crimes and
Misdemeanors.' The allegations against Clinton involving a personal affair -
never reached this threshold. The serious charges against Cheney involve alleged
crimes that are central to his duties of Vice-President; namely war and peace,
the widespread violations of civil liberties, and the security of the United
States and our covert agents.
Unlike the show trial put on by Republicans against President
Clinton, a proper impeachment hearing would involve a fair and objective
presentation of the facts without hyperbole or political gamesmanship. The hard
evidence that is presented at the hearings will be judged fully both by Congress
and the American people. The evidence alone will determine the outcome, and if
it is determined that Vice President Cheney committed "High Crimes and
Misdemeanors" he should be properly impeached and put on trial before the
Senate.
After the Democratic Party regained control of Congress, many myself included
thought that it might be possible to meet President Bush half-way on the large
issues facing our nation. Unfortunately, Bush has been nothing more than an
ideological obstacle. He has vetoed stem cell research. He has vetoed efforts to
bring our troops home from Iraq. He vetoed children's health care. So, the idea
that we are somehow inhibiting Congress from passing our agenda by holding
impeachment hearings unfortunately is a false argument.
Instead, I believe that we can both live up to our Constitutional obligation by
holding hearings and pass a Democratic agenda. If President Bush perceives that
the Democratic Congress is weak and unwilling to aggressively push our agenda
he will continue to veto legislation, such as children's health care that is
supported by a majority of Americans. The only way to move a progressive
Democratic agenda is by acting through strength and following through on our
core principles. A Congress willing to stand up to the abuses of the Bush
Administration through impeachment hearings will demonstrate a strength of will
that will more likely convince Bush to accommodate on issues such as Iraq,
health care, and energy and environmental issues.
Related: Daniel Dennett at
this year's Beyond Belief conference, which I'm waiting to see more of on
Youtube.
More related: Big
Dawkins, Hitchens, Harris and Dennett roundtable. Features incredible quotes and
arguments.
And thank goodness I'm not
religious because that leaves me free to lust after the
galactic
ally hot women of Star Trek. Two Three I liked include
Yvonne Craig of Batgirl (Batgirrl!)
fame:
and winner of my fantasy date and or execution in alien combat area is bad actress in silver:
and oh yeah I'll give you something "fascinating" to examine (cue less than subtle Andrew Dice Clay reaction shot/"oh" sound):
Dec. 19
If you can find it, the new issue of
World War III is
outstanding. Here's a question: if you're doing a radical left wing comic and
you probably lose money selling it for five bucks, why don't you just give it
away, perhaps with google ads, on the Internet? I might email that question to
the publishers.
Go
sign the petition for Cheney's
impeachment. Now. I think I was 105868. I wouldn't be surprised if that
cracks a million within a week.
And thank you Chris Dodd, again.
I would prefer that
you
were the majority leader though, and not president.
I still think that John Edwards is the best progressive choice--who actually has a shot at winning-- we can get for the presidency. Here's why I like him:
He also makes the case against Hillary:
Related: Atrios sort of endorses Edwards. Shorter candidates Quote here:
Shorter Candidates
Obama: The system sucks, but I'm so awesome that it'll melt away before me.
Edwards: The system sucks, and we're gonna have to fight like hell to destroy
it.
Clinton: The system sucks, and I know how to work within it more than anyone.
Okay, who's best the melt guy or the insider? I'm going with two. I wish Atrios would endorse Edwards now as opposed to that Chuck Penn endorsement that he gave the day of the election that didn't do jack...
And Froth
is back blogging after a short
hiatus.
.
Or is this Froth?
Or is this?
And under some drug induced delusion he claims he is now married to a woman who looks like the star of Bewitched:
A big lie...sez the lonely writer of this site sniffity sniff snoo....
Dec. 16
Your Sunday
toon from the
Free Press:
I suppose John Horus has one way
of initiating political change. Of course, you could use impeachment. Here's
the latest from Wexler. He's completely right. If you don't impeach Bush it
shows that there are different rules for the rich and the powerful. You would be
telling the public that we're all "little people",
that famous line in Bladerunner. Of course, after watching the dem
leadership in action I'm beginning to think that's the message they want to
send. One rule for us another for you rabble...
Dec. 14
New graphic novel that I would
hope Phantom of the Attic would carry, although I'm not sure I could afford it.
Review:
Housmans, London's 62-year-old "premier radical bookshop,"
was warm and animated on a rainy Friday night for the launch of a new graphic
novel entitled "Iraqi Oil for Beginners." Auspiciously, Hassan Jumaa, president
of the Iraq Federation of Oil Unions, was in London to speak at a conference and
made a quick appearance at the launch party. Jumaa also happens to be one of the
only sympathetic characters in the book.
Written and illustrated by Jon Sack, a young London-based American artist and
musician, the 31-page paperback comic book may feel light to the touch but is so
densely packed with information that it is more like a historical pamphlet,
albeit a droll and caustic one. "I wanted to sex up history a little," says
Sack, whose interest in the history of oil in the region was piqued several
years ago when he became involved in an organization called Corporate Pirates,
which keeps tabs on major corporations - in this case Western firms in Iraq.
He also spent time with Platform, a UK-based social and environmental
organization that carries out research on the oil industry. "I take myself as a
case in point," says Sack. "I had no idea of the role played by oil companies in
Mesopotamia and then Iraq." Funded by the human-rights group Voices in the
Wilderness, Sack began his project by piecing together accounts of the British
occupation of Iraq in the 1920s, which led to evident parallels with the
situation today. ...
Sack's graphic novel begins, perhaps inevitably, with the attacks of September
11, 2001, but then it quickly moves back 90 years to 1911, when Britain's Royal
Navy converted its warships from using coal to oil, a pivotal point and catalyst
for a growing and ever-increasing hunger for crude.
At the time, Britain had control of one of the first oil refineries in the world
in western Iran, then known as Persia. A few years later, in 1914, Britain
invaded and occupied Basra in southern Iraq. Sack leads his readers through the
complicated creation of oil companies, the British determination of Iraqi
borders after World War I and the maneuvering of multinational oil companies to
obtain concessions in Iraq. The remaining third of the comic book is dedicated
to the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq and the situation today, and in particular,
the impending oil law.
Related:
Other things I want for Christmas:
They're not dolls. They're action figures. You could even spring for the special blood spattered edition. Black Summer is a must read by the way.
What should be a pop hit in a fair
and loving world.
Little Dragon "Test"
Uploaded by
Phunk_promotion
And is it me or is Jeff Beck bassist Tal Wilkenfeld hawt?
Dec. 11
Star Trek
alumni
support the writer's guild strike. Brent Spiner is there, as well as Chekhov
and Sulu. Even my literary father figure Harlan Ellison was there. Harlan seems
to be slowly mutating into Yoda but I support the guild as he does. Related:
you can send a letter to the evil Hollywood
owners on behalf of
your fave show. I typed in Battlestar Gallactica.
Speaking of science fiction, here's
a piece by
Jim Burns.
Why
Richard Dawkins is a mean ol' atheist. I mean, I suppose she had it
coming...What's a religious dad to do...
Dec 9
My Most
Blasphemous Post Ever
Why Richard
Dawkins is a
mean old atheist.
Dec. 4
Dave Chappelle Vs. Jon Lajoie
I have to admit. This second describes my life fairly well, but I will fight
back...
Labels: comedy, music, yeh I ride the bus Mothafucka
posted by Philip Shropshire at 8:37 PM Comment (1)
Dec. 4
Dave Chappelle Vs. Jon Lajoie
I have to admit. This second describes my life fairly well, but I will fight
back...
Labels: comedy, music, yeh I ride the bus Mothafucka
posted by Philip Shropshire at 8:37 PM Comment (1)
Nov. 29
As everyone here probably knows,
Buffy's next season is now a comic. Angel's sixth season is now also a comic as
well. Looks pretty exciting. I liked the first issue and that's the shortest
review ever. Meanwhile, over at Dexter: they're going to pin everything on
Doakes? The sharp FBI guy doesn't notice that a blood spatter guy would prefer
blood trophies? I don't know. But very exciting...
But enough about vampires and serial
killers. Here's some really scary stuff:
Harman's bill contends that the United States will soon have to deal with home grown terrorists and that something must be done to anticipate and neutralize the problem. The act deals with the issue through the creation of a congressional commission that will be empowered to hold hearings, conduct investigations, and designate various groups as "homegrown terrorists." The commission will be tasked to propose new legislation that will enable the government to take punitive action against both the groups and the individuals who are affiliated with them. Like Joe McCarthy and HUAC in the past, the commission will travel around the United States and hold hearings to find the terrorists and root them out. Unlike inquiries in the past where the activity was carried out collectively, the act establishing the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Commission will empower all the members on the commission to arrange hearings, obtain testimony, and even to administer oaths to witnesses, meaning that multiple hearings could be running simultaneously in various parts of the country. The ten commission members will be selected for their "expertise," though most will be appointed by Congress itself and will reflect the usual political interests. They will be paid for their duties at the senior executive pay scale level and will have staffs and consultants to assist them. Harman's bill does not spell out terrorist behavior and leaves it up to the Commission itself to identify what is terrorism and what isn't. Language inserted in the act does partially define "homegrown terrorism" as "planning" or "threatening" to use force to promote a political objective, meaning that just thinking about doing something could be enough to merit the terrorist label. The act also describes "violent radicalization" as the promotion of an "extremist belief system" without attempting to define "extremist."
And:
As should be clear from the vagueness of the definitions, the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act could easily be abused to define any group that is pressuring the political system as "terrorist," ranging from polygamists, to second amendment rights supporters, anti-abortion protesters, anti-tax agitators, immigration activists, and peace demonstrators. In reality, of course, it will be primarily directed against Muslims and Muslim organizations. Given that, there is the question of who will select which groups will be investigated by the roving commissions. There is no evidence to suggest that there will be any transparent or objective screening process. Through their proven access both to the media and to Congress, the agenda will undoubtedly be shaped by the usual players including David Horowitz, Daniel Pipes, Steve Emerson, and Frank Gaffney who see a terrorist hiding under every rock, particularly if the rock is concealing a Muslim. They and their associates will undoubtedly find plenty of terrorists and radical groups to investigate. Many of the suspects will inevitably be "anti-American" professors at various universities and also groups of Palestinians organized against the Israeli occupation, but it will be easily to use the commission formula to sweep them all in for examination.
And watch this from Naomi Wolf:
Time to get a gun. Time to get a passport. But who knows. Perhaps I'll stay and fight. Where could you run to anyway.
Nov. 27
Very cool
pulp pics from the old Soviet Union and other alien places.
I have to admit that these Prolefeeds are
very very good (Tip of the hat to Uncle Scam for pointing them out. Also at
Amsam:
Prolefeed does battle with the American Resistance Movement.). Don't forget
to read the scrolling bar at the bottom of the page because apparently women
love fascists. (Not entirely untrue from my experience...) Uh, these are jokes
by the way. I hope.
Nov. 25
Apparently,
the Catholic League is telling people to stay away from the "Golden Compass".
So every atheist and non dogmatic person needs to shell out 8 bucks and go
watch the "Golden Compass". Plus, it looks like a good movie. I mean, I
watched the Chronicles. Its just an interesting imaginary story, Bill. Just
like the
Bible...
The Golden Compass - Extended Preview
Uploaded by toma-uno
Labels: Golden Compass, Nobody Expects the Spanish Inquisition
I have noticed that my virtual
girlfriend/daughter Agent Ska
has
responded to my snarky "Yer just votin' fer Hillary cuz' she's a girl! Nah!"
post,
now permalinked here. I will respond after I do my laundry. Or tomorrow.
Nov. 22
Actually, I probably won't buy
anything because I don't have any money but this is a nice effort.
From Adbusters:
Action update: MTV, the channel that markets itself to hip youth, has decreed that our Buy Nothing Day public service spot "goes further than we are willing to accept on our channels". Gangsta rap and sexualized, semi-naked school girls are okay, but apparently not a burping pig talking about consumption.
(Here's the ad that MTV, which I long stopped watching because they don't play music. Sort of like my jazz channel that won't play any jazz...I truly hate you Reginald Hudlin. On the other hand, if not for your slashing mediocrity I wouldn't have created this. Life hands you a lemon...)
Nov. 20
Art by
Joshua Middleton. I
always thought that cover was striking and wondered who drew it. Related: Alan
Moore's "Black Dossier" is out but it costs 30 bucks! That might have to wait
for Christmas.
Here's why I think Edwards is the
best choice for the presidency. I like and agree with his argument about there
being no difference between corporate democrats and corporate republicans and
that Hillary is certainly a corporate democrat. For example, the recruiting
class that Schumer and Rahmbo gave us in 2005 was a status quo class.
And a question for Agent Ska: how
will a President Hillary make your life better? She supported NAFTA for God's
sake. Now she supports that awful Peruvian trade bill...I'm not supporting
Barack as my primary choice because he's black. Are you supporting Hillary
because she's a girl, even though many of her policies will probably hurt you?
Do you want a society where its easier for companies to outsource the work
you're studying for in college to some farm in Bangalore? I'm definitely sensing
a "Look, its our time" vibe from a lot of women when it comes to Hillary even
though I'm certain that very little that's positive will come out of a person
who thinks lobbyists iz just plain folks. (See "oops. Our bad." ad below...)
More
on that awful Peruvian trade bill here at Eyes on Trade. This is the kind of
thing that a real media would be reporting on. Notice you don't see too many
frontpage stories about this from either of our money losing corporate media
dailies.
I enjoyed this season of Weeds. It
also looked like the cast is going to Pittsburgh or they're going to jail.
Perhaps both. I don't see how Dexter is avoiding jail either. The police are on
his trail. Doakes has stolen his "blood" trophies...does he live a life on the
run? Join Blackwater? Is called up by the reserves?
Nov. 13
THE RETURN OF VAST WASTELAND
I usually end up watching Dexter and
the Brotherhood back to back on Sunday night. Dexter tends to be the better show
while Brotherhood seems to be kind of a lighter Sopranos, except without the
glamor. You won't see Nancy Sinatra serenading anyone in "Brotherhood", although
you will see many former Sopranos alumni. But last Sunday night Brotherhood was
the better show. It featured a completely disturbing yuppie assassin and also
was one of the few shows I've seen that displays how caging lists could be used
in elections. It did get a few things wrong, though. Politician Tommy Caffee
(the house rep in the red tie above who you would think is the nice one but
you're always wondering (and who's played by yet not only a Brit, but apparently
an upper class Brit as well...what no Irish American actors who can play these
guys? Did anyone give the Baldwins or Carradines a call? Life is not fair...))
plays a democrat. But democrats have not been known to use caging lists.
Republicans tend to do that. The only truth this fiction reveals is that
white dems might not be all that upset when Republicans use those tactics to rob
minorities of their vote. However, I could tell they were dems because they did
show the slightest hint of shame at that dirty tactic and others that Tommy
pulled out. There was also, possibly, one other glitch when one of Tommy's
operatives starts challenging latino voters at the poll but makes sure to
not mention that they can use a provisional ballot. From what we've
seen in Ohio
the provisional ballots would never be counted anyway.
Dexter has also been very entertaining this year. But I think they did this particular plotline too early. This season's plotline involves the discovery of all those bodies that Dexter has been dumping, articulated in song here. And he's being chased by a very capable FBI agent who's already figured out the serial killer is in law enforcement. I don't know how Dexter gets out of this one. Even if he kills the FBI agent everybody knows that it might be a cop, plus Doakes, who luckily enough was kicked off the force before talking to the FBI agent about this crazy theory that the serial killer is in law enforcement...unless this is the last season. Then it makes sense. It's weird seeing the show from the perspective of the killer. It's not unlike watching Silence of the Lambs not from the Jodie Foster point of view but of one of the killers...
I'm making a call: I think John Edwards is
the best choice for the presidency. I like Obama and I think he would make a
very capable president or vice president but his vote for that Peruvian free
trade deal, the scare talk on social security...of course, he might think
Hillary has wrapped it up and thinks this secures his rich guy money base back
in Illinois but still...I would probably vote for Hillary but this would be the
first election cycle in four years where I probably won't do any door to door
work for the dems if she gets the nomination...Unless the GOP nominee is Tanc or
Newt or somebody....
I just can't stand that "lobbyists is people" line, which, appropriately enough, was turned into an ad by the Edwards camp. Seen here in the "Oops. Our Bad" ad:
Ted Rall also has the anti Hillary analysis down:
I forgive easily. I could have let Hillary off the hook for supporting NAFTA, screwing up healthcare in 1993 and voting for the proto-fascist USA-Patriot Act. I could have overlooked her Reaganesque cluelessness about the lives of ordinary people. (Reneging on her "baby bond" proposal that Americans receive $5,000 at age 18, she now wants to give everyone a 401(k) and have the government match it "up to $1,000." Thanks to this windfall, she says, "they will be able to access it to go to college or maybe they will be able to make that down payment on their first home." Lame idea, obviously. What I want to know is: Where can you buy a house or a college education for $1000? On the moon?)
Nov. 11
City of Progress by Broadcast
Uploaded by Steelydan
An excerpt:
A superhero killed the president this summer. Moments later, a shocked White House press corps watched as John Horus, his gleaming white-and-gold costume still soaked in blood, explained why. Because "the war in Iraq is illegal and predicated on lies," because "our people and theirs are dying for corporate gain," because of the "use of torture by our elected authorities," and because the president "stole the last two elections," the most powerful member of the Seven Guns could no longer "stand by while this administration commits crimes." In response, a terrified government imposed martial law, launching a nationwide manhunt for Horus' estranged teammates, whose reactions to the act ranged from horror to sympathy.
Nov. 6
"Senor Carlos Santana" by John Mclaughlin
Uploaded by Steelydan
Very important trailer for "Uncounted".
One of the reasons I couldn't support
DeSantis or any republican is that the main way the GOP has won the last two
national presidential elections is by suppressing the black vote in both Ohio
and Florida. I guess that's a small and minor thing to local bloggers but to me
and about a half million dead Iraqis its kind of a point of contention. I could
never reward a party like that...(I would take a look at Ron Paul vs. Hillary.
He's a non factor if Edwards or Obama get the nomination...).
Not that I could blame anyone for thinking that Luke Ravenstahl will be just an awful mayor. If he leaves office as a national embarrassment we would be getting off light. I'll say this again: he'll probably end up in jail or resigning before being sent to jail. He has the arrogance of the Bush regime but not any of its get out of jail free interpretative powers of the law.
I think the City of Pittsburgh will survive.
Nov. 1
What Chris Dodd is
doing very cool but it does bring up the point that if it only takes one senator
to stop any particular bill then dems could stop the war in the US Senate. Where
is the principled Feingold on this? What's really stopping Barack or Hillary. I
mean, I guess this is why we own California and the west because no one
filibusters imperialist land grabs but still...
Ted Rall hits it right on the mark. Here's what Ted said:
"Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut unwittingly exposed the Democrats' Big Lie on
Iraq: that they need support from Republicans to stop the war. In fact, any
senator can place a "hold" on any piece of legislation. They can even do it
anonymously if they're afraid of the political ramifications of their action!
So, the next time you hear on TV that the Democrats "need" 60 votes in the
Senate to override Bush's threatened veto, don't believe it. And write to the
network to demand an immediate correction."
Related: Not as angry as you might think vagina monologues author makes same point but she's talking 40 senators. Just takes one.
Stunning new
John
Mclaughlin vids from July Crossroads guitar festival. You can sample them
here,
here and
here. For years now J
Mac's electric guitar sound had become, well, wimpy and mushy. He was probably
hoping that Tony Mowad would play him (to no avail.). Here he seems to have
discovered his
Mahavishnu/Electric
Guitarist strat sound and he sounds Godlike. He's never sounded better and
this was recorded just a few months ago. Wow.
Here's one for your approval:
Live John Mclaughlin tune
Uploaded by Steelydan
What Should Be Posted on Oct. 31 (Boo!)
From Jamais Cascio's (of
Worldchanging fame...) weblog.
Related: Speaking of scary blood music technology that could certainly go
bad let us look no further than CMU 's Claytronics, seen
here and
here. I, for one, would like to wear such tech. And then quickly go about
Ruling the World. I would be a more than decent despot no doubt....This kind of
looks like Tranformers tech.
New attempt at
public interest non advertising based
journalism. Looks to be much better funded than the Real News.
Interesting
article
about Afro Futurism (If you're a weirdo who cares about people like Chip
Delany and Steven Barnes and Octavia Butler and etc...), by way of Warren Ellis,
who has one of the best and wide ranging blogs on the Internets.
Now I have to admit:
That's a
costume party. I found Galactus and Annie Hall to be of interest. Features A
List Bloggers
Big Media Matt and Ezra Klein.
Top
Ten sci fi movies never made.
Transhumanism
debate that I need to check out.
I'm adding the
Goddess to the blogroll. That would
make two local African American bloggers who write about something other than
hip hop or relationships in the Pittsburgh area. Woohoo. Related: I also
enjoyed her essay about the mayor's race. That micropayment idea looked
interesting. Luke's outreach to the black community is the same old "black face
in a high place" kind of stuff. For the record, I loathe both candidates. I
think Luke is incompetent and will likely end up in jail. I think decent people
don't affiliate with the GOP, world's worst party. Decent people resign from the
Republican Party, apologize for supporting NAFTA and giving money to Rick
Santorum, and run as an independent.
Apparently, I can
watch the Bourne Ultimatum for free on the Internets. I had better
investigate this...Notice that there isn't an about section or a contact page. I
guess that's the art of not being seen.
Oct. 30
Some vintage Jack.
And great lettering. From this
great new site.
Nov. 1
What Chris Dodd is
doing very cool but it does bring up the point that if it only takes one senator
to stop any particular bill then dems could stop the war in the US Senate. Where
is the principled Feingold on this? What's really stopping Barack or Hillary. I
mean, I guess this is why we own California and the west because no one
filibusters imperialist land grabs but still...
Ted Rall hits it right on the mark. Here's what Ted said:
"Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut unwittingly exposed the Democrats' Big Lie on
Iraq: that they need support from Republicans to stop the war. In fact, any
senator can place a "hold" on any piece of legislation. They can even do it
anonymously if they're afraid of the political ramifications of their action!
So, the next time you hear on TV that the Democrats "need" 60 votes in the
Senate to override Bush's threatened veto, don't believe it. And write to the
network to demand an immediate correction."
Related: Not as angry as you might think vagina monologues author makes same point but she's talking 40 senators. Just takes one.
Stunning new
John
Mclaughlin vids from July Crossroads guitar festival. You can sample them
here,
here and
here. For years now J
Mac's electric guitar sound had become, well, wimpy and mushy. He was probably
hoping that Tony Mowad would play him (to no avail.). Here he seems to have
discovered his
Mahavishnu/Electric
Guitarist strat sound and he sounds Godlike. He's never sounded better and
this was recorded just a few months ago. Wow.
Here's one for your approval:
Live John Mclaughlin tune
Uploaded by Steelydan
What Should Be Posted on Oct. 31 (Boo!)
From Jamais Cascio's (of
Worldchanging fame...) weblog.
Related: Speaking of scary blood music technology that could certainly go
bad let us look no further than CMU 's Claytronics, seen
here and
here. I, for one, would like to wear such tech. And then quickly go about
Ruling the World. I would be a more than decent despot no doubt....This kind of
looks like Tranformers tech.
New attempt at
public interest non advertising based
journalism. Looks to be much better funded than the Real News.
Interesting
article
about Afro Futurism (If you're a weirdo who cares about people like Chip
Delany and Steven Barnes and Octavia Butler and etc...), by way of Warren Ellis,
who has one of the best and wide ranging blogs on the Internets.
Now I have to admit:
That's a
costume party. I found Galactus and Annie Hall to be of interest. Features A
List Bloggers
Big Media Matt and Ezra Klein.
Top
Ten sci fi movies never made.
Transhumanism
debate that I need to check out.
I'm adding the
Goddess to the blogroll. That would
make two local African American bloggers who write about something other than
hip hop or relationships in the Pittsburgh area. Woohoo. Related: I also
enjoyed her essay about the mayor's race. That micropayment idea looked
interesting. Luke's outreach to the black community is the same old "black face
in a high place" kind of stuff. For the record, I loathe both candidates. I
think Luke is incompetent and will likely end up in jail. I think decent people
don't affiliate with the GOP, world's worst party. Decent people resign from the
Republican Party, apologize for supporting NAFTA and giving money to Rick
Santorum, and run as an independent.
Apparently, I can
watch the Bourne Ultimatum for free on the Internets. I had better
investigate this...Notice that there isn't an about section or a contact page. I
guess that's the art of not being seen.
Oct. 30
Some vintage Jack.
And great lettering. From this
great new site.
Oct. 25
Alex
Nino. One of the greatest artists ever.
Update on the music channel.
My music channel has over 2000 videos now. I call it the "Acid Jazz Channel" but
it really would be more accurate to describe it as the "Acid Jazz Search
Engine". I don't think I actually host any of those videos. I can honestly say
its better than any music channel on cable because music channels on cable don't
play music anymore. I guess they're not competitive. And if you actually like
acid jazz and trad jazz its the best music channel ever. I swear I've turned it
on just to check out a tune and I've just stared at if for three hours. Of
course, when you do all the programming there's little that sucks. Try the
widescreen version
here.
Anyway, try it out and please give feedback here. Oh, and if anybody has some adds, say, some rare LTJ Bukem or Broadcast vids I missed inform me at the link below.
Oct 22
Two
more vids from this
gifted Youtube director. Profiled earlier here. The first one I remixed and
added a different tune. His
original is here. It also makes me want to fuck Audrey Hepburn. Her being
"dead" wouldn't stop me. That's the kind of fella I am.
The second one features a song from The Stone Roses, a band I wish had made more music.
Oct. 21
Still the most underreported story of the decade: election fraud. From Fitrakis and Wasserman by way of Bradblog:
With record low approval ratings for the Bush/Cheney regime and the albatross of an unpopular war hanging from the GOP's neck, do you think that a Democratic presidential candidate will win the White House, get us out of Iraq, and end our long national nightmare?
Think again the mighty election theft machine Karl Rove used to steal the US presidency in 2000 and 2004 may be under attack, but it is still in place for the upcoming 2008 election.
With his usual devious mastery, Rove has seized upon the national outrage sparked by his electoral larceny and used it as smokescreen while he makes the American electoral system even MORE unfair, and even EASIER to rig. Thus the administration has fired federal attorneys when they would not participate in a nationwide campaign to deny minorities and the poor their access to the polls. It has spent millions of taxpayer dollars to install electronic voting machines that can be "flipped" with a few keystrokes. And under the guise of "reforming" our busted electoral system, it is setting us up for another presidential theft in 2008.
Stunning new admissions from county election boards that illegally destroyed voter records will almost certainly lead to new convictions.
Thus it should come as no surprise that our exclusive investigations into the firings of eight federal prosecutors who refused to execute Roves plans for massive disenfranchisement of Democratic voters reveal a pattern of illegalities and fraud aimed at reducing the number of minority, poor and young voters at the core of Democratic support. In the wake of major news breaks, two felony convictions have come from the rigging of the illegal Ohio 2004 vote count and recount that gave George W. Bush a second illegitimate term. Stunning new admissions from county election boards that illegally destroyed voter records will almost certainly lead to new convictions. And the multi-million-dollar electronic voting machine scam that made possible the biggest electoral frauds in US history is under massive new attack, with key states moving to scrap the machines altogether in a desperate attempt to restore American democracy but with the job far from done.
Oct. 17
Is this
the future of comics distribution? I have no idea but the art's good.
More of the
funny by Stephanie. Is there another daily strip this radical?
Agent Ska, my virtual girlfriend
and/or my virtual daughter (its one of those...) discovers
solar sats. I wrote this in response:
"I think their projections of 2050 make it unrealistic for energy purposes. We'll probably develop better solar cells here on Earth with nanotech or biotech (artificial venter created lifeforms) fuel sources that would do the job within the next decade. What would really make it feasible is to create cheaper lift launch costs. The reason it costs so much now is that it costs a lot to put things into orbit. If it became cheaper to put things into orbit you could do solar sats tomorrow. Therefore, we should all be rooting for Burt Rutan and hope that something cheaper results from the private space age.."
Agent Ska noted that you'll see her on the other side of the moon. She might find some interest in this Burt Rutan interview. Burt might just get her a ride. Here's the part I liked:
What will spaceflight look like a century from now?
A century is a relatively short period of time. Let me stick my neck out a little bit further and say that in 300 or 400 years, a large majority of people will go to a planet and not return back to the Earth. We will colonize. Lewis and Clark went out and back. But most of the people who followed them went to California and stayed there. In a hundred years, I believe you will see such an enormous reduction in the costs of transportation around our solar system that there will be a lot of travel. Id like to see affordable transportation into space in my lifetime.
Trust me. A lot of us would take that one way ticket. "What? A society out beyond the orbit of Pluto with elected leaders that pay attention to the constitution, which includes direct democracy...I'm outta here..."
Why someone other than Richard
Dawkins is
a mean ol' angry atheist. I'm probably going to permalink her. An excerpt:
I'm
angry -- enraged -- at the priests who molest children and tell them it's God's
will. I'm enraged at the Catholic Church that consciously, deliberately,
repeatedly, for years, acted to protect priests who molested children, and
consciously and deliberately acted to keep it a secret, placing the Church's
reputation as a higher priority than, for fuck's sake, children not being
molested. And I'm enraged that the Church is now trying to argue, in court, that
protecting child-molesting priests from prosecution, and shuffling those priests
from diocese to diocese so they can molest kids in a whole new community that
doesn't yet suspect them, is a
Constitutionally protected form of free religious expression.
Read the whole embittered angry thing as they say.
What looks like an incredible wind
turbine breakthrough based on guitar strings. How much energy could that
generate? Very cool. Website
here. Pop Mechanics
story and video here. Related: All of the
Pop Mech breakthrough
winners look interesting.
Oct. 14
More Forbidden Weekend Around the Internets
A book that probably won't get
reviewed (unless its a pan) by any of our two daily papers but you can find
information
here and
here and
here and here and
here. Video
here and here.
So why should this be brought up? I think it should be brought up because, well, here's a crazy theory. Bear with me. One of the shocking things I've seen is the aftermath of the November 2006 elections. It was clear that the American public voted against the war. Its also clear to me that if the Democrats actually end the war (by withholding funding which they can definitely do) they would probably hold the presidency and the congress for the next 25 years, maybe longer. It would cause a generational shift toward the less ruthless business party, which might be incrementally better. Afterall, the Clinton years gave us the Internets. True, if they had known how important it was I probably couldn't afford to be writing these words and I would be as likely to have a platform on the internet as I would be to hosting my own show on cable television but anyway...
Yet that's not what the democrats have done. I suppose it could be just a dark tactic whereby they think that as the war stalls and burns people will vote democratic party as a reaction. Of course, if people see no difference in the parties on the war it would make the republicans competitive again. And of course, as we've seen the republicans don't actually have to win to be competitive, just close enough so that the courts can call it in their favor. They can destroy the evidence later and throw roadblocks into reform. Its not like the traditional media would write about it.
Well, there is an uncomfortable theory out there, first written about by Alexander Cockburn to his credit. He thought that the Dem recruiters, Schumer in the Senate and Rahm Emmanual (who once volunteered to serve in the Israeli army. Here's a thought experiment: say that Obama once tried to join the Cuban army where would he be politically...? Really. Think about it.) were deliberately recruiting pro war dems. Both Schumer and Rahm, who some have said is Mossad's man in DC, are Jewish. What if they're Jewish and think that the war benefits Israel.
Here's another thought experiment: Let's just assume for a moment that they're more loyal to Israeli foreign policy interests than American interests, specifically the American interest of ending this war. What would they do. How would they behave. They would, and this is just wild speculation, recruit democrats to win back the house and senate but not democrats who have the common sense and decency to withhold funding for the war. Corporatist DLC power elite dems. That would be the deal. We would know that's the deal because democrats won't have ended the war even though its in their power to do so.
Here's a more frightening thought experiment: what if they wanted to thank the republicans. Why would you want to harm the party that enthusiastically spills blood for Israel (and oil reserves but that would be secondary to the Israelis, unless they wanted a cut but who knows...). You wouldn't want a handy party like that eviscerated. In fact, you would do everything in your power to keep them viable. Going slow on ending the war might just do the trick. A Hillary nomination gives the Republicans a pulse for the presidency. Blur the distinctions. That means that everything just keeps getting worse.
A wrench in the works would be the creation of a viable well funded progressive third party. Let's hope Cindy Sheehan, the only candidate I know that wants AIPAC out of congress, widens her efforts.
Oct. 12
Forbidden Weekend Around the Internets
GOP Icon shows Cthulhu influence.
Oct. 11
Have I mentioned
that I'm suing Jenn
Jannon, (featured in the video above)Tim Gray and
Working America (again) for Refusal
to Hire?
I applied for this job again. This is simply a neutral observation of fact
or "reporting". For the record, I'm probably the most qualified canvasser in
Western Pennsylvania. I ran a canvass for three years and in fact I'm pretty
sure it was one of the few canvasses to work against NAFTA. This is my thanks,
again, that's just critical assessment or "critique", offered in good spirits
certainly.
This is public record written before our settlement agreement, where Jenn Jannon and her management style is discussed. This is offered in the productive positive spirit that Working America's hiring practices are above board, rational and that Jenn Jannon would certainly have nothing to hide or be ashamed of. And as we now know, if information is in the public arena this trumps confidentiality agreements. The public has a right to know. This is called "reporting". You could even define it as "constructive assessement" or "critique", certainly offered in a positive light. Goodness knows Working America would want to know if one of its actors was engaging in illegal practices. And then do something about those illegal practices. That would certainly be a good and positive and constructive thing to do, that reasonably all people could agree with, perhaps possibly on a jury or at some court of law.
I might note that there is an editorial component to the online press. If anyone from Working America wishes to comment, then please go here. I promise not to edit what you say. By the way, I've already emailed you numerous times to get your side and a deeper explanation for some of the things that you have said but you have refused. Therefore, I must use the information that I have before me, like any good reporter. But please respond. No one is stopping you. I might note that this entire post is offered in the productive positive spirit of hoping that Working America hires on merit and ability and experience, not race or age.
Oct. 7
Late Sunday Night Around the Internets
Must Read
David Rees. I think the
one on top sort of explains why some of us grimace whenever politicians blame
the Iraqis, who we bombed and killed by the thousands, for the current
situation.
Sun
Ra (This wikipedia bio is shocking.) bios
here,
here,
here and
here.
Frank Zappa bios
here,
here and
here. Get em while they're