"Public Option" FAIL

Public Option Amendments Fail In Senate Finance Committee

Why?
HERE'S WHY.

Free Polanski?!

There are few “celebrities” that are more despicable than Woody Allen. In most cases, having sex with your step-daughter warrants a not-so-fun stay in the big house where you are treated accordingly. Woody Allen just shrugged his shoulders, married her, and made millions as some sort of supposed film genius.

Now Woody Allen, the creep, is coming to the assistance of fellow pederast, Roman Polanski.

Seriously!? Does the world have no better problems for which you to direct your attention to? Anyone who signs the petition or champions the release of a man who drugged and raped a 13 yr old, ought to just join the free Phillip Garrido cause as well.

Fuck off:
Michael Mann, Wim Wenders, Pedro Almodóvar, Darren Aronofsky, Terry Gilliam, Julian Schnabel, the Dardenne brothers, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Wong Kar-Wai, Walter Salles, Jonathan Demme, Tilda Swinton, Monica Bellucci, Asia Argento, as well as Harvey Weinstein.

Anarchy in PA

The best account I have found detailing some of the actions that took place in PA is here:
CrimethInc.'s "Breaking News from the Pittsburgh G20 Protests"

State Repression at G20 in Pittsburgh

A most ominous sign is the footage of a protestor being singled out by men in military fatigues and thrown into an unmarked car with the car speeding off.

People were obviously freaked out, but there is no reason why that car should not have been attacked. Those men didn't identify themselves as the law.

MORE
MORE
MORE

_____

Protestors were attacked with a sonic cannon.

The Long Range Acoustic Device emits an ear-splitting siren which is extremely uncomfortable.
The weapon is manufactured by American Technology Corporation (ATCO), a San Diego-based company.

MORE
MORE
MORE

_____

G20 2009 Police Attack University of Pittsburgh

"subject to other police action"

I think I heard Robocop!

important tidbits

The US media is painting Muammar Gaddafi and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as dangerous lunatics at the G20 Summit. So, what are they actually saying?
The one topic both men have made their main focus is genocide against Palestinians. (No wonder that is being covered up and glossed over.)

Gaddafi continues to articulate why a two state solution is unacceptable and push for the Isratine proposal.
_____

Jailed Texas billionaire R. Allen Stanford is being treated at a hospital after being injured during a fight with another inmate.
HAHA
Stanford is charged with bilking investors of the now defunct Stanford Financial Group of more than $7 billion.
_____

How could any sane person put even the wildest allegations against ACORN up against the systematic misconduct and criminality of massive corporations?
The Republican sponsors of this bill are, of course, among the most vocal Congressional lobbyists for massive government contracts to scandalous corporations such as Blackwater, KBR/Halliburton, Lockheed Martin, as part of the bloated war budget. The list of their crimes far overshadows the allegations—and more importantly, the evidence— against ACORN.
_____

Liberal student "leaders" prevented protestors from occupying Wheeler Hall at UC Berkeley.

Muse, Bellamy, & Glenn Beck's misunderstanding

Recently, I blogged about Muse's newest single, "Uprising." I noted that fascist douchelord Glenn Beck has latched onto the song as some anti-Obama anthem. Not knowing Muse's intention, I could only guess from my interpretation of the seemingly easy-to-understand song lyrics that Beck was off base.

A delusional anonymous commenter told me that Muse's Matthew Bellamy wrote the song to be anti-left wing social democracy and pro Thatcher-esque sounding "Libertarianism." Anonymous seemed to imply that Europe was already ahead of the US in fashionable fascism.

Well...

Matt Bellamy considers himself a Geoist: a philosophy and economic ideology that holds that everyone owns what they create, but that everything found in nature, most importantly land, belongs equally to all of humanity.
Geoism is associated with left-libertarian thought. It is often criticized from those right-libertarians who believe that common land ownership would result in an infringement of the rights of self-ownership and individual property. However, wikipedia lists Henry Ford, William F. Buckley, Jr., and other fascists amongst Geoists.

It would be wise for Muse to make their intentions public and either embrace or reject Glenn Beck.
Bellamy has gone public claiming that the 9/11 attacks were an inside job by the Bush administration. Since even suggesting investigation into such matters amounts to treason in the eyes of Beck, I doubt they stand on the same side.

Defend SOUL

The stuff around Van Jones is a pretty telling example of what it can accomplish...Jones was forced to leave his position as a Green Jobs expert on Obama's Cabinet.
But even more telling is the stuff around profiling progressive organizations, making conspiracy theory-esque accusations of conspiracy to cast a shadow of doubt and fear over organizations and people who do solid work in working class, immigrant, and communities of color.
As a result, Bay Area organizations that have been named in these broadcasts / blogs in connection with Jones have been receiving hate calls and emails, including death threats and nasty messages with sexist/racist overtones. Unfortunately, the perspectives of Fox News and the like translate to a good chunk of Americans who take their messages as truth and act on it. Ah, Right Wing Populism.

(courtesy of Sergio)


SOUL
SOUL facebook

Kirk Cameron is scared of atheists

Did you know that Kirk Cameron went from destroying Growing Pains to batshit crazy?

"Atheism has been on the rise for years now, and the Bible of the atheists is The Origin of Species," Kirk insists. "We have a situation in our country where young people are entering college with a belief in God and exiting with that faith being stripped and shredded. What we want to do is have student make an informed, educated decision before they chuck their faith."



Oh Kirk, what are we to do with these learned rational thinkers who reject magic and lies?

HR+Walter+Jonah+more

I'd go if I was down there.

G20 Pittsburgh Party in the Streets

prepared

everywhere

"subject to other police action"

"subject to other police action"

chemical and sonic warfare tactics

Review: American Idiot

Tonite, I saw American Idiot performed by The Berkeley Repertory Theatre.
American Idiot is the musical based on the Green Day album of the same name and directed by Michael Mayer.

Let me first note that I love musical films but I had never seen a live musical performance.

The biggest hurdle I had to enjoying the show (and I enjoyed it very much) was just that it was based on songs I was familiar with and which I had constructed my own sort of narrative with. Once I let go of that, I really enjoyed the tales on stage. I also had to get past the first scene where the cast is costumed in what look like bad 90's Lollapalooza costumes. The only other part that didn't sit well with me was the medical bed dream sequence (too american? too cliche).

Without giving anything away, the story is about the struggles of 3 smalltown guys and the paths they choose.
The cast was great. By far, the highlight is Tony Vincent who plays St. Jimmy. Wow. (I read in the program that he sang with Queen on occasion! Odd.) I can't compare the stage setup to anything due to my limited knowledge but it was pretty cool. I liked the TV screens. I plan to see it again and I recommend it to you.

It was cool that both the director, Mayer, and co-writer, Billy Joe Armstrong, were amongst the crowd.

Oprah + Jay-Z = suck

Oprah iterviewed Jay-Z for her magazine. (The only magazine that would include a Jay-Z interview and NOT put him on the cover!) It is an awful interview mainly consisting of Oprah desperately attempting to enforce her narrative. Every time she tells Hov how similar their life stories are, it is followed by her expressing shock at how she cannot relate to his tale.

Oprah's role is to enforce her narrative, that of the bootstrap American dream, wherever and whenever possible. She is as popular as she is with her audience because she reinforces the myth of meritocracy and hard work.

The worst part:

Jay-Z: I believe in karma: What you do to others comes back to you.

Oprah: But don't you think we're responsible only for what we know? Otherwise, you'd be facing karma for every person you sold drugs to.

OK, so Hova is taking (karmic) responsibility for the ills he caused. He gets reprimanded by Oprah who insists that if, somehow, we are oblivious to the consequences of our actions, we bear no responsibility for them?!?!?!?!?!
The very nature of sustaining cognitive dissonance.
_____

I guess Oprah is now going to allow rappers on her show. Jay-Z is gonna be on to talk about shit everyone already knows except 50 yr old White women.
_____

I watched Jay-Z's 9/11 concert several times. It sucks that he thinks it is mature to love cops but that was one seriously bangin' concert! It made me proud of where hip hop has come as a live performance. (Those were dark days when a hip hop performance consisted of 10 dudes onstage yelling into 6 mic's.) Kanye West almost stole the show (no clepto).

I think it also says something when a rapper can blast an Oasis song from the 90's and have his entire audience know the words:

Jay-Z | Jockin' Jay-Z / Wonderwall | Roundhouse 17.09.09 from Roy Thomas on Vimeo.

POP + Japan

Portraits of Past are in Japan touring with Envy.

Have fun boys.


(Ryo- I hope your foot is ok!)

Throwdown Timeline

I am used to be a big fan of Throwdown.
I had to post this just because I get such a huge kick out of it.


How many non-original members does it take for a band to, at least, change their name?
It's all good.

USA <3s Storage

I recently began renting a self storage space. We just don't have enough room in our apartment to house all the crap I have.

The NYT magazine just did a story about self-storage culture.
So many people can no longer afford homes, they represent a hope that someday we'll all be able to have more space to live in.
The article also gets into who is profiting off of all this.


(via io9)

Snitch, Darby, gets a gig.

Snitch extraordinaire, Brandon Darby, continues to parlay his loose lips and lack of integrity into getting the attention he so madly craves. He is now a contributor to a rightwing blog.

You know the drill. Use your credentials as someone who claims to know how the left works to work the right into a frenzy.

Fuck You, Brandon Darby. I can only imagine people have you in their sights.


(thanx Pranjal)

Blackwater Offers Training to 'Faith Based Organizations'

Mercenaries Blackwater aka Greystone aka Personal Security Awareness is offering a program that provides training and assistance to " Faith Based Organizations"!... and "Non-Government Organizations."

Blackwater is well known to be run by Christian fundamentalists hellbent on killing Muslims. I would assume this is their project to train Christian militias.

I wonder how it would go over if an anti-statist organization wanted training. haha

An Anarchist's Love For Jimmy Carter ;)

OK, as you might be aware of, I think of myself as an anarchist. Being that I am an anarchist, I have no love for politicians. With that said, I must admit, within the framework of contemporary US politics, I often find myself admiring former Pres. Jimmy Carter.

His honest position on Israeli apartheid and Zionist oppression against Palestine certainly has my respect. Who else within the confines of mainstream US politics speaks those words?!

Now Carter has called a spade a spade, as they say. He noted that a lot of the shit Obama gets is the result of racism. Well, that should be obvious to anyone with a brain (or an eye on Fox News and their Tea Baggers). However, this statement is forcing the DC powers-that-be to distance themselves from Carter and further marginalize him.

I was thinking about this and about what kind of pitiful legacy Carter will most likely be remembered for and it made me realize something. Make no mistake. The political castration of Jimmy Carter was/is a well thought out plan by the Republicans.

The Christians Have Told Us What Films To See

Want to see the major motion picture, Creation, starring Paul Bettany? It is a film about Charles Darwin and his internal struggle with religion.

Too bad. You can't see it. The all-powerful forces of Christian Fundamentalist capitalism has deemed the film unacceptable for US audiences. US distributors have passed on the film.

(We can go watch Legion in which Bettany plays an angel!)

This is what fuckin happens when billionaires like Phil Anschutz control movie distribution (and content)!

Spider-Man Says Rape is OK?

OK, well, Spidey ain't down with rape but his writer, Fred Van Lente, and the villain,Chameleon, are.

Chameleon tricked Peter Parker's roommate into thinking he was Parker and then fucked her. Rape.

Douchebag writer Van Lente doesn't see it that way. He says,
"My understanding of the definition of rape is that it requires force or the threat of force, so no. Using deception to trick someone into granting consent isn't quite the same thing."

Sounds like a date-rapist.
He even went on, after-the-fact, to try and say that they only kissed (which is a-ok, I guess). Bullshit.

Marvel shouldn't hire Fred Van Lente again until he gets an understanding of coercion.

Please note: The issue is not whether or not Chameleon is allowed to be a rapist in a comic book. The issue is that the writer defends the action as not rape.

Vigilante Brigades Are Patrolling The Streets

Some people think that there aren't enough police on patrol in these economic hard times. They are taking it upon themselves to enforce "law."

Should radicals, revolutionaries, and anarchists start patrolling/protecting our neighborhoods?

ANTI-AUTHORITARIAN GUN CLUB

If you are at all interested in guns, ammo, the law, defense, and/or a progressive non-hierarchical approach to all of that, please check out and follow/subscribe to the new Anti-Authoritarian Gun Club blog and join in the discussion.

My/our hope is to create an exchange of ideas, information, and skills in relation to guns and ammunition. Specifically, we want to share all of this as it pertains to the urban metropolis and without the reactionary political element too often associated with weaponry and defense.

It is imperative to embrace all skill levels; from expert to novice. Elitist attitudes will only alienate and isolate. As a non-hierarchical entity, there is no room for this type of division. Those with knowledge and/or skill are to freely share it for the common good.

Self-defense: Arms are to be maintained in the broad sense of “self-defense”: In defense of ourselves as individuals, our families (however defined), our communities, and our world.

As anti-authoritarians, we do not recognize any body as having natural reign over us. However, we do acknowledge the importance of recognizing, defending, and expanding the legal state apparatus that allows us to bear arms.

"Not Here To Make Friends"

What a horrible fuckin' culture we live in. How disgusting and destructive is it when we hold up socio-cultural role models on television who reject "making friends" and being civil for individualist competition?





And if you don't think these reality tv douchelords aren't "role models", what kind of lessons are being taught by rewarding them with fame and fortune broadcast to everyone?

(videos lifted from FourFour)

Today is not Labor Day

President Cleveland signed Labor Day into existence in 1884 to distance it from the radical history of May Day- International Workers' Day.

Remake Rejected

Posting on this blog is sometimes, on important issues (politically and personally), strategic. Somethings are better left unsaid and I, sometimes, want my voice to play no part in the sickening 'echo chamber' of the rightwing. Don't talk to strangers, I have heard said.

This is how a system defines and limits allowable politics.
This is how a “political mainstream” is invented, and then enforced.
This is how the most promising solutions for the worlds problems (socialism, universal health rights, redistributing wealth, opposition to U.S. imperialism, guaranteed jobs, internationalism….) become demonized and marginalized.

Define. Confine.

Thinking on Fascist America

Over at Orcinus, Sara Robinson has written another piece on Fascist America.

...we're crazy to think that the goon squads formed and trained to instigate this summer's health care wars will pack it in just because the silly season is over. Those folks have tasted power...
...that seems to be the GOP's whole political identity now.

Robinson states, "Right-wing populism is riding so high among the middle and working classes right now that there's nothing progressives can say right now that they're likely to believe."
Yet she also states, "At this point, the disgust runs so deep that anybody who's got other ideas -- theocracy, corporatocracy, anarchy, whaddaya got? -- has a fair shot at getting their attention."

I would probably agree with both and I think this is crucial to how anarchy/libertarian socialism fits. Why are these working class rightwingers disgusted with government and how does libertarian socialism get their attention? Is it even possible? Is it a disgust of wealth, power, and government or is it a desperate grasping at privilege?

Robinson continues, "There's no reason for the middle and working classes to trust anything about a system that's so clearly rigged to suck money straight out of their pockets into the tax-free offshore bank accounts of the wealthy -- who, of course, turn right around and use that money to buy off our government, so they can suck up even more of our economy for themselves." Of course, she believes it is possible to have a capitalist government that doesn't suck our money into the pockets of the wealthy. We do not.

She closes her piece acknowledging that "Bloggers have formed the core of a new progressive media that's calling the corporate media to account, and slowly forcing it to change its one-sided ways." Yet she still doesn't think bloggers or secular Liberals or progressives know how to speak the language of "emotion, populism, purity, redemption, and enduring values" as the fascists do. Instead she proposes that the left needs to go back to church to gain that ability. Fuck that.

There is a lot we can take from Robinson's pieces but we cannot be foolish enough to opt for the masters of church and taxes over the masters of state and capital.

Political Prisoner Database

I know a lot of the existing online info for Political Prisoners/POWs is out-of-date. Thankfully,
Denver Anarchist Black Cross has created a political prisoner database worth checking out.
HERE

It is important that we not forget those who are paying a dear price for our struggles.

Glenn Beck <3s Muse

I haven't ever been a Muse fan. They felt like a 2nd generation copy of pre-OK Computer Radiohead to me. Their new single, "Uprising" isn't too bad though. They invoke the glam rock anthem just as good as AFI's "Miss Murder" and it hints of the awesome Dr. Who theme.

The paranoia is in bloom, the PR
The transmissions will resume
They'll try to push drugs
Keep us all dumbed down and hope that
We will never see the truth around

Another promise, another scene, another
A package not to keep us trapped in greed
With all the green belts wrapped around our minds
And endless red tape to keep the truth confined

They will not force us
They will stop degrading us
They will not control us
We will be victorious

Interchanging mind control
Come let the revolution take it's toll if you could
Flick the switch and open your third eye, you'd see that
We should never be afraid to die

Rise up and take the power back, it's time that
The fat cats had a heart attack, you know that
Their time is coming to an end
We have to unify and watch our flag ascend

They will not force us
They will stop degrading us
They will not control us
We will be victorious

They will not force us
They will stop degrading us
They will not control us
We will be victorious

Rightwing douchebag Glenn Beck has taken a liking to the song Uprising and has claimed it as some anti-leftwing/anti-liberal anthem. The strangest thing about this for me is that, while I don't think Muse intend any meaning other than vague poetical anti-authoritarianism, the lyrics are more damning of Beck's political allies and stances.

What does it mean when the pro-corporate wealthy capitalists coopt such language? Populist fascism. 1984-esque double speak. Beck throws out paranoid accusations and no matter what sticks, it sure feels good and fits the illicit narrative he has worked so hard to create.

The paranoia is in bloom

Fuck Chris Brown

HERE

HERE

WSD/WFD PR Stunt

Less than a week after Steven Cohen claimed Liverpool FC and supporters drove him off the air for the safety of his family, he returned and re-named/re-branded World Soccer Daily as World Football Daily.

Give me a fuckin' break!

Cohen is a hypocritical goon and it is painfully obvious that this whole thing is a PR stunt. After listeners and sponsors bailed on him for his classist and outright incorrect blaming of Liverpool supporters for the Hillsborough disaster, he simply thinks he needs to re-brand himself and his show.

Don't buy it. Ignore him. What does it even say if the supposed voice of soccer in this country is a douchebag who rejects all findings on Hillsborough and whose own club doesn't want his support?!

MLS, WPS, and Homophobia

Over at From A Left Wing, Jennifer Doyle wrote a great piece addressing MLS, WPS, and homophobia in the sport.

Doyle drew criticism for her overtly radical critique of MLS and for her queer friendly suggestions for WPS. As if all perspectives on sports aren't political whether conscious or not. Most of them just support the status quo!

She insists that homophobic attitudes ought to have no place in the management or ownership of WPS teams. (AEG owns 50% of the Sol, and itself owned by Philip Anschutz, a notorious backer of anti-gay amendments )

She digs deeper into the importance of WPS and its visibility. Because of sexist notions regarding women's sports, Doyle does not think anyone can really market women's sports successfully without being a feminist. She makes terrific points (we can handle individual women competing against each other in games like tennis because that is practically the only we are supposed to relate to each other) and I would agree.

You just can't underestimate the positive impact of the sport on girls and women.

Hollister Thinks Statutory Rape is Fun

Not long ago, I wrote about Hollister's t-shirts with slogan such as "LEGAL-ISH" & "The twins are quite a handful"

I wrote to Hollister and told them I found the shirts disgusting and inappropriate for your target demographic. I told them it is dangerous to play with the language of statutory rape. (I also notified them of a boycott until Hollister donates money to rape crisis centers and removes the shirts from sale.)

Here is Hollister's response:
"Thanks for emailing us at Hollister about our humor tees.
Our intention with our marketing is to be fun and casual-we're sorry you didn't see it this way."

Ya, I guess I just didn't get it, huh? Rape is hilarious.

Feel free to CONTACT THEM.

Operation Backfire: a Survival Guide for Environmental and Animal Rights Activists

The National Lawyers Guild has created a great new resource, “Operation Backfire: a Survival Guide for Environmental and Animal Rights Activists.” It’s a booklet on how environmental and animal rights activists have been targeted by the government and branded as the top domestic terrorism threat. It also has a great “know your rights” section that offers information on:

-handling encounters with the police and FBI in various situations
-suggestions for how to respond when questioned or presented with a warrant
-information about your rights when asked for identification or a DNA sample
-a discussion of grand juries, subpoenas, and FBI attempts to turn activists into informants.

To request free copies, call the National Lawyers Guild office at (212) 679-5100. You can also download the booklet at nlg.org

And don’t forget the guild has a Green Scare Hotline at 888-NLG-ECOL (888-654-3265).


(from Green Is The New Red)