Monday, October 15, 2007

We'll Keep Trying Until We Get It Right

This came my way courtesy of the print version of Curious Times...
William Blum notes in his book Killing Hope: US Military and CIA Interventions Since World War II that the United States has bombed 23 nations since the end of WWII. The countries bombed include China (1945-6), Korea (1950-3), Vietnam (1961-73), Libya (1983), Panama (1989) and Iraq (1990-present).
Of the 23 countries bombed by the US during this time, exactly zero have formed democratic governments as a result of the bombings.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Mirror, Mirror....

According to this CNN report, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is quoted as saying, "In any country, if you don't have countervailing institutions, the power of any one president is problematic for democratic development."
She added, "I think there is too much concentration of power in the Kremlin. I have told the Russians that. Everybody has doubts about the full independence of the judiciary. There are clearly questions about the independence of the electronic media and there are, I think, questions about the strength of the Duma (the Russian parliament)."
Has she looked in a mirror lately?

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Are you f**king kidding me?

Nikki Finke's Deadline Hollywood reports--in an article titled Warner's Robinov Bitchslaps Film Women; Gloria Allred Calls For Warner's Boycott-- that after the underperforming of two female-lead films this summer (Jodie Foster in The Brave One and Nicole Kidman in The Invasion) "Warner Bros president of production Jeff Robinov has made a new decree
that "We are no longer doing movies with women in the lead"."
I can't help but notice that films with men in the lead are still going to get greenlighted--and the past summer has seen its share of truly awful films with male leads. This isn't about films, this is clearly about something else. A new climate in Amerika apparently, where racism, and misogyny are back in play.



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Saturday, October 06, 2007

Is it over?

Or can Amerika be saved from itself? Naomi Wolf is scared blind, and so should be anyone with half a brain. But then, considering the assault on American social and political intelligence since the Sixties put The Fear into the Ruling Class, I don't hold out any hope at all. The goal now is to stop it all from pouring over the border at the hands of Amerikan puppets like Stephen Harper. South of the border, the majority are as likely as the Germans to simply welcome the sounds of breaking glass and jackboots. It's the sound of order, of stability. The creative anarchy that is democracy will simply be swept away under the rising chant of "Amerika über alles!" Around the world, we will all be expected to salute. I expect to use my middle finger.


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Wednesday, October 03, 2007

If Iran isn't nervous...

...well, they should be. Debra Cagan, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Coalition Affairs to Defence Secretary Robert Gates, said this past week (to a group of British MPs) "In any case, I hate all Iranians." The MPs were, after the meeting, of the opinion that "some in America are looking for an excuse to attack Iran. It was very alarming."

Debra Cagan, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Coalition Affairs to Defence Secretary Robert Gates

The Pentagon denied the statements by Ms Cagan, claiming "She doesn't speak that way." Three MPs at the session confirmed the remarks.

You can read the Daily Mail article here.



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Well, I'm impressed

An articulate and intelligent interview with Naomi Klein about her new book The Shock Doctrine conducted by John Cusak. Yes, that John Cusak.


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Monday, October 01, 2007

How will global climate change affect me?

Well, Alternet carries this article about the top 100 ways climate change will affect us. Not the most comfortable of reading.


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