Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Monday, July 30, 2012
placid death
Detail of the Guanajuato mummies, Mexico.
Photo taken at Museo de las Momias de Guanajuato.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Friday, July 27, 2012
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Monday, July 23, 2012
Gar Alperovitz’s Green Party Keynote: We Are Laying Groundwork for the "Next Great Revolution"
At the Green Party’s 2012 National Convention in Baltimore over the weekend, Massachusetts physician Jill Stein and anti-poverty campaigner Cheri Honkala were nominated the party’s presidential and vice-presidential contenders. We air the convention’s keynote address delivered by Gar Alperovitz, a professor of political economy at the University of Maryland and co-founder of the Democracy Collaborative. Alperovitz is the author of "America Beyond Capitalism: Reclaiming Our Wealth, Our Liberty, and Our Democracy." In his remarks, Alperovitz stressed the importance of third-party politics to challenge a corporate-run society. "Systems, in history, are defined, above all, by who controls the wealth," Alperovitz says. "The top 400 people — not percent, people, 400 — own more wealth now than the bottom 185 million Americans taken together. That is a medieval structure." [includes rush transcript]
Gar Alperovitz’s Green Party Keynote: We Are Laying Groundwork for the "Next Great Revolution"
Sunday, July 22, 2012
atisha
The greatest effort is not concerned with results
The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything
The greatest patience is humility
The greatest action is not conforming with the worlds ways
The greatest magic is transmuting the passions
The greatest generosity is non-attachment
The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go
The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances
The greatest worth is self-mastery
The greatest precept is continual awareness
The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind
The greatest achievement is selflessness
The greatest quality is seeking to serve others
...Atisha...
The Bomb
The Population Bomb was a best-selling book written by Stanford University Professor Paul R. Ehrlich and his wife, Anne Ehrlich (who was uncredited), in 1968. It warned of the mass starvation of humans in the 1970s and 1980s due to overpopulation, as well as other major societal upheavals, and advocated immediate action to limit population growth. Fears of a "population explosion" were widespread in the 1950s and 60s, but the book and its charismatic author brought the idea to an even wider audience. The book has been criticized in recent decades for its alarmist tone and inaccurate predictions. The Ehrlichs stand by the basic ideas in the book, stating in 2009 that "perhaps the most serious flaw in The Bomb was that it was much too optimistic about the future" and believe that it achieved their goals because "it alerted people to the importance of environmental issues and brought human numbers into the debate on the human future."
In answer to the question, "what needs to be done?" he wrote, "We must rapidly bring the world population under control, reducing the growth rate to zero or making it negative. Conscious regulation of human numbers must be achieved. Simultaneously we must, at least temporarily, greatly increase our food production." Ehrlich described a number of "ideas on how these goals might be reached." He believed that the United States should take a leading role in population control, both because it was already consuming much more than the rest of the world, and therefore had a moral duty to reduce its impact, and because the US would have to lead international efforts due to its prominence in the world. In order to avoid charges of hypocrisy or racism it would have to take the lead in population reduction efforts. Ehrlich floats the idea of adding "temporary sterilants" to the water supply or staple foods. However, he rejects the idea as unpractical due to "criminal inadequacy of biomedical research in this area." He suggests a tax scheme in which additional children would add to a family's tax burden at increasing rates for more children, as well as luxury taxes on childcare goods. He suggests incentives for men who agree to permanent sterilization before they have two children, as well as a variety of other monetary incentives. He proposes a powerful Department of Population and Environment which "should be set up with the power to take whatever steps are necessary to establish a reasonable population size in the United States and to put an end to the steady deterioration of our environment." The department should support research into population control, such as better contraceptives, mass sterilizing agents, and prenatal sex discernment (because families often continue to have children until a male is born. Ehrlich suggested that if they could choose a male child this would reduce the birthrate). Legislation should be enacted guaranteeing the right to an abortion, and sex education should be expanded.
The Population Bomb has been characterized by critics as primarily a repetition of the Malthusian catastrophe argument that population growth will outpace agricultural growth unless controlled. Ehrlich observed that since about 1930 the population of the world had doubled within a single generation, from 2 billion to nearly 4 billion, and was on track to do so again. He assumed that available resources on the other hand, and in particular food, were nearly at their limits. Some critics compare Ehrlich unfavorably to Malthus, saying that although Thomas Malthus did not make a firm prediction of imminent catastrophe, Ehrlich warned of a potential massive disaster within the next decade or two. In addition, critics state that unlike Malthus, Ehrlich did not see any means of avoiding the disaster entirely (although some mitigation was possible), and proposed solutions that were much more radical than those discussed by Malthus, such as starving whole countries that refused to implement population control measures.
Ehrlich was certainly not unique in his neo-Malthusian predictions, and there was a wide spread belief in the 1960s and 70s that increasingly catastrophic famines were on their way. (read more)
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Friday, July 20, 2012
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Compensation, Too - NYTimes.com
Compensation, Too - NYTimes.com:
"I see from some of the comments that there’s a widespread belief that the wage stagnation we’ve experienced under “modern capitalism” is some kind of illusion, that it would go away if we took benefits into account."
'via Blog this'
"I see from some of the comments that there’s a widespread belief that the wage stagnation we’ve experienced under “modern capitalism” is some kind of illusion, that it would go away if we took benefits into account."
'via Blog this'
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Monday, July 16, 2012
Sunday, July 15, 2012
The Unfortunate Dismantling of Our Democratic Political System
Our democratic institutions have been suffering from severe malaise for quite some time. The disease process has extended over many decades. Unfortunately, it is now quite moribund and may not be amenable to resuscitation.
There was a time in the nation's history, especially during the era of the so-called "robber barons," when presidents were effectively chosen along with elected officials at both the local and national level by the powerful. When the fear regarding the burgeoning popular interest in the ideals embodied in socialism became acute due in large measure to the abuses of the industrial capitalist system culminating in the Great Depression of 1929, the Democratic Party instituted a set of reforms collectively referred to as the New Deal under the leadership of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. These reforms helped curtail the ability of the corporate class to suppress the will of the people, and in that sense preserved democratic institutions.
Now, however, we are witnessing first-hand the deliberate and overt use of vast sums of money coming from powerful corporate interests to finally and possibly irrevocably subvert the democratic ideal and, thereby, return the nation to the Gilded Age. This is due, in no small measure, to the decision by the Supreme Court in the now famous Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission case that effectively equates political contributions to free speech – a patently absurd idea. This decision has successfully and completely unraveled all previous attempts to control and contain the political power of the vested interests in this country.
The level of corruption in government has reached staggering proportions. If this trend remains unchecked, it will lead to not only the subversion of the essence of democracy but also to the continued downward spiral of the overall health and well-being of the nation, for the role of good and effective government is to address the real needs and concerns of all the people. A government whose predominant purpose is to preserve the wealth and status of the affluent class at the expense of the vast majority of its citizens is bound to fail on a grand scale.
Saturday, July 14, 2012
We will occupy the 1% | Occupy Bohemian Grove
Occupy groups from Santa Rosa, San Francisco, Portland, Sebastopol, and Petaluma, are joining some twenty other social justice activist organizations to protest the powerful one-percent elites partying at the Bohemian Grove in Monte Rio, California July 14-29.
2,000-3,000 rich and wealthy men have gathered every summer for 133 years in a private 2,800 acre ancient redwood retreat to celebrate themselves with parties, entertainment, and speakers. The men, Bohemian Club members and their guests, will hold a cremation of care ceremony July 14, where they symbolically burn the cares of the world before a giant owl in a bizarre annual ritual.
This year’s protest against the gathering of the world’s political and economic elite is called “Occupy Bohemian Grove, Expose the 1%. Occupy groups across America, and increasingly the world, are working to expose the one percent in control of global resources who are bringing human rights repression, environmental destruction, and war to humankind.
The Fukushima Mothers and Cindy Sheehan are joining the twenty-four co-sponsors for a Creation of Care ceremony, speakers, and music, Saturday, July 14, at the Monte Rio Amphitheater, just outside the gates of the Bohemian Grove. Kris Welsh will MC the day, and Dennis Bernstein, host of Flashpoints on KPFA/Pacifica radio will broadcast live from the event. Russia Today-TV with Abby Martin will film and John Rees with No-Lies Radio will video-cast the day on the Internet...
more: We will occupy the 1% | Occupy Bohemian Grove
Friday, July 13, 2012
Fukushima A Human Error: A Must-Read Manga in English — DiaNuke.org
Dear everyone all over the world
We are the members of the citizens who want to stop the spread of radiation and toxic substance by “Burning” the contaminated debris(“Gareki”)from Tohoku earthquake.The 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster problems have not been solved yet, but the Japanese government proceeded to enforce the restart of Ooi nuclear power plant, which ignored the nuclear safety.（※１）
We are the members of the citizens who want to stop the spread of radiation and toxic substance by “Burning” the contaminated debris(“Gareki”)from Tohoku earthquake.The 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster problems have not been solved yet, but the Japanese government proceeded to enforce the restart of Ooi nuclear power plant, which ignored the nuclear safety.（※１）
A large number of people protest this government’s decision “desperately”, but this voice never fell on deaf ears.On June 29, Friday night, over 10,000 demonstrators gathered outside Noda’s office on Friday night in last-ditch attempt to derail the restart.
Anti-nuclear campaigners accused the prime minister of rushing into a decision and ignoring lingering concerns over safety.
From the day, some of the major media started to concern this trend, but the government has totally ignored us.
The Japan gov’t controls the media. For example, The symbolic thing is the slogan of “Kizuna”(Bonding), but they use this “Kizuna” campaign as the big support for Tohoku area, and recommend the “Burning” of the debris all over Japan.They have even changed the law for this, explaining that burning the debris will be harmless, as the radiation and toxic substance is diluted.And Japanese mass media didn’t report about this.A lot of Japanese people have not realized about this risk.The polluted debris should not be burned anywhere, including Tohoku area.The local governments doesn’t convey the risk of burning the debris to the people precisely.
And they inspect to get the result of “Non-detection”, and keep telling the people that it is safe.Actually, burning the debris is not only harmful that also causes more work for the local gov’t in Tohoku.It doesn’t help Tohoku at all...
ガレキマンガEnglishmore: Fukushima A Human Error: A Must-Read Manga in English — DiaNuke.org
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Monday, July 9, 2012
steal this book
Steal This Book is a book written by Abbie Hoffman. Written in 1970 and published in 1971 the book exemplified the counter-culture of the sixties. The book sold more than a quarter of a million copies between April and November 1971. The book, in the style of the counter-culture, mainly focused on ways to fight the government, and against corporations in any way possible. The book is written in the form of a guide to the youth. Hoffman, a political and social activist himself, used many of his own activities as the inspiration for some of his advice in Steal this Book.
The main author of the book, Abbie Hoffman was one of the most influential and recognizable American activists of the twentieth century. Abbie Hoffman was born in 1936 in Worcester, Massachusetts. Hoffman wrote several books and other works such as Steal This Urine Test: Fighting Drug Hysteria in America, Revolution For the Hell of It, and The Autobiography of Abbie Hoffman. Steal this Book was written in the climate of the counter-culture, in which opposition to tradition and government was rampant, and experimentation with new forms of living was encouraged. In short, it was written in the time of “sticking it to the man.” Although the book was published in the seventies, it is truly a relic of the sixties.
Steal this Book is broken up into three sections, “Survive!”, “Fight!”, and “Liberate!”. Each section has several sub-chapters each pertaining to its section. The section “Survive!” is all about getting “free” things and as its title indicates, surviving. It includes chapters on how to acquire food, clothing, furniture, transportation, land, housing, education, medical care, communication, entertainment, money, dope, and other assorted items and services. The section “Fight!” is all about the counter-culture imperative of rebelling against the government and corporations. It includes chapters on starting an underground press, guerrilla radio, guerrilla television, what to bring to a demonstration that’s expected to be violent, how to make an assortment of home-made bombs, first aid for street fighters, legal advice, how to seek political asylum, shoplifting techniques, stealing credit cards, monkey warfare, gun laws, and identification papers. This section also includes advice on such topics as growing cannabis, living in a commune, and obtaining a free buffalo from the Department of the Interior. It discusses various tactics of fighting as well as giving a detailed list of affordable and easy ways to find weapons and armor that can be used in a confrontation with law enforcement. The section advocates rebelling against authority in all forms, governmental and corporate.The third section is “Liberate!” with the chapter headings: Fuck New York, Fuck Chicago, Fuck Los Angeles, and Fuck San Francisco. The book also includes an appendix that lists approved of organizations and other books worth stealing.
As the book ages, the specific details of the various techniques and advice Hoffman gives have become largely obsolete for technological or regulatory reasons, but the book iconically reflects the yippie zeitgeist. (read more)
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Rest in peace Ernest
Ernest Borgnine (born Ermes Effron Borgnino; January 24, 1917 – July 8, 2012) was an American film and television actor whose career spanned more than six decades. He was an unconventional lead in many films of the 1950s, winning an Oscar in 1955 for Marty. On television, he played Quinton McHale in the 1962–1966 series McHale's Navy and co-starred in the mid-1980s action series Airwolf, in addition to a wide variety of other roles. Borgnine was also known for his role as Mermaid Man in the animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. Borgnine earned an Emmy Award nomination at age 92 for his work on the series ER. (read more)
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Friday, July 6, 2012
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Rest in peace Andy
Andrew Samuel "Andy" Griffith (June 1, 1926 – July 3, 2012) was an American actor, director, producer, Grammy Award-winning Southern-gospel singer, and writer. A Tony Award nominee for two roles, he gained prominence in the starring role in director Elia Kazan's film A Face in the Crowd (1957) before he became better known for his television roles, playing the lead characters in the 1960–1968 situation comedy The Andy Griffith Show and in the 1986–1995 legal drama Matlock. Griffith died on July 3, 2012 at the age of 86. (read more)
Monday, July 2, 2012
Sunday, July 1, 2012
The Inherent Frailty of the Currently Accepted Economic Model
The growing social
and economic instability in Western Europe as exemplified by the turmoil in
Greece and Spain and that is likely to spread to Italy as well as the severe
economic dislocation of millions of American citizens is indicative of a
deep-seated malaise that haunts the very nature of the economic paradigm that
lies at the heart of modern capitalist-based economies. There are a number of seminal issues that lie
at the core of the problem.
Economic success has
become intimately linked with the continual expansion of global markets on a
planet possessing finite resources; this dependence flies in the face of
reality. It is not difficult to predict
the inevitable future outcome of such a strategy – eventually human societies
will devolve into the brutal economics based on scarcity. This is a prospect we should not wish on
future generations.
The underlying
motivating force for participation in economic life has been stripped of its
humanity. This has been particularly
evident in the unscrupulous and cavalier machinations of the financial sector
that has effectively impoverished so many of the world’s people and at the same
time rewarded the very few who have risked the livelihoods of the many to
enrich only themselves. The blatant fact
that these individuals have walked away unscathed is a demonstration of the
inherent corruption of the system.
Furthermore, in the
United States, politics has become inextricably tied to wealth. The Supreme Court has sanctioned this
relationship by establishing that corporations are people and that money in the
form of political contributions is equivalent to free speech. These are by no means accidental legal
pronouncements, for they represent a strategy of retrenchment in order to
solidify and codify the ascendant position of the affluent class. This effort has been breathtakingly
successful.
This kind of
reassertion of the inherent power of wealth is now being acted out in Europe as
well. This tendency has unfortunate
repercussions for future generations, for the economic model upon which the
system rests is bound to implode. An
economic system in which human compassion and the central concern for the
well-being of all members of society are purged from consideration is bankrupt
by nature. It will necessarily lead to
an amplification of a two-tier system in which only a very small minority of
individuals exerts inordinate and extreme economic power over everyone else –
this is a new version of the blighted model that dominated societies at the
beginnings of the industrial age. In the
so-called democracies, it is allegedly the will of the people that determined
future policy. If that relationship is
real then it would be unfortunate, indeed, if the collective voice of the
people echoes the will of the powerful and fails to question of the validity of
the harsh and unforgiving economic realities as determined by fiat.