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Here's More of Micah's Work:
By the way, the creator of this left art is Micah Ian Wright. He's a film and comics guy and get this: a former Army Ranger. Now, this is what makes America great. Here's some of his great art. The links are here and here.
The link (Must See Propaganda Picture) (Know I haven't Updated in a While But I'm back with a Vengeance) Another Must Read Justin Raimondo
Piece
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Did Bush Encourage 9-11?: To my Trek-trained eye, Deep Space Nine is the best Star Trek ever produced. One of the more interesting plotlines involved how the Romulan and Cardassian Secret Services tried to take out the evil Dominion's homeworld. But the Dominion knew about and in fact encouraged them to make the attack because it furthured their own interests. William Pitt-Rivers makes the same allegations against the Bush Administration: that they didn't want to stop 9-11 because the fallout would have so many beneficial outcomes, from record high approval ratings to Unocal getting that pipeline deal. Personally, I feel that this administration does exhibit a kind of anti-christ level of evil. Frankly, I thought a decent president would never accept the presidency on the basis of a vote count that you weren't sure of. Anyway here's a link and a quote and decide for yourselves: "In the aftermath of September 11th, we were told the terror was brought upon us by people who hate our freedom and resent our way of life. In point of fact, however, it appears the attacks came as part of a broader game. The Bush administration willingly entered parley with the Taliban, despite their care and feeding of wanted killer Osama bin Laden, so as to further the goals on an American petroleum interest. In the process, they watered down American anti-terrorism measures to such a degree that a Deputy Director was compelled to quit in protest, and another has since filed suit against the agency. Did the threats of war levied against the Taliban on behalf of Unocal spur Osama bin Laden into murderous action on behalf of his host nation? Was his attack made easier because the Bush administration willfully weakened our intelligence apparatus so as to avoid offending potential client states? Is it possible that the dust and ruin in New York and Washington are byproducts of a pipeline deal that was pursued before the attacks, and has been allowed to come to fruition in the aftermath?" What American Martial Law Would Look Like...?: A very scary story in Counterpunch that details how it could happen here. It would take a completely corrupt presidential administration, a slumbering populace, a bought off congress...Like I said: a very scary story. Here's what they say will happen to humble webmasters, and everyone else with a different opinion, like me: "In the event of martial law, Draconian censorship laws would be implemented. Even now, the Patriot Act grants authority to obtain an order from the FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) Court requiring any person or business to produce any books, records, documents, or items." That law would undoubtedly be extended to encompass the Internet as well. It should be of little wonder why the Pentagon has brought Iran-contra felon Admiral John Poindexter back from retirement to head the Office of Information Awareness. Coupled with the Office of Information Exploitation, Poindexter's office is seeking ways to identify, block, and determine the sources of seditious material posted on the Internet. Blocked web sites, confiscated computers and servers, and the arrest of non-conforming web site managers would become the rule of the day." Inspiring Story of Clean Donation Campaigning: This is probably the most effective way that you can take away the influence of big money in politics. If I understand it correctly, it's completely voluntary. So you can choose between the candidate owned by Disney or Microsoft or the candidate owned by you. Tough call... Public
Citizen Takes on Digital Right of Deep Linking Great Newspeak Piece by Ed Herman: This is a nice updating of how the media slants the news with loaded words and phrases. May you never be called "controversial" by an on air broadcaster. Nice Profile of Early Upton Sinclair Critique of Big Media: Apparently, Upton Sinclair's other important book is called the "Brass Check" and it's a critique of the mass media. Even in the 20s and 30s the control that wealthy elites had over newspapers was a problem. It's another insightful piece co-written by Robert McChesney. Here's an excerpt: "Sinclair, too, more than any previous press critic, zeroes in on advertising and its ignominious implications for a free press. Everywhere in the world of Journalism, high and low, you see this power of the advertiser, he writes. This system of publicity in return for advertising is a fundamentally dishonest one, but it is inseparable from the business of publishing news for profit, and the legitimate and the illegitimate shade into one another so gradually that it would be hard for an honest editor to know where to draw the line(p. 285). Moreover, to Sinclair, the political biases of advertisers made it vastly more difficult for socialist pro-labor publications to survive in the marketplace. For some strange reason, he noted of a magazine that generated a large circulation but still could not generate enough revenue to break even, the packers of hams and bacon, the manufacturers of automobiles and ready-made clothing, of toilet perfumeries and fancy cigarettes, would not pay money to a Socialist magazine! (p. 294)" Here's another excerpt and note Sinclair's argument about how the press' role of propaganda is conscious:
Indy Media's New York Monthly Features: Global
Warming Story Well, I can see why the Warbloggers really really hate Indy Media. It's starting to produce some good stuff. These links are tied to a print monthly that the New York faction of Indy Media is putting out. It's not bad. Of course, what really needs to be examined by the left is city and state politics. and this is a good start. Already Great Prospect
Blog Gets a Permalink Must Read
Fallows/Nader at Slate New MYDD Political Blog Federation of
American Scientist's Report on Anthrax
Here's an excerpt: Yes, there is the happy-faced "greeter" who welcomes shoppers into every store, and employees (or "associates," as the company grandiosely calls them) gather just before opening each morning for a pep rally, where they are all required to join in the Wal-Mart cheer: "Gimme a W!" shouts the cheerleader; "W!" the dutiful employees respond. "Gimme an A!" And so on. Behind this manufactured cheerfulness, however, is the fact that the average employee makes only $15,000 a year for full-time work. Most are denied even this poverty income, for theyre held to part-time work. While the company brags that 70% of its workers are full-time, at Wal-Mart "full time" is 28 hours a week, meaning they gross less than $11,000 a year. Health-care benefits? Only if youve been there two years; then the plan hits you with such huge premiums that few can afford itonly 38% of Wal-Marters are covered. Thinking union? Get outta here! "Wal-Mart is opposed to unionization," reads a company guidebook for supervisors. "You, as a manager, are expected to support the companys position. . . . This may mean walking a tightrope between legitimate campaigning and improper conduct." Wal-Mart is in fact rabidly anti-union, deploying teams of union-busters from Bentonville to any spot where theres a whisper of organizing activity. "While unions might be appropriate for other companies, they have no place at Wal-Mart," a spokeswoman told a Texas Observer reporter who was covering an NLRB hearing on the companys manhandling of 11 meat-cutters who worked at a Wal-Mart Supercenter in Jacksonville, Texas.
This is a list of all the international treaties and agreements that the United States has pulled out of over the last year or so. It's why we're so hated so to speak. Here's one through seven: 1. In December 2001, the United States officially
withdrew from the 1972 Antiballistic Missile Treaty, gutting the landmark agreement--the
first time in the nuclear era that the US renounced a major arms control accord.
Decent New American
Prospect Attempt at Blogging These are some eye-opening accounts about the reality of the news business, books about "Bias" notwithstanding. I hope that all the reporters who have been censored, or felt that a legitimate look at power wasn't possible at the Old Media, take a shot at the web as a new way to get their messages across. Here's an excerpt from the Alternet Story: "Indeed, some of the writers in Buzzsaw say that, before their own experiences, they were among the scoffers. Webb writes, "If we had met five years ago, you wouldn't have found a more staunch defender of the newspaper industry than me ... I was winning awards, getting raises, lecturing college classes, appearing on TV shows, and judging journalism contests. So how could I possibly agree with people like Noam Chomsky and Ben Bagdikian, who were claiming the system didn't work, that it was steered by powerful special interests and corporations, and existed to protect the power elite?" But, like most of the contributors to "Into the Buzzsaw," he did his job too well and the powers that be hurled him onto the other side of the looking glass. "And then I wrote some stories that made me realize how sadly misplaced my bliss had been," he writes. "The reason I'd enjoyed such smooth sailing for so long hadn't been, as I'd assumed, because I was careful and diligent and good at my job ... The truth was that, in all those years, I hadn't written anything important enough to suppress." The routine maginalizing of media critics is one reason "Into the Buzzsaw" is so important. It might be possible to discredit one erstwhile insider, but to argue that more than a dozen veterans of organizations like CBS News, CNN, The AP, The BBC and The San Jose Mercury News are all crazy in exactly the same way would be to engage in conspiracy-mongering more far-fetched than anything these authors are accused of. And while plenty of lefty writers have excoriated media monopolies, rarely has the precise way that corporate ownership and intimidation warp newsroom values been made quite so explicit. The value of these testimonies is largely in their minute accumulation of detail (which occasionally makes for tedious reading but enhances credibility). Borjesson is especially systematic, laying out every meeting, every conversation, every contradiction in government statements." Excellent Media Transparency
Site (Tracks Right Wing Foundation Grants)
Despite
Great Poll Numbers: Here's a Woman Who Doesn't Approve I do not approve. Let me state that again loudly, clearly and
emphatically I do not approve. State
Attempt To Ban Roe V. Wade We Should Impeach The Bogus King Must Must Read Ani Difranco Poem (From Robot Wisdom) cuz take away our playstations (And here's another excerpt)
Buzzflash Interview with David Brock: This is a big surprise of course. This means that the Right Wing is hypocritical and evil. Who would've thought. An Excerpt: BUZZFLASH: Now let me just ask you a speculative question: most of your book deals with your role as the insider, how you came to see the light after being blinded by the right. To what degree do you think the Democrats understand the tactics of the far right? Because it seems to me the Democrats have been fairly ineffective in coming to terms with the reality of a group of people who will win at all costs. DAVID BROCK: Yeah, I think that's definitely true. I mean, I think there's no question in terms of message discipline and political strategy and tactics, the Democrats are definitely not up to playing the kind of hardball that the conservatives play. And I think part of that has to do with the culture of liberalism, which is more tolerant and is not hate-filled. It's less disciplined, in general, less organized. They certainly don't have the vast partisan media apparatus that the right has at its disposal to get its message out. And if you notice, there are very few times where the entire conservative commentary disagrees or takes any independent stands not consistent with the Republican Party line of the day. On the other side, I think liberal commentators actually do try to be more objective, more neutral, and try to judge things more as reporters or on the facts, as opposed to being slavishly devoted to a Democratic line. And then even in the Democratic political world, I think you just have, again, a lack of discipline in terms of message. You get one line from Daschle, one from Gephardt, one from Kennedy, but they're certainly not all on the same page. That's the democratic process, and I'm not criticizing that. I actually think the culture of the left and liberal circles is a lot more healthy than anything I've seen on the right. But there's got to be a way, with integrity, to more effectively mount their case and get their message out onto the airwaves. How
America Does Propaganda Right Neo-Nazi
Tactics of the Israelis This guy is an ex CIA regional chief so he's not your traditonal commie pinko. Here' s some of what he had to say: The first and most basic belief I have about the current situation is
that military action will never be effective in solving the problem of terrorism against
the United States. At best it will only prevent terrorism temporarily. As I've already
mentioned, there's little doubt that the U.S. will somehow kill or capture or otherwise
neutralize Osama bin Laden and most of his lieutenants. The U.S. has already pretty much
pulverized Afghanistan by bombing, and has incidentally killed an unknown number of
innocent noncombatants in the process. The U.S. government, by the way, seems uninterested
in even estimating how many innocent noncombatants have in fact been killed, but it is
possible that the number is as large as or larger than the 3,000 killed in the U.S. on
September 11. Whatever the military success of the U.S., however, a couple of years hence
new extremists just as clever as bin Laden, and hating the U.S. even more, will almost
certainly arise somewhere else in the world. That's why we need to understand the root
causes behind the terrorism. If I am right that military action will not prevent future
terrorism, but only delay it, we should start working on these root causes right away. We
should not wait until the military actions are finished before looking at root causes, as
some people would urge us to do. Terrorism For Dummies (Hilarity Ensues Lemme Tellya...) Here's a funny excerpt: Q. Is John Ashcroft a proto-fascist?
Truly Scary
Story of Nuclear Blackmarket in former USSR Here's some great lines from Tom's new blog, already a big hit: Let us pray that our country will stop this war. "To promote the
common defense" is one of the formational principles of America. Our Congress gave
the President the ability to respond to the tragedy of September the Eleventh. We licensed
a response to those who helped bring the terror of September the Eleventh. But we the
people and our elected representatives must reserve the right to measure the response, to
proportion the response, to challenge the response, and to correct the response. Because we did not authorize the invasion of Iraq. Yet we are upon the threshold of a permanent war economy Evidence of New Death Squad
Activity Okay, Condy Rice as Xena and Powell as Batman I can buy. But did Rambo fight in the National Guard or get taken down by a Pretzel? What's that "X" for? It certainly can't stand for exceptional...Wasn't Cheney a draft dodger? I don't get it...(From Instapundit Glenn Reynolds...Thank You Son of Satan!) Insightful Piece From Tom Turnipseed Here's a snippet: "Our tax dollars are now being used to kill people who have nothing to do with terrorism against the U.S. and to spread lies and disinformation around the world. At the request of the Karzai interim government, the United States has opened a new phase of the war in Afghanistan by bombing militia groups which are neither Taliban or Al Qaeda and have no connection with the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. Sources in the Pentagon said that part of the giant increase in the military budget will be used to sway public opinion in both friendly and unfriendly countries by using covert means and lies called "black" campaigns, mixed with the truth known as "white" campaigns. Criticized by the New York Times for "managing the news" and the world media for such a brazen admission of purposeful deceit, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld said the new Office of Strategic Influence would "tell the American people and the people of the world the truth". Then Rumsfeld defended the Pentagon's need to conduct secret activities intended to deceive adversaries during these times of conflict." Libertarian Party
Answers Administration's Pathetic Drug Ads New Address for
Message Board (Angry Pej is back and he's baaaader than eva'...!) I. Thou shalt talk about Christian principles, but not
live by them Big
Invasion of Iraq Planned Before November Elections Von Hoffmann isn't a doctrinaire lefty. But here's what he says about the war effort. "For decades, those with eyes to see have
watched the Israelis, who have all the guns, all the artillery, all the supersonic
fighters, etc., pound the crap out of the Palestinians, and what do they have to show for
it? There isn't an Israeli in the world-man, woman or child-who can walk down a street
anywhere without being afraid someone will jump out at him and slit his throat. The more
Palestinians the Israelis kill, the more Israel lives in terror. Very Timely
Enron Owns The GOP Site (My Favorite Alt Version...) Chomsky In
Brazil (Apparently He's Bono when Abroad...)
Routinely Brilliant
Ruben Bolling Comic
Online
Copy of Federalist Papers
United States
Blocks Aid For Global Poor Has Bush Done
Something Right? (I'm Aghast...)
Your Basic
Nuclear Exchange Between Probable Impacts of a
Pakistan/India Nuclear Exchange Negus: What would actually be the effect... what would
happen if these two countries with these capabilities... we now know India has definitely
got them... we think Pakistan has... if they started slinging this stuff at each other. EU
vs. NAFTA In Terms of Environmental Standards
We
Call This Victory? How
NAFTA Undermines Democracy
Hilarious and Subversive www.gatt.org site
The Let's Give Peace A
Chance Links Spin of
The Day (PR Daily Weblog) Even Republicans Tire of Bush Ineptitude: Other cool tidbits include the fact that they notice that Cheney makes all the policy decisions. List of Times Where Advertisers Have Influenced Media Outlets: Whenever someone in the working media tells you that they write without fear and favor, point them to this story. Its the most thorough list I have ever seen of where advertisers have influenced the news. It's also why your local tv news is so empty and devoid of content. You can't really write about anything. Project Blackout: A protest planned against the Bush energy policies on June 21st. More Anti-Bush Flash Animation Cover up and double standards for the twins? I would find this so surprising. The rich kids getting a break. What a shock. In the Big Shock Department: Amnesty International Says US No Longer a leader in Human Rights: The international community is simply looking at us at the way we are. Return of Fascist Action Hero Judge Scalia! Yet another adventure of our least favorite activist strict constructionist judge.... Will Jeffords Switch? (Let us all pray, even us agnostics..) Of course, with Zell Miller and Breaux, the Dems are still down... Profile of Sinister Federalist Society ACLU Sues California Over Punchcard Ballots ACLU Suit Against Blocking Software Lie of Liberal Media http://www.commondreams.org/views01/0322-02.htm ![]() Online Journal 3 Parter on Goebels and Big Media and PR Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Nation Roundup on Left Sites: Eric Alterman lists a number of his favorite left of center daily sites. Many of those sites are already listed here. It's kind of exciting how much publishing there is of this kind on the net. Indy Media Site: This is the conglomeration of independent media sites that got subpoenaed over their server logs during the Quebec uprisings against the proposed globalization deals. Persuasive Pro Wind Piece at Alternet: Nice piece about how wind is the best alt fuel of all. Funny Flash Cartoon About Bush Environmental Policies: Nice use of flash technology to make a political point. This is happening in other places as well. AP: ELECTRIC WHOLESALERS OVERCHARGED CALIF. BY $5 BIL SINCE MAY. 3/23 WP: DEMS SAY BUSH IS BLOWING IT POLITICALLY WITH ANTI-ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES 3/24 CT: BUSH SUSPENDS MORE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION RULES. 3/22/01 CT: BUSH BUILDING U.S. NAME AS "WORLD'S WORST POLLUTER." 3/22/01 Money for Viagra but Not Birth Control? Funny Ted Rall Written Pieces 100 Days of Bought-Off Bush Is It News When Jenna Bush Does Pot? (Borrowed from one of the tabloids. We're assuming Fair Use here.)
Send us your opinions. Send to pshropshire@yahoo.com All Pictures and Words Civil Rights, Civil Liberties and Protest Profile of
Sinister Federalist Society http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cover/storydb/2001/02/27/cn-0ushr.227.html Village Voices 100 Days of George Bush: A number of excellent articles about the Evil One, or Ones, considering that cabinet. The giveaway to the rich tax plan. The dopey appointments. The Works. Ridgeway, in particular, has done a very good job at critiquing this administration. You know, the one good thing about Bush being elected is that with Clinton and the DLC I couldnt fully express my hatred for The Man. That was because of the choice issue and the courts, and with all apologies to Ralph Nadar, there is a difference between the parties. I have no such fears concerning Bush, however, and apparently the rest of the left media feels the same way. We should treat George Bush with the same kind of respect and love that the congressional republicans displayed toward President Clinton. None at all. In fact: Impeach Bush now!!! Democrats.com: Theyre not affiliated directly with the Democratic Party and you can tell. Theyre mean and aggressive and act like they represent an opposition party. So you know that theyre not affiliated with the Democratic Party establishment. Ruben Bollings Brilliant Fightin Judge Scalia Comics: Probably the funniest commentary that Ive seen about the Supreme Courts recent horrific election decision are the two comics written by Reuben Bolling concerning Judge Scalia. Theyre hilarious and true. For real comics fans only: Note the early Marvel-Style Artie Simek lettering that Bolling uses in the alternate reality segment.Transition Watch Group Forms: There is already a site, more in depth than this one probably, that is dedicated toward watching all the new president's moves. Bush Files: Yet another link, where they actually pay people to do it, that monitors Fearless Leader. Environment and Energy Policy AP:
ELECTRIC WHOLESALERS OVERCHARGED CALIF. BY $5 BIL SINCE MAY. 3/23 In the We Toldja So Department: It turns out that a number of George Bushs big energy backers are going to make a bundle from the Californian energy disaster. Public Citizen says that a number of Dubyas Big Oil pals will make tons. Oh, Im shocked. Just shocked. Sierra Club Statement on Californian Energy Crisis: Bush, in his own inarticulate way, is trying to shift the blame for the crisis on those damn environmentalists and their infernal reglations.. Heres the Sierra Clubs counter. Note To California: Buzz off!: One of the more predictable aspects of the Bush regime will be its policy of furthering our dependence on fossil fuels. The initial Bush response to the crisis in California--where he favors unshackling deregulation so that workers and families can see their energy prices doubled--is certainly galling. Yet, what do you expect from an oil man? An impassioned plea for alternative fuels? A call to invest in those same alt fuels? Tax breaks for solar fueled homes? (One of the targeted tax breaks that Al Gore trumpeted and that Bush specifically ridiculed by the way....) The War Machine
Reproductive Rights Money for Viagra but Not Birth
Control? AP: BUSH SNEAKS THROUGH ANOTHER VERSION OF THE GLOBAL GAG RULE 3/24 Solid Ridgeway Piece on GOP Plan to Strip Away Abortion Rights: I have to say that this is something that I can see coming. What was interesting about the piece is that it points to an underground abortion movement that could develop if current trends continue.Katha Pollitt Says Pro Choice Movement Has to show More Anger, Passion: She actually suggests that clinics start contacting women who have had abortions in order to mobilize them. Its a good essay but I think that it hints at a deeper problem for the left. We dont have institutions like churches where we can rally our own. I guess unions come close but its not quite the same thing. How do you create a lasting social institution thats not based on fear or superstition? Bush Reinstates Global Gag Rule on Family Planning Services: Fearless Leader has reinstated his dad's thoughtcrime policy on family planning options to health care clinics abroad that receive US Funds. HHS Flack Already Looking at RU486: Tommy Thompson has already signalled that he'll be reviewing RU486. This is the drug that privatizes a women's right to choose, thus eliminating the meaningfulness of protesting outside of clinics. If the drug is approved, then those self righteous protesters can go straight to homes and apartments. Prediction: Thompson has only said that he'll review the safety of the drug. But short of overturning Roe V. Wade, this would certainly satisfy the GOP's loathsome right wing. Thus, RU486 is probably a goner. Stay Tuned.General Somewhat Undefineable Evil Is It News
When Jenna Bush Does Pot? (Borrowed from one of the tabloids. We're assuming Fair Use here.) The Public Good That The Tax Cut Could Be Providing: In case you were wondering about all the good things you could do with the money that Bush plans to just give to the rich. http://www.prospect.org/webfeatures/2001/03/sobel-l-03-07.html Public Citizen Files Against Deeply Disheartening United States WTO Claim Against Brazil: Brazil has done a horrible thing you see. Given the choice between saving impoverished AIDs victims in their own country and giving American Drug companies every single cent theyre entitled too, Brazil chose saving their citizens. Of all the nerve. Looks like United States will have to sue them. This is also a quick case study on the evils of the WTO and NAFTA if you didnt know about it. Brazil, and also India--with its plans of producing a cheap HIV cocktail--are doing humanity a great service by protecting their citizens. And I guess were just turning into the Nazis. Longer Piece About Brazilian Courage: This is a longer piece about what's happening in Brazil, courtesy of the National Lawyer's Guild. You can't link directly to the site, so you have to go to the homepage and search it out. Scathing Editorial That Reminds Us Why We Hate Bush: In case you had forgotten why you hate Bush, this editorial sort of sums it up nicely: He has no record of accomplishment that seems to self generated without daddy's help; disinterested in policy issues and the world of ideas in general; and lacks any real legitimacy. Where are the Drudge scoops about the Notorious Bush Daughters?: Our friend Mr. Drudge seems to be laying off of the Bush team. Big shock there. You would think that he would be writing all kinds of salacious stuff about the Bush daughters, rumored to be like the daughter in the hit film Traffic. And why did only oned aughter show up for the inauguration? Was the other one hiding in the crowd? Or did she have something more important to do? And if she did, what was it?
Send us your opinions. Send to pshropshire@yahoo.com All Pictures and Words by unless otherwise noted ©Philip Shropshire, 1999, 2000, 2001 Letter from Editor (last updated September 6th)
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