GDAEman

August 11, 2009

Could See the Mobs Coming

Back in April of this year I focused on the Rise of the Uniformed Right Wing on GDAE Podcast Episode 11. Observers of the "tea parties" at that time noticed an element that was reminiscent of the vocal, violent fringe who had attended Sarah Palin rallies during the presidential campaign. I recently re-visited the topic in Episode 16. This was all before the recent spat of right-wing disruptions of congressional town hall meetings on health care.

Yes, as is being discussed everywhere, that fringe element is back in action, shouting down people who want to discuss health care reform options. This is just the latest manifestation of what happens when an uninformed segment of society is manipulated by right wing talk radio and well-funded organizations like "Americans for Prosperity" run by people like Tim Phillips who counts among his "close friends" Ralph Reed. Phillips and Reed make big bucks pretending to be friends of the common man (and woman), but are actually in the business of duping the common man on behalf of their wealthy clients.

It's not only sad to see people hyperventilating as they parrot the dubious health care debate talking points, it's scary. I spoke to someone in Senator Boxer's office who said people are calling in who are angry and frightened, who have their facts confused, some of whom are crying and most of whom are unwilling or able to listen to reason. It's frightening because societies, yes even the "exceptional" United States, can descend into barbarism. Although that phrase is used to describe the descent of pre-WWII Germany, it applies to many cases in which average citizens are whipped into an unthinking frenzy, which gets out of the control of those who incited them: The killing fields of Cambodia in the 1970s, the rampant death squad activities of Central America in the 1980s, the insanity in the former Yogoslavia and Rawanda in the 199os.

I sense that the US is on the brink. Yes, democracy is one of the first victims; civil discourse is shouted down, or worse, is self-censored due to a literal fear of violence at town hall meetings. It's only a matter of time until someone is killed, which is followed by a negative feedback process that spirals deeper down a path of revenge killings that is difficult to stop. I suspect the process has started... the murder of George Tiller is a case in point.

The solution is education and the building of networks of people who can help stop it if it starts. It might be impossible to educate some of the most unhinged people, but it is possible to reach some of the more sober people around them who might be able to serve a moderating role. If the fire starts, we'll need a network of people who can serve as fire breaks to stop it. Otherwise, the descent into barbarism could very well play out in the United States.

Sources:

Photo by Andrew Meares depicts people of middle east appearance being attacked by mobs in December 2005 in Sydney Australia's Cronulla Beach area.

August 9, 2009

Traveling GDAEman

Enjoying a respite and family time as I travel in the San Francisco Bay Area, my old stomping grounds. I've let the 24-hour news cycle pass me by for a change, but will be right back on top of the GDAE Podcast upon my return... that is, if I don't partake in a long weekend beach trip :-1

A couple thoughts have crossed my mind while traveling. One is a reflection on a segment by Fair and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) on media coverage of the on-going efforts to "reform" our anemic health care system. The commentary observed that reporters were saying, "The health care debate is so complex and nuanced that it is very difficult to cover and explain to the public." My gut reaction to that was, "It wouldn't be so complex if we had a single-payer system."

Another unrelated thought I had was a reflection on the SF Bay Area in which I grew up. It has changed so much, with many wealthy foreign people beginning to dominate the population in a place that is now nearly unaffordable to meager mortal (like myself). What happened?

Back in the early 1980s a referendum, Proposition 13, was passed based on short-term thinking and a fair amount of misinformation from the corporate quarters. It placed limits on property taxes, which on the surface sounds great. The most direct negative effect was the demise of the State's excellent public school system. A more subtle effect was the following.

Controls on property taxes made it possible for housing prices to inflate drastically, in part because there was little impact on existing home owners. Traditional property tax policies would have put the breaks on the outrageous home price increases. Once the housing prices got inflated, there was no way to reverse the Proposition 13 policy, because the taxes would have been unbearable. Prop 13 created an irreversible trap.

Because of the cost of a home, families like mine that had been in the Bay Area began feeling pressure to split up. Kids couldn't afford to buy a decent house here, so they had to move away. However, the most wealthy foreigners could afford the prices. As a result, the composition of the Bay Area has change irreversibly.

My parents and I, having left the Bay Area temporarily, cannot afford to return to live near my siblings, unless we want to live in a shoe box. This is a profound unintended consequence of the short-term thinking of Proposition 13.

Enough musing for now. It's time to enjoy my brief time here in sunny CA.

August 4, 2009

Today the Word is "Golpista"

Thanks to the good work of Sandra Cuffe, reporting from Honduras, and Flashpoints Radio program, I learned a new word today. It's "golpista," which is Spanish for coup d'etat supporter.

More on Challenge the Establishment Blog.

July 30, 2009

GDAE Podcast - Episode 16

Episode 15 - June 17, 2009

Taliban & US Right Wing

Briefly, Health Care Reform: Time for us to Make Noise!
A tid bit on Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining
Who are the Taliban?
A Mid-East 101 by Chris Hedges
Sarah Palin's Future Plans: Will she help incite right-wing violence? (Re-visiting a theme of Episode 11)

July 26, 2009

Birthing GDAE Podcast Episode 16

The "Summer Effect" on my podcasting means only one episode of GDAE Podcast for July. Topics will include:

Briefly: Health Care Reform. Time for us to Make Noise!
A tid bit on Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining
Who are the Taliban?
Sarah Palin's future plans: Will she help incite right-wing violence? (Re-visiting a theme of Episode 11)

Almost done.

July 25, 2009

Mr. Holder: Investigate and Prosecute Bush Officials

My letter to Attorney General Eric Holder:

I urge Secretary Holder to support the Department's investigation of numerous crimes committed by the Bush Administration.

It would be unhealthy to America's future if we brushed it all under the rug. To quote Bob Marley, "In this great future, you can't forget your past."

Do the right thing.

Short 'n sweet.

July 22, 2009

How to Host a Honey Tasting

This "how to" is intended for informal honey tastings, perhaps as part of a party, barbecue event, family reunion or other gathering.

"To Do" Lists

Before the Tasting:

Honey: Five to ten different kinds of honey (eight worked for me). Strive for some variety in flavors from simple to more exotic, e.g., raw honey.
Small cups: I used disposable plastic containers like those used by restaurants for serving to-go sides (e.g., soy sauce, salsa, raitha). I got mine free at a friendly neighborhood restaurant. The disposable ones are helpful because you can write on them (the number of the honey... assuming you're having a blind tasting, which is much more fun).
Toothpicks or coffee stirrers: We used toothpicks... some people used two at a time if they felt the need.
Toothpick holder: You can use the box the toothpicks come in, or a more attractive holder.
Taster Discard: You'll need a cup or other container for used toothpicks. A deep cup is good so people don't mistake the discard pile as the clean ones!
Scoring Sheet: (See Details Below)
Copies of Score Sheet: We made enough sheets for all guests to participate, but only about one-third filled them out.
Pencils: Have a number of pencils sharpened. Pencils are handy so people can modify results if needed... but, that depends on having erasers that work ;-1
Contact info. for party guests (You'll want to send them the results!)
Blank sheets of paper
Magic marker
Location for tasting (think about where you'll set up the tasting... space, table(s), etc. You might want to do it inside to avoid attracting bugs).
Optional: If you want, prepare a summary sheet in advance that describes the honeys. People will want to know what they judged. You can hand this out at the end of the event, even if you don't finish scoring the results until after the event.

Day of the Tasting:

Set-up location: We have a smallish house, so we set up on two tables in different rooms to spread people out a bit (we had 8 honeys to taste). We did it indoors to avoid attracting bugs.
Make a List of the Honeys: Write down the names of each honey and give them a random number. It's important you don't loose this ;-1
Number Sheets of Papers: For each honey, create a sheet of paper with the random number at the bottom. You will set each honey on it's own sheet of paper with the number at the bottom... helps catch any drips.
Mark each Cup: Write the random number on each cup you'll use for the honey.
Transfer Honey to Cups: Prepare for a little messy job. You'll want a wet rag for cleaning as you go. You might want multiple spoons/knives to help dish out the honey into the numbered cups (I cleaned my knife as I went).
Place pencils, score sheets, tasting toothpicks, toothpick discard cups out for use.
Get a couple out-going people to start and spread the word to guests.
Optional: Have judges write their names on the results. If they want to take their score sheet with them, before you've done the scoring, you'll need to copy the results for your use in scoring.

After the Tasting:

Everyone likes instant gratification. If the situation allows, you can try to tally the results and give them to guests toward the later part of the event. This didn't work in my case, so it's good to have contact information that allows you to send the results to people.
Scoring: OK, some people will not fill score all of the honeys. I only used the scores for the people who scored all honeys. You can try to figure out how to include partial scores, but you're on your own for that. I set up a little spreadsheet to tally the results. I added up all the judges scores separately for the two categories (distinctiveness, agreeability). Then, I added these two sub-scores for a combined total. I selected the three top scores, the "Best," (1st, 2nd, and 3rd place) for both categories and combined total. (See Score Result Tables).
Other Results: People will want to know a little about the honeys they judged. As noted above, you can create a summary sheet. I elected to simply document the judges comments on a web page, at which point I also described the honeys.

Score Sheet Details: I'll provide a sample once I figure out how to link to a document, but for now, here's Sample Text and description:

Honey Tasting
Score Sheet

Please judge the eight (8) different honeys on two aspects of flavor. Judging ends at 9pm at which time scores will be tallied (put your name on the score sheet if you want it returned). We'll post the results on-line!!

Things to consider: Overheating will cause a burnt sugar flavor (not a problem with raw honey). Fermentation can cause the honey to taste sour. Certain floral sources such as tobacco can produce unpleasant, even disagreeable-tasting honey.

Give Two Scores, each on a scale of 1 – 10 (10 is the Best): 1) Distinctive flavors stand out as being interesting, perhaps having a notable aroma. Distinctive flavors, however, might not be agreeable for regular use, perhaps being too strong in some way. 2) Agreeable flavors go beyond simply tasting sweet (it should have a honey flavor!!), but aren't so distinctive that they might offend someone, e.g., too yeasty.

Honey Tasting Score Table

Honey Number	Score for Distinctiveness	Score as Agreeable	Comments
#1
#2
#3
#etc.

I think that about covers it. I'm sure you can think of improvements. If you do, or if you host a competition, I'd appreciate you leaving a COMMENT below. A link to any web pages, and cross links to this page would be even MORE APPRECIATED!

July 21, 2009

Honey Tasting Contest: The Least Best

In two previous posts I explained the tasting set-up and then gave the basic results of the best of eight (8) honeys.

It's worth mentioning that all of the honeys were good. It's also worth mentioning that this judging says nothing about honeys that were not part of the competition; we simply selected 8 honeys that we thought would have a range of flavors. Each honey received two scores:

Distinctiveness, and
Agreeability

Each was scored on a scale of 1 - 10.

The Honeys

Random Number	Honey Name
#1	Lord Byron - Wildflower
#2	Wedderspoon Active +16
#3	Zambezi
#4	Wedderspoon Autumn Forest
#5	Ulmo Tree
#6	Really Raw
#7	Trader Joe's Creamed Clover
#8	Trader Joe's w/ Honey Comb

Thirteen people participated as judges in the tasting. The highest possible score for being either Distinctive or Agreeable was 130. The highest combined total score would be 260. The best honeys are summarized below, with scores in parentheses.

The Worst of the Group of Honeys

Judging Category	First Place	Second Place	Third Place
Distinctiveness	Honey #1 (53)	Honeys #2 (65)	Honey #4 (67)
Agreeability	Honey #2 (60)	Honey #3 (63)	Honey #5, #4 (70)(71)
Total Score	Honey #2 (115)	Honey #1 (135)	Honey #4 (138)

Some Comments

Honey #2, Wedderspoon Manuka Active +16 from New Zealand, 500 grams, was priced at $45 dollars (you can get it for $30). It is organic and raw. In my view, it had similar flavors of #5 Ulmo Tree honey from Chile, that is, a hint of sasafrass root (like root beer). Some of the comments about Wedderspoon +16 follow:

Blank taste
Cloudy and thick
Saturated, pasty
Sour

Honey #1 Lord Byron's wildflower honey is local to Maryland, USA, came in lowest on distinctiveness and 2nd lowest total score. It is a high grade standard honey we have around the house. Here's what some of the judges had to say:

Sweeter than sweet!
Pleasant, normal
Very simple, very clean
medicinal
warm with subtle zing
earthy

Honey #3 Zambeze from Zambia African jungle flowers. 100% organic, Fair Trade. It intentionally has cyrstals. Advertized as having a complex, lingering, rich but subtle flavor. Personally, I liked it and think the judges might have been prejudiced by the crystals, so take the following comments with a grain of honey. Here are the comments on Zambeze:

Grainy (mentioned twice)
Like proplis and chunky
Not good, very crystalized
Ick
I hate the taste
Yeasty
Bitter bite
Good

Honey #4 Wedderspoon Autumn Forest Honeydew from New Zealand. A dark, 100% organic, raw honey. It was the most runny of the eight honeys. Here's what the judges had to say:

I don't know if it's sweet or sour
Tastes similar to maple syrup (certainly has the consistency)
Aftertaste
Subtle but unique
Tart, Medicinal
Smooth

Comments on #5, Ulmo Tree my personal favorite from Chile, can be found in the results for the best of the group.

July 20, 2009

Honey Tasting Contest Results: The Best

OK. Here's the second serving on the Great Hampden Honey Tasting of 2009. In the first posting, I explained that we had eight (8) honeys, which were tasted blindly by guests at a birthday party. Each honey received two scores:

Distinctiveness, and
Agreeability

Each was scored on a scale of 1 - 10.

The Honeys

Random Number	Honey Name
#1	Lord Byron - Wildflower
#2	Wedderspoon Active +16
#3	Zambezi
#4	Wedderspoon Autumn Forest
#5	Ulmo Tree
#6	Really Raw
#7	Trader Joe's Creamed Clover
#8	Trader Joe's w/ Honey Comb

The Best of the Group of Honeys

Judging Category	First Place	Second Place	Third Place
Distinctiveness	Honey #5 (95)	Honeys #3, #8 (94)	Honey #6 (81)
Agreeability	Honey #8 (102)	Honey #1 (82)	Honey #6 (80)
Total Score	Honey #8 (196)	Honey #5 (165)	Honey #1 (161)

Some Comments

Honey #8, Trader Joe's Grade A with honey comb. This is a classic golden honey and is proven to be very agreeable according to the judges of this contest. Comments follow:

Disgusting
Very good, simple, classic
Yum!
Tastes like real honey

Honey #5, Ulmo Tree Honey. This honey is nearly a mono flower honey. The beautiful Ulmo tree (Eucryphia cordifolia) is native to Chile. It is a large but very slow growing evergreen shrub that can grow to form a tree reaching 6 to 9 metres high. It is part of the temperate rain forests that grow from Valdivia in the Lakes Region of Chile to as far south as Chiloe. Here are the judges comments:

Thick, but simple taste. Good.
Root beer! ??
Tart sweet
Sugary
Hint of root beer

Sweeter than sweet!
Pleasant, normal
Very simple, very clean
medicinal
warm with subtle zing
earthy

Grainy (mentioned twice)
Like proplis and chunky
Not good, very crystalized
Ick
I hate the taste
Yeasty
Bitter bite
Good

Honey #6, Really Raw Honey (I need to find out which variety). Really Raw is a local honey from Maryland. It is advertized as "still contains pollen, propolis, honeycomb and live enzymes." We didn't include the gritty "cap" that lies on top of the honey when you first open the jar. Here's what the judges had to say:

I like it. It has kind of a blank taste
Sweet. It is really raw honey (remember, this was a blind tasting!)
Sweet, not in a good honey way
perfumy
tart sweet
creamy
like this one

Comments on honeys that ranked lower can be found HERE.

More GDAEman Blog Posts on the Honey Tasting:

July 15, 2009

Honey Tasting Contest

I've just decided that I will roll out the results of our honey tasting contest over a few blog posts... 'cuz the reality is, the final post will have lots of yummy information!

Lets start with WTF is a honey tasting contest? In our case, we bought eight (8) different kinds of honey and invited people at a party to rank them on a scale of 1 - 10 on two attributes: 1) Distinctiveness and 2) Agreeability.

The results will be of interest to the brands we included, among others. The selection of our honeys was admittedly haphazard (that's a statistics term). HOWEVER, we did select them with the intent of providing our unsuspecting tasters with a range of flavors (we didn't "know" this, 'cuz we didn't taste the honeys in advance; we just used a little common sense; include a classic golden honey and a raw honey and tasters are pretty much guaranteed to be able to make a distinction.

Ah... that "distinction" concept. So, we judged the honeys using two categories (attributes), then combined the results of the individual attributes for a "Total" result and an over all winner. .....

So, what do we mean by distinctiveness and agreeability? Here's what we said in our honey tasting guidance:

1) Distinctive flavors stand out as being interesting, perhaps having a notable aroma. Distinctive flavors, however, might not be agreeable for regular use, perhaps being too strong in some way.

2) Agreeable flavors go beyond simply tasting sweet (it should have a honey flavor!!), but aren't so distinctive that they might offend someone, e.g., too yeasty.

We had local honeys (Maryland), honeys from Chile and New Zealand... and clover honey "North America." Descriptions and judge's comments on the honeys are included in the following blog posts.

More GDAEman Blog Posts on the Honey Tasting:

July 14, 2009

July 13, 2009

Kristin Diane Parker Photos

Nothing deep here, just tabloid curiosity. Poor girl messed up big-time.

DENVER July 24, 2009 – A grand jury indicted a surgery technician infected with hepatitis C on several charges Thursday (7/23/09), alleging she stole syringes with painkillers and replaced them with needles she had used. Prosecutors allege that at least 19 people contracted the disease as a result.

Sources:

Associated Press, Prosecutors tie Colo. tech to 19 hepatitis cases, July 24, 2009.

Photos: CBS

July 11, 2009

Gov't has your E-mails and Web Searches

Has the government admitted that it routed a copy of an ATT internet trunk into a room in San Francisco where all of the information could be accessed? I don't think it has. Perhaps that is part of the "still highly classified" surveillance program that is making the so-called "news" as a result of an inspector general report being released.

... unlike the controversy over targeted wiretaps of individuals' phone calls, this potential spying appears to be applied wholesale to all sorts of internet communications of countless citizens. - Mark Klein, former ATT technician.

The government has powerful computer search tools to filter through the gobs of internet and e-mail data, including our data. We've seen the government conduct mass arrests during protests, sweeping up protesters, journalists and bystanders alike. So if they can gather and filter through people in broad day light, it stands to reason the government would have little compunction to do it with our private information.

My question is, why isn't the news media making reference to the revelations exposed by former ATT employee Mark Klein in their current reporting? The legal challenge brought by the Electronic Frontier Foundation with support from Klein seems to be a logical dot to connect.

Psssst... Do Something

Contact the Broadcast Media
Contact the Newspapers
Contact the US Senate
Contact the House of Representatives

Sources:

July 9, 2009

The Peace Movement Lives

AfterDowningStreet.org

Read "A Plan to End the Wars" by David Swanson:
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/plan

Post comments on that page and bring your thoughts and ideas to a national conference at which strategies to end the wars will be deliberated.

It's happening in Pittsburgh on July 10-12. The event is organized by the National Assembly to End the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars and Occupations:

Join us!
https://www.natassembly.org

After Downing Street on Facebook and Youtube and Twitter

July 7, 2009

Too Irresistible

With Sarah Palin back in the news, this graphic image From the Left blog of in-over-her-head Palin was too irresistible to pass by.

July 2, 2009

No Disrespect to Michael Jackson a GREAT performer

This is an very short, but well developed video of the change in Michael Jackson's appearance over the years>

June 30, 2009

End of June Already?

The older you get the smaller a fraction of your life each year is. Same thing goes with months.

Before too long, the Health Care Debate will be over. As much as I want to challenge the establishment, including withholding my support from Obama (like he cares), I do feel compelled to push for the "public option" being included in the exchange.

See? They've got us where they want us.

June 26, 2009

Women are Smarter....

I'm in "Challenge the Establishment" mode, and today I provide another strategic element. Women are at the front of the movement in Iran, and have been through out history.

The Greatful Dead knew it:

It ain't me
It's the people that say
Men are leading the women astray
But I say, it's the women today
Smarter than the man in every way

The People are hungry for real change, which is why they voted for Obama, a man whose words, and past deeds, resonated with that desire for changing the established system ... Unfortunately, the Office of the US President is not controlled by Obama, nor his senior staff... it's controlled by the establishment powers that helped put Obama into that office.

Can we change that? If so, how?

The simple answer is that "we the people" need to expose the illegitimacy of that establishment control and assert/insert our control. Simple in concept, yet difficult in practice.

This question of how to change the establishment power structure is at the root of so many other questions about creating positive social change. How? There is no silver bullet; however, women must and will play a central role if we are to succeed.

Examples across history demonstrate that women have the moral authority and courageous capacity to affect deep social change. This theme will be revisited in the weeks to come.

June 25, 2009

Strategic Framework for Challenging Establishment Power

It's difficult to ponder changing the status quo... the powerful establishment seeks, in general, to maintain the staus quo. Where does one start? Having a strategy helps. Here's a strategy shared with me by a college friend who has committed his life to promoting deep social change.

A Three-Element Strategy for Personal Activism:

It's certain that many of us share the sense that we need to move "beyond" the status quo, but we don't know how to do that. This sentiment is, in part, a reflection of the fact that our social construct is strongly defined by corporate power. An example of this might be that a corporation commits clear abuse, yet it is practically impossible to challenge that abuse because the channels to do so are filled with barriers that have been accumulated over decades of insider corporate tinkering with our judicial and legal systems. Add to that a pervasive control of mass media, and hence public awareness, that effectively isolates progressive activists from the rest of society.

So, how do we go forward? Here are three broad strategic elements by which to invest your activist energies:

Element 1: Invest part of your time in the multi-generational struggle to retract corporate constitutional rights that have been accumulated over decades. This sounds abstract, but think of it as being similar to ending slavery, which was once a legal business practice until the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments to the constitution were adopted. (Ironically, corporations have abused these amendments by getting the US Supreme Court to recognize them as "persons" within this Constitutional context.)

Element 2: Invest part of your time on time-sensitive issues, like saving that 700-year-old tree in your neighborhood that "needs to be chopped down" to widen a road. It's easy to become solely devoted to urgent issues of the day, so making linkages between this element and the other two is a helpful way to integrate your activism into this holistic strategy.

Element 3: Invest part of your time in identifying and promoting alternatives to status quo systems. It's easy to expose the flaws in the current "system," but difficult to develope and implement workable alternatives. Concrete steps in this regard include educating yourself and others about alternatives models of social interaction, supporting fledgling experiments into alternative models, like worker-owned businesses and so on.

By working within this construct on our own, we will be working together in a distributed way. It is a low-cost way to be organized, in the broad sense of the word.

Sources:

Dave Henson, one of the founders of the Program on Corporations, Law and Democracy (POCLAD).

June 24, 2009

Is it Time to Challenge the World Establishment?

Ten Percent Blog concludes today's post with an open request for how to help Iranian's challenge their establishment without becoming tools of our own imperialist establishment:

Now, I am sick of writing about it, I want to find concrete practical things we can do to help. Suggestions welcome.

My suggestion follows:

One way we can help Iranians challenge their establishment is to challenge our own western establishments… what a “farce.” The inertia remaining from the fairly recent Greek uprisings, which spread around the world, provide a useful asset upon which to build.

On an individual level, we should use our strengths. You are a clear thinker and good writer. You should continue to make use of that strength, while others use their particular strengths.

We need to organize, and can do so in a distributed way… We should keep this impulse alive. My brief blog entry today reflects this impulse. Briefly, it concludes:

“I’m starting to feel like withdrawing all support from Obama, because he’s become the figurehead of a crime syndicate. Does anyone else feel this way?”

Psssst... Do Something

Contact the Broadcast Media
Contact the Newspapers
Contact the US Senate
Contact the House of Representatives

What's the Difference ....

.... between a suicide bomber at a funeral and a US Drone attack on a funeral?

In one case, the bomber dies and in the other case the bomber lives in Nevada and goes home after the bombing to see his child in a school play.

Talk about moral relativity. Add this to the list of things that show the presidency of the United States is not part of a republic of the people. The US presidency is as errant as Wall Street; it's all part of a crumbling empire that is out of control.

Today we hear reports that US drones attacked a funeral in Pakistan killing five militants and 75 civilians. Nice kill ratio. No different than a suicide bomber attacking a funeral... except for what I noted above.

I'm starting to feel like withdrawing all support from Obama, because he's become the figurehead of a crime syndicate. Does anyone else feel this way?

Psssst... Do Something

Contact the Broadcast Media
Contact the Newspapers
Contact the US Senate
Contact the House of Representatives

Sources:

Associated Press, "Pakistani Taliban chief dodged missile: officials," Munir Ahmad, June 24, 2009.

June 23, 2009

A. Huffington & YouTube Cower to Israeli Power?

Thanks to LibHom and Ten Percent blogs for drawing my attention to yet another example of Israeli power in the US... or at least that is the appearance.

As you might know, Max Blumenthal's video, “Feeling The Hate In Jerusalem,” has been censored by the Huffington Post and YouTube. If you have not raised your voice on this, you should do so below... the right wing always raises it's voice.

Maybe the "fuck" and "nigger" words, coming out of mouths of Israeli youths in response to Obama's Cairo speech, was too much for these establishment media outlets (Yea, Huff Post and YouTube have been captured by the establishment... they are acting conservatively).

But, as usual, the censorship is drawing more attention to a video that it might otherwise.

Read more at Max Blumenthal's Blog.

Psssst... Do Something

E-mail YouTube at press@youtube.com AND use this e-mail form to sign a petition sponsored by Jewish Voices for Peace (a bunch of self-hating Jews ;-).

Contact the Huffington Post.

June 22, 2009

Top 8 Media Conglomerates

In 1983, fifty corporations dominated most of every mass medium, including our news sources. In 1987, the fifty companies had shrunk to twenty-nine. In 1990, the twenty-nine had shrunk to twenty three. By the end of 2006, there are only 8 giant media companies dominating the US media, from which most people get their news and information. These Are:

Disney (market value: $72.8 billion)

AOL-Time Warner (market value: $90.7 billion)

Viacom (market value: $53.9 billion)

General Electric (owner of NBC, market value: $390.6 billion)

News Corporation (that's Fox, which now owns the Wall Street Journal, market value: $56.7 billion)

Yahoo! (market value: $40.1 billion)

Microsoft (market value: $306.8 billion)

Google (market value: $154.6 billion)

The market failure is that these conglomerates have become part of the establishment on which they are supposed to report. They have become beholden to short term profits and entertainment value. Corporate commercial interests have blunted their ability to speak truth to power at a management level, where the control lies.

The high-flying celebrity status of the hosts, and fear of loosing that status, creates a strong aversion to taking the risks associated with speaking truth to power.

The reduced numbers of employees in this consolidated industry make even the technical jobs rare plums. Thus, young people who want a job in the media industry will tend to do what ever management wants... no questions asked. It doesn't matter if these young people, and the vanishing news reporters, are "liberal"; they don't pick the stories to be covered and don't decide what makes it into print or on the air.

Bottom line is that the media industry reflects corporate conservatism, not liberalism.

June 19, 2009

Daily Visuals

Beautiful Daily Graphics at Leftwing Nut Job

... and insightful prose.

I love the visuals.

June 18, 2009

GDAE Podcast Episode 15

All Music

Desalambra
Awesome Barnhillian Medley
Ubalagdae: Guitar, voice and bells.
Wayfaring Stranger: Two versions.
Blackberry Turnpike: Road Trip
Mystery Song

June 17, 2009

Left Vs Right Populism

This is just a teaser post.

Libhom left the following comment recently:

I listened to your podcast on the populist right a week or two ago [April 24], and I want to blog about the subject of left populism[...] haven't gotten around to it yet.

Left populism is a point of view that deserves a lot more consideration and support, yet I've read a lot of prose on the left against it.

A historian friend passed the following to me:

Ben Tillman, governor of South Carolina and later US Senator, is considered by some to be a right wing "populist" during the populist movement in the late 18o0s. He was part of the agrarian revolt that attempted to change economic policy to help farmers who lost their farms and were forced into share cropping, and unending debt. He never became part of the Populist Party and others think his adoption of Populist Party platform elements, while remaining a member of the racist Democratic Party, took support away from the Populist Party.

At the same time, Tom Watson, of Georgia, was a populist leader who allied with black people, which was taboo at the time. He could be considered "left wing" in some regards. It is said elsewhere that he supported a KKK organization. He served in the US House of Representatives and Senate in the 1890s and was supposedly considered as a running mate by William Jennings Bryan.

Suffice it to say, regardless of the specifics of these two individuals, the populist movement of the 1890s were composed of both "right" and "left" wing elements that shared common economic concerns. The same coalition could have a role in current politics, and in Baltimore, MD, a US Senate candidate (2006), Kevin Zeese, ran as a "fusion" candidate, drawing from both the Green Party (left) and Libertarian Party (right).

Much more could be said on this subject, hence the "teaser" aspect of this post.

Sources:

Lawrence Goodwyn, The Populist Moment: A Short History of the Agrarian Revolt in America, is a good source.