Wednesday, November 29, 2006

A 5 Day What?


5 day birthday celebration and holiday will not be attended by the great leader. Why exactly does a communist state celebrate the birthday of its leader? And power is handed off to a blood relative? The SWP always told us there was no cult of personality in Cuba.

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Civil War?


The present situation in Iraq. Yikes! And the full scale war has yet to begin....

Vouchers

Yet Another Blow To Private School Voucher Movement, Says Americans United
High Court Refuses Maine Case That Sought To Force Private School Aid
Americans United for Separation of Church and State today applauded the Supreme Court's refusal to hear an appeal of a case from Maine that sought to force local education officials to provide tax support for private religious schools.
Without comment, the high court today declined to hear the case Anderson v. Durham School Department.
"This is yet another sign that the Supreme Court is not interested in forcing any state or jurisdiction to adopt voucher programs," said Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United. "It is time for the groups that have pursued this misguided legal strategy to give up."
Maine law allows some parents living in rural areas that lack public high schools to send their children to private, non-sectarian institutions at state expense. Citing church-state separation concerns, Maine lawmakers have excluded private religious schools from the plan.
A handful of Maine parents, backed by the pro-voucher group the Institute for Justice, challenged the law, asserting that it discriminated against religion.
The Maine Supreme Judicial Court disagreed, ruling in April that state officials had a valid interest in protecting the separation of church and state. The U.S. Supreme Court's refusal to hear the case today ends the controversy.
Lynn noted that although the high court upheld voucher plans in 2002, the justices have shown little sympathy for arguments that failure to provide tax subsidies for private sectarian education is a form of religious discrimination.
"Some Maine parents wanted to pass their parochial school tuition bills to the taxpayers," Lynn observed. "The courts are making it clear there is no 'right' to force someone else to pay for your religion."
Americans United and allied groups intervened in the case in the Maine courts, representing taxpayers in the state who oppose government funding of religion.
Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

The Grind

Prose about combat in Vietnam.

Altman: Dead!


Robert Altman dead at 81.

Favorites here are The Long Goodbye and Nashville.

Improv


Improv Everywhere. They make scenes.

Meet Anton Chekov, no, really meet Anton Chekov.

Viewing History


The book I have talked about writing. How we view history through high school text books.

Plan


Neo-Con plan to unite arab nationalists and a band of Shia muslims from Lebanon through Iraq to Tehran is moving full speed ahead. Tehran now holds lots more cards and the Saudis are even more upset now that the Shia are in the ascendency.

At least the Israeli's are happy!

Monday, November 20, 2006

Unconstitutional


Here's why I think the gay marriage amendments in the states are unconstitutional:

Amendment IX: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Are the gay rights folk challengeing them on these grounds?

Russia Denies Poisoning Ex-KGB in London Sushi Bar


Rough crowd!

The War and the War Parties

So the stakes are very high, and the party of permanent war ­ represented at its purest distillation in the form of senators like Joe Biden and congressmen like Rahm Emanuel are regrouping for a counter-attack, their numbers refreshed by a phalanx of incoming blue dogs, ranged against the 60-80 "out now" Democrats. You think pro-war Tom Lantos ­ one of the most rabid Zionists in Congress -- will be an improvement on antiwar Jim Leach as chair of the House International Relations Committee? The Democratic foreign policy establishment cannot and will not tolerate the notion of Cut and Run in Iraq. Expect the Israel lobby to say, post November 7, "We're back, stronger than ever!" Expect reassertions of the essential nobility of the attack that ousted Saddam Hussein, a deprecation of the destruction of Iraq as a society, a minimization of the outrages committed by US forces.


Cockburn on terra firma. How politics looks from the anti-imperialist left.

The Latino Vote

With the Catholic baggage I think in the end the Latino vote will eventually move right but for the meantime I think Neumann-Ortiz is correct, the Republicans are in trouble if they keep trying to tap the xenophobic vote.

The power of Latino turnout
By CHRISTINE NEUMANN-ORTIZ
The Latino community demonstrated its capacity to not only turn out in great numbers to recent marches but in its participation in the 2006 elections.

Though it is not getting play on English-language news stations, immigration politics motivated Latinos to vote and give the Democratic Party the majority in Congress.

The Republican Party delivered this victory to the Democrats through its commitment to a political platform that was seen by the Latino community as extremist, anti-immigrant and racist.

In the debate over immigration, the Democratic Party distinguished itself by having a majority in the party that supported comprehensive immigration reform that was pro-family, supported civil and worker rights and provided a path to citizenship instead of a path to criminalization.

In the 2004 elections, Republicans got 44% of the Latino vote and Democrats got 53%. Latinos had voted for Democrats by margins of 63%, 62% and 65% in the 1998, 2000 and 2002 elections, respectively.

This year, according to exit poll figures reported by CNN's Spanish-language network, the Republican vote among Latinos crashed to 26% and the Democrats got 73%, a full 20-point improvement from 2004.

This could represent a seismic shift in ethnic electoral politics for 2008 and beyond.

At the local level, Voces de la Frontera noticed even before the elections a new level of increased participation. The No. 1 reason: immigration.

The Milwaukee Election Commission reported that in the 10 wards with high Latino population in which Voces de la Frontera organized a non-partisan get-out-the-vote campaign, there was an average of 48% increased participation compared to the 2002 elections.

According to Marilyn Figueroa of Voces de la Frontera, "This was the most historic campaign I have seen compared to other elections because of the level of unity and motivation on the part of the Latino community. It crossed all kinds of lines: age, class, national origin such as naturalized citizens from Mexico, Puerto Ricans, Colombians, Cubans, Panamanians, Peruvians and other countries from Central and South America."

There was an inspiring show of participation on the part of these naturalized citizens to stand up for the rights of other immigrant families.

There was a great participation of young people who voted for the first time and helped assist others as well. Eleazar Lopez, Antonia Lara and Eddie Perez of Citizen Action, three young adults who led the local campaign on Milwaukee's south side, noted how important the contribution of young people was to this effort.

Lopez said, "We were able to educate the community about the importance of participating in the political process so that they would have the confidence and knowledge to vote and have their voice heard by politicians, both Democrat and Republican."

The election results represent a more favorable opportunity for comprehensive immigration reform, but they do not represent a final victory. There are powerful corporate interests that profit from denying immigrant workers full rights and that stand to profit from the increased detention and militarization of the border.

The Latino community does not want a return to the Bracero program that was dismantled for its labor abuses. We do not want a guest worker program that would only legalize the super-exploitation of immigrant labor for the employer.

It will be the efforts of the Latino community to continue educating, organizing and mobilizing to demand justice that will result in a comprehensive reform that reflects compassion, humanity and democratic values.

The Latino community expects our political leaders who were voted into power to deliver now that they are in a position to move a comprehensive immigration reform forward.

Just as other ethnic and racial minorities have organized to claim representation and equal rights in this country, voter turnout is a recognition of the vitality of the growing Latino civil rights movement that is not just capable of marching but of mobilizing for elections and is determining its future.

Christine Neumann-Ortiz is director of Voces de la Frontera.

Friday, November 17, 2006

Asteroids


Play today!

Nevermore


BBC7 is running a short play on Paul Gauguin and his life in Tahiti. His relationships with the local missionary and the locals are explored. Back to the garden for the Westerner.

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Uncle Milty Dead!


Purveyor of the invisible hand, and the invisible lunch for millions, Milton Friedman, dead at 94.

We Will Serve No Wine

Top 10 Slogans for Wal-Mart Wine
By DAVID LETTERMAN

10. "When Kmart Wine Just Won't Do"

9. "I Can't Believe It's Not Wine"

8. "Show Your Friends How Little You Care"

7. "Kills Germs on Contact"

6. "Recommended by 4 Out of 5 Drifters!"

5. "Crack Open a Can Today!"

4. "Fresh From the Vineyards of Aisle 6"

3. "Here's to Making Bail!"

2. "Feeling Down After Being Thrown Out by Britney?"

1. "Goes Great With a 20-Dollar Hooker"

Labor Value

Guess who's quote?

“Labour was the first price, the original purchase - money that was paid for all things. It was not by gold or by silver, but by labour, that all wealth of the world was originally purchased.”

Hints:
Not Karl
WoN
Ricardo's Friend

More hints. Added after cranky comment:
No friend of Mercantilism
Once kidnapped by Gypsies
Handy

Freedom


Harley profits increase 18% in 3rd quarter. Exports soar as rich get richer internationally and China and India's economies expand particularly at the high end. This creates conditions very favorable for a massive expansion of the market for Harley's top sellers.

Harley workers accept massive cuts in wages and benefits for new workers with no garuntee of anything.

Roll freedom roll!

Monday, November 13, 2006

Friday, November 10, 2006

JP Dead


Vladimir Palahnuik dead! I never thought this cat would pass.

The Wreck of the E


Why we are fascinated by this is beyond me? but here on the anniversary of the wreck of the E and friends of mine are named Ed and Fitzgerald, we need to recognize this in some way. Here are the workers that went to a watery grave in Lake Michigan in 1975.

Thursday, November 09, 2006

The War as Catalyst


The election shows that even though the anti-war movement is anemic and the Democrats ran away from the issue both parties have to address the issue head on if they want to do well in 08.' This is evidenced by the firing of Rummy and Nancy Pelosi's comments that the #1 issue for the country is now the war. This talk will fade as Rove and Bush trot out new tactics with the Baker/Hamilton Commission with their new man at the Pentagon at the point. The Democrats hope for a calming because they are split on the issue-some Dems in liberal districts in cities have hard core Out Now constituencies and other suburban/rural Dems have a more hawkish/nationalist pose.

Cockburn points to the losers in the election-Neo-cons and liberal free traders.

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

To the Gallows?


Maybe he can join his old buddy?

Election 2006

Democrats win despite running away from the major issue in the campaign: the war. The other major issue was corruption. Schizophrenic voters in Arizona became the first voters in the US to vote down a ban on gay marriage and civil unions while at the same time deciding to punish immigrant workers by denying them another set of benefits not banned previously and making them speaks god's language, English! I say god's language following a former Texas governor who once quipped, "if English is good enough for Jesus and the bible, it's good enough for me." South Dakotans joined Arizonans in rejecting some very reactionary legislation by voting down a Draconian abortion bill passed by the legislature that would have banned all abortions.

A major dissapointment here in Wisconsin as gay haters everywhere united to say yes to changing our constitution so that the sodomites, I guess the yes voters are not having any kind of sex besides that which is holy?, cannot have the right to patriarchy's crowning achievemnt, marriage. Across the country it is amazing that we now have in the documents that are supposed to define our equality and limit the power of government over the individual-at least in theory-language that creates second class citizens. The gay rights movement needs to now re-think their electoral strategy and take a page from the civil rights movement and take to the streets. Equality now for all!

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

The Legacy of 1979 and the FSLN


As someone who felt personally crushed with the defeat of the FSLN in the Nicaraguan elections of 1990 yesterday's presidential results come as bitter sweet.
Given the FSLN's shift to the right the legacy of the party now seems to be the ending of the US backed Somoza family dictatorship and the implementation of a liberal democracy. Certainly a far cry from the revolutionary goals of Carlos Fonseca and the other heroes of the revolution that died in the struggle but a significant gain nonetheless.
Given the functioning democracy in Nicaragua as a result of the FSLN, which the US opposed by the way, if you hadn't noticed, it is even more appalling that the US now wants to punish the Nicaraguan people by threatening to cut off aid as a result of the election. Particularly given that the US has punished this tiny country for at least 150 years for trying to maintain its independence and dignity, which has led to war and sanctions that now rank Nicaraguans as poor as the average Haitian.

Viva Sandino! Patria Libre O Morir!

Sunday, November 05, 2006

Bruno


Bruno talks to a Gay converter from Arkansas.

Bruno asks club owner, "if techno music was invented in the 1930's would Hitler have come to power?" He also asks, "the 1980's: the rise of techno and the fall of Apartheid, a coincidence? Watch the answer here.

Hunting Deer and Jews? With Borat


On the ranch with Borat.

A True Daughter of the Revolution


Some easy listening from the DKRP!

And have you seen the Metro?

Saturday, November 04, 2006

Gillo Pontecorvo


Pontecorvo: dead. Long live the work of Gillo Pontecorvo!Obit for THE master radical film maker.

Friday, November 03, 2006

Dictat Ad Nasuem Erum Sanctamonius!


Madison Bishop orders churches to play a pre-recorded sermon this Sunday, or Saturday night for the late risers?, deriding the opponents of a mean spirited change to the Wisconsin contitution that would change nothing given that it is already illegal for gays to get married and for civil unions to be recognized. Why exactly does this sect of Christianity get tax free status?

Fox and a Vast Right Wing Conspiracy


Fox re-arranges schedule to air hysterical islamophobic docudrama just in time for the election.

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Freedom's Daughter


I have never been the greatest fan of Indira Gandhi but always have had a soft spot for her dad. Sonia Gandhi has edited the letters between her mother-in-law Indira and her grandfather-in-law Jawaharlal. Quite a story of family love and politics of the struggle. Listen to them on BBC7.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Sir No Sir


The anti-war movement in the Army. Check it out!

Westerners Are More Promiscuous


Counter to common opinion a world wide study finds that westerners are fooling around more than other parts of the world.