The Church on the Cutting Edge

The head of the Catholic Church in Mozambique claims that some condoms made in Europe are deliberately infected with HIV. He also says that anti-retro viral medication is a plot to finish off the people of Africa.

The answer to the HIV crisis, according to the grand puba? abstinence.

Once again the church is trailblazing new ground in meta-physics.

$190 Billion More!

"Considering this, I would like to close with a word about something I know we can all agree on — the honor, courage and great sense of duty we have witnessed in our troops since September 11th," his testimony said.

Secretary of Defense Gates on why the spineless, Democratic controlled Congess, who daily say they are against the war. should vote for $190 BILLION more for the carnage.

In other words, if you even think about voting against this you will be tarred with the dishonor of not supporting the troops who have died for the attacks of 9/11.

The 9/11 Iraq link lives on with the kinder, gentler, honest killer that heads the Pentagon.

Democracy and Privatization

Blackwater back to work in Iraq after being banned by the Iraqi government, looks like we know who is pitching and catching in this relationship.

Blackwater's atrocity is unfortunately only a small example of how "democratic" governments can avoid accountability to the people that supposedly rule their socities. Privatization, counter to the rat-a-tat of neo-liberalism's flaksters, is the opposite of democracy. The privatization of the military seems a particularly egregious slap in the face to the poor slobs that howl "USA, USA" as the F-16 fighters scream across the stadium given that now there is absolutely no accountability for parts of the ultimate symbol of US power, the military.

Do you think the Iraqi's or Afghani's who are murdered by Blackwater death squads do not blame you and your government for their mayhem?

Fidelismo

Fidel hats all the rage in Cuba. Not for tourists only.

Soviet Poster Blog

Every strike of hammer - hits the enemy!
V. Deni, A. Dolgorukov, 1941

A Soviet poster blog! Isn't Late Capitalism great.

The Search for Inequality

The expensive search for reckless plutocrat Steve Fossett has turned up six lost plane wrecks in the last couple weeks. This begs the question from the Red and the Black, why the fuck are they looking for Stevie boy if they didn't have the time, resources or interest in looking for the other dentists and thrill-seekers in their expensive toys lost in the greater Nevada wasteland?

This NPR story is actually quite moving as a middle age man talks about the sense of loss he has had for 40 years because of the loss of his dad in a plane crash when he was young.

Russians Make the "Father of All Bombs"

But as reported on NPR and quoted in this story, it's an environmentally friendly super bomb!

Lucky us. The planet will now be destroyed in an environmentally responsible way.

New Amigos Invisibles

And only 10 bucks on line. Sorry to be shilling on the red site but I really like this band. And you should too!

Iraqis as Political Fodder

So after all the "surge" was just about Bush treading water until the end of his term. According to Petraus, reported by the BBC:

*he envisioned the withdrawal of some 30,000 US troops by the middle of 2008, beginning with 2,000 marines in September

*he expected a decision on further troop cuts next March

*the situation in Iraq remained "difficult".



In other words the "surge" killed thousands of Iraqis and we will be back to the exact same amount of troops, maybe, in the middle of next year. A phony withdrawal then just in time for the election.

But no need to fret intrepid anti-warriors the Democrats are anti-war this season, or are they?


Clinton's "bottom line," re-deployment:

So, the bottom line for me is that we will begin re-deploying our troops as soon as I am President, and we will do so in as expeditious a manner as possible. We will survey the situation to determine whether there are any remaining vital security interests by 2009, and if there are among the ones I’ve mentioned, and among the ones that appear in the legislation passed in both the House and the Senate...


Obama

The plan allows for a limited number of U.S. troops to remain in Iraq as basic force protection, to engage in counter-terrorism and to continue the training of Iraqi security forces.



Edwards

Finally, it's also Senator Edwards' position that we will have troops in the region to prevent the sectarian violence in Iraq from spilling over into other countries, for counter-terrorism, or to prevent a genocide. But in the region means in the region - for example, existing bases like Kuwait, naval presence in the Persian Gulf, and so forth.



Democrats positions to leave troops in Iraq for years..

Shock Treatment

Naomi Kline on capital as opportunist.

Solar Plane

Solar plane flys at night, reaches 58,0000 feet. Uh, with no people.

Our Local Paper's Answer to De-industrialization and De-unionization:

Whine! The Milwaukee Journal Sentinal likes to talk about how the working class is working more and getting paid less and has less access to health care. But when it comes to the one institution that has shown results, unions, when it comes raising the standard of living for all, it remains silent and hostile.

A local union leader makes the case.

Hipster Olympics

Tried to publish the first video but no luck. Go to this link.