Here is a fantastic documentary of the failed attempt by powerful people backed by the CIA to overtake Venezuela and how the people didn’t let it happen, bringing Hugo Chavez back.
Chavez is clearly not the Bible thumping maniac the mainstream media would have us believe. From what I see in this film he seems dedicated to an open society. A free society. A society that benefits the majority but has a place for voices of the minority to speak up.
This documentary shows how crucial media is in our awareness and perception of reality. The message IS the medium and I am very happy that technology is leveling the field. The mainstream media networks could create a very convincing reality but I don’t know they could stand a chance against the mass of individual media ranging from twitter to blogs, vlogs, text messaging, image uploads, cell phones, and any number of yet undiscovered communication devices.
This documentary is a wonderful insight into the real workings of politics, something that is easily relegated to metaphors and abstractions. But in this film you see real people struggling with real decisions. It is a very heartening film and runs with a plot better than any Hollywood story because at each second you are acutely aware that it is real. This actually happened.
The film makers are consecutively flies on the wall and self conscious participants showing how media both records and shapes history.
Slave nation
An honest and complete history of the United States would include the fact that its economy, especially in the South, was addicted to slavery…
And that slavery continued in the South protected by local laws, law enforcement, courts and judges through 1945 (with occasional episodes afterward.)
Amazingly, one of the primary beneficiaries of this period of Post-Emancipation neo-slavery was U.S. Steel.
For more info Google the book “Slavery by another name”
Today, people charged with petty drug crimes do hard time, work for a few cents an hour while in prison, and have their labor leased to Fortune 500 corporations.
And the US is building news prisons every day.
Little known fact: The US has a higher percentage of its citizens in prison than any other country on earth including Russia and China.
Above text from Brasscheck.tv
My Note: I would vote for pretty much any black person to be president. They would have to be really, really terrible for me not to vote for them. This is simply because blacks have had such a bum rap for so many years. Until there is some sort of equality we will continue to live in a stunted society. Even Condoliza Rice, who I can’t stand, I give her credit purely based on her skin color.
Call it reverse racism or affirmative action but I do think that a pro minority attitude will speed up the equalization of our society. When I mean minority I mean for the most part people who have had the financial brunt, of which the blacks and Indians fared the worst and continue to fare the worst.
I am infuriated by the current obsession to “bail out” the financial sector with huge amounts of money under the pretense that it will avoid a financial catastrophe. It will cause some belt tightening certainly. It might even restructure the whole financial market.
But it is a gross misappropriation of funds and shows how racist and classist our society continues to be. Never have I seen Bush so concerned for the welfare of others. OMG! CEO’s risk losing their jobs! White collar workers might have to take a pay break! The Horror!
Meanwhile the majority of America continues to struggle, like they done since the constitution. Lets face it, our so called democratic free market society might not be so great! It is great for a select few. Good for some. And pretty crappy for many.
The basic problem here is that humans have yet to find a societal structure that benefits the majority. From kingdoms to communism, the basic top down structure always seems to take over where you have an elite few living off the backs of the rest.
I increasingly think Anarchism is the best arrangement. Not the Anarchism of Hollywood scare mongers but the Anarchism of well meaning intelligent, mature people. If you really look at the theories of Anarchism you will find that a lot of them you practice already and the rest you would practice if you didn’t have stupid rules imposed on you that treat you like a child.
I cook a lot, at least twice a day every day. Sometimes it is for my girlfriend and daughter, and sometimes it is just for me. The thing about food is that it is an experience, sometimes one I want to share and other times one that I want to have alone.
Well today I cooked for myself but I wish I had somebody to share it with. It was one of the most amazing meals I’ve had, let alone cooked myself.
I’m a good cook and I’ve been told I need to share my recipes. I even set up a web site for them but it got boring. The thing with my cooking is I don’t own any cook books and I’m not interested in reading other people’s recipes.
Cooking is one of the most creative things I do. For me it is about reaching inward to my own spirit instead of following somebody else’s.
I never cook the same dish twice because it is such an unfolding in the moment. In fact I forget the recipe after I cook it. And cooking the same thing twice is like wanting to paint the same canvas twice. Why?!
So today I cooked this meal that blew me away. It was so incredible that I have to share it. In the house with me was my four month old son who only eats breast milk and my five year old daughter who has progressed slightly from breast milk to only eating macaroni and cheese.
So I experienced the meal in my own world.
Here it is.
Like most meals it was based around one ingredient. The other day I saw a jar of whole roasted chestnuts by a company called Minerve and I love chestnuts. But I had never cooked with them. So I wanted a dish with the chestnuts I had bought.
Being fall I figured they would go well with either pumpkin or carrot soup. I had some cashew carrot ginger soup from Pacific Natural Foods. I could have used pumpkin, squash, or anything like they have. I would have made my own but I had half a soup left over from them in the fridge.
I had two medium leeks from the farmer’s market that needed to be eaten. I also picked some pumpkin seeds since everything so far was mushy and I wanted something crunchy too balance it.
The steps were:
- I washed the leeks extra well to get out the dirt, sliced them thinly using lots of the green stem.
- I put them in a pan with a table spoon of coconut oil and a table spoon of sesame oil. Any oil would do but I wanted an Asian feel since the soup had ginger.
- I put salt and a very healthy pinch of turmeric. I worship turmeric. It is in my opinion one of the top ten condiments of history.
- I added a healthy handful of chestnuts, about 5 ounces. I cooked it all on on medium for about ten minutes to just before getting brown but so the leeks were softish. Never did I let the oil get hot enough to smoke. Never never let oil get that hot.
- I added the half of soup, about half a quart. Covered the pan and heated the dish to just before boiling, about five minutes.
- Meanwhile in another pan I put a tablespoon of coconut oil and a fist full of raw pumpkin seeds. I cut some salt over them and let them cook on medium heat stirring often. I browned them slightly but didn’t let them pop. About five minutes.
I put the soup in a bowl and mixed the pumpkin seeds in. It makes about two or three servings but I ate it all. I was SOOOO amazing.
I finished the meal off with some Yerba Mate tea and an organic oatmeal and chocolate cookie.
Ingredients:
2 medium leeks
1/2 quart of carrot soup
handful of whole roasted chestnuts
fistful of pumpkin seeds
coconut oil
sesame oil
turmeric
So simple and quick but so amazingly good. I thought of taking a photo of it but had eaten it already azulfidinearlene farmer viagra
I’ve read on several sites now that a lot of Chinese products imported to the US contain a potentially fatal toxin called Melamine.
The products all contain milk powder: instant coffee, chocolates, baby formula, pastries…
Melamine is toxic and causes damage to the kidneys. Children are more susceptible.
Apparently all countries have pulled these products from the store shelves and the US is the only one who hasn’t done so yet. [INSERT YOUR OWN CONSPIRACY THEORY HERE].
Check the ingredients for any mild derivative and check to see if it was made in China. If yes then throw it away.
Below is an article outlining the return of an army brigade from Iraq to the US. It is an ominous article pointing out that US military presence in Iraq is stretched thin and thus there must be an important reason to take valuable troops away and BACK to the US.
Some speculations:
A terrorist attack that would allow Bush to impose martial law and usher in McPain as president and attack Iran.
Public unrest caused by continuing financial collapse and fraud that would allow Bush to impose martial law and usher in McPain as president and attack Iran.
A natural disaster such as an earthquake or flood that would allow Bush to impose martial law and usher in McPain as president and attack Iran.
[insert your conspiracy here] that would allow Bush to impose martial law and usher in McPain as president and attack Iran.
Hmmm….strange how the outcome is always the same….
A lot of thought has been circulating lately about the possibility of major disruptive events occurring in the US prior to the election — an “October Surprise,” perhaps. Some sources single out October 7th or thereabouts as a key date. The sudden redeployment of a US Army brigade (a “brigade = roughly 4000-5000 troops) from Iraq to “homeland” duty starting October 1st has given additional impetus to these rumors.
Does the administration know something we don’t? And if so, how do they know it?
Theories abound, but who knows for sure?One thing is for sure: out of all my years on Earth these past couple days have smelled the most of impending doom than any other time. Is this the beginning of the end? I guess we’ll find out one way or another.
———————–
Pre-election Militarization of the North American Homeland. US Combat Troops in Iraq repatriated to “help with civil unrest”
The Army Times reports that the 3rd Infantry’s 1st Brigade Combat Team is returning from Iraq to defend the Homeland, as “an on-call federal response force for natural or manmade emergencies and disasters, including terrorist attacks.” The BCT unit has been attached to US Army North, the Army’s component of US Northern Command (USNORTHCOM). (See Gina Cavallaro, Brigade homeland tours start Oct. 1, Army Times, September 8, 2008).
“Beginning Oct. 1 for 12 months, the 1st BCT will be under the day-to-day control of U.S. Army North, the Army service component of Northern Command, as an on-call federal response force for natural or manmade emergencies and disasters, including terrorist attacks.
It is not the first time an active-duty unit has been tapped to help at home. …
But this new mission marks the first time an active unit has been given a dedicated assignment to NorthCom, a joint command established in 2002 to provide command and control for federal homeland defense efforts and coordinate defense support of civil authorities.
After 1st BCT finishes its dwell-time mission, expectations are that another, as yet unnamed, active-duty brigade will take over and that the mission will be a permanent one.
The command is at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colo., but the soldiers with 1st BCT, who returned in April after 15 months in Iraq, will operate out of their home post at Fort Stewart, Ga.,
…
The 1st of the 3rd is still scheduled to deploy to either Iraq or Afghanistan in early 2010, which means the soldiers will have been home a minimum of 20 months by the time they ship out.
In the meantime, they’ll learn new skills, use some of the ones they acquired in the war zone and more than likely will not be shot at while doing any of it. (ibid)
The BCT is an army combat unit designed to confront an enemy within a war theater.
With US forces overstretched in Iraq, why would the Pentagon decide to undertake this redeployment within the USA, barely one month before the presidential elections?
The new mission of the 1st Brigade on US soil is to participate in “defense” efforts as well as provide “support to civilian authorities”.
What is significant in this redeployment of a US infantry unit is the presumption that North America could, in the case of a national emergency, constitute a “war theater” thereby justifying the deployment of combat units.
The new skills to be imparted consist in training 1st BCT in repressing civil unrest, a task normally assumed by civilian law enforcement.
What we are dealing with is a militarization of civilian police activities in derogation of the Posse Comitatus Act.
The prevailing FEMA emergency procedures envisage the enactment of martial law in the case of a terrorist attack. The 1st BCT and other combat units would be called upon to perform specific military functions:
They may be called upon to help with civil unrest and crowd control or to deal with potentially horrific scenarios such as massive poisoning and chaos in response to a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or high-yield explosive, or CBRNE, attack.
Training for homeland scenarios has already begun at Fort Stewart and includes specialty tasks such as knowing how to use the “jaws of life” to extract a person from a mangled vehicle; extra medical training for a CBRNE incident; and working with U.S. Forestry Service experts on how to go in with chainsaws and cut and clear trees to clear a road or area.
The 1st BCT’s soldiers also will learn how to use “the first ever nonlethal package that the Army has fielded,” 1st BCT commander Col. Roger Cloutier said, referring to crowd and traffic control equipment and nonlethal weapons designed to subdue unruly or dangerous individuals without killing them.
“It’s a new modular package of nonlethal capabilities that they’re fielding. They’ve been using pieces of it in Iraq, but this is the first time that these modules were consolidated and this package fielded, and because of this mission we’re undertaking we were the first to get it.”
The package includes equipment to stand up a hasty road block; spike strips for slowing, stopping or controlling traffic; shields and batons; and, beanbag bullets.
Civil unrest resulting from from the financial meltdown is a distinct possibility, given the broad impacts of financial collapse on lifelong savings, pension funds, homeownership, etc.
The timing of this planned militarization is crucial: how will it affect the presidential elections scheduled for Tuesday November 4.
The brigade in its domestic homeland activities will be designated as the Consequence Management Response Force ( CCMRF) (pronounced “sea-smurf”).
What ” Consequences” are being envisaged?
In a conference held under NorthCom last February, the mission of CCMRFF was defined as follows;
“How to protect communities from terrorist and biological attacks topped the agenda last week for more than 100 service members and civilians gathered at Joint Task Force Civil Support headquarters at Fort Monroe, Va.
The U.S. Northern Command Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and High-Yield Explosive Commanders’ Conference, held Feb. 21-23, brought JTF-CS subordinate task force and unit commanders here to discuss common concerns regarding operational requirements of the CBRNE Consequence Management mission and to begin preparations for Exercise Ardent Sentry 2007.
“We’re giving operationally focused briefs to our CCMRF ( CBRNE Consequence Management Response Force) units to help them prepare and successfully deploy for a CBRNE mission in the continental United States, its territories and possessions,” said JTF-CS Current Operations Specialist Hawley Waterman, who helped organized the conference. “This is also an opportunity to get acquainted and establish better relationships with (subordinate commanders).”(NorthCom, March 2007)
What is envisaged is the possibility of a (false flag) terrorist attack on America, which could be used as a justification for retaliatory or preemptive military action overseas (e.g. Iran) as well actions on the domestic front. The ultimate objective of this deployment of 1st BCT is to apply combat experience in the Homeland:
“I can’t think of a more noble mission than this,” said Cloutier, who took command in July. “We’ve been all over the world during this time of conflict, but now our mission is to take care of citizens at home … and depending on where an event occurred, you’re going home to take care of your home town, your loved ones.”
While soldiers’ combat training is applicable, he said, some nuances don’t apply.
The operation officially has an emergency mandate to “help American citizens on American soil, to save lives, provide critical life support, help clear debris”, but it also implies the running of military style operations. :in fact it would appear that the emergency tasks helping civilians is a cover-up. This is a combat unit, which is trained and equipped to kill people:
Some brigade elements will be on call around the clock, during which time they’ll do their regular marksmanship, gunnery and other deployment training. That’s because the unit will continue to train and reset for the next deployment, even as it serves in its CCMRF mission.
Should personnel be needed at an earthquake in California, for example, all or part of the brigade could be scrambled there, depending on the extent of the need and the specialties involved.
Other branches included The active Army’s new dwell-time mission is part of a NorthCom and DOD response package.
Active-duty soldiers will be part of a force that includes elements from other military branches and dedicated National Guard Weapons of Mass Destruction-Civil Support Teams.
A final mission rehearsal exercise is scheduled for mid-September at Fort Stewart and will be run by Joint Task Force Civil Support, a unit based out of Fort Monroe, Va., that will coordinate and evaluate the interservice event.
In addition to 1st BCT, other Army units will take part in the two-week training exercise, including elements of the 1st Medical Brigade out of Fort Hood, Texas, and the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade from Fort Bragg, N.C.
There also will be Air Force engineer and medical units, the Marine Corps Chemical, Biological Initial Reaction Force, a Navy weather team and members of the Defense Logistics Agency and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.
One of the things Vogler said they’ll be looking at is communications capabilities between the services.
“It is a concern, and we’re trying to check that and one of the ways we do that is by having these sorts of exercises. Leading up to this, we are going to rehearse and set up some of the communications systems to make sure we have interoperability,” he said.
A national emergency could be triggered. “[H]orrific scenarios such as massive poisoning and chaos in response to a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or high-yield explosive [attack]” or a so-called CBRNE type scenario. One assumes that this is some form of domestic attack, allegedly by terrorists.
But at the same time, the Bush administration may be seeking a justification to establish martial law and intervene militarily within the USA.
“I don’t know what America’s overall plan is — I just know that 24 hours a day, seven days a week, there are soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines that are standing by to come and help if they’re called,” Cloutier said. “It makes me feel good as an American to know that my country has dedicated a force to come in and help the people at home.” (Army Times, op cit , emphasis added)
“This type of planning and coordination and training is a priority both in our headquarters and at NORTHCOM, as we understand our responsibilities to be ready should the requirement arise, God forbid,” (Army News Service Sept 15m 2008)
The deployment of an Army combat unit on US territory, with a mission to curb “social unrest” constitutes a dangerous historical precedent. It creates a new legitimacy, namely that combat units can integrate civlivan law enforcement functions and that this comes to be accepted both by the US Congress and the American public.
It should also be under that the combat units repatriated from Iraq to defend the Homeland will be replaced by mercenary forces.
SF citizens are eager to name a sewage plant after G.W. Bush.
Looking to honor the forty-third President of the United States of America, George W. Bush, the recently formed Presidential Memorial Commission of San Francisco is looking to change the name of the Oceanside Wastewater Treatment Facility. It seems the group would like to rename the SF Zoo adjacent facility to the ‘George W Bush Sewage Plant’nite brite set
From their official proposal:
Just as France presented the Statue of Liberty as its gift to the nation, the citizens of San Francisco may now bestow their own special gift to the country by renaming our award winning waste water treatment plant in honor of outgoing President George W Bush. We think this is a fitting memorial for a truly outstanding Commander-in-Chief. On matters ranging from diplomacy to fiscal and environmental stewardship, no other President has had such a dramatic impact on the country and the Constitution in such a short time. Most presidents wait years or decades to receive their memorial airport or highway. We think President Bush deserves immediate recognition for his eight years of public service.
Critics of this measure point out that the initiative unfairly maligns the talented and hard working staff at the award-winning plant or that it memorializes an administration best forgotten. To this we simply say that those who forget history are condemned to repeat it. President Bush has left us with a gigantic mess, and that this facility symbolizes the city’s deft ability to clean up its share of the financial and diplomatic mess left in this administration’s wake. It will also become the world’s first presidential sewage plant, a potential tourist attraction, and therefore an opportunity for the dedicated plant workers to educate visitors about this essential and heretofore unknown public works. This measure will have a minimal fiscal impact and may increase tourist traffic to the plant, Zoo, and nearby attractions in southwest San Francisco, creating yet another quirky must-see destination along with our cable cars, Haight St, and Beach Blanket Babylon.
Fellow San Franciscans, we urge you to vote Oui! on November 4th.
I’m against the $85,000,000,000.00 bailout of AIG. Instead, I’m in favor of giving $85,000,000,000 to America in a ‘We Deserve It Dividend’.
To make the math simple, let’s assume there are 200,000,000 bonafide U.S. Citizens 18+. Our population is about 301,000,000 +/- counting every man, woman and child. So 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up.. So divide 200 million adults 18+ into $85 billion that equals $425,000.00.
My plan is to give $425,000 to every person 18+ as a ‘We Deserve It Dividend’. Of course, it would NOT be tax free. So let’s assume a tax rate of 30%. Every individual 18+ has to pay $127,500.00 in taxes. That sends $25,500,000,000 right back to Uncle Sam.
But it means that every adult 18+ has $297,500.00 in their pocket. A husband and wife has $595,000.00.
What would you do with $297,500.00 to $595,000.00 in your family?
• Pay off your mortgage – housing crisis solved.
• Repay college loans – what a great boost to new grads
• Put away money for college – it’ll be there
• Save in a bank – create money to loan to entrepreneurs.
• Buy a new car – create jobs
• Invest in the market – capital drives growth
• Pay for your parent’s medical insurance – health care improves
• Enable Deadbeat Dads to come clean – or else
Remember this is for every adult U S Citizen 18+ including the folks who lost their jobs at Lehman Brothers and every other company that is cutting back. And of course, for those serving in our Armed Forces.
If we’re going to re-distribute wealth let’s really do it…instead of trickling out a puny $1000.00 ( ‘vote buy’ ) economic incentive that is being proposed by one of our candidates for President.
If we’re going to do an $85 billion bailout, let’s bail out every adult U S Citizen 18+!
As for AIG –
• liquidate it.
• Sell off its parts.
• Let American General go back to being American General.
• Sell off the real estate.
• Let the private sector bargain hunters cut it up and clean it up.
Here’s my rationale. We deserve it and AIG doesn’t.
Sure it’s a crazy idea that can ‘never work.’ But can you imagine the Coast-To-Coast Block Party! How do you spell Economic Boom?
I trust my fellow adult Americans to know how to use the $85 billion We deserve the ‘We Deserve It Dividend’ more than the geniuses at AIG or in Washington DC.
And remember, The Family plan only really costs $59.5 billion because $25.5 billion is returned instantly in taxes to Uncle Sam.
Relative Advantage: The degree to which an innovation is perceived as better than the idea it supersedes. Does the innovation make more money, save more money, create more comfort, reduce respiratory illness, etc.?
*
Perceived Risk: The degree to which adopting the innovation is perceived as a risk to those making the decision to adopt or reject the new idea. What are the liabilities associated with making this change?
*
Compatibility: The degree to which an innovation is perceived as being consistent with the existing values, past experiences, and needs of the potential adopters. How much does one have to change to make the change?
*
Complexity: The degree to which an innovation is perceived as difficult to understand and use. Can I even understand the proposal or purpose of the idea?
*
Trialability: The degree to which an innovation may be experimented with on a limited basis. Can I try before I buy?
*
Observability: The degree to which the results of an innovation are visible to others. Can I see this new idea in action?
*
Opinion Leadership: The degree to which those in a position of influence encourage or discourage the adoption of the innovation. How do the people I trust and respect react to this idea?
Here is a great example of creative problem solving! Play Pumps International have invented a water pump that pulls water from the ground (thus avoiding contamination) by using a pump that is powered by a children’s merry go round.
I just spoke to one of my mortgage companies that holds a loan of mine. I asked how the mortgage meltdown is affecting them. She said that they are helping their customers in these tough times.
You know how???
By giving “assistance loans”!!!
I love it.
I was like, “Sign me up!”
And she says, “Sure!”
I’m up to my ass in debt and their way of helping me is to loan me more money.
Life is funny.
