January 2012

Kentucky Governor is more Concerned with the Bible than the Students

Kentucky citizens will lack education but at least they can be saved...

Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear has released hi new 2012-2013 budget that includes several tax cuts and breaks that seem to be built with theology in mind. The education system will suffer under this new budget while a religious theme park set to begin construction this year will be spared from additional taxation. In fact religious this theme park is looking at a tax break amounting to 43 million dollars.

The Fair Trade Tea Party?

A Strange Combination

The Tea Party is not exactly my favorite bunch of people, and for a lot of reasons. Tea Party Nation, for instance, just issued a demand for small business owners to deliberately stop hiring in order to sabotage the economy and defeat Obama. That's a deliberate stab in the back against their own country and everyone who lives in it, by people who ostentatiously present themselves as super-patriots.

Globalized Free Trade Vs Democracy

It's Not Just The Republicans

Unregulated free trade is the enemy of democracy, the enemy of working people all over the world, and ultimately the enemy of all life on Earth because it promotes the endlessly destructive philosophy of infinite growth in a world of finite resources. That's why I was just as strong an opponent of NAFTA and other free trade treaties back in the prosperous 90s as I am a supporter of Occupy in the much grimmer environment of today- an environment those treaties helped create.

Anti-Nuclear Protest In Japan

Protesters Disrupt Rubber-Stamp Meeting

Occupy Tokyo or some other allied branch of the Japanese anti-nuclear movement just managed to delay a meeting to rubber-stamp the insane plan to re-start some of the nuclear reactors while the Fukushima meltdown is still in process. This meeting was supposed to be between government officials and a so-called watchdog group, but in reality it was only intended to provide a gloss of legitimacy over a decision that had already been predetermined.

It's A Brave New World

Does Civilian Ownership Of Weapons Still Serve To Protect The People?

One of the central arguments for the right to bear arms is that it promotes democracy and discourage tyranny, because those arms can be used if needed against a tyrannical regime. Even though I personally agree with this argument, it is becoming less and less relevant. Why? Because the power available to a modern government is vastly disproportionate, in a way that it has never been before in human history.

Recent Victories For Occupy

We're Still Here- And We're Actually Winning

The corporate agenda is “slash and burn”- smash up unions, dismantle social services, poison the planet for short-term gain and cancel democracy by decree. The Occupy movement exists to fight that agenda, and even though today's victories are not ours alone, Occupiers were heavily involved in all of them.

Anonymous and Occupy London

Hacktivists Warn Against Police Violence

I don't agree with a lot of what Anonymous does. Even though my sympathy for the entertainment industry is limited to say the least, I pay for my downloads and don't consider it right to do otherwise. Some of the things Anonymous has done have seemed juvenile and pointlessly destructive to me. I still don't agree with everything they stand for, but I have to admit that I have started to see them in a different light. Why? Because Anonymous stands up to the powerful and protects the peaceful, and they have demonstrated over and over again that they are completely fearless.

Riot Police Try To Intimidate Student Protesters

"Protect And Serve"- Well, Who Do You Serve?

Take a good look at the picture attached to this blog. That's the University of California Riverside's response to a non-violent protest of its own students, each of whom is going to go into debt for many years for the privilege of going to school there. The sight of all those protesters expressing their opinions must have just terrified these big burly riot police, because they kept saying “stop advancing on the officers” even though nobody was advancing on anybody.

Campaign Charisma: Obama's 2012 saxophone moment.

Showing more charm and abandon than we've seen in a while, President Barack Obama surprised his audience at a campaign fundraiser Thursday --  including attendee Al Green, an R&B singer and church minister-- by singing a few lyrics from Green's signature song "Let's Stay Together."

The rendition was surprisingly good. As the clip of the President singing played on TV, I watched men laugh, young women giggle, and older women smile. Campaign Charisma 2012 has begun.

Campaign Attack Ads of Today Mimic the Atwater Ads of Yesterday - They're Getting it all Wrong

The genius of Atwater was destroying a candidate while saving another, when playing with fire do it right or don't do it at all.

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The 2012 campaign is picking up steam as candidates reach explore old practices. Campaign attack ads are coming out in full force, some similar to the old Lee Atwater ads. This can be tricky, as Lee Atwater was able to deliver attack ads that made a statement yet still balanced the lines that shouldn’t be crossed. Some would even say it was political genius, today politicians should be careful, one wrong delivery can crush them and Lee Atwater is long gone and his genius left with him.

What Issue is Most Important for Socialist Voters Today?

Socially Conscious Voters Face More Challenges Than Ever

Socialist and left-wing voters have a lot to think about in today’s election climate. President Obama has been a tremendous disappointment from the perspective of those with progressive views who are interested in seeing the growing disparity between rich and poor addressed with a meaningful policy debate. Occupy Wall Street has drawn much needed attention to many of these issues, but even though the movement has gone global, it seems to be floundering in many places. Moreover, with the incredible level of consolidation in the mass media recently, it’s no surprise that many people remain ignorant of the underlying purpose and principles of the movement.

Left Wing Voters Need to Support Anti-SOPA Action

Internet Censorship Destroys Political Alternatives Worldwide!

Over the weekend, it seemed like the entire internet was united in an amazing grass roots action to protest the Stop Online Piracy Act, a piece of legislation sponsored and engineered by anti-freedom organizations like the Recording Industry Association of America and Motion Picture Association of America. SOPA is ostensibly aimed at preventing copyright violations on internet services. It does this mainly by making websites accountable for the anonymously posted content of their user communities. While this might seem innocuous at first, the free speech consequences are chilling.

President Obama once again sends back the Keystone XL Pipeline

He stands true to his politics little action at the cost of American jobs

Following President Obamas denial of the Keystone XL Pipeline the GOP has repeated their pledge to move forward regardless of President Obamas intent. They are currently considering alternative plans to get the Keystone XL Pipeline going. This pipeline will allow the US to refine oil that can be used and in the process create jobs.

Americans Fighting Back

We don’t take too kindly to folks messing with our right to free speech ‘round these here parts.

Seeing over 7,000 websites protest the SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (Protect IP Act) this week was one of the most exciting things I’ve seen as an activist, and you have to admit, over the past year, we’ve had some exciting stuff occur. From people rising up in their communities and refusing to pay charges, switching banks, and even protesting Wall Street’s control of our country, it’s an exciting time to live—and it’s inspiring, too. Sure, it’s not the sixties, but it’s so much better than the complacent sleeping the country’s done since Reagan handed the entire nation over to corporate interests.

Fun Quotes From the Campaign Trail!

Oh, how our candidates from the Right like to keep us on our toes!

Not a day goes by when our laughable bunch of stooges, otherwise known as The Republican Candidates of 2012, come up with something just darling to share with the rest of the world. Though we’ve all loved to follow the gems that spill from Michelle Bachmann’s lips, you must admit that each and every candidate is special in his own way.

Why, just this week, we’ve heard old Newt Gingrich, a man as charming as his amphibious moniker, say that not only are food stamps and “African American issue,” but that he has no clue as to why that statement might be insulting in the first place! Oh, Newt, how you make me chortle like a red state voter watching Deliverance. And just this week your ex-wife also revealed that you are a garbage nightmare, and that you have rotten walnuts where your decency should be! Ouch. That’s gotta hurt, Newt, especially when you asked her for an open marriage and everything. Your Republican fans should love how much you stand up for the sanctity of your own marriage.

Is Yoga Bad for You?

Depending on who you ask, the answer may surprise you

I have heard from several yoga aficionados that their bodies are more balanced, their stress levels are lower, and they are generally happier after completing a yoga class. And as much hype as it has in the media, from movies to classes being sold on TV, you’d think there would be some truth to all of that. I think there is, too—or else why would so many people swear by it? My own doctor recommended it to me when we discovered that it was my work as a 60-hour week editor, rather than my weight, that was increasing my blood pressure.

Is This Pink Vomit Really Chicken Nuggets?

If the article is true, I don’t think I could ever eat a McNugget again

If this barf-inducing image of pink sludge is truly what you can find in the average processed fast food chicken piece—including the popular McNuggets that my mostly-vegetarian daughter occasionally requests—I don’t think I could ever touch the stuff again. Seriously? I am almost certain that this is the actor that played the giant pink ooze that plagued New York in Ghostbusters 2. It can’t be what’s in our food, can it?

The Internet On Strike

Protest Against SOPA

Wikipedia, Craigslist and many other important internet sites are down today, but not because of any technical problems. They're down to protest the attempted power grab of the big corporations behind SOPA and PIPA, two pieces of legislation that would give private companies legalized vigilante powers to kill websites that displease them.

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