In ‘99 the WTO protests were outside. In 2003 they were inside

The WTO talk collapsed because the poorer nations banded together and refused to be bullied by the US/EU/Japan. They wanted the wealthy nations to stop subsidizing their farmers (hey isn’t that called Socialism?) because such subsidies hurt the poorer nations — as witness the South Korean farmer who committed suicide at the WTO talks.

The wealthy nations blustered, threatened, cajoled, but the poorer nations held to their positions. And then walked out in protest. End of WTO talks.

Which is really quite amazing, when you think about it…

No Comments »

Amanpour: CNN practiced self-censorship

CNN’s top war correspondent, Christiane Amanpour, says that the press muzzled itself during the Iraq war. And, she says CNN “was intimidated” by the Bush administration and Fox News, which “put a climate of fear and self-censorship.”

Now it begins. The media will start flagellating itself for its craven coverage of the war, quickly followed by stories about the media flagellating itself, and then of course, think pieces about why the media flagellates itself.

Good! Let’s get everything out in the open! It’s Bush-bashing time. The pendulum is swinging back!

No Comments »

L.A. Rally for Immigrants Workers Freedom Ride this Saturday

Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride
Rally for workers leaving L.A. for D.C
Sat Sep 20, 10 am - noon.
City Hall L.A.
(First & Spring)

Inspired by the Freedom Riders of the Civil Rights Movement, immigrant workers and their allies will set out from nine major U.S. cities and cross the country in buses in late September 2003. They will converge on Washington, D.C. to meet with members of Congress and then travel to Liberty State Park in New Jersey October 3, and then Flushing Meadows Park, Queens, New York for a mass rally on October 4.

No Comments »

Your bank can blacklist you

In the name of homeland security, financial institutions can close accounts and cancel credit cards with little explanation. Complaints are slowly mounting. 

No Comments »

High-tech heroin

Technology, like gambling and heroin, is addictive. We’re driven or forced into buying new gadgets and constantly upgrading our technology for any number of reasons, both real and perceived, and feel uncomfortable without our latest “fix.” Corporations love this because once we accept and begin using their products or services, the dependency is formed and they essentially own our information – and subsequently, society and us.

This is getting a lit-tle bit too close to home…

No Comments »

No kidding

Killing Arafat could be ”really disastrous”-Canada

No Comments »

Pot smoking to be made legal in UK

How sane. Meanwhile Tommy Chong gets nine months here for selling bongs.

No Comments »