Archive for February, 2011
Cops vs. Cameras: How Two Men Are Taking on the Miami Police Department
Hammonds and his friend face the wrath of Miami Beach police.
Tim Elfrink writes in the Miami New Times:
When Robert Hammonds and a friend, Brent Bredwell, finished filming a DJ show at Jazid in South Beach, it was around 3 a.m. on a Sunday in September. A few minutes later, after they jumped into a car and headed down Washington Avenue, a drunk-looking driver swerved across traffic and cut them off.
Hammonds leaned out the window and yelled “What the hell are you doing?” at the guy.
Next thing Hammonds and Bredwell knew, a beefy cop was pulling them over. Holding his Sig Sauer .40 caliber gun at his side, the officer angrily thrust his hand into the car through the driver-side window and waved his walkie-talkie.
“Are you a fucking idiot?” the cop screamed. “Doing that in front of me? Asshole!”
Hammonds, in the passenger seat, was discreetly filming the outburst. When reinforcements arrived…
Connecticut Man Calls 911 To Ask If He Can Grow Marijuana (Video)
Via the AP:
FARMINGTON, Conn — Police say a Connecticut man called 911 to ask a dispatcher how much trouble he could get into by growing one marijuana plant, then was arrested. Farmington police say a dispatcher told 21-year-old Robert Michelson on Thursday night that he could get arrested for growing pot, and Michelson said thank you and hung up.
Officers went to Michelson’s house and seized a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Michelson has admitted he bought seeds and equipment for growing. Michelson was released on $5,000 bail after being charged with marijuana possession and other crimes. A woman who answered the phone at his home Friday said he wasn’t available for comment.
Should America Expand the Size of Congress?
Dalton Conley and Jacqueline Stevens make a pretty compelling argument in a recent NY Times op-ed:
With the Senate preparing to debate filibuster reform, now is a good time to consider a similarly daunting challenge to democratic representation in the House: its size. It’s been far too long since the House expanded to keep up with population growth and, as a result, it has lost touch with the public and been overtaken by special interests.
Indeed, the lower chamber of Congress has had the same number of members for so long that many Americans assume that its 435 seats are constitutionally mandated.
But that’s wrong: while the founders wanted to limit the size of the Senate, they intended the House to expand based on population growth. Instead of setting an absolute number, the Constitution merely limits the ratio of members to population. “The number of representatives shall not exceed one for every 30,000,” the…
Conspiracy Culture Goes Commercial At The Super Bowl
Proving that a good conspiracy theory is as American as apple pie, Korean carmaker Hyundai is spending a fortune on advertising its compact cars during the Superbowl. Here’s the script and video from their site at CompactConspiracy.com:
Mass Deprogramming
This Sunday, CompactConspiracy.com will conduct a Mass Deprogramming of unprecedented scale. With more than 100 million U.S. viewers simultaneously watching the same game, it is the perfect chance to help people all over the country snap out of their stupor and see the truth about compact cars.
The Deprogramming will take place during the third quarter, following a halftime littered with more car propaganda (advertisements) than ever before. In only 30 seconds, it could erase the 30 years of conditioning Americans have been subjected to, and open their eyes to what a compact car truly can be.
UK Court Bans Man With Low IQ From Having Sex
Martin Beckford writes in the Telegraph:
A man with a low IQ has been banned from having sex by a High Court judge who admitted the case raised questions about “civil liberties and personal autonomy”.
The 41 year-old had been in a relationship with a man whom he lived with and told officials “it would make me feel happy” for it to continue. But his local council decided his “vigorous sex drive” was inappropriate and that with an IQ of 48 and a “moderate” learning disability, he did not understand what he was doing.
A psychiatrist involved in the case even tried to prevent the man being given sex education, on the grounds that it would leave him “confused”. Mr Justice Mostyn said the case was “legally, intellectually and morally” complex as sex is “one of the most basic human functions” and the court must “tread especially carefully” when the state tries to…
Bill Maher: Americans Must Realize What Makes NFL Football So Great — Socialism (Video)
From last week’s Real Time With Bill Maher, also on the Huffington Post:
New Rule: With the Super Bowl only a week away, Americans must realize what makes NFL football so great: socialism. That’s right, for all the F-15 flyovers and flag waving, football is our most successful sport because the NFL takes money from the rich teams and gives it to the poor teams … just like President Obama wants to do with his secret army of ACORN volunteers. Green Bay, Wisconsin has a population of 100,000. Yet this sleepy little town on the banks of the Fuck-if-I-know River has just as much of a chance of making it to the Super Bowl as the New York Jets — who next year need to just shut the hell up and play.
Now, me personally, I haven’t watched a Super Bowl since 2004, when Janet Jackson’s nipple popped out during half time, and that split-second glimpse of an unrestrained black titty burned my eyes and offended me as a Christian. But I get it – who doesn’t love the spectacle of juiced-up millionaires giving each other brain damage on a giant flat-screen TV with a picture so realistic it feels like Ben Roethlisberger is in your living room, grabbing your sister?
It’s no surprise that some 100 million Americans will watch the Super Bowl next week — that’s 40 million more than go to church on Christmas — suck on that, Jesus! It’s also 85 million more than watched the last game of the World Series, and in that is an economic lesson for America. Because football is built on an economic model of fairness and opportunity…
Evolver the Podcast: Wake Up with Jonas Elrod, Gardening with Starhawk
Evolver the Podcast: Wake Up with Jonas Elrod, Gardening with Starhawk
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Recently there has been an explosion of new films spreading alternative ideas. More and more films are trying to open peoples eyes to new ways of living out lives, new paradigms. In this episode of Evolver the Podcast we have a couple of these eye-opening filmmakers.
First we have an interview by Jonathan Talat Phillips with Jonas Elrod. Jonas has been in the film industry for a number of years working with many big names. He had an experience where he “woke up” to how amazing and unknown the universe, and life really is. He recently released a film titled “Wake Up”. You can learn more about it at his website: wakeupthefilm.com.
Then I interviewed Virginia Paris, from Evolver Asheville. Virginia has her own radio show called Systemic Effect, you can find it streaming on www.mainfmm.org. She also runs…
George W. Bush Cancels Swiss Trip To Avoid Prosecution For Torture
Mr. Blair (left) and Mr. Bush
There was a British television drama a few years ago that had ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair being sent for war crimes prosecution at the International Criminal Court in the Hague. Apparently ex-President George W. Bush doesn’t think that’s so far-fetched and is avoiding Switzerland for fear of being arrested, according to Reuters:
Former President George W. Bush has canceled a visit to Switzerland, where he was to address a Jewish charity gala, due to the risk of legal action against him for alleged torture, rights groups said on Saturday.
Bush was to be the keynote speaker at Keren Hayesod’s annual dinner on February 12 in Geneva. But pressure has been building on the Swiss government to arrest him and open a criminal investigation if he enters the Alpine country.
Criminal complaints against Bush alleging torture have been lodged in Geneva, court officials say.
Human rights groups said they had…
African Country First To Ban Public Flatulence?
Author: Towsonu2003 (CC)
BBC News reports:
Two of Malawi’s most senior judicial officials are arguing over whether a new bill includes a provision that outlaws breaking wind in public.
Justice Minister George Chaponda says the new bill would criminalise flatulence to promote “public decency”.
“Just go to the toilet when you feel like farting,” he told local radio.
However, he was directly contradicted by Solicitor General Anthony Kamanga, who says the reference to “fouling the air” means pollution.
“How any reasonable or sensible person can construe the provision to criminalising farting in public is beyond me,” he said, adding that the prohibition contained in the new law has been in place since 1929.
The Local Courts Bill, to be introduced next week reads: “Any person who vitiates the atmosphere in any place so as to make it noxious to the public to the health of persons in general dwelling or carrying on business in the neighbourhood or passing…
Sarah Palin On The Road To Ruin
Ronnie Reagan wannabe Sarah Palin is shrieking for attention again. The New York Times is giving it to her … and so are we (sorry, but her repugnancy is of the highest order):
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Sarah Palin opened a celebration of Ronald Reagan this weekend by declaring that the United States was lurching toward a “road to ruin,” saying the nation had become so weighed down by debt and excess government that a new direction was urgently needed in Washington.
She did not, however, provide any clues as to whether she would join the Republican primaries and seek to challenge President Obama or simply continue to offer commentary from the sidelines.
For Ms. Palin, a speech here Friday evening at the Reagan Ranch Center offered an opportunity to connect herself to the most iconic figure of the Republican Party. She used the appearance — one of the highest-profile Republican platforms in months —…
God, The Army, And PTSD
From a 2009 article in the Boston Review by Tara McKelvey:
When Roger Benimoff arrived at the psychiatric building of the Coatesville, Pennsylvania veterans’ hospital, he was greeted by a message carved into a nearby tree stump: “Welcome Home.” It was a reminder that things had not turned out as he had expected.
In Faith Under Fire, a memoir about Benimoff’s life as an Army chaplain in Iraq, Benimoff and co-author Eve Conant describe his return from Iraq to his family in Colorado and subsequent assignment to Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He retreated deep into himself, spending hours on the computer and racking up ten thousand dollars in debt on eBay. Above all, he was angry and jittery, scared even of his young sons, and barely able to make it through the day. He was eventually admitted to Coatesville’s “Psych Ward.” For a while the lock-down facility was his home. He wondered…
Vale Kenneth Grant, 1924–2011: Grandfather Chaos and Flying Saucerer
Kenneth Grant by Austin Spare (c. 1951).
Finally unpacking the books bequeathed to me by my late ex-Freemason father-in-law’s estate has put me in a wistful mood. I just keep being reminded of how many 20th century disinformationists we’ve recently lost: John Keel, John Mitchell, Zecharia Sitchin — and a loss equivalent to the space filled by their contributions to occulture.
Stacking my now prized Golden Dawn collection turned my thoughts to Israel Regardie and so Crowley — and to his other spiritual son and former secretary, Kenneth Grant.
Both did a great deal to popularise modern post-Thelemic magic. I’ve got some fond ’80s teenage memories of coming across them all in the Psychology section (?) of my local library and reading furtively with one eye over my shoulder. It was the start of an endless study of esotericism.
So I was not surprised when I read that Kenneth Grant had passed away in…
Rand Paul: End ‘Welfare’ to Israel
Photo: Gage Skidmore (CC)
Jennifer Epstein writes in the Politico:
“There are always problems in our nation’s capital that are more important than party affiliation, and I will always believe that,” Paul said. “It’s not necessarily tea party versus Republican Party, but I would say that if you ask me what’s more important — tackling our nation’s deficit, our nation’s debt problems or being a Republican — I would say tackling the debt.”
Paul also defended his calls to end aid to Israel, saying they’re just part of his bigger efforts at fiscal responsibility. “I’m not singling out Israel. I support Israel. I want to be known as a friend of Israel, but not with money you don’t have,” he said. “We can’t just borrow from our kids’ future and give it to countries, even if they are our friends.”
And, he said, giving money to the country is especially unwise considering Israel’s relative…
Jerusalem UFO Hovering Over Islamic Landmark (Video)
Weird. Two different films have surfaced of a glowing ball hanging over the Dome of the Rock. Via ITN News:
Rwanda To Run Vasectomy Campaign To Curb Population Growth
Photo: Rwanda soilders singing anti-AIDS songs. All soilders are counseled and tested for HIV.
An interesting tactic in controlling population growth, but how does one come up with a slogan for a campaign supporting both vasectomies and HIV prevention? Stop the spread of disease and babies? BBC News reports:
Rwanda’s government has said it wants to encourage men to have vasectomies in a bid to stem the small landlocked country’s growing population.
It would be done along with its HIV prevention campaign to encourage all men to be circumcised.
Health officials would take the opportunity to talk to men about the birth-control method at the same time.
A BBC reporter in Rwanda says vasectomies are uncommon in the country and the move may meet resistance.
[Continues at BBC News]
Tear Gas Canister Stamped ‘Made In USA’ Used Against Egyptian Protesters
Via HuffPo. Richard Engel reporting for NBC News:
You talked earlier about anti-American sentiment and a lot of that has been because the United States while today the Press Secretary is saying how they’ve been talking about Egypt and the need for reform and bringing up this at every meeting that’s not the way many Egyptians see it. Most Egyptians see the United States as having stood solidly by President Mubarak while the government here grew more and more corrupt.
And they see the Americans as complicit in it. And just today, for example, when we were out on streets this is what a lot of people were showing us about American involvement. If you can see in my hands this is one of the tear gas canisters and very clearly written in English on it, it says “Made in the USA by Combined Tactical Systems from Jamestown, Pennsylvania.” And they say this is the kind of support that the United States has been giving to the Egyptian government and bears some responsibility, although today it it trying to say that it never backed Mubarak so much, it has been calling for reforms for a long time, Egyptians don’t see it that way.
New GOP Bill Would Deny Abortions To Women, Even In Life-Threatening Situations
Signing of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban on November 5, 2003
“A new version of a related bill would allow hospitals to deny abortion care to a woman even if her life is in danger.” I don’t want to begin the long list or reasons as to why this would violate woman’s right to choose, their body and their life. It also asks doctors to go against the Hippocratic oath: “Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given to me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God.” Via Raw Story:
Engulfed by criticisms from women’s advocates, House Republicans have reportedly given up on legislative language that would deny some rape victims the…
You Have No Legal Right to Sex, and Never Had
François-Rolland Elluin, Gli abitanti di Sodoma provocano l'ira divina. (1789).
Really interesting article from Paul R. Abramson and L.J. Williamson in LA Weekly:
In fact, in case you haven’t heard, Texas Republicans want sodomy to be a crime again. Last June, the Texas Republican Party embraced a political platform that opposed the legalization of sodomy.
To be clear, sodomy law refers to either oral or anal sex. It would be a bleak day if Congress made the eradication of the backdoor and the blow job a priority over war, economic upheaval and environmental disasters, but that’s beside the point. The bigger question is, does sex, sodomy included, warrant constitutional protection?
The answer is no. You have only a “right to privacy,” and in 1965, when that right first came into being, anyone who wasn’t married missed the boat. Privacy rights are more inclusive now, but they’re still only tangential to sex; they’re more akin…
