salviad
My Language of Mathematics
I’m working on the third series for The Language of Mathematics, so I figured it would be a good idea to finally put together torrents for Series I and II. This is the first time that I’m creating a torrent and as far as I can figure it out everything works, so please seed.
The videos are the same quality as the ones that have already been shared. As soon as I upgrade my hardware and software, figure out what I’m going to do about the music that I’ve sampled, finish a conversation that I‘ve started about the state of the world, and take care of a few other technicalities, higher resolution videos will be provided. Hopefully I will be able to time this with the release of a DVD in conjunction with going live with a website specifically dedicated to The Language of Mathematics.
Until then, I hope you enjoy, and…
Resignation of David Walker, the Most Important Economic Indicator of Things to Come: Fall of Rome
There have been a few major economic events in the last few years, but I consider the resignation, in March 2008, of David M. Walker from his commission of Comptroller General of the United States and head of the Government Accountability Office to be the harbinger of what is to come.
Walker resigned 5 years before the end of his 15-year term expired. His reasons for resigning were that he was limited to what he could do and that the United States was in danger of collapsing in much the same manner as the Roman Empire…
For months before his resignation he traveled the country educating Americans about the financial crisis and the pending bankruptcy of the United States.
Canadians Are Betrayed: The Conservatives Have Now Turned Canada Into a Prison State Just Like the USA
On 27 February 2009, the Conservative government revived a bill to impose automatic jail terms for drug-related crimes, “which would send people to jail for growing as little as one marijuana plant for the purpose of trafficking.” On June 8, the House of Commons passed this bill, Bill C-15, which “has been widely criticized by criminal justice experts, who point to the total failure of mandatory minimum sentencing in the United States to deter or reduce the amount of drug crimes occurring.” This bill now only needs Senate support to become law.
This is happening in spite of the fact that the majority of Canadians believe the consumption of cannabis should be legalized.
“Adults in Canada believe the consumption of cannabis should be allowed in their country, according to a poll by Angus Reid Strategies. 53 per cent of respondents support the legalization of marijuana.”
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Remembering the Victims of War Profiteers: Remembering That ‘War is a Racket’ on Memorial Day
How unfortunate that we have a need for such a day, especially since “War is a racket. It always has been. It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious. It is the only one international in scope. It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives.” So stated Major General Smedley D. Butler, USMC, the most decorated Marine in US history.
Today, and every day, we should remember why we have sent our children to die, and to kill. We should remember that war is meant to consolidate assets for the oligarchy. We should also remember that the majority of casualties of every War have been civilians. That not only soldiers, but countless innocents have been caught in the line of fire between warring corporations to increase the wealth of the privileged few.
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We Already Know That the United States Tortures, The Question Is, Will the United States Prosecute?
There is something strange going on in The United States of America right now. I believe what we are witnessing is the transition of a society from a state of denial to a state of acceptance, and nowhere is this transformation more pronounced than regarding the debate about torture.
Watching citizens of the United States discuss their administrations use of torture is like listening to a schizophrenic’s internal monologue. The following video is a very good illustration of this.
Music Industry Almost Kills A Tribute to One of the Greatest Albums in the History of Rock and Roll
Let’s set the stage, the story of 2112 is as follows:
In a dystopian society where ‘every single facet of every life is regulated and directed’ by an oligarchy, a humble individual discovers something beautiful that was long ago forbidden, forgotten, and lost — a guitar.
When he strums the strings he is filled with beauty, love and light. So much so that he feels obligated to share this new found wonder. His innocence and ignorance bring him to the Temples of the Federation where he has been granted an audience with the rulers.
He shares his joy. He shows them what he can do with this instrument. The music that he can create. The rulers, however, are not amused. They shun him, dismiss his childish dream of a better world, and they destroy his wondrous find.
It is then that he awakens to the reality of his life.
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Three Must See Presentations: Power of the Internet and Why Our Governments Are Trying to Control It
There is a very good possibility that the World War III option is an attempt to control the Internet by eliminating Net Neutrality and online free speech. It appears that the boundaries set between countries through treaties are vanishing due to the exponential dissemination of information through the Net. This is in conflict with the wishes of the oligarchy who are willing to do anything to maintain control.
The attack on the Internet is three-pronged, it involves bandwidth throttling by ISP’s, Internet censorship by governments, and the oligarchy trying to prevent Network Neutrality.
Click this 2008 map to enlarge and compare it with the updated 2009 map from the source. In one short year, many more countries have begun to censor the Internet.
‘I Would Argue That the Most Serious Threat to the United States is Our Own Fiscal Irresponsibility’
“Premier Wen Jiabao is worried about the amount of debt that the United States owes China”, which is probably why “China has quietly almost doubled its gold reserves to become the world’s fifth-biggest holder of the precious metal.” As well, “five major trading cities have got the nod from the central government to use the yuan in overseas trade settlement — seen as one more step in China’s recent moves to expand the use of its currency globally.”
When America’s top accountant, US Comptroller General and head of the GAO, David M. Walker resigned in 2008, the US national debt at the beginning of the year was $9.2 trillion. As of 2 May 2009 this debt is now over $11 trillion. These numbers, however, are a little misleading. The American public is largely unaware that the true deficit of the federal government is in fact “$65.5 trillion in total obligations”, exceeding…
It’s Spring 2009, The Flowers Are in Full Bloom, But Where Are All the Bees? Update on Colony Collapse Disorder
I live in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It’s 29 April 2009 … This should be the time of year for “bees to become active again and start feeding and reproducing”, but they’re nowhere to be found.
In this part of the world during this time of the year we usually have a lot of honeybees flying around and feasting on the fresh blossoms, but this year I’ve hardly seen any. This is probably why “a group of Vancouver environmentalists is trying to stop the strange disappearance of bee populations, by creating new urban habitats for the insects.”
Below you will find some information I put together in 2007 to address this issue. Unfortunately, since this is not just a Vancouver phenomenon, the information is not outdated.
Germany, GM Crops, Bovine Growth Hormones, and ‘The World According to Monsanto’
Earlier this month Germany banned the cultivation of Monsanto’s GM corn, “claiming that MON 810 is dangerous for the environment. But that argument might not stand up in court and Berlin could face fines totalling millions of euros if American multinational Monsanto decides to challenge the prohibition on its seed”, which is exactly what they have decided to do.
“Monsanto has filed a lawsuit against the German government after the EU member state banned planting of its genetically modified MON810 maize last week.” A spokesperson for Monsanto has stated that the ban is ‘arbitrary’…
Monsanto has won numerous court cases in the past when local communities, individuals, and countries have tried to ban Monsanto products. One of Monsanto’s most recent victories was in the United States when a federal court in Ohio ruled that “dairies cannot legally label their milk ‘hormone free,’ ‘rBST-free’ or otherwise” — labels which would have clearly informed…
The Armenian Genocide: Remembering the Victims of the First Genocide of the 20th Century on April 24
“On the night of April 24, 1915, the Turkish government placed under arrest over 200 Armenian community leaders in Constantinople. Hundreds more were apprehended soon after. They were all sent to prison in the interior of Anatolia, where most were summarily executed.”
“Genocide Remembrance Day is a national holiday in Armenia and is observed by Armenians in dispersed communities around the world on April 24. It is held annually to commemorate the victims of the Armenian Genocide during the government of the Young Turks, from 1915 to 1923 in the Ottoman Empire.”
The Truth About Pirates in Less Than 4 Minutes
So, we are able to go to the horn of Africa, bring back 16-year old children and put them on trial as adults for piracy, but we succumb to the demands of the Wall Street pirates within our midst?
“Sure, the pirates are like a small-time, entrepreneurial version of the big-time crooks on Wall Street. The financiers and investment bankers hijack the economy for their own quick profit, and then when they’re caught, they hold the economy’s future hostage while they demand humongous amounts of money. The only differences are that the Somalis may actually need the money, and they pulled guns while the bankers didn’t even have to.”
Now ain’t that a kick in the head? The following short animation should help put things into the appropriate perspective.
Happy 420!
April is indeed one of the most exciting months of the year. Yesterday, April 19, we had the pleasure of celebrating bicycle day, and today we follow it up with 420.
April 20 has been designated as global cannabis appreciation day. It is a day to let the world know that this beautiful plant genus is part of our society and one of the most important bounties of nature. As our civilization evolves, it is becoming essential for us to celebrate this day and share the wealth and knowledge that comes from harvesting and consuming what we have so generously been provided.
Unfortunately, however, as the Western World develops it is becoming more bipolar. While many countries upon analyzing the evidence for ending prohibition begin to lax their laws for possession, the governments of Canada, UK, and the United States are intensifying their war against cannabis.
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Happy Bicycle Day! Today is the First Time in History That We Celebrate This Day Without Hofmann
Albert Hofmann, the father of LSD, passed away on Tuesday 29 April 2008 at his home in Basel, Switzerland. Today, 19 April 2009, also known as bicycle day, will be the first time in history that we celebrate this day without Hofmann, the discoverer of LSD…
What follows is a documentary about Hofmann’s life and his discovery, and some information regarding LSD and its uses:
Child Labour in the United States vs. Child Labour in Bangladesh: How Far Have We Come in 100 Years?
While reviewing the following information about child labour, let’s take a look at some photographs of what child labour looked like in the United States at the turn of the last century, and what it looks like in some parts of the world at present. Regarding the photographs, to the left are photos of child labour in the United States from 1908 to 1912 by Lewis W. Hine, and to the right, photographs of present day child labour in Bangladesh by G.M.B. Akash. Click images to enlarge and expand, and visit the referenced sites for additional photos and information.
Round One of The Pirate Bay Trial is Over: The Boys Found Guilty But Stay Tuned for the Appeals
The verdict for the first round of The Pirate Bay trial has been announced. “All four defendants were accused of ‘assisting in making copyright content available’. Peter Sunde: Guilty. Fredrik Neij: Guilty. Gottfrid Svartholm: Guilty. Carl Lundström: Guilty. The four receive 1 year in jail each and fines totaling $3,620,000.” …
So “while Friday’s ruling is an important step in clarifying some of the legal issues associated with the distribution of copyrighted material in the digital age, it is by no means the final word. With an expected appeal by the defendants, the case may eventually be heard by Sweden’s Supreme Court, with a detour through the European Court of Justice also a possibility, according to many experts. Either way, it will likely be several years before a final ruling in the case is reached, by which time today’s BitTorrent technology may very well have been replaced by a new method…
Round one of The Pirate Bay trial is over: The boys found guilty but stay tuned for the appeals
The first round of The Pirate Bay trial verdict has been announced. “All four defendants were accused of ‘assisting in making copyright content available’. Peter Sunde: Guilty. Fredrik Neij: Guilty. Gottfrid Svartholm: Guilty. Carl Lundström: Guilty. The four receive 1 year in jail each and fines totaling $3,620,000.” …
So “while Friday’s ruling is an important step in clarifying some of the legal issues associated with the distribution of copyrighted material in the digital age, it is by no means the final word. With an expected appeal by the defendants, the case may eventually be heard by Sweden’s Supreme Court, with a detour through the European Court of Justice also a possibility, according to many experts. Either way, it will likely be several years before a final ruling in the case is reached, by which time today’s bitTorrent technology may very well have been replaced by a new method for sharing…
Somalia Did Find Peace and Tried to Stop Piracy Unitl the U.S. Bombed the Shit Out of It in 2006
In 2006 “the CIA propagated that Al-Qaeda had made its base in Somalia where three senior leaders were residing. CIA then encouraged Ethiopia to invade Somalia in support of weak TFG forces against UIC fighters and promised to provide intelligence and air cover. Ethiopian troops backed by USA invaded Somalia on 28 December 2006.”…
The Islamist movement that US and Ethiopian forces were attacking were the same people that had been trying to prevent Somali pirates from seizing ships:
In 2008 “the Islamist fighters attacked the pirates in Hobyo, 450 kilometres (270 miles) north of the capital Mogadishu … just after they had released a Jordanian-flagged cargo ship seized nearly a week earlier. ‘Two Islamists and several pirates died in the fighting which lasted more than an hour,’ one of the elders, Abdinasir Diriye, told AFP by telephone. An Islamist leader said four pirates and two Islamists had been killed in the…
Destroying Urban Gardens in the Wake of Peak Oil: Will We Build Sustainable Communities?
During the 2008 Democratic presidential primaries Barack Obama stated that “the world wants to see the United States lead”, and in a recent speech to the US Congress where he received “19 standing ovations”, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown echoed the same sentiment:
“I believe that you, the nation that had the vision to put a man on the moon, are also the nation with the vision to protect and preserve our planet earth.”
These happen to be amazing statements considering that the “American Lifestyle” has been one of the main culprits of our pending global ecological collapse. This lifestyle has been, to this point, dependent on and maintained due to the availability of cheap oil.
It should be evident by now that one of the main reasons why we are facing the largest economic collapse in history, is in large part due to the price of oil increasing approximately 7 fold in…
Obama, Your Online Audience are the Ones that Raised Half a Billion Dollars to Put You in Power
Aside from this statement showing what a complete hypocrite he has become in just a short few weeks in power, it also shows that he is not only ungrateful to those individuals who donated money to him during these brutal economic times, but that he is in power to maintain the status quo.
If you recall, because obviously Obama doesn’t, “Barack Obama raised half a billion dollars online in his 21-month campaign for the White House, dramatically ushering in a new digital era in presidential fundraising.”
“In an exclusive interview with the Post, members of the vaunted Triple O, Obama’s online operation, broke down the numbers: 3 million donors made a total of 6.5 million donations online adding up to more than $500 million. Of those 6.5 million donations, 6 million were in increments of $100 or less. The average online donation was $80, and the average Obama donor gave more than…
