Serfdom & Sanctuary

Sunday, June 3, 2007

Real buffalo soldiaz

How many times a rapper gets shot will translate into how many millions they are likely to make. The trend started by Tupac Shakur was continued by 50 Cent and a slew of other urban rappers. In the world of street credibility, it shows their willingness to stay alive and lends to the myth that they are hard to kill. But is selling drugs and competing for an audience in the race for the dollar really anything to admire? Why are there so many musicians who feel they earned their way to stardom by competing in such businesses, believing they grew up in a war-zone? I only ask this because Slate magazine wrote an article about a band called Tinariwen that is definitely worth checking out. They have a page on myspace that will allow you to hear some of their stuff. Though the language is in the African Toureg, the songs are mostly about their time in guerrilla movements against the Malian Government that forced them off their traditional land. Their following has grown from the deserts of Mali to a big part of Europe. The pain and anger are still evident in their songs, who's lyrics are expressing the pain of being away from home. Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin helped to produce and promote the band, after seeing them in the Festival in the Desert in 2001. These are true warriors. It is very rare that musicians are anything more than wanna be revolutionaries and are simply violence aficionados. They are playing at the Glastonbury Festival on Sunday the 24th and at the Exeter Festival on the 25th. I really want to see them...anybody who is planning on attending, let me know!

Friday, June 1, 2007

Think slavery ended hundreds of years ago?

Take a look at this article on modern day slavery. I'm going to Ghana in the month of July to do research on child slavery in the fishing industry. It is important to realize that slavery in various forms is bigger today than at any point in history. This phenomenon is not confined to the continents of Africa and Asia. Take a look at the various stories and most importantly: BE VIGILANT! Slavery in various forms may be existing under your very nose.

Sunday, March 25, 2007

bananas and paramilitary terrorists in Colombia

Chiquita ignored the specifications of employing terrorists that the US government had sought to prevent. Chiquita, who has operations throughout South America, employed a paramilitary group that has been responsible for kidnappings and executions in the conflict with the FARC that has lasted for roughly 50 years. Chiquita settled for $25 million but the Colombian government is seeking extradition. Boycott Chiquita and buy fair trade bananas. They're better anyways.

Friday, March 23, 2007

Bring 'em home

Although our leaving will lead to a bloody collision for power, the departure of US troops will relieve Sunni and Shia of a common enemy and force a political solution to occur. This will likely heavily involve Syria and Iran but I think it should, as they are neighbors. Of course the dilemma that could arise is for a situation similar to Lebanon, where neighbors have their hands deep in pockets and democracy is constantly under siege. Still, democracy means the will of the people and any foreign occupier only postpones that development. I hope this is the beginning of a pull-out. It won't happen until the Dems have one in the White House, which we can only pray comes in the next 1.5 years. Go Dems. You've partially restored my faith in you. Don't go wobbly on me.

America missed a great opportunity by passing up Al Gore

What if Al Gore had been elected? Would 9/11 have happened? Would we be in Iraq? Would we take the lead in green development? lots of what ifs. This dick-head senator from Oklahoma, calling the former VP "Senator" throughout, is clinging to the remnants of a once prosperous part of the US, who's oil has now dried up. He, like the fossil fuels he covets, are dinosaurs and have no more use on this planet. God bless you, Al Gore. If America can develop a new steam engine economy based on carbon capping and clean energy consumption, it is possible that many developing countries will not be forced to destroy their environments to bring their people out of poverty. It is probably just a dream, but who knows. Technorati Tags: Al Gore, carbon, global warming, senate

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Yoga in a capitalist orgy

I blame California for this. We all know you have the 8th largest economy in the world and you all want to be green buddhists, but we don't care! Nomisday, bitches.

Wednesday, March 7, 2007

The Clotfather: Don Dick Cheney and his date with destiny

Scooter Libby's lawyers immediately filed for a new trial after the guilty verdict. Though the trail was blazed directly to the Vice President's door, Cheney was conveniently romping around Asia. But Big Dick can't run or hide from the inevitable. He will surely be called on by Congress to answer for his involvement under oath. It is my prediction that he will go before the senate in the waning days of the Bush presidency and get the 3rd degree for fixing intelligence and cherry picking in the lead up to the Iraq War. During this time, he will no doubt do as his good friend Ken Lay did and die from a heart attack. The man has had 4 heart attacks and will not likely survive the 5th or a stroke. If the law don't get him, the mountain will, as was said on the Duke's of Hazard. Or maybe I'm just dreaming again. The Clotfather operates like Machiavelli. He was initially chosen as the man to find a vice-president for George W. and after interviewing a dozen candidates, he chose himself. Afterwards, he orchestrated massive governmental changes in energy and military affairs but did so in the shadows, removed from the public eye and one with the solitude. Like Vito Corleone from Mario Puzzo's classic, Cheney will die years after he was meant to, old and on top of a mountain of wealth. There will be few tears on this day...I will roast a pig in the ground and get a keg of beer.

Monday, March 5, 2007

X-Ray vision ain't just for Superman

I'd prefer this over getting rubbed down by some fat TSA dude anyday. what's the fuss? I don't want to worry about whether the guy next to me has some home-made shank he smuggled onboard or worse, the makings for a bomb. Zap away, it'll give the TSA x-ray girl a little perk to her job. http://www.slate.com/id/2160977/nav/tap1/

Sunday, March 4, 2007

Island boy/Mexican Reincarnation

The brambles and patches of thorns and thicket Where blackberries explode in the time of the sun Fleeting and harsh when the Autumn nights crescendo And the sleepless city, concrete furnace will not be subdued The Nortena people sleep outside in white sheets Like the magi in their tents, searching for a star on the horizon Through the swelter and feverish confusion Dreaming of a vast lake where a city sits in the midst Closed to intruder and where the dead walk with children The fantasies of an island man, in the midst of winter's chill An inferno that was cursed by this very same mind Awakens the sentiments of my Mexican alter-ego And the cobblestone echelons of Villa and Hidalgo. But green are the hills and the tulips are mighty The grass and the heather ripple in the flurry of wind An old suite to wear and a comb in my hair, vintage romance She is knitting by the radio and baking a pie Or is it another life, where the berries of my northern existence Are replaced by the corn tamales and a tequila for our hero Cardenas Left in the window, that we dare not disturb out of great admiration.

Child Drug Dealers... in need of a labor union?

Studies have shown that many children the world over are a valued component of a family's income and to deny them of work would put the family in jeopardy. Does this apply to children who are dealing drugs? Maybe, if it weren't in a wealthy nation. The unfortunate fact, is that children are less likely to do jail time and are very impressionable, leaving major drug dealers with an appealing workforce. Is this different than other forms of child-labor...many of whom in other countries go unpaid? http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=341592007

Female suicide bombers... Evidently it's a man's world above and below

http://www.slate.com/id/2160963/fr/flyout

Remember the movie G.I. Jane? Girls can be killing machines too, damnit. Girl power may take many faces and causes and no other cause shows that evolution as much as female suicide bombers. Contrary to popular belief, suicide bombers do not predominantly come from poor families. They are not burned out on drugs and looking for salvation. The majority are college educated and fall into some kind of shame spiral because they see their countrymen suffer but can do little about it. We have all heard the stories of what happens to martyrs. I don't know how many could possibly swallow such a load of pig shit but, hey, people are easily brainwashed, its no different for kids going to fight in Iraq, thinking they're doing the 'right thing.'

But women do not have the same status in muslim nations as they do in the west. Under Sharia law, it takes 2 women witnesses to equal the word of one man. Many muslim mullahs call women "inadequate" due to hormones. The Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) married a 9 year old girl and it is common for women to be married before the age of 13 and many die of complications during child-birth, simply because they are too young. Women are viewed with nothing but contempt when they venture out in public and their place in heaven is one of of debate amongst muslim scholars. That women are not as likely to be perceived as a threat or as potential suicide bombers is the sole reason that women have been incorporated into terrorist activities. Last week, a woman went into a predominantly Shiite University and blew herself up, killing a dozen young students. She was able to enter through a side entrance, an entrance that a male would never have been able to pass through.

That most Muslims consider suicide to be a grave sin is rationalized by jihadists, as martyrdom is considered to be a great accomplishment. But that women, the inferior sex, can carve out a piece of paradise is a very new development in the jihadist movement. Women do not get any sexual gratification in the next life, nor are they rewarded with multiple souls as their reward. Instead, they get the first fuck of another martyr. The first fuck is likely not to last long, but at least it is the first because there are 71 that will follow. So there will be no sloppy 2nds or 72nds for that matter. Still...aren't they being short changed a little bit? Men get 72 virgins and something like 3000 other women at their command should they become martyrs for the cause. Women should at least get a 12 inch fat cock and the power to orgasm at any moment. But what should we expect from the most radical fringes of a perverse ethos. That US soldiers aren't at least offered a blonde super freak with DD titties and will do anal is truly a lack of inventiveness and if we are going to win this war on terror, we need to not only find a heavenly award for men but also for women who want to kill people for some twisted cause.