Please newspapers, charge for online content!

By Duncan Riley

"One of the most spectacular examples of why the old guard of the mainstream media just don’t get blogging, and to some extent, the entire internet, has been provided by Gordon Crovitz, president of electronic publishing at Dow Jones who has said that more U.S. publishers were likely will try to wean readers off free Internet versions of their newspapers by starting to charge online subscription fees.

"I say 'bring it on'.

Why, well it’s simple: it will drive more users to blogs.

"Crovitz tells Reuters that by offering free internet services 'Publishers in all mediums have tended to devalue their brands'. He also argues that charging for news that appears in print and then giving it away over the Web is 'an unsustainable business model'.

"In stating his bizarre beliefs, Crovitz seemingly ignores, or perhaps just does not understand that online advertising and e-commerce is now a multi-billion dollar part of the US and world economy and that online advertising is, even according to the same Reuters article, growing at a faster rate than print advertising. Perhaps his conclusions are being driven by the continued downward slide of print readership over the past 20 years, and he concludes that the only way to save print is to withdraw free content from the web? If this is the case then he ignores blogging at his own peril."
Source: The Blog Herald

Bloglines adds Package Tracking

"Bloglines, recently acquired by Ask Jeeves, has lauched a new package tracking service, that has been billed as the services first move beyond blogs and RSS news feeds. Ask Jeeves states that this is the beginning of a change to the service that will add even further individual features to 'enable individuals to receive updates that are personal to their daily lives' which will include services such as neighborhood weather updates and stock portfolio tracking.

"The new service allows users to track the shipping progress of package deliveries from FedEx, UPS, and the United States Postal Service within Bloglines.

"'Bloglines is a Universal Inbox that captures all kinds of dynamic information that helps busy individuals be more productive throughout the day-at the office, at school, or on the go,' said Mark Fletcher, vice president and general manager of Bloglines at Ask Jeeves. 'With an index of more than 370 million blog and news feed articles in seven languages, we’re already one of the largest wells of dynamic web information. With unique-to-me news updates we’re aiming to be the most comprehensive and useful personalized information resource on the web.'"
Source: The Blog Herald

WMD inspector challenges Aussie gov't story

"TONY EASTLEY: A former Australian weapons inspector says the Federal Government was told about concerns of political interference in the preparation of an interim report on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.

"Rod Barton was a member of the Iraq Survey Group which was searching for the WMDs, but he resigned in March last year claiming 'there was no real objectivity in the investigation'.

"The United States, British and Australian Governments used the prospect of Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction as the key justification for the invasion of Iraq two years ago.

"Now Mr Barton has told a Senate inquiry that a second Australian member of the Iraq Survey Group also resigned, and that this unidentified official later discussed his concerns that the group's reports were politically tainted, with Foreign Minister Alexander Downer.

"From Canberra Kim Landers reports.

"KIM LANDERS: Rod Barton is a scientist and former intelligence analyst who was part of the Iraq Survey Group hunting for Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction.

"When preparing its interim report in March last year, he says there was pressure from London and Washington to leave the impression that weapons may still be found, even though the Survey Group had concluded there were none.

"Rod Barton resigned.

"ROD BARTON: To hide information that we knew about I thought was very wrong.

"KIM LANDERS: Now for the first time he's revealed a second senior Australian official also resigned for similar reasons just weeks earlier. And Rod Barton has told a Senate inquiry his former colleague then sent him three emails describing what had happened when he arrived back in Australia.

"ROD BARTON: He had, according to this, 20 minutes with Mr Downer.

"JOHN FAULKNER: Ah. Mr Downer. That would be the Minister for Foreign Affairs?

"ROD BARTON: Yes, that's correct. In Defence he saw Mr Ric Smith.

"JOHN FAULKNER: Well, just to interpolate there, of course Mr Smith, that's pretty heavy, isn't it? He's the Secretary of the Department of Defence, Mr Ric Smith, yep.

"KIM LANDERS: Mr Barton has refused to reveal the second Australian's identity, referring to him only as 'J'.

"ROD BARTON: I'm reluctant because he's asked me not to. He's a colleague of mine, and I'm trying to respect his privacy. He is a consultant to a government dept.

"KIM LANDERS: Labor's Foreign Affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd questions why the Government has never conceded that this Mr 'J' discussed concerns about the Iraq Survey Group's interim report.

"KEVIN RUDD: So in other words, in mid March last year we have a second Australian government official telling Mr Downer, it seems, that there are problems in terms of political influence being brought to bear on the Iraqi Survey Group, but from that time on Mr Downer continues to use the Iraqi Survey Group as his source of authority for underpinning the Government's claims on Iraq's WMD status all the way up to the election held last October.

"KIM LANDERS: Rod Barton has also told the inquiry there was no interference from Canberra.

"KEVIN RUDD: I think Mr Downer would do the country an enormous service if he issued a full and complete statement about his and his department's awareness of these concerns by senior Australian government officials who were working for the Iraqi Survey Group at the time. If Mr Downer has integrity, he will do that without the pressure of Parliament.

"TONY EASTLEY: Labor's foreign affairs spokesman, Kevin Rudd. And the Foreign Minster, Alexander Downer was unavailable to comment on Rod Barton's claims."
Source: ABC AM

Experts Warn Ecosystem Changes Will Continue to Worsen

"WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 30, 2005--A landmark study released today reveals that approximately 60 percent of the ecosystem services that support life on Earth -- such as fresh water, capture fisheries, air and water regulation, and the regulation of regional climate, natural hazards and pests -- are being degraded or used unsustainably. Scientists warn that the harmful consequences of this degradation could grow significantly worse in the next 50 years.

"'Any progress achieved in addressing the goals of poverty and hunger eradication, improved health, and environmental protection is unlikely to be sustained if most of the ecosystem services on which humanity relies continue to be degraded,' said the study, 'Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) Synthesis Report,' conducted by 1,300 experts from 95 countries. It specifically states that the ongoing degradation of ecosystem services is a road block to the Millennium Development Goals agreed to by the world leaders at the United Nations in 2000.

"Although evidence remains incomplete, there is enough for the experts to warn that the ongoing degradation of 15 of the 24 ecosystem services examined is increasing the likelihood of potentially abrupt changes that will seriously affect human well-being. This includes the emergence of new diseases, sudden changes in water quality, creation of 'dead zones' along the coasts, the collapse of fisheries, and shifts in regional climate."

Source: Business Wire

Study highlights global decline
"The most comprehensive survey ever into the state of the planet concludes that human activities threaten the Earth's ability to sustain future generations."
Source: BBC

Planet Under Pressure
"Alex Kirby introduces a six-part series on the some of the most pressing environmental issues facing the human race today."
Source: BBC

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
UN Study: Earth's Health Is Deteriorating
Google News on this subject

Stairway to hyuks

Jessica Mitford singing 'Maxwell's Silver Hammer'? Lorne Greene sings 'As Time Goes By'? Jerry Springer: 'Mr. Tambourine Man'? Johnny Cash singing in German? 'I Am The Walrus' - by Jim Carrey? ...

All this necessary stuff, and more, at this site.

Hint: If you need an extra-big laff, hear Australian actor Leonard Teale recite 'Stairway to Heaven' (especially the bit where "the forest will echo with laughter"), and the Aussie Beatles tribute band Beatnix doing a Fab Four-style of the same Zep classic.

1853 Vincent van Gogh, painter (d. 1890).

The only painting he sold during his lifetime, The Red Vineyard, was created in 1888. It is now on display in the Pushkin Museum in Moscow.

Vincent and the Starry Night

There are some wonderful nights here, I must paint a starry night.
Vincent van Gogh, during his incarceration at the asylum at St Remy, France, in 1889

In 1889, at his own request, the painter was admitted to the psychiatric centre at the Monastery Saint-Paul de Mausole in Saint Remy de Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône, France. Here, looking out his east-facing window, near dawn on the morning of June 19, 1889, he saw the blazing sky that he immortalized in the painting Starry Night. The painting is the subject of the well known song ‘Vincent’ or ‘Starry, Starry Night’ by Don McLean.

American art historian Dr Albert Boime enlisted the aid of astronomer Dr Ed Krupp from Griffith Observatory in California to recreate the night sky as it would have appeared to Van Gogh on the night he painted it and amazingly the basic image was the same (with the significant exception that the Moon on that night seems not to have been a crescent, but a gibbous moon). In the painting we see three stars of the constellation Aries as well as the Moon and Venus. There are eleven stars in total, reminiscent of the Biblical Joseph reporting his dream to his brothers:

And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.
Genesis 37:9

(For those interested in doing their own calculations, Saint Remy de Provence is Lat: 43 deg 47 mins North; Long: 4 deg 49 mins East.)

This is just a snippet of today's stories. Read all about today in folklore, historical oddities, inspiration and alternatives, with many more links, at the Wilson's Almanac Book of Days, every day. Click today's date (or your birthday) when you're there.

Baxter 05: Cops arrest kite-flyer




Baxter protesters object to arrest over kite
"Protesters have staged another noisy demonstration at the front gates of the Baxter detention centre in South Australia's north.

"This time the peaceful protest was in response to the arrest of at least one woman who was caught attempting to fly a kite.

"Police in buses and paddy-wagons stopped the protesters as they were making their way to the detention centre.

"A Melbourne woman was arrested for flying a kite in restricted air space."
Source: ABC

Police deflate Baxter protest
"There has been another clash between protesters and police at the Baxter detention centre in South Australia's north, with police in riot gear bursting protesters' balloons."
Source: ABC

Baxter Police behaviour and "media spin" scandalous, meanspirited
"'Behaviour of the South Australian State Police towards the very, very clearly non-violent Baxter protesters, and the blatant attempts at media spin by the SA Police Media liaison unit amount to a scandal, and an indication that police is involved in playing politics, going far beyond their mandate and call to duty,' WA Refugee group Project SafeCom said this morning."
Source: BX05

Photo of Detainee on Roof at Baxter



What can we do? Learning is a good first step

International and Aussie readers: Australia, instead of welcoming and helping asylum seekers as it has done in the past, and is required to do under international law, locks them and their children up in remote, inhumane camps like Baxter, often for years. The camps are run by private enterprise and the health of detainees is often highly impaired because of the conditions of their imprisonment. Suicide and attempted suicide are quite common.

Find out more about Baxter at baxterwatch.net and help tear down the fence!

Links to useful resources

Happy birthday, Julia

Thirty-one years and one day ago, I was blessed with the first of my three wonderful children. Since 1994, Julia has blessed me with four children of her own: seen here with my daughter and friend are my granddchildren, left to right, Briar Rose, Sienna, Bailey and Jayden. We're looking forward to another such blessing in June.

A stranger at a shopping mall kindly took this photo of me, Julia and kids yesterday as we celebrated Julia's birthday. I hope you enjoy seeing some of my tribe. Thanks, Baz le Tuff, for the loan of the camera for the morning.

Baxter 05 uses tech well

The Easter campaign to close the Baxter Detention Centre in South Australia has been impressive in its use of modern communications technology. I've seen nothing to equal it, whether in Australia or abroad, and feel that other campaigns could learn from it.

Check out the Baxter 05 (BX05) website, where you will see good use of self-publish technology -- the format was invented by the good folks from Sydney's CAT (Community Activist technology, http://www.cat.org.au/) and is now used by Indymedia sites worldwide.

BX05 is up to date as the hundreds of protesters face riot-clad police in the demonstrators' determination to bring to world attention the plight of asylum seekers in Australia. Photos and video are being posted via mobile phones to the website as soon as the actions occur. I dips me lid to the Baxter crew and bilby media consortium, and wish I could be there.

Bloody great Friday

This being Good Friday, ABC Radio National has had a lot of Christian broadcasting, something one can forgive, though it would be easier to do so if other religions got such treatment on their sacred days.

Some of the programming, however, has been not one jot nor tittle, nay, not so muche as an mustard-seede, shorte of magnificent. This morning's Breakfast interview with Irish-based Australian Catholic peace activist, Ciaron O'Reilly, facing ye jaile for attacking a US bomber prior to the invasion of Iraq, is a must-not-miss(e). Listen (requires RealAudio)

And Phillip Adams's interview (Real Media Windows Media ) with Sister Helen Prejean (author of Dead Man Walking and The Death of Innocents), the anti-capital punishment activist from the US, was just superb. I recommend a listen to both interviews for a double dose of inspiration.

Baxter '05: Close the bastard down

COUNTDOWN TO BAXTER_05: 3 DAYS TO GO ...

BAXTER 05 :: a Convergence for Human Rights Easter 2005. AZADI!

"The Baxter Convergence campaign is vital. Places like Baxter belong in totalitarian countries, not democracies. They take away the basic human rights that ought to be the cornerstone of a democratic state, and their presence diminishes every one us. They should be closed down."
John Pilger

Folk around the country are busy oganising the journey across Australia to express peaceful and colourful dissent at the Baxter_05 Convergence for Human Rights. Over Easter, "A diverse group of people will demonstrate for a variety of reasons their dissatisfaction with the government's policy of mandatory detention of Asylum Seekers." We will converge in solidarity with the refugees jailed behind the gates of Baxter Immigration Detention Facility situated on military land on the stolen Homelands of the first peoples. Global Solutions Limited [the multinational corporation who run Baxter IDF] earn in the vicinity of $20,000,000.00 per year...

More

Kangnido Map ... Wow!



If you go any time to Wikipedia's Main Page, you will find a link to Newest Articles. Today there's a beaut: the Kangnido Map. Maybe you've heard of it; I hadn't.

From the article I learned that this map was stitched together from two maps dated circa 1330 and 1370 respectively, which is a long time before the West's Age of Exploration. The article states:

"The map depicts in great detail the Empire of China, as well as Korea and Japan, although relative sizes and positions are not exactly preserved. China and Korea are oversized, and Southeast Asia (with its protruding peninsula and profusion of islands) as well as India are rounded up into the global landmass.

"In the West, the Arabian peninsula, Africa and Europe are quite clearly delineated, although the continents are shown smaller than their actual size. In particular, the Mediterranean is clearly depicted, as well as the Iberian and Italian peninsulas and the Adriatic. There are over 100 names for the European countries alone, including 'Alumangia' for the Latin word Alemania (Germany).

"The knowledge of the actual contour of Africa indicates early explorations of the area, clearly predating the European explorations of Vasco da Gama. In particular, the southern tip of Africa is quite clearly depicted, as well as a river which may correspond to the Orange River in Southern Africa. To the north of the African continent, beyond the unexplored 'black' central mass, a pagoda is represented for the lighthouse of Alexandria, and the Arab word 'Misr' for Egypt is transliterated in Chinese."

Read on

Compare with a 1466 European map
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New Study Shatters Milk Myth


[We've been raised on poison and lies! So many damned lies! -v]

From Gwen:

New Study Shatters Milk Myth
For Strong Bones, Kids Need Exercise,
Sunshine And A Dairy-Free Diet
Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine 03-07-2005


WASHINGTON -- In a new scientific review scheduled to appear in the March issue of the peer-reviewed journal, Pediatrics, Cornell-trained nutritionist Amy Joy Lanou, Ph.D., and co-authors show that dairy products do not promote bone health in children and young adults. Physical activity does have a positive impact on bone health, while evidence linking bone health with dairy product consumption is weak, at best.

"Under scientific scrutiny, the support for the milk myth crumbles. This analysis of 58 published studies shows that the evidence on which U.S. dairy intake recommendations are based is scant," says Dr. Lanou, lead author of the study. "A clear majority of the studies we examined for this review found no relationship between dairy or dietary calcium intake and measures of bone health. In the remaining reports, the evidence was sketchy. In some, the effects on bone health were small, and in others, the results were confounded by vitamin D intake from milk fortified with vitamin D. To build strong bones and healthy bodies, children need exercise, sunshine, and a diet rich in fruits and vegetables that helps them maintain a healthy body weight."

The level of dairy product consumption in the United States is among the highest in the world, and yet osteoporosis and fracture rates are also among the highest. This "calcium paradox" was an impetus for the current investigation. "We found no evidence to support the notion that milk is a preferred source of calcium," the authors conclude. Dr. Lanou is nutrition director for the
non-profit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), and her co-authors are Susan E. Berkow, Ph.D., C.N.S., and Neal D. Barnard, M.D.

- Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a
nonprofit health organization that promotes preventive medicine, especially good
nutrition. PCRM also conducts clinical research studies, opposes unethical human
experimentation, and promotes alternatives to animal research.


[Emphasis added. -v]

SOURCE

1812 Stephen Pearl Andrews (d. May 21, 1886), anarchist abolitionist, Modern Times community founder (with Josiah Warren; 1799 - 1874), born at Templeton, Massachusetts, USA.

He was a lawyer, author (The Sovereignty of the Individual) and free-love advocate; it is said that he knew 32 languages.

He started with a brilliant career at the American bar and sacrificed it by his zealous work for the abolition of slavery. Andrews also contributed frequently to the Truth Seeker, a journal of rational thought that is still in publication (other eminent contributors included Thomas Edison, Clarence Darrow, Mark Twain, Robert G Ingersoll, HL Mencken, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Margaret Sanger). By the 1860s he was propounding an ideal society called Pantarchy, and from this he moved on to a philosophy he called "universology", which stressed the unity of all knowledge and activities.

Andrews was cited in the article on Anarchism by none other than Prince Peter Kropotkin in the famed 1910 edition of The Encyclopaedia Britannica. Others who Kropotkin cites include Lysander Spooner, Benjamin Tucker, Josiah Warren, Herbert Spencer, Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, August Spies, Albert Parsons ...

This is just a snippet of today's stories. Read all about today in folklore, historical oddities, inspiration and alternatives, with many more links, at the Wilson's Almanac Book of Days, every day. Click today's date (or your birthday) when you're there.

Brit conservatives' anti-Gypsy campaign




"The thorny question of how the media covers controversial issues has reared its head again, with a Sun newspaper campaign declaring "war" on a 'gipsy free-for-all'.

"The paper's front page and inside story on Wednesday prompted one travellers group to lodge a complaint with the Press Complaints Commission (PCC).

"The report was misleading, discriminatory and likely to incite racial hatred against travellers and Gypsies, said the Gypsy and Traveller Law Reform Coalition (GTLRC).
Source: BBC

"In an outspoken attack on Gypsies today, Michael Howard will insist they are 'getting away' with wrongdoing, as the Conservatives move to exploit rural anger over illegal encampments.

"The Tory leader will unveil a package of measures designed to uproot unlawful settlements, including new rights for the swift removal of caravans from sites and powers for councils to purchase land compulsorily where there have been breaches of so-called stop notices freezing illegal development."
Michael Howard: I'll clear illegal Gypsy sites

Q&A: Travellers and the law
Worldwide Roma Nation Day (April 8), Romany (Gypsy) links in the Book of Days

Testicular cancer "up 60%"

"Researchers from the US National Cancer Institute have reported a 60% increase in testicular cancer over the past 25 years. Statistics were collated across 21 populations covering five continents. Most populations showed the highest increase between 1973-1997 but researchers are uncertain why this should be the case and why there should be an increase in testicular rates at all."
Source: About Men's Health

Worldwide 2nd anniversary Iraq protests

Protests took place across the world marking two years since the start of the war in Iraq.

"Thousands turned out in Japan and Australia to complain about their countries' involvement in Iraq.

"Protest marches took place around Europe and similar events occurred in cities across the US ...

"More than 4,500 people marched in Tokyo during a visit by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice."
Source: BBC

March 21, 1616 Pocahontas (Mataoke), a Native American of the Iroquois tribe, died in England (approximate date; sources vary).

Before she could set sail for her homeland, in March 1616, Mataoke died of pneumonia (some say smallpox), aged about 20, just one month before the demise of William Shakespeare on April 23. The much-misrepresented Mataoke/Pocahontas was buried at St George’s Church, Gravesend, London, which operates a tourist facility and website that maintain the Pocahontas fictions, as does Hollywood – and not a few educators.  

The only portrait known to have been made while she was alive was an etching made in England by Dutch engraver, Simon Van de Passe (used on an American stamp in 1907), prints of which were sold at the time to the curious. Over time, images of her (as in the case of Cleopatra) were beautified to suit contemporary tastes, but John Chamberlaine, a member of the English nobility, commented that she was "no fayre [beautiful] Lady".

This is just a snippet of today's stories. Read all about today in folklore, historical oddities, inspiration and alternatives, with many more links, at the Wilson's Almanac Book of Days, every day. Click today's date (or your birthday) when you're there.

Detainees who find Christ may be allowed to stay

Read it and weep. Baz le Tuff sent me this one:

"Thirty of Australia's longest-term immigration detainees are having their cases reviewed and could be freed because they have converted to Christianity since arriving.

"The Federal Government has made the move quietly as it searches for a face-saving way to soften its policy on failed asylum seekers who have been in custody for more than three years, and cannot be repatriated to their countries of origin.

"It follows strong lobbying efforts by several Government backbenchers, churches and the powerful Family First party for the Government to relax its refugee policy for Christian converts.

"It also follows the case of one convert, deported from Baxter detention centre last October within a week after the election, and promptly interrogated in Iran for 48 hours before being charged with leaving the country illegally.

"The case was taken up by Family First, whose spokeswoman, Andrea Mason, described the action as 'repugnant'. The Government is keen to build bridges with Family First, which controls one vital vote in the Senate, where the Government has a majority of a single vote."
Source: Sydney Morning Herald

Book of Days passes 3 million words

It's something of a milestone today: I got this report from Atomz when I did an index of the Book of Days:

"The last index of your web site index completed 13 seconds ago. It took 2 minutes to crawl 397 pages and index 397 pages containing 3003861 words for a total of 65362364 bytes. 51803 word endings, 0 synonyms, 124645 sound-alike words, and 15 excluded words were included in the index."

That's about the length of 60 paperback books since we started 16 months ago and an average of more than 8,190 words on each and every day of the year ... plenty of info on your birthday and those of your friends and family, so I invite you to check it out. We'll be battling to pay our Internet bill in less than two weeks, so if you'd like to throw Puppy a coin, that will be very welcome and help this project grow.

Those three million words, plus the Scriptorium, and this blog, are all searchable at our Search page.

Las Falles in Valencia, Spain



Fallas (in Spanish), or Falles (Catalan/Valencian), started in the Middle Ages, when artisans put out their broken artefacts and pieces of wood that they had sorted during the winter and burned to celebrate the Spring Equinox.

Today in Valencia, the Falles celebrates Saint Joseph's Day, and at about midnight the city will go up in flames – or so it will seem as about 300 massive fires are lit. The first written records of this now hugely popular festival date from the mid-18th century and the early 19th, though it's thought that the Falles started in the Middle Ages.

A group called the Casal Faller meets, one in each neighbourhood of the city, and works all year long holding fundraising parties and dinners, usually featuring the famous regional seafood dish, paella. Formerly, much time would also be spent at the Casal Faller preparing the ninot (Valencian for puppet or doll) for the Falles ...

This is just a snippet of today's stories. Read all about today in folklore, historical oddities, inspiration and alternatives, with many more links, at the Wilson's Almanac Book of Days, every day. Click today's date (or your birthday) when you're there.

A cool Flash trip

Almaniac George from north Queensland, Australia, sent me this cool trip, which he said is "better than acid". I'm not sure I would go that far, but it's a lot better than no acid.

(Drag and keep your mouse clicked down on the image after it's loaded.)

Indonesian activist's murder: Garuda scapegoated?

"JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Munir Said Thalib, Indonesia's best-known human rights campaigner, started feeling sick shortly after his overnight flight left for Europe last September. After he made brief layover in Singapore, the pain grew so intense that a doctor on board was roused from his sleep to tend to him. Within hours, somewhere in the night skies above Eastern Europe, Munir died."
Source: Washington Post

The question is, who wanted Munir dead? A guess would be the Indonesian military and/or secret police. Perhaps someone in the Yudhoyono government itself. Why do I feel a sinking feeling when I read that Garuda (Indonesia's national airlines) has had its boss sacked and its management board reshufffled? The government's decision is supposedly based on commercial reasons, but is it a sop and diversion for the sake of the Indonesian public, many of whom are outraged over Munir's murder?

Photo: Munir Said Thalib and his wife, Suciwati, at the Jakarta airport. Munir was headed to the Netherlands on Indonesia's state-owned airline when he was given a fatal dose of arsenic.

Activism for the Mind: Reclaiming Our Cerebral Commons

"Is modern life polluting your brain? The editor of Adbusters: The Journal of the Mental Environment, Kalle Lasn, thinks so. And he's spearheading a mental ecology movement to do something about it. A well-known media activist, trouble maker, and culture jammer, Lasn wants us to reclaim our cerebral commons, and rehabilitate our mental environment. As rates of depression and other psychological ailments escalate worldwide, do we need more than self-reflection to work out what's going on? This is meme warfare with a touch of mad pride, so turn off your TV and tune in -- you risk losing your head if you don't. "
Source: All in the Mind

"Shocking' choice of Wolfowitz for World Bank

"President George Bush's nomination of Paul Wolfowitz as head of the World Bank has triggered reactions ranging from polite acceptance to outright hostility among foreign governments and aid groups.

"Some believe he is unqualified for the job while others fear he will be all too effective in using the post to expand America's global dominance.

"Although his nomination is almost certain to be accepted by the World Bank's board of directors and participating states, both the European Union and the French government made a point of saying that his assumption of the presidency is not a foregone conclusion."
Source: The Independent

Bush stuns with Wolfowitz pick
"Certainly, the second-in-command at the Pentagon has more enemies than allies in the Middle East, and his heavy-handed approach to foreign policy in general will be a sore point for the aid agency that depends on consensus-building among its 184 member nations.In fact, while many liberals have criticized Bush's decision to appoint fellow neocon John Bolton as the U.S. representative to the United Nations, Bolton will be in New York as the voice of the Bush administration, while Wolfowitz must act beyond U.S. national interest and strive to bring the diverse range of interest to agreement on policy issues of concern to the World Bank."
Source: New Kerala

"Devastating"
"'The recommendation ... is devastating. The cold warrior has already proven he is an arsonist,' said Michael Mueller, a deputy leader of Schroeder's Social Democrats (SPD) in parliament.

"Mueller warned that if Wolfowitz got the job, there would be "a militarisation of thinking" which would lead to "oppression and hegemony" through the World Bank's policies."
Wolfowitz nomination devastating, says Mueller

Wolfowitz's World Bank nomination worries Oxfam
Europeans Resist Wolfowitz for World Bank

Houdini and Australia's first flight

March 18, 1910 American escapologist and aviator Harry Houdini flew a heavier-than-air machine at Digger’s Rest, near Melbourne, Australia. This was probably the first such flight on the continent.

The magic of flight, he later wrote, was in the “glorious thrill” of first adventure, and “not in minor modification which is perpetual in any art”.

However, if 110 metres be considered a flight, Colin Defries should get the honour. On December 9 [qv], 1909, Defries arguably flew a powered aircraft about 110 metres at Sydney's Victoria Park racecourse.

However, at the time Defries's flight was disputed. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the aviator had successfully completed a short flight, while Sydney's Daily Telegraph said that he had not left the ground. The Aerial League insisted that a controlled flight had not occurred. In the five months before Houdini's success, Defries crashed on three attempts to be the first, including once at Digger's Rest on March 1, 1910.

On the day before Houdini's great successful attempt, Fred Custance allegedly made a short flight in South Australia in an imported Bleriot aircraft, with a "very rough landing", but the claim has long been disputed.

This is just a snippet of today's stories. Read all about today in folklore, historical oddities, inspiration and alternatives, with many more links, at the Wilson's Almanac Book of Days, every day. Click today's date (or your birthday) when you're there.

Human response "won't stop climate change"

Two new studies warn

"Two new studies conclude that even if humankind takes dramatic action now to curb global warming, the world will continue to heat up and sea levels will rise for centuries. The reports, in Science magazine, underscore the difficulties in dealing with a worldwide environmental issue."
Source: NPR (audio)

White House to Agencies: Ignore GAO's Ruling on 'Illegal' TV News Releases

TO Editor's Comment: This story appears to be gathering steam quickly. In addition to considerable public outrage, the White House's position was further complicated by a ruling from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that the practice described was illegal, violating laws prohibiting the U.S. government from producing covert propaganda. In response to the GAO's ruling, an attorney for the Justice Department issued a statement in opposition to the GAO's position, stating the White House had not broken the law and is within its rights to continue the practice.

While the attorney who drafted the opinion was Steven Bradbury, the final decision on whether or not to take legal action against the White House would have to be made by the head of the Justice Department, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, the man who has been George W. Bush's personal attorney for decades. Accordingly, we are reporting that the Justice Department, under the direction of Gonzales, is shielding the White House rather than acting on the recommendation of the GAO. - ma.

Go to Original

White House to Agencies: Ignore GAO's Ruling on 'Illegal' TV News Releases
By Ken Herman, Cox News Service

Washington - The White House, intent on continuing to crank out "video news releases" that look like television news stories, has told government agency heads to ignore a Government Accountability Office memo criticizing the practice as illegal propaganda.

In a memo on Friday, Joshua Bolten, director of the Office of Management and Budget, said the lawyers the White House depends on disagree with the GAO's conclusions.

Accompanying Bolten's memo was a letter from Steven Bradbury, principal deputy assistant attorney general in the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel, who said video news releases "are the television equivalent of the printed press release." advertisement

"They can be a cost-effective means to distribute information through local news outlets, and their use by private and public entities has been widespread since the early 1990s, including by numerous federal agencies," Bradbury said.

Comptroller General David Walker of the GAO said Monday that his agency is
"disappointed by the administration's actions" in telling agency heads to ignore the GAO, the investigative arm of Congress.

"This is not just a legal issue, it's also an ethical matter," Walker said. "The taxpayers have a right to know when the government is trying to influence them with their own money."

Bradbury's memo said video news releases are legal and legitimate as long as they don't "constitute advocacy for any particular position or view."

The GAO, in a Feb. 17 memo to agency heads, said its review of video news releases distributed to television stations by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of National Drug Control Policy showed violations of federal law barring the use of government money for propaganda. The GAO said,
"Television-viewing audiences did not know that stories they watched on television news programs about the government were, in fact, prepared by the government."

Giving no indication that the administration would change its policy, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said, "It's very clear to the TV stations where they are coming from."

But the GAO, in the Feb. 17 memo from Walker, said that's not enough.

"They are intended to be indistinguishable from news segments broadcast to the public by independent television news organizations," Walker wrote. "To help accomplish this goal, these stories include actors or others hired to portray
'reporters' and may be accompanied by suggested scripts that television news anchors can use to introduce the story during the broadcast."

Former White House press secretary Mike McCurry, who held the job in the Clinton administration, said there was a "considerable amount of video news release activity" during those years, but much of it was limited to raw footage."

[Emphasis added. -v]

Source

Most sinusitis viral, not bacterial

"You've had a cold for five to seven days and thought you were getting better. Then it grew worse. More congestion, increasing fatigue and now headache or facial pain around your nose or eyes or upper teeth. You guessed it was a sinus infection.

"Depending on the severity of the symptoms, the doctor's examination and inclinations about treatment, you may be prescribed an antibiotic.

"But is this what you need to get better?

"Chances are, it is not. Most cases of acute sinusitis are caused by viruses, not bacteria, and taking an antibiotic does nothing more than enrich the pharmaceutical companies and increase the chances of being infected with drug-resistant bacteria ...

"In the latest study, published last month in The Journal of Family Practice, no significant benefit over a placebo was found from using the antibiotic amoxicillin among 135 patients with typical indications of a sinus infection."
Source: NY Times [Thanx Baz]

The Torture Papers: 37% discount

By Karen J Greenberg

"The Torture Papers: The Road to Abu Ghraib thoroughly documents repeated and shocking perversions of justice. The torture of prisoners became standard practice as the internationally accepted tenets of the Geneva Convention were bypassed and ignored. This is not a collection of complex legalese but pages where a clear episodic story unfolds free of bias and spin. The documents and their authors speak for themselves; key individuals approved torture as a coercive interrogation technique while others, namely Secretary of State Colin Powell, strongly opposed it. This is required reading for everyone concerned with fairness, justice, and difficult choices made under the pressures of our post 9/11 world."
Nadine Strossen, President, American Civil Liberties Union

"The Torture Papers may well be the most important and damning set of documents exposing U.S. government lawlessness ever published. Each page tells the story of U.S. leaders consciously willing to ignore the fundamental protections that guarantee all of us our humanity. I fear for our future. Read these pages and weep for our country, the rule of law and victims of torture everywhere."
Michael Ratner, President, Center for Constitutional Rights

Now in the Cafe Diem! Store

Blood and coal: human cost of cheap Chinese goods

Jonathan Watts in Miaowan, Sha'anxi province

"More than 5,000 Chinese miners are killed each year, 75% of the global total, even though the country produces only a third of the world's coal. Working under appalling safety conditions, they are sacrificed to fuel the factories that make the cheap goods snapped up by consumers in Britain and other wealthy nations.

"Faced with energy shortages this winter, the government has stepped up the pressure on mine operators to raise output. This has contributed to a spate of the worst disasters in the country's history. Last month, 216 miners were killed at Sunjiawan mine in north-east China in the most deadly accident in 50 years. Last October, another gas explosion killed 148. Last Thursday, a cave-in at a mine in Sha'anxi province killed 16 miners and left another 11 trapped underground."
Source

Bye-bye blogger



What's the duty of the prisoner? Is it to decorate the cell, or to complain about cruel fate, or endlessly to describe the four walls, or discuss how wonderful it must be outside the cell? Certainly not. The sole duty of the prisoner is to escape.

It's pretty clear, though, that probably the majority of the world's literature and entertainment would not exist if it wasn't for the tenacity with which the human organism refuses to accede to the common sense of that proposition. Every happy escapee is one less best-seller.

The author of the blog Things I Hate About My Flatmate, which the Guardian said "distils the rage of living with a stranger into a daily nugget of purest blog bile", has called it quits: "I'm afraid people, that this blog has come to an end, I'm moving out today."

She will be missed.

Happy Pi Day!

March 14, written 3/14 in the USA date format, is the official day for Pi day derived from the common three-digit approximation for the number ?: 3.14. It is usually celebrated at 1:59 PM (in recognition of the six-digit approximation: 3.14159) ...

This is just a snippet of today's stories. Read all about today in folklore, historical oddities, inspiration and alternatives, with many more links, at the Wilson's Almanac Book of Days, every day. Click today's date (or your birthday) when you're there.

Joint Chiefs planned terrorism in USA

March 13, 1962 Operation Northwoods

USA: The Joints Chiefs of Staff (the heads of the US Army, Air Force and Navy) presented a plan to Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara (and possibly to President John F Kennedy himself), that suggested using terrorism in the USA to turn opinion towards a US invasion of Cuba.

Long believed to be residing in the imagination of conspiracy theorists, the Operation Northwoods document (Justification for US Military Intervention in Cuba) was declassified in recent years by the Freedom of Information Act.

We can be thankful that the military's plan was not enacted, for more reasons than one. McNamara has recently revealed that it was not till years after the Cuban Missile Crisis (began October 15, 1962), he discovered that Fidel Castro's Cuba had complete nuclear missiles; he and Kennedy had been incorrectly briefed by the CIA that the delivery systems were 'on the water' in a shipment from the USSR.

The Joint Chiefs even proposed killing astronaut John Glenn during the first attempt to put an American into orbit. The US brass wrote, "the objective is to provide irrevocable proof ... that the fault lies with the Communists et all Cuba [sic]".

This is just a snippet of today's stories. Read all about today in folklore, historical oddities, inspiration and alternatives, with many more links, at the Wilson's Almanac Book of Days, every day. Click today's date (or your birthday) when you're there.

World gay pride meet in Jerusalem

Christian group tries to stop big event

"A world homosexual event planned for Jerusalem this summer is morally outrageous and highly offensive to religious sensibilities, a Christian group that is seeking 1 million signatures on a petition to stop the event told WorldNetDaily.

"World Pride 2005, a mass international gathering of homosexual, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered individuals, is scheduled to take place August in Jerusalem. The theme for the gathering, according to the event website, is 'Love without borders,' with the goal of bringing a 'new focus to an ancient city through a massive demonstration of LGBT dignity, pride and boundary-crossing celebration. In these times of intolerance and suspicion, from the home of three of the world's great religions, we will proclaim that love knows no borders.' ...

"But the Jerusalem Prayer Team, a Christian group that asks members to pray for and encourage the people of Israel, has called the planned World Pride event a moral abomination and is seeking 1 million signatures on a petition to ask the Jerusalem mayor and the city's municipality to cancel the event."
Source: WorldNetDaily via Bad Thinking
World Pride 2005

US watches China warily

So do I. Chinese military expansion, and African oil politics are, IMHO, the two relatively unsung major dynamics of the shifting global scene.

"By steps big and small, China is changing the balance of power in the world.

"It is modernising its military and expanding its reach with mobile launchers that could fire missiles into the American north-west and a navy and air force that could operate well beyond its borders ...

"China, for example, has long possessed ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads. But in the last few years China has developed a system to launch those missiles from trucks ...

"For the United States, the advent of such a system begins the shift in the strategic equation ..."
Source: BBC

Yellow Times has shut down

"YellowTimes.org has shut down due to funding issues. While this may be temporary, it also may be permanent. We appreciate your past support."
Source: Yellow Times

This is very sad for anyone who used to read the excellent Yellow Times website. Our own Wilson's Almanac Yellow Pages for two years has beeen produced in association with our friends at YT, and will continue, but using news and current affairs material from other sources.

Congratulations, thanks, commiserations and all good wishes to the team that produced one of the best background briefing sites on the Net.

Nigeria: US General's warning

"ABUJA, March 9 (Reuters) - Nigeria must halt the growing violence and oil theft in its troubled delta region or risk major consequences for its national security and oil industry, a top U.S. defence official said on Wednesday.

"OPEC member Nigeria, Africa's biggest oil producer, is the fifth largest supplier to the United States and has gained in strategic importance to Washington as its own oil production has declined sharply.

"But industry officials estimate up to 100,000 barrels a day of Nigeria's crude is stolen by armed gangs backed by powerful ethnic and political figures, who use the proceeds to build up their arsenals in an attempt to control access to oil facilities.

"Retired U.S. General Carlton Fulford, director of a U.S.-led international summit on oil and security being held in Nigeria, said gangs engaged in the theft of crude in the delta would have to be dealt with at the 'highest level'."
Source: Reuters

[Like BushCo, we're keeping our eyes on Africa's oil.]

Giuliana Sgrena incident

Now approximately 13 journalists killed by US forces

From an interview with the Director of the International News Safety Institute:

"The safety of news media in Iraq is again under the spotlight with calls for better investigation of recent journalist deaths in the war zone.

"Richard Aedy: We begin with Iraq. As you probably recall, last week an Italian intelligence officer was killed by US troops after securing the release of journalist Giuliana Sgrena from kidnappers. This tragedy has caused an understandable falling out between Italy and the US, and it’s also focused attention on the issue of the safety of news media in Iraq.

"Aidan White is head of the International Federation of Journalists, based in Brussels.

"Aidan White: One of the reasons why we were dismayed is because we see this as yet another incident of what appears to be very poor soldiering, and an incident involving a journalist where there’s no real clear explanation about the circumstances of why this attack happened.

"Richard Aedy: Because this certainly isn't the first time, is it, that there's been a death connected with a member of the news media and involving US forces?

"Aidan White: Far from it. And the sad truth is we've got around 13 incidents involving the killing of journalists at the hands of US soldiers, all of them since the invasion a couple of years ago, and I don't think in one of those cases has there been a satisfactory, exhaustive and independent investigation that has satisfied the victims' families of the victims’ colleagues and media. The problem is, is that in all of these cases, the US soldiers have essentially investigated themselves. What reports have been made have been pretty paltry, they’ve not been released in full, and they have all said exactly the same thing: there are a few words of regret, 'this was a sad incident', in most cases. But they exonerate themselves from any responsibility."
Source: The Media Report

"We had no signal. We were just on the way to the airport. They started to shoot at us without any light or signal. There was no block, there was nothing. It was so immediate. I didn't know how I was alive after all that attack."
Transcript: Giuliana Sgrena interview on BBC

Berlusconi: US Given Advance Notice of Sgrena Rescue

What if soldiers were robots?

What if soldiers and police weren't other people like you and me, but robots?

"This video gives us a peek into the future when our wars will be fought by our robots so we don’t have to get our hands dirty. I wonder what the insurgents in Iraq would think about us just sending a bunch of robots after them. We already have un-manned reconnaissance planes."
Source

Durrr ... What day is this again?

The astute Wilson's Almanac free daily ezine subscriber will have noticed that there was no ezine on March 6. Well, to make up for it, I posted the March 7 ezine on that day instead. And then on the 7th, I posted the March 8 one, and today ...

You guessed it. I goofed. I've made the same mistake before. By way of flagrant self-justification, I would like to explain that when I prepare, say, the March 6 edition, I'm doing it on March 5, but it is still March 4 where half of my readers live in the Western Hemisphere. I send it on March 6 as early as possible so that my readers in the Eastern Hemisphere, such as those in Japan, Australia, South-East Asia and so on, will get it at a reasonable time. I like to think most of my readers can have it with their morning coffee. It doesn't always work out that way, but it's a goal.

But on March 6 it's still March 5 for my other readers in the West ... the Europeans, Africans, Americans ... especially those USA readers on the West Coast who are about 18 hours behind the Centre of the Universe (no offence). So, on March 5 I am trying to juggle in my admittedly inadequate brain, three days: March 4, 5 and 6.

On March 5 I thought I would be really smart and get one day ahead in my prep because of a busy week ahead. And obviously my brain blew a gasket, just like my good monitor has (warranty expired 7 days ago). That's what happens. That's how I goof sometimes. It's happened before, but I hope not again. Humble apologies.

Anyway, the March 6 info is all there for the taking, at this page in the Book of Days. Enjoy, belatedly.

Cui Yu Hu, 104, must return to China

On February 24, Australian media reported the bizarre (not to mention extremely disturbing) story that Cui Yu Hu, a 104-year-old woman, is being forced by Australia's draconian immigration regime to return to China.

"Mrs Hu arrived in Australia in 1995 on a visitor's visa and could not return home 12 months later because no airline would take her because she was too old and frail."

Now the latest news is that the Department of Immigration (headed by Amanda 'Amandatory Detention' Vanstone) has rejected her appeal. Mrs Hu is now stuffed, unless Vanstone makes a media opportunity out of it with a 'compassionate' last-minute reprieve.

Dear Emperor Bush

One of the things that really gets up the noses of people living in the other 190 countries is when George W Bush says that America is "the greatest country in the world".

Not because America isn't a great country, but because it is. Because if the head of a really lousy country said it, it would be risible, but when the President of a great country says it, it's arrogant. And because most people in all the other countries, who make up the vast majority on this planet, probably also think their country is the best. I think Australia's the best, even if it isn't, and even though I can't stand a lot of it. It's natural to have love of one's country, but it's not nice to rub other people's noses in it.

Bush should read this article, America by the Numbers, written by one of his fellow Americans. Then we would like him to get off his high horse and maybe stop thinking empire. We don't want it, and I don't believe most Americans want it either.

Just three snippets:

"The United States is 49th in the world in literacy (New York Times, Dec. 12, 2004)."

"The U.S. and South Africa are the only two developed countries in the world that do not provide health care for all their citizens".

The United States is 41st in the world in infant mortality. Cuba scores higher (NYT, Jan. 12, 2005).

Clean Up Australia Day

Australia given thorough clean

"An urn with someone's ashes, packets of Viagra and a shed – these are things Australians either lost, threw away or left to be cleaned up today by thousands of volunteers.

"Each year the volunteers spend Clean Up Australia Day collecting other people's rubbish.

"And every year the dedicated volunteers find weird things. However, some of what was found this year must qualify as the strangest on record. Among them are items which may help police solve crimes.

"Queensland volunteers found an urn used to carry ashes after cremation ...

"More than 670,000 volunteers took part in the nationwide tidy up, collecting more than 8,450 tonnes of rubbish ...

"In [the State of New South Wales] more than 300,000 people turned out to help in the massive tidy up, which is actually run over three days, and collected about 3,607 tonnes of rubbish."
Source: Brisbane Courier-Mail

Clean Up the World
"CUW inspires communities around the world to clean up, fix up and conserve the environment. CUW weekend 2005 is held on 16-18 September."
Source: Clean Up Australia

From Jeffrey:

The "Real" Creation Story

In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth and populated the Earth with broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, and green and yellow and red vegetables of all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives.

Then using God's great gifts, Satan created Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream and Krispy Creme Donuts. And Satan said, "You want chocolate with that?" And Man said, "Yes!" and Woman said, "and as long as you're at it, add some sprinkles." And they gained 10 pounds. And Satan smiled.

And God created the healthful yogurt that Woman might keep the figure that Man found so fair. And Satan brought forth white flour from the wheat, and sugar from the cane and combined them. And Woman went from size 6 to size 14. So God said,
"Try my fresh green salad." And Satan presented Thousand-Island Dressing, buttery croutons and garlic toast on the side. And Man and Woman unfastened their belts following the repast.

God then said, "I have sent you heart healthy vegetables and olive oil in which to cook them." And Satan brought forth deep fried fish and chicken-fried steak so big it needed its own platter. And Man gained more weight and his cholesterol went through the roof.

God then created a light, fluffy white cake, named it "Angel Food Cake," and said,
"It is good." Satan then created chocolate cake and named it "Devil's Food." God then brought forth running shoes so that His children might lose those extra pounds. And Satan gave cable TV with a remote control so Man would not have to toil changing the channels. And Man and Woman laughed and cried before the flickering blue light and gained pounds.

Then God brought forth the potato, naturally low in fat and brimming with nutrition. And Satan peeled off the healthful skin and sliced the starchy center into chips and deep-fried them. And Man gained pounds.

God then gave lean beef so that Man might consume fewer calories and still satisfy his appetite. And Satan created McDonald's and its 99-cent double cheeseburger. Then said, "You want fries with that?" And Man replied, "Yes! And super size them!" And Satan said, "It is good."

And Man went into cardiac arrest.

God sighed and created quadruple bypass surgery.

Then Satan created HMOs.

--Author Unknown

Can CNN, BBC get away with this corpse show in ‘sensitive’ Manhattan?

"Six months after 9/11, a CBS documentary on the attack on the Twin Towers censored visuals of a woman burning to death. 'The image was so terrible,' a programme producer at the US channel explained, 'I made a decision not to film it. It’s not something anybody should see, or want to see.'

"In the aftermath of the worst terrorist attack on American soil, the networks were remarkably correct. 'Sensitive coverage', 'respectful of victims', 'no violation of privacy': the buzzphrases flew thick and fast."

Until [the Asian tsunami tragedy], they even seemed believable. Unlike the aftermath of 9/11 — when not one dead body was shown on screen, not one ghastly image recorded for posterity, and about the only objectionable visual was of a man jumping to his death — Asia’s tsunami is open season.

"Take the shots from CNN’s 10.00 pm bulletin ... From Tamil Nadu, we see rows of dead bodies, a man carrying his dead child and, perhaps as primetime stomach churner, people reaching out to hold a child’s corpse.

"From Banda Aceh, Indonesia, come pictures of rescue workers carrying victims, all arms and legs really, not quite the composure and dignity they may have wanted to put on for a TV shoot. The rows and rows of bodies continue — southern Sri Lanka one second, Thailand the next."
Source: The Indian Express [It's from December 29 but I only found it today.]

International Day of Protest on the second anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq

March 19, 2005, will be an International Day of Protest on the second anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. As on the first anniversary of the invasion last year, millions of people around the world will march to say “No to War and Occupation from Iraq to Palestine to Haiti and Everywhere.”
Source: IndyMedia

9-11 timeline synopsis

We have posted 9-11 timeline info here before. Here is a nice synopsis that makes easier reading. Thanks, Almaniac Star Light from Washington, USA.

"9/11 was one of the most pivotal events in world history. Its impact will be felt for years to come. You owe it to yourself to go beyond the sound bites and the simplified official story. This is an extremely complicated story with numerous players and motives. Not everything makes sense or fits neatly together. It's a story full of espionage, deceit, and lies. But if there are forces out there tricking us, they can only succeed if we, the general public, remain ignorant and passive.

"I am limiting my sources to only those one might call 'mainstream.' Why? It's not because I believe one can only trust the mainstream media. In fact, I feel the opposite is true - much of the best reporting today is coming from alternative media. But many people are initially very skeptical. A lot of material I found looking around the web seemed very hard to believe when I first saw it. My goal is to use mainstream sources to generally open eyes to new possibilities."

Doublespeak

By Julian Burnside

"Outside the realm of high art, language is intended to convey meaning. Ideally, it should do so accurately. Some writers and speakers betray this ideal, and use language as a sham to mask an intellectual void; or worse, as a stalking horse for quite different ideas they dare not acknowledge. ...

"Tact is kind; diplomacy is useful; euphemism is harmless and sometimes entertaining. By contrast, doublespeak is dishonest and dangerous.

"In his closing address at Nuremberg, US prosecutor Robert Jackson said:

"'Nor is the lie direct the only means of falsehood. [the Defendants] all speak with a Nazi double talk with which to deceive the unwary. In the Nazi dictionary of sardonic euphemisms "final solution" of the Jewish problem was a phrase which meant extermination; "special treatment" of prisoners of war meant killing; "protective custody" meant concentration camp; "duty labor" meant slave labor; and an order to "take a firm attitude" or "take positive measures" meant to act with unrestrained savagery.'

"When Soviet tanks invaded Prague in 1968, the manoeuvre was described as “fraternal internationalist assistance to the Czechoslovak people”.

"The war in Vietnam produced such doublespeak expressions as:

"Collateral damage meaning killing innocent civilians
Energetic disassembly meaning nuclear explosion
Incontinent ordnance meaning bombs which hit schools and hospitals by mistake
Active defence meaning invasion.

"Doublespeak uses language to smuggle uncomfortable ideas into comfortable minds. The Nazi regime were masters at it. Many governments today are enthusiastic imitators.

"The victims of incontinent ordnance, or active defence, or fraternal internationalist assistance often flee for safety. A small number of them arrive in Australia asking for help. They commit no offence under Australian or international law by arriving here without an invitation, in order to seek protection. Nonetheless the Australian Government refers to them as 'illegals'. This is done for a purpose: these people are immediately locked up without trial. No doubt it seems less offensive to lock up 'illegals' than to lock up the innocent, traumatised human beings that they are.

"They are also disparaged as 'queue jumpers': a neat device which falsely suggests two things. First that there is a queue, and second that it is in some way appropriate to stand in line when your life is at risk.

"When the 'illegals/queue jumpers' arrive, they are 'detained' This means that they are locked up without trial, for an indefinite period - typically months or years. If necessary, they can be detained for the rest of their lives.

"Baxter detention centre is surrounded by a 9000 volt electric fence. But in the doublespeak of the Department of Immigration, this is an 'energised courtesy fence'.

Solitary confinement, which is regularly used, is called ‘separation detention’ or ‘the management unit’ ..."
Source: Perspective

Big Brother Is Here — Microsoft Gets Power to Search and Destroy on Your System


From Lisa:

TECH PRIVACY ENEMY #1

Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.)

This alert came from my local linux user group (LUG).  Find a LUG near you and escape the evil clutches of M$!


Big Brother Is Here — Microsoft Gets Power to Search and Destroy on Your System

Posted by Wee-san on Thursday, February 17 @ 06:50:46 CST

A U.S. House of Representatives committee has readied H.R. 29, the Securely Protect Yourself Against Cyber Trespass Act (SPY ACT) [Another deceptively cutesy acronym, à la PATRIOT ACT –L.], to allow software vendors to scan user systems, and "interact" with them to determine any breach of proprietary rights. While the bill continues prohibitions against spyware, phishing schemes and other hostile actions against end-users, it also retains a curious provision threatening users and their right to due process and privacy in use of proprietary (commercial) software.

The obscure, anti-user provision at issue allows Microsoft or any software vendor to scan user systems and (implicitly) to take whatever actions deemed appropriate in determining compliance with its own view of licensing terms.

In effect, the legislation skips due process altogether in license infringement disputes. By allowing Microsoft or any other software provider freedom to conduct vigilante-style search-and-destroy missions on user systems, the bill undermines the rule of law (and its protections) for all consumers. The clear presumption is the user is guilty of piracy if Microsoft or another vendor says so, and there is no appeal, only suffering whatever action the software vendor deems appropriate to protect its property.

By allowing such interaction with a user system, this bill makes the software vendor sheriff, judge, jury and executioner in suspected software piracy cases. Currently, Microsoft scans millions of end-user systems by permission, but only to determine patch requirements for an installed Windows operating system. While there is no explicit authorization or prohibition of more aggressive policies, such as disabling program code and/or data, MS has not publicly pushed for power to do so, fearing a user backlash.

The legislative amendment is effectively a quiet, post-election gift to Microsoft by GOP Rep. Cliff Stearns (FL) [Remember the days when M$ was rightfully sweating it out in a courtroom because of its monopolistic business practices? With the Rethugs in charge, those days are gone!  –L.], who otherwise would be first to champion full protection for your individual rights and privacy. [IMHO, the author has our current neocons in Republican clothing confused with what the ideals of the Republican party used to be!  These days, if you want government to stay out of your business, you have to go libertarian. –L.] In contrast to such high ideals, this legislation is the purest example of cyber-surveillance. While surreptitious, remote actions are commonly employed by hackers and spyware, the bill authorizes exactly the same extra-legal actions by Microsoft and others.

Further erosion of privacy comes from the bill's relaxed provision for network monitoring for purposes of maintenance, repair/diagnostics, security or crime detection. It relaxes legislative protections for privacy to allow online intelligence-gathering by security agencies, exempting such activity from provisions of the notice and consent requirements of the bill. Action on the bill by the full House is expected in the next few days.

---

Here is the story about which Wee-san wrote the commentary... which was deceptively titled House Cuts Cookies From SPY ACT:

By Roy Mark
February 16, 2005

With little fuss and no debate [What else is f'n new? –L.], a House subcommittee today amended an anti-spyware bill to clarify that the legislation does not cover third-party cookies.

H.R. 29, the Securely Protect Yourself Against Cyber Trespass Act (SPY ACT), prohibits unfair or deceptive practices related to spyware and requires an opt-in notice and consent regime for legal software that collects personally identifiable information from consumers.

The spyware practices prohibited by the legislation include phishing, keystroke logging, homepage hijacking and ads that can't be closed except by shutting down a computer. Violators could face civil penalties of up to $3 million.

At a January hearing on the legislation, concerns were raised that the bill would unfairly target third-party cookies, although lawmakers insisted that was not their intent and expressed their desire to reach a compromise on the issue.

"This amendment otherwise clarifies an excellent bill," [Excellent?!  for the plutocracy, maybe! –L.] said Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection [How about CORPORATE protection?!  F*** the consumer! –L.]. "The bill should not penalize authentic use of the technology. It [the bill] does not apply to cookies, including third-party cookies."

First-party cookies are placed from the same domain the user clicks on and are solely used to allow the user to access a Web site, most typically by allowing the site to remember a user name and password. Advertisers, publishers and their service providers use third-party cookies to serve, rotate, target, cap, measure and report on online advertising.

"This is an all-out technology arms race [against bad actors]," Stearns said. "This bill will help us win that race."

The bill permits computer software providers to interact with a user's computer without notice and consent to determine whether the user is authorized to use the software. [Scary translation: M$, or any other company whose software you use, has the right to poke around your computer, totally unsupervised.  The AOL employee selling lists of customer names is just one example of privacy breaches... can you imagine how vulnerable you'll be if they can invade your desktop?!  I don't even want to think about it. –L.] Network monitoring is also exempted from the provisions of the notice and consent requirements of the bill to the extent that the monitoring is for network or security purposes [A bone thrown to employers who want to monitor employees? –L.], diagnostics, technical support or repair [Like the ISP diagnostic software I refused to install? BTW, my connection works just fine! –L.], or the detection or prevention of fraudulent activities. [Carnivore, anyone? –L.]

The bill next goes to the full House Energy and Commerce Committee. Chairman Joe Barton (R-Tex.) said he "expects this bill on the floor very quickly." The Senate has yet to hold any hearings on spyware. [The lack of action by the Senate is either our last hope, or the last sign that we've lost all hope! –L.]



[This is a classic case of giving with one hand while picking your pocket with the other!  This legislation will no doubt be as impotent as anti-spamming laws (yeah, they undertake big prosections for show... but, really, has the amount of spam in your inbox decreased? I thought not.), thus providing the consumer zero protection... while simultaneously robbing the PAYING customer of control of the product they BOUGHT!  Ba$tard$! –L.]

Where was JFK When He Heard That I was Shot?

John Clarke's poetry parodies are a hoot

This is hilarious (audio): John Clarke, Dip. Lid (Hons), PhD in Cattle (Oxen), reads such famous Aussie poets as Thomas the Tank Hardy, Sir Don Betjeman, Walter Burley Yeats, Emmy Lou Dickinson, Dylan Thompson, b b cummings and William Esther Williams. Hear such great works as 'Pommymandias', 'The Love Song of J Arthur Purpend' and 'Where was JFK When He Heard That I was Shot?'.

Feast day of St Chad (Ceadda)

Ceadda was actually a pre-Christian deity of healing springs and holy wells. His symbol was Crann Bethadh, the tree of life.

St Chad lore for wells and fountains
Today is the day to clean and groom holy wells and fountains, known in Britain as well-dressing. Other days include Ascension Day, when in places such as Lichfield in England, villagers walked around the boundaries of the cathedral precinct area, carrying elm boughs and beating the eight places where wells had once been or still were present. In some places, such as Wirksworth, England, Pentecost Day was a day for well dressing.

Wells traditionally have mystical significance. Even today, wishing wells are common in parks and even may be found in shopping malls ...

This is just a snippet of today's stories. Read all about today in folklore, historical oddities, inspiration and alternatives, with many more links, at the Wilson's Almanac Book of Days, every day. Click today's date (or your birthday) when you're there.

'Kill the President' soars in the charts!






Well, maybe not really, but it's doing OK

The mystery code-and-clues humour poem, 'Kill the President', has been in progress for a few months now, growing by about one verse a day ( now 162 verses).

About a month ago, when I googled those three magic words, 'Kill the President', it wasn't even on the radar screen of about 44,000 results, because of a song of that name by the popular band Origin. Plus all the other sites that have those words and get more hits.

Today it comes in third (try it), just after a Yahoo! News story about some plot to kill the president, and a story about the assassination of US President James Garfield.

I don't bother with a hit meter on that page, but it must be getting a lot of traffic to rise in the google ranks so dramatically. (Yes, this is a brag piece, with a view to getting some more hits. I don't have an agent, gotta do the promo meself.)

The poem got a rave review from a British book editor (Oxford University Press, no less). Douglas Houston wrote:

"The twenty-first century has not, to my knowledge, produced any
long poems of any note, but I’m slipping a tip to literary history to keep an
eye on this one."

Check the review out here.

There's an online forum, called 'Kalliope', for people who want to crack the clues and codes in the whodunnit. Anyone is allowed to join, except me -- because I'm the guy writing the clues. I'm sure you'll be made welcome, though.

Beware blogspot.com 'Next Blog' link

Ever clicked 'Next Blog' at the top of a Blogger blog and instead of finding something great like the Blogmanac, your computer starts flashing lights and ringing alarms? I have. Beware. Others have pointed it out too:

Spyware warning: be careful of Blogspot.com "next blog" link

So I wrote a little something, but it's not exactly on topic, but what the hell:

I got them sit down, cain't cry,
oh Lord I wanna die, woman on the Next Blog blues

I tried on a brand new blog this morning,
        Cause that old Next Blog don't work no more
I tried on a brand new blog this morning,
        Cause that old Next Blog mama don't work no more
Gonna change my way of living,
        Ain't nothing like it was before

Where did that woman get to
        That Next Blog babe I seen
Where did that woman get to
        That Next Blog mama I seen
I shouldn't never have clicked her off
        That Next Blog button treat me soooo mean

'Guantanamo Guidebook' TV show

'Brutal, must-watch TV'

"It says something deeply peculiar about British TV when a piece of angry political polemic ends up looking like an extreme reality show. For the past few weeks, Channel 4 viewers have gloated as celebrities vomit tepid water, drink their own urine and balance atop 20ft-high poles in Celebrity Extreme Detox. So what’s so different about seven blokes volunteering for a course of sleep-disturbance, enforced nudity, violent temperature change and arduous physical exercise?

"Well, mainly that the victims in Torture: The Guantanamo Guidebook are undergoing what Jon Snow insists is the real regime for suspected terrorists at Camp Delta. It is anything but amusing. In fact, many of the US military’s techniques not only flout the Geneva Convention but fall within the United Nations definition of torture. Three of the volunteers failed to last 48 hours, and attempted suicides at Guantanamo were averaging two a week until the Pentagon slashed the rate by redefining them as instances of 'manipulative self-injurious behaviour'.

"Public enemy No 1 is Donald Rumsfeld, whose name pops up more frequently than Captain Hook at a Peter Pan panto. The programme will undoubtedly get trashed by some as bleeding-heart liberalism and a cheap stunt to boot. But Snow insists that there is no evidence that any useful information has been extracted in this way. And, anyway, how can you defend democracy and the rule of law by violating both? Either way, it’s a disturbing cocktail. What was it Germaine Greer said about reality TV and fascist states?"
Source: Times Online

[I head an interview with the show's director, a woman who said that they used mainly declassified US Government documents to make the show, but did not go anywhere near as far as the real US officers with brutality in filming the Gitmo procedures, as they were advised that the victims could suffer permanent damage. The people who were subjected to the torture on TV said at the end that they would have confessed to anything. This is what the US, Britain, Australia, et al, are basing their 'war on terror' on?]

"Of the seven, only four make it to the end of the 48-hour ordeal – one is withdrawn by doctors after just seven hours due to hypothermia."
Source: Confessions of a justified torturer

Channel 4 is condemned over torture TV show
Google News guantanamo guidebook