Alex Jones talks to Greg Palast about the Greek debt crisis.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Greece is a financial crime scene : Greg Palast Vultures' Picnic
The New 95 theses:REAL DEMOCRACY NOW!
A group of researchers interrupted a lecture by EU President Van Rompuy and tagged 95 theses onto the door of the Church where he was speaking.
This list of theses was pinned to the door of the European University Institutein Florence, Italy, while EU President Herman Van Rompuy was delivering a lecture on the political and economic crisis. It was prepared by a group of concerned PhD researchers associated with with the Collettivo Prezzemolo.These are just some issues we came up with — the list is obviously not meant to be exhaustive. For more theses, consult the peoples of Europe!
1. No to austerity!
2. Forgive the debt!
3. Strengthen the welfare state!
4. Redistribute wealth – tax the rich!
5. Defend social rights!
6. End labor market precarity!
7. Combat wage stagnation!
8. Establish a minimum income scheme!
9. Invest in free, high-quality public health!
10. This is not a clash of generations – defend pension rights!
11. End the privatization of public goods and state assets!
12. No to bankocracy – too big to fail is too big to exist!
13. People before profits – bail out the people not the banks!
14. No to the rule of the rating agency oligopoly!
15. End the ECB’s obsession with inflation control!
16. Troika out of Greece!
17. IMF and ECB out of Italy, Ireland and Portugal!
18. Institute a common European debt!
19. Institute capital controls!
20. Institute a financial transaction tax!
21. Regulate the financial sector!
22. Outlaw over-the-counter commodity speculation!
23. Nationalize failing banks and restructure them into cooperatives!
24. Break up investment and retail banks!
25. Crack down on offshore tax havens!
26. If corporations are legal persons, why aren’t they paying taxes?
27. Curtail corporate lobbying in Brussels!
28. No common currency without a common democracy!
29. You can’t balance the budget with a democratic deficit!
30. Elect the President!
31. Allow us to remove the President!
32. Elect the Commission!
33. Allow us to dismiss the Commission!
34. Empower and downscale the European Parliament!
35. Bring EU bureaucrat pay back in line with common standards (and tax it)!
36. What about the Irish referendums?
37. What about the Dutch referendum?
38. What about the French referendum?
39. Why were we so afraid of a Greek referendum?
40. Stop coddling up to corrupt national elites at the expense of the people!
41. Don’t play us apart – defend cross-national solidarity!
42. Don’t blame the lack of a public sphere – the peoples of Europe exist!
43. Define our borders inclusively, not exclusively!
44. End the illegal war on terror!
45. Stop coddling up to dictators!
46. Prosecute all war criminals!
47. End the EU-condoned oppression of the Palestinian people!
48. Ban arms sales to Greece and authoritarian regimes outside of Europe!
49. Stop cracking down on pro-democracy protests at home while encouraging them abroad!
50. Develop our own democracy, don’t just export this flawed system as if it were perfect!
51. Don’t produce elitist expat multiculturalism – aim for a multicultural society on all levels!
52. No to Fortress Europe! No to FRONTEX!
53. End the internment and criminalization of immigrants on Europe’s margins!
54. Free and high-quality public education for all!
55. Promote socially-relevant research!
56. Stop the hypocrisy of the Lisbon Agenda!
57. Expand the Erasmus program – it is the only European policy that actually works!
58. Live up to article 2 of the TEU – respect human dignity, freedom, democracy and equality!
59. Defend immigrants’ rights at home!
60. End institutionalized xenophobia – stop the crackdown on immigration!
61. No more detention centers!
62. Enact visa reciprocity for non-EU countries!
63. The Polish plumber is not taking away our jobs!
64. Europe has gone cold turkey!
65. Crack down on human and sex slavery!
66. Asylum is a basic human right!
67. Stop the racism of Italian and Hungarian parliaments!
68. End the oppression and criminalization of Roma citizens and all other minorities!
69. End the reproduction of homophobia through state institutions!
70. Promote gender equality in politics and the working place!
71. Create free public kindergartens across the EU!
72. Abolish the EU Carbon Trading Scheme!
73. Institute an EU-wide carbon tax!
74. Pursue massive public investments in renewable energy!
75. End our continued dependence on nuclear energy!
76. Invest in high-quality and sustainable public transport!
77. End our overdependence on air travel – create a continental public transport system!
78. Stop promoting unrestrained and mindless consumption!
79. Subsidize small organic farms – not large industrial conglomerates!
80. Promote food sovereignty – not WTO principles!
81. Stop plundering fish stocks off the Western Saharan coast!
82. Protect oceanic ecosystems – ban bottom trawling!
83. Institute a pan-European ban on GMOs!
84. Defend Europe’s most beautiful regions from the destructive forces of mass tourism!
85. More internal welfare transfers to end regional disparities!
86. It takes a couple of Zimbabwean welfare states to build a Scandinavian one!
87. Live up to our Millennium Promises – raise the Official Development Assistance budget!
88. End the obsession with free trade – promote fair trade practices!
89. No to intellectual property rights!
90. Defend the right to peaceful protest!
91. End police militarization!
92. Long live the occupations!
93. Power to the people’s assemblies!
94. The revolution will not be privatized!
95. For more theses, consult the peoples of Europe.
Obama Power Grab For Entire World Stuns Russia, China
According to the EU Times:
New reports emerging in the Kremlin today from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit (APEC) in Hawaii are stating that both Russian and Chinese diplomats were “stunned” upon learning that the United States Nobel Peace Prize winning leader, President Barack Obama, has ordered US Military forces into both Nigeria and Australia in what they describe as his plan to take over the entire world for his crony-capitalist backers.
According to these reports, Nigerian military sources have confirmed Obama’s plan to deploy US Military forces in their country in yet another expansion of the Pentagon’s “Shadow War” on the African Continent designed to take control of this regions vast oil and mineral resources, and he is, also, planning on announcing during his upcoming visit to Australia the deployment of US Marine forces to ward off what the Americans are calling the “China threat”.
With more than 900 US Military bases on all seven continents, and with a defense budget that outspends all of the other nations in the world combined, Russian diplomats warn that these latest deployments “strip bear” Obama’s true intentions which they describe as being nothing short of “total world domination.”
To understand Obama’s true motivations, these reports say, one has to realize that the West’s most powerful bankers who have given him more money than any politician, in any country, in modern human history far surpassing the millions given to Nazi Germany’s Adolf Hitler by US and European industrialists led by the former US President George W. Bush’s grandfather, the late US senator Prescott Bush, who was charged for his crimes under the Trading With Enemies Act during World War II. ...
Meanwhile...
Towards a Broader Eurasian Military Alliance? Tehran Applies for Full Membership in the SCO
The SCO is a regional international organization established in 2001 by the leaders of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
Tunisian Satire Flooding Obama Facebook Page
Tunisian Internet users flooded the Facebook page of American President Barack Obama Sunday night with a uniquely Tunisian form of satire called “tanbir.”
Their comments were sparked by recent news of Occupy Wall Street protesters injured in clashes with police in the United States, and they cast Obama in the role of Arab dictators who have recently been deposed or shaken by popular protests.
One Facebook post declares, “[Tunisian Chief of Staff] Rachid Ammar declares a no-fly zone over America to protect peaceful protesters from harm.” In March, the United Nations Security Council voted to establish a no-fly zone over Libya with the same justification. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) enforced the operation, with American and international military power.
Afghanistan and the Ethnolinguanymic State
A recent GeoCurrents post noted that Afghanistan is not a nation-state, lacking the requisite solidarity. Yet the very name of the country might lead one to expect a relatively high level of cohesion derived from a common ethnic background. To coin a term, Afghanistan is an “ethnolinguanymic state”—that is, a state named after a dominant ethnic group that speaks a distinctive language and maintains a sense of common identity. Most ethnolinguanymic countries can make credible claims to nation-state status, founded on ethno-national solidarity. To be sure, such solidarity is routinely compromised by resistant minority groups, contested ethnic boundaries, and so on. But the case of Afghanistan is extreme. The identification between the Afghan people and the country of Afghanistan—“land of the Afghans”—is both tenuous and troubled.
Tunisia: the first Pirate revolution?
Back in January, Phil Hunt prophetically posted this on Amused Cynicism:
Do recent events in Tunisia constitute the first Pirate-inspired revolution? Certainly, one of the first things the new government has done is announced “the complete liberty of information”, which is an important Pirate principle.
And if Piratism does become the main revolutionary ideology in the Maghreb and the wider Arab and Muslim world, it’ll be a welcome improvement over Islamist extremism, which has brought a civil war in Algeria that killed 150,000, suicide killings and blown-up mosques in Iraq, rigged elections and repression in Iran, a government that made it a crime to educate girls in Afghanistan, and has brought Pakistan to the brink of being a failed state. I think if I was a Tunisian, I would have a distinct lack of enthusiasm for those results.
By contrast, what does the Pirate Party stand for? Modernity, freedom of speech on the Internet, wealth creation through new technology. Most of all, an end to the stifling global intellectual property regime that America is trying to force on the world (WIPO treaty, ACTA treaty, etc) which denies people life-saving drugs because of patents, and generally acts against the interests of middle-income countries such as Tunisia. (It also acts against the interests of most Americans, but that’s another story).
Furthermore, Piratism is an ideology that inspires people throughout the world, not just in Arab and Muslim countries. ...
~ ~ ~
Additional pirate-related content:
“Shoot the Pirate” Copyright Campaign Descends Into Real Violence
While observers criticize Western companies for their ‘aggressive’ anti-piracy campaigns, elements of the creative industries in South Africa are taking things to a whole new level. With their “Shoot the Pirate” campaign, music and TV industry players have taken to the streets with threats to “fight violence with violence.” Hacks into Sony computers to obtain content and warnings of a blood bath only add to the bizarre mix.
ISPs: Blocking The Pirate Bay Violates Freedom of Expression
Two of the largest Internet providers in the Netherlands clashed in court with the local anti-piracy outfit BREIN today. The ISPs argued that blocking The Pirate Bay would be useless, even dangerous, as it could take down the entire network. In addition they feel that this type of censorship violates basic human rights such as freedom of expression. BREIN disputed these concerns and said that the ISPs want to keep The Pirate Bay online because they profit from the site.
The 7 Most Terrifying Pirates from History
Between Johnny Depp and numerous sports logos, pirates have become cartoon characters in modern culture. It's easy to forget that the real thing did exist, and that in many cases they were much more badass than the Hollywood version.
Pirates, Messiahs, and Movie Stars: Fictional archetype and its role in personal reinvention and the migration of culture
Defoe created in the familiar image of the Pirate an icon that conflates both personal reinvention and political resistance...the pirate is a potent symbol of the political and social self-definition central to modern individualism. In a certain sense, he is in an early immigrant, sacrificing citizenship in his own country in favor of a new nation state beyond the reach of colonial authority. He is also an early example, in the case of mutiny, of unionization, employees banding together to demand better work conditions and a greater share of the profits. Democracy, the freeing of slaves, even the political emancipation of women is manifested to a certain degree in the societies pirates created for themselves, particularly in the America’s at the start of the Eighteenth Century. Also, like migrants and others seeking reinvention, the pirates shaped themselves in the image of already existing iconography.
The calculus of piratical consent: the myth of the mythof social contract by Peter T. Leeson
Abstract
Is a genuine social contract mythical? I argue that pirates created genuine social contracts that established a system of constitutional democracy based on the same decision-making calculus 
and with the same effects that Buchanan and Tullock’s contractarian theory of government describes in The Calculus of Consent. Pirates’ constitutional democracy is the “holy grail” of social contract theory. It demonstrates that the contractarian basis of constitutional democracy is more than a mere analytic device or hypothetical explanationof how such a government could emerge. In pirates’ case, Buchanan and Tullock’s social contract theory describes how constitutional democracy actually did emerge.
Dear Flying Spaghetti Monster
A tale of love, loss and pasta, by Jared Karol
Dear Flying Spaghetti Monster,
I am writing this letter to thank you for saving my son with the celestial touch of your noodly appendage. Since you are the creator of the universe and the master of all beings, you already know my son’s story. It is worth repeating if for no other reason than to give you the true recognition you deserve.
Seeing as you don’t have hands or fingers, you may have trouble opening this letter. I hope the inconvenience does not cause delays in your saving of other people.
For several months upon first eating solid foods, my son gobbled pasta like it was the best food on earth. Which, as you know, it is. He was indiscriminate with his pasta tastes. He scarfed down spaghetti, ravioli, egg noodles and anything else made of dough and flour. He even ate play dough, thinking it was uncooked pasta I’m sure. It was evident he was in touch with his inner noodle.
Then one day my son stopped eating noodles. Just like that. At the sight of noodles he screamed and pushed his plate away. As a man who has been a lifelong member of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and a devoted Pastafarian, this behavior was extremely troubling to me. No matter how I tried to coax and persuade him, he would not eat his noodles. I began to doubt my abilities as a father. I openly wondered if there was something I had done to upset Your Noodliness.
In my confusion and distress, I feared for my son and for what might happen to him for abandoning the values of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
I was worried about how Your Noodliness would perceive our family now that our son had lost touch with his inner noodle, and had gone down a wayward path toward death and destruction.
Of course, had I been of a clearer mind, I would have realized that I had no need to worry.
>> more... >>
Sometimes the popularity of the Flying Spaghetti Monster will be explained to you by one who loves his noodley appendages:
i believe in the flying spaghetti monster
i'd like to share my new found freedom with "ramen" the flying spaghetti monster
And sometimes it won't:
The "Church" of the Flying Spaghetti Monster Explained
GOD -> MAN -> SOUTH PARK -> Flying Spaghetti Monster -> FSM Religion
Trace it back to its Creator!
To "Pastafarians":
They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served CREATED THINGS rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen. - Roman 1:25
THE FLYING SPAGHETTI IDOL
Know more about
IDOLATRY AND FALSE "GODS"
- THE PRAYER MOCKERY -
Our saucer which art in a colander, draining be Your noodles. Thy noodle come, Thy meatballness be done on earth, as it is meaty in heaven. Give us this day our daily sauce, and forgive us our lack of piracy, as we pirate and smuggle against those who lack piracy with us. And lead us not into vegetarianism, but deliver us from non-red meat sauce. For thine is the colander, the noodle, and the sauce, forever and ever. Ramen.
Smithsonian 'Sent Representatives' to Collect ‘Occupy' Memorabilia to 'Document Spirit of American Democracy'
Luvas Zellers reports for CNS News:
The National Museum of American History sent representatives out to collect materials from the Occupy Wall Street protests and "its various offshoots" to “document the spirit of American democracy and the American political process,” according to a statement released by the museum which is part of the federally funded Smithsonian Institution.
The Museum is collecting the Occupy materials as part of its “long tradition of documenting how Americans participate in the life of the nation,” the statement says.
[ ... ]Materials from the protests are being collected for the Museum’s political history collection, which documents the political life of the nation through artifacts that range from campaign materials, like campaign posters and protest signs, to presidential possessions, like the inkwell from which President Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclamation.
“The Museum collects from contemporary events because many of the materials are ephemeral and if not collected immediately, would be lost to the historical record,” according to the statement.
A Very Modest Proposal..Now with Recipes!
Eat the rich? Don't be silly we should eat the poor. There's simply more of them. Let them eat cake. I like my meat nicely marbled.
The American Indian Movement Declares its Solidarity with Occupy Minnesota
In October 2011, a fruitful collaboration between Occupy Minnesota and the American Indian Movement began. Clyde Bellecourt, whose Ojibwe name is Nee-gon-we-way-we-dun, meaning "Thunder Before the Storm," spoke about the alliance on October 27, before leading a march to stop the tar sands Keystone XL Pipeline.
IN THE GREEK MIDWINTER - song econoparody from versusplus.com on THE EUROPEAN CRISIS
NEW FROM THE 2011 VERSUSPLUS HOLIDAY SONGBOOK
A musical parody of the Rossetti/Holst carol "In the Bleak Mid-winter," about the European crisis.
Parody Lyrics: MARCY SHAFFER
Arranged by: GREG HILFMAN
Music Director: GREG HILFMAN
Lead vocal: JANIS LIEBHART
Background vocals: JOANNA BUSHNELL, ANGIE JARÉE, JANIS LIEBHART
Creative Advisor: MERLE HAZARD -http://www.youtube.com/user/MerleHazard
Lyric text is at http://versusplus.com/greek_midwinter.html
For the complete collection of VERSUS original songs and musical parodies, visit us at http://versusplus.com.
Funny Occupy[City] Moments
Some funny clips collected from Youtubers. Featuring Zombies, Amanda Palmer, Brian Havig (standup comedian), and Crazy Religious guy.
And a music video (DBS - Consume) at the end.
Bob Dylan new song" OCCUPY THIS". a parody
Written, Directed and Produced By; Savannah Richards, Sam Hastings and Joe McEvoy.
Original Artwork by; Savannah Richards.
Bob Dylan played brilliantly by; Sam Hastings
Occupy Wall Street song parody by the man of 1000 voices
Sung to the tune of John Mellencamp's "Pink Houses", the man of 1000 voices delivers another original song parody dedicated to the 99%. No copyright infringement intended or implied.
Right Wing Christians Mobilize Prayer Teams to Pray Away Occupy Wall Street
Or, Welcome to the Autumn of Hate
Ancient Aliens: Occupy Wall Street Illuminati Conspiracy
The Wall Street protesters are really reptilian shapeshifters.
Occupy Wall Street--Protester Sings Parody Songs
Occupy Wall St protester sings parody songs that she wrote especially for Occupy Wall St about banksters. #OccupyWallSt
Paris special dedication to Greece: Syrtaki à La Défense - Indignés
Le 11.11.11 à La Défense... Les Indignés...
Site : http://paris.reelledemocratie.com
Twitter : #occuponsladefense
Facebook :
Démocratie Réelle maintenant Paris
Occupons la Défense
Les indignés de France...
Occupy song
Just a song about the Occupy movement.
Things Change
I may not be up on my history books
I may have to give them second look
But this is starting to get a familiar ring
Is it finally time that our winter turns to spring?
In these towers made of gold, cloaked in steel
You sometimes forget to remember what is real
Long ago they sold folks standing here in chains
Ain't it funny how some of that still remains
Chorus
But things gonna change, yeah they'll change
As certain as sun and the rain
The pages will rearrange
It's the only thing that always stays the same
Verse 2
Long ago I was told about it in my school
About the sun never setting, long would she rule
We built the hill of gold a hundred miles high
Did our best to keep it from the other guys
We drank a river dry, and cut a billion trees
We build 10,000 ships to cover all the seas
But the old boat is finally starting to leak
Guess running an empire has never been cheap
Verse 3
In my city so many cast adrift
We all been waiting to get on the graveyard shift
And I can't write and I can't barely read
But I can short the market to get what I need
That girl standing with that thing high in the air
Looks pretty and the words have a certain flair
But across the bay her boyfriends stole the show
Every girl wants a diamond necklace don't you know
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