Hate Groups

For a country, the proliferation of Hate Groups is a symptom of sickness, much as cancers inside a body are a sickness. Hatred is a spiritual negative. I challenge anyone dealing with feelings of hatred to Check Yourself, Get Help and Get Better. Using Scapegoats instead of Solutions is not good and not wise.

Colonial Wars require Torture

And Torture is WRONG. Check out the 1966 film "The Battle of Algiers" listed HERE to learn why our soldiers are torturing people in our name in this latest colonial adventure.

Persecution of Whistleblowers Continues

We need to throw out those electronic voting machines and use paper ballots like Canada does.

Diebold Versus California:

http://www.choicechanges.com/
"
[Stephen Heller] has been arraigned on three felonies. His employer was the lawfirm that represented Diebold ... [results of his actions] caused Diebold to be suited for misrepresentation to the state of California about their election equipment. Apparently whistle blower law protects a person from being retaliated against by employers, meaning they can't be fired from their jobs. But they can still be prosecuted for activities that were necessary tools to blow the whistle.
"
http://www.choicechanges.com/

Conscience Speaks

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0219-01.htm
"
"We lament with special anguish the war in Iraq, launched in deception and violating global norms of justice and human rights," said the statement from representatives of the 34 U.S. members of World Council of Churches. "We mourn all who have died or been injured in this war. We acknowledge with shame abuses carried out in our name."
"
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0219-01.htm

AOL Corrupts E-mail System

http://civic.moveon.org/mediaaction...
"
...
AOL recently announced what amounts to an "email tax." Under this pay-to-send system, large emailers willing to pay an "email tax" can bypass spam filters and get guaranteed access to people's inboxes—with their messages having a preferential high-priority designation.1

Charities, small businesses, civic organizing groups, and even families with mailing lists will inevitably be left with inferior Internet service unless they are willing to pay the "email tax" to AOL. We need to stop AOL immediately so other email hosts know that following AOL's lead would be a mistake.

Can you sign this emergency petition to America Online and forward it to your friends?

Sign here: http://civic.moveon.org/emailtax/
...
"
http://civic.moveon.org/mediaaction...

Help Fix the Democratic Party.

Calling all Progressives: The Democratic Party is your Battlestation. It's big, it's frustrating, it's corrupt, and it's YOURS, Like it or NOT.

Until we amend our constitution to enable instant runoff voting, or something like it, any time you cast your vote for a progressive third party (Green, Libertarian, many other fine centers of responsible thought) you lessen the chances of our regaining power from the corporate-corruptionists who erroneously call themselves "Republicans", and who are frankly endangering our species. If you are active in a third party, urge your party to JOIN FORCES with the DEMOCRATIC PARTY in order to regain the PEOPLE's HOUSE and SENATE in 2006. We can belong to our Parties and also be Democrats. I like the Green party, Personally. The trick is to get REAL Progressive Democrats in Power, then get Instant-Runoff Voting and do something about the Electoral College.

DNC good. DLC Bad

We need to return the Democratic Party to progressive core values. The DLC is selling out the Party and should be marginalized and/or eradicated. The DNC under Howard Dean should be the rallying-point for true Progressives. When the DLC began selling out the Democratic Party, looking to the same big-money backers the Republicans used, MANY hardworking people were so disgusted with it that they became Dittoheads, among other things. The polluted Democratic Party today, nicknamed "Republican Lite" by many, is continually failing us, lately "keeping their powder dry" with regard to the non-filibuster of Alito. Today much of the true Democratic base is mistakenly driving around with "W" stickers on their vehicles, having been hoodwinked into a false fascist revolution engineered by the monopolized, corporatist press. If the Democratic Party returns to its true progressive core values, the true base (all of us who make less than 500k/yr, and everybody else who is able to look themselves in the mirror without wincing) will return. This needs to happen YESTERDAY.

Here's one tool: The Backbone Campaign

Bottom Line: DNC good. DLC Bad.

YOUR Democratic Party, Headed by Howard Dean and the DNC, needs a lot of work. It needs YOU.

-- Mark Frankenberg

Kudos Letterman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITSJS4BrKmw

If ya can't beat 'em Join 'em? (or NOT)

This subtle, staid, dignified-petrified gem of sight and sound paints a good picture of the moronic threat that faces humanity today:
http://www.thefrown.com/frowners/becomerepublican.swf

If you like how the information is presented there, I recommend the book "We the People" by Thom Hartmann. It's laid out like a comic book but it's serious and it should be taught in schools.

"WHY WE FIGHT" release schedule changes

Word has it that the release-dates for the film "Why We Fight" have been changed in many locations. Find the updated list of release times/places HERE. Use the Yellow one, not the dark green one.

This film is a must-see for any thinking American, as are "The Power of Nightmares" and "The Corporation".

Have I mentioned today that the problem with the Democratic Party is called the "DLC"? Just wanted to make sure.

Radio Show about Fascism

Hear Mark Frankenberg interview with Robert Larson (1 hour, 50meg MP3): Mark_Frankenberg_Robert_Larson_13jan06.mp3

They Want You to Be Afraid.

This is why there is an outcry about Janet Jackson's boob, but nary a peep when murders are enacted continually, daily, on the television, in front of your kids.

This is why on the TV News you don't hear about the backroom deals going on in the state capitol, or on K-Street up in Washington, but you daily hear about the local murder. You are taught that you are supposed to fear your neighbor.

This is why it was the Commies, then it was the Drug Pushers, now it's the Terrorists.

They want you to be afraid.

This is something the Neoconservatives in America and the Islamic Fundamentalists in the Middle East Have in Common.

“The Power of Nightmares” is a 3-hour BBC documentary explaining the use of fear by governments to oppress their populations. You won't find it at Blockbuster and it was pulled from Amazon.

Here are the three video episode downloads (Each 1 hour in Windows Media format. The introduction has been removed from the 2nd and 3rd episodes, as it was the same in all three episodes):
Episode 1 (74 meg)
Episode 2 (73 meg)
Episode 3 (73 meg)

The Guardian calls “The Power of Nightmares” "The film US TV networks dare not show ", in their article HERE.

The Nation says, "The Power of Nightmares, a three-hour BBC documentary directed by Adam Curtis, is arguably the most important film about the "war on terrorism" since the events of September 11. It is more intellectually engaging, more historically probing and more provocative than any of its rivals, including Fahrenheit 9/11."

Entrepreneurial idea: Dick Cheney Watches

Remember Agnew?


http://www.britannica.com/presidentsWebapp/article.do?articleID=9004048
"
After the solicitor general released a brief asserting that sitting vice presidents could be indicted, Agnew launched an attack on the administration and vowed not to resign.
"

http://www.britannica.com/presidentsWebapp/article.do?articleID=9004048

Gun Smoke

Getting un-favorable attention? Do something un-related to the situation for onlookers to focus on!

Scooter Libby just testified at the end of last week that his boss (Dick Cheney) okayed outing Valerie Plame. This is damning and will probably get Cheney indicted (yes, INDICTED, as many say he is the President of the Senate, thus a legislator, and thus is indictable).

He knows he's in hot water. He shot a hunting partner over the weekend.

Strangely (not really), the shooting, and not the damning Libby testimony is at the top of the headlines at this writing.

Inside-Out, Upside-Down, Bass-Ackwards

When people begin equating strength with malice, equating reason with foolhardiness, equating justice with sentimentality, then things become the negative or reverse of their intended state. When "Liberal" (What Washington wished America to forever be) is attacked as "un-American", or states who march in lockstep behind sold-out corporatists brandishing crosses and flags (while trampling the Constitution) are referred to as "red", then apparently people in droves must be opting for the "Blue Pill".

Labeling the states "Red" and "Blue" is backwards today. In the "Matrix" movie series, the "Red Pill" signifies opening one's eyes to the truth, no matter how ugly that truth might turn out to be. Artists, Intellectuals and anyone else in the world who has chosen to look beyond the foolishness of American Television and other mainstream media can easily find deep truths that are daily ignored in the popular mindset by design of those who own the media. Those truths are unsettling. The "Blue Pill" in the "Matrix" movies denotes blissful ignorance. That's the one to take to enable yourself to continue to live atop a mountain of skulls, hurtling at 90 miles an hour straight for a brick wall, a lemming with all the awareness of an inebriated drunk who doesn't know he is freezing to death.

I would venture to say now that more and more Americans are beginning to take the "Red Pill". I certainly hope so. What a tragedy it would be to meet our end due to the inflicted stupidity known as "blissful ignorance".

-- Mark Frankenberg

More on the Red Pill and the Blue Pill HERE.

Join Citizens in opposing Executive Power Grab

http://political.moveon.org/ruleoflaw/
"
Here is the bottom line: the president is breaking the law. He already has
the authority to wiretap suspected terrorists--and we support that--but he
chose to reach beyond that. We need to know why he refuses to get warrants
and he needs to be held accountable.

Respecting the rule of law isn't a partisan issue, it's a core American
principle. That's why prominent conservatives like David Keene, Paul
Weyrich and Grover Norquist are outraged by the president's illegal
program.4 Even leading Republicans like Chuck Hagel, Lindsey Graham, and
Sam Brownback have seriously questioned the president's authority.5 With
public criticism mounting, the Bush administration knows they're in big
trouble.

If the president can get away with breaking the law now, there's no limit
to what he or any other president can do. Together we can stop it now.
"
http://political.moveon.org/ruleoflaw/

Time out for a brief, (subtle,eloquent?), inspiring film:

http://filmstripinternational.com/

Open Your Eyes

Would you say that this an indicator of incipient theocracy (read the First Amendment), or is it an indicator of our disintegration into corporate feudalism?

Just thinking..

Did I mention today that the DLC should be kicked out of the Democratic Party?

One way to Treat our Addiction to Oil

"America is Addicted to Oil", [president*] Bush says.

"If the exemption of SUVs from fleet mileage standards were ended and fleet gas mileage in the U.S. were to increase by a tiny 3 miles per gallon, we'd no longer need to import any oil from the Middle East!"

-- Thom Hartmann, "We the People"

You know, since the 1970's we've all known that the world is going to run out of fuel. Why, then, do people drive these huge gas-guzzlers around? I believe it is due to the exotic combination of personal irresponsibility and a mindless, corrupt public policy, but that's just me, of course.

*Swore an oath to defend the Constitution and he's NOT DOING IT. Read the Bill of Rights and see what YOU think.

Some of the Evidence is Missing

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0202-10.htm
...
we advise you that we have learned that not all e-mail of the Office of Vice President and the Executive Office of the President for certain time periods in 2003 was preserved through the normal archiving process on the White House computer system.
...
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0202-10.htm

Rays of Hope

http://www.powerfromthesun.net/chapter1/Chapter1.htm
"


"
http://www.powerfromthesun.net/chapter1/Chapter1.htm

Tomorrow The World

In the State of the Union Speech last night, 31jan06, Bush justified his NSA spying on U.S. Citizens by introducing a new "Terrorist Surveillance Program".

The speaking event began with Corporate Media glibly announcing that Cindy Sheehan had been arrested.

By "Terrorist", one might suspect that the Executive was referring to any artists, intellectuals, dissenters or other Free-thinking human-beings who don't like the smell of what's been going on in the world since 2000.

He also said that decisions regarding our actions in Iraq and elsewhere would be made by commanders, and not politicians.

Congress Has NOT Declared War.

He also subtly hinted at numerous points on his intention to invade Iran, citing Weapons of Mass Destruction.

He made no reference to asking Congress to Declare War on Iran.

Toward the end of his speech, the Executive mentioned "Public Trust" and "Ethical Standards" and a "pledge" to uphold such things.

Maybe this was a reference to the OATH OF OFFICE he and all his accomplices SWORE, to Defend the Constitution of the United States.

All over America, district attorneys and prosecutors should be preparing their cases against this Executive and his entire administration, and numerous accomplices in the Judiciary and Legislature, for Abuses of Power, Betrayal of the public Trust, and Undermining the Constitution of the United States of America.

He mentioned "victories to come".

Let that victory be the victory of the RULE OF LAW over incipient Tyranny.