The British Government held Julian Assange’s hearing in the tiniest courtroom available, but allowed 40 reporters to monitor the proceedings in another, larger courtroom by means of an audiovisual system that didn’t work.
The good news with the French is they seem to have overcome the left v.s. right dynamic in their protests like the yellow vests, and the farmer protests, a lot to learn there, we need a broad based popular front like yesterday in the U Eseen A.
Ole' Genocide Joe is once again throwing around nickels like he throws around manhole covers. Especially, when it comes to matters of the common folk. What a guy! We can take a stroll down memory lane to the pre-2020 election which Ole' Genocide Joe said, "I am going to give every working man, woman, and anyone else $2000 as soon as I am elected." What Ole' Genocide Joe did was stick his thumb up his arse for six months, then out of the goodness of his iron heart, gave the common folk $1400. The reason according to Ole' Genocide Joe was because President Trump already gave you $600. The reason for the time it took was never fully explained. When it comes to greasey, brain addled politicians, watch what they do, not what they say. It is also nice to see Ole' Genocide Joe has not changed a bit.
Ray McGovern had this doozy of joke about the Brits. When McGovern was visiting his great uncle back in Ireland and his uncle said, "Do you know why the sun never sets on the English Empire?" McGovern said, "No!" The uncle shot back, "Because, God doesn't trust them in the dark!!!" IMHO, that joke sums up the Brits. You can attend a public hearing. Yet, good luck in seeing and/or hearing the hearing.
While on the subject of reflections, let take you back to the wonderful year of 1974. This is a reflection of the local government and the education system. While in high school band practice, the instructor announced the School District Board of Supervisors were planning to cut funding to all Arts Programs which included the 3rd grade through 12th grade music program. This fact needs to be mentioned, this was the beginning of the era, "We need to focus our education system on the 3 R's to keep up with the Japanese!" Well, about 200 of us students showed up to this school board meeting. This was only the start.
So the City Board Room was full and the Supervisors were perplexed. Well okay, these Supervisors first wanted to know what was the reason for the crowd of people, so they were politely informed. Second, the Supervisors said they are decorum rules to the meeting and they will be enforced. Here, here there was perfect quiet in the room as these people spoke, let me explain further. These students were from award winning orchestra, concert band, stage (jazz) band and marching band. We knew from our training, when an event started, it was not the time to have a casual discussion. These Supervisors had no idea who they were dealing with. So after the Supervisors express their lack of interest in our concerns (kid you not) the meeting actually started. The first rule of order, because of the size of the crowd, comments from the gallery will be five minutes long and only six of will be able to speak. The motion was seconded, and a vote of 6 to 1 in favor. Then the gallery was told that is how democracy works. Six students did express their experience and opinion. Then all of us were told that we were in fact, to young to have an opinion on such important matters. At that point, the Supervisors were asking each other if there were any other matters of the agenda. One Supervisor expressed discomfort having so many people in the gallery. So the meeting was called early, because none of the students were leaving. But, there is more.
The next week, the board room was once again full. This time not only were the students there, so were many of their parents. It was the parents turn to speak and they were told the five minute rule imposed by last weeks vote was in effect. Four out of six parents were very upset. Paraphrased, 'Who do you think you are speaking to my child that way?' Two of the parents attempted to be more diplomatic, but only found frustration with those efforts. Once again the meeting was called early because nobody was leaving when a new topic was called for.
Week Three should be no surprise to anybody. All of the doors to the board room were locked. There was no gallery present when the vote for cuts to the Arts Program were enacted. It was brutal lesson for this 14 year old to learn. It was also hard for my fellow classmates, some were in tears.
Years later, I did see the results from the actions described above. The once proud marching band which stretched from goal line to goal line on the gird iron, performed in front of a crowd of over 10 thousand at Angel Stadium, in front of untold thousands at Disneyland, in neighboring states of California, and back to a position in the Rose Parade, well, the band was less than one quarter in size. Maybe an eighth in size, it was puny and pathetic. Which means, the kids who came after us will never have those experiences me and my classmates had.
Thanks for sharing that. And I'm sure those kids were taught in their history and civics classes that America is a democracy, where the people have a say in their government. Glad the parents showed up, but when the doors were locked the third time they did what Americans always do when their rights are denied by "their": tuck tail and go home.
Your story is an example of a button I had made up a few years ago: "Billionaires? Our kids can't afford 'em."
I'd always keep a few extras in my pocket because I often had people comment on it and I'd give them one if they wanted to wear one.
I was in the high school marching and concert bands because I was a nerd and it was the easiest out of choices between Phys. Ed. and a sports team, and I was no athlete. It certainly wasn't because I had any talent on the trombone.
My particular high school was in a district full of upper middle class and wealthy anglos and Tejanos on the north side of San Antonio. The marching band had 110 members, the concert band nearly as many, and we also had a jazz band.
In my senior year, 1975-76, in spite of me, both the marching and concert band won statewide championships. The only way we could afford to take the trip to Dallas each time for the finals were financed by fundraising drives(collecting returnable bottles at first), and by donations from parents.
Two years previously, when the band went to the finals and lost, the trip had been paid for by the school district. That was also when my dad really came through for us students once, when he went to a school board/PTA meeting and gave an impassioned speech on how banning books like Catcher in the Rye or Brave New World or Huckleberry Finn or Raisin in the Sun or Fahrenheit 451 was a violation of the First Amendment rights of both students and teachers.
He also argued that since those books were only taught in elective courses, and not required for anyone who didn't want to take them, that the other side's argument smelled like wet cow patties. He wasn't even a lawyer. He was a podiatrist. We also got to read those books.
Similar times. Yah, that was the rise of the 3 Rs and standardized testing. Teaching to the test, new math that makes no sense, anything not to teach critical thinking skills.
Couldn't have a repeat of all those long-haired hippie faggot commie anti-American protests, now could we?
Thanks for ending with a story of kindness and compassion. Thanks to those deputies. Hope the deer makes it safely through the next hunting season.
I heard that NPR story and was shocked it made it on the air. Let's see if the truth keeps coming. You can bet there was a lot of editorial angst on whether or not to run the story. It has been beyond sad seeing the collapse of NPR. I used to listen morning and evening every day.
For awhile, I was sending letters to NPR regularly sending feedback, and from my journalism background, offering ideas in the midst of the budget cuts and never got a single reply. Now I can go a week without tuning in. I've switched over to the BBC, which has some excellent reporting and podcasts. But as I write I'm listening to a BBC report on the collapse of the bloody US/Nato Ukraine scandal and it's pretty much what you'd hear on MSNBC. The empire toddles on, its drippy, goopy diapers dragging along the floor.
Have you noticed the dramatic increase in "falling dominoes" stories about Russia and how if/when Ukraine falls Putin is going to take over all of Europe, and I assume, the moon and Mars. Wall Street's gonna throw us into WW III.
The Assange trial and that French law SHOULD have people in the streets. Like 'em or hate 'em, the first line of freedom is a free press. Without it, we are screwed. Just saw this ugly version of Assange censorship happening in the US:
'Disturbing': Biden DOJ Indicts Journalist for Leaking Tucker Carlson Clips
"By charging Burke, the U.S. Justice Department is sending a clear signal to the news media that prosecutors will not hesitate to aid a powerful or influential corporation in suppressing investigative journalism." https://www.commondreams.org/news/timothy-burke-indictment
I'd make one correction edit to the headline above. The proper spelling is "Just-Us" Department.
There's quite a bit to unpack there, so I'm going to give you more than one reply.
First, I read the Common Dreams story, so thanks. OK, the Kleptocracy is using garbage postmodernist unreasoning to redefine "journalist" as one employed by an institution recognized by the Kleptocracy as legitimate. Change the definition of the press, and persecute any members of the press who don't fit the fake definition.
Oddly enough, I think the Federal judiciary will end up saving us from that one. Of the three Federal branches, the only one that sometimes works anymore is the Judicial. The DOJ is making a legally ridiculous argument. I think if this case makes it to the Supremes they'll shoot down the DOJ in flames.
In the lead up to the Revolutionary War people like Ben Franklin and Thomas Paine regularly published pamphlets under pseudonyms challenging British rule that got handed out and nailed to trees in town squares. Kinda' the social media of the day. They were not working for some 18tth century version of MSNC or Fox. In my view, every citizen is a potential journalist and whether it is a protest sign, website, social media post or wearing a t-shirt with a message, they are protected by the First Amendment.
I am a firm believer that the answer to 'bad' speech is more speech with stronger arguments, reasoning etc. The most terrifying thing to the ruling class is free speech to question, challenge or present an alternative to a norm they profit from.
Unfortunately, with the rise and control of AI ,this may all soon be moot.
Exactly, but I get the feeling that AI isn't going to be nearly as effective of a tool that they think it will. Human beings, especially American ones, are always good at finding ways around authoritarian restrictions.
Yes, Franklin and Paine were independent pamphleteers. In the leadup to the French Revolution there were magazines and newsletters, and of course the government banned them. They were read anyway.
That said, the First Amendment's a powerful thing on several different levels. As an American, I see it as my duty as a citizen to defend it. After all, it's one of our best things.
Between you and Scott Ritter, I'm learning to pronounce geographical areas of the globe, which is a welcome thing with my disbelief and disgruntled state of mind. Remember though, the real revolution has yet to rear its head for Mr. & Mrs America.
Thank you for your updates spiced with humor. I'm so depressed reading/following Gaza that I had to link to and read to believe the story about the deer which I was relieved to find had had its suffering remedied by removing the container NOT by other devices....I'm heartened only by global testemonials at the ICJ which thankfully I'm following on youtube through various news sources (Al Jazeera, Pakistan, South Africa, among others none of which are Western/NATO based), and those analysts predicting that the hegemonic power structures in place for the last 80 years are at last being fractured....Pepe Escobar had an interesting discussion about this with Danny Haiphong this week...Though Escobar lacked specifics, he predicted that a major shake-up is on its way....As they used to say in military intelligence, analysis continues.
you are a gut-guffawing avatar of hilarity. thank you ohio barbarian, whoever you are. your wit draped my day in belly-laughs.
That frog graphic made me legit lol.
The good news with the French is they seem to have overcome the left v.s. right dynamic in their protests like the yellow vests, and the farmer protests, a lot to learn there, we need a broad based popular front like yesterday in the U Eseen A.
Thanks for keeping us informed.
I'm all for supplying DIY instruction booklets for home-built guillotines, with or without frogs. Nice wrap up of the week.
Hello Friends. Hope all is well with everyone.
Ole' Genocide Joe is once again throwing around nickels like he throws around manhole covers. Especially, when it comes to matters of the common folk. What a guy! We can take a stroll down memory lane to the pre-2020 election which Ole' Genocide Joe said, "I am going to give every working man, woman, and anyone else $2000 as soon as I am elected." What Ole' Genocide Joe did was stick his thumb up his arse for six months, then out of the goodness of his iron heart, gave the common folk $1400. The reason according to Ole' Genocide Joe was because President Trump already gave you $600. The reason for the time it took was never fully explained. When it comes to greasey, brain addled politicians, watch what they do, not what they say. It is also nice to see Ole' Genocide Joe has not changed a bit.
Ray McGovern had this doozy of joke about the Brits. When McGovern was visiting his great uncle back in Ireland and his uncle said, "Do you know why the sun never sets on the English Empire?" McGovern said, "No!" The uncle shot back, "Because, God doesn't trust them in the dark!!!" IMHO, that joke sums up the Brits. You can attend a public hearing. Yet, good luck in seeing and/or hearing the hearing.
While on the subject of reflections, let take you back to the wonderful year of 1974. This is a reflection of the local government and the education system. While in high school band practice, the instructor announced the School District Board of Supervisors were planning to cut funding to all Arts Programs which included the 3rd grade through 12th grade music program. This fact needs to be mentioned, this was the beginning of the era, "We need to focus our education system on the 3 R's to keep up with the Japanese!" Well, about 200 of us students showed up to this school board meeting. This was only the start.
So the City Board Room was full and the Supervisors were perplexed. Well okay, these Supervisors first wanted to know what was the reason for the crowd of people, so they were politely informed. Second, the Supervisors said they are decorum rules to the meeting and they will be enforced. Here, here there was perfect quiet in the room as these people spoke, let me explain further. These students were from award winning orchestra, concert band, stage (jazz) band and marching band. We knew from our training, when an event started, it was not the time to have a casual discussion. These Supervisors had no idea who they were dealing with. So after the Supervisors express their lack of interest in our concerns (kid you not) the meeting actually started. The first rule of order, because of the size of the crowd, comments from the gallery will be five minutes long and only six of will be able to speak. The motion was seconded, and a vote of 6 to 1 in favor. Then the gallery was told that is how democracy works. Six students did express their experience and opinion. Then all of us were told that we were in fact, to young to have an opinion on such important matters. At that point, the Supervisors were asking each other if there were any other matters of the agenda. One Supervisor expressed discomfort having so many people in the gallery. So the meeting was called early, because none of the students were leaving. But, there is more.
The next week, the board room was once again full. This time not only were the students there, so were many of their parents. It was the parents turn to speak and they were told the five minute rule imposed by last weeks vote was in effect. Four out of six parents were very upset. Paraphrased, 'Who do you think you are speaking to my child that way?' Two of the parents attempted to be more diplomatic, but only found frustration with those efforts. Once again the meeting was called early because nobody was leaving when a new topic was called for.
Week Three should be no surprise to anybody. All of the doors to the board room were locked. There was no gallery present when the vote for cuts to the Arts Program were enacted. It was brutal lesson for this 14 year old to learn. It was also hard for my fellow classmates, some were in tears.
Years later, I did see the results from the actions described above. The once proud marching band which stretched from goal line to goal line on the gird iron, performed in front of a crowd of over 10 thousand at Angel Stadium, in front of untold thousands at Disneyland, in neighboring states of California, and back to a position in the Rose Parade, well, the band was less than one quarter in size. Maybe an eighth in size, it was puny and pathetic. Which means, the kids who came after us will never have those experiences me and my classmates had.
I think Ole' Genocide Joe would be proud.
Thanks for sharing that. And I'm sure those kids were taught in their history and civics classes that America is a democracy, where the people have a say in their government. Glad the parents showed up, but when the doors were locked the third time they did what Americans always do when their rights are denied by "their": tuck tail and go home.
Your story is an example of a button I had made up a few years ago: "Billionaires? Our kids can't afford 'em."
I'd always keep a few extras in my pocket because I often had people comment on it and I'd give them one if they wanted to wear one.
I was in the high school marching and concert bands because I was a nerd and it was the easiest out of choices between Phys. Ed. and a sports team, and I was no athlete. It certainly wasn't because I had any talent on the trombone.
My particular high school was in a district full of upper middle class and wealthy anglos and Tejanos on the north side of San Antonio. The marching band had 110 members, the concert band nearly as many, and we also had a jazz band.
In my senior year, 1975-76, in spite of me, both the marching and concert band won statewide championships. The only way we could afford to take the trip to Dallas each time for the finals were financed by fundraising drives(collecting returnable bottles at first), and by donations from parents.
Two years previously, when the band went to the finals and lost, the trip had been paid for by the school district. That was also when my dad really came through for us students once, when he went to a school board/PTA meeting and gave an impassioned speech on how banning books like Catcher in the Rye or Brave New World or Huckleberry Finn or Raisin in the Sun or Fahrenheit 451 was a violation of the First Amendment rights of both students and teachers.
He also argued that since those books were only taught in elective courses, and not required for anyone who didn't want to take them, that the other side's argument smelled like wet cow patties. He wasn't even a lawyer. He was a podiatrist. We also got to read those books.
Similar times. Yah, that was the rise of the 3 Rs and standardized testing. Teaching to the test, new math that makes no sense, anything not to teach critical thinking skills.
Couldn't have a repeat of all those long-haired hippie faggot commie anti-American protests, now could we?
Thanks for ending with a story of kindness and compassion. Thanks to those deputies. Hope the deer makes it safely through the next hunting season.
I heard that NPR story and was shocked it made it on the air. Let's see if the truth keeps coming. You can bet there was a lot of editorial angst on whether or not to run the story. It has been beyond sad seeing the collapse of NPR. I used to listen morning and evening every day.
For awhile, I was sending letters to NPR regularly sending feedback, and from my journalism background, offering ideas in the midst of the budget cuts and never got a single reply. Now I can go a week without tuning in. I've switched over to the BBC, which has some excellent reporting and podcasts. But as I write I'm listening to a BBC report on the collapse of the bloody US/Nato Ukraine scandal and it's pretty much what you'd hear on MSNBC. The empire toddles on, its drippy, goopy diapers dragging along the floor.
Have you noticed the dramatic increase in "falling dominoes" stories about Russia and how if/when Ukraine falls Putin is going to take over all of Europe, and I assume, the moon and Mars. Wall Street's gonna throw us into WW III.
The Assange trial and that French law SHOULD have people in the streets. Like 'em or hate 'em, the first line of freedom is a free press. Without it, we are screwed. Just saw this ugly version of Assange censorship happening in the US:
'Disturbing': Biden DOJ Indicts Journalist for Leaking Tucker Carlson Clips
"By charging Burke, the U.S. Justice Department is sending a clear signal to the news media that prosecutors will not hesitate to aid a powerful or influential corporation in suppressing investigative journalism." https://www.commondreams.org/news/timothy-burke-indictment
I'd make one correction edit to the headline above. The proper spelling is "Just-Us" Department.
Life ... and death ... in the falling empire.
There's quite a bit to unpack there, so I'm going to give you more than one reply.
First, I read the Common Dreams story, so thanks. OK, the Kleptocracy is using garbage postmodernist unreasoning to redefine "journalist" as one employed by an institution recognized by the Kleptocracy as legitimate. Change the definition of the press, and persecute any members of the press who don't fit the fake definition.
Oddly enough, I think the Federal judiciary will end up saving us from that one. Of the three Federal branches, the only one that sometimes works anymore is the Judicial. The DOJ is making a legally ridiculous argument. I think if this case makes it to the Supremes they'll shoot down the DOJ in flames.
In the lead up to the Revolutionary War people like Ben Franklin and Thomas Paine regularly published pamphlets under pseudonyms challenging British rule that got handed out and nailed to trees in town squares. Kinda' the social media of the day. They were not working for some 18tth century version of MSNC or Fox. In my view, every citizen is a potential journalist and whether it is a protest sign, website, social media post or wearing a t-shirt with a message, they are protected by the First Amendment.
I am a firm believer that the answer to 'bad' speech is more speech with stronger arguments, reasoning etc. The most terrifying thing to the ruling class is free speech to question, challenge or present an alternative to a norm they profit from.
Unfortunately, with the rise and control of AI ,this may all soon be moot.
Exactly, but I get the feeling that AI isn't going to be nearly as effective of a tool that they think it will. Human beings, especially American ones, are always good at finding ways around authoritarian restrictions.
Yes, Franklin and Paine were independent pamphleteers. In the leadup to the French Revolution there were magazines and newsletters, and of course the government banned them. They were read anyway.
That said, the First Amendment's a powerful thing on several different levels. As an American, I see it as my duty as a citizen to defend it. After all, it's one of our best things.
Between you and Scott Ritter, I'm learning to pronounce geographical areas of the globe, which is a welcome thing with my disbelief and disgruntled state of mind. Remember though, the real revolution has yet to rear its head for Mr. & Mrs America.
Thank you for your updates spiced with humor. I'm so depressed reading/following Gaza that I had to link to and read to believe the story about the deer which I was relieved to find had had its suffering remedied by removing the container NOT by other devices....I'm heartened only by global testemonials at the ICJ which thankfully I'm following on youtube through various news sources (Al Jazeera, Pakistan, South Africa, among others none of which are Western/NATO based), and those analysts predicting that the hegemonic power structures in place for the last 80 years are at last being fractured....Pepe Escobar had an interesting discussion about this with Danny Haiphong this week...Though Escobar lacked specifics, he predicted that a major shake-up is on its way....As they used to say in military intelligence, analysis continues.
Thanks for the amusement, as always.