Purpose

The item from the Guardian on clicktivism I linked to in the last post has a  potent prediction in its conclusion.  I like the sentiment.  It is not enough though.  Jettisoning the methods of marketing is fine, but what then?  How to truly embrace the power of the net & social networks in an emerging world, how that can be done in a radical revolutionary way is not yet evident.  Do Wikipedia,  Linux, Facebook have something that can be harnessed for a greater purpose?  How?

Clicktivism is ruining leftist activism | Micah White | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk:

In place of measurements and focus groups will be a return to the very thing that marketers most fear: the passionate, ideological and total critique of consumer society. Resuscitating the emancipatory project the left was once known for, these activists will attack the deadening commercialisation of life. And, uniting a global population against the megacorporations who unduly influence our democracies, they will jettison the consumerist ideology of marketing that has for too long constrained the possibility of social revolution.

Zeitgeist

I just watched the movie Zeitgeist: Addenda Here: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7065205277695921912#

I got to it because I saw in Google news that the movie is showing in Christchurch tonight. What I like about the movie is that it shows the end is night. It shows the nature of the problem, essentially the crumbling of the US empire.

It does it quite well! It shows the power of the IMF and World bank, the corporations, and shows really well how the US conducts its empire. It is holistic in many ways, drawing on people from a lot of fields for their opinion.

Critique and and a link follow, and a pdf:

Continue reading “Zeitgeist”

My Parents Were Executed


From Democracy Now

Son of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg: “My Parents Were Executed Under the Unconstitutional Espionage Act — Here’s Why We Must Fight to Protect Julian Assange”:

As the U.S. Department of Justice considers charging WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange under the Espionage Act of 1917, we speak with Robert Meeropol, the son of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg—the only U.S. citizens to be executed under the Espionage Act, in what’s been described as the most controversial death sentence in U.S. history. This week, Meeropol released a widely read statement in support of WikiLeaks called, “My Parents Were Executed Under the Unconstitutional Espionage Act—Here’s Why We Must Fight to Protect Julian Assange.” [includes rush transcript]

Mokihinui Plans

Ah, more recent news (October 2010) and it confirms that there is a plan, to build and to oppose the dam.

POWER struggle | Stuff.co.nz:

Meridian has the project on first base by obtaining the required resource consents from the West Coast Regional and Buller District councils. In March, commissioners decided, two to one, to grant the consents. The Department of Conservation (DOC), Forest & Bird and Whitewater NZ are appealing and the Environment Court is expected to hear the case in 2012.

On it & onto it