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I'm just saying. It's just a matter of time before wikileaks drops a cable on the US banks.
Don't you think it would be wise to be prepared to organize, just in case?
I really like how they have been getting creative.
We should learn to be ready to radically express ourselves and rely on ourselves. We need to maintain security culture and organize intelligently. We need to keep each other aware of how we are being fooled, and be ready to take steps towards real change by making it happen ourselves.
I agree with the sentiment of this post but it bums me out that someone photoshopped the sign being held in the image captioned "Walk like an Egyptian."
I was going to say you probably have to save the image or view it directly to see the whole thing but I guess clicking reply let's you see it too haha.
Destabilization is the tool being used by the globalist bankers to bring in
a one world government.
Watch as the IMF comes to the rescue of these contries taking control
of infastructure and resources.
protest only works when those in power fear that the protesters will march into buildings and drag them out into the street. otherwise a broken, obsolete system just gets a little "reform."
When you live on less than $2.00 a day and go hungry.....otherwise we are too content borrowing money from the Chinese to fund our homes and lifestyles.
Ghandi, and M.L.K., of leaders who have gained success from this.
Non-peaceful riots and coups lose respect of the population at large and are doomed to eventual failure.
Tunisians and now Egyptians are making a good demonstration of how this can be done. It took Tunisia 26 days to get there. It's only been a few days for Egypt. Give them a chance.
The internet, wikileaks, and social media will be a huge force to enable us to collectively change the world. Let's strive to protect it.
The day will come when it's
I think people are too complacent. They are too attached to their x-box and Superbowl to give a shit about what we really should be working on planning for together.
Joe Borfo responding to a comment by asparagus
02.1.11 - 10:31 am
The day will come when it's our turn rise up and learn to use our collective voices.
I'm saying that we should get ourselves ready to do it intelligently. We are not all dumb sports fans that get off on causing chaos when their home team wins a championship.
If we are all realized how we are connected with the same needs and wishes, we can make a huge shift in the way we are oppressed. The day is already here. We are too distracted to see this. We still have a chance to use our voices and make a stand peacefully. That is If it's already not too late. Thanks to things like the internet world is beginning to rise up. It's all around if you open your eyes.
And those who believe in separation and solving things with guns are the ones we need to work around. There's a wrong way and the right way. We have examples to work from.
However, from the Seattle WTO protests, I did agree with the quote -"Violence against corporate property isn't violence."
large protest can work but only if those in power fear the people. that doesn't exist here. the government and the organizations that control it don't fear us at all. they have no reason to work in our favor. that was my point. not suggesting violence.
any protest that turns violent in the US is crushed and used as an excuse to cram more police state down our throats.
agree, complacency is the enemy. it's our national product. made in china. may contain ingredients known to cause cancer. ignorance is a close second.
asparagus responding to a comment by Joe Borfo
02.1.11 - 11:48 am
History disagrees.
Its more about how the public perceives the protesters than the government.
When the mass of the public agrees with the protesters and backs that up with support. A government is helpless to do anything ... they will in fact go into overdrive to make themselves appear to be on the "side" of the protesters.
This happens again and again.
If the protesters are marginalized, which is more often the case then yes the police state wins.
That thin line can be seen in Egypt, which could have been described as a police state.
Egypt's police have all but disappeared and the military has begun to support the protests after initial clashes with protesters. I can't see how Mubarak can remain in power....
Too bad our own government isn't forcefully supporting pro-democracy protests.
Sometimes the "forceful support" of a popular movement by the US is a deficit as the US is not considered to be a good faith actor ... especially in the mid-east.
What would be smarter is to do something more subtle like remind the Egyptians that US made weapons are not, under our agreements, allowed to be used for acts of aggression.
Basically let them know that the 2Bil. in military aide we give them has not been earmarked for this purpose.
It would send a strong signal to everyone without overtly taking a position.
That's kind of the thing, isn't it? The heavier the U.S. hand in the overthrow, the less legitimate it will seem, and the more likely that fundamentalists and other groups opposed to U.S. influence will be able to co-opt whatever government eventually arises in Egypt. Thus, the deafening silence from the world's "champions for democracy."
I'm not convinced that Obama is really all that much of an idealist when it comes to promoting democracy in the Middle East. Most of what he's done foreign policy-wise has been completely unremarkable and more aimed toward maintaining the status quo than anything else. I think he'd probably just as soon leave Mubarak in power if the alternative is anything that disrupts commerce. If he had the choice, of course, which he doesn't.
As much as I love the energy, the people coming to together, the sentiment against what we don't want and maybe what we do want of a protest. My experience has taught me that protest is the least efficient way for change. We are still fortunate enough in this country to change what we are doing and build what we want to create whatever society we want.
The banks, we don't do business with bankster gangster anymore they will have no money and dissolve (this means pulling your money out of Chase, Citibank, BOA etc)
Don't take there loans either. Don't buy their poisonous food any more.
Don't listen or watch their media. Don't pay for there comcast, timewarner, verizon internet. Most importantly don't vote for there politicians anymore. We could fill in the blank with more withdrawing action ideas to crash the system and create a system of what we want that creates wealth, and employment for us.
Thinking about what needs to be done and what the people of our country would be willing to do, .....................Well, I guess it would be easier for people in this society to just protest.
What important to Obama right now is the Suez Canal. US will not allow a leader that isn't friendly to the US floating it's warships through that waterway. Hopefully for all of us it will be through putting in a puppet who will have to respond to the people's need (getting rid of IMF set high priced foods, and allow people to create a living for themselves, still getting the canal and playing nice to Israel and its fine treatment of it's own Indians oops I mean Palestinians). The worse case scenario would be Israel and US militarily attacking Egypt if it doesn't get a leader it wants.
Control of the seal lanes is control of international commerce. Very important to maintaining an Empire.
sexy responding to a comment by nathansnider
02.1.11 - 1:47 pm
While I'm in no means an expert, in this case I feel that the "made in USA" tear gas canisters require the US to take a more forceful/louder reaction in favor of the protests. Usually, I agree with you, we stick our face where is does not belong. In this case, our silence is being interpreted by the pro-democracy forces that the US backs Mubarak. The opposition, not including the Muslim Brotherhood, is not inherently anti-US or so I've read so far. If Obama called for him to step down now, like Turkey or Iran has, that would make the US look more like a "good faith actor."
However, as has been pointed out, most of all this is "acting." All the US government wants is control/influence over sea lanes and a pro-US business environment.....
An unedited transcript of a phone call with someone who's been protesting on the streets of Cairo. The whole thing's pretty fascinating and inspiring, but I especially like this:
"Fuck the internet! I have not seen it since Thursday and I am not missing it. I don’t need it. No one in Tahrir Square needs it. No one in Suez needs it or in Alex…Go tell Mubarak that the peoples revolution does not need his damn internet!"
I think lazy Western journalists are wrapped up in this idea that recent political upheavals are all driven by Facebook and Twitter just because those are their only sources of information about what's happening on the ground. And people eat these stories up - maybe because it allows them to feel important when they retweet something from Cairo in between updates about their latest cup of coffee and a new cat video? I don't know. It's just weird how much of the reporting about protests (in Egypt, Tunisia, Iran) has focused on the use of social media, when common sense and economic reality dictate that the real organizing is being done with paper and footwork.
But whatever. That's not even the main focus of the interview I linked to above. Read it if you like. It's interesting.
I would say at least 90%of what any president does is maintain the status quo.
That status quo is as such because on some level thats what has been "working".
Fuck with what "works" and the opposition will mop you up in the next election.
(doubly so if you are the 1st black president).
While I tend to agree with sexy politically about 90% of the time. I'd never vote for him for president.
He'd lead with his conscience and either
a) get assassinated
b) be ousted in a coup
or
c) betray us all and continue propping up the empire making subtle changes around the edges to appease us, and hopefully make the US 1 or 2% better (which is still alot for a multi-billion $$ economy.)
uh, did I leaks sexy's presidential candidacy to the media?
oops.
trickmilla responding to a comment by nathansnider
02.1.11 - 4:46 pm
I see social media networks as part of our evolution as humans. The more interconnected we become, the more likely we are able to maintain peace and understanding between each other. As petty as they may seem, facebook and twilter are stepping stones toward this advancement toward our connectedness. These social networking mediums will improve and advance how we use can be there for others even though we may be on the other side of the world. CicLAvia benefited greatly from Facebook. Twitter provides similar benefits for events and for getting bits of news out to masses without the need of reliance of the corporate media. These changes in social networking provide the keys to conveying ideas and to communicate the needs of people and how we can transform our lives. Yes. the powers that be can shut it off and cripple us who rely on it. We must fight to prevent this from happening. Internet should be hands off by governments and controlled by the wiki of anonymousness.
WIKILEAKS WAS A KEY COMPONENT THAT LEAD TO THE REVOLUTION IN TUNISIA.
The present movement in Egypt was inspired by the success of the Tunisians.
You can't say the internet does not have the power to create revolutions. IT HAS.
As much of some of us hate mediums like Facebook and Twitter, It has got some great potentials for effecting change.
Even though Omar says they cut the internet. Tweets are still getting out and informing the news about the status of the people in Cairo.
The trend may continue. Just wait and the tell me I am wrong.
Joe Borfo responding to a comment by nathansnider
02.1.11 - 5:55 pm
status quo has been working great for the countless people that lost their jobs/homes so bank execs could have gigantic bonuses and how about the working class that has to fight for scraps everyday just to survive. or the thousands of people sitting in jail for possessing a harmless plant. and don't forget the millions of people around the world that have been slaughtered and forced to live in unimaginable conditions because of americas insane foreign policy. this list could go on forever. fuck the status quo. i'd rather the united states collapse and be thrown out of my own comfort zone than see one more person suffer to support an empire full of selfish children.
asparagus responding to a comment by trickmilla
02.2.11 - 10:08 am
How can this happen here, when half of the country supports the sitting President from the left and the other half says he is the worse thing to ever happen to the country. And when the President from the right is sitting in the oval office the people who supported or held their nose for the President from the left thinks that person is the worse thing to ever happen to this country??? Both left said actor (acting) President and right said actor (acting) President represent the same Ruling Elite of this country.
People in this country are against the figureheads of the same two head ruling party not realizing left and right President doesn't represent them but represents the minority rich of this country.
Can't happen here until people realize this.
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END OF THE THREAD!
Meet at 9:30, ride at 10 (bike time)
Location Lafayette Park
I think lazy Western journalists are wrapped up in this idea that recent political upheavals are all driven by Facebook and Twitter just because those are their only sources of information about what's happening on the ground. And people eat these stories up - maybe because it allows them to feel important when they retweet something from Cairo in between updates about their latest cup of coffee and a new cat video? I don't know. It's just weird how much of the reporting about protests (in Egypt, Tunisia, Iran) has focused on the use of social media, when common sense and economic reality dictate that the real organizing is being done with paper and footwork.
Malcolm Gladwell, of all people, recently took a good shot at that "Twitter and Facebook are, like, revolutionary" bullshit in the New Yorker recently.
I was very interested today to see that the New York Times was the only one of the newspapers that I checked (online) to come right out and state the very obvious fact that the sudden appearance of pro-Mubarak "demonstrators" and the violence that followed were an event orchestrated by the government. All the other sources I read cast it as an accusation by the anti-government protesters, thus implying that it might not have been true.
PC responding to a comment by nathansnider
02.3.11 - 4:49 am
well why did the food vendor burn himself alive in Egypt? one of the main reasons the riots started was not because there wasn't enough food, but because food prices were ridiculously high thus unaffordable.
Our economy is based on unlimited resources and exponential growth. Yet we have limited resources. In the 1970's, our oil production peaked. There were huge shortages everywhere. We then started to import our oil. There is only so much oil out there that exists.
What happens when the cost of oil is too high for us to afford? Here in LA, our food comes to us on trucks. What will we eat when those trucks stop coming?
We all expect heating and air-conditioning, hot and cold water, reliable electricity, personal transportation, paved roads, illuminated streets, and parking lots, maybe even high speed Internet. Well, what if you had to give up all that? Or, rather, what will you do when you have to give up all that?
How a person frames a question, or a statement will manipulate the thought that is produced by in the choice of words that are use.
Example 80% of population is against A Death Tax
the same population when polled 80% for for an Estate Tax
Same tax, different terminology.
Your argument makes it fact that we are 100% in peak oil, hence this is what is going to happen next enviably. The earth pays us forward in big returns constantly. After studying peak oil and peak everything for the last few years I have come to the conclusion that the earth can handle all of us that are on this planet and even more people. It has more to do with how we handle our resources. High food, oil prices are a political problem not a problem of resources. Supplies and means of productions are manipulated by those in control so they keep control and juicie as much money/labor/control out of the rest of us. We have plenty of energy, plenty of food, (water I don't completely understand....especially here is the Southwest) to sustain us. Besides possible lack of water, I don't see us having to give up any of what we got now. It might be that the mass of population will win out for the water as oppose to the water going to the farmers in the central valley, and we will have to get our food from elsewhere. Shortages and spike in commidty prices always look to me to be manipulated.
sexy responding to a comment by Sneek
02.3.11 - 2:23 pm
It took me a minute to digest what you said the NY Times published. There is always first, they didn't lie or white wash the truth this, probably because that information was out everywhere.. GOOD for the NY Times.
Of course the Wall Street Journal put it pro-totalatarian headline on front page today"Mubarak Supporters Strike Back" Never trust WSJ for social political news, always poisonous info. Great for telling the true story about finance and financial crimes. Even lately I found them reporting twist in finance, especially being pro GM and Chevy and anti-Toyota.
They even put a great twist on the facebook stock vehicles that where recently sold, saying that they sold less shares or whatever this vehicles called then the they could have sold. Making it sounds as if there is great demand for these vehicles so those that bought in won't feel ripped off too soon. It's going to great to hear the stories of those who bought when facebook is replaced with the next social media web site. Remember Myspace (news corp paid $580million and now look at it. NOBODY DOES!)
The truth I suspect is that Facebook and Twitter have a lot less to do with these revolutions and more to do with our own self agrandizing propagandazing. During the Iranian uprest the media was touting the fuck out of facebook and twitter and everyone was encourage to change their location to Tehran to confuse the Iranian govt..... Well that in itself became a tool of the hype. not knowing who was actually tweeting from Tehran and who from Burbank fanned our own flames and made it look like twitter and facebook were more used and important than they actually were.
Case in point, where is all the calls for changing your location to egypt on twitter in the media?
See in this case, the US is not really keen on losing steady Mubarack. So the MSM has toned down it's coverage and hype obediently.
Roadblock responding to a comment by nathansnider
02.3.11 - 9:06 pm
I think the facebook/ twitter angle is just lazy shorthand for "The Info Cloud"
Its undeniable that access to sms, tweets, email, and social networks changes the nature of how a revolution operates in the 21st century.
If there had been open (or openish) access to the info cloud in during the genocides rwanda or east timor late in the 20th century ... would those things even have happened?
And even if they did would they have been swept under the rug.
over 100k people were murdered in east timor in a very short period of time in the 90s.
the thugs who did it had US guns passed to them by our ally indonesia.
That shit makes Mubarik's thugs punching on Anderson Cooper look pretty fucking minor in comparison.
The media is full of it self.
But there is no denying that this is a different revolution because of technology.
And despots have every reason to fear global connectivity. fuck em.
If there had been open (or openish) access to the info cloud in during the genocides rwanda or east timor late in the 20th century ... would those things even have happened?
Yes.
PC responding to a comment by trickmilla
02.11.11 - 11:00 pm
how was it a peaceful "revolution"? people died and at the end of the day the US funded Egyptian military has called martial law. This was not a revolution and many of the people of Egypt know it.
Roadblock responding to a comment by trickmilla
02.14.11 - 2:28 pm
I'm really interested to see how this will play out. The people's protests absolutely caused the military to step in and tell Mubarak to get the fuck out...but as Roadblock points out, it's still the fucking military. There's something sadly ironic about it. When I turned on the news the morning after it happened, I felt very uncomfortable about all of the rejoining and congratulating over the military stepping in. It was the same way I reacted to Borfo's twat that read: "the people > the state" - The branch of the state armed by the US is now in charge. It's the state + heavy weapons!
Those issues in Wisconsin are definitely heating up.
Apparently, all employees that aren't EMS or Law Enforcement are losing collective bargaining rights and such.
This sucks balls for educators under a PERS, but the menial employees like janitors and DMV clerks need removal from this gravy train.
This is a test case for what The Powers that be need to plan for when it happens in Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Michigan and California. The bill (promoted by Newt Gingrich) allowing states to go bankrupt is very much alive in the House. Almost as soon as it has passed we're going to likely see four states go down in a matter of a few weeks. Wisconsin is not known for being an historical locus of violent civil unrest. The cheese is good. These were the most polite, well-dressed, well-behaved, angry people I have ever seen. On the other hand Newark, Detroit, Chicago and Los Angeles were home to the most-violent and bloody urban riots of the 1960s. If Wisconsin is any indicator then we must prepare for a great deal of bloodshed because Chicago, NY, Newark and L.A. unions aren't going down without a fight.
I mean really, this shit is unbelievable. Everything. Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Wisconsin. All of it. Should we be scared? Excited? Is change coming, or is this more of the same old story? I don't know but I haven't been glued to the news like this since the BP oil disaster.
when you push down on people so hard they have no choice but to push whoever is pushing on them, off of them.
What is the reason and who may be fomenting these to happen is a question to keep in mind. My study of history has shown situations where people may have been manipulated or fomented into taking back a government.
I question if somebody ithin the Untied States or it superorgnaizations that control the US maybe pushed the Egyptians into taking to the street.
I think the US can't be too happy with the Libyan situation, after years of Gaddafis resistance they have gotten him here they wanted him in the last seven years.
Tunisia I don't know? Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, all I can say is
'it is about time."
Any of this stuff I really don't know. I bring this up to encourage people to look closer at who may be behind it and who benefits? Cui bono
sexy responding to a comment by shotgunBOOMBOOM
02.23.11 - 2:01 pm
Some of the reason that might be causing these middle east/Northern African uprising/government overthrows may be to
a.) disrupt China's cooperation with these various government so that they can't fulfill agreements to trade oil and other strategic commodities. Future control of resources so China can't get to them without a heavy tax so that China doesn't get a strategic advantage.
b.) wipe the leadership slate clean to create a EU style monetary currency of trade that is controlled in great part for and by the US empire. After current leaders/dictators are removed, new leaders can be placed that have the feel of being for reforms that serve the people of the country but in reality are manipulated to serve global corporation/IMF type organization.
I found it worth noting that it was a google executive who fanned the internet flames to get people to the streets in Egypt.
I also find it odd how hard Gaddaffi is fighting to keep power. It seems that he really believe this coming from outside forces. Odd that he is stating it is Al quida and Psychiatric drugs that are causing people to take to the street.. Who knows, he might be being quoted or portrayed out of context.
These are all analysis that may or may not be true, but from my past study it is probable that these are possibilities.
Very interesting points you make. I also wonder who/what is behind the Wisconsin law that was just voted on by the Wisconsin Senate. The republicans took out all of the fiscal provisions of the bill, allowing them to vote without the democrats present - they left in the provision that takes away collective bargaining rights.
Why would these people be so willing to lose their seat in office over this? I read that 8 recalls have already been started and they must be aware of the public backlash - and yet they are going through with it?? And so vigorously support a law that goes against the rights of the people who voted them in? oh yeah, we're talking about republicans.
Finding and reading the actual text of the bill will tell you everything.
Like this in the Wisconisin Bill.....(No bid Sales of state owned Power Plants)
16.896 Sale or contractual operation of state−owned heating, cooling, and power plants. (1) Notwithstanding ss. 13.48 (14) (am) and 16.705 (1), the department may sell any state−owned heating, cooling, and power plant or may contract with a private entity for the operation of any such plant, with or without solicitation of bids, for any amount that the department determines to be in the best interest of the state. Notwithstanding ss. 196.49 and 196.80, no approval or certification of the public service commission is necessary for a public utility to purchase, or contract for the operation of, such a plant, and any such purchase is considered to be in the public interest and to comply with the criteria for certification of a project under s. 196.49 (3) (b).
within the first few pages they explain lowering the amount the employer pays into the Retirement trust fund and then goes into the lowering the amount the employee may draw from the fund upon retirement from 2.0 percent of every year worked to 1.6 percent.
The power plant provision is on page 24 of the bill. I see why they pay lawyers $375 an hour to read this. Yawn!
icbx
03.9.11 - 11:13 pm 7, but it was last week. You should just check over to the right for time and dates of rides.
Don't worry icbx, it was an invite ride anyway. I don't remember seeing your name on the list.
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Ridazz Roulette!
How long is going to take until we realize that we all need to be out on the streets protesting too?
