Month: Jul 2011

Murdoch loses $450m, fails to control Internet news

Rupert Murdoch lost nearly his entire investment in MySpace the other day when he sold the failing social network to musician and actor Justin Timberlake and an ad agency he backs for some US$30 million. This was a good deal less than the US$500 million-plus Murdoch paid for it.

Why did Murdoch make such a bad investment? Because he hoped to use the network as a vehicle from which he could disseminate news. He wanted to make MySpace into a mechanism to deliver current-events content. When it didn’t work out – and he must have known that fairly soon – he obviously lost interest. And as his interest waned, so did MySpace.

This speaks to Murdoch’s desperation – and mainstream media’s generally. In a digital world, he is willing to burn US$500 million simply to confirm that a social network is not a news delivery system. I could have told him that for a much lower fee.

This also shows us the importance of news to the powers-that-be. The Anglosphere elites – for whom Murdoch evidently and obviously works – are determined (thus far without much success) to find a way to protect their failing information franchise.

Nothing in the past 300 years or so, while the elites have advanced their one-world-order, has been so devastating to their plans as the Internet and the rise of the alternative media driven Internet Reformation. It has poisoned the chalice and befouled the well; it has unbalanced the clarity of the concoction and clouded it with truth. A bitter brew … for them!

Western power elites will do ANYTHING to reclaim their news franchise. When one looks at 20th century media development one is struck by its massive size and strategic composition. Every part of Western 20th century media worked seamlessly together. The whole idea was to create an increasingly militarized society that would accept global government as part of the natural order of things..

.. Read more      here

Greece blocks Gaza Flotilla for Israel.

Greece has banned all ships in the Gaza-bound “freedom flotilla” from leaving port, dealing a further blow to activists trying to break Israel‘s blockade on the Palestinian territory.

Greek authorities said an international group of vessels planning to sail from its ports and deliver aid to the Gazan population would be stopped, a move that lends the support of the Prime Minister, George Papandreou’s administration to Israel’s contentious four-year naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.

An American boat participating in the flotilla was forced to return to shore after it tried to defy the ban and set sail from Athens on Friday. The Audacity of Hope was turned back by the Greek coastguard. Passengers claim Greek commandos pointed machine guns at those on board to stop the boat reaching open water.

Campaigners accused Israel of “outsourcing” its blockade to Greece. “Greece sold its body to the banks and its soul to Israel and the United States,” flotilla activist Dror Feiler told Israeli news outlet Ynet. “I don’t think – I know – that Israel and US pressure caused this.” Hamas also condemned the Greek decision, describing it as “inhumane” and “contrary to international regulations and norms”.

The Greek announcement is the latest in a series of setbacks for the organisers of this summer’s flotilla, which comes just over a year after a similar mission ended in the deaths of nine activists following the boarding of their boat by Israeli military forces. Participants claim that two of the 10 ships in the flotilla had been sabotaged by Israeli agents – a claim Israel dismissed as “ridiculous”.

The Israeli government has described the flotilla as an act of anti-Israeli provocation rather than an attempt to convey much-needed aid to Gaza’s 1.6 million inhabitants, who have lived under an economic blockade since Hamas took control of the territory in June 2007.

However, Israel has been embarrassed by the release of an anti-flotilla video which was later exposed as an elaborate hoax.

Desalojo plaza Catalunya…Final eviction.

Desalojo acampada plaza Cataluny 30-06-2011 Comunicado comisión internacional
by Esplugui 30 Jun 2011
A las 2:00 de la madrugada un imponente dispositivo de los Mossos d’Esquadra rodea Plaza Catalunya para desalojar los acampados con la excusa de ayudar a BCNeta a limpiar la plaza. Los acampados en realidad ya se habían mostrado dispuestos a colaborar con los trabajadores en más de una ocasión, pero no estaban dispuestos a desmantelar todo el campamento, verdadera intención del ayuntamiento, ni estaban dispuestos a sustituirlo por un único modulo de 4mx2m, como había intentado negociar el ayuntamiento durante el día, por ser absolutamente insuficiente para ser el lugar de trabajo de todos los activistas que se siguen reuniendo en la plaza.

La excusa fue la misma del 27-M pero muy diferente fue la respuesta de los acampados. No hubo ningún intento de resistencia, ni hubo llamada al movimiento para recuperar la plaza. Para nosotros nunca ha cabido la fuerza como método de resistencia debido a la confianza que ya tenemos en el proceso revolucionario comenzado el 15-M. Para Jordi Hereu quizá, después del fracaso de su ridículo intento de negociación que llevaba ya más de una semana, era necesario desalojar por las malas para intentar no perder toda credibilidad frente al traspaso de poderes a su rival Xavier Trías que ocurrirá mañana 01-07-2011, como demuestran las múltiples y injustificadas agresiones contra algunos acampados cometida por los Mossos, especialmente contra aquellos que estaban intentando documentar el evento y que no estaban oponiendo la mínima resistencia ni siquiera de tipo pasivo frente al desalojo.

The Free: More comments from writers.

for Free Downloads page CLICK HERE

.Sage Kalmus wrote ].Hi Mike. Had to pause in mid-read because I’m already so moved by how rich and personal this read is.Maxie is a female Holden Caulfield, and you capture her voice with Salinger-like care. Her voice makes for an easy read that flows like a runaway train, carrying the reader breathlessly from one page to the next. She has a deceptively easygoing matter-of-factness to her voice seasoned with an exuberant and precocious self-awareness that makes her a delightful character to tag along with for this wild ride…. at times this book is nevertheless downright laugh-out-loud funny. I haven’t enjoyed a dystopian revolutionary tale this much since Terry Gilliam’s film “Brazil”. In literature, the closest I’ve found is actually one of my favorites “Riddley Walker” by Russell Hoban.  A total roller-coaster ride that I don’t want to get off.

Henry Scott…Mikey – wow! I’ve not read anything like this on before and I love it. A real masterpiece .…Henry (Lord Tom – The Bare Fist Fighter).

The Free by M Gilliland…This is Social Science Fiction not attempted since Survivors on BBC in the Seventies. Are we back there, yet?I love this book. As satire, it works superbly showing up the inevitable consequences of Western Free Market Rapacious Capitalism as well as giving us a taste of Good Old Days English Humour. …I’m loving the central conceit and your ‘back to the land’ theorising where ordinary folk – God I’m writing like a Yokel! – come up with the low tech, non policy solutions. The Free has the potential to be a very, very important book. …The use of differing narrators is also brilliant. Each opens a different perspective, depending on their personalities and prejudices. Popping the self conscious writing bubble beautifully. If only the likes of Martin Amis, Will Self, Rushdie et al could actually define their characters in the simple, no nonsense way you have. Who needs drawn out internal monologues and socio-political rhetoric when you can do this?…Deserving of its place in the TOP 12..Envy is such a difficult emotion to deal with…

DMcGill…What a blast! I never knew I’d enjoy a story such as this. I’m so glad I did! Your writing is brilliant and your characters are so real and….crazy as it sounds, human. Imperfect, lost then found, loving, frustrating – human! ….Donna

AlleJo ..Brilliant. 
Really like your style. Reads so fluidly and the atmosphere of the nuns/school/dad planting a smacking kiss – great. Love Linda Moon. On my list. Best, Louise –
TJONES …I never seen a book laid out like this but I have to tell you I really enjoyed the couple of chapters I read. I got use to the flow of the book really fast and the story kept my attention. The best of luck with you on this book.
Congratulations to this fantastic book!  The story is so tight and in some places I could feel my heart being squeezed, my blood pressure rising … then comes along a funny bit and on and on it goes.  You have a very special and unique voice. All the best! Kara´.

Seed-Mothers take on bio-pirates.

Seed-Mothers’ Confront Climate Insecurity By Manipadma Jena

 

BHUBANESWAR, India, Jul 1, 2011 (IPS) – In eastern Orissa state’s tribal hinterlands about 200 ‘seed-mothers’ are on mission mode – identifying, collecting and conserving traditional seed varieties and motivating farming families to use them.–

As they spread their message through the hinterland, targeting another 140 villages, the women also promote zero dependence on chemical fertilisers and pesticides….

The struggles of Malkangiri farmers with climate change is visible in the Gudumpadar village where seed-mothers are passionately reviving agricultural heritage and convincing the community to stay with local seeds and bio-fertilisers and pesticides….

Well-known environmental activist and founder of Navdanya, Vandana Shiva, told IPS that “climate resilient seeds in women’s hands are vital to climate security and corporations that have taken out some 1,600 patents on climate resilient seeds are biopirates”.

“Allowing corporations to hijack and monopolise seed supply is a recipe for food insecurity and climate insecurity,” Shiva averred.

read more http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=56332

Read mlore here

Strauss-Kahn’s Accuser Doubly Vicitimised

By Portia Crowe
NEW YORK, Jul 1, 2011 (IPS) – Despite questions about her credibility, the Sofitel maid who is accusing former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn of sexual assault is still a victim and should be treated as one, according to her attorney.

“The victim here made some mistakes, but that doesn’t mean she’s not a rape victim,” her attorney, Kenneth Thompson, told reporters on Friday.

He claimed that District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. was trying to drop the case in order to save face, and stressed that the 32-year-old alleged victim still deserved justice.

On Friday, Strauss-Kahn was released from house arrest in New York without bail, after prosecutors brought documents before the court challenging his accuser’s credibility.

Strauss-Khan’s lawyers say the accuser confessed to fabricating the details of her asylum application. They also claim that she lied on income tax documents, and fudged the specifics of her whereabouts after the alleged attack.

But many are questioning the relevance of those confessions to the trial.

READ MORE HERE  http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=56337

FEVER: Climate chaos and the Indigenous.

FREE DOWNLOAD all 4 films

Fever – A Video Guide, consists of four short films which have been designed as resource for Indigenous communities, to help share information about climate change as well as the struggles and the strategies that communities employ to defend their rights and determine their own futures. In the films we hear the stories from communities in Ecuador, Nicaragua, the Philippines and Indonesia.

All four films are available in Spanish, English and Bahasa Indonesia (Other languages soon). They can be freely viewed or downloaded by anyone. DVD copies may also be requested by visiting LifeMosaic’s website and clicking on “Request a DVD”.

The first film, Fever , explains the essential points of climate change and why it is so important to Indigenous Peoples. Watch/Download Fever (21 minutes).

The second film, Impacts, shows how large-scale industrial projects like plantations, coal mining and oil extraction impacts indigenous peoples livelihoods and rights as well as contributes to global climate change. Watch/Download Impacts (20 minutes).

The third film, Organization, provides examples of organizational tools and strategies used by indigenous peoples to protect their cultures, territories and rights. Watch/Download Organization (23 minutes).

The fourth and final film, Resilience, examines indigenous peoples’ increasing resilience to climate change by strengthening their customary systems and developing new approaches for adaptation. Watch/Download Resilience (22 minutes)