HUMOUR:

CAN YOUR CHILD OPT OUT ?:

The public protest over the full body scanners and the "enhanced pat-downs" in the USA has come and gone on the busiest day for air travel in that country. From all reports the National Opt Out Day was hardly a resounding success, even though the organizers were claiming a great success in raising public awareness. Somewhat true I guess. Too bad from my point of view, though this would undoubtedly be a hard one to get off the ground (pun intended). Perhaps 40% of the American population is terrorized by their government's propaganda about a terrorist under every bed. Another 40% is terrorized by the government itself and would rather not make waves in an airport for fear of the consequences.

Be that as it may the graphic above is still one great and incisive thing to come out of this campaign. Enjoy.

HUMOUR:

A DO-GOODERS' WET DREAM:

Eat your broccoli and get 'the help you need". A social worker's dream. A normal person's nightmare.

INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY:

THE LEMONADE REVOLT:

The following call to action may be somewhat dated as the latest news from the Oregonian is that the local government there has backed down, and , yes, the little girl can set up her lemonade stand without a "temporary restaurant licence". Her family has even received an apology. Still I reprint the following Facebook call for a "lemonade revolt" because the whole thing is quite instructive.

What do incidents like this say ? To sum it up it's the old adage of "give them an inch and they'll take a mile". By that I mean the supposed "service" agencies of government and their "help". Now it is doubtlessly true that institutions such as health departments do indeed do some useful work though it is possible that what they accomplish could be better done by voluntary non-governmental organizations. Yet it is in the nature of the bureaucratic beast to constantly expand its range of action regardless of whether it is doing its previous job well or not. In other words such organizations are too often quite lax in their original mandate, but you can be assured that they will always be on the prowl for new things to control.

We had a recent incidence of this here in Winnipeg with the sad death of the late lamented "beer snake" (more on this later I hope). The inevitable tendency of any governmental agency to continually expand its range of action is the reason why I am very reluctant to support any new initiative of this sort no matter what the purported benefits and why I am generally not too upset on those rare occasions when the octopus of state control loses its grip on one of its tentacles.

A case in point is the recent abandonment of the compulsory long form census here in Canada. This is one of those rare occasions where I actually approve of an action of our federal government. This change has generated all sorts of opposition ranging from linguistic minorities , academics who will lose their data mines and unions all the way "up" to all those lovely folks that send you junk mail. Approving of this change can easily make you quite unpopular because so many groups have an axe to grind over this, and I'm sure that the data is quite convenient or even necessary for many of those who wish to keep the form. On the other hand the majority of the population who aren't making money or gaining power from using such data are quite thrilled to see this compulsion go. It is a laudable change as it is one less compulsion that the average citizen has to undergo. In the end it speaks volumes about the lack of grassroots democracy in our country that the 'social planners' are so unacquainted with those the rule (excuse me "serve") that they have to have the government as a data gatherer.

All that, however, is aside from the matter at hand. The basic story of what follows is that in Portland Oregon a 7 year old girl was setting up a lemonade stand at a neighbourhood fair. Within 20 minutes the county health inspector descended on her demanding that she produce a $120 "temporary restaurant license". Huh ? The inspector then demanded that she pack up and leave despite loud support from the crowd. You can read the full story here. This little act of petty tyranny was seen by one Michael Franklin who was at a booth next to the girl's. Even when the first inspector called in another to help intimidate the girl and her mother the crowd surrounding them was quite hostile, and the inspectors "felt intimidated". Tsk, tsk ! Franklin later publicized the incident on his Bottom Up Radio Network and called for the 'Lemonade Revolt'. We'll see what happens on the last Thursday of this month.

LLLLLLLLLL
The Lemonade Revolt!
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Location EVERYWHERE! ALL THE TIME! EVERYTHING FOR EVERYONE! if you are in Cascadia...Last Thursday on Alberta St. between 25th and 26th street. BUT, make it happen where you live!

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Created By Michael Franklin

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More Info

On last thursday in July, on Alberta and 26th, a young girl was cheerfully setting up her lemonade stand. This was her first time doing this, and with her mother, she planned on selling lemonade for 50 cents a cup. No more than 20 minutes later, two state employees with badges informed her that if she did not desist, she would face a $500 fine.

We, as anarchists and community members, informed the mother that if she stayed again...st the wishes of the state, we would defend her. We suggested a donation based stand. They tried that and the state workers, two women with clipboards and badges, returned and demanded they stop. We surrounded these workers and informed them of our sovereignty, that this is an autonomous zone, and they not only have no authority here, but they must leave the area. They went to the police.

The mother, who feared for losing her new job and out of heartbreak of seeing her daughter crushed and in tears, decided it was time to go. We made appeals to the crowd, but to no real avail, as people just kept walking by. This is bullshit and must be met with creative action.

We are proposing a lemonade bloc next last Thursday(the last Thursday of August- Molly ). Get together with your friends and family and come up with a creative lemonade. Rosemary, lavender, mint, honey, agave, mate, carob, what the fuck ever you can come up with, show up early on alberta and 25th to 26th streets around 11 or 12 in the daytime, set up a table and offer lemonade for donation, or free. We should fill the entire bloc with lemonade stands! The state will come, but we will NOT leave. We will fill the streets with dance and revelry in the spirit of last Thursday's origins, an autonomous, anarchistic freak show that reclaims the streets, the neighborhoods and our lives.

This is symbolic in one sense, but absurd and beautiful direct action in another. Please do not blow this off! Let's make a horrible mess for the state! When the state gives you lemons....GIVE THE STATE HELL!

You can choose to donate money made from lemonade to throwing a block party for families, or anything else you want to do with it, the point is to do it!

INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM:

FREE KARIM AMER:

Karim Amer is an Egyptian blogger who has fallen afoul of the authorities in that country for daring to publish opinions critical of both Islam (which Islam ?) and the Egyptian government. The latter rather than the former is probably the reason that he has been sentenced to four years in prison. There is an internet petition calling for his release. Here's the story and appeal.

KAKAKAKAKA
Free Egyptian Blogger Karim Amer
Target: President Hosni Mubarek
Sponsored by: Care2.com

One of the luxuries of the internet is that it's a forum of expression. And in this forum, anyone should be able to contribute to a discussion and speak their mind.

But Karim Amer, a young blogger from Egypt, was sentenced to four years in prison for this very act.

Amer was charged with publishing material critical of Islam and Egypt's President Hosni Mubarek and imprisoned, despite the fact that he acted within his universal right to peaceful freedom of expression. Amer claims that while imprisoned, he has been beaten at least twice under the supervision of a prison officer.

All people should have the freedom to peacefully express their opinions. Tell the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarek to free this prisoner of conscience and accept all people's right to the freedom of expression.
deadline: Ongoing...
Goal: 15,000
15,222
signatures so far!

KAKAKAKAKA

THE LETTER:

Please go to this link to send the following letter to Hosni Mubarek, President of Egypt.

KAKAKAKAKA
Dear President Mubarek,

Karim Amer is a blogger who was sentenced to four years in prison for publishing material critical of Islam and Egypt on the internet. At the time of his arrest in 2007 he was 23 years old.

Amer's actions are within his universal right to peacefully express his opinion, regardless of whether those opinions are critical of religious or political figures and ideals. While imprisoned, he has been beaten multiple times by a fellow prisoner and a prison guard, under the supervision of a prison officer.

[your comments will be inserted here]

All people should have the freedom to peacefully express their opinions. Free Karim Amer and accept all people's right to the freedom of expression.

Sincerely,
[Your name here]

INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY:

THE BANDS ARE BANNED:

Sometimes there are items of stupidity over and above the call of foolishness that leave me gaping with wide eyed wonder. Now appreciate that I am an anarchist and as such am privy to the occasional screed from those who want to "abolish civilization" (a mercifully small part of modern anarchism) and who also- beggar the imagination- delude themselves into thinking they have a way to accomplish this goal. You'd think I'd be enured to craziness. No such thing. The so-called "mainstream society" contunues to produce examples of insanity that equal or surpass the idea of "abolishing civilization", and it does it on a routine basis. What follows is one such example.

SBSBSBSBSBSBSB
Apparently there is a new 'tweenie' fad called 'Silly Bandz'. I guess that I may have seen them on the arms of young kids in the homes that I visit but I never paid any attention whatsoever- which is perhaps exactly the level of attention they deserve. I'd be hard put to think of anything that deserves less attention. Basically they are cheap rubber bands in the shape of various things-animals, mythical figures, princess icons,etc. that kids strap across their wrists. There's a website for them, and a Wikipedia note on them as well.

Considering the low cost of this item (which is, of course at least about 50 times the cost of production) I'm considering ordering a bunch to amuse the yard apes and keep them off my back when I visit homes. OK. If you can think of anything more harmless (but I'm sure you can think of things more silly) I challenge you to present it. Maybe nose picking in private? This, however, is not the opinion of various schools who have "banned the silly bands". I became aware of this while reading this week's Time Magazine. They have a more extensive article online. What on God's Green earth could be the problem here ? The teachers and the principals who put their insanity into policy claim that it is "distracting".

Pupils may "play with their bands" rather than sitting with bated breath until the next utterance from the god at the front of the room. I suggest they strip the little buggers naked so they will have nothing to "play with" while they imbibe the great wisdom from the front of the room. But maybe then they would still have "something to play with". Ooops !

The teachers have also claimed that the kids engage in 'trades' of the bands and that sometimes the partners in these trades "regret" the deals that they have made. This leads to "hard feelings", and, of course, the abolition of any feeling beyond loyalty to an ideology is a primary goal of modern education.

Teachers today are, for instance, under the illusion that they can "abolish bullying" by ramping up the control of the students by institutional bullying to such a degree that the students will not engage in "bullying" - other than of course informing the great bully (the teachers and the school administration) of violations of the code ie informing just like any good member of the Hitler Youth would have done.

The inculcation of ideology, however, while a primary goal of our education system is not the primary goal. That goal is pretty simple...to keep the little bastards babysat so that both their parents can engage in the wage labour necessary to raise a family today. In the last few decades the ideas of "progressive eduction" have been gradually corrupted such that today the idea that there are objective standards of knowledge would be considered evidence that you were a right wing fanatic. At the same time the school system, while it has gradually abandoned the real function of teaching ie the passing on of knowledge (the conservatives are right here) has taken up a Hitler/Stalin pact whereby, as long as you have the little lizards trapped in kid jail for a few hours a day you might as well "teach them to behave properly". In this desire to exercise control leftists and right wingers are equally enthusiastic.

The desire to "ban the bands" has to be seen in this context. Of course it is silly and absurd, but it means a lot to that portion of the working class whose product is social control. It comes close to being their reason for being. It is also taken up with enthusiasm by their bosses who are part of the ruling class and are very much in agreement with the idea that children should be controlled whether the control is rational or not. After all control is the major reason for the institutions that they govern. The irrationality is not so irrational once you understand that, aside from warehousing kids, one of the major functions of the schools are to discipline kids to "fit in" to institutions where the word of the boss and his point of view is divine.

That's how I personally see this incredible attempt to impose bureaucratic will on young children. I don't know how long a period of "physical reality" without the ability to control others would be necessary to reform people who want to increase their power by such evil acts. Canada has a huge area on Ellsmere Island for their colonies where they would have no opportunity to direct the behavior of anyone else. A compassionate society would, of course, provide the necessary food and shelter for the bare physical comforts necessary to philosophical contemplation on the nature of good and evil. No "political commissars" would be provided. Figure it out yourselves guys, and maybe some day you could rejoin civilized society.

INTERNET FREEDOM:

AGAINST INTERNET CENSORSHIP IN THAILAND:

The following story and petition comes from the Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT) blog. As you will see below the idea that signers have to "sign their name in Thai: may be more than slightly off-puting, but I personally am going to try to do it via Google translate. Wait for the results at the end of this post.

IFIFIFIFIFIFIFIFIFIF
FACT – Freedom Against Censorship Thailand
กลุ่มเสรีภาพต่อต้านการเซ็นเซอร์แห่งประเทศไทย
PLEASE SIGN FACT’s PETITION!
14-03-10
Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT) was founded on November 15, 2006 on the basis of a petition against Internet censorship which was presented to Thailand’s National Human Rights Commission and later to the Official Information Commission under a military coup government. The NHRC was disbanded by the coup and government officials refused illegally to cooperate with the OIC.

FACT has never deviated from its opposition to all censorship in Thailand and everywhere else. FACT’s original petition is now largely of historical interest.

FACT’s working group has now prepared a Mission Statement, our statement of principles and purpose to replace our original petition.

FACT now has more than 1,500 signers. If you have signed FACT’s petition, there is no need for you to sign again. However, if you have not signed, we urge you to sign FACT’s petition, and ask your friends, family and colleagues to sign. FACT’s petition is open to all.

For your signature to be counted, you must sign your FULL NAME in Thai and English, your affiliation, your location and your email address for verification.

FACT’s petition is hosted on FACTsite, with the Asian Human Rights Commission and at Change.org.

Please join us if you believe in FREEDOM. You have nothing to lose but your fear…and your chains.
Say NO to censorship!
These rights are universal: freedom of speech; freedom of expression; freedom of communication, including the Internet; freedom of association, including virtual association; media freedom, including the blogosphere; academic freedom, including digital learning; freedom of opinion; freedom of thought; freedom of ideas. A free Internet is our fundamental human right. Free expression is not a crime.

FACT supports all media, including the Internet, free of interference or regulation as the best means of participatory democracy possible. Every person deserves an equal voice and has a right to privacy and anonymity. These are our basic liberties.

FACT believes in transparent, accountable and democratic government. All people deserve freedom from fear.

We have the fundamental human right to unrestricted knowledge, knowledge without borders, boundaries, limits. A fully-informed public with access to all opinions is an asset to both our national and the international community. Education, knowledge and information are never a threat to national security.

Censorship in Thailand conceals a hidden political agenda used to repress dissent. Censorship reinforces social, class, gender, religious and economic divisions which, suppressed, are root causes of violence in Thai society.

Abduction, kidnap, torture, forced confessions, disappearance, extrajudicial murder, the death penalty, are the ultimate censorship. We support reconciliation in the human community.

FACT celebrates human diversity: all views share equal validity, if only for one person. Open minds, open hearts.

FACT believes most human beings choose good over evil. We believe applying community and family standards to Thai society will result in personal responsibility, the full development of our children and a truly free society.

Censorship is a clear violation of our fundamental human rights, civil liberties and basic freedoms.
NO COMPROMISE:

Stop censorship NOW!

IFIFIFIFIFIFIFIFIFIF

Well, I think I signed the petition or at least signed my support for FACT by going to the link above...all this without trying to sign my name in Thai. I don't think I can direct the reader any further, as I am quite confused by this, other than by directing you to one of the links above.

INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY:

DON'T TOUCH THAT PILL- THE GESTAPO WILL GET YOU:

Here's a sad tale from the USA via the Care2 site about one student;s experience with that part of the working class whose product is pretty much social control. to be sure I have yet to get to this on this blog ie how I see little difference between teachers and prison guards and policemen. Rest assured I will get to describing my view of how people whose main function is to keep a segment of the population in one place through a good part of the day are in the same category as prison guards. Until then here's a horror story about political correctness gone wild.

PCPCPCPCPCPCPCPCPCPC

Seventh Grader Suspended For Touching Pill
Judy Molland
It all happened on February 23 at River Valley Middle School in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Seventh grader Rachel Greer was in the locker room during fifth period gym class when a fellow student walked in with a bag of pills.

"She was talking to another girl and me about them and she put one in my hand and I was like, ‘I don't want this,' so I put it back in the bag and I went to gym class," said Rachel. The pills were the prescription ADHD drug, Adderall, and after years of training under the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program, Rachel knew she had to "Just Say No.

"But that wasn't the end of it. During sixth period, an assistant principal came and took Rachel out of class. It turned out that the girl who originally had the pills and a few other students got caught. Then came the shocker: "We're suspending you for five days because it was in your hand," the administrator told Rachel. Apparently he told the girl that he was very sorry he had to do it, but the rules are the rules. District officials later said that if they're not strict about drug policies no one will take them seriously.

What lesson can Rachel learn here? Because she said NO to illegal drugs and told the complete truth about what happened in the locker room, she was punished. Presumably she would also have been punished if she had said YES, so maybe next time she'll choose that route.

What does it take for school administrators to use some common sense? A policy, zero tolerance or any other, is a guideline. Every situation is different, and school officials need to be able to approach each situation individually, and make an appropriate decision, based on the relevant facts.

After hearing the news, Patty Greer, Rachel's mother, went to school officials to complain. "That's not a good policy," Greer said. "We're teaching our kids if you say no to drugs you're going to get punished; it's not right."

District officials were not impressed. Martin Bell, COO of Greater Clark County Schools, replied that the girl should not have put out her hand. "Someone hands them a pill or a drug or something like that and they say well I said no I didn't participate. Well the act of saying no is not to be there, not to be involved in the handling the, you know, they didn't have to put their hand out." (In case you're wondering, I am quoting Mr. Bell verbatim here.)

According to Greater Clark County Schools district policy, even a touch equals drug possession and a one week suspension. Wanna get a five-day vacation from school? Just say no, and get yourself suspended!

And this just in: When Mason Jammer, a kindergarten student at Jefferson Elementary in Ionia, Michigan, curled his fist into the shape of a gun Wednesday and pointed it at another student, school officials suspended the 6-year-old until Friday, saying the behavior made other students uncomfortable. Really? Couldn't the school find any other way to teach Mason not to make a gun with his hand? When will this madness stop.

PCPCPCPCPCPCPCPCPCPC

What can I say ? Insofar as propaganda has any effect such liberal attempts at social engineering will have the definite effect of convincing young people that aggression is OK as long as it is mediated through authority . It will convince a subset of young people to become good Nazis. To another subset it will convince them that 'anything goes" provided they don't get caught. While I may disagree with the later possible effect it is better than aggression mediated through authority like what the social engineers want to "teach".