Amazonians make movies also

El Perro del Hortelano

Tired of watching stupid white people make jackasses of themselves talking about those "poor Indians" living in the Amazon and who they ought to just grown up and learn to be white?

Well, a new Peruvian film floating around the internet, titled "El Perro del Hortelano", takes on the the drive to exploit the Amazon's oil reserves (the film was made where there is the current standoff with Hunt Oil) and the racist discourse of "development" promoted by Alan Garcia and outsiders, instead showing what an indigenous protagonist has to say and think. (What an idea, actually listening to those savages!)

To watch the rest go to the film website here.





From Abiding in Bolivia

After doing some searching on YouTube, the film is posted there in 9 parts and runs a little over an hour. Please take the time to look at it. The views of the Amazon are worth it if you have no heart at all. The message of the indigenous people is plain and simple: we don't want our land poisoned so that you can drive your stretch limousines around!

The next Bagua?

Map of Hunt Oils plans to "explore", i.e. destroy, another indigenous territory

If you thought the government of Alan Garcia and his petrol buddies had learned their lesson after the Bagau massacre you will be sadly mistaken.

Despite Amazon indigenous groups proven willingness to die in order to protect their ancestral territories from corporate destruction, Hunt Oil is ignoring demands by FENAMAD (regional indigenous organization) to halt exploration of the biodiversity 'hot spot', and legally protected, Reserva Comunal Amarakaeri (Amarakaeri Comunal Reserve).

FENAMAD has taken every necessary legal step to halt Hunt Oil from exploring the territory (as nicely detailed by Inca Kola News) but Hunt is continuing their exploration. If you watch this video (posted by Otto), you will see FENAMAD has issued an ultimatem and as stated previously will fight "to the death" in order to protect the Reserve.

If Bagau teaches us anything, it is to take the word of Amazonian Natives seriously. They are rational human beings like the rest of us and will follow through on their word. (go to the FEMANAD website for more info in Spanish)

But jackasses like Hernando de Soto still refuse to take these people seriously as human being s with their own ideas as this excellent article at Upside Down World, "The Neoliberal Crusade for Indigenous Lands" takes on the insidious discourse and politics of Hernando de Soto.

From Abiding in Bolivia

Rep. Alan Grayson Grills Republican Congressman On Constitutionality Of Anti-ACORN Crusade

One of the right’s loudest crusades has been their effort to undermine the Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now (ACORN). Following the release of a series of videos showing a handful of ACORN employees behaving inappropriately, conservatives in Congress have done everything they can to single out ACORN for being stripped of all federal funding (while engaging in apparent opposition to defunding companies that cover up rape). Many legal experts have warned that these measures may be unconstitutional because lawmakers cannot punish a group or individual without a trial.

Yesterday, Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) challenged the constitutionality of one of these anti-ACORN measures being supported by Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA) during a hearing of the Science and Technology committee. Grayson repeatedly questioned Broun about the constitutionality of “bills of attainder” — which are punishments that single out a group or individual without a court trial. The Georgia Republican was unable to offer a coherent rebuttal:

GRAYSON: I’d like to ask the gentleman from Georgia a few questions, and I’ll yield to him for the purpose of having answers to these questions. Does the gentleman from Georgia know what a bill of Attainder is?

BROUN: A bill of, the answer’s yes, in fact it’s been very explicitly described by the court’s.

GRAYSON: What is it?

BROUN: [long pause. Scrambling through papers.] The courts have applied a two pronged test. Number one, whether specific individuals or entities are affected by the staute, Number two, when the legislation affects a “punishment,” on those individuals, it serves no legitamate regulatory purpose.

GRAYSON: What, um, does the Constitution says about Bills of Attainder?

BROUN: Oh, I suggest that this is not a Bill of Attainder. It’s, um, certainly does focus on a specific entity, but it does not inflict punishment by any means. In fact…

GRAYSON: Will the gentleman from Georgia explain what the Constitution says about Bills of Attainder?

ANOTHER CONGRESSMAN: Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield for a second? The gentleman from Florida?

GRAYSON: No. I’d like an answer to my question. [...]

GRAYSON: The question is, will the gentleman from Georgia agree with me that the Bill of Attainder clause was intended not as a narrow or technical provision, but as an implementation of the seperation of powers, and a general safeguard against legislative exercise of the judicial function, or more simply, trial by legislature. Will the gentleman agree to that?

BROUN: No, sir, I will not, and I ask counsel to help us with this. I think all this is determination of the court and I’d like to appeal to Mr. Sensenberner.

GRAYSON: Well, I’m sorry, but it’s my time, not yours or Mr. Sensenberner’s, so I will reclaim my time, and I will point out that what you just you would not agree to is from a Supreme Court case called the United States v. Brown, something I would expect you might know about, given your name.

Watch it:



Grayson ended his remarks by noting that the conservative crusade against ACORN isn’t based in principle but politics: “We are trampling on people’s Constitutional rights. And I think it’s unfortunate that the mania that exists on the other side of the aisle regarding this one organization, and we know why that mania exists, it’s because they’ve registered an awful lot of Democrats, continues to distort and waste the time of this committee and many other committees here in Congress. Enough is enough.”

(HT: MinistryOfTruth at Daily Kos)

From Think Progress

Police brutality against indigenous Mapuches in Chile

Shocking video, showing the carabineros kicking a young indigenous man in the head. Story by Aporrea:

Before the doors of the Commissary of Ercilla in Wallmapu, the press recorded a brutal beating by military police (carabineros) of a young Mapuche, Carlos Curiñao, a beating which stopped only when other police shouted that the press was there and they were being recorded.

The youth was at the station along with his father, Juan Carlos Curiñao, to ask about the detention of one of the leaders of the community of Temucuicui, Juan Catrillanca, among others who were arrested in raids last weekend.

Faced with the evidence of the recording, made public on Tuesday, the general-chief of the Araucania zone, Eros Negrón, confirmed that the carabinero who was most active in the beating has been sacked.

Translatione mine.

Just one more in a long line of human rights violations by police in Chile. Some of them apparently forget that the age of Pinochet is long over. Some of them have trouble remembering that the conquistadors are dead!

From News of the Restless

OMG, they really think Michael Moore was serious!

By Sabina Becker

Teh Stoopid! It BURNS!!!

Well, this is par for the course at El Luniversal, since they never fact-check a goddamned thing they write anyway (and neither does the AP, which inhabits the same building.) They also have no sense of humor, and their hatred for all things Chavecito would blind them to what the rest of us can see is an obvious joke.

But really, Eva Golinger, I expected better of you, because I know you're smarter than that. Have you been living out of the US so long that you've forgotten Michael Moore's ironic sense of humor, which he turns quite mercilessly on his own country? (And Franz Lee, that goes for you, too. Lighten up, comrade!)

Fortunately, someone at Complutense University in Madrid gets the joke. I'll let Juan Carlos Monedero explain it to you:

Michael Moore, Nasty Liar

Dear friends:

I've been watching the video in which Michael Moore supposedly disrespects President Chávez and lies repeatedly about him to sully the revolution. How is he a traitor? How the strategy of the opposition has caused us to lose perspective. It's all a big joke. What happened to the irony?

Let's look at this with some tranquility. What was Moore doing in that interview before the viewers of that program? He was laughing at North Americans and their gringo stereotype of the president and all Latin Americans, not at President Chávez and the Venezuelan people! It's just a joke.

Moore is on board with what's happening in Latin America, but his public persona is precisely that: a guy who seems not to know much about anything, constantly telling jokes and pointing out ironies. If we damn him to hell or think he's a liar, it's because we don't understand what he's trying to say! I reiterate: Let's not let the constant lies of the opposition cause us to lose sight of when someone is being serious, and when he is joking.

It's abundantly clear that what he's saying, from the get-go, is just one big leg-pull. He points out Foreign Minister Maduro and says he's a bodyguard! It's obvious that he doesn't want to look like an imbecile who confuses Maduro with one of the security men.

On the other hand, what does the Empire think of Latin America? (1) That all its inhabitants are the same, whatever country they are from and whatever ethnic group they happen to be; (2) that all of them are not only alike, they are like the Mexicans; (3) that the Mexicans, the prototype of all Latin Americans, are people who make noise at all hours (especially in the night and in hotels where honored gringos are trying to rest below them) and that they all drink tequila. That's the joke which Moore repeats in the interview! If we take it as real, we're falling for the same cliché that Moore is laughing at!

Revolutions have to be able to laugh at themselves.

Translation mine.

I don't know about you, but I love to laugh. There's plenty of humor and irony in the Bolivarian Revolution, and while I'm totally down with it, that doesn't mean I can't giggle over goofy pictures of Chavecito doing something wacky and silly. He's often funny on purpose; he's not, in fact, the buffoon the oppos make him out to be. (Real buffoons are funny only by accident--as many of Chavecito's predecessors and opponents definitely are.) I take his serious deeds seriously, and his funny deeds in the spirit they were intended.

Same goes for Michael Moore. The man sticks a whoopee cushion under every pompous ass he meets, the better to get us thinking seriously about what we need to do. In other words: Just like Chavecito! I absolutely loved it that they got together in Venice and had a good chat. I figured they were two peas in a pod for having serious minds and light hearts. It did my heart good to see them getting along famously, as I knew they would.

And I bet Chavecito gets this joke, too. Let's see if and when he weighs in. I bet he'll be chuckling. (Anyone wanna lose some money betting against me? A quick hundred or two?)

So what's the punchline of this joke? Simple: The oppos got punked...again. By none other than the gringo they were hoping to co-opt.

What's less funny is that some serious good people still don't seem to get it. Once more, with feeling:



See? It's okay to laugh. Go on now...giggle. You know you wanna.

From News of the Restless

This is what Sabina is talking about, the video that so many folks (especially the ones that want to run down everything Hugo Chavez and/or Michael Moore have accomplished) misunderstood, intentionally or unintentionally. I thought it was hilarious with no disrespect for President Chavez intended at all. Especially when you think that he made it up on the spur of the moment as he sat there. Judge for yourself.

CNN Latinos Series Leaves Out Anti-Immigration Zealot Dobbs

WASHINGTON – CNN will broadcast a series about the Hispanic presence in the United States which, despite the complaints of Latino groups around the country, omits the anti-immigrant drive of one of the network’s own stars, commentator Lou Dobbs.

Dobbs, who does not hesitate to make comments opposing illegal immigration and demands that the country’s borders be sealed, is the target of a campaign to get CNN to remove him from its programming, an effort led by Roberto Lovato through Bastadobbs.com – “basta” means “enough” in Spanish – and other Hispanic activists.

The network has come out in defense of Dobbs by saying that he is just one voice. Mark Nelson, the executive producer in charge of the “Latino in America” series, said that the documentary is about Latinos, not about Lou Dobbs.

The host of the series, Soledad O’Brien, also defended the program by saying that the CNN management had no hand in the matter.

“A lot of things aren’t in” the program, she said. “It’s only four hours, and we’re talking about 51 million people.”

However, the documentary focuses part of its attention on the immigration issue, Dobbs’ favorite subject, given that practically every night on the air he verbally attacks undocumented immigrants.

Pro-immigrant groups, among them America’s Voice, have insisted that Dobbs’ comments have contributed to what is seen as a toxic atmosphere against immigrants in the United States, particularly against Latinos.

CNN refused to air during the series an anti-Dobbs ad prepared by the group Media Matters for America.

The group on Wednesday reiterated its complaint that over the years, the commentator has used his program, “Lou Dobbs Tonight,” as a platform “for disseminating falsehoods and negative stereotypes about Latino immigrants and the Hispanic community in general.”

The executive director of America’s Voice, Frank Sharry, said Wednesday in a column in the Spanish-language daily La Opinion that the CNN series “does not mention Dobbs or the insults that for a good part of the 260 hours of annual programming the host launches against Latinos.”

In the past, Dobbs has used his program to blame undocumented immigrants for many of the country’s ills, and on one occasion he even said that they were responsible for an outbreak of leprosy and that they made up a third of the prison population, two claims lacking any basis in reality. EFE

From Latin American Herald Tribune

Dang, I'm GOOD.

By Sabina Becker



Remember how I predicted the Paliness was headed for the remainder bin even before her book is due out?

Well, it's already underway:

Former governor Sarah Palin completed her memoir in four months. She knew what she wanted to say, apparently, and had Lynn Vincent, a senior writer for the Christian publication World Magazine, bang it out. The book is due November 17 and is originally listed at $28.99 at Amazon, except that it's already available at a cut-rate discount: Going Rogue is priced-to-sell at a mere $9- that's for a hardcover due out in three weeks. Which raises the question: How many bestseller lists can the book top before it's printed?

Actually, it raises another, far more pertinent (and probably rhetorical) question: Will it earn out its advance?

BTW, there's a screen-grab from Amazon at the site. Go see it before Going, Going, Gone is down to a quarter (or less) of its MSR price, instead of the third where it currently sits.

And when you're ready for some real laughs, click here.

And don't say I didn't tell you so!

From News of the Restless

You're Nuts!

I haven't used a lot of Keith Olbermann, because at times I though he was a little over the top and preachy. Lately, I have come to appreciate his sense of humor, which I find to be very dry and razor sharp, probably too sharp, but in these times, there's no such thing. Anyway, this one caught my attention because it is so dead on!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

From MSNBC

More fun with Wikileaks: British Nazis also get popped

By Sabina Becker



Hey, y'know, I could almost like this Wikileaks thing (anti-Chavecito stupidities aside, of course). Sometimes they actually end up doing the public a useful service:

A detailed membership list of the British National party containing names, addresses and telephone numbers was published on the internet this morning.

The list, which contains thousands of names, was published on Wikileaks, a website that purports to be a clearing house for information to be published anonymously.

The source of the data remains unclear but it appears to show details of the BNP's members and supporters at 15 April this year, as well as data about members whose subscriptions to the party had lapsed.

A Guardian analysis of the data suggests the BNP had 11,811 members as of April, including several doctors and military personnel. The party appears to have benefited from a surge in female recruits, with one in eight party members now women.

Only one in eight a female. Well, that tells you a little something about the gender/fascism link, eh?

Speaking of rare birds, I found the last paragraph hilarious:

In December 2006, an undercover investigation by the Guardian revealed that the organisation's members included Simone Clarke, then a ballerina for the English National Ballet.

Uh, make that the English NAZI Ballet. (Anorexia eat your brains, Simone?)

BTW, the list's here, for those in Merrie Olde England who wanna have some fun with it.

From News of the Restless

Stupid Sex Tricks: Take two of these and don't call me, EVER.

By Sabina Becker



Srsly, that list of side effects is even funnier than a 4-hour Viagra boner.

From News of the Restless

This is what I mean about 'Bina. You never know what she will find next.

Ted Turner Would Fire Lou Dobbs

I always thought Ted Turner was an arrogant jackass, and maybe he still is, but on this point he and I occupy the same space and time. Basta Dobbs!

From PBS

The Rock Obama

SNL does some really good stuff, but after the Sarah Palin thing, this is the best. I just wish that sometimes we would see The Rock Obama.

From NBC

AMERICA IS DOOOOMED!

With any luck at all, this guy will be the end of Faux News and Roger Ailes. We can only hope that he drags Rupert down with him. He is such a buffoon that it is going to become increasingly obvious to even the truly center-right that this guy and the rest of Faux News is nutso. Hurry. Please.

From Mox News

Music for a Sunday: Memories of a Cold War gone by

By Sabina Becker



This one's a bit dated now (and kind of overly sanitized if you've ever seen The Day After, which came out around the same time and scared the bejesus out of me), but it's still effective, for all that; the "meltdown" of the home movie at the end always chokes me up. One commenter at the YouTube site writes, "Looking at Chernobyl it's almost a premonition." It is...and it's more than just that. It's an admonition, a warning never to let this happen for real.

Yes, President Obama, this song's for you.

From News of the Restless

This is taken from one of my favorite blogs and one that, in my most humble opinion (OK, you in the Peanut Gallery, quiet down. I can be humble. Sometimes. During a July snowstorm in South Carolina.), should consistently be awarded the Blog of the Year. She comes up with some of the most original and innovative stuff I have see and I frankly admit that I borrow VERY heavily from her site. JNH

Health care reform: Saving American lives

This is an excellent primer on what is wrong with our healthcare system and health insurance system from the perspective of a son trying to take care of an aging father who suffered a significant medical problem. This details the trials and tribulations they have undergone in the las 4 months, the indignities, the pain, the humiliation. As Keith Olbermann notes, his father and he are in a much better position than most to take on this system and they still have enormous headaches and frustrations. Imagine what its like for the rest of us. It's a bit long, but well worth the time.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

From MSNBC

Rape-Nuts

Jon Stewart absolutely disembowels the Republicans who first tried to block a vote on Sen. Al Franken's amendment that says that any defense contractor that has a binding arbitration clause for its employees cannot receive defense contracts. When that didn't work, then they voted against it.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Rape-Nuts
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

From The Daily Show

*Update: Since then Sen. Inhofe of Hawaii, a Democrat, has threatened to try and strip if from the final bill. And you thought that the need for feminism was dead.

Markos on The Ed Show: I’m tired of excuses from Harry Reid

More talk from people outside the beltway of turning up the pressure to have Harry Reid replaced as Majority Leader. People are beginning to realize that he has the leadership ability of wilted lettuce leaves.

From Daily Kos

Rachel Maddow confronts Tim Phillips

I had to put this on. The wingnuts can scream all they want to, they will never have as much class in their entire body as this woman does in her little toenail. She rips Tim Phillips a new asshole and does it with such civility that he winds up bleeding all over her pretty studio floor and doesn't even realize he's been cut. Watch:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

From The Rachel Maddow Show

Cow vs Locomotive: The Future of Michael Steele, Bovine Obstructionist, Caught on Video

By M.S. Bellows, Jr.

Can't resist putting this up before the meme slips away in favor of Balloon Boy:

Yesterday RNC chairman Michael Steele said he wants to be the "cow" on the "tracks" that stops the Democrats' healthcare reform train. To which I say: knock yourself out, Michael! What up!



(Disclaimer: yes, animals were harmed during the making of this snark. However, we're not the ones who harmed them. I feel seriously sorry for the poor cow, and I only post its demise because it so starkly summarizes the electoral future of both GOP and Democratic Blue Dog obstructionists that stand in the way of solid health care reform, which is even more important than the life of a poor cow who probably was destined for the abbatoir anyway. If that explanation doesn't satisfy, please direct all angry diatribes to me, msbellows at gmail, rather than the poor HuffPost editors.)


From The Huffington Post

If there ever was any question about the ignorance of Michael Steele, this quote settles all arguments. He is the cow on the tracks, huh? Go ahead Michael. Lower those horns and stop that locomotive!

Billionaires For Wealthcare are "Sick of It"!

This is the kind of demonstration that may turn the tide for healthcare against the Billions of Dollars that have been pumped into the fight against it. These guys are great! And the funniest part of the whole thing is that the tea party types don't get that they are being made fun of. Good Humor with a bite.

From BillsforWealthcare

Lucy is now truly "in the sky with diamonds"

From Yellow Submarine, the song.

Sadly, the "girl with kaleidoscope eyes" is gone:

Lucy Vodden, who is widely believed to be the inspiration behind The Beatles' 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds', has died.

Vodden, 46, had been receiving treatment for the immune system disease Lupus. She passed away last Tuesday.

'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds' was featured on The Beatles' 1967 album 'Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'.

Critics originally thought the track was about drug use, but John Lennon always maintained it had been inspired by a picture of Vodden drawn by his son, Julian.

He is understood to have shown his father the drawing, and said: "It's Lucy in the sky with diamonds."

The pair, who went to a nursery in Weybridge, Surrey together in 1966, reignited their friendship when Julian discovered Vodden was ill.

Here's the picture Julian drew that so enchanted John and inspired what may be the Beatles' most misunderstood song:



Rest well, Lucy.

From News of the Restless

Git-Mo Help

I kind of hesitated about posting this, but then I though what the Hell, it is very sick humor. Right up my alley. Oops! Better be careful with saying that around the Gitmo Helpers.

From TedRallToons

Sell The Vatican, Feed The World

Sarah Silverman has come up with a GREAT idea. I'll let her tell you about it, but I can never see her without remembering the video she did singing the song "I'm Fucking Matt Damon". I still laugh when I think about it.

From Sell The Vatican

Jon Stewart On Crossfire

I've shown this video before on this blog, but it is so good that I can't get enough of it. Jon Stewart just rips CNN, Paul Begala but most especially that little worm Tucker Carlson. Tucker Carlson. Isn't that a name of a guy you just HAD to give a wedgie to in high school? Anyway, enjoy

From Atvartist

Stupid Sex Tricks: Kanga-RUDE! and Stupid Sex Tricks: Premature much?

Sabina Becker, Fellow Blogger and all around Brilliant Woman who owns News of the Restless, a progressive political blog that focuses on mostly Latin American issues but is generally eclectic (in other words, whatever catches Queen 'Bina's attention) and has a rather warped sense of humor for which that alone you should read her blog. Anyway, she has a section that she posts at irregular intervals called 'Stupid Sex Tricks.' The following two clips came for separate posts she made but they are both so funny that I was laughing so loud and long my wife came back to see what was going on. Anyway, I decided to keep these two for posterity and combine them into a single post. I defy you, as 'Bina says in one of the posts, to tell me that you are not laughing so hard that you wet yourself when you watch these. Furthermore, I couldn't decide which headline was better so I used them both. Without further ado:

#1
I have NO idea what this man is talking about...



...and clearly, the fapping marsupial behind him doesn't care.

#2



If you're not rolling all over the floor or mopping up spat-out drink from your monitor after this, you're probably dead. Either that, or you're a robot.

From News of the Restless

Did Hannity fib to Michael Moore about attending Mass?

By David Edwards and Muriel Kane
Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 -- 10:54 am

When Michael Moore appeared with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Tuesday, he repeatedly confounded the conservative interviewer by invoking a religious basis for his positions while laughing openly at Hannity's fear of al Qaeda.

Hannity began by charging Moore with being "an unapologetic socialist," to which Moore replied, "Christian. ... I believe in what Jesus said. ... Jesus is very clear about the rich man is going to have a very hard time getting into Heaven."

"I'm a Christian," Hannity insisted. "I'm very generous."

"Did you go to mass this past Sunday?" Moore asked. "What was the sermon about?"

"I don't remember," Hannity confessed, as Moore chortled, "You didn't go!"

Hannity, however, did his best to shrug this off. "Well, you're rich," he jabbed. "The capitalist system allowed you to get here. ... Do you think Fidel Castro would allow you to produce a movie and make millions of dollars trashing his system? ... You'd be killed."

"You're still following that line?" Moore asked incredulously. "What about the murder that's been done in our name in the last decade? ... That's the real issue, isn't is? What's been done in our name, in our Christian name, to Iraq, in Afghanistan, these other places?"

"They were at war with us!" Hannity insisted, pointing to "the terrorists that attacked the World Trade Center."

"The terrorists are criminal thugs," Moore replied firmly. "They're not warriors. ... You're making them out to be such a big thing, like they're equal to us. Are you kidding me? Only a wuss would be afraid of that?"

"If they ever get the bomb..." Hannity began, but Moore just laughed at him.

"Why do we invade another country that did nothing to us, that wasn't a threat?" Moore charged, speaking of the invasion of Iraq. "This is all going to come out. ... I hope there'll be trials within the Obama administration. I hope the Justice Department will go down that road."

Moore then returned to the subject of al Qaeda, asking Hannity, "How many of them are there, by the way? ... We're the United States of America, man! Come on! You're afraid of a few hundred guys on monkey bars?"

"Millions," Hannity insisted. "Millions that buy into Islamic fanaticism."

"All religions have their fanatics," Moore replied.

"Are you one?" Hannity asked.

"Yes," Moore laughed. "I believe that when Jesus said that you're to love your neighbor as yourself... you're to love your enemy. Do you love your enemy? ... You love al Qaeda, then?"

"I love them in the sense that I want to destroy them," Hannity replied.

"I don't think that's the love Jesus was talking about," Moore concluded.

This video is from Fox News' Hannity, broadcast Oct. 6, 2009.

From The Raw Story

Michael Moore and Wolf Blitzer have another YouTube moment

You would think that Wolf Blitzer would learn not to try and hammer Michael Moore. Someone should tell him about that old saying about not stopping hitting yourself on the head with a hammer because it feels really good when you stop. You have to wonder why CNN keeps this guy around. Well, I guess if they can keep that moron, racist Lou Dobbs around, why hot Wolf Blitzer.

From The Raw Story

The Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas, a Fair Trade Association

September 24th 2009
By Kaitlin Baird

For a long time industrialized capitalist countries have assumed they know what is best for the rest of the world. International organizations like the World Trade Organization (WTO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), and World Bank have allowed wealthier nations to impose neoliberal ideas and policies upon under-developed countries. U.S.-backed trading blocs such as the Free Trade of the Americas Association (FTAA), North American Free Trade Association (NAFTA), and Central American Free Trade Association (CAFTA) have tried to force the values of trade liberalization and profit upon Latin America. Latin American nations have significantly less developed industries compared to the United States and because of this the only people who have benefited from these trade agreements are the wealthy government and corporate elites, leaving the majority of these countries' populations to suffer in poverty.

The Chávez government of Venezuela has been taking a leading role in movements and struggles to combat the damaging effects of globalization in Latin America. In addition to denouncing the U.S. government and its policies toward Latin America, Chávez has taken real steps in fighting harmful neoliberal influences in the region. Since taking office Chávez has helped create BancoSUR (Bank of the South), an alternative to the IMF and World Bank which provides low interest loans to Latin American countries, and TeleSUR (The New Television Station of the South), a regional station providing local alternative perspectives for stations coming from the U.S.

One of the most important programs to counteract the neoliberal trade model is the Alternativa Bolivariana para las Américas or in English, Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas. ALBA was designed in collaboration with Cuban President Fidel Castro as an alternative to the FTAA. Additionally ALBA promotes the idea of social, political, and economic integration within the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. ALBA is not based on profit and trade liberalization, but on equity, social welfare, and mutual economic aid. Although the current members include Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Honduras, Dominican Republic, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, many other regional countries engage in trade and support ALBA's alternative values. Amid founding this organization, presidents Hugo Chávez and Fidel Castro decided upon three main principles:

(1) using trade and investment as instruments which can help achieve fair sustainable development,

(2) special and individualized treatment for each nation, considering the levels they have of development and the dimensions of their economies,

(3) financial complementarities and co-operation between participating countries which may contribute to the fight against poverty and to preserve the different cultural identities.[1]

Unlike the FTAA, ALBA acknowledges that all nations are not economically equal and that trade agreements must be made around the idea of equality for everyone and not maximum profit.

The values and ideals that define ALBA are represented in trade agreements with Latin American countries. Venezuela provides subsidized oil to Cuba and in return Cuba provides free health care assistance to Venezuelans and trains Venezuelan doctors. Both countries benefit immensely from this trade. Venezuela is able to implement the government program, Barrio Adentro, where many Cuban doctors work to provide free health care for previously marginalized people in poor communities, while Cuba uses cheap oil to continue to rebuild its economy after the devastation left by the collapse of the Soviet Union.[2]

Since the election of leftist Bolivian President Evo Morales, Bolivia has also received medical aid from Cuba. Cuban doctors work in 180 Bolivian municipalities and nine provinces.[3] Cuba and Venezuela have contributed to Bolivia's literacy campaign, Yo, Si Puedo (Yes, I Can), which in 2008 allowed Bolivia to declare itself free of illiteracy.[4] In another Bolivian support agreement, Venezuela and Cuba purchased soy beans from Bolivia after Colombia, Bolivia's main importer of agriculture, signed an agreement with the United States to pay cheaper prices on imported U.S. soy beans.[5] In addition to these specific mutual interest trade agreements, Venezuela and Bolivia have signed numerous other agreements pertaining to education, hydrocarbons, petrochemicals, finance, communications, the environment, mining, security, defense, and technology.[6]

Trade that does not revolve around profit and trade liberalization is considered as a step in the wrong direction by countries like the United States. The negative effects of this mindset are slowly becoming more apparent in light of our global economic, political, social, and environmental problems. ALBA is just one example of the inspirational movement against globalization and free trade happening all over Latin America. U.S. intervention and neoliberal policies have and will continue to try to dismantle anti-capitalist leftist movements and their leaders. However, after decades of repeating the same mistakes and in light of our current economic crisis, it is clear that it is time to begin to build something different. It is time to pay attention to what is happening in our hemisphere and to acknowledge this downward spiral that will continue unless we change something. ALBA doesn't solve all the problems of unfair trade policy, but it provides an appealing alternative to an unjust system in the process of collapsing.

Kaitlin is a student at the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. She recently spent three months studying in Venezuela with Evergreen's academic program Building Economic and Social Justice.

Notes

[1] Venezuela - PDVSA's Trans-national System in Latin America." Goliath: Buisness Knowledge on Demand. 26 Nov. 2007. 1 Dec. 2008 .

[2] Macbeth, Hampden. "The Not So Odd Couple: Venezuela's Hugo Chavez and Cuba's Fidel Castro." 22 June 2005. The Council on Hemispheric Affairs. 28 Oct. 2008 .

[3] Whitney, W. T. "Cuba, Venezuela Bring Medical Care to Bolivia." People's Weekly World (2006). PWW.org. 10 June 2006. NLine. 31 May 2009 .

[4] Frances, Liannis Mateu. "Cuba Contributes to Post-Literacy Campaign in Bolivia." Radio Rebelde. 15 Apr. 2009. Osana Osoria Arrue. 31 May 2009 .

[5] Burbach, Roger. "Bolivia's Radical Realignment Under Evo Morales." America Latina en Movimiento. 03 May 2006. Agencia Latinoamericana de Infomacion. 31 May 2009 .

[6] Munckton, Stuart. "Venezuela: Deepening Latin American Integration." Green Left Online. 14 June 2006. Green Left Weekly. 1 Dec. 2008 .

* 28/11/2008: Venezuela Proposes New Regional Currency During ALBA Summit
* 03/02/2009: ALBA Trade Bloc Forms Joint Food Company at Summit in Venezuela
* 21/04/2009: Venezuela and ALBA Promote “New Climate” in Summit of the Americas

From Venezuela Analysis

In MSNBC Smackdown, Propagandist Betsy McCaughey Proposes Eliminating Medicare For Some Seniors

Don't you just LOVE it when the lying, pseudo-intellectual and ignorant shill of the health insurance industry and big pharma gets absolutely smacked down. She gets beat so bad that she actually reveals her 'plan' to protect Medicare: cut out everyone from ages 65-70 from the program. Then she starts jumping on the host of the program as an 'unfair' moderator. Like she has ever been fair about any of the lies, distortions and misrepresentations she has spewed. She came back out from under her rock with her same old tactic: scare the Hell out of seniors. And it backfired on her. Couldn't happen to a nicer word whore.

From Think Progress

Republican Mailer Appeals to Racists

Normally I agree with Cenk completely, but in this case, I think he missed the boat. Maybe that comes from growing up in the segregated South, but the level of hate voiced and the intensity of the threatening manner used when the wingnuts talk about President Obama is much worse than anything Bill Clinton faced. Jimmy Carter was absolutely correct. This 'survey' that Cenk is ranting about is simply a continuation of the racist Southern Strategy begun by Richard Nixon through Albert Watson and Floyd Spence and continued by Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush through Lee Atwater. Cenk's point that if Hillary or Edwards had won it would have been the same is just not true. It rings hollow in the face of the virulence of the wingnut southern whites who hate the black man in the White House. They won't even use his name. Other than that, Cenk is dead on about Cornyn and the rest of the Repugnicans.

From The Young Turks

Zelaya's return to Honduras met with force

The Real News Network has proven to be an invaluable resource in getting the truth out about the Butcherletti Government. Give over Lanny. The more you try, the harder Butcherletti works to undercut you. I just wish someone could get to Hillary and Barack and show them the unedited pictures of what the "bloodless" "interim" government is really doing to Honduras. Maybe then they would get off their backsides and do something forceful. Like close down Honduras like they have Cuba and imprison all those members of Congress who violate the law and the Constitution by going and interfering with US foreign policy. Oh, yeah, I forgot. we don't have a real foreign policy.

From The Real News Network

Why Latin America Distrusts The United States

The Real News Network examines the long, sordid, militarist and bloody history of US meddling in Latin America. The US has never acted as if Latin America contained sovereign countries, even though it paid lip service to that concept. The US has simply dictated the internal affairs of the countries of Latin America either through direct military action or through its agents provocateur. The current coup in Honduras has the feeling of deja vu for the people of Latin America. The coup has the stink of deep US involvement and betrays President Obama's words at the OAS summit earlier this year. Maybe we really DO need to discuss the past and the grotesque abuses of the US in it's previous treatment of Latin America. Obviously President Obama never read the book that President Chavez gave him at the summit.

From The Real News Network

Rep. Thaddeus McCotter: Ideologues like Sen. Jim DeMint are ‘nuts.’

Just when you thought that no one out there in the Wingnut Party (also known as the Republican Party) had a lick of sense, could find there way to the bathroom to relieve themselves, to realize that they even needed to relieve themselves, comes this. It is like manna from Heaven because it ties in so closely with the previous story here. A Repugnant who thinks that Jim DeMint is going to ruin the party. As if! It's been ruined, it just hasn't had the good grace to die. From Think Progress:

On Saturday, Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI) discussed the direction of the GOP in an address to the Republican Northeast Conference in Newport, RI. McCotter, who serves as the chairman of the Republican Policy Committee in the House, chided conservative “ideologues” for controlling the party. McCotter explained that these individuals want to “purge” opponents “all the time…because they’re nuts.” He then clarified that his remarks were directed at radical conservatives like Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC):

MCCOTTER: If the Republican Party wants to become its own antithesis, which is an ideological party, we’re going to continue to have these problems. Remember, ideologues, there’s a reason why they purge all the time — it’s because they’re nuts. Hope the ideologues weren’t listening. If, however, as I said before, we understand that we represent constituencies and America is a vast country full of a variety of opinions and peoples, way of life, then we will get where we need to go. As for the attitude of the Senator from South Carolina that it is better to have fewer friends than more, that’s easier to say in South Carolina than Detroit.

Watch it:



Before Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) left the Republican Party, DeMint told a blogger that Specter “cut our knees from under us” and informed Specter personally that he would be supporting his far-right primary opponent. DeMint also told the same right-wing blogger that conservatives in the Senate need to aggressively “go after” other GOP moderates Maine Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe.

From Think Progress

Jim DeMint's Wonderful 'Interim' President of Honduras

Playtime is over, back to work. No more excuses about being under the weather.
This video is disgusting. The thugs who are the lackeys of the Butcherletti Regime in Honduras have decided that it is OK to beat an eight-month pregnant woman in the abdominal area because she had the nerve to try and stop them from beating her husband to death. His crime? He was happy that Manuel Zelaya, the rightful president of Honduras no matter what that lying sack of shit Lanny Davis says, is back in Honduras.
You would think that the wingnuts like DeMint and the rest of his cheering section at Faux News would be too ashamed to continue to trumpet the virtues of Butcherletti. But they aren't. Just to clarify something Mr. Glum Buck, this is the sort of thing that the lawyer was decrying to your buddy Senator McCarthy and his thuggish attacks against everyone he declared to be a "communist", a man who had much more in common with you than the lawyer who was defending his client and decrying Sen McCarthy's tactics.
You would think that the wingnuts would begin to remember that there is a thing called YouTube and video cameras in most cellphones, so they can no longer keep secret their horrific abuses, deny their outrageous statements and be vilified as they so richly deserve.

From Honduras Oye!