news blips you can't make up  •   Police catch Peeping Tom at a nudie show. So, what's the point?

 •   Man fined for blowing his nose. In England. Gives new meaning to the phrase "stiff upper lip", eh?

 •   Also in England Town's mayor caught stealing women's underwear. At least he wasn't shoplifting, however. He was stealing it from a woman's dresser drawer in her home. [UPDATE: The Mayor had twice been elected mayor of Preesall and Knott End, near Fleetwood, Lancs,] With no statement proffered, he resigned from his post.

 •   Rupert Murdoch's Fox the most trusted name in news... according to leaning-to-the-right-wing opinionator Politico.

 •   Merriam-Webster's Dictionary censored by Menifee California School district. "It's just not age-appropriate," said school spokeswoman Betti Cadmus to the the Press-Enterprise. "It's hard to sit and read the dictionary, but we'll be looking to find other things of a graphic nature."
     Evidently one—count ‘em, one—- parent complained so, rather than choosing a thoughtful and measured response to calm the histrionic parent, the local district officials instead swooped in and purged all the district’s schools of the dictionary.

 •   Censorship again! This time in Culpepper Virginia, banning the Diary of Anne Frank.. Why not just forbid going to libraries? Ban reading [oh, Sorry, Rupert Murdoch - trusted news source notwithstanding - is helping that cause already]

 •   Who else censors books? A whole passel of organizations, even Sarah Palin has a list.

 •   Wisconsin school district bans "sexual bending" during school dances and requires that "...both feet must remain on the dance floor at all times..." This appears to rule out performances of the Charleston, Electric Slide, the Cha-Cha and virtually every other dance step I can think of.

 •   Santa Claus wins Peace Prize. No, this is not lifted from The Onion.

 •   Fashion News! Models from the Wal-Mart runways.

 •   Dillie the friendly deer likes to share her owners’ bed at night. 48-year-old vet Dr Melanie Butera, from Ohio, rescued her. Dillie started sharing the Buteras’ bed with their dog Lady. ‘It was quite a cute get-together,’ said Dr Butera. ‘Steve liked the way Dillie warmed his feet up when she lay on them.’
     Dillie’s favourite treat is pasta followed by ice cream and coffee, topped off with frozen ice shavings. ‘We just love her to bits,’ said Dr Butera.

 •   Naked intruder greeted with meat cleaver.

Labels: censorship, news of the weird

  ¶ 05:01 3 comments

  media control The FCC is determined to pursue a corporate financed gag order on free speech! Even though there has been extensive opposition at crowded public hearings, as well as opposition from public interest groups spanning the the political spectrum FCC commission whores plan to make it easier for corporations to restrict free speech by gaining even more control over the media.
The five commissioners include:
Kevin J. Martin, Chair Republican North Carolina
Michael J. Copps Democrat Wisconsin
Jonathan S. Adelstein Democrat South Dakota
Deborah Taylor Tate Republican Tennessee
Robert M. McDowell Republican Virginia
     At public hearings across the nation, the citizenry have been resoundingly clear that we are opposed to making it easier for corporations to control both print and telecommunications media. Bushco Lap Dog Martin Chairman has completely ignored the Peoples' Voice on this matter.
     So indifferent is Martin to public opinion that he wrote, and submitted, an op-ed essay to the New York Times advocating giving corporate titans what they want. The essay was turned over to the New York Times even before that last of the public hearings, in Seattle, last week, were even held [though he says he can't remember this].
     Chairman Martin is under investigation for a lack of transparency in FCC proceedings as well as an abuse of his power in relation to cable industry regulations. He has also been accused of keeping his fellow commissioners in the dark in an attempt to push through policy. John Dingell (D) of the House Commerce Committee commented that this, his cable industry proceedings, as well as an attempt to relax the newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership ban "lead to larger concerns as to the inclination and ability of the commission to perform its core mission: the implementation of federal law to serve the public interest."
     A faithful lap dog to the Bushco Regime, Martin has also served as a Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy. He has also served as the Deputy General Counsel to Bush-Cheney 2000, on the Bush-Cheney recount team in Florida, and on the Presidential Transition Team in 2000.
     You can call the Federal Communications Commission [445 12th Street SW, Washington, DC 20554] weekday business hours by a toll free number 1-888-CALL-FCC to express your concerns about this hijacking of American Citizens' interests. But don't try calling after hours, they only offer phone menu options to corporate applicants, the new media and others. There is no access for the ordinary citizen.The FCC has an e-mail address E-mail: fccinfo@fcc.gov and a fax number 1-866-418-0232, where you can express your concerns. But do it quickly. Chairman Martin plans on rendering a decision in favor of the corporate titans this week.
     Or contact your senator or congressional representative via Congress.org, EFF's Congressional contact sheet. In general, it is usually better to CALL rather than write [takes too long to receive it] or e-mail a Congressperson [many don't take e-mail seriously].

Labels: censorship, corporate control, economic treason, freedom of speech, gag orders, government accountability, propaganda

  ¶ 08:20 0 comments

  dissing free speech, sanctioning torture

---

WWE Impressario Vince McMahon crossed the line last night from gruesome entertainment to violence porn.
     I find the abusive beating that popular wrestler Rey Mysterio received at McMahon's instruction totally "...without any socially redeeming value..."
     Even worse, the rationale for McMahon's ordering the assault was because Rey Mysterio disagreed with McMahon's opinion. "I know ~ you can say your opinion, there's freedom of speech here..." baited McMahon to an obviously skeptical Rey Mysterio. And when Mysterio disagreed, McMahon ordered Umaga, a massive Samoan wrestler to trounce on him. Some respect for freedom of speech.

---

     Before I go any further on my rant, let me make it clear that I throughly enjoy wrestling matches. For that matter, I find the matches erotic ~ I know I'm not alone on this one.
     I have watched WWF/WWE matches for close to a couple of decades. I regularly tune in to WWE Smackdown on UPN Friday nights and try to check out Spike-TV's Thursday night lineup of Ultimate Fight Competitions and Total Action Wrestling. Hell, I've even watched Fight Club twice.
     Frankly, I find Ultimate Fight Competitions more exciting than RAW or Smackdown. There's more focus on fighting and no wasted time devoted to pseudo-psychodrama or contender-preening sideshows.
     I also recognize that the guys [and gals, what there are of them] who sign into the WWE empire do so of their own free will.
     As combatants, they are fully aware that they may get injured in the process, even seriously. As entertainers when they go into the ring they often play out a role, and that could include acting as though they are injured.
     That, in essence, is what is Kayfabe is all about. I know that a good part of what I see is replete with such as feuds, storylines, and gimmicks, rather like soap opera, and made to appear as if something is worse than it appears. ...so I'm not beyond thinking that what I saw might not have been real ...the seriousness of the injuries sustained by Rey Mysterio.

---

     Having said that, I return to what was shown on Friday night. First there's the build-up. It comes in a couple of parts:
  •  Rey Mysterio enters the ring to cheers from his fans and a home town crowd. He's been out of the ringa few months, after his leg was broken by another challenger in a gruesome match. I can deal with that.
  •  McMahon comes in full bore bully [playing the role of heel to Mysterio's crowd pleasing face, has the ring surrounded by a phalanx of beefy henchmen, effectively banning anyone from entering or leaving the ring without his say-so;
  •  McMahon then challenges Rey Mysterio to disagree with him on his choice of a wrestler against one that Billionaire egotist Donald Trump will select; Okay, so it's a big stunt designed to promote a bet between two rich boors; No problem with that either.
  •  But then the problems begin...
  •  After bringing the Samoan into the ring, who lurks thretening in the background McMahon asks Rey's opinion, "It's a free country. You have freeom of speech..."
  •  When Mysterior disagrees with McMahon, first showing him disdain, then outright disagreeing with him, McMahon sics the big wrestler on a man using a cane, obviously still physically disabled, attacks the injured leg with vigor and slams him down to the point that Rey appears to be unconscious.
  •  McMahon, clearly undisturbed at the actions he has put forward, leaves the ring, smirking, giving yet another plug about his challenge to Trump. Meanwhile, a team of EMTs rushes in to cart newly re-injured Rey out of the arena.
  •  The inherent messages?
  •  As I said at the top of this screed It's perfectly acceptable to beat the crap out of a disabled person in front of an international audience ~ and ~ this kind of treatment is an acceptable response when dealing with someone you disagree with ~ if ~ you are rich and powerful enough to get away with it.
     For the rest of us, there is no freedom of speech.
     It's not clear to me that McMahon has violated WWE Corporate's code of business conduct, but then it's McMahon's name on the front page of the Corporate Governance website, so perhaps he can change the rules as he pleases.

Examples of prohibited conduct include, without limitation:
  * Interfering with a person’s ability to perform his/her job, or creating an offensive work environment through insulting or degrading remarks, gestures, propositions, jokes, tricks, displays of ...offensive symbols, objects or pictures or similar conduct related to a legally protected basis...
  * Any threat of, or actual, retaliation against any person for reporting or filing claims of unlawful harassment.

     But Greenwich, Connecticut-based WWE and Mr. McMahon are still technically bound by laws that govern all American citizens, and aggrievated assault is a crime in my book, a serious one. Arrogantly beating another person into submission [or instructing some lackey to do so at your bidding] is evil, pure and simple.
     As I said above, it may have all been an act. But in the television drenched brains of many, the act was real. The audience at the San Diego area remained in stunned silence as McMahon strutted out.
     The actions, even if faked, were disgusting. McMahon should apologize for violating another person's freedom of speech, and maybe publically set up a foundation ~ over which no one at WWE has any control ~ to promote the free discourse of opinion, as well as to establish a fund to aid disabled persons who have been assaulted by thugs.
     What do you think, reader?
If you let WWE's Corporate Board of Directors know, will McMahon send a thug to trash your house, too? Here's the phone numbers and addresses to reach the WWE corporate offices.
     This time WWE and McMahon personally went over the top. Return to entertaining us, Vince. Step back on the weird not so crypto-fascist politics.

Labels: abuse, censorship, criminal acts, torture, Vince McMahon, violence porn, wrestling

  ¶ 10:37 1 comments

  drug dealers What do the people pictued below have in common? And why should we need to know who they are? They are all involved in the international trafficing of potent chemical substances; the kingpins of a massive organization with close ties to officals in high places and all are part of a well know [some might say infamous] group that is currently engaged in silencing disturbing facts about some of the drugs their global cabal have been pushing.
     Who are they? Why, none other than some of the members of the top management of Eli Lilly Corporation. This helps start putting a face to criminals who hide in our midst behind self-congratulatory accolades, self-serving connections to community do-gooder groups, and lengthy lists of accomplishments. Helping perpertuate suffering and death need to be aded to their resumes.
Left to right
Robert Armitage
Robert Armstrong
Alan Breier
Scott Canute

Bryce Carmine
William Chin
Dierdre Connelly
Andrew Dahlem

Frank Deane
Johanna Carmel Egan
Timothy Franson
Michael Heim

Sidney Taurel CEO
Simion Harford
Patrick C James
John Lechleiter

Elizabeth Klimes
Gino Santini
Thomas VerHoeven
Steven Paul

     I'm not saying that each and every one of these Eli Lilly executives were personally involved in the systematic supression and censorship of information or even that they might all have known that their psychiatric drug caused life-threatening metabolic problems such as severe weight gain and diabetes, and tried to keep this secret for a decade.
     I'm more concerned, now that this set of facts is already public information, that as corporate decision-makers, they have a personal and social obligation to expose the malefactors in their corporate-nation who have perpetrated these woes upon unsuspecting customers, mainly mostly mentally ill people, or folks diagnosed with major psychiatric disorders.
     To continue to remain silent about what has become increasingly evident that corporate executives at Eli Lilly Corporation knowingly hid information about very real dangers and long-term adverse reactions to Zyprexa, that, is in my mind an immoral act, even if not technically a criminal one. As part f the whole they are equally responsible in the cover up.

Labels: big pharma, censorship, drug wars, zyprexa

  ¶ 21:47 2 comments