Friday, December 14, 2007
Please Read About the Halliburton Rape Case
This is just one of the many atrocities that are occuring in Iraq as a result of the criminal activity of the Bush administration.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Second Fashion Piece-Ten Best Period Costume Films
This is the second piece that I will write for the Glamalan contest hosted by Malan Breton. In this article, I will identify my choices as the top ten period recreation films that I have ever seen. This list is in no particular order as all of them are equally magnificent in their constructions of the couture and style of the eras they represent. I am very sorry to report that I have found no pictures to go with my review.
1.. Far From Heaven- I think this film is the best of recent times in terms of recreating a historical period. Sandy Powell’s designs for the gowns worn by Julianne Moore are modish and truly take the film back to the era of haute couture in the 1950s.
2. Anne Of A Thousand Days- Anne Of A Thousand Days is the most sensuous film done in the style of Renaissance period films. The costumes worn by Genevieve Bujold designed by Margaret Furse, are among some of the most captivating and imperious costumes to appear on screen. The entire film is the best recreation of the Tudor period in England ever brought to film, but the costumes, particularly those worn by Genevieve Bujold as Anne Boleyn, are stellar on their own as some of the most powerful fashion statements to make it to screen.
3. Desiree- As in Anne of A Thousand Days does with the Tudor Period in England, Desiree offers some magnificent displays of French couture in the Napoleonic era. Jean Simmons appears in some elegant outfits as Bernadine Eugenie Desiree Clary and creates some classic moments on film.
4. The Cotton Club- This film is a delicious throwback to the 1930s and they heyday of the Cotton Club and the Jazz era in New York. With fabulous recreations in terms of setting, the costumes worn by Lonette McKee and Diane Lane are incredible and truly display the posh style, grace, and elegance of the 1930s.
5. The Age of Innocence- This film, set during the Edwardian era in the United States, masterfully exudes the essence, style, and values of the gilded rich in the early 20th century. The costumes worn by Michelle Pfeiffer are spectacular representations of the era and quite possibly the best examples of period costume on film. Not only are the women’s costumes spectacular, particularly those worn by Pfeiffer and Wynona Ryder, but the men’s outfits are also stunning in their revival of the grace of men’s clothing during that period. Michelle Pfeiffer, Wynona Ryder, and Daniel Day-Lewis all cut striking figures in this film. This is perhaps the best period piece of the modern era
6. Chicago- This film, along with The Cotton Club, is one of the best representations of the 1930s Jazz Age ever to come to film. Some of the outfits worn by Catherine Zeta Jones, Renee Zellwegger, and Queen Latifah truly capture the essence of the period being depicted in the film.
7. Marie Antoinette – Mounds of praise must be given to Sophia Coppola for her intuitiveness and vision in making Marie Antoinette. The food, the sets, and the costumes worn by Kirsten Dunst are extraordinary in the ways in which they define the 18th Century aesthetic in the film. Melina Canonero truly deserved the Oscar that she won for Best Costume Design in this film.
8. My Fair Lady- Sir Cecil Beaton rightfully won his Oscar for his designs worn by Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady. The entire ensemble of costumes worn by Hepburn are splendid and delicious examples of 19th century haute couture. The entire film, in terms of set and costume designs, brilliantly portray the various pockets of 19th Century British society.
9. On a Clear Day You Can See Forever- the period scenes in this fabulous shtick comedy starring Barbra Streisand provide some of the best examples of period costuming. Again, Cecil Beaton offers spectacular recreations of 18th century high fashion, providing Barbra Streisand with some of her most exquisite scenes on the screen.
10. The Josephine Baker Story- The Josephine Baker Story is a wonderful tribute to one of the most dazzling, awe-inspiring, and sensational entertainers of all time. This film does an excellent job of recreating the panache and flair that was La Josephine. Lynn Whitfield masterfully recreates this character and provides some of the most memorable and exquisite images on screen.
1.. Far From Heaven- I think this film is the best of recent times in terms of recreating a historical period. Sandy Powell’s designs for the gowns worn by Julianne Moore are modish and truly take the film back to the era of haute couture in the 1950s.
2. Anne Of A Thousand Days- Anne Of A Thousand Days is the most sensuous film done in the style of Renaissance period films. The costumes worn by Genevieve Bujold designed by Margaret Furse, are among some of the most captivating and imperious costumes to appear on screen. The entire film is the best recreation of the Tudor period in England ever brought to film, but the costumes, particularly those worn by Genevieve Bujold as Anne Boleyn, are stellar on their own as some of the most powerful fashion statements to make it to screen.
3. Desiree- As in Anne of A Thousand Days does with the Tudor Period in England, Desiree offers some magnificent displays of French couture in the Napoleonic era. Jean Simmons appears in some elegant outfits as Bernadine Eugenie Desiree Clary and creates some classic moments on film.
4. The Cotton Club- This film is a delicious throwback to the 1930s and they heyday of the Cotton Club and the Jazz era in New York. With fabulous recreations in terms of setting, the costumes worn by Lonette McKee and Diane Lane are incredible and truly display the posh style, grace, and elegance of the 1930s.
5. The Age of Innocence- This film, set during the Edwardian era in the United States, masterfully exudes the essence, style, and values of the gilded rich in the early 20th century. The costumes worn by Michelle Pfeiffer are spectacular representations of the era and quite possibly the best examples of period costume on film. Not only are the women’s costumes spectacular, particularly those worn by Pfeiffer and Wynona Ryder, but the men’s outfits are also stunning in their revival of the grace of men’s clothing during that period. Michelle Pfeiffer, Wynona Ryder, and Daniel Day-Lewis all cut striking figures in this film. This is perhaps the best period piece of the modern era
6. Chicago- This film, along with The Cotton Club, is one of the best representations of the 1930s Jazz Age ever to come to film. Some of the outfits worn by Catherine Zeta Jones, Renee Zellwegger, and Queen Latifah truly capture the essence of the period being depicted in the film.
7. Marie Antoinette – Mounds of praise must be given to Sophia Coppola for her intuitiveness and vision in making Marie Antoinette. The food, the sets, and the costumes worn by Kirsten Dunst are extraordinary in the ways in which they define the 18th Century aesthetic in the film. Melina Canonero truly deserved the Oscar that she won for Best Costume Design in this film.
8. My Fair Lady- Sir Cecil Beaton rightfully won his Oscar for his designs worn by Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady. The entire ensemble of costumes worn by Hepburn are splendid and delicious examples of 19th century haute couture. The entire film, in terms of set and costume designs, brilliantly portray the various pockets of 19th Century British society.
9. On a Clear Day You Can See Forever- the period scenes in this fabulous shtick comedy starring Barbra Streisand provide some of the best examples of period costuming. Again, Cecil Beaton offers spectacular recreations of 18th century high fashion, providing Barbra Streisand with some of her most exquisite scenes on the screen.
10. The Josephine Baker Story- The Josephine Baker Story is a wonderful tribute to one of the most dazzling, awe-inspiring, and sensational entertainers of all time. This film does an excellent job of recreating the panache and flair that was La Josephine. Lynn Whitfield masterfully recreates this character and provides some of the most memorable and exquisite images on screen.
Mike Huckabee Cannot Be President
Check out Mike Huckabee's ties to the right-wing militia, the Minutemen. This group is a vigilante group of lynchmen that targets and harrasses people crossing the Mexican border. Not only should these people go to hell, but since Huckabee has accepted their endorsement, he should get nowhere near the presidency(and lets have no more white house-paint it red or yellow or black, but NOT white)!
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Fashion Blogging/ Fashion Statement
I accepted the challenge given out by Malan Breton for his Glamalan blog to write two pieces concerning fashion and entertainment for a contest that he is having. The first post I shall do will concern the fashions of Barbra Streisand through the decades. Who could have guessed? Barbra has had a penchant for making fashion statements ever since her rise to fame in the early 60s. With her own sense of personal style, she constantly made the international best dressed lists in the mid and late sixties. She has even set her own trends. There was even, at one point, a Barbra Streisand Barbie Doll. We can begin this review of the Streisand style with a look at one of her earliest contributions to fashion, what some have called "the Streisand Look."
The Streisand Look Stemming from her days in Greenwich Village performing at supperclubs and other venues, this style is characterized by the intricate Egyptian eyes, darkly colored that accentuate her face. She made use of this technique in her first television special, My Name is Barbra,in Funny Girl, and other shows. During this early period in Greenwich Village, as Barbra was trying to become established as an actress, she defined herself by shopping at thrift shops and she was known for her eccentric tastes in clothing, makeup, and the material she used on stage. She won a talent contest at a gay nightclub, the Lion, wearing an eccentric configuration of orange and black makeup. An extension on this theme is the cover for her first venture onto the pop scene, the album What About Today?
This pose and this look are attributed to Barbra's appreciation of the 19th century French actress Sarah Bernhardt,who can be seen in a similar pose.
As a young starlet, Barbra was known for her expensive tastes in clothes, cars, and homes. her recognition as a woman of fashion was cemented as she posed for Cecil Beaton and modeled many of his elegant creations, particularly in the film On A Clear Day You Can See Forever
.
She drew criticism for an original outfit she wore to the 1968 Oscar ceremonies to accept her Oscar for Best Actress for Funny Girl.
The outfit, designed by Arnold Scaasi, was black and transparent and under the lights, it was see through. Despite all, the outfit became a classic and has been copied by many. Around this same time, Barbra introduced to the world a definitive hairstyle, known as the "Barbra Streisand look." 
Millions ran out to the hair salons to copy this style.
In the early 70s,as Barbra revved up her career and was establishing herself as a force in the Rock and Roll genre,she adopted the California surfer girl look,
a fresh, youthful look defined by long,flowing blonde hair and relaxed, contemporary clothing.
By the mid-70s, Barbra had cut loose with a different style, characterized by her frizzy, red hair.
By the early 90's, her fourth decade in the business, Barbra had adopted the short, blonde look that has become her signature, worn on her 1992 tour as well as in The Prince of Tides.
On her record-setting, box office breaking 1992 concert tour, Barbra wore a dress that was copied and for a time became the hottest item sold in fashion boutiques around the world.
The hairstyle worn on this tour was also emulated by millions of women around the globe.
Over the years, Barbra has been noted for her personal sense of style and her exquisite tastes. She has set trends, made international best dressed lists, and been favored by critics and designers. She has modeled for Cecil Beaton and worn original designs by some of the world's top fashion moguls. Her style and her tastes will be scrutinized, analyzed, and copied for years to come.
The Streisand Look Stemming from her days in Greenwich Village performing at supperclubs and other venues, this style is characterized by the intricate Egyptian eyes, darkly colored that accentuate her face. She made use of this technique in her first television special, My Name is Barbra,in Funny Girl, and other shows. During this early period in Greenwich Village, as Barbra was trying to become established as an actress, she defined herself by shopping at thrift shops and she was known for her eccentric tastes in clothing, makeup, and the material she used on stage. She won a talent contest at a gay nightclub, the Lion, wearing an eccentric configuration of orange and black makeup. An extension on this theme is the cover for her first venture onto the pop scene, the album What About Today?
This pose and this look are attributed to Barbra's appreciation of the 19th century French actress Sarah Bernhardt,who can be seen in a similar pose.As a young starlet, Barbra was known for her expensive tastes in clothes, cars, and homes. her recognition as a woman of fashion was cemented as she posed for Cecil Beaton and modeled many of his elegant creations, particularly in the film On A Clear Day You Can See Forever
.She drew criticism for an original outfit she wore to the 1968 Oscar ceremonies to accept her Oscar for Best Actress for Funny Girl.
The outfit, designed by Arnold Scaasi, was black and transparent and under the lights, it was see through. Despite all, the outfit became a classic and has been copied by many. Around this same time, Barbra introduced to the world a definitive hairstyle, known as the "Barbra Streisand look." 
Millions ran out to the hair salons to copy this style.In the early 70s,as Barbra revved up her career and was establishing herself as a force in the Rock and Roll genre,she adopted the California surfer girl look,
a fresh, youthful look defined by long,flowing blonde hair and relaxed, contemporary clothing. By the mid-70s, Barbra had cut loose with a different style, characterized by her frizzy, red hair.
By the early 90's, her fourth decade in the business, Barbra had adopted the short, blonde look that has become her signature, worn on her 1992 tour as well as in The Prince of Tides.
On her record-setting, box office breaking 1992 concert tour, Barbra wore a dress that was copied and for a time became the hottest item sold in fashion boutiques around the world.
The hairstyle worn on this tour was also emulated by millions of women around the globe.Over the years, Barbra has been noted for her personal sense of style and her exquisite tastes. She has set trends, made international best dressed lists, and been favored by critics and designers. She has modeled for Cecil Beaton and worn original designs by some of the world's top fashion moguls. Her style and her tastes will be scrutinized, analyzed, and copied for years to come.
U.S. Attorney Says CIA Torture Tapes Still Exist- From HungryBlues
US Attorney Says CIA Interrogation Tapes Still Exist
Breaking news on the ‘Skeeter Bites Report:
A letter by a Virginia-based U.S. attorney to a federal appeals court appears to contradict CIA Director Michael Hayden’s public statements on the destruction of hundreds of hours of video footage of “extreme” interrogations of suspected al-Qaida operatives by strongly indicating that at least two of the videos still exist, The ‘Skeeter Bites Report has learned.
Charles Rosenberg, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, wrote that his office viewed two videotapes of CIA interrogations of al-Qaida suspects as recently as September 19 and October 18 of this year — contrary to Hayden’s statement that the tapes were destroyed in 2005.
Disclosure of the continued existence of these two videos is almost certain to intensify the controversy over the tapes that were destroyed — and accusations that the CIA is engaging in a cover-up of evidence that its operatives employed interrogation tactics outlawed as torture under both U.S. and international law.
Rosenberg’s five-page letter, addressed to Judge Karen Williams, chief judge of the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia and to Judge Leonie Brinkema of the U.S. District Court in nearby Alexandria, was referring to the trial of Zacarias Moussaoui, the lone suspect convicted in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Brinkema was the presiding judge in the Moussaoui trial. A copy of the letter, dated October 27, was obtained by The ‘Skeeter Bites Report.
Rosenberg wrote that his office was informed on September 13 by the CIA that the agency “obtained three recordings — two videotapes and one short audiotape — of interrogations” of suspected al-Qaida terrorists.
(More at the link.)
Breaking news on the ‘Skeeter Bites Report:
A letter by a Virginia-based U.S. attorney to a federal appeals court appears to contradict CIA Director Michael Hayden’s public statements on the destruction of hundreds of hours of video footage of “extreme” interrogations of suspected al-Qaida operatives by strongly indicating that at least two of the videos still exist, The ‘Skeeter Bites Report has learned.
Charles Rosenberg, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, wrote that his office viewed two videotapes of CIA interrogations of al-Qaida suspects as recently as September 19 and October 18 of this year — contrary to Hayden’s statement that the tapes were destroyed in 2005.
Disclosure of the continued existence of these two videos is almost certain to intensify the controversy over the tapes that were destroyed — and accusations that the CIA is engaging in a cover-up of evidence that its operatives employed interrogation tactics outlawed as torture under both U.S. and international law.
Rosenberg’s five-page letter, addressed to Judge Karen Williams, chief judge of the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia and to Judge Leonie Brinkema of the U.S. District Court in nearby Alexandria, was referring to the trial of Zacarias Moussaoui, the lone suspect convicted in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Brinkema was the presiding judge in the Moussaoui trial. A copy of the letter, dated October 27, was obtained by The ‘Skeeter Bites Report.
Rosenberg wrote that his office was informed on September 13 by the CIA that the agency “obtained three recordings — two videotapes and one short audiotape — of interrogations” of suspected al-Qaida terrorists.
(More at the link.)
White House Approves Waterboarding-From Portside
Waterboarding 'greenlit at top levels of power'
by Suzanne Goldenberg in Washington
Guardian Unlimited (UK) - December 11, 2007
The White House today was directly accused of
authorising the waterboarding of al-Qaida suspects,
putting President George Bush at the centre of a
deepening controversy about the treatment of detainees.
The charge from John Kiriakou, a former CIA official
involved in the capture of senior al-Qaida operatives,
comes at a time when the Bush administration is trying
to contain a row over the destruction of hundreds of
hours of video footage of the interrogation of a high-
level al-Qaida suspect, Abu Zubaydah.
Kiriakou, who spent 14 years in the CIA, was directly
involved in the capture of Zubaydah, the first detainee
in the war on terror. He first met the detainee in a
Pakistani military hospital, where Zubaydah, was
recovering from gunshot wounds.
The suspect was later taken to a secret CIA prison for
interrogation and where he is believed to have been
subjected to waterboarding.
"This isn't something done willy nilly. This isn't
something where an agency officer just wakes up in the
morning and decides he's going to carry out an enhanced
technique on a prisoner" Kiriakou told NBC television
this morning.
"This was a policy made at the White House, with
concurrence from the National Security Council and
justice department."
The comments put President Bush at the centre of a row
that erupted last week after the CIA director, General
Michael Hayden, wrote a letter to employees revealing
that the agency had destroyed hundreds of hours of
videotape of the interrogation of Zubaydah.
Mr Bush told ABC television today he was unaware of the
tapes suspects.
"My first recollection of whether the tapes existed or
whether they were destroyed was when Michael Hayden
briefed me," Mr Bush told ABC.
"There's a preliminary inquiry going on and I think
you'll find that a lot more data, facts will be coming
out."
The first phase of that process got underway today as
Hayden began two days of closed hearings before
Congress about the agency's decision to destroy the
tapes.
The justice department and the CIA inspector generals'
office have also begun investigations into the
destruction of the footage, showing the interrogation
of Zubaydah and another al-Qaida operative. There is
also growing pressure for the appointment of a special
counsel.
The destruction of the footage in 2005 has raised
questions about whether the CIA obstructed the work of
the commission investigating the 9/11 attacks which had
asked repeatedly for such documentation, and had been
told it did not exist.
Hayden also said Congress was informed of the
destruction. However, Silvestre Reyes, the chairman of
the Democratic intelligence committee, and Peter
Hoekstra, the senior Republican on the committee, said
that was not true.
Kiriakou did not say how he knew that the coercive
interrogations had been authorised. However, he said
that CIA agents were required to offer a "well thought
out reason" any time they wished to use waterboarding.
In the case of Zubaydah, he told ABC news yesterday
that the waterboarding had an immediate effect. The al-
Qaida detainee began talking within 35 seconds,
providing information that Kiriacou claims disrupted
dozens of planned attacks.
"It was like flipping a switch," the former CIA
official told ABC news. "He said that Allah had come to
him in his cell and told him to cooperate, because it
would make things easier for his brothers."
The White House has been adamant that certain "enhanced
interrogation" techniques deployed by the CIA - but
barred for use by the US military - do not amount to
torture.
"It's no secret that the president approved a lawful
programme in order to interrogate hardened terrorists,"
the White House spokeswoman, Dana Perino, said today.
"We do not torture. We also know that this programme
has saved lives by disrupting terrorist attacks."
The vice-president, Dick Cheney, has specifically
defended the practice of waterboarding, telling a radio
programme last year it was a "no-brainer" if it could
save lives.
_____________________________________________
Portside aims to provide material of interest
to people on the left that will help them to
interpret the world and to change it.
by Suzanne Goldenberg in Washington
Guardian Unlimited (UK) - December 11, 2007
The White House today was directly accused of
authorising the waterboarding of al-Qaida suspects,
putting President George Bush at the centre of a
deepening controversy about the treatment of detainees.
The charge from John Kiriakou, a former CIA official
involved in the capture of senior al-Qaida operatives,
comes at a time when the Bush administration is trying
to contain a row over the destruction of hundreds of
hours of video footage of the interrogation of a high-
level al-Qaida suspect, Abu Zubaydah.
Kiriakou, who spent 14 years in the CIA, was directly
involved in the capture of Zubaydah, the first detainee
in the war on terror. He first met the detainee in a
Pakistani military hospital, where Zubaydah, was
recovering from gunshot wounds.
The suspect was later taken to a secret CIA prison for
interrogation and where he is believed to have been
subjected to waterboarding.
"This isn't something done willy nilly. This isn't
something where an agency officer just wakes up in the
morning and decides he's going to carry out an enhanced
technique on a prisoner" Kiriakou told NBC television
this morning.
"This was a policy made at the White House, with
concurrence from the National Security Council and
justice department."
The comments put President Bush at the centre of a row
that erupted last week after the CIA director, General
Michael Hayden, wrote a letter to employees revealing
that the agency had destroyed hundreds of hours of
videotape of the interrogation of Zubaydah.
Mr Bush told ABC television today he was unaware of the
tapes suspects.
"My first recollection of whether the tapes existed or
whether they were destroyed was when Michael Hayden
briefed me," Mr Bush told ABC.
"There's a preliminary inquiry going on and I think
you'll find that a lot more data, facts will be coming
out."
The first phase of that process got underway today as
Hayden began two days of closed hearings before
Congress about the agency's decision to destroy the
tapes.
The justice department and the CIA inspector generals'
office have also begun investigations into the
destruction of the footage, showing the interrogation
of Zubaydah and another al-Qaida operative. There is
also growing pressure for the appointment of a special
counsel.
The destruction of the footage in 2005 has raised
questions about whether the CIA obstructed the work of
the commission investigating the 9/11 attacks which had
asked repeatedly for such documentation, and had been
told it did not exist.
Hayden also said Congress was informed of the
destruction. However, Silvestre Reyes, the chairman of
the Democratic intelligence committee, and Peter
Hoekstra, the senior Republican on the committee, said
that was not true.
Kiriakou did not say how he knew that the coercive
interrogations had been authorised. However, he said
that CIA agents were required to offer a "well thought
out reason" any time they wished to use waterboarding.
In the case of Zubaydah, he told ABC news yesterday
that the waterboarding had an immediate effect. The al-
Qaida detainee began talking within 35 seconds,
providing information that Kiriacou claims disrupted
dozens of planned attacks.
"It was like flipping a switch," the former CIA
official told ABC news. "He said that Allah had come to
him in his cell and told him to cooperate, because it
would make things easier for his brothers."
The White House has been adamant that certain "enhanced
interrogation" techniques deployed by the CIA - but
barred for use by the US military - do not amount to
torture.
"It's no secret that the president approved a lawful
programme in order to interrogate hardened terrorists,"
the White House spokeswoman, Dana Perino, said today.
"We do not torture. We also know that this programme
has saved lives by disrupting terrorist attacks."
The vice-president, Dick Cheney, has specifically
defended the practice of waterboarding, telling a radio
programme last year it was a "no-brainer" if it could
save lives.
_____________________________________________
Portside aims to provide material of interest
to people on the left that will help them to
interpret the world and to change it.
We Don't Need Another Hero-Tina Turner
OUT OF THE RUINS
OUT FROM THE WRECKAGE
CAN`T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE THIS TIME
WE ARE THE CHILDREN
THE LAST GENERATION
WE ARE THE ONES THEY LEFT BEHIND
AND I WONDER WHEN WE ARE EVER GONNA CHANGE
LIVING UNDER THE FEAR, TILL NOTHING ELSE REMAINS
WE DON`T NEED ANOTHER HERO
WE DON`T NEED TO KNOW THE WAY HOME
ALL WE WANT IS LIFE BEYOND
THUNDERDOME
LOOKING FOR SOMETHING
WE CAN RELY ON
THERE`S GOTTA BE SOMETHING BETTER OUT THERE
LOVE AND COMPASSION
THEIR DAY IS COMING
ALL ELSE ARE CASTLES BUILT IN THE AIR
AND I WONDER WHEN WE ARE EVER GONNA CHANGE
LIVING UNDER THE FEAR TILL NOTHING ELSE REMAINS
ALL THE CHILDREN SAY
WE DON`T NEED ANOTHER HERO
WE DON`T NEED TO KNOW THE WAY HOME
ALL WE WANT IS LIFE BEYOND
THUNDERDOME
SO WHAT DO WE DO WITH OUR LIFES
WE LEAVE ONLY A MARK
WILL OUR STORY SHINE LIKE A LIGHT
OR END IN THE DARK
GIVE IT ALL OR NOTHING
WE DON`T NEED ANOTHER HERO
WE DON`T NEED TO KNOW THE WAY HOME
ALL WE WANT IS LIFE BEYOND
THUNDERDOME
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Today's Oprah: Susan Still and Domestic Violence
1 in 4 women in the United States are victims of abuse. I wonder what the statistics are for the general population. I think one thing that people should take from this show is the connections between intimate and social violence and the connections between personal violence and violence of the state. Today's show showed an abusive man dominating and controlling his wife and children, typical of structural patriarchy and patriarchal family structures. One thing that people should also think about is the connections between patriarchal domination and control in households and patriarchal domination and control in the political sphere. I had this conversation once with a fellow graduate student, a student of sociology studying family structures, while having lunch at Panera one time. We were talking about patriarchy and I asked her if there were studies or if she had ever studied connections between patriarchal power in family structures and patriarchal power in social and political spheres. The violence of the mall shooter or the young man at Virginia Tech are connected, are indeed interconnected. I found it astounding that pundits marveled at the rise of violence in the United States recently and made no connections between that and the war in Iraq. I think people should look closley and scrutinize the structures of the societies in which they exist and the ways in which they operate. We must end patriarchy. BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY
Please Read This Article On the No Comment Blog Concerning the U.S. Government Sanctioning Torture
These new scandals and what is being uncovered about what goes on at Guantanamo Bay, put this country on par with Hitler's Germany.
Connections: Violent Radicalization and CIA Torture Scandal
I hope people are making the connections that Jane Harmon, who has sponsored the so-called Violent Radicalization Act in Congress is the same Jane Harmon who ok'd the use of torture by CIA agents.
Images of Germany During the Great Depression of the Weimar Republic
I haven't found the image that I want, that of the German baronesses pushing shopping carts filled with Deutschmarks down the street. However, what I have found are very effective images of how the German economy affected everyday people with the deflation of the Deutsch mark. These are two images of children playing with stacks of Deutschmarks that were worthless.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Thoughts
As I was watching something this weekend, I began thinking. The United States, and the West for that matter, have been somewhat ashamed for the past sixty years because they had to occupy Germany as they have occupied other, nonthreatening, nations. Nations that they have occupied in the name of colonialism. Iraq comes to mind.
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