Month: August 2004

What If We All Stopped Paying Taxes?

August 31, 2004 Off

In the tradition of funk with a message and big props to Fela Kuti and James Brown, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings have a new single out What If We All Stop Paying Taxes?, hosted on the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee site. I’m here to attest these guys and gals are incredible live…

By leigh

Birthday Biking and Parenthood Planning

August 29, 2004 Off

Last night I had the opportunity to celebrate my birthday joining (according to the NYPD) 5000 bike riders in a critical mass bike ride through Manhattan streets. That some 264 riders were arrested is ridiculous – at worst there were some traffic violations of riding through a red light – riders never impeded an ambulance…

By leigh

Howards Silence Speaks Volumes

August 27, 2004 Off

Australian Prime Minister John Howard is refusing to comment on reports by U.S. military investigations that the Australian army officer who glossed over Red Cross reports was gagged by the Liberal government. Also of note is that Howard is expected to call an election this weekend in order to stifle debate in the parliament set…

By leigh

Show Trial of Hicks Set To Begin

August 24, 2004 Off

In a welcome move, some corporate Australian media is openly questioning the imminent military trial of David Hicks, one of the first four detainees to appear before U.S. military tribunal, after being illegally held at Guantanamo Bay for over 2 years without charge and allegedly tortured.

By leigh

Where Did The Money Go?

August 23, 2004 Off

Pratap Chatterjee has an insightful article at AlterNet (who have also produced an excellent guide to anti-RNC activities) on the degree of waste in the reconstruction of Iraq and the fact that only 2% of the money appropriated for reconstruction has been spent, while much of the oil-for-food fund has actually been handed out to…

By leigh

Opening Salvos of the RNC Protest

August 18, 2004 Off

The Republicans are coming! The Republicans are coming! The first signs of the impending “big bang” created by the collision of New York City irreverent art and political protest around the Republican National Convention began last night with The Vomitorium, a reflection of the gorge-fests of the empire of ancient Rome with the new American…

By leigh

Death Threats on the Abu Ghraib Whistleblower

August 17, 2004 Off

Courtesy of discourse.net, GQ have a must-read article on the persecution of the Abu Ghraib whistle blower which illuminates how little the public has been informed about the wilfulness of the torture – particularly that several of the soldiers in the pictures should not have even been in the cellblock. The extent of the cover…

By leigh

Monroe Doctrine in Action?

August 17, 2004 Off

Going out on a limb, could there be any correlation between Chavez winning the referendum in Venezuela, with the U.S. backed opposition vowing to contest the result and Bush beginning the return of 70,000 troops from Germany and South Korea, many to the U.S?

By leigh