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On this day

1940 - Great Britain launched its first raid on Hamburg, Germany. Due to bad weather the accuracy of the attack was minimal and 233 German civilians were killed.

1953 - The United States joined the U.N. in condemning Israel's raid on Jordon on October 4, 1953.

1967 - Lisa Bonet was born

1976 - Seven men who took part in an £8m bank robbery have received jail terms totalling nearly 100 years

1983 - More than 20 English football supporters were arrested in Luxembourg after a night of violence.

1988 - Benazir Bhutto wins 1st free Pakistani elections in 11 years

1990 - Manuel Noriega claims US denied him a fair trial

2003 - Georgina cuts her first tooth :-)
posted by kwacky at 2:39 pm

 
My crap Friday Five

1) fish and chips or faggots and peas?

Faggots and peas for me please

2) what's the most you've spent on a meal (per person)

Just under £100 per person (excluding drinks)

3) was it worth it?

No, I've had the same quality for a third of the price

4) what's the most disgusting thing you've eaten?

Did the Thai tourist thing and had scorpion and cockroach. Neither of which tasted like chicken!

5) which country generally has the best food

Toughie. Between Thailand and India. Inida is so large and diverse I think it pips Thailand.
posted by kwacky at 9:48 pm

 


Protest against Bush and the £3m he's costing us just in covering his skinny backside while he tours this country telling us how the millions of pounds and blood spent have all been worth it because his family directly profits from taking oil from Iraq. Okay, maybe he'll only say part of that, but when he talks about liberation, it's US dollars and Iraqi oil not people and politics.

More details at Stop the War
posted by kwacky at 3:26 pm

 
Who's a lucky boy then?



I went to Wolverhampton Civic Hall to witness the continuing re-birth of one of those bands who are frequently mentioned as an influence by new comers on the music front - Jane's Addiction., I last saw this cornerstone of anti-pop back in 1990 or 1991 at the Birmingham Hummingbird. I was a lithe long haired lout sporting his latest rock chick, who had been impressed by my free tickets and back stage passes (oh those were the days when I had proper contacts, backstage passes mean so much more than a discount on various goods, a smile from a copper when pulled for speeding or always being able to get a table at the latest scoff house). Perry had just cut off all of his dreadlocks. Things were looking rocky as tales of infighting and pettiness filtered throught to the fans. Any embers of dischord were fanned by the press, quick to print with pride the fall of any group not easily pigeonholed.

Despite the whispers of harmony heading on the last lollapolooza bus out town JA shone brightly with an enviable charismatic display from Mr Farrell who grew in statute as he drained dry the adulation from the worshippers then managed to wring out some more. Few bands can parade popsters who appear visually larger than life on stage and that skill is something that is ever present if Sunday's showing is anything to go by. The front men look like they've ditched the drugs for a more stable lifestyle and were relying on natural reserves of energy as opposed to that found by mixing up a batch of chemicals. Old favs such as "Been Caught Stealing" were mixed with new comers like "Just Because". People bopped, moshed, shambled or foot tapped their way throught the set and were left wanting more at the end. Those that waited for 20 mins were rewarded with a 5 set encore to include "Jane Says" and "Mountian Song", which I've been singing or humming ever since.

I was worried that I would be the oldest git there but there was good mix of young, old and those who chose to or can't remember their last birthday.

The first band were a bit weak and the audience did their best to make them feel unwelcome. "Bad news for the next band" thought I however my fears were allayed - these kids had confidence. The innominate band played a strange mix of post punk and mature pixie with new romantic/young Bryan Ferry style vocals. Everyone was captivated.

The band is StellaStarr.


and I'll keep banging on about them until I convert someone :-)

Some Reviews
Washington Review
RockWorld Review
Interview
Crud
posted by kwacky at 7:55 pm

 
Why Rossi Left Honda

They showed him the 2004 GP bike ;-)


posted by kwacky at 2:30 pm

 
Feels like I've lost a friend



I was a tad upset last night. A few years ago I got a call at work from my wife. Her friend had an Airedale Terrier called Henry. Her mate had spilt up with her boyfriend and no one could look after the dog. Did we want him?

Silly question to a lad who grew up in a house that always had dogs, who learnt to walk by holding onto a dog and who had parents who bred Airedales. Yep, we'll have him. Henry was about 10 months old when he moved in. He was very nervous which disturbed me because Airedales are usually confident dogs. I later found out that he was beaten by his owner's boyfriend, who also used to beat women. Nice chap. He once gave his girlfriend such a beating that her cries of pain made Henry wet himself with fear. He then turned on the dog. When I hear such tales I hope there's hell.

My mum doesn't live too far away and she's got an Airedale. Mad thing. He's a rescue dog and a bit dense but wholly entertaining. Henry and Oscar are best pals and Henry likes spending his holidays at "Nannies", so much so he sulks when he comes home.

Sam used to work shifts so Henry was rarely on his own. After the terrorist events in New york the Airline industry knee jerked and offered redundancy to a large number of staff. Sam took it and started to work 9-5. Henry was on his own all day. His fragile confidence started to slip.

With the arrival of the wee one we've not had much time to give our attention to the pets and as a result Henry has suffered. He needs constant reassurance. Last night I very reluctantly agreed to give him to my mum. Tears were shed, I don't mind admitting. I think Sam was shocked at just how upset I was. She's never had pets and I don't think she ever adjusted to having a dog in the house, especially such a large dog. She was always complaining about him; getting under her feet or following her around or saying he smelt or that he had left water in the kitchen after having a drink from his bowl or damaging the lawn by lying in a favourite place. To me it's not a home without a dog.

But, I can't be selfish, the dog needs love and fuss and I can't give him as much as he deserves. Now he's got Oscar to keep him company during the day and mum will spoil him rotten. Plus he can come and stay with us when mum goes away on holiday or when she's looking after her friend's dog (which she does a couple of times a year).

Some good news

My mate Mike is finally out of hospital. He's at his folks house at the moment so they can look after him as he's still got mobility problems. He's in a body brace at the moment which lends support to his broken back. He can't sit up for too long but the remarkable thing is that he's walking. He needs crutches and can't walk far but he's up on his feet. When he was first admitted to hospital he couldn't even feel his legs.
posted by kwacky at 10:19 am

 
Not About Oil

On May 25, while scanning the Air Force Defense Meteorological Satellite Program images pipelined into his desktop from 450 miles in orbit, Hank Brandli skidded at a nighttime photo of Iraq. It looked familiar. But not exactly. Brandli retrieved another DMSP image he'd archived from May 3. He compared the two. The most recent photo showed a blazing corridor of light running the length of Kuwait, south to north, all the way to the Iraqi border. The image wasn't there on May 3.

"It's going right up to Iraq's oil fields," says the retired Air Force colonel from his home in Palm Bay. "Maybe I'm full of s---. Maybe all they're doing is building a highway to put in McDonald's and sell hamburgers. But why go that way? I think we're in bed with Kuwait. I think we're pumping oil out of Iraq to pay for this war."

Brandli isn't a conspiracy zealot squinting for guppies in the fig trees. An article titled "Weathering History" profiles the Vietnam veteran as a pioneer in satellite meteorology who was unable to discuss much of his defense work until 1995. That's the year President Clinton declassified vaults of Cold War satellite images.

"You look for patterns. Patterns tell you things," says Brandli, who has masters degrees in meteorology, aeronautics and astronautics, and the author of "Satellite Meteorology" for the Air Force's Air Weather Service in 1976. "With night photos, you can distinguish natural gas burnoff, which looks globular, from city lights. And suddenly, over just a few weeks, we've got this straight line of lights leading all the way to those beautiful wells in southeastern Iraq.

"If you're building pipelines, you've got to have power, you've got to have light -- trucks and personnel and food and all sorts of support. If I had to bet, I'd say it looks like we're running Iraqi oil through Kuwait. It would make sense, because Kuwait's got its infrastructure intact."

At the State Department in Washington, D.C., David Staples on the Future of Iraqi Projects desk says he doesn't know if Iraq's oil is flowing into Kuwait. He referred the query to the Defense Department. A DoD spokesman suggested contacting the Office of Coalition of Provisional Authority (OCPA) in Baghdad. OCPA was not immediately available for comment.

In Indialantic, retired Air Force Col. Hyko Gayikian isn't sure what to make of Brandli's speculation. He wonders if maybe Kuwait's lights were pre-existing features that were temporarily shut down during the war. (Brandli says no, that he checked other photos prior to the March war campaign and could find no such lights.)



Have a list of movie trailers thanks to the web, these are free to download. If you're so inclined.



Happy Tree Friends, the internet cartoon they tried to ban. Now available on DVD. Happy Tree Friends is a violent animated series that sees hapless woodland animals meet gory deaths at the end of each short episode. The 1950s-styled animations include a rabbit poking a fork into an electric plug socket, a bear being shredded by helicopter blades, and an anteater being set alight. I prefer ninjas. Alternatively, shoot Blaine then cum like a pornstar

Sherman Austin, webmaster of RaisetheFist.com, was sentenced to one year in federal prison, with three years of probation. Judge Wilson shocked the courtroom when he went against the recommendation of not only the prosecution, but the FBI and the Justice Department, who had asked that Austin be sentenced to 4 months in prison, and 4 months in a half-way house, with 3 years of probation.

Austin's probation stipulates, among other things, that (1) he cannot possess or access a computer of any kind without prior approval of his probation officer, (2) if his probation officer gives permission, the equipment is subject to monitoring and is subject to search and seizure at any time, without notice, (3) he cannot alter any of the software or hardware on any computer he uses, (4) he must surrender his phone, DSL, electric, and satellite bills, (5) he cannot associate with any person or group that seeks to change the government in any way (be that environmental, social justice, political, economic, etc.), and (6) he must pay over $2,000 in fines and restitution. Austin must surrender himself to the Federal Bureau of Prisons by September 3, 2003.


FROM SHERMAN AUSTIN:

On Jan 24, 2002 , my home was surrounded and raided by approximately 25 heavily armed FBI and Secret Service agents in one of the governments first attempts to exercise the new US Patriot Act. I was interrogated for several hours while they ransacked my room and they seized a network of computers which I used to run my web site raisethefist.com. They also seized protest signs, and political literature. Their excuse was a protest guide (which I didn't author) that was posted to my site which a small portion contained information on explosives. The FBI had been monitoring the site long before this was ever posted, and long before Sept 11. The "explosives information" on my site (again which I didn't author) doesn't compare to what you an find on any other web sites such as howthingswork.com, Loompanics.com, Bombshock.com, Totse.com, Amazon.com, or the many neo nazi web sites which cover everything from assassinations, explosives, fraud and firearms. It's obvious a web surfer interested in making a bomb or taking part in other extra-illegal activities would not have to rely on Raisethefist.com. So how could the "bomb making information" on raisethefist.com be a concern to authorities? It wasn't a concern, it was simply used an excuse to exercise the new Patriot Act and take down the site. And that's what they did when federal agents spent 5-6 hours interrogating me while they disassembled each computer one by one , mirrored each hard drive, then loaded everything into a big white truck. During this whole process I was told I wasn't going to be arrested, and that I could even leave if I wanted to. Once the agents finished packing everything up, Special Agent John I. Pi, who was conducting the investigation and raid said that I had crossed a line, and as long as I got back on the other side of that line I'd be okay.

A week later despite what happened I still continued with my plans to attend the demonstration against the World Economic Forum in NY. As I was waiting for the march to begin, a swarm of NYPD officers rushed straight at me and scooped up about 26 people, one of which was me. We sat on a bus for 7 hours before being taken to Brooklyn Navy Yard Jail. I was there for about 30 hours before I was taken out of my cell and put into a backroom in handcuffs and interrogated once again by the FBI and Secret Service for several hours. They asked me questions such as if I was a terrorist or involved in any terrorist organizations. During the interrogation I noticed more and more agents walking through the room. I was told I wouldn't leave custody unless they searched my car. I said I had nothing to hide and simply wanted to go home. Stressed and aggravated, I signed over my keys. A few minutes later I was driven to the court and released. As I was waiting for someone to pick me up, about 5 FBI agents entered the court and said I was arrested for "distribution of information related to explosives over the internet". One of the agents grabbed my neck and told me to shut the fuck up while I tried to tell one of the legal observers I was being arrested. I was hurried out of the court house into a black SUV where I was driven to a federal building. I was then taken to lower Manhattan MCC maximum security 24 hour lockdown federal jail facility. At my bail hearing the FBI called me a "man on a mission" and said I drove 3,000 miles to carry out my alleged "plot". The judge said I was a "threat to the community" and denied me bail, and I was to be extradited back to California to face my charges. After 11 days I was shackled and taken to an airforce base where federal inmates are boarded onto planes surrounded by guards with M16's and shot guns, like prisoners of war, and flown to a federal jail "hub" in Oklahoma. Once I got there, I learned the next day that the prosecutors decided not to file an indictment. I was released after spending 13 days in custody. When I got back to Los Angeles I put raisethefist.com back up almost immediately. I continued my political organizing within the community, as well as my work with Raise the Fist which developed into a Direct Action Network with chapters setup around the world. 6 months later prosecutors contacted my lawyer and said they found nothing to prosecute me for on my computers, but didn't want to "let me off the hook". They offered me a pre-indictment binding plea agreement which was initially 1 month in jail, and 5 months in a "community corrections facility". I rejected the plea at first, wanting to go to trial until we discovered the case was eligible for a terrorism enhancement, which could have added 20 years to my sentence.

I therefore decided to enter a plea. I played months of legal limbo until I finally expected to get sentenced to 4 months in jail and 4 months in a community corrections facility based on the final pre-sentencing report written by the USPO. The judge rejected the 4 months saying what kind of an example would it set for "future revolutionaries" wanting to act in the same manner. He stated he wanted to give me at least 8-10 months but first wanted the opinion of the Justice Department and the Director of the FBI in Washington, DC (Robert Muller). My sentencing was rescheduled several times until August 4th. I was convicted for felony; distribution of information related to explosives with intent, and sentenced to 1 year in federal prison with 3 years supervised release.

Distribution of information related to explosives is not illegal.. What's illegal is the INTENT part. They have to prove you have intent to use the information to cause further crime of violence .. and how do they prove intent? I think Bush made it clear when he said "you're either with me or against me".

Remember, fascism and a police state doesn't come all at once, it comes piece by piece. How far will we allow it go until we are all locked up in concentration camps.

If we don't take matters into our own hands and do something about this now, then we are already prisoners of war.








posted by kwacky at 9:36 am