Mirror Universe

Striking New Comics by Stephanie McMillan and Ted Rall

2012-01-29T18:58:00.002-05:00

(originally published Jan. 27th)

ITEM: Ted Rall has been arguing against nonviolence as a sole tactic in the struggle for a long time. I sort of fall off the wagon when he recommends that black folks should be the first to rise up in violence against the state. I, for one, think that New York cartoonists should be the first to take on the might of drones and local police and state police and national guardsmen and if that wouldn't be enough the US military. Then, and I say this as an unofficial spokesperson of the Black Community, we shall watch your results and act accordingly. (Just for the record: Anonymous hacking is the way to go.) I suppose he joins his sometime animation cohort Stephanie McMillan, who draws, arguably, the most radical comic strip I have ever read, in making the argument that nonviolence won't beat the Nazis, or the friendly (sometimes gorgeous) face of American Fascism as foretold by Bertram Gross.

Related: Here's a taste of Stephanie's newest. She's been critical of the Occupy Movement as of late even though she's been an early and vocal supporter. This is a familiar plotline for all you Doonesbury/Mary Worth fans. Our two characters are using arms attained by a German drug dealer in order to attack a corporation known as Omnicorp to stop them performing a geoengineering experiment. Just like South Park...

More Related: Derrick Jensen, also one of Stephanie's collaborators and most likely to be shipped to the FEMA camps (looks like those camps are real Jesse Ventura notwithstanding...), has articulated this view with the Environmentalist's version of Star Wars. Also: The Gandhi Shield. And: A different Indian hero.

ITEM: I will not be writing about She Who Cannot Be Named today. Or as I call her: The Face of Terror.

You probably won't get arrested for wearing this on a t shirt I think...

2012-01-25T23:40:00.000-05:00

ITEM: Sigh. Why hasn't my photoshop work turned me into an international art superstar...? Not fair...

You can even buy the tshirt if you don't mind being arrested on public obscenity charges. Great for schools I'm sure...

61 in January...? Nothing to see here folks move along...

2012-01-23T15:23:00.000-05:00

ITEM: Yeah. 61 degrees in January. Right. Thank goodness global warming isn't real...

Here's that video.

Or you could buy my photoshop art over at Cafe Press. Or not. Your call.

2012-01-18T20:26:00.001-05:00

Or you could buy my art as a mousepad over at Cafe Press, which I haven't updated in over 10 years. Should probably do something about that...More art samples here. Nope I never sold any but people liked the work...

Stop SOPA. Stop PIPA.

2012-01-18T18:44:00.000-05:00

ITEM: No blackout for me because I just don't have that many readers where that will matter. But I will certainly support those efforts. I and 20 other people in the world love the Acid Jazz Channel apparently. There is no Acid Jazz Channel without Youtube. Youtube is probably dust if either SOPA or PIPA pass in their current forms. I'm going to do what I can as a citizen but we should all thank our lucky stars that powerful players like Google, Yahoo and Microsoft are on our side. Those lobbies are what's stopping SOPA and PIPA. Not the public good. Now if we could only get them to care about indefinite detention...Here's what you will find on Boing Boing's page today:

503: Service unavailable
Boing Boing is offline today, because the US Senate is considering legislation that would certainly kill us forever. The legislation is called the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA), and would put us in legal jeopardy if we linked to a site anywhere online that had any links to copyright infringement.
This would unmake the Web, just as proposed in the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). We don't want that world. If you don't want it either, visit American Censorship.org for instructions on contacting your Senator. The Electronic Frontier Foundation has more information on this and other issues central to your freedom online.

Some late MLK commentary...

2012-01-18T18:29:00.000-05:00

ITEM: I guess the above would be my commentary on MLK's birthday. Thanks to local activist Celeste Taylor for pointing this out to me on Facebook. My other commentary is that the drug war has pretty much destroyed The Dream, unless that dream is undermining public education and pushing as many black men as possible into the prison industrial complex. More on that issue over at Democracy Now. My African American president has done nothing to slow down the drug war and hasn't even made the easy call toward marijuana legalization. He could have made a difference with the California ballot initiative that would have legalized marijuana. Firedoglake's Jon Walker lays this all out. Barack Obama: Not a field negro.

More inappropriate yet legal talk about MHS PR Flak Connie McNamara (Public Figure)

2012-01-18T18:27:00.002-05:00

I had two headlines in mind but they kind of didn't fit.

More possibly inappropriate but not illegal commentary about Milton Hershey School PR Flak Connie McNamara

or:

Let's not call this a MHS PR Flak Connie McNamara Obsession

ITEM: So I'm still thinking about this Connie McNamara MHS thing. You don't understand I used to sit in the woman's dorm room.* I think I sat on the floor as a clever psychological move to downplay the fact that I was a towering six five black guy. I think she was, what, 5 seven with heels...? Anyway, she described herself as being "mousy". And I thought, to myself certainly, well then "mousy is something I'm into apparently...". Now, when I watch her on these Youtube clips not only does she not seem "mousy" but she resonates, well, power. This is more in the line of a Game of Thrones Matriarch in Red. That might be the kind of power one emanates when one has great wealth. She might make low six figures in her current post and from other postings on the Internets one of her hobbies with her late husband was "refurbishing homes". Not the kind of hobby poor people can get into. Possibly a millionaire. Possibly making ends meet with three kids to feed even on a low six figure salary. Possibly looking at the rare occurrence of not having a job since she left college in 1985 (How many people can say that? Connie's emotional intelligence is off the charts...) since this somewhat tainted Zimmerman guy is leaving. Are they looking for a new team? I don't think I want to know...Or perhaps the power comes from something tragic. I did find out, not with any deep searches just the Google, that her husband died in 2006 leaving her with three children under the age of 10. I can't even imagine how painful that would be. Or what's tougher: telling your three young daughters that their father won't be coming home or facing off against Anderson Cooper? I have a feeling that if I survived the former that the latter would mean nothing...It would certainly make you stronger in a Nietzschean sense.

I also wanted to point out that when I mentioned that Connie, still a practicing Catholic from what I can tell and an early supporter of Liberation theology I'm just now beginning to surmise (our earliest conversations were about Archbishop Romero and the nuns that got slaughtered in El Salvador...) was "non abstinent and impulsive" as a young person in college I didn't mean that in a bad way.

(Aside: Connie was a serial monogamist like most Americans back during the years of 81 to 83. First with Curt the fiancé she didn't marry and then that black haired kid she saw Nikki Giovanni with when Curt was studying abroad and then Curt again when he got back...Doesn't make her a bad person. Words like "normal" and "healthy" come to mind.. I think the fiancé bit was a bit of rationalization, which means her Catholic upbringing had an effect on her...possibly more on this later...Must investigate. Hurm.)

I think that's the strongest part of her argument with Anderson Cooper on that show of his. Those words struck me as completely truthful and not talking points. Where I think she loses the argument is what kind of outside independent medical advice the board got or did they even seek it out. My guess is that they did not. This is where Connie admits that she wasn't in on those meetings with the medical staff, not independent of the board I'm guessing. The prevailing medical evidence seems to be that there just isn't that much of a risk of transmission. Though, after taking a look at the many many longshots that have happened at the Milton Hershey school such as in this particular instance perhaps the MHS board doesn't equate low percentages with no chance at all...and think of the damages if another child was infected. More on this later. Or I might wait another 30 years to comment more. Who knows.

Related: I signed this petition in favor of letting that kid in the school. Of course, in a strong and loving world this kid would have wonderful public schools to choose from with decent food and teacher/student ratios in the 16 to 1 range. He wouldn't have to be, what's the word, "adversarial" in order to get a decent education. The school has a wonderful shot because the board is full of republican operatives and republican judges tend to be loyal. Plus they have an 8 billion dollar endowment. They'll get good lawyering. Just like when you're rich you can buy "reasonable doubt" you can probably also buy some kind of novel exception question that you can pitch to the appeals courts. Republicans tend to throw a lot of Hail Marys and they often win. The 2000 election being the most publicized outcome and this evil Texas redistricting plan being the latest late quarter throw to the endzone...the school should lose if the courts didn't tilt toward both Republicans and the rich. I guess we'll watch and see...

*These are my memories from the time I spent with Constance from 1981 through 1984 at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. I have not spoken to Connie in over 28 years although I think I sent her a letter back in 1992...no I don't know why. I'd like to say I was drunk but I don't drink...

Review of Spaceman 3 over at Comics Forge

2012-01-18T17:22:00.000-05:00

ITEM: I review Spaceman 3 here. Here's a snippet:

"Scenes of third world poverty strewn amidst almost unlimited tech advances. It’s what makes the world of Spaceman 3 so compelling. And so depressingly realistic."

Late Nite Around the Internets

2012-01-13T07:06:00.003-05:00

Just some things I liked on Facebook.

Two depressing stories about fracking. One: EPA abandon's PA town over destroyed water. The president is a democrat right? Two: fracking tied to local Pittsburgh quake. I saw the tremors.

Truthdig invite to reasonably dissatisfied New York Times reporters.

I am studying this Cory Doctorow video about The War Against Computation.

I will probably vote for Obama if the Justice Party doesn't get its act together. What choice have I got. I think these anti Romney ads are very effective.

Something I need to read: District 9 has supercharged African science fiction movies

GIF Animated Comic Book Covers

2012-01-10T10:06:00.000-05:00

You can see all four of them here.

and one more:

Nov. 21

Occupy Pittsburgh Calls for International Solidarity Day Against BNY Mellon

2012-01-10T08:34:00.000-05:00

Occupy Pittsburgh is calling for an International Solidarity and Action Day against BNY Mellon today. Or the kind of action that won't be widely reported in the corporate media we should guess. Occupy Pittsburgh has occupied the downtown public park, of which there is a dispute of how "public", of BNY Mellon for some several months now.

Here's the statement from the group:

Occupy Pittsburgh is calling out to the 99% around the world for a Day of International Solidarity and Action against BNY Mellon on January 10. This is the day we go before a judge to fight for our right to continue our nonviolent protest against the greed, corruption, and influence of the 1%. We ask that you stand with us and tell BNY Mellon, the bank of the 1% that you can’t evict an idea whose time has come!The People of Pittsburgh, like many others around the globe, answered the call to action that Occupy Wall Street put before the world on October 15th. Since then, we have peacefully rallied and occupied People’s Park, the space formerly known as Mellon Green. Pittsburgh’s is the only Occupation to reclaim land from a bank.BNY Mellon is now calling for Occupy Pittsburgh’s eviction. This is a blatant attempt by BNY Mellon to silence us and to prevent us from resisting the corruption by the 1% of our political and economic systems. In response, we have announced our own eviction of BNY Mellon from our city. BNY Mellon’s fraudulent and exploitative practices have denied its customers and its workers billions of dollars in wages and benefits. We are fighting to redefine the ethics of our economy and to resist corporate control of our cities, our spaces, our politics and our lives.The fight for People's Park is not just a fight over an encampment. It is a fight against the overwhelming dominance that corporations and markets exercise over the very conditions of existence. This fight is not about piece of land, but a fight against the 1% that hoards life’s resources, corrupt our democracy, silence free speech, and poison our planet !We have one response: You can’t evict an idea whose time has come!

There has been a legal attempt by BNY Mellon to remove the Occupy Pittsburgh protesters, who have winterized their occupation to the best of their ability and partly thanks to local groups and Firedoglake's Occupy Supply efforts. In fact, this reporter was there when various supplies were handed out at the camp several weeks ago. Just a personal observation: that is not the easiest kind of protesting that I have seen.

Occupy Pittsburgh also asks that if you're participating in today's action that you do these things as a show of support:

Hold non-violent demonstrations against BNY Mellon around the world (the bank’s corporate headquarters is One Wall Street, New York City). As a multinational banking institution BNY Mellon has offices around the globe including offices in; Boston, London, Moscow, Sydney, Cairo, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, and many other population centers around the world
Wear bandanas, Guy Fawkes masks, or similar coverings to express solidarity with the anonymous and amorphous “99%” in general and the 50 Jane Does and 50 John Does named in the lawsuit in particular. This, of course, is merely a suggestion subject to the comfort level of those involved;
Engage in autonomous direct actions ***;
Send mail supporting Occupy Pittsburgh to BNY Mellon’s Pittsburgh office (500 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15258) with the return address of #1 People’s Park, Pittsburgh PA 15219; and
Temporarily change your addresses on Facebook and other web sites to #1 People’s Park, Pittsburgh PA 15219;
If you would like assistance coordinating a traditional media presence or institutional turnout please email jan10@occupypittsburgh.org.
***Occupy Pittsburgh and our allies will not endorse, plan, or coordinate any unlawful or violent actions.

You can read the entire press release at Occupy Pittsburgh's website.

Review of Black Summer Over at Comics Forge

2012-01-09T22:01:00.001-05:00

ITEM: Finally had a chance to praise Black Summer. Now on You Tube.

Review of Aldebaran over at Comics Forge

2012-01-08T22:01:00.000-05:00

ITEM: I gave this a big two thumbs up over at Comics Forge.

My entry for cover blurb is: "Stunning, really.

Not unlike falling into a colorful sensuous surreal dream.

You don't want to leave. Or wake up."

More Milton Hershey Communications Vice President Connie McNamara Porn

2012-01-07T07:18:00.034-05:00

Ooooh. The Red Dress.

Amanda Bearse in Fright Night is pretty close to the Connie McNamara I knew 1981 - 1983, except that Connie has prettier eyes. We worked the same IUP campus job about, what, 10 to 15 hours a week? And she was nice to me. Obviously this was pure torture for me...I got to look at that everyday. Might be a reason why I started crying...withdrawal.

ITEM: Still figuring out if I should spill the deep dark secrets of my past friend Connie McNamara. (Don't know if Connie still considers me a friend or considers me at all. I would bet good money on the latter. Not that I care about it. I might be lying about that last thing I said.) It should also be pointed out, since I'm stupid and I hadn't considered that some people might think this is recent, that all this 1 in 7 billion stuff happened about 30 years ago from 1981 and 1983 on IUP's campus. Hey, its one of the advantages of being old and knowing about the Before Time when the info I've been able to get about Connie within an hour (Is she updating her linked in page and why..) would have taken a team of reporters weeks to do in the 80s. I'm thinking about writing a long several thousand word piece on it and seeing how and if it might sell via the Kindle. Would be fun to find out and I'm trying to build a library.

Actually it would be very positive stuff. Here's something I wrote already for this longer essay I had in mind.

This would be the beginning:

"In fact, Connie McNamara is probably the coolest woman I’ve ever known and with the benefit of 30 years of hindsight probably the best friend I’ve ever had."

This would be the end.

"Some of the best and kindest moments of my life were spent with Connie McNamara ."

Just add several thousand words in between
.

But its not going to all be that nice. It can't be. Nobody's that saintly. For example when Connie McNamara looks into the camera with Anderson Cooper and talks about those impulsive kids who don't choose abstinence might interact with this HIV kid well...I know for a fact that she was one of those non abstinent impulsive kids...how do I know this? I've seen the serene Afterglow too many times up close and personal.(Not the only evidence I have by the way...) No it wasn't me we never even held hands. It's complicated. And Connie has three little girls now. Maybe she wants to lie to them like any good parent. I don't know.*

Plus I've suppressed these memories because they're painful. I'm crying again. I don't cry over stuff. Attacked by two 100 pound rottweilers in this neighborhood. Didn't cry. Threatened by the Klan, personally. Didn't cry. Probably cried 10 times since 1984. Seven of those times can be attributed to Connie McNamara...so I might wimp out. But I'm running out of time. I know this could be a really good essay. I might even be able to shop this...So...I'll work on another freelance assignment for another few days and come back to this...

*If terrifying people in the 717 vicinity who resemble Amanda Bearse are troubled by anything that I've written on this post send me an email and I'll remove it. My email is pshropshire@yahoo.com. You must do this within a week that its posted.

How is Connie McNamara 1 in 7 billion people?

2012-01-05T12:30:00.005-05:00

ITEM: Out of 7 billion people on this planet Connie McNamara, the woman in this video, is the only person to tell me "I love you."* (Relatives don't count although its nice to hear.) Born to play Peter Pan in your neighborhood revival show...I would write more about this and my relationship with her if Connie hadn't reduced me to a puddle of my own tears at least several times..I might be Yella. I think the school is clearly wrong but she's so good...Like Walken in every movie.

*Note because I'm stupid. it should be stated: These events occurred more than 30 years ago from 1981 to 1983 at IUP's campus.

Yet Another Test

2011-11-14T14:54:00.003-05:00

This test was unsuccessful.

Video chat by Stickam.com

This is a test

2011-11-14T14:49:00.002-05:00

This test turned out to be unsuccessful...

Interesting sign involving the Occupy Movement

2011-10-26T09:51:00.000-04:00

ITEM: I support the Occupy Wall Street movement although I'm beginning to think there are limitations to what nonviolence can do. There are also indications that "The Man" is getting angry, at least in Oakland.

Work in Progress: An Online Channel Featuring

2011-10-26T02:58:00.000-04:00

A powerful blonde from the east has asked me to create a channel just focused on the Occupy Wall Street Movement. I am doing my best. It's actually kind of watchable now...all feedback appreciated.

Review of Robert Kirkman's new science fiction time travel comic "The Infinite"

2011-09-30T13:01:00.001-04:00

ITEM: I reviewed this for Comics Forge. They're letting me review comics again.

Sorry for the long delay in posting...

2011-09-29T23:01:00.000-04:00

I've actually been posting a lot to the twitter, as well as my home base site of www.threeriversonline.com. I'm hoping this will change very soon...

Gave a big two thumbs up for RASL issues 1 - 11

2011-09-29T22:59:00.000-04:00

ITEM: I gave two big thumbs up for Jeff Smith's "RASL". Or an excerpt:

"One of the best science fiction comic series that I have ever read. 4.75 out of 5. Riveting and engrossing. And at times just plain goddamned scary."

I called Mike Doyle's Office and told him to vote no on the debt deal. MoveOn agrees.

2011-08-01T14:45:00.000-04:00

I called up Mike Doyle's office and told him to vote no on the debt deal. Why? What Krugman said.

MoveOn has also entered the fray:

Dear MoveOn member,

Congress is taking what could be the final vote in the Republican-caused debt ceiling crisis TODAY, and Rep. Doyle needs to hear from you.

Republicans took our economy hostage, and as a ransom, the president agreed to a deal that makes deep cuts in government spending while doing nothing to make the rich and corporations pay their fair share. And while Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are protected in the initial phase of the deal, they'll be front and center for the special deficit reduction committee set up by this deal.

But until Congress votes, the deal isn't done. So we need to let Democrats in Congress know that progressives do not support this deal.

Can you call Rep. Doyle right now and tell him you want him to vote against this deal and push for a "clean" debt ceiling increase, rather than giving in to Republican hostage-taking?

Representative Mike Doyle
Phone: 202-225-2135
Then, click here to report your call.

According to a survey of MoveOn members this morning, the vast majority of them oppose this deal. Here's why:

"The deficit has nothing to do with the debt ceiling. Our nation's debt is lower now, relative to the economy, than it was after WWII. The deficit comes from the lack of tax revenue, which comes from the lack of jobs and the lack of taxes on the wealthy. Spend to create jobs; tax the wealthy. End the wars."—Miriam S.

"While I believe a default would be disastrous, it's absurd to see the Republicans get so much of what they want without making any legitimate concessions to the Democrats. The Tea Party cannot run this country and the only way to ensure that this doesn't happen is for Democrats to not let them. We need to stand up to Republicans and say enough is enough." —Conny M.
To read more about the deal, check out the links below:

Here's a detailed rundown from The Huffington Post on what exactly is in the deal.

New York Times columnist Paul Krugman calls the deal a "catastrophe on multiple levels."

Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich argues "the radical right has now won a huge tactical and strategic victory."

And for a different perspective, here's why the White House thinks it's "A Win for the Economy and Budget Discipline."

This deal is dramatically out of step with America. The great majority of Americans want jobs, not cuts—and want corporations and millionaires to pay their fair share, so we can afford to jump-start our economy and rebuild the American Dream.

Whatever happens today, one thing is clear: this debt ceiling fight is the beginning of a much larger struggle to force Washington to listen to all of us, not just huge corporate donors and the tea party fringe.

Thanks for all you do.

–Daniel, Elena, Tate, Eli, and the rest of the team

President looks to possibly sign horrible deal. Here's why progressives shouldn't lie about that.

2011-07-31T16:01:00.000-04:00

All leaked info about that budget deal tells you its very bad. You don't cut spending during a recession.

Sign the Pro 14th amendment Credo Petition Today! Make your voice heard!

2011-07-31T15:49:00.000-04:00

The best solution for the president and the country would be for the president to invoke the 14th amendment solution. One way you can get involved is to sign the Credo Action petition: "Enough is Enough: Invoke the 14th Amendment and end the crisis."

Here's what it says:

Enough is Enough: Invoke the 14th Amendment and end the crisis

Tell President Obama to use his 14th Amendment powers, raise the debt ceiling without Congress, end this crisis, and tell the House Republicans to go take a hike.

For weeks now, House Republicans have been holding America hostage, and threatening to wreak havoc with our credit rating and our economy. They have refused to raise the debt ceiling unless their extremist policies are enacted, policies that place a higher priority on defending tax loopholes for corporate jets than on preserving Medicare and Social Security.

Enough is enough. Mr. President, it is time to use your 14th Amendment powers to end this crisis.

The 14th Amendment to the Constitution clearly states that the validity of the U.S. government's debt "shall not be questioned." Leaders from President Clinton¹ to Representative James Clyburn to have called upon the president to invoke these powers.

Republicans, apparently unable to read, have tried to claim that doing this would be unconstitutional. But these same Republicans have held America hostage for too long. It is time for President Obama to move ahead without them, and use the powers given to him by the Constitution. If the Republicans really want to take their claims to court, let them. But right now, it's time to end this long, national nightmare.

Enough is enough. Tell President Obama to use his 14th Amendment powers to end this crisis.

Naked Capitalism's Yves Smith on the Debt Crisis

2011-07-31T15:31:00.001-04:00

Yves Smith gives a nice rundown on the debt ceiling debate.

If you can't make the noon rally, sign Alan Grayson's pledge.

2011-07-26T11:30:00.000-04:00

If you can't make the noon rally, then sign Grayson's pledge telling the president no cuts to medicare, medicaid or social security.

From the press release:

Dear Friend,

Former Congressman Alan Grayson is taking a clear stand against cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. The Right Wing is doing everything it can to dismantle the American dream. We need a REAL Congressman with Guts, like Alan Grayson, to fight back.

That's why I signed Alan Grayson's petition, with one simple message: NO CUTS!:

http://www.No-Cuts.com

If we can collect 100,000 signatures, then Alan will deliver the petition to the White House personally.

So join me, by signing here:

http://www.No-Cuts.com

MoveOn and Heatlhcare for America put more pressure on Mike Doyle, Jason Altmire, others today at noon.

2011-07-26T11:18:00.000-04:00

Toomey and all republican congresspeople are a waste of time. I'm not sure what Senator Casey will do. My guess is that he would back something like the Reid plan, no social security cuts but creates a basis for them in the future with a second catfood commission.

I've received alerts from a number of organizations about a rally at noon. Yes I know this is late but better late than never.

Join thousands of others across the country TODAY, July 26, at noon (local time) at your Congress member’s nearest district office. To find the closest office to you click here.

-------- Original Message --------

Subject: Noon
Date: Mon, 25 July 2011, 3:48pm
From: Melinda - Health Care for America Now

Dear Friend,

In an astonishing display of reckless partisanship, House Speaker John Boehner walked away from debt-ceiling talks at the last minute. Boehner aims to appease the Tea Party fanatics in Congress and special-interest campaign contributors, who increasingly suppress his better instincts to do the right thing. It's now abundantly clear that the Republicans are willing to drive our economy off a cliff rather than ask millionaires, billionaires and the big corporations to pay their fair share.

We’ve got to put a stop to this madness. Health Care for America Now is joining MoveOn.org and other leaders of the American Dream movement to ask people to show up outside Member of Congress’s offices on Tuesday at noon to deliver a crucial message: "Don't destroy the American Dream."

Join thousands of others across the country tomorrow, Tuesday, July 26, at noon (local time) at your Congress member’s nearest district office.

Yes, I’ll be there on Tuesday!

When the Republicans walked away from what appeared to be an imminent bipartisan deal, they threw the economy, the international markets, seniors and middle-class families under the bus. They showed us they're willing to default on Americans' financial obligations and to default on the American Dream, which is made possible by programs like Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, college aid and much more.

This is a moment when progressives need to come together to show our strength and let our boldest leaders know that we're with them. And we need to hold the extremists accountable for their willingness to create an economic crisis because they want to cut Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security to pay for tax cuts for the super-rich.

Tomorrow, stand up against the extremists in Congress who have engaged in political brinkmanship on steroids to protect tax loopholes for the wealthiest Americans and big corporations.

In Solidarity,
Melinda Gibson

Reminder: July 12, 2014 the ten links end.

2011-07-13T00:07:00.002-04:00

Just a reminder for myself.

MoveOn sez: No to Obama on social security cuts.

2011-07-07T19:15:00.000-04:00

(Crossposted from the Greater Good blog.)

MoveOn already has a campaign you can sign onto. Yes, this is a monumentally bad idea.

Dear Philip,

BREAKING: Reports say the president just offered to cut Social Security benefits, if Republicans agree not to let the U.S. default on its debts.¹

It's his offering to the out-of-control Republicans, who are threatening to crash the economy in order to ram through savage cuts to crucial government programs.

It's sickening to think that millions of seniors would have to sacrifice in order to appease Republican hostage-takers. Especially because every poll shows overwhelming majority of Americans support raising taxes on the rich and protecting Social Security and Medicare.²

But there's still time to stop this "bargain" in its tracks. Whatever deal the president offers Republicans will need Democratic votes to pass Congress. So we need Democrats in Congress to stand strong and oppose any benefit cuts to Social Security and Medicare.

Can you sign our emergency petition to Democrats in Congress and tell them to stand up and tell the President they will not vote for Social Security and Medicare benefits cuts?

Add your name here.

President Obama is making a huge mistake that will cost our country dearly.

This is one of those moments where we either stand up and demand that the Democrats in Congress show a real spine. Or we sit back and watch the Republicans destroy decades' worth of progress.

Will you help send a message demanding that Democrats draw a clear line in the sand: no cuts to Social Security and Medicare benefits? Click here to add your name:

http://pol.moveon.org/bad_debt_deal/?id=28665-3053238-JjgC2kx&t=4

Thanks for all you do.
–Daniel, Wes, Elena, Julia, and the rest of the team

Source:
1. "In Debt Talks, Obama Offers Social Security Cuts," The Washington Post, July 6, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=210871&id=28665-3053238-JjgC2kx&t=5
2. "Poll: To Reduce Deficit, Most Americans say Tax the Rich More," CBS News, January 3, 2011
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20027036-503544.html

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.

Assorted Links N At...

2011-06-26T20:01:00.001-04:00

Been tired and busy. Here's the last several things I posted on Facebook:

Pennsylvania Teacher Starts 100-Mile-Run To Protest ‘Catastrophic’ Education Cuts I've been knocking on doors and reading up on this issue. It's true. How can we be number one at anything if we don't have a population that has critical thinking skills? It's as if our Galtian Overlords, so to speak, are using "Idiocracy" as a blueprint for the American future...

Activists protest Hershey in Times Square, calling on chocolate giant to stop using child labor (I wonder how my IUP admissions office friend Connie McNamara could spin this...probably fairly well and I'm guessing that she will be well compensated for it...)

Democrats state the obvious. Will they have the nerve to actually run on it...?

How America gets bilked by its own tax code.

Fight the three strikes rule. Looks like this will just be done unilaterally by private companies. Does this include wi fi spots? Related: The Software Kings are the true meritocracy. I can only hope that they've bought off enough congresspeople.

Altered pic at rally Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates Delaware Loophole tax dodge...

2011-06-26T19:31:00.003-04:00

Here's a crazy question: why doesn't labor run labor organizers for serious office statewide? Why don't you run this guy, who seems to have integrity, for Wagner's seat instead of a lame corporate dem like Dan Onorato--who ran a terrible campaign (I swear he was spitting on me in one of his ads..)...is the integrity the problem?

Update: Press release here. Looking for news coverage. Nothing at the papers and I'll expect it will remain that way for the Tribune Review. Hard for tv crews to do much except the major and petty crimes of proles and car crashes. I'll look...

Something funny (my opinion anyway) I posted to the One Pittsburgh wall over at Facebook...

2011-06-26T17:17:00.000-04:00

I'm going to post some pics of the rally later tonight. Now that I don't have to worry about waking up at 4 in the morning to go to another job. Here's some screen grabs. Just squint carefully.

More photos from around Pittsburgh featuring a very tall hill in Wilkinsburg

2011-06-10T02:09:00.000-04:00

A shot of a very tall hill in Wilkinsburg, heavily altered with Paint.net.

Pittsburgh Photos: A Colorful Building in Wilkinsburg

2011-05-29T21:35:00.001-04:00

A colorful building in Wilkinsburg. Full pic here.

Pittsburgh photos: Skyline crossing the ninth street bridge

2011-05-29T14:08:00.002-04:00

Taken as I was walking, I think, across the ninth street bridge. Full photo here.

Some progressive election guides...

2011-05-17T14:36:00.002-04:00

Here are two voting guides that I trust.      The first is      from Keystone Progressives.

The second is from my          fake virtual girlfriend Agent Ska.

Both  guides punt on the Wagner vs. Valerie      McDonald Roberts race. I'm  punting too. Whoever won I voted for you! That's      my story...

The Theory behind Green Party Membership Small Donations

2011-05-15T18:25:00.000-04:00

Someone asked me to explain what I meant by how small membership donations by the Green Party could result in more effective third party runs. So here it is:

This all began when I outlined something called the 5/25 plan which I thought the Green Party, or any other ambitious third party, should adopt. Your goal shouldn't be too ambitious or based on something approaching the Rapture. ("People will just realize that the Green Party is right and the voters will be swept up into the sky and onward resulting in Green Party victory!") I do think that the Rapture strategy is the operational strategy for the Green Party which is probably why they weren't able to mount a very effective challenge against Alvin Greene, of all people.

But to not get too far off track, the 5/25 plan simply means walking before running. Let's see if you can raise 35 million dollars to contest 5 senate seats and 25 house seats. From online sources I estimated that there were at least 300000 Americans who identified themselves as Green Party members. If all those Green Party members gave 10 dollars a month, then that would amount to 3 million dollars a month or 36 million dollars a year. You need at least 2 million to contest a senate seat in the average state, about 200000 to contest a US house seat. Those are minimums. If you can find someone who spent less money and won a house and senate seat please point that out to me. Keep in mind that Meg Whitman spent over a 100 million and lost the Governor's race.

Well what does this mean for California Greens? I've been told that there are an estimated 50000 Greens in California. Ask them to commit to 10 dollars a month. This would mean 500000 a month or 6 million a year. This means you can run real races in California. If you can't give that amount, which I can give even when I'm poor as dirt, then you're not committed to change. Or at least committed to 10 dollar a month change. I should also point out that once it became clear that you were running real campaigns--with ads and dirt cheap field canvasses--then you would probably get more traction from small donors outside the Green Party. With that kind of money you could seriously contest several house seats and I would take a look at other seats if they're available. A green Attorney General would be nice for those of us who would long for the day when corporations and fat cats might actually have to abide by the Rule of Law.

California could lead the way. I guarantee that after two years of actually contesting elections you will be much more successful than the national Green Party and their apparent wishful thinking strategy where Green Party candidates win without money and just because they're right. Who knows. They might even make the Californian strategy a national strategy.

Related: These are other essays and media that outlines and fleshes out this plan.

What the Greater Good Coalition Can Do

Act Green for Cheri Honkala and Ian Murphy

The 5/25 Plan

The Let's Create Viable Third Party Runs Campaign

Four ways you can get to viable third party runs.

Copy of Important Announcement involving the Greater Good Coalition

2011-05-14T13:50:00.000-04:00

Arguing with Knowledgeable Pro Life Lefty Gabe: On The Pro Life Issue and Sanger

2011-05-02T17:43:00.004-04:00

Here's what Gabe wrote on the pro life issue. Its really a bit much to sort through. But here it is unedited.

Gabriel Kierran Mccloskey-Ross
Philip, My position on abortion is irrelevant to whom. Less than a third of the people in U.S.believe in abortion on demand. A fifth believe in no abortion at all, even to save the mother's life. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_the_United_States. More women oppose abortion on demand than do men. More registered Democrats oppose abortion on demand than registered Republicans. You and I are saddled with Pat Toomey as a U.S. Senator because Joe Sestak insisted on pushing abortion on demand. Toomey did not win on Republican votes; there simply aren't enough in PA. Toomey cannot assemble an English sentence, but he will be in the Senate for six years. Philip you are a member of the Bar. Harry, Justice Blackman found in the 14th Amendment a right of privacy for a woman to speak to hr doctor in privacy about abortion. Where else does that exist at federal law? Would you agree with me that both federal rules of criminal and civil procedure specifically ban any claim of doctor client privilege? I will sight the exact rule if you like. You say you support Castro. So you support Cuba limiting elective abortion to the first trimester. Do you also support the Sandinistas eliminating elective abortion altogether? Did you support the Cuban government jailing Gays. As to violence only the Commissar brought up the conduct of the Cuban Army during the Revolution. Guevara presided over 15,000 summary courts martial that sentenced 10.000 people to death. Guevara carried out at least one execution personally. One does not need to be a pacifist to decry this. The smallest spark of civil liberartism should tell someone that is evil. Finally two points I would think would be obvious to you. First, if the Abolitionist and Civil Rights movements had not broken the law you personally would likely be a much lower life station. Second, As Black women have three times the abortions than White ones, America would be a majority non-White country except for Rowe v.Wade.

Well I think we're saddled with Pat Toomey because Pro Life dems betrayed Joe Sestak, although I think the prime reason that Joe Sestak lost is because of the economy. I also think that he should have run a more inclusive campaign and ran to the left of the president onthings like job creation. But the economy usually dooms everyone. Why didn't they stay home for abortion enforcer Barack Obama? But nice try.

I think the right to privacy is now an established legal hack that I can live with, but I'm not a crazy Catholic who believes in bronze age mythology. And if I did have to live under a mythology it would most certainly be the Dune trilogy or the Matrix films, which, frankly, offer more plausible views of reality and afterlives than does the Bible. As far as Latin Americans and their restrictive reproductive rights strategy well you should thank the Catholic Church for that. You can want liberation movements and policies that keep the bitches in their place at the same time, apparently.

I still think that Che and Castro were forces for good in Latin America. I would much rather live in Cuba than the client states of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, where we just murdered directly or by proxy everyone who was a threat to our interests. I don't think the people that Che and Castro were fighting could have been won over with nonviolence. I just don't. I mean, I have some nonviolent ideas but I don't think they're going to work...Both national parties are moving us toward Mexico. Not good.

As far as the abolitionist/civil rights argument, are you making the insane and crazy argument that murdering doctors somehow helps kids? Or the women who have to take care of those kids? I just don't think, and I've said this before I think, that the pro life movement gives a fuck about women or children. People that cared would do what any standard western european country--where they show they give a fuck about you by their actions--would do by offering comprehensive child care, liberal and well funded parental leave, full funding for head start. I mean, that's what France does. Its called the carrot.

I also think that this link beats the Wikipedia link because it shows how much conservative pro lifers care about poor black women and their kids: they don't give a fuck. But that should be clear by all their other actions quite frankly...

http://www.alternet.org/reproductivejustice/150797/the_heartless_way_conservatives_treat_young_women_who_choose_to_have_babies/

And just as an aside I don't think forcing poor women to carry their unwanted pregnancies to term is good for women or for kids, their hated and eventually unwanted kids.

Arguing with Knowledgeable Pro Life Lefty Gabe: On Black Nationalism, Craig Livingstone, and the late Manning Marable

2011-05-02T16:56:00.002-04:00

Gabe writes so much stuff over at Facebook I might as well get some posting in here at Mirror Universe. Here's what he wrote:

Gabriel Kierran Mccloskey-Ross
‎@Philip The conversation occurred at the Frontlash / Young Social Democrats retreat in Front Royal, VA. The occasion was Tom Kahn's discussion of SNCC. Stokley Carmichael despite being on the Socialist Party's payroll had voted to ban his comrades Kahn, Rachelle Horowitz, Casey and Tom Hayden, Steve Max and many others from membership in SNCC. This was a daft idea. Carmichael later split with Dr. King and Norman Thomas over the use of violence in the Civil Rights struggle. This was at the point that Carmichael join the Black Panther Party for Self Defense. The Panthers were no match for cops militarily and Carmichael lived the rest of his life aboard. The only conversation I remember having with Manning about Black Nationalism was when we were drinking beer at the Phone Booth Bar and someone announced that Gerry Conney had stopped Kenny Norton in the second round. I celebrated and Manning wailed. I pointed out I had the same right to Irish nationalism as he had to Black nationalism. Manning made comrade Dougherty and myself "honorary niggers" at DSOC youth section convention as no one would speak with us either. So the three of us talked to each other the entire evening along with agent Livingstone of the FBI. You remember Craig, from IUP undergrad to chief of White House Security in 5 years. My concern was not with Marable's ideology, but that the New American Movement felt that his presence would bring in many black members. As the Democratic Socialist Alliance of West Central, PA had more Black members than the entire New American Movement, I saw this as rather silly. When I read Manning had passed I began re-reading "From The Grassroots" If Manning and I were in opposition you would never know it from his warm message to me written on the front page. Obviously I disagree with Marable's attack on Phil Randolph as a "class collaborationist." He was as much a class collaborationist as he was an "Uncle Tom." The other Big Phil heard plenty of that when he asked John Lewis to re-write his 1963 speech. Actually Tom and Rachelle rewrote it as they had written the original. I only saw Manning twice since you and I last met. The meetings were down right warm with hugs instead of handshkakes As with you the ongoing correspondence on Movement for New Society and the Commitees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism and life in general was warm no matter how much we disagreed. We lost a valuable comrade much too young when Manning died

I didn't say the conversation didn't exist but that I don't remember when or where we had it. Hey, if you say so...although I'm pretty certain we had that "Manning Marable was a black nationalist" exchange somewhere at IUP or was it on the streets of Philly...I can't recall. I do want to say that I understand why black leaders would always want a "room of their own" so to speak. Carmicheal also spoke at IUP, surprisingly enough, but by then he had changed his name to, I believe, Kwame Ture. The main thing I remember from it, other than a slashing attack against the priesthood, was that African Americans should support some organization, whether it be the Black Panthers or Urban League or the NAACP. That always made sense to me. I noticed that you gloss over that history just a bit. I can't help but notice that The Man seemed to slaughter all of my leaders whether they were dedicated to non violence or not. I actually thought that the lesson of the 60s civil rights movement was that you needed both violent and non violent factions competing against each other in order for the whole thing to work...

Haven't heard Craig Livingstone's name in awhile. I always thought Craig legitimately believed in The Left. He didn't strike me as being an FBI plant. Why do you think that? In fact, I think his fall from grace felt, to me, like a bit of a setup, probably due to the fact that he hung around all sorts of undesirables like, uh, well, you. And me too probably. Just a theory. I wish Stone would get back into the game as it were. He was a charismatic and intelligent who I think would have represented our concerns very well or even as a friend to Hillary. I must confess the scenario where you are the informant--and the gradual evolution of social dems into hard right republican fascists--would seem more plausible, especially considering your almost rabid hatred of commies, articulated in this informative video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju3h7yk4Hcg

So please don't have me killed or whatever...just joking. I hope....

I'm a little cloudy on the A. Philip Randolph stuff. If I recall I believe that Manning was the first time I had read of the legacy of A. Philip Randolph and I think what he wrote was mostly positive although I honestly have no idea where my copy of "From the Grassroots" happens to be. I do think his death is unfortunate because if someone primaries Obama from the left it would be nice to have one or two prominent black intellectuals say that "Hey, we'll probably get a better deal from Howard Dean or Russ Feingold". They did try to save him with that double lung transplant and all...tragic loss.

Fantastic World War Three Cartoon About Home Foreclosure

2011-04-25T01:15:00.000-04:00

Just a fantastic comic strip about the foreclosure crisis at WWIII, most radical political comic ever. You can check these out here.

New Hippy Trippy Van Allen Belt Music Video

2011-04-24T23:55:00.000-04:00

I guess I'm hoping they'll do a video for "The Revolution Will be Merchandised". This is very professionally done however.