Open Newswire

The Left, Labor and Occupy

spamsucks — Mon, 14 May 2012 09:39:01 +0000

May 2012

Trotskyism vs. Social Democracy and Anarcho-Liberalism

The Left, Labor and Occupy

Occupy protesters in Portland picket Terminal 6 on December 12. (Photo: Rick Bowmer/AP)

Six months after Occupy Wall Street began – when a few hundred people sparked worldwide protest with a march and sit-in in lower Manhattan against political corruption and corporate greed – OWS was back. And four months after Occupy encampments were brutally evicted around the country, the police were there to greet them. Demonstrators chanted “this is what democracy looks like” as cops dragged scores out of Zuccotti Park in downtown Manhattan. More accurate would have been “this is what a police state looks like.” At the same time, the sharpening internal contradictions within the Occupy movement were also on display.

Communique: redecoration in the Highlands neighborhood

spamsucks — Wed, 02 May 2012 16:18:11 +0000

After a day in the sun and streets of Denver and a rowdy-as-hell May Day demo, some queer anarchist demons of the nights let their hair down and gave some gentrifying fucks a much-needed makeover. These comrades are sick of seeing property prices in the formerly working-class Highlands neighborhood skyrocket, all due to yuppies, their condos, and the corporations that invade to please them.

These comrades grew tired of seeing that ugly beige Starbucks on Federal, so they gave it a new paint job. Five paint bombs gave the storefront a beautiful facelift; a concrete planter was also liberated into a few pieces during the action. The queer demons of the night attacked Starbucks for the role they play in gentrification, but also for their co-opting of queer struggle. Starbucks recently endorsed a push for gay marriage, an assimilationist goal of white, cis-gendered, upper-class gays. We have no desire to become part of the system that destroys us, and we will never assimilate to the society of oppression built and maintained by heterosexism and cissexism. This action was also carried out in solidarity with the Starbucks Workers’ Union of the IWW, and their struggle for recognition.

Later that night, this merry band of queers attacked a police car parked outside a private residence with another paint bomb. Cops are also part of the gentrifying force in the Highlands, harassing the working class and defending the property of yuppies and corporations (a lot of good that did for the Starbucks). Pigs have a long history of attacking queer folk, from the Compton Cafeteria riots and continuing today. While not a direct confrontation, the message gets across: we know you’re in our hood, and we don’t like it. Either quit your job, or put a bullet in your own head.

GM eyes cuts after record half for earnings

Earnest Brown — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 03:56:57 +0000

First-half earnings for General Motors Co. reached $6.3 billion, reports Automotive News. Yet according to Automotive News, General Motors CEO was not happy. General Motors cutbacks will soon follow. Source for this article: Despite record first-half profit, GM plans major cuts

Cause of slashes at GM

As General Motors is at the lowest in the industry for earnings with the 6 percent margins, which Morgan Stanley calculated before interest and taxes, it will need to cut expenditures, as reported by GM CFO Dan Ammann. There are only a few businesses with lower operating margins. This contains Toyota, Renault SA and PSA Peugeot Citroen.

General Motors spokesman Jim Cain explained what GM’s next goal is on its way to getting to the top of global sales again. He said that the next goal is to beat Ford and Volkswagen AG’s 7 percent margin.

All of the programs are being reviewed by General Motors, as reported by ABC7 Action News Detroit. The company is making cutbacks everywhere. Cutbacks in marketing, production consolidation and jobs will occur probably. Turning down the thermostats in company offices may even happen.

“Ford’s North American margins are easily 2 percentage points better than GM’s,” said Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas. “We think that gap can narrow.”

Low income predictions

A team of industry analysts told Bloomberg that GM’s third-quarter net income would likely drop $2.16 billion from the previous year, to $1.6 billion.

There are increases in commodity costs and engineering and marketing costs. That means earnings are being cut into, as reported by Jonas. Production slashes can be expected with higher dealer inventories, lucrative buyer incentives and production cuts.

Open Letter to Mayor Hancock from Occupy Denver

tina braxton — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 01:13:52 +0000

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

The Floor Is Actually White

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 14:02:44 +0000

People can be labeled all kinds of things during a single lifetime, and those labels may or may not help them depending on the person and the situation. Cumulatively labels make up one's reputation which is essentially like a resume of one's past deeds – past deeds remembered. As one goes through their life they collect labels, some that are there because they actually earned them and others certain people outside of themselves stuck on them. People can't fight off all unfair or untrue labels and many do fade as time goes on and we grow up and get older.

A young person may have been labeled chubby, for example, yet over time lost weight and just by looking at them it is obvious to anyone they are are no longer the same physically. After a while that label can fade and people see them as something else, whether that thinness is good or bad. That is what is wonderful about life, it is always changing causing potentialities to arise and fall. Whatever the present, there is always the future and possibility for reorganization, rewriting and morphing all over into something else. That's life's beauty.

Bringing about changes to one's own reputation can be easy. As life goes on one grows what was once your reputation becomes old news, and the new person you are is what people see, think about and discuss. For most folks it's just that simple, we work hard in life to do things and get things we want, and in doing so our reputation and the labels people see when they look at us, morph.

For some other people however, the process is not simple. They need to put in extra effort with regards to their reputation because of something they have done or because of something that was done to them.

Neither is necessarily more difficult, it depends on the person.

Proposed Ban on Camping in the City and County of Denver Meeting Friday March 30 at 6 p.m. in Lincoln Park

spamsucks — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 23:16:33 +0000

http://peoplesadvocacycouncil.wo...

People's Advocacy Council
Representing the aspirations and goals of Homeless and formerly homeless people "Nothing about us without us."

Proposed Ban on Camping in the City and County of Denver Meeting Friday March 30 at 6 p.m. in Lincoln Park
Posted on March 29, 2012

” I indicated in my email to you my commitment to keep you as informed as possible on upcoming issues. As the volume surrounding the introduction of the Unauthorized Camping Ordinance rises, I am sending you an actual copy of the ordinance for your information.

CALL – CALL – CALL Let us rise. Let us live out the dream that all people who live in our midst are safe and sound! The ordinance will be coming to City Council’s Land Use, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Tuesday, April 3, 2012. 10:30 a.m. in Room 391.

You can also view it live on the Council website at that time. I am also happy to ask you to Save the Date of April 19, 2012, 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. for the reconvening meeting of the Denver Commission to End Homelessness.

That meeting will be held at the City and County Bldg. – Parr Widener Library, Rm. 389 – 1437 Bannock St., Denver, CO.”

” Let the US Rise! Let us march on. Let us march until we all have a place that is safe to rest. Let us rest and lie down when all children are safe and sound. Let us rise – let us rise.

http://peoplesadvocacycouncil.wo... *peoplesadvocacycouncil@gmail.com* *@PacColorado Twitter, Linkedin and FB*

Homestead Media and Black Apple Media announce a “Green Set” during production of Dutchman’s Run

Nikki Williams — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 20:00:34 +0000

Homestead Media and Black Apple Media announce a “Green Set” during production of Dutchman’s Run

CENTENNIAL, Colo., Spring 2012 – Homestead Media in partnership with Black Apple Media proudly announces an official “green-set” for their feature length film: Dutchman’s Run.

Homestead Media and Black Apple Media have set a number of environmentally sound goals for the production of their upcoming independent film: Dutchman’s Run. Filming for Dutchman’s Run is currently scheduled to begin in late Autumn 2012 with strict “green-set” production goals:
• Cast and crew catering will be served on-site with biodegradable and/or compostable plates, cups and silverware only.
• Reusable water bottles will be required on set.
• Filming of Dutchman’s Run will be done digitally, reducing further tangible waste
• Efforts will be made to buy eco-friendly and recyclable supplies for behind the scenes and staging.
• Script updates will be distributed digitally throughout drafting, and production members will utilize iPads and tablets to reduce paper waste.
• Scripts will be printed on 100% recycled paper and then recycled after use.

Culture, Crime and Punishment

spamsucks — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 23:16:14 +0000

James Gilligan was a psychiatrist who at one time ran psychiatric services for the Massachusetts state prison system, including its hospital for the criminally insane. In his book “Violence” Gilligan makes a number of important observations about the relationship between crime, violence, and the structure of the society in which we live. He notes that law looks neither at the psychological causes of crime, particularly violent crime, nor its prevention. Instead law concerns the societal response to crime and violence, with punishment, not prevention. Gilligan states that what is called ‘crime’ is the kind of violence the system calls illegal, what is called ‘punishment’ is the kind of violence the state sanctions and imposes. Gilligan goes on to note that the psychoanalytic point of view traditionally holds that the character of the individual, rather than outside forces, shapes their destiny. In fact, the individual is subject to forces over which he or she has no control and which no amount of self-knowledge can reshape. Gilligan argues that the incidence of crime and violence within our society reflects definite moral choices about social policy. The conditions in many of our prisons are cruel, inhuman, and degrading to the point where Human Rights Watch has cited the US for numerous human rights abuses and frequent violations of the ‘ United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners’. The current system costs $60 billion dollars annually to maintain, at the price of cuts to education and basic services. Beyond incapacitating per capita 5 times as many offenders an average of 8 times longer than any other society the system does nothing to prevent recidivism.

2012 Mountain Justice Summer Action Camp May 18-25

matt landon — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 19:43:06 +0000

May 18- May 25, 2012 This event will happen at the Appalachian South Folklife Center near Pipestem, West Virginia. There is indoor bed space, heated buildings, chairs, and good food including meat. People of all ages are welcome and people of all ages do attend. You are welcome to come! Come to Appalachia and become part of the movement to end MTR Coal Mining, protect communities and the environment, and build a sustainable new economy. Learn about Mountain Top Removal Coal Mining and become part of the movement to stop it! A week long program of education, entertainment, and action! Registration will be online shortly and registration is required to attend. www.mountainjustice.org

Colorado Casting Call for Upcoming Independent Film: Dutchman's Run

Nikki Williams — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 03:23:31 +0000

Homestead Media in partnership with Black Apple Media announce that they will be auditioning for roughly 25 supporting roles in their upcoming full length feature: Dutchman’s Run. Casting will take place over the course of the next few months throughout Colorado.

Casting for Dutchman’s Run will consist of a three phase process: First, resume and headshot submissions will be accepted, followed by assigned audition scripts to be submitted as video auditions, and lastly, qualified candidates will attend live auditions in front of the director, producers and casting director.

Please submit headshots and resumes to: Angela Gaylor, Casting Director, by email at: DutchmansRunCasting@gmail.com.

Dutchman’s Run is an ambitious Western film that takes place in 1869 in Colorado. In the wake of the Civil War, young soldier Clyde Barrett seeks to lose himself in the lawless highlands of the Rocky Mountain West. When the opportunity arises, he doesn't mind utilizing his skills as a sharpshooter to play mercenary for the virulent mine boss, Samuel Dresser. A brutal desert robbery soon leaves two dead and a pile of Dresser’s money missing, and he is sent into a tireless, violent pursuit of the assailants with Clyde in tow. When rancher Callie Greene is thrust into the middle of the conflict, Clyde must weigh his loyalties against his instincts in order to protect an innocent girl from the small war that seems to be mustering around her.

Denver anarchists step it up a notch

spamsucks — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 02:07:27 +0000

A few nights ago a small cadre of anarchists made the decision to let our cry against capital and the state ring loud and clear. We chose a target of our day to day misery, a chain grocery store. Wearing masks we bought more than a hundred dollars worth of food, to provide cover for the great crimes to follow. On the way out to our car, parked outside the parking lot, we lifted the cart across the magnetic force field surrounding the store property, unloaded our groceries into the car, and then left the shopping cart off the stores premises. We made it safely away and the corporation is likely to close it's doors forever because of this act of economic devastation. So what have YOU done lately? -some irresponsible illegalists

Tragic balloon crash kills 11 in New Zealand

Zian H — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 10:40:45 +0000

A hot air balloon ignited and crashed in New Zealand Saturday morning. Authorities say eleven people -- the pilot and five couples -- were all wiped out. Source for this article: New Zealand balloon disaster kills eleven

Where everyone goes ballooning

About 50 miles northeast of Wellington on the North Island in New Zealand, the crash occurred. Nobody survived the accident. It was a well-known location for the balloon to be seen.

Unclear how the fire started

It is unknown what really occurred to cause the fire. Superintendent Mike Rusbatch of the New Zealand Law enforcement Wellington division said that the fire probably started by a fire in the basket that went up into the balloon. He said:

“This is an absolutely tragic incident, and our thoughts are with the families of the deceased. We are in the process of notifying next of kin. However, we will not be releasing any names until all next of kin have been advised.”

Weather not a factor

The weather most likely had nothing to do with the crash since “it was a perfect morning for ballooning,” as reported by a Wairarapa District Health board spokeswoman.

What did a witness say?

One eyewitness, David McKinlay, told Television New Zealand that he saw flames increasing from the basket as it fell:

“There were flames licking up the side of the basket, right up the guy ropes. … There was a big, long, pencil-like flame maybe 20 meters long, heading towards the ground at a terrible speed.”

Hitting power lines

Scoop Nemeth Reporting - Occupy Denver Saturday March for Immigrant Rights

ScoopNemeth303 — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 02:04:17 +0000

REPORTED, VIDEOGRAPHED AND EDITED BY SCOOP NEMETH

The event took place last Saturday (December 17, 2011) at Civic Center Park Ampitheater. It started with a panel at the ampitheater with Q&A. Then, it marched around downtown Denver, starting at the 15th Street and Cleveland Place, and ending back to Civic Center Park from Broadway Street.

The march and panel was to stand in solidarity with the immigrant community.

However, the one-percent don't want to pay their income taxes, but they can sure hire goons to take over the immigrant communities - How is the one-percent terrorizing immigrants?

But, it's time we gave the one-percent a taste of their own medicine two ways. One way is to make the one-percent (with the fattest wallets) look at their family history, and see if thier ancestors were immigrants (coming to America centuries or decades ago). Second way is to make them look back into U.S. History class back in school.

See the no-holds-barred YouTube story below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwLWj3rjkwM

Nine-year war with Iraq comes to an end

Ian M — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 09:11:14 +0000

The nine-year war between the U.S. and Iraq officially came to an end on Thursday. A basic ceremony was conducted in Baghdad to mark the event. Most U.S. troops have already shipped home. In the meantime, both countries remain divided from within. The turmoil has not really come to an end. (See: http://www.newsytype.com/14000-iraq-war-ends)

Getting out

Iraq will no longer have America in it soon. The plan is to be totally pulled out before the month is finished. There were discussions between Washington and Baghdad that would have allowed soldiers to stay longer. This never happened though, as the U.S. wanted special treatment. They wanted to keep all soldiers from Iraq prosecution.

Thurs, there was a little ceremony that occurred in Baghdad. The flag over the city was lowered. It no longer hangs there.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta spoke:

“To be sure, the cost was high - in blood and treasure for the United States and also for the Iraqi people. But those lives have not been lost in vain.”

All about the war

Almost right after September 11, 2001 when the WTC was attacked by terrorists, George W. Bush started an Iraq war. But the conflict started for real in March, 2003, with the night-time “shock and awe” bombing of Baghdad. The U.S. had over 170,000 soldiers in 500 bases in the country during the height of the turmoil in 2007. Almost 4,500 United States troops, also as tens of thousands of Iraqis, lost their lives in the conflict. The conflict was very expensive though. It cost over $800 billion to working class individuals.

Getting Football Fans To Appreciate The Most-Hated Subject

ScoopNemeth303 — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 14:29:43 +0000

A Reporting Piece Covering One of the Four Categories of Hard News : EDUCATION Where Combining Those Two Together Can Not Only Help Students in Academic Performance, but It will also Get Football Fans (Young and Old) Take an Interest in a Hard Education Subject. GETTING FANS TO TAKE AN INTEREST IN MATH There are football fans that are so pre-occupied with the game, they do not take an interest in something useful like math. Why is that the way it is? Sheila Bieker is a PPCC Career planning advisor, whose office is across from the math lab at the Downtown Studio campus. They are afraid of math, because it is overwhelming and hard to understand. Fans are so caught up in the action, they find it hard to figure out what is a numerator and denominator, and they find it hard to figure out equations. If fans use math, they can evaluate the length of the football field, and how far the player needs to throw the ball in order for the touchdown. Poor academic performance from students is one contributing factor in colleges and public school failing, and each student’s lack of interest in a school subject (math included) is the cause of academic performance. Students on the football team are so interested in the game, but not interested in schoolwork. Why? “Fans and players are so involved in the winning score, they cannot think of anything else, not even math homework that is due whenever,” adds Bieker. Combine math with football, and not only will fans and students get good grades, but they will learn to appreciate math. How this combination can work is figuring out the measurement of the football field, from breaking the yardage down to feet, to figuring out how there could be 120 yards wide and 53 1/3 yards long. When football fans young and old take one math lesson (measurements and word problems), and tie that knowledge to football action, how is that gonna change the way fans think about math?

Anarchy Does Not Equal Chaos

Cori Gray — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 18:16:18 +0000

Remember how all your punk friends in high school and your early 20's brandished anarchy symbols, and anarchy meant lawlessness, chaos and destruction? I think that is still the most common perception of anarchy in America, and only within the last year or two was I educated on what the true philosophy of anarchism is. It's really the core of democracy. It's a system of self governance where people come together and make decisions about what's best for their community. No one is above anyone else. When you hear about anarchists being involved in these Occupy movements around the world, it's an attempt to make you envision chaotic, destructive people so that you will not feel sympathetic towards the movement.

The reality is that they are involved, and they are not a destructive force. They do "oppose authority" and feel that people should be able to govern themselves. They want to replace the current oppressive forms of hierarchical government with a system where everyone gets an equal say in their democracy. If you know what anarchism really is, then that takes away the power of the ruling class to scare you with the word. It also opens you up to learning a new way of doing things that doesn't rely on elected officials, who will ultimately have power over things that effect you, and puts power back in the peoples' hands.

I think it's important for us to be aware of how our government DOES use propaganda to keep us fearful and misinformed.

This is war: DABC call for support against state repression

spamsucks — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 22:12:09 +0000

http://denverabc.wordpress.com/2...

November 13, 2011
It’s 11:07 on a Sunday morning, and yet again the 27 Social Centre in Northwest Denver is full of people. Folks are talking to imprisoned comrades on the phone, coordinating with court observers who just left a long bond hearing for 20 arrestees, entering yet more names and case numbers into online databases, and trying to feed each other and take care of our kids.

Police have been rolling by slowly and regularly, in increasing regularity on the streets surrounding our building. We tend to get a lot of roll by cop traffic, but today definitely feels different. They drive really slow, eyeballing everyone and anyone coming or going, and their numbers only seem to be increasing.

Last night, 21 more folks from Occupy Denver were arrested. Crowds were pepper sprayed, shot with pepper balls and rubber “less-lethal” rounds, and beaten with batons and fists. Street medics treated many injuries (yet again) and our legal observers reported many gross attacks on individuals, some not even affiliated with the demonstrations.

Here's to You!

spamsucks — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 05:10:09 +0000

Here’s to the crazy ones.

The misfits.

The rebels.

The troublemakers.

The round pegs in the square holes.

The ones who see things differently.

They’re not fond of rules.

And they have no respect for the status quo.

You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them.

About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them.

Because they change things.

They push the human race forward.

While some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius.

Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do. - Apple Inc.

To the Occupy movement – the occupiers of Tahrir Square are with you

spamsucks — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 21:56:48 +0000

To all those across the world currently occupying parks, squares and other spaces, your comrades in Cairo are watching you in solidarity. Having received so much advice from you about transitioning to democracy, we thought it's our turn to pass on some advice. Indeed, we are now in many ways involved in the same struggle. What most pundits call "the Arab spring" has its roots in the demonstrations, riots, strikes and occupations taking place all around the world, its foundations lie in years-long struggles by people and popular movements. The moment that we find ourselves in is nothing new, as we in Egypt and others have been fighting against systems of repression, disenfranchisement and the unchecked ravages of global capitalism (yes, we said it, capitalism): a system that has made a world that is dangerous and cruel to its inhabitants. As the interests of government increasingly cater to the interests and comforts of private, transnational capital, our cities and homes have become progressively more abstract and violent places, subject to the casual ravages of the next economic development or urban renewal scheme. An entire generation across the globe has grown up realising, rationally and emotionally, that we have no future in the current order of things. Living under structural adjustment policies and the supposed expertise of international organisations like the World Bank and IMF, we watched as our resources, industries and public services were sold off and dismantled as the "free market" pushed an addiction to foreign goods, to foreign food even.

Spokesperson for Occupy Wall Street may lose position with public radio

Eman S — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 09:10:21 +0000

The line between individual activities and professional connections can be a very fuzzy one. For journalists, it can be an especially tough line to draw. Lisa Simeone, sponsor of NPR affiliate WAMU’s “Soundprint” and “World of Opera” is now dealing with tough questions about her involvement as spokesperson for the Occupy Wall Street activity in Washington D.C.. Resource for this article: NPR host Lisa Simeone facing questions about political activism

A new spokesperson

Recently, it was noticed that radio reporter Lisa Simeone has stepped into a new role. The Occupy D. C. movement associated with Occupy Wall Street has made her a representative. NPR shouldn’t care what she is doing as an activist since she is a freelancer, Simeone explained.

“I’m a freelancer. NPR doesn’t pay me. I’m also not a news reporter. I don’t cover politics. I’ve never brought a whiff of my political activities into the work I’ve done for NPR World of Opera.

A connection to the business

Lisa Simeone is a long-time sponsor and journalist for NPR affiliated radio stations. All around the country, there are affiliates with the Nationwide Public Radio. These affiliate stations air programs from NPR and other affiliate stations also as businesses such as Public Radio International. Lisa Simeone was employed as an independent journalist and sponsor for two shows, "Soundprint" and "World of Opera."

Not connected to show anymore

Lisa Simeone was fired from WDAV, which produced “Soundpoint” to air on WAMU. WAMU has a strict code of ethics. It says that: