News of the Restless

Dame Vera commits a heresy! Oh noes!

Posted on August 12, 2009 by Sabina Becker

She’s most famous for “We’ll Meet Again”, as well as the translation of the German song in the video above. She’s 92 years old, and still clearly in possession of all her faculties–including an important and underestimated one called critical thinking. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Dame Vera Lynn, singing a song you’ve never heard from the veteran wartime entertainer before:

Dame Vera Lynn has questioned Britain’s role in Afghanistan.
The 92-year-old is critical of the campaign which has cost the lives of 196 personnel, saying: ‘I don’t know what Afghanistan’s all about, I don’t know what we are doing there.’
Dame Vera, who entertained troops as far afield as Egypt, India and Burma during the Second World War, said: ‘At one time, our soldiers would fight for the country they came from to stop the enemy invading, but now they are involved in other countries’ problems.’
She was less than complimentary of the Government, which has been criticised for seeking to challenge the amount of compensation for wounded soldiers.
Dame Vera told The Times: ‘I don’t know why there should be a problem. I mean, they are out there fighting, helping other people.
‘They are our boys and they should be looked after. The money that is wasted on stupid things and then they quibble about this.’

That, my friends, is the heresy: Dame Vera supports the troops, but not the war. In an age when “Support the Troops” is often another way of saying “get behind the war, you unpatriotic wimp”, she is brave enough to challenge the conventional belief that the war in Afghanistan has anything to do with protecting the West’s “freedom”. And to utter what the younger and cockier of us seldom find the nerve to say when some raging wingnut is in our faces doing his best to shout us down.

Share this story:

Posted in Angry Pacifist Speaks Her Mind, Artsy-Fartsy Culture Stuff, Confessions of a Bad German, The War on Terra, Uppity Wimmin | 2 Comments

Headline Howler: The Lede catches Teh Stoopid

Posted on August 12, 2009 by Sabina Becker

Quick, everyone, tell me what this is a picture of:

If you said “two leading Cuban revolutionaries proving that golf isn’t as bourgeois as Hugo Chávez says it is”, go straight to the corner and put on your dunce cap. And while you’re at it, say hi to the dunce who’s already there–a poor soul who blogged this for the NY Whore Times, thinking he could make a fool of Chavecito with a slice of Cold War trivia. His name is Robert Mackey, and he ended up having to correct himself a little over an hour ago, hilariously:

…So we have Mr. Castro’s word that the round was staged for the cameras for the purpose of mocking the American President who refused to meet with Mr. Castro when he visited Washington in 1959, soon after taking power. On that occasion, President Eisenhower refused to meet with Mr. Castro — who had to settle for a chat with his Vice President, Richard Nixon, instead. According to several versions of the story, Mr. Castro was unhappy to learn that the important business that kept President Eisenhower from meeting him was a round of golf. So that would seem to explain the subsequent photo-op mockery of the game back in Cuba.

Meanwhile, if you want to know what prompted this little quiz-bang (and the trainwreck that followed), here ya go. Turns out that it’s not so much the “bourgeois” nature of the world’s most unathletic sport that pisses off Chavecito–it’s that the slums of Caracas are growing out of control, on unstable ground; the city sits in the bottom of an Andean mountain valley. Meanwhile, what have the rich turned the stable ground in the heart of the city into? Fucking golf courses. Chavecito aims to change that by legally nullifying all those land-grabbers’ claims, and building affordable public housing there, instead of letting manicured turf go on stinking the place up with Monsanto chemicals. All this so that poor folks won’t have to go on constructing shacks with scavenged material on hillsides that are likely to wash away with the next heavy rain, as they did early on in Chavecito’s tenure as president.

Funny how the facts just totally change the picture, eh Robert?

(Memo to Simon Romero: No Cuban cigar for you, either.)

Share this story:

Posted in Crapagandarati, Cuba, Libre (de los Yanquis), Headline Howlers, Huguito Chavecito | 2 Comments

A picture Lanny Davis is hoping you won’t see

Posted on August 12, 2009 by Sabina Becker

Manuel Zelaya (in cowboy hat), the real president of Honduras, arrives in Brasilia for a meeting with his Brazilian counterpart, Lula–who still, for some odd reason, sees nothing legitimate about the coup in Honduras, no matter what crazy language the mongers (like Lanny Davis, and others) try to wrap it up in.

Hey Lanny (who may be well reading this, because someone at the State Dept. certainly is), here’s a question for ya: If he’s no longer a legitimate president, why are those men in uniform saluting him?

EDIT: Oh look, Lanny sent a response, in picture form:

Guess that answers MY question.

Share this story:

Posted in Brazil is the Bomb!, Fascism Without Swastikas, Isn't That Illegal?, Law-Law Land, Not Hiding in Honduras | Comments Off

Word to Toby Harnden: It’s the RACISM, stupid!

Posted on August 12, 2009 by Sabina Becker

Portrait of the crap artist as a not-so-young man. Shamelessly stolen from Sadly, No!

Sigh. Poor Toby Harnden. You would think that, given his being stationed in Washington on behalf of the UK Telegraph, and his access as an accredited reporter, that he would be able to do better than this when it comes to reporting the staggering number of terrorist threats against Barack Obama:

Since Mr Obama took office, the rate of threats against the president has increased 400 per cent from the 3,000 a year or so under President George W. Bush, according to Ronald Kessler, author of In the President’s Secret Service.
Some threats to Mr Obama, whose Secret Service codename is Renegade, have been publicised, including an alleged plot by white supremacists in Tennessee late last year to rob a gun store, shoot 88 black people, decapitate another 14 and then assassinate the first black president in American history.
[…]
According to the book, intelligence officials received information that people associated with the Somalia-based Islamist group al-Shabaab might try to disrupt Mr Obama’s inauguration in January, when the Secret Service co-ordinated at least 40,000 agents and officers from some 94 police, military and security agencies.

So, basically, Toby’s “journalism” on this appalling matter boils down to a glorified book review…which places emphasis not on the white supremacists (a much clearer and more present danger to His Barackness) but on one very little-known Islamist group from Somalia. The overwhelming majority of the teabaggers and town-hall gun nuts currently threatening Obama may not talk the Hitler-talk, but they certainly walk the brownshirt walk. Even a cursory glance around him should have revealed as much to Toby, but it didn’t.

Notice, too, that the very splashy, well-known white-supremacist plot was merely “alleged” here, but the more obscure al-Shahaab one is presented, ever so subtly, as the more credible threat. (The rather crucial word “alleged” is nowhere in evidence, as you can see.)

I’ve done some googling on al-Shahaab, as their name has never crossed my radar till now. Apparently they are becoming an increasing presence (and problem) in Somalia. Coincidentally, the US is about to ratchet up its troop presence there, which should provide no small inflammation for tensions already prevalent in the region. Not a wise move, and sure to provoke more embassy bombings. Toby doesn’t mention that, either. Odd, considering that the white-supremacist threat is far more unprovoked than any retaliatory attacks from al-Shahaab would be. (Unless, of course, one considers the mere complexion of Barack Obama to be a provocation in and of itself.)

Have you noticed, too, that Toby seems to have forgotten all about his own earlier reporting on those icky-ass white supremacists? Of course, it puts the p-word in quotation marks–as though white supremacists couldn’t possibly be bad enough to hatch something as sinister as a PLOT. Islamists, however, don’t get so much benefit of the doubt from Toby of the Telly.

Now, you may want to ask yourself just why that is. Especially in light of how many very white, very racist Obama-haters out there are referring to him by his middle name, Hussein, as if it meant something.

And then, ask yourself just why the UK Telegraph got someone as blinkered, amnesiac and crappy as Toby Harnden to “report” this whole story in the first place.

Share this story:

Posted in Crapagandarati, Fascism Without Swastikas, Fine Young Cannibals, Obamarama! | 2 Comments

One more oppo kvetching-point gets shot down in Venezuela

Posted on August 10, 2009 by Sabina Becker

Yep, it’s that old “insecurity” thing. The opposition claims Chavecito isn’t doing enough about violent crime, especially in the densely-populated lower-class neighborhoods of Caracas. (Never mind that some of them elected oppo mayors, supposedly to address this problem. Said mayors have yet to get around to it. Hell, they have yet to clean up the garbage–another problem they said they would tackle.)

Some even accuse him of fomenting it himself, absurdly–and even more absurdly, this quack-pot theory gets picked up by the English-language media abroad (Rory Carroll’s impotent little spit-take for the UK Guardian being a typical case in point.)

Well, Chavecito’s done something about THAT particular, seemingly intractable problem–and after just one week of implementation, it seems to be bearing some remarkable fruit:

On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, in 21 neighborhoods in the capital, no homicides took place, thanks to the national-guard troop deployment called Caracas Segura 2009.
So said the chief of Regional Command No. 5, General Alírio Ramírez, during a press conference on Monday, in which he gave a report of the progress of the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB) participating in the security mission.
“Of the 28 neighborhoods of Caracas, there were zero homicides in 21 of them on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. And in other neighborhoods, homicides were down 40%, compared to the previous week,” said the general.
The deployment consisted of 2,200 members of the GNB spread out over 28 neighborhoods.

Translation mine.

Zero homicides in 21 neighborhoods. This in a city where dozens used to die in street fights or domestic violence, often drug-, gang- and alcohol-related, on any given weekend. In fact, Caracas used to register more homicide victims on any given weekend than there were in any given year in Toronto!

Think of that the next time you hear some oppo-monkey screeching and flinging feces over supposed “violence”, “insecurity” and “kidnappings” burgeoning under Chávez in Venezuela–there have been rashes of the latter recently, to hear some people tell it. Something tells me, though, that as long as the national guard is on patrol in those neighborhoods, we’re gonna be seeing a helluva lot less of all the above–unless the oppos get better at lying!

Oh Rory, have I got a story for you…oops, I forgot. I’ve already scooped you, and I’m not even stationed in Caracas, nor am I boozing it up with the traditional ruling classes on the Guardian’s dime. I’m just literate–and not blinded by pro-corporate or elitist political prejudices. How embarrassing!

Share this story:

Posted in Crapagandarati, Huguito Chavecito, Law-Law Land | 2 Comments

Blackwater head accused in child prostitution ring

Posted on August 10, 2009 by Sabina Becker

I always knew Erik Prince (above) was a seriously hinky character, and now we’re seeing yet another side of him, a seriously kinky aspect, which should surprise no one given the hypocrisy rampant among “Christian crusaders”. Grab a barf bag before proceeding with this story:

New disturbing charges have emerged against XE, the infamous private security firm formerly known as Blackwater Worldwide, whose operations came under spotlight after its 2007 carnage in Baghdad.
According to a report by MSNBC and based on alleged sworn declarations by two Blackwater employees in federal court, the firm used child prostitutes at its compound in Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone.
The declarations added Iraqi minors got involve in sexual acts with Blackwater members in exchange for one dollar and Erik Prince, the firm’s owner, “failed to stop the ongoing use of prostitutes, including child prostitutes, by his men.”
Based on other statements, the firm was involved in another sex scandal; “Prince’s North Carolina operations had an ongoing wife-swapping and sex ring, which was participated in by many of Mr. Prince’s top executives.”

And these are the people who would prescribe the morals by which the rest of the world is supposed to abide? And their job is to enforce those “values” at gunpoint?

No wonder the Iraqis lost no time killing those four mercs and stringing their mutilated bodies up on the bridge at Fallujah:

BTW, for those who want to know all the background on Blackwater, Jeremy Scahill wrote the book. I recommend it highly, but be warned: it will cost you several hours’ worth of sleep, and will haunt you long after you put it down.

And I’ll bet this latest finding will be a chapter all unto itself, to boot.

Share this story:

Posted in Do As I Say..., Fascism Without Swastikas, Filthy Stinking Rich, Isn't That Illegal?, Pissing Jesus Off, Sick Frickin' Bastards, The War on Terra | 2 Comments

El Ecuadorable takes possession, again

Posted on August 10, 2009 by Sabina Becker

Ecuador’s president, Rafael Correa, was inaugurated for the second time with an indigenous ceremony. El Ec received a red poncho symbolizing the Earth Mother, Pachamama, and a staff of office from indigenous spiritual leaders, who prayed that his second term would “light the fires of love”. Guests of honor were a very serious-looking Evo, and Rigoberta Menchú of Guatemala.

Share this story:

Posted in All About Evo, Ecuadorable As Can Be, Guatemala, Guatebuena | Comments Off

Music for a Sunday: Find a bar, avoid a fight, show your papers, be polite…

Posted on August 9, 2009 by Sabina Becker

Three to brood on, all Canadian:

“Listen to the Radio”, by the Pukka Orchestra.

“Tokyo Rose” by Idle Eyes.

“Eyes of a Stranger”, by the Payola$.

Share this story:

Posted in Music for a Sunday | 4 Comments

Stupid Sex Tricks: So you think you’re hot shit?

Posted on August 9, 2009 by Sabina Becker

Well, you’re halfway there, bud. But you ain’t hot till someone does this to you:

A 26-year-old woman is being hailed as a national hero after belying the conventional wisdom that revenge is a dish best served cold.
The unidentified female from the Mediterranean island of Crete set fire to a drunk 23-year-old Briton’s genitals after he allegedly tried to sexually assault her in a crowded bar, London’s Daily Telegraph reports. She earned further accolades from her countrymen for turning herself over to the police following the incident.
According to a police report, the intoxicated party-goer had taken down his pants and was waving his genitals at women in the bar. He then “forcefully fondled” the 26-year-old woman and asked her to take hold of his genitals.
She responded by soaking his genitals in a liquor. When this failed to cool off his advances, she reportedly grabbed a lighter and set his nether-region on fire.
The alleged sex assailant is hospitalized with what the Telegraph describes as “considerable damage” to his penis and testicles.

Ooooo, la-la…Revenge Flambé! I’ve never had that. Bet Jack the Lad wishes he hadn’t, either.

Maybe this’ll make all those boozing Brits think twice–and drink half as much if ever they’re in Crete. Otherwise, they too might end up the main course at a wienie roast.

BTW, for all you history buffs out there: Greek Fire was Byzantium’s secret weapon. Nice to see it hasn’t fallen completely out of use. I say we make it purse-size and bottle it!

Share this story:

Posted in Morticia! You Spoke French!, Stupid Sex Tricks, Uppity Wimmin | 5 Comments

Wankers of the Week: Diary of a Madman edition

Posted on August 8, 2009 by Sabina Becker

Oh lord, I didn’t think I was gonna do another “Wankers” post this week, but then some totally fucking insane shit happened, and now look what it’s gone and made me do, ha-ha…

1. George Fucking Sodini. For his racism, his sexism, his right-wing politics, and his just plain old downright fucking creepiness. With a track record like that, it’s amazing that the ladies didn’t come flocking! I doubt very much that he even met “30 million women”, as he claims, but I can well believe that every woman he ever met rejected him; I would, too, and I’m twice the age of the chicks he was looking for. Good riddance to the loser–too bad he had to kill three innocent women before turning his gun on himself. All you downer dudes out there, please do us a favor–if you want to die, just die, already, and don’t try to take anyone else with you. Especially if “anyone else” is female. If they reject you in life, what makes you think they’d embrace you in death?

2. and 3. George Fucking Sodini’s “dating” and “seduction” gurus. Who’s the bigger loser of the two? Hard to say. Both fit any thinking woman’s definition of “icky-poo”. And if any man came on to me with the ludicrous arrogance that these two poseurs recommend, I’d laugh right in his face. I’d have done so in my teens, too–in fact, I did that to my share of high-school creeps with similar “can’t-miss” tactics. If it doesn’t work on high-school girls, what makes anyone think it will work on women barely past high-school age? Again, a few helpful hints for you guys out there who still don’t get it: Misogyny is not a chick magnet. If you can’t handle a real relationship with a grown woman, go talk to your hand. Our faces ain’t listening anymore, and guys like these are the reason why. Don’t be like them unless you wanna end up being rejected by 30 million women, too.

4. The Dissociated Fucking Press, AGAIN. Srsly, what’s to “be understood” here? The guy hated everyone he saw as being out to take away his white male privileges. Human rights, to him, were about something being taken away from his small minority of humanity, and given to the unwashed brown masses and the uppity wimmin. Don’t waste our time with drivel about how sad and misunderstood the guy was. We don’t want to feel sorry for him, and we already understand plenty. Address the racism and the misogyny that made him so fucking repulsive–sorry, “misunderstood”–in the first place!

5. Fucking “Roissy in DC”. Put your real name to your misogynous maunderings, douchebag. And post a nude picture of yourself so we can see what a prize we’re getting in the form of wonderful you and your ineffable patronage. More likely, we’d see what you’ve got against us females in general, though; I’m sure we wouldn’t give your dick the time of day. We couldn’t find it without a scanning electron microscope!

6. And that goes for all Roissy’s little fucktard hangers-on, too. Justifying a murderer’s acts on the basis of the shithead “not getting any” is just…ugh. Do the women of the world a REAL favor…please, just tattoo a big ornate capital L on your foreheads so we won’t have to bother with you or your mind-fucking “game”.

7. These fucking dickweeds too, please. Getting “game” and getting real are two different things, and they’re diametrically opposed. To think otherwise is to have a brain even smaller than your already pathetic widdle pee-pee.

8. R. B. Fucking Thieme. For providing this killer with a theological underpinning. A misogynous one, natch.

9. Erin Fucking Micklow. How clueless can a girl get? If Sodini were really trying to improve himself, he’d have gone to a shrink, not a sexist bullshit huckster like your boss. He didn’t need dating skills, he needed counseling and probably meds as well. Learning how to chase chicks young enough to be one’s daughter is NOT “self-improvement”–and didn’t he squick you out just the least little bit with those dead snake eyes of his? Sheesh. You need to find a better job, dudette.

10. Naomi Fucking Lakritz. Nice straw-feminist argument you got going there, Ms. Lackwits. I understand that this is the kind of thing that a cowgal needs to say in order to get a date in the misogynist meat-market that is Calgary, but really–must you be such a clue-challenged contrarian douchette about the god-damned Montreal Massacre and its obvious parallel to this one? And haven’t you questioned just what kind of “favorable” male attention this cutesy crap is likely to draw? Here, have a clue-by-four, dear:

You catch more flies with “honey” than vinegar, indeed. But what kind of woman wants to have flies all over her?

11. And speaking of flies, let’s hear a rousing Bronx cheer for all those scat-munching outhouse denizens whose Sodini-admiring comments are listed here. What is this “tax” shit, anyway? You whiny wimps really need to get your peepees whacked. No, make that whacked off–and jammed down your throat or up your rectum, so you know how it really feels on the other side of the gender divide. Don’t like how that makes me sound? Well, what a coinkydink–that’s exactly how you sound to women! And they don’t like it any better. (The get-a-life implications of all this should be blindingly obvious by now, shouldn’t they, boys?)

12. All the phony fucking “nice guys” out there. They not only write drivel like what one finds on G
eorgie’s blog, but also whine-o-rhea like this. Or they act like the guy in this toon:

Which makes me think they’re not really nice after all, and just makes me so totally relate to all the women who reject them. Oh hell, I’m one of those women. And no, I don’t feel guilty or responsible for what it’s done to poor Georgie, because it’s not women’s fault that some guys are repulsive, entitled, passive-aggressive, hate-oozing losers. I just wish he’d fucked off and died alone, is all.

And finally: anyone who identifies with this sick bastard, or who doesn’t like what I said here, you can go do the same. Don’t bother commenting–I’ve already seen your splooge, and I don’t want it all over my blog, too. Here, have a candy: