On and on and on! See below and below and below.
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What's cooking in the mind of Bush?

Paul Craig Roberts: Bush is Cooking Up Two New Wars

So here's a quick update for an intruiging article in today's Counterpunch. It makes for scary reading, especially given the author's credentials.

For those here in London, it has been annouced that the congestion charge is now to be extended. In announcing it, Mayor Ken Livingstone came up with what most be the most stupid remark for a long time - on urging it's necessity he said: "I wish we could do this without charging people!" Eactly what would be the point of it at all were that the case. Anyhow - I approve of it.

Later.

TERRORIST OF THE WEEK. Caught red-handed brandishing a weapon of mass destruction (Labour Party Membership) and refusing to wear a Staw Hat, Walter Wolfgang is apprehened under British anti-terror laws in an effort to prevent him attacking the Labout Party Conference in Brighton.
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Daring to speak at the party parties!

Independent Online Edition > UK Politics : app5

Two days ago nobody had heard of Walter Wolfgang. Now, at least here in Britain, virtually everyone has. This link leads to today's Independent newspaper where the man himself has his say!

As the first leaves start falling, it is clear that summer is over in Britain. The annual holidays behind, most people are busy hunkering down and getting back to work. Not so our beloved parliamentarians! They all take a few extra weeks to celebrate amongst themselves during something laughingly called the "Conference Season". But "confering" has little to do with it - it is more a time devoted to self-congratulation if not mutual masturbation. In the case of New Labour, it looks like the habit really has led to blindness.

The first party to party were the Liberal Democrats. They're the ones that usually get my vote and to be honest the delegates did actually get the participate. But influence? Well, most questions concerned the leadership and whether Kennedy was the right person to help them capitalise on recent gains. The leader's answer? "I'm going on!" and that was that.

The second party to party have been New Labour. For them, the party in government, the delegates might as well not have existed. Most of them were spin doctors and media stooges anyway! The chancellor, Gordon Brown, already lives in 10 Downing Street (Blair and family live in the more spacious number 11 apartments) and after eight years is clearly anxious to explore the rest of the building. He's about the embark on a year long nationwide tour to pursuade us all that it's a good idea. Whilst his leader does seem to envisage this transition in due course, for now he's having none of it. His answer to the assembed masses? "I'm going on!" and that was that.

Hidden in the more localised area of conference was Ken Livingstone - former party upstart but now a veritable institution as mayor of London. Despite questions about his own re-election not actually being on the agenda, he sought to reply all the same. The answer? "I'm going on!" and that was that.

Foreign secretary Jack Straw is clearly going on too, not that he saw fight to say so directly. Rather, he chose to justify his position and policies in a manner now deviod of idealogy or constructive purpose. When one of the few genuine conference delegates chose to interrupt the robotic speech for the purposes of participation, he was violently ejected from the room. And the speech? It just went on and that was that.

Except there was a glitch.

The assault on Walter Wolfang was captured on camera for all to see and the lie of conference was exposed. Simultaneously, an undercover operation revealed an astonishing amount of cocaine use at the event - far more than could be attributed to the nighclub bouncers who were handling security and the eviction of Walter Wolfgang. Just how many of those in attendence were also artificially removed from reality is a matter for speculation, but one is reminded of the Nazi elite of the 1930s.

The carnival's now over, but hopefully the memory of it's behaviour will run and run. Not however, go on and on.

The tories have got in on the act before their conference has even started. For them it is always about leadership as assorted relics and aspirants join the fray. After months of musing on a better way to elect one they've come to a conclusion. The answer? No change. "We'll just go on!"

Feminist artist Caroline Coon also has a new posting today. This time on Rock Against Racism and assorted tangents. Odd to think how at one time this was just the sort of thing the grassroots of the Labour party took an interest.

On a more optimistic note, Click Here to read about a plan to develop cheap clockwork laptops to bring technology to the third world.

Later.

Posting fact or posting fantasy? It's all in the mix! See below.
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The online currency of war and tragedy

In a diversion from conflict, US troops are rather fond of posting pictures of their exploits on the web. Quite a lot of them are gruesome or sadistic. Others are merely overly egotistical and an affront to the notion of human concern for others. The Pentagon is finally getting concerned - this is all rather bad PR. It's also becoming increasingly hard to distinquish the fictions from the facts - something equally obvious in the sheer volume of information and fantasy emerging from Amerika's own hurricane disaster zones. In the modern age we all have good reason to be skeptical about the messages fed to us by the commercial media, but recent events and government incompetence have even re-awakened a bit of the public service ethnic in the mainstream news sources. The problem is that they too increasingly rely on the same "stew" of online data to get their "facts". The amount of research and cross-ferencing required to locate the real "truths" is becoming everyone's full-time job.

For more about online obession and disaster reports check out the latest "Journal of a Futurist" from Richard Neville.

Times thay are a-changing again. See below.
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The Oliy Grave

President Calls for Less Driving to Conserve Gas - New York Times

This link is for today's headliner at New York Times. In the gas-guzzling economy of the USA who would ever predicted that it;s president would be forced to ask its people to conserve their petrol? Especially a president whose whole policy and self-interest is dictated by commercial oil industries. I guess it just proves that Mother Nature can humble her most ardent opponents.

I've been watching a recording of last night's much-hyped Dylan film by Scorcese. It's received a lot of flack in some quarters and clearly avoids material and subjects which Dylan's management have not approved. Still, I find it an intruiging record of the times which initially created and later surrounded him. It is less about the man himself and a chronicle of the era.

The music aside, Dylan was essentially a poet. Most fascinating is a clip of Allen Ginsberg bemoaning the fact that the baton of the art had passed to a new generation. By strange co-incidence, Sunday in London also saw a "Poetry Olympics" (Pot) event at the Royal Albert Hall to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the now immortalised event featuring Ginsberg and others.

Maybe I'm jaded, but it seems the old-timers stole the show and could equally have stood under a banner saying "No Direction Home". Most of the newer poets could more aptly have gathered under a banner saying "No Direction To Go". Highlights were Adian Mitchell, Micheal Horowitz (the organiser) and a fascinating unique finale featuring Jerry Hall and Pete Townsend.

With spoken word on the mind, I took time off yesterday to listen to a couple of recordings which had been waiting for the right mood. These were also by a couple of old timers - former "yippie" Paul Krassner and former "Oz" editor Felix Dennis. Both had their moments, but were by and large disappointing. So it seems not all the old-timers have that much to say these days.

Later.

Rally for Peace

United for Peace�:�Saturday, September 24 Massive March, Rally & Festival

A quick plug for tomorrows Rally for Peace in Washington DC. Follow the link for details. Could this be the real reason Bush has just relocated to Texas.

Later

Cartoon from today's Slate
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Cut and run or conference preparation

CBS News | U.K. Troops Cut Basra Presence | September 22, 2005�11:00:07

An interesting link to an article last night from CBS but not covered in the British news. It seems Britain is reducing manpower in Basra after the recent upset to relations with the locals. One wonders if government will spin the retreat to look favourable for policy discussion at their forthcoming party conference.

One also wonders whether the New World Order will soon be dictated by the New World Weather. A report here explains more.

Later.

Alive & Kicking - Neil Young returns. See below.
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Contrary, Gifted & Back

Independent Online Edition > Profiles : app2

A quick link to an interview with Neil Young from today's Independent newspaper here in London.

Later.

Business services that begger belief

Strategic Communication Laboratories : An Overview

I doubt many of my readers can afford the services of the above, but the link is well worth viewing. I found it through an article in today's Slate which looks at the future of government "psy-ops" with a focus on Britain.

George Orwell will be turning in his grave!

Later.

Yesterday at the UN. Talk about distracted! George has to ask Condi whether he can go and powder his nose.
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Trust me - I don't trust myself

One has to ask. Are we now supposed to place our trust in a government that seemingly doesn't trust itself on anti-terror policies? See Here.

Later.

Smoked Out in the USA

Just a quick follow-up on Amerika's newly regressive attitude to marijuana. Check out this link at Alternet.

With the IRA in retirement, it seems that Northern Ireland's protestant paramilitaries have nothing better to do than war between themselves and the police. Some years ago I accidently witnessed an Orange Order march in London. The jackboots, stone faces and aggressive eyes were not a pretty sight - the message was one of intimidation and intolerence. If the Unionist movement is serious about democratic process, they too should get their house in order instead of criticising Sinn Feinn.

Later.

Bush encounters Bush. Despite the grin, Dubya seems to have lost the plot following yesterday's protests at the Amerikan embassy in London. See below.
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News of the weed

The Amerikan government is trying to extradite three Canadian nationals for selling cannabis seeds by mail order. This is not an offence in Canada or even here in Britain where plenty of other businesses do the same thing. One suspects this move has more to do with the excellent website, Pot TV, with which the individuals are connected and are highly popular.

Yesterday British campaigners joined a worldwide protest at the US embassy in London. For a report, switch to News of the Weed here.

Later.

Says it all really!
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House of the Rising Damp

Gaia has stirred yet again and this time it's come home to roost on the Bush doorstep. A full two-thirds of US citizens now disapprove of the emporer's attitude and handling of the disaster according to yesterday's poll and the pervading long-term nature of this particular domestic problems is not something he can divert attention from.

What next? Well as of this morning, a new hurricane is spinning up to speed off the coast of Florida and nobdy seems to know how fast it will get or which way it will turn. With George Bush's brother, Jeb Bush, as governor of that state, one wonders how different the response to any impending disaster might be.

For more opinion on Katrina and the aftermath do check out the latest posting from Richard Neville in Australia.

I received this via the mail from Leilani Horton in the USA. It's well worth the read for an insider view of New Orleans now.

<<<<<

Date: Tue, 6 Sep 2005 22:09:38 -0600
From: Jay Watterworth
Subject: NOLA experiences

As a white guy who isn't suffering in poverty, it has been difficult
for me
to identify with the suffering of many trapped in NOLA through the
stories
I've read and heard from this disaster. Here is an interesting insight
that
I can relate to.
Jay
---------
Sept 5, 2005
Fwd by Phil Gasper
Two friends of mine-paramedics attending a conference-were trapped in
New
Orleans by Hurricane Katrina. This is their eyewitness report. PG

Hurricane Katrina-Our Experiences by Larry Bradshaw, Lorrie Beth
Slonsky

Two days after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, the Walgreen's
store at
the corner of Royal and Iberville streets remained locked. The dairy
display
case was clearly visible through the widows. It was now 48 hours
without
electricity, running water, plumbing. The milk, yogurt, and cheeses
were
beginning to spoil in the 90-degree heat. The owners and managers had
locked
up the food, water, pampers, and prescriptions and fled the City.
Outside
Walgreen's windows, residents and tourists grew increasingly thirsty
and
hungry.

The much-promised federal, state and local aid never materialized and
the
windows at Walgreen's gave way to the looters. There was an
alternative. The
cops could have broken one small window and distributed the nuts, fruit
juices, and bottle water in an organized and systematic manner. But
they did
not. Instead they spent hours playing cat and mouse, temporarily
chasing
away the looters.

We were finally airlifted out of New Orleans two days ago and arrived
home
yesterday (Saturday). We have yet to see any of the TV coverage or look
at a
newspaper. We are willing to guess that there were no video images or
front-page pictures of European or affluent white tourists looting the
Walgreen's in the French Quarter.

We also suspect the media will have been inundated with "hero" images
of the
National Guard, the troops and the police struggling to help the
"victims"
of the Hurricane. What you will not see, but what we witnessed, were
the
real heroes and sheroes of the hurricane relief effort: the working
class of
New Orleans. The maintenance workers who used a fork lift to carry the
sick
and disabled. The engineers, who rigged, nurtured and kept the
generators
running. The electricians who improvised thick extension cords
stretching
over blocks to share the little electricity we had in order to free
cars
stuck on rooftop parking lots. Nurses who took over for mechanical
ventilators and spent many hours on end manually forcing air into the
lungs
of unconscious patients to keep them alive. Doormen who rescued folks
stuck
in elevators.

Refinery workers who broke into boat yards, "stealing" boats to rescue
their
neighbors clinging to their roofs in flood waters. Mechanics who helped
hot-wire any car that could be found to ferry people out of the City.
And
the food service workers who scoured the commercial kitchens
improvising
communal meals for hundreds of those stranded. Most of these workers
had
lost their homes, and had not heard from members of their families, yet
they
stayed and provided the only infrastructure for the 20% of New Orleans
that
was not under water.

On Day 2, there were approximately 500 of us left in the hotels in the
French Quarter. We were a mix of foreign tourists, conference attendees
like
ourselves, and locals who had checked into hotels for safety and
shelter
from Katrina. Some of us had cell phone contact with family and friends
outside of New Orleans. We were repeatedly told that all sorts of
resources
including the National Guard and scores of buses were pouring in to the
City. The buses and the other resources must have been invisible
because
none of us had seen them.

We decided we had to save ourselves. So we pooled our money and came up
with
$25,000 to have ten buses come and take us out of the City. Those who
did
not have the requisite $45.00 for a ticket were subsidized by those who
did
have extra money. We waited for 48 hours for the buses, spending the
last 12
hours standing outside, sharing the limited water, food, and clothes we
had.
We created a priority boarding area for the sick, elderly and new born
babies. We waited late into the night for the "imminent" arrival of the
buses. The buses never arrived. We later learned that the minute the
arrived
at the City limits, they were commandeered by the military.

By day 4 our hotels had run out of fuel and water. Sanitation was
dangerously abysmal. As the desperation and despair increased, street
crime
as well as water levels began to rise. The hotels turned us out and
locked
their doors, telling us that the "officials" told us to report to the
convention center to wait for more buses. As we entered the center of
the
City, we finally encountered the National Guard. The Guards told us we
would
not be allowed into the Superdome as the City's primary shelter had
descended into a humanitarian and health hellhole. The guards further
told
us that the City's only other shelter, the Convention Center, was also
descending into chaos and squalor and that the police were not allowing
anyone else in. Quite naturally, we asked, "If we can't go to the only
2
shelters in the City, what was our alternative?" The guards told us
that
that was our problem, and no they did not have extra water to give to
us.
This would be the start of our numerous encounters with callous and
hostile
"law enforcement".

We walked to the police command center at Harrah's on Canal Street and
were
told the same thing, that we were on our own, and no they did not have
water
to give us. We now numbered several hundred. We held a mass meeting to
decide a course of action. We agreed to camp outside the police command
post. We would be plainly visible to the media and would constitute a
highly
visible embarrassment to the City officials. The police told us that we
could not stay. Regardless, we began to settle in and set up camp. In
short
order, the police commander came across the street to address our
group. He
told us he had a solution: we should walk to the Pontchartrain
Expressway
and cross the greater New Orleans Bridge where the police had buses
lined up
to take us out of the City. The crowd cheered and began to move. We
called
everyone back and explained to the commander that there had been lots
of
misinformation and wrong information and was he sure that there were
buses
waiting for us. The commander turned to the crowd and stated
emphatically,
"I swear to you that the buses are there."

We organized ourselves and the 200 of us set off for the bridge with
great
excitement and hope. As we marched past the convention center, many
locals
saw our determined and optimistic group and asked where we were headed.
We
told them about the great news. Families immediately grabbed their few
belongings and quickly our numbers doubled and then doubled again.
Babies in
strollers now joined us, people using crutches, elderly clasping
walkers and
others people in wheelchairs. We marched the 2-3 miles to the freeway
and up
the steep incline to the Bridge. It now began to pour down rain, but it
did
not dampen our enthusiasm.

As we approached the bridge, armed Gretna sheriffs formed a line across
the
foot of the bridge. Before we were close enough to speak, they began
firing
their weapons over our heads. This sent the crowd fleeing in various
directions. As the crowd scattered and dissipated, a few of us inched
forward and managed to engage some of the sheriffs in conversation. We
told
them of our conversation with the police commander and of the
commander's
assurances. The sheriffs informed us there were no buses waiting. The
commander had lied to us to get us to move.

We questioned why we couldn't cross the bridge anyway, especially as
there
was little traffic on the 6-lane highway. They responded that the West
Bank
was not going to become New Orleans and there would be no Superdomes in
their City. These were code words for if you are poor and black, you
are not
crossing the Mississippi River and you were not getting out of New
Orleans.

Our small group retreated back down Highway 90 to seek shelter from the
rain
under an overpass. We debated our options and in the end decided to
build an
encampment in the middle of the Ponchartrain Expressway on the center
divide, between the O'Keefe and Tchoupitoulas exits. We reasoned we
would be
visible to everyone, we would have some security being on an elevated
freeway and we could wait and watch for the arrival of the yet to be
seen
buses.

All day long, we saw other families, individuals and groups make the
same
trip up the incline in an attempt to cross the bridge, only to be
turned
away. Some chased away with gunfire, others simply told no, others to
be
verbally berated and humiliated. Thousands of New Orleaners were
prevented
and prohibited from self-evacuating the City on foot.

Meanwhile, the only two City shelters sank further into squalor and
disrepair. The only way across the bridge was by vehicle. We saw
workers
stealing trucks, buses, moving vans, semi-trucks and any car that could
be
hotwired. All were packed with people trying to escape the misery New
Orleans had become.

Our little encampment began to blossom. Someone stole a water delivery
truck
and brought it up to us. Let's hear it for looting! A mile or so down
the
freeway, an army truck lost a couple of pallets of C-rations on a tight
turn. We ferried the food back to our camp in shopping carts. Now
secure
with the two necessities, food and water; cooperation, community, and
creativity flowered. We organized a clean up and hung garbage bags from
the
rebar poles. We made beds from wood pallets and cardboard. We
designated a
storm drain as the bathroom and the kids built an elaborate enclosure
for
privacy out of plastic, broken umbrellas, and other scraps. We even
organized a food recycling system where individuals could swap out
parts of
C-rations (applesauce for babies and candies for kids!).

This was a process we saw repeatedly in the aftermath of Katrina. When
individuals had to fight to find food or water, it meant looking out
for
yourself only. You had to do whatever it took to find water for your
kids or
food for your parents. When these basic needs were met, people began to
look
out for each other, working together and constructing a community.

If the relief organizations had saturated the City with food and water
in
the first 2 or 3 days, the desperation, the frustration and the
ugliness
would not have set in. Flush with the necessities, we offered food and
water
to passing families and individuals. Many decided to stay and join us.
Our
encampment grew to 80 or 90 people. From a woman with a battery powered
radio we learned that the media was talking about us. Up in full view
on the
freeway, every relief and news organizations saw us on their way into
the
City. Officials were being asked what they were going to do about all
those
families living up on the freeway? The officials responded they were
going
to take care of us. Some of us got a sinking feeling. "Taking care of
us"
had an ominous tone to it.

Unfortunately, our sinking feeling (along with the sinking City) was
correct. Just as dusk set in, a Gretna Sheriff showed up, jumped out of
his
patrol vehicle, aimed his gun at our faces, screaming, "Get off the
fucking
freeway". A helicopter arrived and used the wind from its blades to
blow
away our flimsy structures. As we retreated, the sheriff loaded up his
truck
with our food and water. Once again, at gunpoint, we were forced off
the
freeway. All the law enforcement agencies appeared threatened when we
congregated or congealed into groups of 20 or more. In every
congregation of
"victims" they saw "mob" or "riot". We felt safety in numbers. Our "we
must
stay together" was impossible because the agencies would force us into
small
atomized groups.

In the pandemonium of having our camp raided and destroyed, we
scattered
once again. Reduced to a small group of 8 people, in the dark, we
sought
refuge in an abandoned school bus, under the freeway on Cilo Street. We
were
hiding from possible criminal elements but equally and definitely, we
were
hiding from the police and sheriffs with their martial law, curfew and
shoot-to-kill policies.

The next days, our group of 8 walked most of the day, made contact with
New
Orleans Fire Department and were eventually airlifted out by an urban
search
and rescue team. We were dropped off near the airport and managed to
catch a
ride with the National Guard. The two young guardsmen apologized for
the
limited response of the Louisiana guards. They explained that a large
section of their unit was in Iraq and that meant they were shorthanded
and
were unable to complete all the tasks they were assigned.

We arrived at the airport on the day a massive airlift had begun. The
airport had become another Superdome. We 8 were caught in a press of
humanity as flights were delayed for several hours while George Bush
landed
briefly at the airport for a photo op. After being evacuated on a coast
guard cargo plane, we arrived in San Antonio, Texas.

There the humiliation and dehumanization of the official relief effort
continued. We were placed on buses and driven to a large field where we
were
forced to sit for hours and hours. Some of the buses did not have
air-conditioners. In the dark, hundreds if us were forced to share two
filthy overflowing porta-potties. Those who managed to make it out with
any
possessions (often a few belongings in tattered plastic bags) we were
subjected to two different dog-sniffing searches.

Most of us had not eaten all day because our C-rations had been
confiscated
at the airport because the rations set off the metal detectors. Yet, no
food
had been provided to the men, women, children, elderly, disabled as
they sat
for hours waiting to be "medically screened" to make sure we were not
carrying any communicable diseases.

This official treatment was in sharp contrast to the warm, heart-felt
reception given to us by the ordinary Texans. We saw one airline worker
give
her shoes to someone who was barefoot. Strangers on the street offered
us
money and toiletries with words of welcome. Throughout, the official
relief
effort was callous, inept, and racist. There was more suffering than
need
be. Lives were lost that did not need to be lost.

>>>>>

Later

News of the weed

For more on yesterday's item and other stuff, switch to this blog.

Blondie & Dagwood - 75 years old and still promoting the myth of marriage.
eTV post

Cannabis Education Trust Bulletin

Latest cannabis event: Sat 10th September
Free the Pot Hostages - stop the international kidnappings to US jails

PEACEFUL POT PROTEST @ Canadian and US Embassies, Grosvenor Sq, London, W1. Sat 10th September 2005. Meet centre of Square (small park). 2pm - 5pm. Nearest tube: Bond Street.

The United States is attempting to extradite Marc Emery, editor of Cannabis Culture Magazine and two of his colleagues from Canada for offences related to supplying cannabis seeds by mail order.

Thease are relatively minor charges in Canada, but if these judicial kidnappings go ahead the Canadian 'pot hostages' face draconian penalties in the U.S. which they would not get in their own country. Amnesty International has described the US prison system as 'inhuman'.

Marc Emery is a leading cannabis activist and magazine publisher known internationally for his campaigning work. He has obviously been singled out for attention for political reasons.

Despite paying taxes on all profits from his seed buisness Marc is also being charged with ‘money laundering’, because he spent his seed profits on the campaign to end cannabis prohibition.

At very short notice, international protests have been organised for 10th Sep 2005, with protest events confirmed in 36 cities including London.

The issue of concern for people everywhere is the attempt to extradite non U.S. citizens for cannabis 'offences' to face harsher penalties than they would ever receive under the law of their own countries. It could be anywhere next. For anything.

Other issues are the 'Bush War on Drugs', the Afghan Heroin Scandal, and solidarity with US medical cannabis users also facing extradition to US prisons from Canada.

We will be advising the Canadian Government to retain their legal independence and their sovereignty as an independent nation, and refuse these extraditions. Canada has a good reputation in the world to uphold! According to a recent public opinion survey, 58 per cent of Canadians oppose Marc Emery's extradition to the USA.

We are calling on the US government to stop taking hostages in their failed 'War on Drugs' and end cannabis prohibition now. Currently over 700,000 Americans are prosecuted in the USA just for marijuana possession, costing over 10 billion dollars a year. Under U.S. law you can even face the death penalty for large scale ‘ganja’ cultivation, while their treatment of medical cannabis users is a crime against humanity.

Despite their total failure, the US is still attempting to export its drug policies worldwide, including Britain, with networks of DEA agents interfering in local politics, and causing problems. This seems to result in the increased use of heroin and crack cocaine where ever they go.

The DEA's 'fundamentalist' drug policy stubbornly flies in the face of scientific evidence, claiming that cannabis has no therapeutic or nutritional value. It is time they turned over a new leaf for the sake of the American people, and people everywhere.

"They came for the cannabis users and I did not speak out, and then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak out for me".

PEACEFUL POT PROTEST @ Canadian and US Embassies, Grosvenor Sq, London, W1. Sat 10th September 2005. Meet centre of Square (small park). 2pm - 5pm. Nearest tube: Bond Street.

Free The Pot Hostages Sep 10th CONTACTS:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
London organisers: www.cannabistrust.com
World listings: www.cannabisculture.com
Latest news: www.newsoftheweed.com
Download london event flyer for printing and local distribution: freepothostages.pdf (A4 3up b/w 220k).