The emphasis many people put on their diversions makes you wonder if they've sort of swapped out reality for something they like more.

Something that doesn't jar their belief system. Something that isn't too threatening. A picture of things they're comfortable with. Brought to you by Our Sponsor.

The news and information industries in our culture have always been closely allied with the entertainment people, and the news people have taken more than a few pages from the entertainment peoples' playbook, as evidenced by the many models with great hair and pouty lips who deliver the "news."

Needing to cultivate a following of both consumers and advertisers, "the news" seems to have formulated a product that keeps everyone happy and coming back for more.   more »

Caught Up in an Ugly Web of Cheesy Spider-Man Marketing

Spider-Man 3 has hit not only theaters, but nearly every retail store this side of Your Black Muslim Bakery. You can get a wide selection of Spider Merchandise at bookstores, video game stores, Burger King and, of course, toy stores.

I stopped by my local corporate toy monolith to see what Spidey stuff they had. By the time I came up for air, I owned no fewer than seven different official merchandised products you can strap to your wrist.

None of them allow you to sling an actual web, but each of them tries to make the fantasy come true. I can't begin to tell you how badly they fail.   more »

This short book outlines how pacifism in the US is connected to a practice that poses no threat to the status quo.

And gives the illusion the state gives a damn about candlelight vigils and symbolic arrests; that actively undermines people doing effective organizing and action against the state.

Ward Churchill underscores the urgency of situation today: the American empire sustaining its rule by exploiting and dominating the world, abroad and at home.

Understanding that, how can we categorically foreclose even the idea of the use of violence? And how can we blame the victims of state violence for being too militant?   more »

So we have recently been reading about all that contaminated cat food (also dog food and feed for some other animals) that had to be recalled because it was full of Chinese wheat gluten.

The New York Times reports (5/3/07) that thousands of animals have become sick or died (according to the FDA 4,000 dogs and cats have died already). How did it happen?

We all know that capitalists guiding interest is to make the biggest possible profit. They hate regulations (bad for business) and when they are regulated will try to get around the regulations anyway they can.

The Bush administration, very capitalist friendly, has really helped the American capitalists by pushing deregulation, supporting “voluntary compliance” (i.e., no compliance), and failing to use the federal regulatory agencies to really regulate.   more »

Blair's drama-queen histrionics yesterday made me feel really queasy - the bit about "we all know in our hearts that Britain is a special country, Britain is the greatest country on earth" made me want to vomit.

Is it possible that Blair really thinks that Bush is in some way grateful to the British? Pathetic is most likely the opinion held in Washington.

Bush has played the most revolting schoolyard bully; Blair his cowardly lackey.

Blair has been a miserable, toadying war criminal. It is simply false to suppose that Blair's accomplishments (if any) outweigh is criminal abetting of the Bush massacre in Iraq.

We can only hope that Blair and Bush will ultimately stand side by side in the dock as they are convicted of crimes against humanity.   more »