Ray McGovern and the Sam Adams party have presented the Sam Adams award to Edward Snowden. I am delighted. This from Ray’s account of the event:
In brief remarks from his visitors, Snowden was reassured — first and foremost — that he need no longer be worried that nothing significant would happen as a result of his decision to risk his future by revealing documentary proof that the U.S. government was playing fast and loose with the Constitutional rights of Americans.
Even amid the government shutdown, Establishment Washington and the normally docile “mainstream media” have not been able to deflect attention from the intrusive eavesdropping that makes a mockery of the Fourth Amendment. Even Congress is showing signs of awaking from its torpor.
In the somnolent Senate, a few hardy souls have gone so far as to express displeasure at having been lied to by Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and NSA Director Keith Alexander — Clapper having formally apologized for telling the Senate Intelligence Committee eavesdropping-related things that were, in his words, “clearly erroneous” and Alexander having told now-discredited whoppers about the effectiveness of NSA’s intrusive and unconstitutional methods in combating terrorism.
Coleen Rowley, the first winner of the Sam Adams Award (2002), cited some little-known history to remind Snowden that he is in good company as a whistleblower — and not only because of previous Sam Adams honorees. She noted that in 1773, Benjamin Franklin leaked confidential information by releasing letters written by then-Lt. Governor of Massachusetts Thomas Hutchinson to Thomas Whatley, an assistant to the British Prime Minister.
The letters suggested that it was impossible for the colonists to enjoy the same rights as subjects living in England and that “an abridgement of what are called English liberties” might be necessary. The content of the letters was so damaging to the British government that Benjamin Franklin was dismissed as colonial Postmaster General and had to endure an hour-long censure from British Solicitor General Alexander Wedderburn.
There has been a determined attempt by government to justify the need to intercept everybody’s communications, all the time. We have, yet again, had MI5 claim there are many thousand violent Islamic terrorists running around the UK, (yet somehow not managing to kill anybody). The cry of “paedophiles” is raised, as always. I can imagine them suggesting the entire population be shot dead, and justifying it as making sure they get the paedophiles. The tabloids would go with that.
There still had not been a single credible claim by the mainstream media that any named individual has died, despite that contingency being trotted out all the time as the reason Snowden and Manning should not have revealed state crimes and abuse of power. I am hopeful that, with the internet still largely free to the dissemination of information, out next massive whistleblower is only weeks away.
Well, I’m going to throw in Rocky Horror. Stuff these “intellectual” films!!
Doctor Scott!
Welles as Falstaff. Perfect.
Same year as Polanski’s “Cul de Sac”
Good piece by John Pilger on film, though it you don’t like “Annie Hall” and “Play it again sam” you’ve got a short in the warm laughter circuits.
Fuckedupped (you’renot)
18 Oct, 2013 – 11:34 pm
you were spot-on. thats the mildest response to have come from the ACG (auto-comment-generator). Must be malfunctioning Its malsomething at the best of times. get used to it like a resident bulldog — no disrespect to bulldogs.
on dogs in general, the best quip i’ve heard is “If she’s barking and wagging her tail at the same time, how do you know which end to believe?” 😉
Polanski has created a nice cul de sac in film, Mike, but Chinatown is one of his best, post Manson nightmare.
My hat is tipped to Clint Eastwood for his body of work….most recently Unforgiven and Gran Torino.
It’s wonderful how many films, the most powerful form of propaganda, can be such an influence for good, if you’re looking for good.
Little Bro. 11 17pm
“…you’re not talking about Mary who’s always playing rock ‘n troll, are you?…”
You know well that I’m not.
I don’t quite understand what you are trying to say, although the pureness of your intention is clear as day.
Can you explain to me why someone on the inner Krishnamurtian path, as you claim to be, would choose to spend so much of their precious time visiting a political blog to make personal attacks on a particularly prolific contributor rather than challenging the information and opinions that she offers?
Then let’s argue about the issue.
…
Fedup.
Shadufecop says she’d love to meet you. For some reason she thinks you’re a poet!
Re solar cycle 24. We’re possibly talking about a double peak maximum. Last winter we weren’t far off the first and it was perishing (for some reason I like that word) so we’ll see about this winter. This cycle was the weakest for 100 years, so there could be a Dalton Minimum underway. Solar Cycle 25 will tell us whether it’s a Maunder or not.
If so, we can all go skating on the Thames, like they did in the 1700s.
I know he’s not exactly a social worker, but I love “Dity Harry”, Ben. The Leone stuff too. But a real hidden gem for me is “The Beguiled”. He’s the only male in it.
Correction: We won’t know if it’s a Maunder until much later. Depends how cold and for how long.
Hey, three posts in a row. Is this one number four?
Oops!
Should have been “Shadafukop”. These Wathafecian names do my head in.
Shadufecop would be most offended since he’s the clan’s one and only vegan, wears a loincloth made of pure prikki bark fibres and takes a very dim view of Shadafukop’s chosen occupation.
Fucking pathetic, but still has to squirt some diarrhoea around, regardless. Yeah this blog is not targeted by these ziofuckwit vermin getting the money and piling in to crap up the place under supervision of the older hands who have really managed to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes intermingling with their ornate headgear, just like the Ascot of the flower pots.
Fucking pitiful.
No! Miss or Mrs of Ms of Mr Kibo Noh interpolated.
You have travelled far, Grasshopper. And now you’re back where you started.
I would like, if I may, to take you on a strange journey.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Unl1MxubYN8
Sergio Leone’s work is highly underrated, Mike. Spaghetti Western was a derogation in Hollywood because anyone who sought production outside their borders was considered heretical. Ironically, Hollywood dismissed Eastwood, and he went to Italy in spite of their rejection.
The gritty look and the harsh photography made it so genuine that it’s cult status is better now than ever. Eastwood paved the way for filmmakers like Tarantino.
I meant that one. Or did I?
Who knows the secret of the unremarkable wardrobe.
Lost your toilet paper again Fedup. Borrow some from Passerby on monday morning when he’s back at ‘work’. Btw which one is jobless? or are you both claiming benefits?
Sofia Kibo Noh, You are a ray of sunshine, and thanks for the laughs, I cannot type for laughing, I will be proud to meet whoever thinks I am a poet!!!!
Take care now, and don’t leave for a while yet, you are much missed when you are off on your travels. BTW tell the only vegan not to get too upset!!!
Little Miss Sock Puppet Kibo Noodle, the day i start taking you seriously will be the day i will respond to you. Don’t hold your breath.
Ha, like the doggerel, Alc Anon.
The High Doggerel, starring Leif Erikson…
Agreed, Ben. “Once upon a time in America” is a beaut as well.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Fuckedup, the Fedup bulldog only wags his tail when the underaged ‘Sofia’ is around — watch him drool while registering his flattery. The rest of the time its rabid barking.
Hey guys, lets all relax with a smoke and some quiche, and if we can’t sort our differences out with advanced weaponry and tweezers, then my name isn’t Michael Caine.
We still have midnight screenings of Rocky, AA. Good films cannot be suppressed, or ignored.
Mike. 12 18am
“No!”
Yes!
“You have travelled far, Grasshopper. And now you’re back where you started.”
Aren’t we always back where we started on this blog?
As the deep old Wathafek saying goes “A journey of a thousand miles…er… feels quite long…. probably.”
The sky is lightening in the east. A bank of Uku-scented mist hangs over the quay from where I can hear the gentle lapping of the Great Mother River on the dugouts and the occasional plop of a Bytyerass fish. I must return the laptop to Wassamadda and prepare for the trek up into the cloud forests of Spongi. The Wathafek forbid any electrical appliances there (so does the atmosphere) so I’ll wish you all a fond goodbye for a while.
Thanks one and all, poets and dreamers especially…even misanthropes. It was good to catch up with you.
@ Macky,
Ni idea about ISM.
David went to Auschwitz with his yarmulke and a video camera to ask questions. After having been physically attacked in LA and put on a JDL hit list, he ‘recanted’ his ‘story.’
LINK 1
LINK 2
If ‘free speech’ means that a person can only debate ‘approved’ topics, those ‘free speech zones’ might come in handy. I, for one, say whatever comes to mind.
For those who might have missed it, there are over 7,000 Americans on the official S.H.I.T.-list.
@ Passerby/Nevermind,
You guys should team up and write the next South Park episode. Brilliant writing. I love it.
Some individuals are so convinced of their own ‘grandness’ that they forget the basic principles of profiling and thus the exposing of a vast and mind-numbingly dull, repetitive M.O.
Yah, these modern-day Ted Bundy’s are so ff-ing clever.
Agreed, Sofe. Nothing changes.
But, once upon a time, we didn’t think change was possible. Then people made it happen.
Electrical appliances can affect the flow of bioelectriciy, so the Wathafek are wise to ban them, although they do sneak the odd tweet now and again…
Ben,
Whatever happened to Fay Wray?
And what connection does it have to the internet protocol imap?
RIP Mark Crispin.
===
I’ll leave you with this thought…
Norwich.
Good – if I ay say so – night.
When will we 3 meet again?
Eh, well, tomorrow, about one-ish?
Shit. How did I miss the story?
Anon; They haven’t determined whether an autopsy will be performed? I realize that bureaucrats are typically inept and slow in their process, but isn’t any suicide immediately treated as a murder because a crime has been committed? Doesn’t that summarily provide for an autopsy? Maybe I’m missing something here.
Sheesh; My last was to Alcanon, not anon. Sheesh.