Solidarity forever - (Utah Phillips)

Wisconsin Uprising One Year On

"We Still Heart UW" one year anniversary march from dane101 on Vimeo.

The Valentines Day rally at the state capitol in Madison is a reminder of the events of the past year in Wisconsin. It also serves to illustrate the fact that the full impact has yet to play out as the state is now engaged in a profound struggle to define its future. In a nutshell it pits those who believe in the greatest good for the greatest number versus those interests which favor the unimpeded commoditization of every aspect of human existence for corporate benefit. It would be a mistake to characterize this soley as a Labor vs. Business struggle although that is obviously a large component, also involved are protection of the environment and natural resources, protection of immigrants and minorities from the tyranny of the majority, and respect for the constitutional concept of separation of church and state. One of the few things Scott Walker and those who control him understand are these wider implications hence the flood of obscene amounts of outside money and proliferation of false front organizations. Whatever comes of this it will never be life as usual in Wisconsin again.

Russkaja - Dobrij Aben

Your Friday night musical interlude.

Vladimir Putin's Arrest or Not

A satirical Russian video depicting the arrest of Vladimir Putin for theft of state property. Even more satirical would be the executives of Goldman-Sachs, and various other American oligarchs in a similar satire (since we know this would never happen here).

Nuclear Near-Miss With Russian Sub Fire

Another nuclear near-miss, this time involving a Russian submarine fire that could have resulted in the cook off of 64 nuclear warheads. The Guardian goes into greater detail:

"Russian officials said at the time that all nuclear weapons aboard the Yekaterinburg nuclear submarine had been unloaded well before a fire engulfed the 167-metre (550 feet) vessel and there had been no risk of a radiation leak. But the respected Vlast weekly magazine quoted several sources in the Russian navy as saying that throughout the fire on 29 December the submarine was carrying 16 R-29 intercontinental ballistic missiles, each armed with four nuclear warheads. "Russia, for a day, was on the brink of the biggest catastrophe since the time of Chernobyl," Vlast reported. The 1986 disaster in modern-day Ukraine is regarded as the world's worst nuclear accident..... The fire started when welding sparks ignited wooden scaffolding around the 18,200-tonne submarine at the Roslyakovo docks, 1,500 km (900 miles) north of Moscow and one of the main shipyards used by Russia's northern fleet. The rubber covering of the submarine then caught fire, sending flames and black smoke 10 metres (30 feet) above the stricken vessel. Firemen battled the blaze for a day and a night before partially sinking the submarine to douse the flames, according to media reports. Vlast reported that immediately after the fire the Yekaterinburg sailed to the navy's weapons store, an unusual trip for a damaged submarine supposedly carrying no weapons and casting doubt on assurances that it was not armed. "K-84 was in dock with rockets and torpedoes on board," the magazine said, adding that apart from the nuclear weapons the submarine was carrying torpedoes and mines as well as its two nuclear reactors."

It's like nuclear powers are asking the world more often than than we might imagine or wish a'la Clint Eastwood, " Do you feel lucky?"

robert wyatt go and sit upon the grass

Music to prepare for the upcoming week.

Beloit WI, Rolling Out The Red Carpet For The GOP Lincoln Day Dinner

A hearty group turned out in Beloit WI to "welcome" participants at the Lincoln Day Dinner in spite of 18F temperatures and wind chills below that. The primary target of course was Paul Ryan, the would be intellect of the GOP who has laid the ground work for dismantling of what little social safety net exists in this country. The rally was enthusiastic beyond its numbers. The Beloit police were summoned by the apparently terrified republicans who, I am sure, are now regaling their friends of their passing the gauntlet of a frenzied mob of leftists and union supporters. The police, to their credit, were quite restrained and, I suspect, sympathetic to the general message of asking millionaires (and billionaires) to pay their fair share.

Big Pharma (Notorious B.I.G. Parody)

The oligarchic complexes that run the country: Big Finance, Medical Industrial, Military Industrial, what remains.

Defender Of Axe Murderer to Represent Scott Walker

I wish our state newspapers would write headlines like the title of this post but I realize that's a bit too much to hope for with the current emphasis on journalistic "balance". I could not resist my own unbalanced thoughts on the most recent developments in Walkergate. According to the Wisconsin State Journal the gubernator has hired a law firm known for high profile criminal cases and representing those facing grand jury investigations:

"In a statement issued through his campaign, Walker also announced that he had hired two high-powered criminal defense attorneys, Mike Steinle and John Gallo, but said he would use no public money to cover the costs.....Walker said his attorneys were hired to assemble additional background information and ensure he's "in the best position possible to continue aiding" the investigation. Steinle is a Milwaukee-based criminal defense attorney with the firm Terschan, Steinle & Ness. He has taken on recent high-profile cases, including one involving a Fox Point teen who killed his grandfather with an ax. Gallo is listed as a partner at Sidley Austin LLP in Chicago, and the firm's website says he specializes in representing criminal defendants and grand-jury targets."

I particularly enjoyed this comment:

""I have already said that I would be happy to sit down with the people looking into these issues and answer any additional questions they may have," Walker said."

I suspect "happy" is the least of the emotions going through Mr. Walker's mind these days.

Jan Koo "Money" джан ку деньги

The group Jan Koo do a Russian version of "Money". Even if you don't understand Russian the ambivalence comes through.

Putin vs. Russian Riot Gurrls

Russian punk feminist band Pussy Riot put on a brief performance of "Revolt in Russia" in Red Square shortly before being hauled off by the authorities. Their website is here.

The Walker Nixon Connection Grows

Maybe it's a psychic (or perhaps psychotic) event but Scott Walker is channeling Richard Nixon as reported in the Isthmus:

"With new arrests every week, the FBI probe of Scott Walker's closest aides and supporters is continually uncovering stories that would be front-page news in any other political era. How strained are things around the governor's mansion, where Walker's own spokesman, Cullen Werwie, now has immunity in the FBI probe? No wonder the governor says he wants to hurry up the recall election. So serious are the charges against some of the people closest to Walker, corruption is rapidly becoming a major issue for the coming recall campaign, eclipsing union-busting, budget-cutting, and the fact that, despite massive corporate tax breaks for "job creators," our state continues to hemorrhage jobs. But stealing money from the widows and orphans of Wisconsin's fallen soldiers? That is truly a new low. Obviously, Walker's base isn't going to be too psyched about the child-enticement scandal involving longtime Walker aide Tim Russell and partner Brian Pierick — or the fact that they used Walker's name as a handle on Internet porn sites. But the sociopathic theft of funds intended to help veterans and their families is a much bigger deal, and fits a larger pattern of corruption that could really hurt Walker. "

And....

"The drip, drip, drip of Milwaukee County's investigation into Gov. Scott Walker's old office turned into a stream last week as two of the former county exec's appointees were booked on an embezzlement rap and another man on sex crime allegations. Given that the district attorney indicated there likely will be more — maybe many more — hearings, witnesses, grants of immunity, charges and all the other sundry unpleasantness of honest-to-goodness political scandal, we're really lacking only one thing. This baby needs a name. I say this not just because something short and catchy will provide journalists with a serviceable descriptive replacement for what UW-Madison political science professor Barry Burden said is fast becoming "a complicated web of activities involving charities, sex abuse, pro-Walker websites and travel." But also because without one, its complexity and duration threaten to outstrip the grasp of our short attention spans, leaving the guilty with a better shot at spinning the facts to their favor and avoiding political consequences. So I put out a call last week for nominations, and let me tell you, we've got some work to do. The most popular suggestion by far was "Walkergate." Even Madison state Rep. Brett Hulsey — a consummate Walker-basher on social media and one of the most energetic state Democrats I know — was a fan. "The Walkergate label seems to apply ... because we all want to know, 'What did Walker know and when did he know it?'" he said."

Anyone of a certain age cannot help but be intrigued.

Billy Bragg & Wilco - All You Fascists

Some Saturday night music for those who have had enough.

MLK Day In Fitzwalkerstan

A couple of videos to give some flavor of the surreal aspects of life in our beloved state. I heard the live broadcast on WORT and was gobsmacked at the time. Meanwhile Scotty seems to be on his way to becoming the Wisconsin Nixon.

Which Side Are You On Wisconsin?

The Walker wind machine, well oiled with corporate money, begins its onslaught against the public interest. Care2 make a difference puts the corporate media's latest attempt at manipulation in perspective:

"As the recall campaigns in Wisconsin turn to the second phase–the actual election– new polling shows Republicans in the state still hold a slight advantage with Gov. Scott Walker leading several possible Democratic challengers. The poll numbers are not new, nor do they reflect any changing landscape in Wisconsin. But they will get a lot of attention. For starters, they show the truth in the old political adage of “you don’t beat somebody with nobody”. Walker currently polls better than possible democratic challengers, but close enough that should any of those “possible” challengers turn into actual challengers the governor is in for a race. The poll numbers also ignore the fact that one of the big stories in Wisconsin is not simply the possibility that Walker gets recalled. Sure, that would be fantastic. But in the meantime, Democrats in the state are building one of the most organized and up-to-date voter rolls leading into the 2012 elections. And lets not forget the millions Walker and Republicans have been forced to raise, and spend, during a time when they should be padding war chests for 2012. My point is this. Whether or not Walker actually loses in a recall election is not the determining factor of whether or not the recall campaign is a success. Wisconsin is the flashpoint in a movement against an encroaching plutocracy that will not be pushed back in one state with the recall of one governor. Republicans know this and will do anything to drive the narrative into one of inevitable defeat and failure. Plain and simple, don’t believe the hype."

Henry Kissinger's Latest Gig

The latest event by the guy who bombed Cambodia and deposed a democratically elected government in Chile should not be a surprise but still gives a new take on what it is to be a mercenary. The Moscow News elaborates:

"Henry Kissinger, the grand old man of American realpolitik, has stepped into the growing breach in Russian-U.S. relations, holding a closed-door meeting with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin at the White House in Moscow on Friday. The two men, who are “old friends” and have met eight or 10 times since the early 1990s, according to Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov, talked over Russian-U.S. relations and “a range of global issues..... Kissinger, a former Secretary of State and National Security Adviser under U.S. presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, has acted as a semiofficial go-between between U.S. presidents and world leaders over the decades. He has held talks with every Russian leader since Brezhnev. A day before the meeting with Putin, Kissinger met with beleaguered U.S. Ambassador Michael McFaul – who provoked controversy by meeting with opposition protest leaders on his second working day in the Russian capital. McFaul wrote on his blog Thursday that Kissinger was “back in Moscow to continue the kind of strategic dialogue with the Russian government that is so important to our partnership.” The American Embassy in Moscow did not respond to e-mailed questions to McFaul about his talks with Kissinger by press time Monday. Also on Friday, Kissinger spoke to a group of Sberbank’s board members and leading customers in Moscow. Kissinger spoke about the need for Russia and the U.S. to cooperate in preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons – particularly in North Korea and Pakistan, Sberbank’s website reported. “Kissinger regularly plays the role of elder statesman to ensure smooth relations between the U.S. and countries with which it is unlikely ever to have a close, friendly relationship but with which it wants to maintain a cooperative relationship,” Chris Weafer, chief strategist at investment bank Troika Dialog, told The Moscow News on Monday. “China and Russia are the two most important countries on that list currently.”

Which explains a lot about where we are at with our relations with rest of the world.

Unemployment As a Form of Slavery

The dismal unemployment rate of African-American men in Milwaukee has hit a historical nadir according to a study by a University of Wisconsin Milwaukee report. As per the Milwaukee Journal:

"According to the UWM analysis of the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data, only 44.7% of the area's working-age black males ages 16 to 64 were employed in 2010, which is "the lowest level in metro Milwaukee ever recorded in census data." Only two of the nation's 40 largest metro areas analyzed in the study - Buffalo and Detroit - reported lower black male employment rates in 2010 than Milwaukee. "No metro area has witnessed more precipitous erosion in the labor market for black males over the past 40 years than has Milwaukee," according to the report, which echoed findings in recent years by the Journal Sentinel. "The 2010 data, however, revealed a new nadir for black male employment in Milwaukee."

Which is a weird way of saying the unemployment rate among Black men is 55.3%. It would also be enlightening to know the percentage of Black men who have the right to vote in Milwaukee.