Big Deal

"Big Deal", Katastrophe's music video, is a creative retelling of June 3, 1968, when artist Andy Warhol was shot by the writer Valerie Solanas. In this play on the Warhol Superstar Factory complete with glitter blood, hip-hop artist Katastrophe fills Andy's shoes and director Hilary Goldberg cameos as Solanas. Shot on Super 8 film with a colorful ensemble cast.

Homophobia hits Europe

A chilly wave of homophobia hits Europe these days. After Russian activists were arrested last week for their "homosexual propaganda", new legislative ideas arrived in Finland and Hungary.

All Out writes about the case of Sergey Kondrashov. His letter explains quite clear the horrible situation:

Dear members of All Out

My name is Sergey and I live in Russia. I'm straight, happily married for 16 years. And until last week I would not have been called an activist. But on Sunday in St Petersburg I was arrested for spreading "gay propaganda".

Why? Because I held up a banner and told the truth: “A dear family friend is lesbian. My wife and I love and respect her … and her family is just as equal as ours." In just five days i will got to court, where I will probably be fined and even thrown to jail for 15 days because I took a stand for equal rights.

Despite arguments made by the bill supporters - that this law was intended to protect children - it's now clearer than ever that the law is really about making lesbian, gay, bi and trans (LGBT) people disappear in Russia's second largest city.

And not just LGBT people - the law will muzzle people like me, straight people who care about our LGBT friends and family. Now that lawmakers in the Duma (the federal legislature) are debating a version of the law, this despicable law could go nationwide - unless we fight it now.

That's why I'm appealing to the one person whose influence over the political process in Russia could help us annul this unconstitutional law in St. Petersburg, and make sure it isn't rolled out nationwide - Prime Minister Putin. Sign this petition to the president-elect, let's make sure he knows the whole world is watching.

Thanks for your support,

Sergey Kondrashov. Independent lawyer in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

In a copycat law, the Hungarian nationalist party Jobbik attacks the queer community:

Jobbik party on Wednesday submitted an amendment proposal seeking to ban “promotion of sexual deviations”, MP Adam Mirkoczki, the proponent of the bill, told a press conference.
The bill is aimed at protecting “public morals and the mental health of the young generations” from homosexuality, trans-sexuality, transvestitism, bisexuality, and paedophile behaviours, the deputy said.
The legal changes to several laws would include a ban on advertisements or programmes presenting the above behaviours as socially acceptable or as examples to be followed.
If parliament passes the proposal into law, “promotion” of homosexuality or other “disorders of sexual behaviour” will be punishable by up to 8 years in prison. 

(via politics.hu)


In Finland, 

Helena Eronen, a prominent member of the far-right political party the True Finns, wants members of minority groups to wear armbands for easy identification. She suggest a rainbow flag for gay people, a crescent for Muslims, and a hammer-and-sickle for Russians.

 writes Christopher Aqurette.

She suggested on her blog entry today that foreigners should start using sleeve badges in order to help the police figure out rapidly who is a foreigner and who is a Finn.  She writes: 

If every foreigner were required to use a sleeve badge of his/her national background, the police could immediately spot whether that ‘aha, that is a Muslim from Somalia’ or ‘aha. that is a beggar from Romania.’... Kampucheans could have field mines, a burger [could be used to distinguish] USAmericans… take for example if a refugee from Kurdistan would get permanent residency [in Finland], his red half moon would be changed for a blue-white half moon when he’d become a Finnish citizen… Think about what an important moment in that Kurd’s life [if he would exchange his red half moon for a blue-white half moon at some ceremony at Immigration Service]. It would enforce integration and would make Finnish and Finnishness an important goal [for every immigrant to attain].

She also proposes that potential terrorist could wear chips under their skins to monitor their movements.

Acording to Enrique Tessieri (who also shares the above info), 

if you visit Eronen’s Facebook page and go to photos, you’ll find one where she is wearing an army-looking cap with a flower emblem. The edelweiss flower was used by a mountain commando division in Hitler’s army.

What is worrying in these three cases is the lack of reaction from "common people", besides the small rejection or calling them insane, the strange feeling of a horrifying deja-vu is not hunting yet, the perils of this hate machine are not felt. My only hope is that the counter-reaction will come not too late. In Russia people are still arrested. 

Talking Cuban Crisis

Another nothing less than brilliant way of dealing with high politics: singing, irony, melody, strong story. But of course, the sarcasm and wit of Phil Ochs can do the trick of keeping this story alive decades after.

It was just a little while ago i glued my ears to the radio
The announcer was sayin' we'd better beware
A crisis was hanging - a wave from the air
Crawlin' on the ground
Swimmin' in the sea
Headin' for me

Well, i didn't know if i was for or agin' it
He was yellin' and screamin' a mile a minute
Well, he said "here comes the president
But first this word from pepsodent
Have whiter teeth
Have cleaner breath
When you're facin' nuclear death"

And then president john began to speak
And i knew right away he wouldn't be weak
Well, he said he'd seen some missile bases
And terrible smiles on cuban faces
Close pictures
Carryin' land reform too far
Giving land to the ussr

Well, he said we mustn't be afraid
We're settin' up a little blockade
Put our ships along the cuban shores
And if the russian bear yells and roars,
We'll let him have it

From turkey and greece, formosa and spain
The peaceful west european plain
From alaska and greenland we'll use our means
And twenty thousand submarines
We're gonna teach the russians a lesson
For trying to upset the balance of power

Now most americans stood behind
The president and his military minds
But me, i stood behind a bar
Dreamin' of a spaceship getaway car
Head for mars
Any other planet that has bars
Like gerde's folk city

Yes, it seemed the president's stand was strong and plain
But some republicans was a-goin' insane
And they still are
They said our plan was just too mild
Spare the rod and spoil the child
Let's sink cuba into the sea
And give 'em back democracy
Under the water

Well, the deadline was set for ten o'clock
For a cold war it was a-gettin' hot
Well, the russians tried, the russians failed
Homeward bound those missiles sailed
Mr. khruschev said, "better red than dead."

Spanish Civil War Song

Phil Ochs again:

And don't forget the churches and the sad role that they played:
They crucified their people and worked the devil's trade;
But now the wounds are healing with the passing of time,
So we send them planes and rifles and recognize their crime.

Did you wonder why?
Did you ever pause and cry?

So spend your tourist dollars and turn your heads away.
Forget about the slaughter, it's the price we all must pay,
For now the world's in struggle, to win we all must bend:
So dim the light in freedom's soul: sleep well tonight, my friend.

Love me, I'm a liberal

a mighty good song by Phil Ochs, sense the sarcasm:

I cried when they shot Medgar Evers
Tears ran down my spine
I cried when they shot Mr. Kennedy
As though I'd lost a father of mine
But Malcolm X got what was coming
He got what he asked for this time
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

I go to civil rights rallies
And I put down the old D.A.R.
I love Harry and Sidney and Sammy
I hope every colored boy becomes a star
But don't talk about revolution
That's going a little bit too far
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

I cheered when Humphrey was chosen
My faith in the system restored
I'm glad the commies were thrown out
of the A.F.L. C.I.O. board
I love Puerto Ricans and Negros
as long as they don't move next door
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

The people of old Mississippi
Should all hang their heads in shame
I can't understand how their minds work
What's the matter don't they watch Les Crain?
But if you ask me to bus my children
I hope the cops take down your name
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

I read New republic and Nation
I've learned to take every view
You know, I've memorized Lerner and Golden
I feel like I'm almost a Jew
But when it comes to times like Korea
There's no one more red, white and blue
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

I vote for the democratic party
They want the U.N. to be strong
I go to all the Pete Seeger concerts
He sure gets me singing those songs
I'll send all the money you ask for
But don't ask me to come on along
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

Once I was young and impulsive
I wore every conceivable pin
Even went to the socialist meetings
Learned all the old union hymns
But I've grown older and wiser
And that's why I'm turning you in
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

Victorian Monsters

You can visit his website at  Dan Hillier. I find the mix of Victorian style and the colonial logic of the outside monster as tongue-in-cheek (I remember the good old imperialist saying of those lands that were not part of the empire yet: where dragons live). These colages express the schizofrenic condition of the bourgeoisies, exploring the monster within the polite society.

rules of golf

Golf is slowly becoming a very popular sport all over the global North, class-based of course. What are the rules for playing it? Thanks to "Married to the Sea", now we know:

rules of gol:

Next episode explains the rules of winter sports ;)