Image via WikipediaThe Distributed Party Of 'We' Is Already In Control
Centralized top-down legacy systems are coming into conflict with distributed, decentralized, bottom-up systems -- and not understanding them at all.
Michael Scott points us to an opinion piece from lawyer Douglas Wood
In the past, with traditional systems, if you didn't agree with something, you would just protest. But if you look at what's been happening lately, when the public doesn't agree with something -- official secrecy, draconian copyright laws, censorship, privacy violations, etc. -- rather than just protesting, they're simply routing around those things. It's an incredibly important point. They're not protesting by saying "this will not stand." They're protesting by saying "your laws don't matter, because we can simply route around them."
That's a hell of a lot more powerful than most people realize.
It does seem clear that a large (and growing) group of people have realized that code trumps laws, and no matter what laws are put in place to try to beat back code, code will always win.
What's most important is the tipping point, spawned not by Assange but by a new body politic -- a new party of individuals bonded by commonality of interest not defined by national or geographic boundaries. The Party of We.
It's not actually an organization at all, which is part of what makes it so powerful. With an organization you can attack the organization or cut off its head. When it's just a whole bunch of people who understand the power of technology, plucking out a few people that can be tracked down does nothing other than attract more people to the power of code.
Open Source Drug Discovery
Image via Wikipedia
Patients Like me
Institute for OneWorld Health
Ithaca Health Alliance (Not sure about this one, but people living in NY could check them out and see if they are for real)
List of open source healthcare software
The idea of community base healthcare have some people talking about it.
Like this article from 2009.
Open-Source Healthcare
Or this other one.
As part of a German-Indo collaboration, researchers from the Helmholtz Centre in
Braunschweig, Germany, have shared a process to make a much cheaper version of insulin. Published in the online research magazine ‘Microbial Cell Factories,’ the open-source drug-making process is freely accessible and is not subject to patent law.
Source:
Affordable Generic Drug Technology
Also the open source community is providing the tools to make it happen from research, medical visualization, to clinical trials.
Commons-based peer production
There is a renewed drive to find solutions to those problems people just need to take those and make it happen.
The More Moms Work, the More Kids Gain Weight?
Study Shows Link Between Weight Gain in Kids and Number of Years a Mom Works
The longer a mom's employment -- whether she's toiling at a regular 9-to-5 job or works irregular hours -- the more likely her child is to gain more weight than is healthy.
A Race Between Digital and Print Magazines Digital magazines are currently too big and bulky and almost defeat one of their main intended purposes, the promise of instant access to content and information.
Magazines can be as large as a 30-minute television show. Wired, for example, is a 250 megabyte file; downloading this through a basic home DSL connection can take about 40 minutes. The digital version of
The New Yorker, which is also published by Condé Nast, ranges between 100 and 150 megabytes and can take from 15 to 20 minutes to download. (Of course, some home connections are faster.)
(
Those constraints are why this weblog loads so few posts at one go. You can always have another tab loading [> File ] while you look at what has downloaded already. I was becoming frustrated with how long Blogger was taking to load posts, especially the RSS SnapShot! digests....time for a face palm moment. Limit file size.
I do have a lot more speed now that I've moved - back into smog but near family - but didn't forget the 'heads up' from the system.)
The Best Facebook Page Strategies and the Pages That Use Them
The following is an excerpt from the
Facebook Marketing Bible, the comprehensive guide to marketing your company, app, or brand on Facebook. The full version of this article includes instructions as to how each of these strategies can be implemented by any Page
January 4th, 2011
Building An Audience Takes Time, But In The Long Run It Can Provide You More Time To Do What You Love
While building a loyal audience and community may take time and effort, in the long run, they provide you with the ability to actually focus more on creativity. Niles highlights how Konrath's post talks about all of the sweat equity he put into book signings and blogging and building up his personal brand for a few years -- all of which he no longer needs to do with each new book, because he has an audience who seeks him out.
Those who put in the work of building a business often end up with more time to do the writing that they love. As Konrath wrote, he doesn't have to press the flesh at bookstore any longer. He doesn't have to devote time to promotion. With his social media support having reached a tipping point, he can spend more hours writing.
Egypt's ruling party leadership resigns
The top leadership of embattled Egyptian
President Hosni Mubarak's ruling party resigned on Saturday as massive demonstrations against the longtime ruler's regime continued for a 12th day.
Party members who stepped down include party secretary general Safwat el-Sharif and
Gamal Mubarak, the son of the president. Hossam Badrawi was named as the new secretary general.
Meanwhile, an
Egyptian army commander made a direct plea for protesters to leave central Cairo's Tahrir Square on Saturday, suggesting the economic cost of their attempt to oust Mubarak is too high for the country to survive.
Read more:
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2011/02/05/egypt.html#ixzz1D7BYBwNc
Clinton sounds warning on Egypt transition
Revolutions have overthrown dictators in the name of democracy, only to see the political process hijacked by new autocrats who use violence, deception, and rigged elections to stay in power, or to advance an agenda of extremism."
Obama Backs Suleiman-Led Transition
Supports Mr. Suleiman as he seeks to defuse street protests and promises to reach out to opposition groups, including the
Muslim Brotherhood.
There is little evidence that Mr. Suleiman, a former head of Egyptian intelligence and trusted confidant of Mr. Mubarak, would be seen as an acceptable choice, even temporarily.
Marvel at My Moral Leadership
( Stage Whisper )
As you may know in the last few days the horse bolted and after carefully monitoring events surrounding the unsuccessful closing of the stable door I am now stating for the record:- The orderly transition must be peaceful.
While some naysayers may whine that I was instrumental in imprisoning the horse (and the loonier elements shout ‘torture’ which of course is not true) it is time to look forward
Comments : Opit
Is it possible to either sprain one’s tongue or put a hole in the cheek from excessive enthusiasm ?
The banksters’ fraud and Davos intervention are starting to crimp food supplies. All U.S. dominated governments in the region are in shock over the manipulation driving up food prices.
aangirfan: The use of the Muslim Brotherhood by MI6 and the CIA in …
2 posts · By Anon
aangirfan.blogspot.com/2005/11/use-of-muslim-brotherhood-by-mi6-and.html
Muslim Brotherhood — Winds Of Jihad By SheikYerMami
Muslim Brotherhood tries to spin popular protests into advantage for pro-Sharia forces … if you don’t love the Muslim Brotherhood you are “Ikhwanophobic” September 6 …
sheikyermami.com/tag/muslim-brotherhood
The Mask falls: “Muslim Brotherhood backs El-Baradei”-UPDATE …
The Muslim Brotherhood is just an extension of MI-6. You’re not afraid of MI-6 are you? Seriously though… The bankers use these types of “fake” revolutions to install someone who …
http://www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message1344452/pg2
The Truth About the Muslim Brotherhood
[6] The Muslim Brotherhood has historically and continues to actively pursue the establishment of a … [37] http://www.cpt-mi.org/WahabbiOragnziationsNorthAmerica.pdf [38] http://www …
http://www.aina.org/news/20060616105850.htm
Muslim Brotherhood: Suez Canal Must be Closed, Egypt Should be …
The Mi-6 Bro-hood is more accurate, the were formed by US/Brit intell as a … Talking about what the Muslim Brotherhood is prepared to do. They live among us and our leader …
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2666836/posts
Understanding The U.S. Position On Egypt - NPR
mediagazer
New York Times:
2 Detained Reporters Saw Secret Police's Methods Firsthand — CAIRO — We had been detained by Egyptian authorities, handed over to the country's dreaded Mukhabarat, the secret police, and interrogated. They left us all night in a cold room, on hard orange plastic stools, under fluorescent lights.
What Al Jazeera shows and doesn't show
Twitter to watch Tunisia, Egypt — Andy Carvin is a pioneer in online organizing, digital journalism and social media. He's currently “senior strategist” at NPR, helping the radio network develop their digital strategies.
Washington Post:
The argument for funding public media — Federal funding for public media has once again become a target in the debate about fiscal prudence. Attempts last fall to defund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting were defeated along party lines. CPB provides financial support for locally owned …
Megan Garber / Nieman Journalism Lab: Storyful, YouTube:
The value of the impermanent team-up — The turmoil in Egypt has shown, yet again, the key role that curation plays in a networked news environment. But as valuable as all the text-based aggregators are — which is to say, hugely valuable — the constantly shifting events …
Nicholas Carlson / The Wire: ESPN.com Boss John Kosner On Yahoo:
“I'm More Concerned With The Guy In The Garage” — Men aged 18 to 34 spend more time on ESPN.com properties each month than they do anywhere on the Internet except Google, Facebook, all of Yahoo's sites combined, and all of Microsoft's sites combined.
Bill / Random Pixels and Loose Talk:
Internet hijinx at One Herald Plaza — Lately it seems like more than a few people at the Miami Herald are still grappling with the concept of Internet and how it works. — Back on January 14 someone took control of the Herald's Twitter feed and sent out this embarrassing Tweet.
Jeff Bercovici / Mixed Media:
Users Rate The Daily: Better than NY Times App, Worse Than WSJ
Kevin Anderson / Journalism.co.uk:
Newsroom integration: the past taking over the future?
Alex Weprin / mediabistro.com:
Christiane Amanpour On Her Interview With Egyptian President Mubarak …
On The Side of the People: Top Journalist in Egypt
Shahira Amin, one of Egypt's most high-profile journalists and deputy head of the state-run Nile TV, has resigned and joined protesters after being banned from covering the protests. Momentum grows.
Global Crisis Validates WSF Call: "Another World Is Possible
Egyptians Unwavered As 12th Day of Protests Unfolds
Census Reveals Devastating Effect of Katrina on New Orleans
Egypt's Military-Industrial Complex
Egypt Halts Gas Pipeline Feeding Israel, Jordan
Egypt halted natural-gas exports through a pipeline feeding Israel and Jordan today after a fire at the facility, Egypt’s Oil Ministry said.
The state-run Middle East News Agency said the stoppage was to limit damage caused by an explosion carried out by “subversive elements,” while the Oil Ministry said a gas leak led to a fire. Official Egyptian television reported that the incident in El Arish in the northern Sinai desert was an act of “terror” carried out by “
foreign hands.”
This Is What A Two State Solution Looks Like
Generally speaking, the cost of a negotiated two state solution based on the 1967 borders would be
For Palestinians - modifications to the 1967 border in the Jerusalem area, even in the Old City, where the Jewish Quarter becomes part of Israel. The holy sites are managed under international supervision. On refugees, Israel would recognize and regret the suffering its creation caused to Palestinian refugees - something along the lines of this. It would commit itself to UNGA 194 which guarantees the right of return to refugees who want it, and compensation for all; while the implementation mechanism would be heavily weighted to induce the individual refugees to choose options other than resettlement inside Israel's 1967 borders. Israel's negotiators might sometimes be arrogant and condescending, but they're not so stupid that they haven't noticed that a two state solution that returns all the refugees to Israel is in fact a one state solution.
For Israelis: There will be no "Greater Israel", and no "eternal, undivided capital of the Jewish people", except in the mythosphere from whence they descended in the first place. Arab East Jerusalem will be sovereign Palestinian territory, and capital of a Palestinian state that includes virtually all of the rest of the West Bank and Gaza. That includes many of those places you considered non-negotiable because they're part of your "national consensus" - Hebron, Kiryat Arba, Maale Adumim, Ariel, your Jordan Valley "security zone". As for that "Jewish state" thing: no one, least of all Palestine, will recognize Israel as a state that exists only for Jewish people. In the 21st century, states belong to their citizens, even those who don't have a Jewish mother.
We have been told over and over that virtually "everyone" - the whole international community and 70% of Israelis and Palestinians - support a two state solution. Well, this is what it would look like, so put up or shut up. What do you want?
This "yes we believe in a two state solution" pantomime - by Israelis who won't stop colonizing the land that would be the second state; by American "mediators" who neither lead, follow, nor get out of the way; and by Palestinians who scream treason and collaborator to those who dare enunciate what partition by negotiation would look like - is just absurd.
No Such Thing As Liberal Zionism
This table [1] shows the population of Palestine when Zionists first arrived to pioneer their Jewish state.
How are you going to build a Jewish state in a land where the preexisting population is just 3.3 per cent Jewish, except by dispossessing those 96.7 per cent of the population that happen to have the “wrong” ethnic-religious origin? If Zionism could only ever be achieved through denying self-determination to the indigenous, majority population, what exactly is "liberal" about that?
2. This map [2], based on land ownership statistics compiled by the British government in Palestine, summarizes the respective holdings of the Arab and Jewish communities in 1945.
It shows that the Jewish population of Palestine legally owned less than 7% of the land at that time.
How can you establish a Jewish state in a place where such a small fraction of the land is in Jewish hands, except by taking over that large proportion of the land that belongs to non-Jews? If Zionism could be achieved only by taking Palestinian land from its legal owners because from an ethnic-religious perspective they happen to be the wrong sort of people, what exactly is "liberal" about that?
3. This table [3] shows the population of the two states that the UN proposed to create by partitioning Palestine - against the will of most of its people - in 1947. Despite large-scale Jewish immigration into Palestine under the British Mandate - again, against the will of a large majority of its existing population - Palestinian Arabs still comprised about two-thirds of the population of Palestine.
how can you have the "Jewish state" that Zionism envisaged? David Ben-Gurion said you couldn't, because "There are 40% [actually 45% - ed.] non-Jews in the areas allocated to the Jewish state. This composition is not a solid basis for a Jewish state. And we have to face this new reality with all of its severity and distinctness. Such a demographic balance questions our ability to maintain Jewish sovereignty... Only a state with at least 80% Jews is a viable and stable state." He also knew what kind of "severity and distinctness" was required to render 80% of the population Jewish, specifying that the Arab population "can either be mass arrested or expelled; it is better to expel them" [4].
Palestinian Arabs once again outnumber Jewish Israelis in Israel and the Occupied Territories. Two-thirds of these Palestinians live as disenfranchised subjects of the Israeli government that rules over them [6], because allowing them voting rights equal to those enjoyed by Jewish residents of Israel and the Occupied Territories would democratically and non-violently end the Zionist experiment in Palestine.
There is no Jewish state in Palestine without perpetrating the decidedly illiberal practices of ethnic cleansing, dispossession, disenfranchisement and de-development against the Muslim and Christian majority.
There is no other way to do it. Just look at the numbers.
State multiculturalism has failed, says David Cameron
David Cameron has criticised "state multiculturalism" in his first speech as prime minister on radicalisation and the causes of terrorism.
At a security conference in Munich, he argued the UK needed a stronger national identity to prevent people turning to all kinds of extremism.
He also signalled a tougher stance on groups promoting Islamist extremism.
The speech angered some Muslim groups, while others queried its timing amid an English Defence League rally in the UK.
As Mr Cameron outlined his vision, he suggested there would be greater scrutiny of some Muslim groups which get public money but do little to tackle extremism.
Ministers should refuse to share platforms or engage with such groups, which should be denied access to public funds and barred from spreading their message in universities and prisons, he argued.
"Frankly, we need a lot less of the passive tolerance of recent years and much more active, muscular liberalism," the prime minister said.
(
For all this, I suggest a look at the 'Perception Alteration' files in the Topical Index. There are items there linking UK policy - and US policy - to institutional racism. It is a dehumanizing technique so people feel less sympathy for the victims of mass murder carried out by the department of 'defense' in foreign lands. And since people are categorized by groups, citizens are vilified by implication. )
"Let's properly judge these organisations: Do they believe in universal human rights - including for women and people of other faiths? Do they believe in equality of all before the law? Do they believe in democracy and the right of people to elect their own government? Do they encourage integration or separatism?
"These are the sorts of questions we need to ask. Fail these tests and the presumption should be not to engage with organisations," he added.
Meanwhile, the Muslim Council of Britain's assistant secretary general, Dr Faisal Hanjra, described Mr Cameron's speech as "disappointing".
It just seems the Muslim community is very much in the spotlight, being treated as part of the problem as opposed to part of the solution
(
It might as well be mentioned again that the Saudi-sponsored teachings are as 'intolerant' of establishment Islam as any Evangelical [ what a perversion of Good News of Brotherhood of Man ] flogging of the state theocracy's - which arranged the Nazarine's death - mantra rejected in the New Testament.
Even the Gospel reiterates the principle : the more things change, the more they stay the same.)
Image by Jamiecat * via Flickr
Cover of Police Beat
Image by Renegade98 via Flickr
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