Technoccult

Does anyone else find the timing of the release of 300, a movie portraying Persians as inhuman monsters, ironic?

I can’t seem to find any stills of the Persians in the movie look like, but in the trailer I saw they looked like black, deformed beasts (sort of like the Orcs from the first LOTR movie).

A few words from 300 writer Frank Miller about Bush and the War:

“I think that the president has done a very, very bad job of explaining things, but the more I research it, the more I think the war with Iraq makes sense – which I didn’t at first think. I see this Bush as a guy who thinks like a street fighter. He’s going into a very bad neighborhood and taking out the biggest bully in order to make the rest of them back off. That’s how I see the psychology. I feel that we’re all in WWIII and it’s an existential war just like WWII was, and it’s one that has to be won. I think how to get there is a totally debatable topic, but I don’t think we can exactly say that if we stop being so mean, Osama bin Laden will like us. The guy’s a psychopath! [S]o I guess I define my position as being a liberal hawk.”

– The Comics Journal Library, Volume Two: Frank Miller.

Armed America: Portraits of Gun Owners in Their Homes .

Donno: I own guns for the same reason I own fire extinguishers — while I certainly don’t expect or hope for a worst case scenario, should one present itself, I am prepared to take an active role in ensuring that my family survives…. I grew up with guns in the house that were used regularly to put food on our table. I’ve known gun safety inside and out since I was a child. I’m confident my son will grow up with the same understanding [and] handle them with the same respect and care … whether he chooses to own guns or not.

(via Post Atomic).

Also:

American Gun Culture Report is a zine published out of Portland as an alternative to the gun press status quo. Their Myspace page has some sample articles and ordering information. Their article deconstructing the gun press (not featured on the site) is an excellent exploration of what’s wrong with the state of gun advocacy in the States.

(Thanks to zinemeister Trevor Blake for giving me a copy).

Food not Bombs promotes organization and democracy. This is a problem for most people in power here in the US. The clear message that has been sent for 20 years straight now is that charity is something that should weaken people.

Observe the Faith-Based Initiatives for a resonably firm proof of this. The Salvation Army is another fine example. Poor people are not being told how to actually improve their quality of life, they are instead given a deeply sick rationalization for their suffering, coupled with the promise of an afterlife that will be better.

[…]

“They said they want to end homelessness and I guess one way to do that is to starve them out,” said Cameron Morrow, a Parker resident who volunteers twice a week feeding the hungry at the park.

[…]

the USDA estimates we throw out about 10 tons of perfectly good food each month here in the US. They also estimate that 11.9% of all US homes suffer from the hilarious euphemism of “food insecurity” — in other words, they don’t have enough f***ing food. That’s bad enough, but remember this is US homes, not US shelters and streets.

Full Story: Brainsturbator.

Colorado’s new law banning state spending on illegal immigrants has cost more than $2 million to enforce – and has saved the state nothing.

Less than a year after politically charged debates on illegal immigration, officials are reporting high costs, no savings and unexpected problems with the new laws.

Once touted by statehouse Republicans and Democrats as the toughest anti-immigration package in the nation, the Colorado crackdown is falling apart.

Full Story: Denver Post.

(via Hit and Run).