Monday, August 6, 2007

Torture

These two documentaries explore violence by prison guards. The first one is one of the episodes from a series on torture, by the BBC. It explores the violence and torturous acts done by prison guards in American prisons, including Arizona and California. They also examine a possible link in a culture of violence by guards which may have made the torture at the U.S.'s Guantanamo Bay military prison possible. It is called "Torture - America's Brutal Prisons" (2005 - 50 minutes).(more info)

The second one is an episode of a series titled "Discovering Psychology". The episode is titled "Power Of The Situation"(25 minutes). In this video, psychology researches do experiments with UC Berkeley students, in which they create a mock prison and assign some of the students as prison guards, and some as prisoners. They document a phenomena in which normally pacifist nonviolent students act out in violent sadistic ways on the mock student prisoners. (more info)



Friday, July 13, 2007

Moyers on Impeachment

This is an excerpt of a PBS show discussing the topic of impeachment of a presidents. See description below, including where to see the full program online.

video description:
Bill Moyers Journal takes an in-depth look at the heated talk of impeachment taking place across the country. To explore the issue, Bill Moyers is joined by Bruce Fein, a constitutional scholar, who was Associate Deputy Attorney General under President Reagan and is a weekly columnist for THE WASHINGTON TIMES and John Nichols, a Washington correspondent for THE NATION magazine and author of THE GENIUS OF IMPEACHMENT: The Founders' Cure for Royalism.

The program airs Friday, July 13 at 9 p.m. on PBS.

To watch online visit: www.pbs.org/moyers/


Also, And watch a Bill Moyers essay highlighting comments from the Senate floor on the war in Iraq at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jv7l6fR3aw

I hope you will get the opportunity to tune in tonight on PBS (check local listings http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/about/airdates.html ) and weigh in online at The Moyers Blog . Fyi, in case you miss it, the entire episode will be available online after broadcast at - www.pbs.org/moyers

Also a note from the director of the LA Impeachment Center:
WWW.BCIMPEACH.COM - UPDATE & SATURDAY VOLUNTEER SESSION (2-5pm)
Btw, fyi, tomorrow we have our second LANIC (Los Angeles National Impeachment Center) volunteer forum from 2pm - 5pm (core volunteer phone banking and letter-writing campaign). Last week we had over 85 people in attendance and generated over 300 phone calls and 60 letters. There will be a significant announcement this coming Monday regarding a breakthrough LANIC building directly on LANIC's Impeachment resolution passage at the 2007 U.S. Social Forum in Atlanta, Georgia.


Impeach Now,

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Religion and Government

This is a video clip of a CSPAN debate regarding the founding of the United States of
America, being a country where the government is neutral regarding religion (i.e. "separation of Church and State"). They also discuss a treaty drafted by George Washington in 1796 and sign by John Adams in 1797, which affirmed that the USA was not founded on the "Christian religion".

The treaty stated:
"As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion... it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinion shall ever produce aqn interruption of the harmony existing between the two countr4ies."
(Treaty of Tripoli Article XI 1796)

Thursday, July 5, 2007

Presidential Scholars Speak Out

Presidential Scholars 2007 Petition U.S. President Bush


Video Description:
50 Presidential Scholars sign a petition which urges President Bush to cease the U.S. violation of the Geneva Convention agreement, illegal detainee renditions, and to remove his "signing statements" to the McCain Anti-Torture bill. Leah Libresco(NY) and Mari Oye(MA) spoke to Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! about their action on July 3, 2007.

Part of the Presidential Scholar's letter read:
"...as members of the presidential scholars class of 2007, we have been told that we represent the best and the brightest of our nation. Therefore, we believe we have a responsibility to voice our convictions. We do not want America to represent torture. We urge you to do all in your power to stop violations of the human rights of detainees, to cease illegal renditions and to apply the Geneva Convention to all detainees, including those designated enemy combatants."

Kucinich On Impeachment

Dennis Kucinich Introduce H Res 333 to Impeach VP Cheney

Video Description:
Dennis Kucinich, the only presidential candidate who voted against the Iraq War resolution, introduced articles of impeachment against Vice President Richard B. Cheney in the House of Representatives on April 24th. House Resolution 333 was drafted as a response to a Vice President who was "a driving force for taking us into war against Iraq under false pretenses and is once again rattling sabers of war against Iran..."

Three articles were crafted by the 10th district Ohio Congressman and Democratic presidential candidate that allege that Cheney: "...purposely manipulated the intelligence process to deceive the citizens and Congress of the United States...," for attempting to mislead Americans "...about an alleged relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda...," and "has openly threatened aggression against the Republic of Iran."

The full text of the articles as well as the detailed research that lays a foundation for the articles of impeachment are on Kucinich's congressional web site: kucinich.house.gov/Spotlight... .


Some of the research demonstrating the Vice President's skillful manipulation and stove-piping of intelligence is simply overpowering. For example, after one of his neo-con subordinates Douglas Feith had cherry picked raw intelligence and removed essential caveats and disclaimers to produce a report of "intelligence," the Vice President praised him with handwritten notes in the margin of the report saying: "This is very good indeed...Encouraging...Not like the crap we are all so used to getting out of CIA."

Clearly, the Vice President was not going to left any intelligence agency get in the way to his rush to folly. A war that the neo-cons had planned far before the pretext of 9/11 occurred. By removing the uncertainty involved in the intelligence estimates and guaranteeing the American people that there was "no doubt" that Saddam had WMDs when he knew better, Kucinich believes that Cheney committed impeachable offenses. At other times the sheer audacity of Cheney's lies is stunning. No lie was too little or too big to utter. Take his oft repeated claim that Saddam threw out the UN inspectors -- a clearly verifiable lie as was his continued insistence that one of the highjackers met with Iraqi intelligence agents in Prague.

Kucinich states in the interview that the Vice President must now pay the penalty for having orchestrated much of the propaganda that led us into an illegal war of aggression against Iraq and now attempting to pull off the same manipulations to justify a war with Iran. Waging a war of aggression on a country which did not attack us,, had no weapons of mass destruction and had never even indicated a desire to attack us has made the U.S. one of the least trust and most reviled nations on earth and the tough Ohio Congressman feels the time is right to bring some accountability to this administration for lying to start an unnecessary war that has cost us precious blood and treasure.

This Kucinich fan agrees: If lying to the American people to gin up a case for a totally unnecessary war that has killed thousands of our kids and tens of thousands of Iraqis is not a high crime and misdemeanor, what is? Lying about fellatio in the White House?

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

Case For Impeachment

Two hour program, speakers, and panel discussion regarding book "Case For Impeachment".

Hour 1

Discussion in a public forum with the authors of the book "The Case for Impeachment: the Legal Arguments for Removing President George W. Bush from Office" by Barbara Olshansky and David Lindorff. Recorded at New Haven, CT, June 24, 2006.


Hour 2


Video Description:
A one hour public forum conducted by the Barbara Olshansky and David Lindorff, authors of the book "The Case for Impeachment: the legal argument for removing President George W. Bush from office." Conducted at New Haven, Connecticut, June 24, 2006, Olshansky is assistant legal director of the Center for Constitutional Rights, Lindorff is a veteran jouralist of 30 years experience including past bureau chief for Los Angeles Times.

Impeachment



video description:
"Impeachment" is a one hour special program which covers the constitutional aspects of impeachment and how they apply in the case of the Bush Regime. It was first broadcast on Channel 10 in northern Virginia in late September 2006. It is based upon an impeachment Teach-in held in Washington DC during the summer of 2006-- and includes excerpts of a documentary by Melville House Publishing and the Center for Constitutional Rights, and highlights of a panel of distinguished citizens from the Metro-DC area.

Impeachment Center

Congresswoman Maxine Waters speaks at the inauguration of the Impeachment Center July 4, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. for more info on the Impeachment Center and how to get involved, see: BCImpeach.org

Coop America

Alisa Gravitz of "Coop America" speaking at the "Tame The Corporation Conference" (June 2007)
She talks about the Green Economy and Economic Activism, Co-ops, Credit Unions (People's Businesses)

Tame The Corporation Conference 2007

Ralph Nader speech at the "Tame The Corporation Conference"
Watch it on Google at:

or in 3 parts at Youtube:
part 1

part 2

part 3

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Psychiatry...

This is a video put out by the CCHR (Citizen's Commission on Human Rights). It is called "Psychiatry: Industry of Death". It is about 20 minutes long. It explores the history of the development of the field of "Psychiatry", including psychiatrists, treatments, and law, among other things.

U.S. Beef

this is a video is a KBS Special (Korean National Broadcasting System) titled "Mad Cow Disease and the U.S. Beef Industry". It is in Korean with English subtitles.

Health Freedom

Title: "We Become Silent - The Last Days Of Health Freedom"



Film Description:
International award-winning filmmaker Kevin P. Miller of Well TV announced the release of a new documentary about the threat to medical freedom of choice. 'We Become Silent: The Last Days of Health Freedom' details the ongoing attempts by multinational pharmaceutical interests and giant food companies — in concert with the WTO, the WHO and others — to limit the public’s access to herbs, vitamins and other therapies.

'We Become Silent’ is narrated by Dame Judi Dench, the noted UK actress who has won multiple Golden Globe awards, an Oscar, and a Tony for her on-stage work, in addition to dozens of other honors throughout her prestigious career.


Related Posts:
- Sick-Broke-Generation(video)
- California Healthcare(video)
- Bayer Rep(video)
= Mouseland(video)

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Sex, Drugs, and Democracy

Sex, Drugs & Democracy is a feature-length, documentary film that explores the limits of personal freedom. The film takes an uncensored look at the unconventional approach to morality and politics in Holland.


(direct link )

EXCERPTS FROM THE DUTCH CONSTITUTION:

Article 1
All persons in the Netherlands shall be treated equally in equal circumstances. Discrimination on the grounds of religion, belief, political opinion, race or sex or on other grounds whatsoever shall not be permitted.


Article 6
Everyone shall have the right to manifest freely his religion or belief.


Article 7
No one shall be required to submit thoughts or opinions for prior approval in order to disseminate them.


Article 11
Everyone shall have the right to the inviolability of his person.


Article 15

No one may be deprived of his liberty.


Article 19
It shall be the concern of the authorities to promote the provision of sufficient employment.


Article 20
It shall be the concern of the authorities to secure the means of subsistence of the population and to achieve the distribution of wealth.


Article 21
It shall be the concern of the authorities to keep the country habitable and to protect and improve the environment.


Article 22
The authorities shall take steps to promote the health of the population. It shall be the concern of the authorities to provide sufficient living accommodation. The authorities shall promote social and cultural development and leisure activities.


Article 23
Education shall be the constant concern of the Government.


Article 114

Capital punishment may not be imposed.

Sick-Broke-Generation

A voice of young people on the current state of health care in the USA. This was a response to a Youtube video from Michael Moore, the director of the documentary "Sicko" seeking comment on This is a Green issue. Listen.



Related Posts:
- "Message In A Bottle" ad Green Party.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

California Healthcare

Shiela Kuehl, state legislature, and Michael Moore hold a briefing in Sacramento on Health Care reform in the State of California. The video from the event is below. It is in 9 parts.


Senator Kuehl- SiCKO: What Has Happened to Health Care?


Part 1: Michael Moore @ Senator Kuehl's Legislative Briefing


Part 2: Michael Moore @ Senator Kuehl's Legislative Briefing


Linda Peeno, MD- SiCKO: What Has Happened to Health Care?"


Dawnelle Keys- SiCKO: What Has Happened to Health Care?


Andy Bales- SiCKO: What Has Happened to Health Care?


Santa Susana Field Laboratory Health Risks Breifing


Senator Kuehl Re-Introduces SB840 Universal Healthcare Bill

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Healthcare Olympics

In further discussion on the subject of Healthcare in the USA, you might want to see an old show done by Michael Moore called TV Nation. This segment is called "Healthcare Olympics" and pits Canada, Cuba, and the USA head to head on their health care delivery/performance. Three areas that are judged include, speed, cost, and quality of care.



Michael Moore discusses with Amy Goodman the TV Nation segment "Healthcare Olympics" during his inverview with her for Democracy Now in June 2007. Michael Moore's film Sicko will be released in theaters June 29, 2007.

Impeach Now

Citizens gather at the Santa Monica City hall to petition the Santa Monica City Council to vote to impeach Bush and Cheney. Santa Monica council member, among others, speak to the crowd gathered. For more see (LINK)

Monday, June 18, 2007

Mouseland

This is part of the series of posts on Tommy Douglas. There are two versions of the story of Mouseland popularized by Tommy Douglas.



This is promotional video clip presented by Keifer Sutherland(grandson of Tommy Douglas) for the New Democrats, with an animated version of the story of "Mouseland".

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Tommy Remembered


Feb.25, 1986. Guest(s): Shirley Douglas, Stanley Knowles. At the age of 81, Tommy Douglas succumbs to cancer. He is remembered as an ... all » innovator who brought massive change to the province of Saskatchewan and the rest of Canada. Once considered a socialist radical, Douglas and his ideas eventually gained mainstream acceptance. "Douglas doesn't have to kiss babies, babies kiss him," one reporter said of the charming and feisty preacher on the campaign trail. In this CBC Television report, Douglas is remembered as an adventurous politician with tremendous foresight. • In 1983 an ailing Douglas struggling with cancer rallied his party one last time. "We're not just interested in getting votes," he said passionately. "We are seeking to get people who are willing to dedicate their lives to building a different kind of society."

• Douglas ran in a total of six provincial and 10 federal elections. He won 11 of his 16 electoral races.

• Douglas said in a 1964 interview with CBC Radio that he would like his epitaph to read "He liked people."

• Douglas was buried in the Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa. His epitaph reads "Courage my friends, 'tis not too late to make a better world."

Tommy Steps Down

CBC news special - Tommy Douglas steps down


Perhaps Tommy Douglas is model for how local a person can cause change for the benefit of the people.


Broadcast Date: April 24, 1971 Host: Lloyd Robertson Guest(s): Tommy Douglas Duration: 14:12 -------------------------------
David Lewis waits in the wings, ready to be crowned the leader of the NDP and steer the party through a new decade. But Tommy Douglas isn't quite finished just yet. He's still focused on the work ahead and his unfulfilled dream to end poverty and unemployment. As Douglas takes to the stage, the crowd cheers and sings Solidarity Forever. In this television broadcast Douglas, ever the warrior, encourages the party to battle onwards.
-------------------------------
At the same 1971 party celebrating the leadership of Tommy Douglas, historian and broadcaster Pierre Berton spoke about the NDP's legacy. "Where would we be without the NDP? It and its predecessor have been the conscience of Canada, often at the risk of our own popularity — as recently as last October," he said referring to Douglas' unwavering stance against the implementation of the War Measures Act in response to the October • Douglas was opposed to the War Measures Act which stirred deep divisions within his party. "The government, I submit, is using a sledgehammer to crack a peanut," he said over the roar of Liberals and Tories reprimanding him with cries of "Shame!" In the House of Commons, 16 members of the NDP caucus rose to oppose the use of the act. • Canadian documentary filmmaker Donald Brittain called Douglas' stance against the War Measures Act "perhaps his finest hour, certainly his loneliest." • "Tommy was a magnificent, magnificent leader. It was his finest hour. He didn't care that we dropped to seven per cent in the polls. The NDP position was so unpopular it was unbelievable." — NDP politician Stephen Lewis on Douglas' stance against the War Measures Act, Life & Times, 2000. • "He didn't need hindsight as the rest of us did, or a lot of us did. He made up his mind beforehand and that is terribly difficult to do in politics. He knew the price, the cost of it and it was a very, very brave thing." — Douglas Fisher, parliamentary columnist, on Douglas' stance on the War Measures Act, Life & Times, 2000. • Douglas also spoke out against the Vietnam war and called it the most powerful issue of his time. He said it was deplorable to decimate the underdeveloped country and urged that "this cannot go on for all people who have a sense of conscience." • In the early 1970s the NDP faced a crisis of division. A subgroup within the party, the Waffle Group, threatened to split the party's momentum. The Waffle Group argued for the protection of national unions as opposed to international unions. They also sought support for less American corporate ownership in Canada. In June 1972 the Waffle group was asked to disband. • Tommy Douglas embraced divisions in the party and said that disagreements could be used to refocus the party. When he accepted the leadership of the NDP in 1961, he noted that "where everyone thinks alike, nobody thinks very much." • When asked why he never became prime minister, Douglas was humble. "It's a bigger ballgame and it's a tougher ballgame," he explained on Front Page Challenge in 1969. Douglas also said that he knew from the beginning it would be a long haul but he was committed to his role in laying the groundwork for the party. • After Douglas stepped down as leader of the party in 1971, he remained in Parliament until 1979 as the NDP's energy critic. • In 1971 the Douglas-Coldwell Foundation was created. M.J. Coldwell, a former CCF leader, was a lifelong friend of Tommy Douglas. Douglas described the foundation's directive as "to keep the movements on the left — whether the co-operative movement, the trade union movement or the political movement — from getting in a rut." • Over the course of his career, Douglas fought for social welfare programs, universal hospitalization, a diversified economy of private and public ownership, old age pensions, mothers' allowances and more.

Bayer Rep

Film maker title for this video:
"I Think Bayer Corporation is a Very Bad Company"

Message In Bottle

UK Green Party "Message In A Bottle" ad



summary:
The Broadcast that thinks it is a music video! This was an unusual Party Political Broadcast by the UK Green Party - for the EU Parliamentary Elections. It was shot on 35 mm film and then transferred to Silicone Graphics for digital layering. Please note: the 800 phone number is not active!

Green Party Ad

Green Party Party Political Broadcast (3 min version)



video description:
The Green Party of Ireland's Party Political Broadcast for the 2007 general election.

Tommy Douglas

Tommy Douglas - also thought to be the greatest Canadian of all time - giving one of his entertaining stories, with the intent to give a message. This one is the story of "Mouseland".

For review and possible discussion at next Westside Greens meeting.