Wisconsin GOP declares war on USA workers

WI Republicans ram through union-busting legislation 18-1 without a quorum

With this evening's bumrush of civic workers in Wisconsin, USA, far-right Republicans have lit a fuse and thrown it into the streets. Let's all pray the protests stay focused on non-violence and civil disobedience, as that is the way to achieve lasting progress.

Considering today's so-called "atomic bomb" of deception and skulduggery, it will entirely be in the hands of the Grand Old Party should a few windows get broken tonight. Here's hoping pray nobody gets hurt.

Plea to Charlie: Time to chill, lay low for a bit

March 7th 2011 episode Sheen's Korner - Torpedoes of Truth Part Two

This is Charlie Sheen's last "winner" video before being fired from his TV show:



Can somebody please bring this man a pizza and a spliff?

March 8, 2011: Gaddafi declares war on rebel fighters

Today will be a Tuesday long remembered in Libya, if not around the world, as the date the Libyan struggle went from ugly to hideous, as the crashing Libyan leader bulldozes and bombs away rebel positions. According to Debka.com:

Not a single Arab ruler or government is willing to dip a toe into the Libyan cauldron. In the last few hours, Egypt's military rulers have notified Washington that they have no intention of helping the Libyan opposition, even by sending arms.

Qaddafi's commanders turned the tide of battle in their favor by the following tactic: At the start of the week, they concentrated around the key town of Sirte (Sidra) two armored battalions of T-72 tanks, three battalions of special forces, beefed up by an extra 3,000 tribal fighters flown in from the Sahara, and a fleet of dozens of helicopter gunships.

Our sources report that Qaddafi paid out many millions of petrodollars to the heads of the Saharan tribal federation to hire fighting manpower form the various tribes.

This force was split in two: One column advanced south along the Sidra Gulf coast towards the refinery town of Ras Lanuf and the second struck southeast toward the big oil town of Brega and Ajdabia. Both rolled forward behind a wall of fire of BM-21 Katyusha rockets and helicopters firing missiles and heavy machine guns as T-72 tanks mowed down everything in their path.

Against the only rebel position west of Tripoli in the town of Zawiya, dozens of tanks crushed building after building before pulling out and then returning.

Qaddafi forces pound rebel positions, online article on Debka.com


And from the Los Angeles Times, just 20 minutes ago:

Libyan Major General Khalid Shahmah joins rebel forces

By Borzou Daragahi, Los Angeles Times

Reporting from Tripoli, Libya A Libyan general has switched sides in one of two fiercely contested western cities that remain strongholds of the opposition to Moammar Kadafi, state television said Tuesday.

Fierce fighting continued in the city of Zawiya, which has emerged as one of two key battlegrounds in the area around the capital, Tripoli. Although Kadafi controls the capital, his opponents have seized much of the east of the country and are working on formation of a competing government.

In an "urgent" onscreen caption, state-controlled television reported that Maj. Gen. Khalid Shahmah joined the rebels in Zawiya. It did not further identify the general or clarify his role in the military.

Droves of officials have defected from Kadafi's regime. On Tuesday, Musa Kuni, former consul general to the nearby country of Mali, appealed to Libyans of ethnic Tuareg descent like him to join the opposition.

Opposition leaders accuse the government of recruiting mercenaries from sub-Saharan Africa to fight anti-Kadafi forces. The rebel spokesman in Misurata, the other battleground city in western Libya, said his side had captured several fighters from Mali and Chad.


Full article on fighting in Libya on LATimes.com

March 2011 Revolutions: Upcoming hashtag* democracy protests

Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.

- John F. Kennedy, former USA President, 1962

Democracy protests planned for March 2011

This week:

Tuesday, March 8th - Kuwait, Sudan

Friday March 11th – Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Pakistan

Sunday March 13th – People's Republic of China



Next week:

Tuesday, March 15th – Palestine, Iran, Qatar

Wednesday, March 16th - Qatar, Iran

Saturday, March 19th - Constitutional referendum in Egypt

Saturday, March 19th - Anti-war protest in Chicago, IL, USA

Sunday, March 20th - Saudi Arabia



Later in March:

Saturday, March 26th – United Kingdom (Trade Unions protest budget cuts)


* Note: Hashtag protests are spread via Twitter and Facebook, usually with the hashtag followed by the date, for example, Egypt's Jasmine Revolution was "#Jan25"

DOA Australian Tour dates and tickets now online

D.O.A Australian tour starts next Wednesday, March 9th

05.03.2011 | Article from KillYourStereo.com

Canada’s long serving kings of Punk - D.O.A - have been at the forefront of punk rock counterculture for over 30 years, happily slashing away at our philosophical enemies with their scathing punk anthems and furious live shows since 1978. Now, led by the inexhaustible Joey ‘Shithead’ Keithley and in conjunction with Punk Rock Road Trips, D.O.A will finally return to southern shores, blasting through a series of live shows in Australia and New Zealand in March 2011.

The tour marks the 30th anniversary of the seminal D.O.A. album “Hardcore 81”. This release made the term ‘hardcore’ their own, not only pushing it into the common vernacular but also catapulting the band onto the world stage. They become known as ‘The Fathers of Hardcore’, re-defining the sound of punk rock and have since been cited as a major influence for numerous bands ranging from The Red Hot Chilli Peppers to Green Day and Rancid to Offspring. Not to mention that Mayor Larry Campbell recently declared December 21st to be "D.O.A. Day" in their hometown of Vancouver!




D.O.A have always maintained a relentless touring schedule and the raw energy of their music and live show still continues to grow. The band has not stopped since their inception, thriving in the turmoil that is the modern world and recently releasing their (lucky) 13th album “Talk – Action = 0” and third DVD. They have also featured in films and books published around the world, as well as playing numerous benefit shows for political and environmental causes.



This March come witness the non-compromising attitude and power that is D.O.A live...

Wednesday March 9 - Enigma, Adelaide - 18+
w/ The Meatbeaters & NFI

DOA Adelaide show tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au


Thursday March 10 - East Brunswick Club, Melbourne - 18+
w/ Sin City & Scratch’n’Sniff

DOA live in Melbourne tickets available from www.eastbrunswickclub.com


Friday March 11 - The Excelsior Hotel, Sydney - 18+
w/ Deathcage & Headbutt

Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au


Saturday March 12 - The Prince of Wales, Brisbane - 18+
w/ Mouthguard & Plan Of Attack

DOA Brisbane Australia show tickets online at www.oztix.com.au


Sunday March 13 - Shed 5, Gold Coast - AA
w/ The Scam & Not OK

DOA Gold Coast show buy tickets online www.oztix.com.au

- End of article.




For those of you who have never seen DOA and are about to rock, I salute you and envy you. It's a religious experience to the core, and you will remember why you love music, and humanity.

{Peace 2 All,

Joe College

Huckabee's rants move him into Palin territory

Fox-GOP's Mike Huckabee twice states Obama raised in Kenya

Whther this proves that Huck is a veritable ignoramus a la Palin (and Bill O'Reilly), or that he is wilfully evil and knew he was planting a lie, it really doesn't matter now. The Huckster has proven with these and other recent comments that he is not up to the job of US Presidential candidate.


Joe Strummer and Barack Obama; Sons of diplomats

The Madrassas remark is also stupid. Like Joe Strummer of The Clash who was the son of a diplomat, Barack Obama was the stepson of a diplomat posted to Indonesia. He went to a mixed private school, with boys and girls attending.

In any case, insiders close to Huckabee claim that he cannot afford the drop in pay required to run for President, as he needs his Fox contract to make the mortgage payments on his new Florida mansion. This may explain his base antics, as he readies himself to "cover" the election, rather than be participating in it.


Huckabee is falling, falling, faling... THUD!

The sad thing is that Mike Huckabee has more personality than most of the Republican candidates, and actually has a few good ideas too. Ever since he signed up with Bad Brother Fox, the fake news outlet aimed at disinforming the USA population, it's been all downhill for his political career. Americans will be better off without Palin dumbing down the Republican leadership race, but Huck had the potential to invigorate discussions, so it is genuinely disappointing to watch his descent into moral malfeasance.

Bloodless democratic evolution in China: A 7-Point Plan

Seven Point Program for bringing democracy to People's Republic of China

As I have written previously, if China is to avoid the bloodshed of conflict, the powers that be must channel the liberation energy into building a newer, better, smoother and more prosperous People's Republic of China.

A nation that fails to allow civil protest will find its jails filled with civilians, and its streets littered with criminals.


Dear Mr. Hu:

In these early months of 2011, everyone has witnessed a call for an end to fake democracies, rigged elections, and human rights violations. The People's Republic of China is in a unique position, in that your nation has evolved and developed to meet the needs of a growing population, even when that meant abandoning outdated, false ideologies. The power of the people demands no less.

Within twenty or thirty years if not sooner, China will become the biggest economy in the world, and it's important to remember that ALL the other major large economies are indisputably free and open democracies, without exception. If the Chinese people are to experience the benefits of progress, they require regular, meaningful votes, and need to live their lives without fear, especially of the government.

If Zen philosophy can be crudely defined as seeking the Middle Way, then my country, Canada, embraces this motto culturally and politically, and I encourage you to make every effort to maintain our beautiful and crucial friendship.

The very first step will be learning to tolerate large, peaceful crowds of protesters. If they are non-violent, they are not to be harmed. There is a much better way.

Here are my seven suggestions for channelling the positive energy of democratic forces into building a freer and stronger People's Republic of China, with 2016 as the target date for the first fully open national elections, after free regional elections to be scheduled much sooner.



Five Year, Seven Point Plan for Democratic Evolution in China


One - Freeing Up the Cities

Schedule fully open elections in the 200 largest cities for Autumn of 2012, followed by all other cities and major towns during Spring 2013.



Two - Opening Up the Economy

First things first, open up the trade between the provinces as much as possible. On an international scale, seek to enter free trade agreements with resource rich nations such as Canada, Australia, Brazil and Ghana, while also working hard to establish strong trade with human capital nations, such as India, Japan, Korea, the UK and the USA.

2011 would be a great time to begin, say in the Spring.



Three - Provinces Elect New Leaders

Based on the success of new candidates and parties in the municipal elections, the provincial elections will be synchronized and fully opened in 2014.



Four - Expansion of Human Rights

Include limiting of death penalty to extreme cases (terrorism, serial killers, mass murderers), increased right of appeal, right to lawyer, translator. Non-violent civil disobedience must be encouraged at home and abroad, and the teachings of Tolstoy, Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela should be taught from primary school and up.

Amnesty International currently ranks People's Republic of China poorly for human rights record, and this can easily be improved upon.



Five - Legalize Marijuana

Some may feel this is not a crucial issue, however I can advise you that when your prisons start to fill up with gardeners (as they have in California and Ontario), while ill robbers, rapists, and murderers roam the streets due to "overcrowding," legalizing a supremely beneficial herb will be an obvious, expeditious option.

In the spirit of Shen Nung, China will be wise to align with progressive nations such as Canada, The Netherlands, the UK and Ghana, to research, develop and market marijuana-based medicines, including teas, baked goods, herbal blends for specific remedies.

Laws can be introduced by early 2012 or sooner, proscribing full legalization and promoting and funding the development and export of hemp-based products and marijuana-infused medicines.

In the Western world, two of the fastest growing industries are medical marijuana, and nutriceuticals. These will meet synergistically in 21st Century medicines with hemp as a nutritive ingredient (together with flax, kelp, spirulina) and cannabis sativa as an active medicinal ingredient, often with herbs, berries and flowers such as comfrey, cranberry and chamomile.



Six - Full Freedom of the Press and the Internet

If your citizens want a variety of views in politics in life, they deserve this. When your people need information in order to compete with companies abroad, they absolutely need full and unfettered access to the Internet. Anything less, and China will fail to fully develop its economic and cultural potential.

This needs to begin in 2011. Reporters Without Borders' World Press Freedom Index for 2010 ranked China 171st out of 178 countries, alongside poor nations such as Rwanda, Eritrea, and North Korea.

China will improve significantly in this area, and the changes must begin now.



Seven - Full Free and Open National Elections

Potentially to be held in the Spring of 2016, the free and fair elections held at the municipal level in 2012 and the provincial level in 2014 would provide democratic precedence and experience invaluable when the national elections are in full swing, and the whole world will be watching.



There are many other things that can be done to assist China's evolution to a fully democratic nation, and these ideas are offered as a starting point, a conversation piece if you must. Please accept that the suggestions come with only the welfare of the Chinese people and all human beings in mind, and are provided with a generosity of spirit, good wishings, blessings, love and respect.

Peace 2 All,

Yuya Joe College



Blog and website links relating to China:

People's Republic of China wikipedia page

China history and culture wikipedia webpage

Official website of the People's Republic of China - english language version

Ancient Chinese herbalist Shen Nung (Shennong)

CIA World Factbook webpage on China