One of the prisoners I work with was convicted in part through an FBI error. Now there is another. …[T]he FBI lab has never gone back to determine how many times its scientists misled jurors. Internal memos show that the bureau’s managers were aware by 2004 that testimony had been overstated in a large number … More A Famous Reason to Oppose the Death Penalty
From Jennifer Armstrong: Blaming the victim is quite common on the part of the far right. However, in Australia, it is far more common to succumb to an ideology that overestimates the power of “the individual”. Thus, directly out of this ideology comes the notion that whatever happens to one is somehow directly related to … More On Blaming the Victim
“If y’all are losing, who’s winning? ‘Cause it ain’t us.” Meet Chris Rock, commenting on the situation of white people who, as we know, are suffering renewed oppression. We like to argue and speculate about race, but class – long a taboo topic in “A-merry-ca” (h/t Field Negro) where everyone can “pursue happiness” – has … More On Neoliberalism and the White Man’s Lament
When my university discovered the Wikipedia and decided it could not be cited as a source in dissertations because it was not authoritative, I laughed. While I do strongly encourage students to consult reference works of all sorts, and while I like the Wikipedia, I do not allow citation from any encyclopedias or handbooks. However … More Conservapedia
Trouvé chez la Redstar Perspective: “The prison system bears the imprint of slavery perhaps more than any other institution,” she says. “It produces a state that is very similar to slavery; the deprivation of rights, civil death and disenfranchisement. Under slavery, black people became that against which the notion of freedom was defined. White people … More Angela Davis
Early on we see a young Oscar Ghiglia. The video heats up when Segovia loses patience with another student and bursts into Spanish. At the end comes the key comment, on “the delicate lack of respect we have for the rhythm – a lack of respect which defines both the good and the bad artist.” … More Andrés Segovia – Master Class 1965
Read God, Save Us from Merit Pay for Teachers! by The Chaff. Via Unsane and Safe. In good news, 20,000 meritorious people protested WHINSEC on November 18. Bill Quigley writes: Even if the US government is reluctant to close the school, Latin American countries look like they will do it themselves. Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, … More On Merit
Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It” was the official theme song of President Rafael Correa of Ecuador’s recent election campaign. Ecuador is South America’s second largest exporter of crude oil and it hosts the only U.S. military base on the continent, from which we organize our drug war. Here is a much more recent … More Rafael Correa
Where has my language gone? The poet searches for words to wrap around these times Make them sense Make them pretty Make them useful Words from the past haunt our conversations Empire and Crusade Plans and Centuries All these words cleared understanding before Fall heavy now And weightless into this abyss of bad news I … More Beyond Words
Via the Unapologetic Mexican. Axé.
coldhearted scientist وداد 