RLASKEY: words » World/Local

First Listen: Ana Tijoux, ‘La Bala’

rlaskey — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:57:14 +0000

via NPR. Tijoux’s earlier album, 1977, is absolutely wonderful, and from what I’m hearing from this sample La Bala is also a necessary buy. Props to NPR for their First Listen series, too.

rlaskey — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:42:30 +0000

thank you, Michael Capuano, Barney Frank, and Scott Brown of #MA for your opposition to #SOPA/#PIPA. John Kerry’s phone unavailable

rlaskey — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 02:36:18 +0000

RT @nprnews: China’s Rich Consider Leaving Growing Nation.

rlaskey — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 20:46:39 +0000

RT @nprnews: Economic crisis means the Mafia is now ‘Italy’s number one bank’.

rlaskey — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 23:57:20 +0000

RT @nprnews: Shell Oil Spill Approaches Nigerian Shoreline.

rlaskey — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 06:29:17 +0000

RT @BuddyRoemer: 77% of Americans believe there is too much power in the hands of corporations & wealthiest people. Retweet if you’re one of them.

GOP Muppet Hearings

rlaskey — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:42:44 +0000

OK, this was just awesome.

WikiLeaks: Spyfiles

rlaskey — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 22:29:29 +0000

Well, this isn’t good. WikiLeaks has a load of documents pertaining to governments’ efforts to spy on us and everyone else. Ars Technica does a great job of breaking it down, too, speaking towards some of the devices and methods for the activity. On the whole it’s a Pandora’s box of shit, and it seems unlikely much will be done to reverse the tide. In any case, as G.I. Joe says, knowing is half the battle, and the fact that the information is out is, in my mind, a huge leap towards better futures.

End of Suburbia

rlaskey — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 03:08:26 +0000

Great movie, from 2004. The movie starts off describing the ascent of the suburban life, from promises to World War 2 veterans to subsidies pushed by the oil and automotive industries. It never made that much sense to me as to why everything was always so spread out.

A lot of the movie is then about America’s dependence on oil, and high, unsustainable amounts of energy. Peak oil plays a big role in the discussion, with a number of authors pulling in their thoughts. More than one of these predicted an economic decline, which certainly has hit and is with us today. While the discussion of the depression is now mostly about the financial industries, it is hard to decouple our energy trends and policies from our economic woes.

At less than 80 minutes, the End of Suburbia is a great ride, and provides a good balance of information within its themes.

Shame: 29 companies backing SOPA

rlaskey — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 19:23:28 +0000

29 Tech Companies Back SOPA. Cannot believe it. I am really hopeful that the act will not pass, though with efforts like these it’s going to be tough. Thanks to @hendler for the link.

rlaskey — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 20:49:20 +0000

Fight for free speech online – reject the Internet #Blacklist Legislation. https://eff.org/r.C8A via @eff.