Cedric IM Brooks & The Light of Saba
1 hour ago
Thursday, 28 April 2011
William S Burroughs on trial for corrupting Turkish morality
The court referred to a report written by the Prime Ministry’s Council for Protecting Minors from Explicit Publications that accused the novel, “The Soft Machine,” of “incompliance with moral norms” and “hurting people’s moral feelings.” Sel Publishing issued a press release that included parts of their testimony in the court.
“It is impossible to understand the insistence in sending books written and published for adults to councils that specialize in minors. If we consider things from this perspective, then dozens of such reports could be written about TV channels, newscasts and thousands of books,” read the testimony given by the publishing house.
The testimony also argued that the Prime Ministry’s council had no credentials in literature, aesthetics or translation, thus causing what the representatives of the publishing house called a “freakish” decision by the council.
The council also accused the novel of “lacking unity in its subject matter,” “incompliance with narrative unity,” for “using slang and colloquial terms” and “the application of a fragmented narrative style,” while claiming that Burroughs’s book contained unrealistic interpretations that were neither personal nor objective by giving examples from the lifestyles of historical and mythological figures. None of the above, argued the publishing house, constitutes a criminal act.
The council went further and said, “The book does not constitute a literary piece of work in its current condition,” adding it would add nothing new to the reader’s reservoir of knowledge, and argued the book developed “attitudes that were permissive to crime by concentrating on the banal, vulgar and weak attributes of humanity.”
The representatives of the publishing house responded to these charges. “Just as no writer is under any special obligation to highlight humanity’s fair attributes under every circumstance, the measure of whether a book has any literary value or not, and the judge of what the book may add to the reader’s reservoir of knowledge, is not an official state institution, but the reader himself,” they said.
“Once again, societies comprised of modern, creative and inquisitive individuals are formed by reading and being exposed to literary texts and works of art that can be considered as the most extreme examples of their kind,” further asserted the defendants’ statement.
The testimony also invited members of the council to conduct “a simple Internet research” about the writer, and learn about the fact that Burroughs was one of the pioneers the “Beat Generation” that rebelled against the stagnant morality of the middle class in post-World War II America. The testimony also drew attention to the fact that the “cut-up” technique used in the book was once heralded as a great novelty among literary circles.
“Through this technique, Burroughs runs counter, not just to entrenched attitudes in people’s lifestyles but also in contradiction to [older] literary techniques. That being the case and since the aim of the book itself is to push boundaries, it is clearly absurd to search for criminal elements in the book by suggesting that the book does not conform with social norms,” further stated the press release.
“Moreover, it is also meaningless to expect William S. Burroughs, who was not raised in accordance with the National Education Law, or as an individual who ‘identifies with the national, moral, humanitarian, material and spiritual cultural values of Turkish society, and who always tries to exalt his family, country and nation,’ to have produced a text within this framework,” read the testimony. “It is clear and obvious that this case carries no weight nor any respectability outside of the borders of our country.”
“We demand an end to investigations that constrain our activities and the prosecution of books for any reason whatsoever,” concluded the statement.
@'Hurriyet Daily News'
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
ABC forced to pull Chaser wedding coverage
Just two days before Prince William and Kate Middleton are due to tie the knot, ABC TV has been forced to cancel The Chaser's one-off live coverage of the event due to what it says are restrictions imposed by the royal family.
The Chaser's Royal Wedding Commentary was due to air on ABC2 from 7:00pm AEST on Friday, offering viewers a satirical take on the royal wedding. But now the live special - promised to be "uninformed and unconstitutional" - has been reluctantly pulled due to restrictions imposed over the Easter break.
ABC TV was initially advised by the BBC, and subsequently by Associated Press Television News (APTN), there were no coverage restrictions that would prevent The Chaser's wedding commentary.
But new conditions of use issued by APTN over the Easter break state footage cannot be used "in any drama, comedy, satirical or similar entertainment program or content".
ABC TV director Kim Dalton says he is disappointed.
"The national broadcaster has acted in good faith in its negotiations around ABC2's planned coverage with both the BBC and APTN," he said.
"We're surprised and disappointed at this very late stage to be informed that any satirical or comedic treatment of the marriage of Australia's future head of state has been banned."
As late as this morning the BBC issued a new contract imposing additional restrictions on the use of its material.
"ABC TV had always planned to take the BBC's full coverage with commentary on ABC1, however, like other broadcasters, we thought Australians would appreciate an alternative take on this major event," Mr Dalton said.
"The Nine Network has Dame Edna giving her commentary and the Ten Network has the 7PM Project taking a light-hearted approach to the royal wedding.
"Our obvious choice for a light-hearted commentary is The Chaser team. Clearly, the BBC and Clarence House have decided The Chaser aren't acceptable."
The Chaser's Julian Morrow says the team accepts the ABC has been put in an "impossible position by people acting on behalf of the royal family".
"For a monarchy to be issuing decrees about how the media should cover them seems quite out of keeping with modern democratic times... but I suppose that's exactly what the monarchy is," he said.
"It's traditional for the condemned to appeal to the monarch for a stay of execution, so that's what we're going to do.
"Unfortunately it's also traditional for people who appeal for clemency to be executed."
Morrow says the move goes against free speech.
"It seems a bit crazy for the royal family to be trying to dictate the way they get represented in the media," he said.
"It seems a bit out of step with a modern democracy, but I suppose royalty is out of step with a modern democracy, so there you go."
The Chaser's Chris Taylor says it is an "honour" to be taken off air by the Queen herself.
The APTN advisory says the restrictions on the coverage of the wedding ceremony from Westminster Abbey have been agreed between Clarence House, the private office of the Prince of Wales, and the BBC.
According to the advisory, restrictions apply to the "period from the arrival of the first member of the royal family for the wedding service until the last member of the royal family leaves the main entrance of Westminster Abbey following the conclusion of the wedding service".
ABC1 will still be taking the BBC coverage of the wedding, including its commentary, and ABC News and ABC News 24's coverage will not be affected by the ban on ABC2 usage.
@'ABC'
Australian Republic NOW!!!
End of story?
In 2008, in response to media inquiries, the President’s campaign requested his birth certificate from the state of Hawaii. The state sent the campaign the President’s birth certificate, the same legal documentation provided to all Hawaiians as proof of birth in state, and the campaign immediately posted it on the internet. That birth certificate can be seen here (PDF).
When any citizen born in Hawaii requests their birth certificate, they receive exactly what the President received. In fact, the document posted on the campaign website is what Hawaiians use to get a driver’s license from the state and the document recognized by the Federal Government and the courts for all legal purposes. That’s because it is the birth certificate. This is not and should not be an open question.
The President believed the distraction over his birth certificate wasn’t good for the country. It may have been good politics and good TV, but it was bad for the American people and distracting from the many challenges we face as a country. Therefore, the President directed his counsel to review the legal authority for seeking access to the long form certificate and to request on that basis that the Hawaii State Department of Health make an exception to release a copy of his long form birth certificate. They granted that exception in part because of the tremendous volume of requests they had been getting. President Barack Obama's long form birth certificate can be seen here (PDF):
Correspondence with the Hawaii State Department of Health can be seen here (PDF).
At a time of great consequence for this country – when we should be debating how we win the future, reduce our deficit, deal with high gas prices, and bring stability to the Middle East, Washington, DC, was once again distracted by a fake issue. The President’s hope is that with this step, we can move on to debating the bigger issues that matter to the American people and the future of the country.
@'The White House Blog'
When any citizen born in Hawaii requests their birth certificate, they receive exactly what the President received. In fact, the document posted on the campaign website is what Hawaiians use to get a driver’s license from the state and the document recognized by the Federal Government and the courts for all legal purposes. That’s because it is the birth certificate. This is not and should not be an open question.
The President believed the distraction over his birth certificate wasn’t good for the country. It may have been good politics and good TV, but it was bad for the American people and distracting from the many challenges we face as a country. Therefore, the President directed his counsel to review the legal authority for seeking access to the long form certificate and to request on that basis that the Hawaii State Department of Health make an exception to release a copy of his long form birth certificate. They granted that exception in part because of the tremendous volume of requests they had been getting. President Barack Obama's long form birth certificate can be seen here (PDF):
Correspondence with the Hawaii State Department of Health can be seen here (PDF).
At a time of great consequence for this country – when we should be debating how we win the future, reduce our deficit, deal with high gas prices, and bring stability to the Middle East, Washington, DC, was once again distracted by a fake issue. The President’s hope is that with this step, we can move on to debating the bigger issues that matter to the American people and the future of the country.
@'The White House Blog'
Bread and fugn circuses! (GB2011)
Journalisted Journalisted
Past 24hrs: 20 articles on the leaked Guantanamo files http://bit.ly/i14Djt vs. 70 articles on Prince William http://bit.ly/e3XDDF
jamesrbuk James Ball
#royalwedding is much like a zombie film: one by one your friends succumb, and you have to attack them with a pitchfork.
Jimmy Carter's blog from North Korea
I am pleased to be back in Pyongyang on my third visit to North Korea. It’s a privilege to be able to visit a place that is quite mysterious to most people – and this time I am here with three of my fellow Elders – Mary Robinson, Gro Brundtland and Martti Ahtisaari.
Gro has been here before and we have been recalling our previous visits. She was here in 2001 as Director General of the World Health Organisation and will be taking particular interest in our planned visits to a hospital and to better understand food issues here.
I was here last year to negotiate the release of a US citizen – and before that in 1994, when Kim Il Sung – known here as the Eternal President – was still alive. At that time, North Korea’s nuclear programme was in its infancy. On a memorable six hour boat trip, I discussed nuclear and security issues with Kim Il Sung who agreed to freeze his nuclear programme. He was very warm and friendly towards my wife Rosalynn and me. Keep in mind that our countries were (and still are) officially at war, with a ceasefire prevailing.
Sadly he died shortly afterwards, and his son Kim Jong Il succeeded him as leader. Kim Jong Il pledged to honor his father’s commitments and continued his father’s policy, and in October 1994 North Korea and the US adopted a Framework Agreement which committed North Korea to denuclearisation.
Kim Jong Il also agreed to take part in a summit meeting with the then President of South Korea, Kim Dae Jung whose “Sunshine policy” was very helpful in building better relations. This kind of people-to-people contact is vital in trying to encourage dialogue and build sufficient confidence and trust between former enemies to allow them to reach lasting peace.
Since then – relations have gone up and down between North and South Korea but they are currently at rock bottom. There is no official dialogue on the key issues that divide the two countries, tensions are very high, and the US, as South Korea’s key ally, also refuses to engage directly with North Korea. Also, neither the US nor South Korea is at this time willing to assist with the desperate food shortage in North Korea.
We are hearing consistently throughout our busy schedule here in Pyongyang that the North wants to improve relations with America and is prepared to talk without preconditions to both the US and South Korea on any subject. The sticking point – and it’s a big one – is that they won’t give up their nuclear programme without some kind of security guarantee from the US.
We will be working hard in our few days in Pyongyang to learn as much as we can about the North Korean position. I hope we will be able to return to the US and Europe with a positive and constructive message. We have been told that our visit here is seen as helpful in establishing a positive atmosphere and that the people in both North and South expect a lot from us.
It is to my mind a tragedy that, more than 60 years after the Armistice that ended the Korean War, North and South Korea have not signed a peace treaty. My country, the United States, is South Korea’s guarantor, which creates enormous anxiety among the North Korean people and drains their political energy and resources.
I hope that this visit by the Elders will help North Korea become less mysterious to outsiders and that we can provide a glimpse of the country’s development ambitions as well as the serious challenges it faces.
In order to succeed we will all need to work together – especially the United States and South Korea. The warmth with which I am always greeted in Pyongyang makes me hopeful that our nations can, with political will on all sides, find peace at last.
@'The Elders'
Gro has been here before and we have been recalling our previous visits. She was here in 2001 as Director General of the World Health Organisation and will be taking particular interest in our planned visits to a hospital and to better understand food issues here.
I was here last year to negotiate the release of a US citizen – and before that in 1994, when Kim Il Sung – known here as the Eternal President – was still alive. At that time, North Korea’s nuclear programme was in its infancy. On a memorable six hour boat trip, I discussed nuclear and security issues with Kim Il Sung who agreed to freeze his nuclear programme. He was very warm and friendly towards my wife Rosalynn and me. Keep in mind that our countries were (and still are) officially at war, with a ceasefire prevailing.
Sadly he died shortly afterwards, and his son Kim Jong Il succeeded him as leader. Kim Jong Il pledged to honor his father’s commitments and continued his father’s policy, and in October 1994 North Korea and the US adopted a Framework Agreement which committed North Korea to denuclearisation.
Kim Jong Il also agreed to take part in a summit meeting with the then President of South Korea, Kim Dae Jung whose “Sunshine policy” was very helpful in building better relations. This kind of people-to-people contact is vital in trying to encourage dialogue and build sufficient confidence and trust between former enemies to allow them to reach lasting peace.
Since then – relations have gone up and down between North and South Korea but they are currently at rock bottom. There is no official dialogue on the key issues that divide the two countries, tensions are very high, and the US, as South Korea’s key ally, also refuses to engage directly with North Korea. Also, neither the US nor South Korea is at this time willing to assist with the desperate food shortage in North Korea.
We are hearing consistently throughout our busy schedule here in Pyongyang that the North wants to improve relations with America and is prepared to talk without preconditions to both the US and South Korea on any subject. The sticking point – and it’s a big one – is that they won’t give up their nuclear programme without some kind of security guarantee from the US.
We will be working hard in our few days in Pyongyang to learn as much as we can about the North Korean position. I hope we will be able to return to the US and Europe with a positive and constructive message. We have been told that our visit here is seen as helpful in establishing a positive atmosphere and that the people in both North and South expect a lot from us.
It is to my mind a tragedy that, more than 60 years after the Armistice that ended the Korean War, North and South Korea have not signed a peace treaty. My country, the United States, is South Korea’s guarantor, which creates enormous anxiety among the North Korean people and drains their political energy and resources.
I hope that this visit by the Elders will help North Korea become less mysterious to outsiders and that we can provide a glimpse of the country’s development ambitions as well as the serious challenges it faces.
In order to succeed we will all need to work together – especially the United States and South Korea. The warmth with which I am always greeted in Pyongyang makes me hopeful that our nations can, with political will on all sides, find peace at last.
@'The Elders'
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