Saturday 30 July 2011

Far Right Hate Groups “Like” Facebook

If you're the leader of a loud, disorganized European hate group, you've probably figured out by now that the best way to recruit followers is the same way Ashton Kutcher does it: use Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace.
A lot.
The AP reports that European hate groups—including the English Defence League, an organization that Norway terror suspect Anders Behring Breivik claims to have communicated—are increasingly relying on social networking sites like Facebook to recruit members.
In just two years, EDL membership has shot up from a few dozen to more than 10,000, a dramatic increase that EDL leader Stephen Lennon attributes to popular websites, as well as underground online fora. The AP has the interview:

I knew that social networking sites were the way to go…[b]ut to say that we inspired this lunatic to do what he did is wrong. We've never once told our supporters [it's] alright to go out and be violent.

Lennon, who was sentenced to "community rehabilitation" in England this week for inciting and leading an EDL street fight, isn't the only far-right (or far-left, or far-anything) organizer using Facebook for maximum publicity or reach. All sorts of anti-Muslim and racist cliques have been greatly supplementing their blog-based fulminations with modern social media, and they often do so unimpeded because sites like Facebook claim to uphold "the sharing of controversial ideas and opinions." (Facebook's methods for selecting what stays and what gets pulled frequently seem, well, curious: for instance, Holocaust denial stays, but UK labor strikes get the boot.)
It's not all bad news. Buried in the AP report is a short paragraph on law enforcement's mixed feelings regarding the groups' online recruitment:

Intelligence and law enforcement officials have mixed feelings about the sites. On one hand, they recognize the potential for recruiting groups or individuals into violent movements. On the other, the sites allow officials to track and catch perpetrators. Germany's interior minister, Hans-Peter Friedrich, told local media this week that he's more worried about extremists who go underground and "radicalize in secret."

That's a good point. When white nationalists and "racial realists" start pumping out tweets and web comments, it makes them much easier to locate. A trail of un-deletable evidence comes in handy when you want to prosecute someone for crimes against humanity.
Asawin Suebsaeng @'Mother Jones'

MP's & drugs (allegedly)

Surely not...

Pamela Geller Edits Post to Conceal Violent Rhetoric in 'Email from Norway'

chris_carter_ Chris Carter

been working on TG tracks (circa 1977) most of today… understandably I now have a headache

Somatic Responses - Disruption of Space (Free Download)

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Charting the American Debt Crisis

OwenJones84 Owen Jones

Twitter consensus: no-one cares if @LouiseMensch has taken drugs, as long as she doesn't push war-on-drugs laws. A reasonable compromise

LulzSec leader denies links to extremist groups

Fuck and the law

“Fuck” is a 2006 scholarly paper by Ohio State U law prof Christopher M. Fairman, published in Center for Interdisciplinary Law and Policy Studies Working Paper Series No. 39. It starts with anecdotes about three legally trained people — a Master’s student in law, a sheriff, and a federal judge — reacting irrationally to the word “fuck,” and goes on to explore the way that psycholinguistic factors makes English speakers go crazy in the presence of the word, and the effect that has had on law. Fun reading..!

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Fuck

Mo Money, Mo Problems: Songs for the Debt Standoff

Last night, when President Obama addressed the nation about the debt ceiling, and Speaker of the House John Boehner responded, there was an overwhelming sense of deadlock: Obama pointed at House Republicans for refusing to compromise; Boehner shot back that the President was irresponsibly seeking a “blank check.” (Amy Davidson has more on the speeches.) The frustration on both sides was palpable. Since music soothes the savage Congress, we thought that there might be some songs to help both Democrats and Republicans get through this crisis. At the very least, they can’t hurt. (Note: We couldn’t find any songs that had the word “loggerheads” in the lyrics.)

Marvin Gaye, “Stubborn Kind of Fellow” (1962)

President Obama was just a year old when Gaye had his first major Motown hit with this song. The lyrics aren’t specifically about the debt ceiling: they are a declaration of romantic persistence. At the time of the song’s release, the debt was a relatively paltry $250 billion...

Continue reading

Ben Greenman @'The New Yorker'

Radiohead Remixes by Lone, Pearson Sound and Four Tet

Issue number three of our remix series, in the shops on Monday 1st August (Tuesday 9th August in the USA & Canada):

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'Lionheart'

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nazi wank

Melissa Febos: Whip Smart

Melissa Febos is the author of the memoir Whip Smart, which came out in paperback on July 19^th. I first became aware of Febos because we are both women writers in recovery for drug addiction. Her book intrigued me because it’s about her four-year stint as a dominatrix in a dungeon in Manhattan’s Midtown, as well as her drug use and recovery, and anything that combines sexuality – particularly the stranger aspects – with drugs sounds like a good read to me. And Whip Smart was – surprisingly so. I expected it to be interesting, funny, and strange, and it was indeed all of these things. But I was pleased to discover that Febos’ book was more than an amusing chronicle of shocking events. Instead, she meticulously questioned and analyzed the motives and driving factors behind her own actions, as well as those of her clients and coworkers. And this unflinching eye was at once empathetic and unforgiving – which, of course, is a difficult line to walk – ultimately making Whip Smart a rewarding and touching first book that is, as Darin Strauss said, “a true story (in both senses of the word).” I recently interviewed Febos about the book, as well as the novel she’s currently working on...

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Julia Jackson @'The Outlet'

'Topiary' suspect extended in custody for 3 days

The Metropolitan Police has been granted another three days to question the suspected hacker arrested on the Shetland Islands yesterday.
A spokeswoman for the Met said: "We've successfully applied to Horseferry Road Magistrates Court for a warrant to keep him for another three days. He is British and we are not looking for anyone else."

The 18-year old, reportedly 'topiary' a major figure in LulzSec and Anonymous, was arrested yesterday in an intelligence-led operation by Met police and the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency and Lincolnshire Police.

Mystery deepened overnight with suggestions that police had been tricked into arresting the wrong guy.
Meanwhile the Scotsman reports confusion on the islands about his identity. The paper said everyone in the town of Scalloway, population 812, or presumably 811 now, had heard the rumours but most believed he was not originally from the Islands and there were even rumours he could be German.
Police landed in a light aircraft before grabbing their man and leaving.
John Oates @'The Register'

♪♫ OK Go + Pilobolus - All Is Not Lost

Enjoy the full interactive experience at http://www.allisnotlo.st
Download the free song and buy the EP at http://www.okgo.net/notlost

The Centrist Cop-Out

Deraa/Syria

I wonder what became of this family?

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Were the best world leaders mentally ill?

Trippy!!!

Here’s How U.S. Spies Will Find You Through Your Pics

jamesrbuk James Ball
US has a manufactured crisis w/potential for global recession so as to take money from poor & sick to fund tax breaks for the richest

Statement from Glenn Mulcaire's solicitors re: phone hacking scandal

Glenn Mulcaire has already expressed his sincere regret to those who have been hurt and affected by his activities and he repeats that apology most sincerely.
He was effectively employed by News of the World from 2002 to carry out his role as a private investigator.
As he accepted when he pleaded guilty in 2007 to charges of phone interception he admits that his role did include phone hacking. As an employee he acted on the instructions of others.
There were also occasions when he understood his instructions were from those who genuinely wished to assist in solving crimes. Any suggestion that he acted in such matters unilaterally is untrue. In the light of the ongoing police investigation, he cannot say any more.

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Glenn Mulcaire: I acted only on News of the World's orders

'Select' magazine scans from the 90's

A website dedicated to 90s music magazine Select.
HERE

Friday 29 July 2011

Hazel Dooney: Portrait of M.M.

2011 High gloss enamel on canvas, 208cm x 165.5cm (Private commission)
The first of a series of commissioned portraits.
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In The Studio (NSFW)

Assessing Obama’s record on transparency

♥

Fred's Pencils

The making of 'Is This It' 10 years ago...

New Government Drug Use Reports

AUSTRALIA
UNITED KINGDOM

HA!

In Steinbeck's footsteps: America's middle-class underclass

Anti-Piracy Lawyer John Steele Caught Copying Content From Other Anti-Piracy Lawyer

From Steele's website

From CEG's website

A year and a half ago, in writing about all the new law offices jumping into the mass "anti-piracy" shakedown lawsuit business, one of the early ones we covered was an operation called the Copyright Enforcement Group -- or CEG. Oddly, we haven't seen many stories of CEG in action threatening people... but we do keep coming across stories of other such lawyers copying content from CEG. Almost exactly a year ago, we wrote about how US Copyright Group had copied large parts of CEG's website into its own website and, now, TorrentFreak has pointed out that infamous, mass-suing lawyer John Steele has been caught copying parts of CEG's website as well. This is doubly ironic, given Steele's usual bravado and talk about the evils of copyright infringement.
TorrentFreak asked CEG about this and it claimed that this was not authorized and that it might have to "take steps" to prevent Steele from continuing this copying. Now wouldn't that be an interesting lawsuit to follow?
Mike Masnick @'techdirt'

HA!

(Click to enlarge)

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Louise Mensch MP responds to allegations from investigative journalist

On 19 July, as part of the CMS Select Committee, I questioned Rupert and James Murdoch and Rebekah Brooks on phone hacking at the News of the World.
I also focussed questions on whether hacking and blagging was, in fact, widespread throughout Fleet Street.
On 22 July I received the following email, which I reprint here in full and respond to below:

Dear Mrs Mensch
We are informing you that we have come into possession of the following information, about yourself, and would like to ask you for any comments, before we publish this information.

1. Whilst working at EMI, in the 1990s, you took drugs with Nigel Kennedy at Ronnie Scott's in Birmingham, including dancing on a dance floor, whilst drunk, with Mr Kennedy, in front of journalists. Photos of this exist.
2. Whilst working at EMI, in the 1990s, you wrote a novel, of a sexual nature, on your work computer, during working hours, and that it was this that caused EMI to terminate your employment. Correspondence of this exists.
3. The resultant novel included derogatory references to a driver called Roger, a character you based on Roger Lewis, your then line manager, Managing Director at EMI, who is now Group Chief Executive of Welsh Rugby Union.
We look forward to hearing from you.
With thanks
David Jones Investigative Journalists
###

My response to the allegations is as follows:

1. Although I do not remember the specific incident, this sounds highly probable. I thoroughly enjoyed working with Nigel Kennedy, whom I remember with affection. Additionally, since I was in my twenties, I'm sure it was not the only incident of the kind; we all do idiotic things when young. I am not a very good dancer and must apologise to any and all journalists who were forced to watch me dance that night at Ronnie Scott's.
2. Writing the first few chapters of Career Girls on my EMI computer is quite correct. However, it was all done after work hours. It was also not why I was fired by EMI. "Leaving work early" and “missing the odd day at work” along with "inappropriate dress" were the reasons quoted to me.
3. “Career Girls” was my first novel. I used the names of many real people I knew for minor characters, such as journalists, chauffeurs, bankers, and so forth. Roger Lewis was probably amongst them, as were (off the top of my head) Therese Coffey MP, now my colleague on the Select Committee, Jeremy Quin, Damian Hinds MP, Maurice Oberstein, Rod Clayton, James Robertson, and many more. None of them have ever complained about my using their names in this way.
I would also like to note that I am thrilled that Roger is now the Group Chief Executive of the Welsh Rugby Union. So many other co-workers from my music business days in the 90s have not found as exciting second careers.
Most importantly, I have not the slightest intention of being deterred from asking how far the culture of hacking and blagging extended in Fleet Street.
Louise Mensch
(Who don't forget is married to the manager of Metallica & The Red Hot Chilli Peppers!)

Tory MP Louise Mensch 'probably took drugs in club'

Plush and unusual punishment

Piers Morgan and phone hacking - what his record really reveals

A mere state can't restrain a corporation like Murdoch's

The Ideas of Norway’s Young Victims Also Draw Praise and Criticism

Baobinga PitchforkMixtape

Tracklist:
1. Linkwood - Three - Prime Numbers
2. Baobinga & Kowton - Proper - Build (Album Dub)
3. Funkineven - Roland's Jam - Eglo (Dub)
4. Funkineven - Heart Pound - Eglo
5. Ginz & Baobinga - Lowrise Riddim - (Dub)
6. E40 ft Keak Da Sneak - Tell Me When To Go
7. Busta Rhymes ft Pharrell - Light Your Ass On Fire (Instrumental)
8. Ginz & Baobinga - Ballin In The Club Riddim - (Dub)
9. Cee Lo Green - I Want You (Redlight RMX)
10. xxxy - Kerpow - All City (Dub)
11. Baobinga & I.D. - Tongue Riddim (Roska RMX (Binga's ReFix)) - Build (Album Dub)
12. Lighter - Skanker (James Fox Work Vocal Edit) - (Dub)
13. Adam Beyer - Remainings III (Jesper Dahlback RMX) - Drumcode
14. The Phantom - Arctic - Senseless (Dub)
15. Hud Mo - Thunder Bay - Warp
16. Darqwan - Said The Spider - Texture (vinyl rip)
17. Baobinga & I.D. - Wang It - Build (Album Dub)
>>>w/ Randomer - Brunk - Hessle Audio
18. Menta - Sounds Of Da Future - Sounds Of Da Future (vinyl rip)
>>> w/ Randomer - Brunk - Hessle Audio
19. Plasticman - Be There Or Be Square - Terrorhythm (vinyl rip)
20. Baobinga - Make Me Feel - Build (Album Dub)
21. Guido & Baobinga - Ballin' - Build
22. Ginz & Baobinga - Heartburst Riddim - Build (Album Dub)
23. Chris Brown ft Busta Rhymes & Lil Wayne - Look At Me Now
>>>w/ DJ X Change - Booty Talk - Database
24. Jack Sparrow & Baobinga - TransPennine Express - Build (Album Dub)
25. TC ft Dread MC - Burning Starlight - Dont Play (Dub)
>>>w/ Die - Jitta Bug - Full Cycle
26. Photek - KJZ - Virgin
27. Indigo - Elysian - (Dub)

Joint Ventures Review

Shetland village mystery over 'cyber crime' arrest

LulzSec Topiary arrest: Did police take in the right person?

Shetland-based computer hacker may be 18-year-old Swede

EDL & Anders Breivik

A compilation of continuing developments focusing on the English Defence League’s public response to the atrocity along with Breivik’s own connections to the EDL :

1. Fresh from his court appearance during which he was convicted of leading a violent brawl involving 100 football supporters, EDL leader Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (aka “Tommy Robinson”) was interviewed by Becky Anderson on CNN’s “Connect the World” programme on Monday evening. The anchor noticed what appeared to be a threat at the end of the interview and challenged Yaxley-Lennon about it. The full transcript of the CNN interview (link provided above) also includes the observations of a former Neo-Nazi who was interviewed immediately after Yaxley-Lennon, both in relation to the massacre in Norway and his damning response to Yaxley-Lennon’s own anti-Islam assertions on behalf of the EDL, especially the close parallels with historical Far-Right bigotry towards Jews.

2. Yaxley-Lennon was interviewed in further detail by Jeremy Paxman on BBC’s Newsnight later on Monday evening. Along with refusing to answer most of Paxman’s questions, Yaxley-Lennon recited almost exactly the same memorised statements that he’d made on CNN, from his “words of condolence” at the beginning to what appeared to be a threat at the end. He became increasingly belligerent and aggressive as the interview progressed, and by the end he was loudly ranting. Paxman also noticed the “threat” and challenged Yaxley-Lennon about it.
· Furthermore, Yaxley-Lennon told Paxman that he does not know Daryl Hobson, despite the fact that Hobson is one of the EDL’s main organisers. A photo of Yaxley-Lennon with Hobson is displayed at the top of this PP article (via Hope Not Hate/Searchlight). Hobson himself has also confirmed that the terrorist Anders Breivik was in contact with the EDL.
· Yaxley-Lennon also told Paxman that the millionaire businessman Alan Lake does not finance the EDL, despite the fact that Lake himself has now publicly admitted to funding the organisation. A detailed profile of Lake can be read via Hope Not Hate here.
3. Yaxley-Lennon was interviewed by 3 Counties Radio on Tuesday. It was a complete disaster for him; the interviewer tore Yaxley-Lennon apart despite his attempts to hijack the interview. The interviewer particularly jumped on the “threat” he’d made on Newsnight, and subsequently demolished him in forensic detail. You can read a full transcript here. It includes numerous screenshots and photographic evidence completely contradicting Yaxley-Lennon’s disingenuous claims about the EDL in his ongoing public interviews. The article is exhaustively researched and readers are strongly advised to familiarise themselves with it.
4. Yaxley-Lennon was also interviewed by Adrian Chiles on ITV’s Daybreak programme. Yaxley-Lennon mentioned the EDL’s official “Jewish Division” in an attempt to demonstrate the EDL’s anti-racist credentials. Unfortunately for him, the current leader of that division is now on record as publicly describing the teenagers killed by Breivik as “scum”. Full details here, including a screenshot and a summary of the background & activities of the so-called “Jewish” individual involved. The leadership of the “Jewish Division” has links to US-based convicted terrorists who are banned from Israel and whose organisation is officially classified by the FBI as a terrorist group (as previously discussed on Pickled Politics here). The same article also includes a transcript of Yaxley-Lennon falsely claiming on Newsnight that he doesn’t know EDL senior organiser Daryl Hobson, including a link to the aforementioned photographic evidence unearthed by Hope Not Hate/Searchlight...