we interrupt this empire

last thing today, 

is online in its entirety here: http://www.archive.org/details/we_interrupt_this_empire

 events of the day were organized by Bay Area Direct Action to Stop the War (http://bayareadirectaction.wordpress.com/) which is still active. 

 

blackwater: the rise of the world’s most powerful mercenary army

in portland i saw journalist jeremy scahill talk at powell’s bookstore about his book

 which was interesting both because i learned a lot more about the war industry, private military contracting, and blackwater in particular, but also because jeremy scahill was a clear and direct speaker who, while writing for mainstream progressive publications and appearing on tv and radio programs of the like, offers an analysis of war and war profiteering that leads to a systematic critique of government regardless of party politics. below’s a clip of him on bill moyers talking about blackwater and other contractors in new orleans. i bought the book too, which you should borrow from me when i’m done with it.