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How to get free movies from the internet

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Yes, yes, yo. You can download the greatest movies, even ones which are yet to be shown in the cinemas, for free. Yebah. The magic word: torrent.

I've you still haven't known about torrents and torrent downloading, you've been missing a lot. Torrenting is basically file-sharing made better. (Nah, I won't try to explain. Basta, it works. If you want more details, see this wikipedia entry.)

Start your downloading frenzy in 3 easy steps:

1. Download a torrent client software. I use Azureus for mac, utorrent for PC.

2. Search for your torrents. My favorite: mininova. Check out also torrentscan.net.

3. Download! Speed will depend on your internet connection and the number of people "seeding" the file. It usually takes me about an hour to complete a film download. I add my torrent software to my startup programs so that it runs while I read, type, or do whatever on my computer.

Sometimes I leave the computer turned on while I'm out of the house, and I get to complete downloading as much as 8-10 films.

Tips:
  • You might need to do something to enable some routers and firewalls to have speedy downloads. Go to portforward.com.
  • When downloading, check the comments to see user feedback on quality and content. Also, download the ones with more seeds and less peers.
  • You can subscribe or regularly visit junknova.com for newly released torrent films.
Some must-watch films links:

Walkout
Sicko
Loose Change 911
The Revolution Will not be Televised

Btw, Filipino films, including indies, are also available for download.

Continue reading this entry >>


Patayin sa sindak si Gloria: Oct 30 Halloween Protest

Believe it or not, ako yung baboy na burglar. At believe it or not, yung katabi kong tongresista ay walang iba kundi si Chairman Mong!

Photo from GMAnews.tv. More photos here.

Happy Halloween!

Continue reading this entry >>


Whoa! Pilipinas!

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Congrats to Cabring and Datu's Tribe on their successful album launching last Friday, at Bincoy's Bar, Kamuning Rd, QC.

While watching them, I again realized how important this album was and how significant the success of this album will be to Filipino musicians who want to make relevant and progressive art.

I told Bien Lumbera of the album and lent him my copy. He thought it was really good and considered asking a foundation named after him to help fund the album.

Here's a video post of Whoa! Pilipinas!, a manifesto of how grim realities are for the Philippines and the Filipino people.





Read also: Reasons why you should buy Datu's new album

Continue reading this entry >>


Back from the 16th LFS congress

Thank you LFS Iloilo for hosting the 16th LFS Congress last October 20-25. We would also like to thank the local government led by Gov. Tupas for their support.

I was re-elected National Chair, Ron Villegas as Vice Chair, Lire Maga as Secretary General.

While Glorietta 2 was being bombed, while Erap was walking out of his Tanay resthouse, and fresh calls for Arroyo resignation were being declared by bishops, we were taking nice photos of flowers, beaches and mountains. Of course, with consistent harassment and threats from military intelligence units deployed to "guard" us.

Photos to be posted soon. Meanwhile, check out Nadja's multiply page.

Continue reading this entry >>


CyberProtest vs CyberEd: Protest Badges

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Before I leave for the LFS congress, I am granting a request by the Bloggers Kapihan Crew to create CyberEd protest badges.


Copy and paste to your site:
<a href="http://studentstrike.blogspot.com/2007/10/primer-on-cybereducation-project.html"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6J0BEqeNz68AaCa-LYD7LutiitpY1wryjcQFol5glsDwFm-2xVhf-QRTA4R61d3Mq0nthMdPbIPxpEvM0iLxbrktt_uEarJoicxWyBz5UUXxYh_U77E5dRz_hWVLa056GTOq-yTCxmo8/s320/webbutton2.jpg" alt="CyberEd Protest Badge" id="No to the CyberEducation Project!" border="0" /></a>



CyberEd Protest Badge

Copy and paste to your site:
<a href="http://studentstrike.blogspot.com/2007/10/primer-on-cybereducation-project.html" title="Junk the CyberEd Project!"><img src="http://www.lfs.ph/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/webbutton3.jpg" alt="CyberEd Protest Badge" border="0" /></a>

CyberEdProtestBadge

Copy and paste to your site:
<a href="http://studentstrike.blogspot.com/2007/10/primer-on-cybereducation-project.html" title="CyberEdProtest"><img src="http://www.lfs.ph/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/webbutton4.jpg" alt="CyberEdProtestBadge" border="0" /></a>



See also: Primer on the Cyber Education Project
CyberEd: DepEd lying about project's reach
Primer on the ZTE Broadband Deal

Continue reading this entry >>


Uphold national interest! Reject JPEPA!

Following is a unity statement I signed against JPEPA. For more info, read this primer on the unjust agreement.

An appeal to the Senate to reject the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA)

We, the undersigned individuals and organizations call on our Senators to uphold national interest and reject the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement or JPEPA.

After several public hearings in the Senate, we have yet to see credible studies to back up the fantastic claims of the Arroyo administration that the JPEPA will result in economic prosperity for the Filipino people. Rather than economic growth, the agreement is poised to further damage the already crisis-ridden Philippine economy.

We believe that the agreement is grossly lopsided in favor of Japan. The provisions of JPEPA will further reinforce the historically unequal economic relations between our countries. For example, while removing tariffs for all but two Philippine products (salt and rice), Japan will continue to protect 239 of its own products.

Japan will also gain unhampered access to our nation’s wealth, including our human resources, at the expense of the Filipino people.


* Job losses are foreseen in the manufacturing and automobile sectors
* Farmers and agricultural workers stand to suffer even more from contract-growing arrangements with transnational agri-business corporations. Land use conversion will also affect domestic food production.
* Domestic fisheries sector will have no protection from the entry of Japanese fishing vessels which will be allowed to fish in our waters.
* The claim that the Philippines will benefit from the agreement via the entry of more Filipino nurses and caregivers to Japan is misleading since the professional standards imposed by Japan are very difficult to achieve. The continued export of nurses and caregivers also betrays a lack of political will on the part of the Philippine government to provide domestic employment for its own people.


The JPEPA will not industrialize the Philippine economy because provisions in the agreement limit or do not require technology transfer, local content in products as well as the hiring of Filipinos. On the other hand, special privileges will be given to Japanese investors to the extent of undermining whatever little is left of the country’s sovereignty and patrimony. This includes requiring the Philippine government to virtually insure Japanese firms from any damages that may result from civil unrest.

The JPEPA accords Japan a Most Favored Nation status and gives National Treatment to Japanese investors. Such provisions set a dangerous precedent for bilateral trade agreements with other countries. Surely, other countries would seek the same treatment as Japan, thereby further exposing the Philippine economy to plunder by other imperialist powers and foreign multinationals.

The JPEPA is tantamount to a second “Japanese Invasion” of the Philippines, this time in the sphere of economics. For our own survival, we say “No deal!” with the Japanese government.

Uphold national interest! REJECT JPEPA!

Continue reading this entry >>


Ka Bel hurt in car crash

Monday, October 15, 2007

From ABS-CBNnews.com:

Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran was reported injured when his vehicle figured in a road accident in Intramuros district in Manila Tuesday.

A radio DZMM report said Beltran sustained a head injury when his vehicle, a Toyota Hi-Ace, collided with a Ford Everest at the corner of Victoria and Juan Luna streets in Intramuros.

The report said Beltran's head slammed into the windshield, which caused the head injury.

Beltran has been rushed to the Philippine General Hospital and is now being closely monitored by doctors.
Inquirer.net report here.

Sana naman hindi malubha ang epekto ng aksidente ni Ka Bel.

Continue reading this entry >>


Video: Lafayette Mining

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Bloggers Unite - Blog Action Day



Go to kalikasan.org and download their environmental situationer here.

Continue reading this entry >>


CyberEd: DepEd lying about project's reach

Saturday, October 13, 2007

Take a close look at this page taken from DepEd's slide presentation on the controversial Cyber Education Project.

The DepEd pegs the benefit of the CyberEd to 90% of all public schools or 37,794.

But the page also says that only 26,618 will actually be given the project equipment. The additional 30% of elementary schools will benefit through "clustering."

What does this mean exactly?

Schools in far-flung barrios will have to merge with "nearby" CyberEd enabled schools to watch the "live-via-sattelite-no-commercial-break" lecture from DepEd studios.

If pursued, this scheme will tend to make education less accessible to youths in the rural areas, which, as it is now, are already required to travel several kilometers by foot to their schools.

Either that, o binobola lang talaga tayo sa 30% na yan.

Important facts that should be noted:

>Contrary to initial perception, the CyberEd will not install a TV set per classroom. Each school will only be given 4 TV sets, 2 computers and other equipment. To let you try to visualize how this will work, Ramon Magsaysay High School, a public high school in Manila, has around 7,000 students.

>While the project promises to include internet connection as a bonus, project proponents say that the internet speed will be "lower than broadband." In some presentations, even "optional." This is highly questionable for a project that will cost a fortune. And to think that they wanted this program to have a separate "backbone" from the National Broadband Network and all other ICT projects.

Simply freaking ridiculous.

Source: ACT Chair Antonio Tinio's BK2 CyberEducation Briefer

Related:

Primer on the CyberEducation Project

ZTE Broadband Deal: Another multi-million racket of the Arroyo family

Continue reading this entry >>


Online web tool turns your images into printable, supersized, half-tone posters

Rasterbator is a freakingly cool image tool, perhaps one of the best ones in the web.

Upload a .jpg file and in seconds, this awesome online tool transforms it into a pdf file of a huge, half-toned poster, which you can print on many sheets of paper using your ordinary desktop printer.

Yes, it automatically divides the poster into small chunks that your printer can handle. And yes, it's for free. Ang galing!

This means you can blow things out of freaking proportion and post extra-large images without having to pay for tarpaulins, blow-up photo prints or expensive posters.

I hope that this thing will get the LFS graffiti artists and school propagandists brainstorming hard for operasyon dikit (street poster operation) ideas. This will definitely be useful.

Example below:

Check out the gallery for more "rasticulation".

Link

Continue reading this entry >>


Letter to the Editor: ROTC restoration opposed

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Thanks to Ron for drafting and sending this LTTE which landed in the feedback page of the PDI on October 10, 2007.

The decreasing number of students that enroll in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program has prompted renewed efforts to once again make it mandatory. House Bill 309, seeking to repeal Republic Act 9163 (NSTP Act of 2001), has been filed before the House Committee on National Defense by Rep. Eduardo Gullas of Cebu -- a move hailed by no less than Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro.

What Teodoro fails to recognize is the fact that we students are expressing our opposition to the ROTC by preferring to enroll in its alternatives, such as the Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS) under the National Service Training Program (NSTP). Gullas filed a bill without even consulting a key stakeholder in the issue, which is us, the students.

Although not yet perfect -- which is understandable considering that it has been institutionalized less than a decade ago -- the CWTS has taught us more and has made us more productive citizens than we possibly could ever have been, had we chosen the ROTC program instead. We prefer to teach poor children or build houses for the homeless than do push-ups and march around campus. The CWTS has also exposed us to the harsh realities and persistent problems that plague our fellow Filipinos: massive poverty, inaccessible education, social injustice.

We ask, what can we learn from the ROTC? It only teaches us the use of violence against our classmates. It claims to instill “discipline,” but that discipline merely stems from fear. It makes students docile, subservient, even uncritical -- consider the ROTC dogma, “Obey first before you complain.” We also have confirmed reports that the ROTC program is being used by the Armed Forces of the Philippines to recruit students to its Student Intelligence Network, which spies on the members and activities of progressive and nationalist groups.

The government, hell-bent on requiring us to enroll in the ROTC and forcing us to undergo public humiliation, excessive physical punishment and other characteristics that have defined the ROTC program, seems to have forgotten that there was once a Mark Chua who died mercilessly at the hands of his officers for exposing widespread corruption in his university’s ROTC program. We do not want another Mark Chua.

Teodoro claims that the decreasing number of reserve officers in the country is cause for alarm, saying it has “serious ramifications in assuring our national security and stability.” But we believe otherwise. We do not want to become “cannon fodders” in the unjust wars being waged by our government against the people. We do not want to become part of an establishment that is being used by the government to spy on organizations, the members of which are our classmates and friends. We do not want to be reserve officers of a military that is being used to claim the lives of activists and civilians whose only crime is to fight for their rights.

If the government is going to push through with the aforementioned proposal, we students pledge to oppose it with the same, if not greater force, than that used in 2001 to abolish the ROTC.

VENCER CRISOSTOMO, national chair, League of Filipino Students (via email)

Inquirer
Last updated 01:26am (Mla time) 10/10/2007

Continue reading this entry >>


Bloggers' Kapihan 2: Blog Ed 101

Tuesday, October 9, 2007


Kita-kits sa BK 2!
After the resounding success of the first ever Bloggers’ Kapihan 1.0: Blogging Beyond the Basics, the BK crew once again comes around for yet another virtual-becomes-real venture.

The BK Crew presents Bloggers’ Kapihan 2.0: Blog Ed 101. This time around, let us tackle the importance of blogging in learning, learning in blogging and blogging as a tool for alternative education. The event will be held on October 13, 2007 at the Ramon Magsaysay High School in Quezon City.

Speakers:

Sir Martin Perez, Social Studies teacher of the Philippine Science High School, will give introductory concepts and tips on blogging as a tool for instruction.

Prof. Danny Arao, assistant professor of the Department of Journalism at the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication, will tackle how blogging can be instrumental for alternative education and how websites can be transformed into ‘virtual classrooms’.

Mr. Tonchi Tinio, chairperson of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers, will provide an overview on the advantages and disadvantages of the controversial CyberEducation Project of the Department of Education.

Continue reading this entry >>


Must buy: Datu's Tribe "Whoa Pilipinas!" album now out!

Monday, October 8, 2007

Hindi pwedeng hindi ka magkaroon nito!


Datu's Tribe has finally released the much awaited "Whoa! Pilipinas!" album. Here are some reasons why you should buy the album today:

1. It's simply freaking awesome. Contains some seriously socially-critical content in a mind-blowing rock metal package. The album is an in-your-face exposition of rotten RP reality, free from artsy-farsty, emo-"nationalist" pretentions.

2. Buying the album not only means supporting genuine OPM, but supporting progressive minded artists determined to speak the truth and fight ruling oppressors. Whoa's a courageous indie project, as major record companies refused to produce it, due to its politically loaded content.
3. By buying the album, you are encouraging Datu's Tribe and other Filipino artists creating meaningful, critical and relevant content. If you are tired of having to bear with senseless trash being played in the radios and MTVs, start the doing something about it and buy the album.

Link to Datu's Tribe multiply page. Watch their gig videos and listen to their songs. More photos here.

Continue reading this entry >>


Top 5 most amusing things during Pacquiao-Barrera fight

Sunday, October 7, 2007


5. The pre-fight analysis.
"Matatalo yata si Pacquiao, ang payat nya sa picture. " Ang daming pagtatalo bago magsimula ang laban. Biglang tumatalino ang mga tao, ang daming alam tungkol kay Pacman at Barrera. Kesyo ang tindi ng treyning, at kung ano ano pa. Wala pang boksing, away na!


4. The AM radio coverage.
Ok sana to, maaga at live pa! Kaso lang eh... wala kang makita. Nakakainis. Hehe.

3. The army of spoilers.
Kung merong iniluwal yung delayed telecast sa TV, e iyun yung pambansang penomenon ng pagdami ng mga epal at mga naninira ng excitement sa panonood.

Si Ka Polding, hindi kami textmates. Kahit kelan hindi naman kami nagtetext kung wala kaming kelangan sa isa't isa. Pero kanina bandang alas-dose, bigla syang napatext: PANALO PACQUIAO 12ROUNDS.

2. The Pacman English.
Ito ang dahilan kung bakit kahit tapos na ang laban at me desisyon na, hindi mo pa rin ililipat ang TV. Ang mas exciting pang challenge: kung paano sasagutin ni Pacman ang English interview.

Interviewer: Were you hurt?
Pacman: You know, uhm.. Not so much.. No.

1. Noli De Castro
At akala ko tapos na sa English ni Pacman, but no! Sisipot sa screen si VP Noli De Castro.
Interviewer: We have here no less than... the ... Vice President of the Philippines.
(Sa loob-loob nya: pucha, eto ba Vice President ng Pilipinas? Takte, akalain mo, walang ibang magawa kundi manuod ng boxing dito. Amazing. Hehe. )

"Congratulations to the Filipino people! The true winner."
Haha. Panalo?

Panalo!

Continue reading this entry >>


A Primer on the CyberEducation Project

Saturday, October 6, 2007

See also:
Primer on the ZTE Broadband Deal


This CyberEducation Project is wrapped in so much secrecy and mystery. Considering its scale and magnitude and its gargantuan project cost, to be shouldered by our already burdened Filipino taxpayers, many pertinent details remain unknown, raising very disturbing questions on the implementation, actual outcome and even motive of the project. - Rep. Teddy Casino

What is the CyberEducation Project (CEP)?

The CyberEducation Project (CEP) is a US$465.5 million, or P21.4 billion (at $1=P46) project aiming to set up television production and satellite broadcasting facilities in the DepEd offices and public schools throughout the country.

It is the largest among 5 accords signed by the RP government with China last April 21,2007, which costs $136.5 million, or P6.2 billion more than the highly controversial ZTE Broadband deal. The project, which is set to be completed in three years, was sealed by a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed by RP Dept. of Trade and Investments (DTI) Sec. Peter Favila and Dr. Jung of Tsinghua Tongfang Nuctech Co. of China.

Eighty-six percent of the project cost or P18.47-billion will be funded by a loan from China, while the remaining fourteen percent or P2.9-billion will come from the national treasury.

While the ZTE Broadband deal has already been discontinued due to its controversial nature, the CyberEducation Project is yet to be scrapped and is still being pursued by the Department of Education (DepEd).

Despite strong opposition from different groups, the DepEd maintains its position that the project will be necessary to address the problems hounding the education system. The CyberEd, DepEd insists, is the "best response to the challenges of basic education."

What exactly will the CyberEducation Project do? How will it work?

Using the project's "advanced" technological infrastructure, the DepEd will broadcast live TV shows daily, via 12 specially dedicated video channels to some 37,792 or 90% of public schools nationwide.

Each classroom will be equipped with a television set hooked to a satellite disc. At the start of a subject period, the teacher opens the TV to receive a live satellite feed from DepEd studios in Manila. A "master teacher" gives a live lecture to tens of thousands of students simultaneously all over the country. The classroom teacher and students watch the program, then spend the rest of the time discussing and doing school work.

DepEd offices nationwide will also be inter-connected via the satellite network. Wireless internet connection may also be provided.

In order to attain this, the DepEd will have to install TVs, computers, and all necessary equipment in 34 schools daily for 3 years. Also, the DepEd will have to put up its own studio and broadcasting center to produce daily live shows for 12 channels covering five subjects each.

Why is there a significant opposition to the CyberEducation Project? Why is the CyberEd controversial?

Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casino, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), League of Filipino Students (LFS), Senators Legarda and Angara, among others, including prominent bloggers, have expressed opposition to the CyberEducation Project. Critics are pointing out the following:

Lack of transparency

Like the ZTE deal, the CyberEd Project was signed in a hasty, secretive and suspect manner. The official copy of the Memorandum of Agreement was reportedly also lost, together with the original ZTE contract. Until now, the government still have not produced a copy of the MOA to respond to the investigations in Congress.

Details of how the project will be implemented and break down of costs have not been fully ironed out, a matter that is highly questionable for something that will cost billions.

Questionable endorsement by Neri

The project, like the ZTE deal, was also endorsed by NEDA chief Romulo Neri, and like the ZTE deal, in a questionable manner. It was reported that in past cabinet hearings and reviews, DOTC usec Formoso expressed reservations about the project overlapping with existing ICT projects and the NBN, an opinion that Romulo Neri supported.

A few weeks before the signing, Neri changed his decision and endorsed the project on flimsy grounds.

Too expensive and impractical

With the CyberEd's budget of P21.4 billion, the government could construct 51,913 classrooms, hire close to two million new teachers or buying 336 million chairs, or acquire 434 million new textbooks. Or the gov't could just allot the same amount to provide full four-year college scholarships to 1,085,000 students.

Knowledge Channel, a similar program, but not as ambitious is technical scope, costs only $1,500 per school or only about P1.8 billion covering the same number of schools as the CyberEd.

According to experts, a satellite system will also be too costly and impractical for such use, as there are other cheaper and practical ways to conduct inter-connectivity and media sharing.

Cyber-Redundancy

The project will not utilize previous Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure and projects, and will rely on its own "backbone." It will not even be utilizing the facilities and technology of the planned ZTE NBN project and will have a separate, thus redundant infrastructure.

Even NEDA chief Neri, in a report, acknowledged this fact saying that the "overlap" will, according to his computations, reach P4 billion to P5 billion. This was also the initial stand of DOTC Usec. Formoso.

Impossible to implement

Installing the equipment (34 schools daily), producing daily live broadcast shows for 12 channels (something that even ABSCBN and GMA will have a hard time doing), training teachers and administrators and adjusting the curriculum design to fit the scheme, will be a hard task for an agency which cannot even ensure the correctness of its textbooks and proper running of school toilets.

Most believe that this is an overly ambitious fantasy not fit for an agency which, track record have shown, is not even capable of addressing the most basic problems.

Not a solution to basic education woes

TV shows and tech babble will not solve the basic low-tech problems of our educational system: low budget, classroom shortages, lack of books and facilities, lack of teachers, mismanagement and flawed orientation.

Another multi-million dollar racket for the Arroyo's and the boys


This overly ambitious, extra expensive, impractical and highly questionable project will only be an additional burden to Filipino taxpayers and will again make the youth and the entire education system victim to the corrupt schemes of the Arroyo government and her minions.

There is an explanation why Sec. Jesli Lapuz, Arroyo and her cabinet insist on continuing with the project despite its obvious defects: this project costs billions more than the ZTE, and that means billions worth of more kickback. More money "for the boys" --- and Gloria. #

Bloglinks:
http://tonyo.blogspot.com/2007/10/arroyo-must-not-cover-up-impose-cyber.html
http://sirmartin.wordpress.com/2007/09/16/why-i-am-not-excited-about-the-cyber-education-project/
http://davidllorito.blogspot.com/2007/09/technical-questions-on-depeds-cyber.html
http://csrexpo2007.net/downloads/ppt/DAY2/Consortium_Building_Breakout/Education-ICT/Jess_Mateo.pdf
http://activism102.wordpress.com/2007/09/21/cyber-education-project-the-best-response-to-challenges-in-philippine-education/

News:
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view_article.php?article_id=92399
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/aug/08/yehey/metro/20070808met1.html
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/sept/26/yehey/top_stories/20070926top5.html
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view_article.php?article_id=91128
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/infotech/view_article.php?article_id=89650
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/news/view_article.php?article_id=88617
http://www.deped.gov.ph/updates/updateslinks.asp?id=182


Continue reading this entry >>


Today is bloggers' action day for Burma

Thursday, October 4, 2007

ILPS Supports the People of Burma and Condemns the Military Regime
Friday, 28 September 2007

The International League of Peoples' Struggle (ILPS) supports the people of Burma in their struggle for democracy and condemns the Burmese military regime for violently suppressing the peaceful mass protests. It is the sovereign right of the Burmese people to overthrow the military fascist regime and establish democracy under civilian authority. It is further their right to make sure that imperialist powers do not take advantage of the situation to advance their own selfish and narrow interests.


The mass protests started by denouncing the 500% fuel price increase approved by the regime for the benefit of the state gas and oil monopoly and foreign oil companies. Since then, the people's movement has put forward a comprehensive range of grievances. The great majority of the people live in poverty as a result of corruption by the military regime and exploitation of foreign monopoly corporations. The people's democratic movement has become so broad as to involve the militant participation of the Buddhist monks who are highly respected in Burma.

The ILPS condemns the hypocritical statements of George W. Bush and other leaders of imperialist powers. These have in fact conducted business with the Burmese military regime and served to prolong its rule. Their protestations about democracy ring hollow. US companies are the fourth biggest foreign investors in Burma. The US oil company Unocal is the biggest foreign-owned company in the country. Besides Unocal, Texaco Inc. and Atlantic Richfield Co. of the United States, Total of France and Premier Oil of Britain maintain operations in Burma. Unocal has joint ventures with Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise of Burma which is controlled by the Burmese military regime.

What can be more undemocratic than what Bush is doing in foisting puppet regimes with no popular support on the people of Afghanistan and Iraq? In his own backyard, the police cracked down and arrested more than 200 protesters during the September 15 anti-war demonstration in Washington D.C. Previous to this, while wife Laura Bush was holding a press conference inside the White House condemning the crackdown on “pro-democracy” activists in Burma, outside horse-mounted police were attacking anti-war activists who were holding a press conference to announce the Protest March on September 15.

What the US and other imperialist powers want foremost in Burma is stability. They do not care if that stability comes from fascist dictatorship or bourgeois democracy. A stable environment for their monopoly capitalist investments is the most important thing for them. The imperialist powers and their puppets oppose the Burmese people's demands for national liberation, democracy, social justice, development and peace.

The ILPS supports the Burmese people’s struggle for the dismantling of the military regime and for democracy. At the same time, the ILPS denounces the attempts of imperialist powers to take advantage of the events in Burma to advance their anti-national and anti-democratic interests. We are in complete solidarity with the Burmese people's struggle for national liberation, democracy and a genuine socialist future. ###

Continue reading this entry >>


Dutch court rejects prosecution appeal on Sison detention

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Here's an unofficial translation of the Dutch court news release from Tonyo:
Appeal to put Sison in detention rejected

The Hague, 3 October 2007 - The Court of Appeal in Den Haag today rejected the appeal of the public prosecution to put Sison in detention. The Court dismissed that demand. Sison, a long-time resident in the Netherlands, is alleged to be the leader of the Communist Party of the Philippines. He is accused of giving the order for the assassination attacks in 2003 and 2004 in the Philippines on a number of dissident leaders of that party, or inciting those attacks. The attacks were supposed to have been carried out by a unit of the National People's Army (NPA), a part of the CPP.

The Court also supports the decision of the district court that "serious accusations" are not present to compel the application of temporary custody against the suspect. The court has indeed determined that the dossier contains numerous indications that Sison, during his stay in the Netherlands, continued to fulfil a prominent role within the CPP. The court finds that the position of Sison within the party in its generality is not (yet) sufficient to merit serious accusations or confirm his criminal responsibility. The dossier does not sufficiently provide concrete proof that will establish Sison to have any form of direct connection to the commission of the assassination attacks.

The Court has also found that the accusations with regard to the time period as very indefinite and could not be considered reliable. It is in this connection that the Court points to the possible political context of the facts and circumstances that the accussing statements were gathered the Philippines.

The Court points out further that the investigation can take a long time and it is not sure if the defense can sufficiently exercise its right to cross examination.
Inquirer news report here.

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Photoshop tip: Edit text faster

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Nice Photoshop tip from bittbox.com:

Instead of changing your tool to edit text, just click on the "T" icon in the layer palette.

This will definitely make life easier for Photoshop-ers.


Link

Still have no idea how to use Photoshop? Better start learning.

Want to upgrade your Photoshop skills? Advanced tutorials here.

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Astig! Online video game attacks McDonalds

Corrupt a politician, destroy rainforests, feed cows with industrial waste --- these are only some of the options you have when running the operations of McDo, in this online videogame which is a satire of the operations of the global food capitalist McDonalds.

Play the game here.

Once you get the point, feed yourself some more information on how Mcfastfood kills people by watching one of my favorite documentaries: SuperSize Me.

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October 4 is bloggers' action day for Burma

From free-burma.org:

International bloggers are preparing an action to support the peaceful revolution in Burma. We want to set a sign for freedom and show our sympathy for these people who are fighting their cruel regime without weapons.

Take part in this action for a Free Burma!

1. Publish a posting (Bulletin Board, Forum, Blog, Social Network, Static Website…) on the 4th of October with the header: “Free Burma!”

2. Tag it if you can with “Free Burma”

3. Choose a grafic from our Grafics page and

4. Link to www.free-burma.org there your readers will find some informations about the campaign and Burma and a participant list which you can join. Even if you're a webmaster of a bulletin board or social network you will find a special Group List to join.

5. Feel free to write any additional text you want

If you have no website or blog we need you even more: Please help us to spread the word across the internet, tell your neighbours, friends or kids and first of all: Sign our list of participants!

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