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Truth

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Truth

So my over-indulgence, combined with this freezing Canadian weather, have resulted in a bit of bed-ridden flu steez. A good friend passed me some links of some amazing documentaries and interviews to help pass the time, so I thought I'd share them with y'all. The first one is a brilliant interview with Mr David Icke, a personal favourite of mine. The other two are to do with the late Aaron Russo, Hollywood producer and freedom fighter. One is a fantastic interview conducted by Alex Jones, and the other is Mr Russo's film 'America: Freedom Or Fascism'. Go educate yourselves.

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Masonic Monuments in Melbourne (video)

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Masonic Monuments in Melbourne (video)

So yesterdays post inspired todays.

I've watched this video a few times already and it's really, really interesting. If you're in Melbourne, keep an eye out for different things throughout the city, coz there are SO many things that you don't notice unless you really pay attention.

And while I'm here, check the video of Lebron, Wade and Bosh getting welcomed to Miami.

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Hectic Friday (Oscar Grant, Lebron and Rainbows)

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Hectic Friday (Oscar Grant, Lebron and Rainbows)

Today there was so much shit going on that I thought it'd be simpler to wrap it all up in one special Hectic Friday post. First up, the decision on the recent Oscar Grant murder trial was made today. Long story short, a white policeman shot a young black man point blank in front of a crowd at an Oakland BART station, and the cop got off on a couple years for 'involuntary manslaughter'. This case had serious race overtones, hence the uproar.

The worst part was that it happened on the same day as the Lebron announcement (see below) so half my Twitter feed was about a cop getting off for murdering a human, and the other was about an athlete deciding where to earn his billionth dollar.

Oscar Grant murder/verdict

And this Lebron shit has been wild. I'm not even really a huge sports fan but it was all over Twitter today so I couldn't avoid it.

My two cents: Players leave teams and get traded EVERY FUCKING YEAR. Yeah, the Cavs lost Lebron, but so what? Shit happens. Mike retired, too. Get over it. Good on him.

Lebron decision

That said, majority owner Dan Gilbert wrote a scathing public letter about Lebron's decision, saying such sore loser bullshit like "I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER 'KING' WINS ONE" and "You can take it to the bank." Wow. What a tool.

Majority owner Dan Gilbert's reaction

And to wrap up all this seriousness with some awesomeness, check out this video (if you haven't already seen it). Never seen a human so excited about a rainbow. And aside from the video hilarity, the description reads "It was rainbowing for at least an hour on January 8th 2010." I had no idea 'rainbowing' was an adjective.

Double Rainbow

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Exit Through The Gift Shop: A Banksy Film

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Exit Through The Gift Shop: A Banksy Film

This one looks amazing. Most folks are familiar with Banksy's work, and this doco should hopefully shed a bit of light on the man. Check the wrap up below:

"Exit Through the Gift Shop, the first film by renowned graffiti artist Banksy, became the hottest ticket at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival where it made its world debut. Banksy is a graffiti artist with a global reputation whose work can be seen on walls from post—hurricane New Orleans to the separation barrier on the Palestinian West Bank. Fiercely guarding his anonymity to avoid prosecution, Banksy has so far resisted all attempts to be captured on film. Exit Through the Gift Shop tells the incredible true story of how an eccentric French shop keeper turned documentary maker attempted to locate and befriend Banksy, only to have the artist turn the camera back on its owner with spectacular results. The film contains exclusive footage of Banksy, Shepard Fairey, Invader and many of the worlds most infamous graffiti artists at work, on walls and in interview. As Banksy describes it, Its basically the story of how one man set out to film the un—filmable. And failed."

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Hugs are the work of the devil

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Hugs are the work of the devil

So last night I saw what was arguably the funniest and intelligent comedy show I've ever seen, courtesy of Jamie Kilstein. Being a left-leaning, liberal kind of bloke, everything Jamie said permeated with my beliefs, hence my extreme bias to the amazingness of his show.

Anyway, one of the highlights was the Christian Side Hug. I found a video (below) on YouTube that breaks it down for y'all. I have no words. I'm a staunch athiest and very anti-organised religion, but this is out of control. There are seemingly no bounds to the insanity of the Christian church. Just watch.

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Capitalism...a rant of sorts

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Capitalism...a rant of sorts

OK, been a minute I since posted and thought this was well overdue. I'm aware I've been lagging on my blog posts. It's something I hope to correct.

So lately I've been catching up on a whole bunch of shit that I've downloaded but never watched and over the next few posts I just wanna touch on something (no homo).

Firstly the latest offering from serial pest as he's is often known, Mr Michael Moore. His new movie Capitalism, and all I can say is Wow, if you haven't watched it-download it. He wont care, in fact I'm pretty sure he's into it (no homo again).

OK so the premise of the film takes the viewer through the rise of the great concept of capitalism, they talk about freedom of choice, free market economies, consumerism, and of course greed and the insatiable appetite that it creates.

Now I should mention that in this movie/documentary that the focus is mainly North America but the same formula could be applied to any modern western economic situation, after all we are capitalists right?
No I'm not going to quote slabs of Karl Marx and the communist manifesto. I like capitalism - well at least some of the concept of it I think. What really incites me is the nonsensical greed that blinds us all, to constantly create must haves and needs out of desires and wants - they are polar opposites.
I digress, however the movie takes us through the sub prime mortgage crises, shows us how this came to be... again greed masked as capitalism, google it if you don't believe me!

Life insurances policies taken out by companies for employees that the worker and their family have no knowledge of, except if they die. Then, the company stands to make a HUGE payout. In Australia we do they same thing- it's something called (traded policies) - it can be bought by you and I.
It's basically like trading a security; you buy someones life policy from them at a premium and when they die you get big money! Many, many, many life insurance companies, when changing a customers policy, will offer to purchase their old policy as part of a rebate for the new life policy or give them cash. They (the life company) never pay the premium on the new policy they acquire and when the person dies the insurance company gets a payout. Subract that from the years of non-payment of premium, channel it through some very effective taxation strategy and BOOM...they are all living in the Wu Tang! C.R.E.A.M. Gnomesayin?.

It's all legal, albeit somewhat macabre and very immoral which then brings me to my next point.

Where does it say that being good at business means you should be a good person? In fact, if you look at every motivating aspect to move a companies profit line further, it almost always will fall into a moral grey area.

So should we question the virtues of capitalism?
I want to have my cake and eat it too!
I want to have a different job than my neighbour or choose to wear different coloured shoes or a shirt, should we rewrite the book to include some form of socialism into what we now embody as modern day capitalism?

I don't have all the answers but I do know we need to ask questions to those who should, also question the motives of those who seek to undermine the disadvantaged to turn a company profit. I mean, what ever happened to corporate social responsibility? Free trade coffee beans and no blood diamonds...

Do we really know what capitalism is or has it deteriorated into a depraved form of greed that we are so blinded by that we can't call it as we see it?

Thanks for tuning into another rant... 'till next time.

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Young Artists for Haiti – Wavin’ Flag w/ K’naan, Mike Waxx, Drake, Kardinal Offishall, etc

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Young Artists for Haiti – Wavin’ Flag w/ K’naan, Mike Waxx, Drake, Kardinal Offishall, etc

K'NAAN "Waving Flag" -Celebration mix- Dir: NABIL from nabil elderkin on Vimeo.

I'm let the artists tell it...

K’naan’s “Wavin’ Flag” is one of the standout tracks from his Troubadour album and has become something of a phenomenon thanks to its timely message of strength and solidarity. Now famed producer Bob Ezrin has brought together top Canadian performers for Young Artists for Haiti, and the group’s rendition of the song takes it to new heights. Performers include K’naan, Nikki Yanofsky, Justin Bieber, Jim Cuddy, Emily Haines, Hedley, The Arkells, Drake, Justin Bieber, Avril Lavigne, Jully Black, Sam Roberts, Kardinal Offishall, and more.

Apple, the labels, and the artists are donating their share of the proceeds to the Free The Children, World Vision, and War Child charities.

DOWNLOAD: Young Artists for Haiti – Wavin’ Flag

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B Please: Race, Class & Linguistics

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B Please: Race, Class & Linguistics

OK, I'm a bit late on this given that I actually read this article last weekend, but I just had to post about it. Anyway, Mina Jasarevic wrote a great article on HipHopDX.com about the use of the word "bitch" in hip hop and I think its a great read. The article features quotes from Talib Kweli, KRS-One, Eternia, Joell Ortiz, Ras Kass and B-Real.

Anybody who knows my girlfriend knows that she's a pretty staunch feminist. We've had some pretty extensive discussions/debates/arguments over the portrayal of women in mainstream culture generally, but perhaps the most challenging are those about the portrayal of women in hip hop culture.

I love hip hop to death and have bumped any number of misogynistic anthems in my life, but I've got to say its something that's pretty difficult to justify on a rational level. After all, if the point of hip hop is so often drummed up as an outlet for the marginalised, how can you then justify the subjectification of women?

I've got to say the conclusion to the article (or lack thereof) is a bit of a cop out, as are Joell Ortiz's quotes which seem more like attempted diversions rather than facing the issue being discussed.

I really think the dicsussion of misogyny in hip hop too often comes from outside the culture. It's about time the discussion came more regularly from within.

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Hip Hop and Freemasonry

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Hip Hop and Freemasonry

Aight, back on our Icke shit. Me and Thrizz have been really into this stuff lately. Here's some VERY interesting videos about how freemasonry is infecting Hip Hop; they even point the finger at some of my favourite artists, which is quite a shock. Personally, I'm not sure what to believe just yet as I'm only just getting into it, but check out the videos and judge for yourselves...

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NASA Moon Bombing - Rap News

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NASA Moon Bombing - Rap News

On October 9th, the Earth will carry out its first attack on a neighbouring planet by bombing the moon ...in the name of SCIENCE! Is this a worthy experiment to aid the human race with its energy and water crisis, or a crass attempt to save money and perpetuate humankind's brutal behaviour (or an NWO NASA Roswell Illuminati conspiracy?) Explore the issues with Juice Media's RAP NEWS.

The Outer Space Treaty: http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/oosa/SpaceLaw/outerspt.html

Huge BIG UPS to the homie Hugo 1, dude, you're incredible. You don't quit. People, check out Hugo's videos on YouTube, Google that.

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Corporate Social Responsibility

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Corporate Social Responsibility

Fair Trade

And it got me thinking; do we care about this?

I remember hearing this one speaker talk about how shareholders reacted to the news that a particular company would donate funds to victims of the tsunami in Asia. Great, a very socially responsible thing to do. However, the reaction was less than favorable.

How many of those who reacted that were less than impressed knew that there maybe a chance that a portion of their dividends could end up being doled out as aid dollars would also choose to buy fair trade coffee from oligopolistic fast food chains who use their buying power to bully 3rd world nations into changing their corporate strategy by forcing them not to use slave labour, and then hold them to a fixed price unit of product? (I am a big fan of not using slave labour, I will accept a price rise in a particular good, as long as you can show me that it's going to make a real difference to that regions economy or standard of education and or living.)

Fair trade

In the Hip Hop ages it has now come to a point more of bling than substance. "I went to Jacob with 25 thou, you went with 2500 WOW"

I'm fan of 'Ye, but how many others will just think, 'Man I gotta get me to the best jeweler from Antwerp or Gent & cop the biggest bit of ice I can fit on a ring' etc. The "Jacob's" and the like can never honestly say they don't deal in conflict diamonds. If they do, strap 'em to a polygraph. Every shop in the world has conflict diamonds. It's the trade they deal in. Accept it, or don't buy diamonds!

I digress though...

The point I'm trying to make is consumers are quick to buy a good something with a free trade sticker on it or purchase a carbon offset this or that, but few of us take time to find out what if any help will this be of to anyone but the companies bottom line. I'm sad to say free trade or fair trade are just marketing buzz words used to manipulate us into buying a little piece good will or consciousness for our souls...

Fair trade

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New World Order

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New World Order

Aight, time to take a break from all the entertainment and a get a lil serious on y'all. Peep this video. It gives a brilliant overview on the oppressive New World Order (NWO) that is imminently upon us. Keep an open mind when watching this video, although there is a lot of proof direct from the mouths of many world leaders (as you will see) as to what is really happening out there. Scary stuff.

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