Bush legalizes martial law

"On Oct 17, George Bush quietly signed a bill allowing him to declare martial law. The Toward Freedom website summarizes it:

'For the current President, "enforcement of the laws to restore public order" means to commandeer guardsmen from any state, over the objections of local governmental, military and local police entities; ship them off to another state; conscript them in a law enforcement mode; and set them loose against "disorderly" citizenry - protesters, possibly, or those who object to forced vaccinations and quarantines in the event of a bio-terror event.

The law also facilitates militarized police round-ups and detention of protesters, so called "illegal aliens," "potential terrorists" and other "undesirables" for detention in facilities already contracted for and under construction by Halliburton. That's right. Under the cover of a trumped-up "immigration emergency" and the frenzied militarization of the southern border, detention camps are being constructed right under our noses, camps designed for anyone who resists the foreign and domestic agenda of the Bush administration.'

[...]"The elections are coming up in a matter of weeks. Vote America. Throw the traitors out. Install some leaders who love the Constitution." [boingboing.net]

Teen shot off freeway sign in LA

They don't know who shot him, so they claim it was "a rival gang" which seems a bit speculative for a city famous for highway shootings in general.

Not sure who was shot either, but we sure hope he gets well soon. Go firefighters!

Bush can disappear anyone he wants, now

Be afraid, people. Vote the corrupt US Congress out of office on Nov 2.

Gallery owner beaten for showing political art - Russia

According to the Moscow Times (!):

"Ultranationalists donning heavy boots and knit caps stormed one of the city's best known art galleries Saturday, beating owner Marat Gelman and destroying paintings by the Georgian-born artist Alexander Dzhikia.

[...]

"On Sunday, Gelman dismissed the suggestion that there might be a tie between Saturday's attack and the Friday detention of the artworks at Sheremetyevo-2 airport heading from his gallery.

Matthew Bown of the Matthew Bown Gallery in London was transporting the 11 pieces of art from the Guelman Gallery for a London show when he was ordered off his plane and questioned by police at the airport, the gallery said in a statement posted on its web site.

Officials confiscated the artwork, telling Bown he had been detained because several of the pieces "contain representations of heads of state," the gallery statement said." [Brown was allowed to leave Russia later, but without the paintings.]

Gelman is up on charges as well, because (from the TimesOnline.co.uk)

"His gallery was visited on Friday by Customs officials, who confiscated caricatures on display of President Putin, President Bush and Osama bin Laden. The works were due to be exhibited in London.

One photo collage showed the three men lying together on a couch wearing only boxer shorts and socks. Mr Guelman said that officials had told him that they were considering a criminal prosecution for insulting the President of Russia."

[Kind of makes your hair stand on end, doesn't it? They are threatening to arrest the gallery owner beause of someone else's dangerous paintings. Paintings were killed by ultranationalists! Wherever ideas are illegal, they become extremely important. Be very happy if your country lets you paint or talk about whatever you want -- it's a right we all have to fight in order to get or to keep. - Susan ]

New legal wall in Louisville Kentucky USA

Congratulations to local artists Jeral Tidwell and Sean Griffin for hooking up such a great wall. He wants writers to paint on it anytime. (Maybe let his own first mural run for a minute though, right? Tip: it has roses and a traditional tattoo influence, very nicely done.)

Location: "The underpass of Interstate 65 on East Market Street, between Hancock and Jackson Streets. Sponsoring this project is the Mayor's Committee on Public Art (MCOPA), with support from the East Downtown Business Association.

"Louisville will be among many European and other American cities that provide a venue for an urban art form. Seattle, New York City, Minneapolis, San Diego and Philadelphia have similar programs.

"Rules include painting within the designated area; keeping the sidewalk free of paint and passable at all times; no advertisements; and no inappropriate work. Inappropriate work will be covered. Artists Tidwell and Sean Griffin have agreed to monitor the wall, visiting periodically to make sure that all work is appropriate."