Tehran, Iran - Riots in the streets over suspicious election results

Most Internet and mobile services have reportedly been cut off by the authorities.

What an exciting time for Iran. Let's hope democracy prevails.

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1000th post.

Thanks for reading!

"Socially dangerous behavior"

Here's an interesting story of an artist - Artem Loskutov - the Russian government is afraid of. The blog describes other recent clashes between artists and police there. On June 10 Artem was released until trial.

The interesting thing is not really that these particular events have happened (it's been the same story for thousands of years), but that once again young artists are openly challenging the controlling regime (and its police force) in Russia. Governments always get nervous about people who can generate a mob in the street no matter the reason. "Socially dangerous" means you can change people's minds.

Spreading the news of their struggle is essential to keeping artists safe when they embark on such dangerous missions as these. Oppression works best when it's a well-known secret rather than when it's embarrassing international news. Artists inside Russia are at more risk, so artists outside Russia should support them in their efforts.

Rockstar energy drinks - just say no

UK-Protesters denounce jail sentences for graffiti writers

Tragically, a young man hanged himself in jail after being sentenced to a cruel and unusual 30 months for writing on trains.

Saturday 14th February 2009

A PROTEST calling for an end to custodial sentencing for non-violent graffiti offenders took place outside the Royal Courts of Justice today.

Around 50 people turned out in central London to demonstrate against sending graffiti offenders to prison.

Last Saturday 23-year-old graffiti artist Tom Collister from Penge hanged himself in jail.

He had belonged to a gang which carried out a two-year campaign of vandalism on trains and stations around south London.

Collister was serving a 30-month sentence after admitting conspiracy to cause criminal damage.

Save the Banksy campaign

Not surprisingly, citizens would rather save that Banksy (see previous post) in London rather than let the authorities whitewash another masterpiece. Bristol saved one of theirs this way, so who knows. You'd think the Tate Modern would step up to defend it given their recent focus on street art.

Here's the email address in a usable format: planninginformation@westminster.gov.uk

Here's a photo of the work in question

Anarchists raise $1000 for MFone defense in PA

The state claims [MFone] caused over $600,000 in damage in a years-long stretch of writing. We know this ridiculous claim was made to demonize Danny and further the career of certain politicians like city councilman Bill Peduto (the fake hipster). We intend to work hard to make sure that Danny gets an appeal and is out of prison as soon as possible. We also want to stand in solidarity with all graffiti writers and other marginalized people in our city and all over the world. We want a world where the sanctity of property is not more important than the life of a young artist.

-Greater Pittsburgh Anarchist Collective
Member of the Anti-Racist Action Network
GPAC412 AT gmail.com

For more information on the case of Daniel Montano visit FREEMFONE.org

"In our city, a neo-nazi who killed an unarmed woman served less time than a young man is presently facing for a graffiti conviction."

MFone is currently serving a 2.5 to 5 year sentence after the media made him out to be public enemy number one in Pennsylvania.

Toronto gallery show closes after local writers complain

This is the second time I know of that something like this has happened. The most recent other example was the 2007 Tattooed Walls show in NYC, where very similar stuff went on. In that case it cost the photographer his book as well.

In this case, the photographer was selling photos of writers' pieces for an outrageous sum: CAN$2800, but she did not acknowledge that the artists had rights to their work or indeed to any of the money. They were also not properly credited.

Understandably, the writers felt disrespected and ripped off. In fact they were, and further, this sounds like a clear-cut case of copyright violation, particularly if the photography was quite documentary in nature. Idiotically, the photographer took the attitude that she was doing the writers a favor. Just as stupidly, the gallery let this all happen.

What if writers had printed copies of her photos and sold those for thousands of dollars - to do her a favor of course - without bothering to mention her name? Right.

It's unfortunate when graffiti art shows (or books) go down in flames, but in cases like this, it's the only right thing to do. Some photographers assume they can do what they like with graffiti photos because they think the artists can't defend their work or that they are not going to notice. Others arrogantly assume that their photos are legitimate art and the paintings are not. Nothing could be further from the truth. Graffiti writers win copyright cases all the time. They also tend to play nice with non-predatory, respectful photographers and galleries.

GRL's Powderly and other 5 American detainees released in Beijing

China apparently relented before the 10 days' sentence was up. They'll be in L.A. today.

Political protests get Americans arrested in China

BoingBoing broke the bad news this morning:

Beijing: Five US activists detained after lighting up "Free Tibet" LED Throwies banner near Olympics site and
[Graffiti Research Lab's] James Powderly detained in Beijing for planning pro-Tibet "L.A.S.E.R. Stencil" art protest

Internationally known artist, technologist and co-founder of the Graffiti Research Lab, James Powderly, was detained in Beijing early this morning while preparing to debut a new work and technology of protest, the L.A.S.E.R. Stencil. According to a ?twitter? message received today by Students for a Free Tibet at approximately 5 pm Beijing Standard Time, Powderly had been detained by Chinese authorities at 3 am. His current whereabouts remain unknown.

[...]

Students for a Free Tibet has staged six protests in Beijing over the last two weeks, placing the issue of Tibet?s occupation front and centre as China hosts the Olympic Games. The protests have included a dramatic banner hang near the Bird?s Nest Stadium; a display of Tibetan flags near the Bird?s Nest just before the opening ceremony began; a symbolic die-in at Tiananmen Square; a protest by a Tibetan woman with flags outside Tiananmen Square; a blockade of the Chinese Ethnic Culture Park; and ?Free Tibet? banner hang outside the CCTV headquarters. Thirty-seven members and supporters have been detained and deported, not including those detained today.

James and the other protesters who have been arrested deserve our support and respect. Let's hope they all get to come home soon as some other protesters have.

Ron English: Take America back, Obama

Impeach Bush & Cheney

Go Dennis Kucinich!

So many Americans wish the cowardly Congress would hold the Administration accountable. More than 85% are unhappy with the government's course. (And yet so many support McCain even though he represents more, more of the same, WTF?)

Is the $23 billion that disappeared into war profiteers' pockets with no accountability in Iraq on the list? (Go BBC).

"In the run-up to the invasion, one of the most senior officials in charge of procurement in the Pentagon objected to a contract potentially worth $7bn that was given to Halliburton, a Texan company which used to be run by Dick Cheney before he became vice-president. Unusually only Halliburton got to bid - and won."

So many Americans wish the cowardly US media would hold the Administration accountable. But instead, the bloggers have to cover this story.

Too bad the Supreme Court's been diluted with blind justices... 

So who's minding the fort? 

Go Dennis! 

I mean ... Go Obama!

*sigh*

Washington, Jun 10 - Dennis J. Kucinich of Ohio
In the United States House of Representatives
Monday, June 9th, 2008
A Resolution

INDEX

Article I
Creating a Secret Propaganda Campaign to Manufacture a False Case for War Against Iraq.

Article II
Falsely, Systematically, and with Criminal Intent Conflating the Attacks of September 11, 2001, With Misrepresentation of Iraq as a Security Threat as Part of Fraudulent Justification for a War of Aggression.

Article III
Misleading the American People and Members of Congress to Believe Iraq Possessed Weapons of Mass Destruction, to Manufacture a False Case for War.

Article IV
Misleading the American People and Members of Congress to Believe Iraq Posed an Imminent Threat to the United States.

Article V
Illegally Misspending Funds to Secretly Begin a War of Aggression.

Article VI
Invading Iraq in Violation of the Requirements of H. J. Res114.

Article VII
Invading Iraq Absent a Declaration of War.

Article VIII
Invading Iraq, A Sovereign Nation, in Violation of the UN Charter.

Article IX
Failing to Provide Troops With Body Armor and Vehicle Armor.

Article X
Falsifying Accounts of US Troop Deaths and Injuries for Political Purposes.

Article XI
Establishment of Permanent U.S. Military Bases in Iraq.

Article XII
Initiating a War Against Iraq for Control of That Nation's Natural Resources.

Article XIIII
Creating a Secret Task Force to Develop Energy and Military Policies With Respect to Iraq and Other Countries.

Article XIV
Misprision of a Felony, Misuse and Exposure of Classified Information And Obstruction of Justice in the Matter of Valerie Plame Wilson, Clandestine Agent of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Article XV
Providing Immunity from Prosecution for Criminal Contractors in Iraq.

Article XVI
Reckless Misspending and Waste of U.S. Tax Dollars in Connection With Iraq and US Contractors.

Article XVII
Illegal Detention: Detaining Indefinitely And Without Charge Persons Both U.S. Citizens and Foreign Captives.

Article XVIII
Torture: Secretly Authorizing, and Encouraging the Use of Torture Against Captives in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Other Places, as a Matter of Official Policy.

Article XIX
Rendition: Kidnapping People and Taking Them Against Their Will to "Black Sites" Located in Other Nations, Including Nations Known to Practice Torture.

Article XX
Imprisoning Children.

Article XXI
Misleading Congress and the American People About Threats from Iran, and Supporting Terrorist Organizations Within Iran, With the Goal of Overthrowing the Iranian Government.

Article XXII
Creating Secret Laws.

Article XXIII
Violation of the Posse Comitatus Act.

Article XXIV
Spying on American Citizens, Without a Court-Ordered Warrant, in Violation of the Law and the Fourth Amendment.

Article XXV
Directing Telecommunications Companies to Create an Illegal and Unconstitutional Database of the Private Telephone Numbers and Emails of American Citizens.

Article XXVI
Announcing the Intent to Violate Laws with Signing Statements.

Article XXVII
Failing to Comply with Congressional Subpoenas and Instructing Former Employees Not to Comply.

Article XXVIII
Tampering with Free and Fair Elections, Corruption of the Administration of Justice.

Article XXIX
Conspiracy to Violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Article XXX
Misleading Congress and the American People in an Attempt to Destroy Medicare.

Article XXXI
Katrina: Failure to Plan for the Predicted Disaster of Hurricane Katrina, Failure to Respond to a Civil Emergency.

Article XXXII
Misleading Congress and the American People, Systematically Undermining Efforts to Address Global Climate Change.

Article XXXIII
Repeatedly Ignored and Failed to Respond to High Level Intelligence Warnings of Planned Terrorist Attacks in the US, Prior to 911.

Article XXXIV
Obstruction of the Investigation into the Attacks of September 11, 2001.

Article XXXV
Endangering the Health of 911 First Responders.

Website selling freight photos is violating writers' copyrights

This isn't the first idiot selling artwork that doesn't belong to him online, and he probably won't be the last. It's amazing though that people doing this crap are so ignorant about copyright law. You'd think they would worry, since it's so expensive to violate.

Please take a moment to write and educate him. Ask your lawyer to send a cease and desist letter if your work is being exploited without your permission (to help protect your identity and your rights). If dude sells your artwork, he owes you 100% of the money for violating your copyright, at a minimum. Any lawyer for the arts can take care of this for you.

Given how seriously copyright is being prosecuted these days, it should be easy to have his hosting company boot him for this as well, if the cease and desist doesn't work immediately.

Copyright happens the moment an artist creates something. It is not something you have to apply for and it's not something that disappears because of the legal status of the work.

copyright.gov

Free Daze (UK) - UPDATE

UPDATE: Daze was freed from prison this week after his case went to appeal court. The protests helped to raise the profile of his case and generated lots of support mail from around the world.

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Graffiti writer Daze (Gary Shields) from the UK was jailed in March for 28 months at Ayr Sheriff Court. This was for eight offences.

A protest and appeal are aimed at getting this ridiculously long sentence reduced. See the link for details and current petitions.

[Note that this is not the same Daze whose painting appears on Art Crimes' front page this month.]

The war that lasts another 6 months, then another 6

MoveOn is a political action committee that is antiwar, pro-environment and active on progressive issues. They make it easy to send email to your Congresscritters and they buy advertising to help educate Americans on important issues. They endorsed Obama this year by popular demand (landslide) from a majority of their members, even though they normally don't pick a candidate. And best of all, they'd rather have your signature on petitions than your money.

LA vs WAR

Daze from Scotland, sentenced to 28 months: protest campaign

http://www.freedaze.co.uk

Shoot-self-in-foot public policy strikes again. The stupidest thing is that those who are arguing that the sentence fits the crime are up in arms about the damage amount claims. If they weren't idiots, they'd be arguing for restitution, not tax-paid incarceration, which likely will end up costing them more than the damage amount.

Scotland should let him go to school as planned. Education is more reformative than prison and it leads to more tax paying citizens.

Now if we could just get the US to wake up, where more than 2 million people are in prison, many for nonviolent offenses...

Winter Soldier 2008

Matt sent this alert:

For the next three days, an event taking place outside Washington, D.C. called "Winter Soldier 2008" will be broadcast live over the web at KPFA.org or at warcomeshome.org .

Winter soldier will feature dozens of U.S. veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars bearing witness to the war as they experienced it, minus the censorship or white-washing that often accompanies stories from the front lines.

A similar event was held during the Vietnam War and was captured in a documentary film. Pass it on. We are all complicit in the atrocities committed in our name using our tax dollars whether we agreed with the wars or not.

[If you only listen to one war program this war, make it this one. The streaming audio is happening right this minute. - Susan]

Anonymous vs Scientology - video #3

Recently Anonymous called for people to show up at Scientology locations worldwide to protest this dangerous cult. See the link under the title to this article for a picture from this protest.

More info about the epic battle at Wikipedia

UPDATE - Petition: Afghan man sentenced to death for downloading an article about Islam and the treatment of women

UPDATE: Apparently there's an ulterior motive in having Sayed arrested and perhaps a reason to be optimistic about his fate as well according to NPR

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See the link for a synopsis of the case and a petition you can sign. It's hard to know if public disapproval can sway foreign officials, but it's worth a try when someone's life hangs in the balance.

The document he allegedly downloaded was from Iran and about Islamic thought. Makes you wonder what they would do to people who read Western secular documents.

When a country's belief system is so shaky that authorities have to kill or imprison people for thinking outside the book, its days are numbered. Suppression leads directly to keen interest in forbidden ideas. Let's hope 23-year-old Sayed Perwiz Kambakhsh and the brave women of Afghanistan survive this shameful period of their country's history, and that it passes quickly into the books itself.

Banksy and friends do the Israeli wall of shame again

Iranian Students Jailed for Protesting War

I received this disturbing note today from a writer in Tehran (and the story linked above says some teens have been killed) :

As you should be aware!!!! 

Thirty of our comrades are currently being held in ward 209 of Avin prison in Tehran, subjected to torture and the worst physical and mental conditions. The magnificent Students Day rallies in Tehran, Mazendaran, Kermanshah, Tabriz and Hamadan were manifestation of our determination to raise the banner of freedom and equality in our society. The oppressive Islamic regime tried, in vain, to prevent the student day rallies. It has suffered a humiliating defeat. We congratulate all our fellow students.

Comrades! Our call for the release of all detained students, in universities up and down the country, must break the current deadly silence. This calls for united actions of all of us for the immediate release of our detained comrades. Spread the news of the arrest of the students and let the entire population know that their students are being imprisoned for calling for freedom and equality. The shameful silence of all the so-called "impartial" and "pro-democracy" media outlets has made our task of informing the public ever so crucial. This shameful silence is tantamount to collaboration with oppressors. Such attempts to spread lies and deception have long being at the service of profiteers and capitalists.

Comrades! The families of the arrested students have pinned their hopes on us. We have shown that we never give up on our demands. Knowing the brutality of the authorities in the jails we fear for the well being of our comrades. Our struggle will continue until the release of all political students.

People of the world!

Students in Iran, by raising the slogan of "No to War" and "No to Despotism", are confronting Imperialists war mongering and fundamentalism. International solidarity is a valuable means to break down the ranks of reaction and war mongering and blow away the spectre of war and insecurity over the lives of people of Iran.