Friday, December 19, 2008
Post NO-G8 Fundraising 27 Dec (Sat) @ FNBKL's house
Harap semua dapat dtg.. kalau sesiapa yang pergi ke Femme Fest, harap dapat singgah lepas gig tu.. kami ada menyediakan MINUMAN ISTIMEWA malam itu.. semua kutipan hasil dari jualan minuman ini akan diberi kepada movement anti-G8 di Jepun.
kepada kolektif2, kolektif dijemput pada 29hb, ke Radical Collective Convergence di rumah FnbKL. Dalam convergence ni akan membincangkan tentang strategi, rancangan, objektif, masalah, dan halatuju kolektif yang ada. kepada kolektif yang berminat.. sila hubungi +603-79559041 untuk confirm kedatangan.
cheers!
* * * * *
A little overview on what is G8.
G8 is a forum of the eight most powerful governments: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States; in addition, the EU is represented within the G8, but cannot host or chair. Each calendar year, the responsibility of hosting the G8 rotates through the member states and each year they discuss ways to eradicate poverty, minimize the spread of HIV, access to health care, weapons, and environment and so on. You are right; it is too good to be true. The truth is the G8 summits effectively decide what sort of world you and your children will live in. Behind closed doors decisions are made that mean our environment is sacrificed to profit, our health service is run down and privatised and millions of people continue to die for want of clean water and basic medicine. Simple example, US, one of the actors in G8, advocates on preserving the environment and how we should all go green. But at the same time, this is the same government which refuses to ratify the Kyoto Protocol and yet they are talking about making the world a greener place. Same goes to free trade. There was once where they were all talking about, "MAKE TRADE FAIR". But again how far is that true. These are the same countries which dump whatever products that they can't sell to Africa and other countries. Another example, which we can all relate to, is FTA. Free Trade Agreement. US and now EU are both pressuring Malaysia and other ASEAN countries to join them in fulfilling their dreams of making this world a borderless free trade area. In this very same agreement, these countries, which happen to be manufactures of medicine, impose intellectual property rights. This monopoly benefits producers of brand medicines and delays availability of generic products, making many products unattainable for many of those who are badly in need of medications such as PLHIVs.
Knowing that there are parties which are trying to systematically capitalize on others disadvantages, weakness, and vulnerabilities, there are initiatives and movements which are trying relentlessly to put an end to this. Every year as those eight countries prepare to meet, these movements too make their plans on ways and means to show their dissent and subsequently to put an end to the summit of eight. Early this year, the summit was held in Hokkaido and again many activists around the world met in the island to show their dissent. This year was a bit different; many were sponsored to Hokkaido to extend their solidarity and to join them in making this G8 the last one ever. But things didn't work as they planned and more cost incurred during the anti-G8 protest which left them with a big debt. So now, we are organizing a post anti G8 event to raise fund to ease their burden. There will be an art exhibition, performances, Bebe's infamous delicacies, and many more, and the best part is all the proceeds will go to the organizers of the anti-G8 protest.
Below is the itinerary of the programme:
Venue: No.
14, Jalan Jelawat 8/10 (map)
27th December, Saturday
11.00 am
* Art exhibition
* The Really, Really Free Market
A Really Really Free Market is like a potluck for whatever you want to give or take away. We all have skills, ideas, objects, smiles, talents, friendship, excitement, discussions, and many other things to share. If we bring them all together at the Really Really Free Market, we can provide more balanced and full lives for everyone. Everybody brings something and goes away with more.You are more than welcomed to bring your things so that you can give it to people for free. If you have no items to be given away, then you can also provide services e.g. free haircuts, free massage, fix bicycle etc. Anything as long as the key word is FREE! Or, just come on by to check out the things and you might just end up with a bag full of free stuff or knowledge to be taken back home. Maybe even a new haircut. FOR FREE! (Please bring your own plastic/shopping bag. Save the environment.)
* Bebe's infamous delicacies
1.00 pm
* Screening
-Fourth World War (90 minutes)
-Broga
- anti-G8 documentaries.. etc
3.00 pm
* Introduction of collectives
There are many collectives in Malaysia and outside of Malaysia which are doing great work but we know very little of them. This session will introduce to us all these new and old collectives and these people will be travelling all the way from their hometowns (some are even coming from Singapore!) to KL especially for this event so that they can tell you themselves what they are all about and what do they do.
4.00 pm
* Kids coloring session
6.00 pm
*Alind's experience sharing session
Alind and another friend went to the previous No-G8 protest in Japan.
In this session, he'll share his experience during the protest
7.00 pm
* Fund raising event
• Live Bands (The Pips, Meor, Laikong Brigade etc)
• Performances and screenings
• Bebe's infamous delicacies
12midnight
End
We hope you and your friends would be able to join us that day and we also hope to share and learn from you via this programme. Hopefully, this will be a beginning to more great things to come.
Thank you
Food Not Bombs Kuala Lumpur
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Greek youths break into state TV center, take over
For more than a minute, about 10 youths blocked a broadcast showing a speech by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis. Instead, they displayed banners reading: "Stop watching, get out onto the streets," and "Free everyone who has been arrested." No one was hurt, and no arrests were reported.
NET chairman Christos Panagopoulos claimed the protesters violently forced their way into the studio. "This goes beyond any limit," he said.
It was the latest twist in 11 days of riots and protests after a policeman shot and killed a 15-year-old boy on Dec. 6. The violent protests have evolved from being just aimed at Greek police to being highly critical of Karamanlis' conservative government.
Karamanlis has rejected mounting demands to resign and call new elections.
Earlier Tuesday, masked youths attacked riot police headquarters in Athens and protesters clashed with police in the northern city of Thessaloniki.
Police said 30 youths threw petrol bombs and stones at the riot police building, causing extensive damage to seven cars and a police bus parked outside.
Students blocked streets in Athens and dozens of teenagers gathered outside the capital's main court complex and a maximum security prison—where some threw stones at police.
Protesters have called for riot officers to be pulled off the streets, for police to be disarmed and for the government to revise its economic, social and education policies.
The protests have brought higher education in Greece to a standstill. Lessons have stopped at more than 100 secondary schools that are under occupation by students, according to the Education Ministry. Scores of university buildings across Greece are also occupied.
After the shooting death of 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos, furious youths smashed and burnt hundreds of shops in Athens' main shopping area, and attacked riot police who responded with massive tear gas.
Dozens of people have been injured in the rioting, while more than 300 people have been arrested. The policeman accused of killing the teenager has been charged with murder and is being held pending trial.
In the northern port of Thessaloniki, riot police fired tear gas Tuesday to disperse 300 youths throwing fruit and stones outside the city's main court complex. The disturbance followed a court decision that found eight police officers guilty of abusing a student following riots two years ago.
The policemen received suspended sentences ranging from three years and three months for grievous bodily harm to 15 months for being an accessory to the abuse.
In a symbolic gesture meant to revive riot-shocked Athens, city authorities will light a large Christmas tree Tuesday on central Syntagma Square—which has been at the center of many of the protests. The tree replaces one burnt during last week's riots.
Overnight, arsonists attacked three Athens banks with petrol bombs, causing extensive damage. There were no injuries or arrests. Every year, small anarchist groups carry out dozens of firebombings in Greece against government property, banks and diplomatic vehicles.
Monday, December 15, 2008
A Few Words on the Greek Insurrection
From Anarkismo
There is no denying the tragedy of the violence in Greece, especially the murders by the State’s police forces and their “citizen” allies, but also of all violence which is never pretty except in some illusions. But all the same, this is probably the best and most important news for us since May 1968. It is especially good news after our public discredit in the U.S. during the convention protests. This insurrection makes anarchism an internationally important social and political movement again. Not to say that in itself it will lead to anarchism becoming a popular movement elsewhere, but at least it does not end in public humiliation whereas it does demonstrate the power of a popular anarchist movement to resist the bourgeois State. Still, it is worth making a few more critical notes.
The social rebellion in Greece contains all the explosive potential for a revolution. But an insurrection alone is not a revolution. Now more than ever discipline is needed to keep the struggle going and intensifying — not the discipline of waiting but the discipline of acting, the discipline it takes to step up the struggle faster than the authorities are able to control. More than that, it requires a more definite social content than fighting police and ransacking banks. Insurrections that fail to deepen and intensify inevitably become defensive, then either are defeated by the State or simply fade out. Without discipline and direction, this rebellion will fail to deepen and intensify. By deepening, I mean moving from only immediately fighting the police and State forces to seizing capitalist and State property, as well the need for social self-organizing of the people, more specifically of the rebellious workers and anti-authoritarian students. That is how this uprising can become a revolutionary struggle.
The anarchists and the rebellious people of Greece have shown they know how to fight, that they know how to agitate and organize well enough to effectively resist the State. It is unlikely that even their best efforts will lead to a complete revolution, but with disciplined, concerted effort they could make some real revolutionary conquests. Furthermore, the uprisings in Greece point the way to wider anarchist agitation and involvement in popular social struggles to resist the oppressive apparatus of the State. Anarchist groups and organizations should openly support the rebellion in Greece and make every effort to equal the achievements of our Greek comrades. At the same time, all must be wary of the old mistake of substituting riot for revolution, the past failure of our movement of letting confusion and disorganization prevent us from being at the front of social struggles and turning rebellion into social revolution.
Article written for Anarkismo.net
Why Athens is burning
By Stathis N. Kalyvas
Athens, along with several other Greek cities, has been burning for the several days. The rioting was triggered by the death of a teenager killed by the police on Saturday night. How to make sense of a reaction that appears to be so massively disproportionate?
Several observers have pointed to the usual suspects: maladministration and corruption; the collapse of confidence in the government; political scandals; a growing gap between the rich and the poor.
These arguments are wanting: Greece is hardly exceptional in terms of its problems, yet rioting and destruction on such scale are unusual in Europe.
In fact, these riots are a symptom of a deep cultural problem rather than a social one. The rioting youths are not disadvantaged, poor, or even immigrant (as in France). They are, for the most part, regular teenagers, children of the middle class; in fact, the teenager killed by the police lived in one of Athens's most exclusive suburbs. Why are they, then, reacting in such a way?
After Greece's transition to democracy in the mid-1970s, a public discourse of resistance against authority emerged and became dominant. Civil disobedience, including violent demonstrations and the destruction of public property, is almost always justified, if not glorified; the police can only be wrong: If they act too harshly they are brutal; if not, incompetent. This discourse has proven to be extremely resistant to time and momentous world events, such as the fall of the Berlin Wall, and is promoted in the media. On the one hand, several journalists came of age in the mid 1970s and are openly sympathetic to it. On the other, political entrepreneurs see it as a resource that can be used handily for political or even economic advantage.
As a consequence, all governments since the 1970s have stood by while an anarchist subculture grew, complete with its exclusive urban enclave (the neighborhood of Exarcheia in downtown Athens which is a no man's land for the police). In regular intervals and on a variety of occasions (e.g. Bill Clinton's visit to Greece, various educational reforms, etc.), anarchists engage in violent demonstrations and widespread destruction. These are led by a hard core of 500 to 1,000 individuals which has grown in strength since the late 1990s and fantasizes that it is enacting some sort of 19th century social revolution against the bourgeois. Depending on the popularity of the issue they are joined, by hundreds or thousands of others of lesser commitment and varying motivations, from ideology to simple looting, who are nevertheless socialized into this culture.
Undergirding these actions is a more or less complete absence of sanctions - few people get arrested and almost no one gets sentenced. Participation in these riots is seen as a fun and low-risk activity, almost a rite of passage. This attitude of toleration covers a variety of other acts, such as the widespread use of graffiti, which has totally defaced Athens in the past few years.
The police lack a consistent policy. They are regularly harassed by groups of youths - a recurrent activity that is perceived as more or less normal; badly trained and inefficiently led, they are prone to outbursts of brutality. The cycle is vicious.
Greece's political, cultural, and intellectual leadership has been unwilling to act against this anarchist subculture. In fact, some have fully, and sometimes openly, justified, abetted, and in some instances endorsed it - especially small parties of the left, as well as mainstream left-of-center newspapers.
Clearly, these riots are undermining an already weak government. The opposition Socialist Party is already calling for its resignation. However, this problem won't fade away with the present government. Opportunities for riots will always present themselves. Addressing this problem requires nothing less than a deep cultural shift at the top.
Stathis N. Kalyvas, a professor of political science at Yale, is the author of "The Logic of Violence in Civil War."
Anarchist murdered by police in Greece
The centre of Athens was immediately swamped by police, while people gathered at Evaggelismos. The crowd there twice repelled police who attempted to enter the hospital. There have been numerous reports of confrontations between people and police riot units at Tsamadou, Polytechnio, Acropoli, Panteios and Ermou (different locations and schools in Athens). There are massive gatherings at Polytechneio while the Law School and ASOEE have been taken over by students.
Spontaneous demonstrations, marches and confrontations are being reported all over Greece, including Thessaloniki, Mytilini, Giannena, Komotini, Iraklio, Xanthi, Serres, Hania, Alexandroupoli, Sparta, and Volos .
Major marches have been scheduled for 13:00 Athens time
Sunday December 7th in Athens, Thessaloniki, Xania and Patra.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Violence marks Kashmir election
Violence has erupted during the second stage of state elections in parts of Indian-administered Kashmir, where thousands of troops have been deployed.
Police used batons to drive back hundreds of anti-election protesters in the village of Kurhama, 30km (19 miles) north of the main city, Srinagar
Two protesters were shot dead on Saturday in the town of Baramulla. Separatists are boycotting the polls, which are being held district by district to facilitate policing.
The separatists argue that the polls strengthen India's hold over the region.
The Indian-administered area of Kashmir was put under federal rule in July following the collapse of the state government over a land transfer deal for a Hindu shrine.
Teenager killed
Voting was temporarily halted in Kurhama, a police official told the Associated Press news agency.
Protesters had reportedly tried to prevent voters entering a polling station.
In Baramulla, , 55km north of Srinagar, a teenager died when security guards protecting a candidate's motorcade opened fire on protesters throwing stones, AP reports.
A man was later shot dead when protesters clashed with police.
Voting in the state is being held in seven phrases, lasting until 24 December. The counting of ballots will begin on 28 December.
An unusually strong turnout in the first phase of the elections on Monday took everyone by surprise, the BBC's Altaf Hussain reports from Srinagar.
The turnout in Muslim-majority constituencies was slightly more than 50%, with many Muslims voting despite not accepting Indian rule in their troubled state.
Six districts were voting on Sunday, accounting for about 500,000 of the state's 6.5 million eligible voters.
Syed Hamid explains again base closure
KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said the written reply he had made to a question in Parliament that the police beat base in Lorong Haji Taib had been closed for security reasons was "not accurate and clear".
The home minister said the reason the beat base was closed was because the owner of the land wanted it back, and not for security and health reasons like he said before.
On Oct 16, Syed Hamid said in his written reply to Titiwangsa member of parliament Dr Lo' Lo' Mohamad Ghazali, that the Lorong Haji Taib beat base had to be closed as the police found the location no longer suitable or safe for the police personnel on duty.
The dirty surroundings and criminal threats endangered the security of personnel, he had said. Speaking after visiting the Chow Kit police station yesterday, Syed Hamid said Chow Kit was once considered a "black area" full of criminals and illegal immigrants.
Malaysia blogger's joy at release
A prominent critic of the Malaysian government, blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, has been freed from jail on the orders of a judge.
Mr Raja Petra, 58, editor of the website Malaysia Today, has been held without trial for eight weeks under a draconian security law, the ISA.
He had been accused of causing ethnic tensions by ridiculing Islam.
"I'm really glad it's over," a tearful, haggard Mr Raja Petra said as he hugged his family and greeted supporters.
"I'm really tired. The judge's decision proves that there was no justification for my detention.
"We have to fight all-out and get the ISA abolished," he told reporters, referring to the Internal Security Act, which allows detention without charge for an initial two years, with indefinite extensions possible.
Mr Raja Petra was garlanded by supporters and then driven home in a maroon Rolls Royce which one of them had provided, said one report from the scene.
Critical
Mr Raja Petra was freed from a notorious prison camp in northern Malaysia on the orders of the high court in Shah Alam city near Kuala Lumpur.
It ruled that Interior Minister Syed Hamid Albar had overstepped his authority when he ordered the detention.
Mr Raja Petra has increasingly angered the Malaysian authorities with his critical Malaysia Today website, the country's best-known political blog.
He still faces charges of sedition for an article he published which linked Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak to the 2006 murder of a Mongolian woman, Altantuya Shaariibuu.
Mr Najib, who has consistently denied any involvement, is widely expected to take over as prime minister when incumbent Abdullah Badawi agrees on a transition date.
'Great day'
Raja Petra's lawyer, Malik Imtiaz, described Friday's ruling as "historic", saying it was the first time a court had ordered the release of an ISA detainee since the government banned such rulings in 1989.
It was "definitely a wonderful step in terms of civil liberties in Malaysia", he said.
His words were echoed by Malaysia's human rights commissioner, Denison Jayasooria, who called it a "great day for human rights and fundamental liberties", according to AFP news agency.
He called for the ISA to be used only "where there is a real threat to national security".
Mr Raja Petra was arrested on 12 September under the ISA as part of a government clampdown on opposition voices.
He was arrested along with opposition deputy Teresa Kok and journalist Tan Hoon Cheng, both of whom have since been released.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Greek Arsonists Attack Police Offices
Police say about 20 assailants hurled petrol bombs, rocks and paint, damaging the entrance of the building. They said no one was hurt and no arrests were made.
Anarchist groups in Athens frequently carry out arson attacks, typically targeting police stations, international companies and foreign embassy vehicles to voice protest on a variety of issues including the imprisonment of other anarchist arson suspects.
But Monday's strike occurred during working hours, whereas most other attacks have taken place overnight.
Vegan With a Vengeance by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
For the first time I pick up this book from the shelf of one of bookstore in Kuala Lumpur is because it’s nothing to do with its title, price or the recipe. But the cover of the book show the pretty brunette girl wearing Crass t-shirt and smiling while holding cupcakes really attract me. Looking up the title and t-shirt, I knew this book really associate veganism and punk rock culture.
The author is Isa Chandra Moskowitz, a Jewish girl who actually is a co-host of the hugely successfully TV vegan cookery show in the US called “The Post Punk Kitchen” combined the Do It Yourself ethic with vegan meals. This book contains about 150 recipes using inexpensive ingredients but since she lives in New York City, most of the recipes are based on American style of cooking. Muffins, cakes, cookies or snacks recipes are providing here. But still it’s a good vegan recipe book than any other in the market because Isa put an effort to explain how the punk rock culture which associate with veganism and animal rights shape the way she lives and gave much credit to the culture.
I also liked the thread running through the book that all these recipes are not set in stone. Isa has developed them over the years and probably is still making changes and she encourages her reader to do the same.
Well most of vegan cooking book looks bored and too colorful or too dorky to you, I recommend you this book and try these recipes.
Choosing Death; The Improbable History of Death Metal & Grindcore by Albert Mudrian
This book revisits the critical moments in the history of death metal and grindcore which really fascinated me because not many book wrote about the history and about death metal or grindcore.
With the introduction about how punk rock bands like Discharge, Crass and Exploited shaped the grindcoe’s sound at the beginning the author also explain how Napalm Death start at the early form playing hardcore punk rock. Another thing fascinating me is how the terms “grindcore” and “blast beat” came from. Many important bands were interview in this book such as Carcass, Death, Cannibal Corpse, Nile, Deicide and many more. This book feature in-depth play-by-play of the origins, record label battles (the story of Earache, Metal Blade and Nuclear Blast), rise, fall and the return of a genre that would make you want to read it all over again. That’s what happens to me. But the long history of Napalm Death is too boring to me. It’s like half of this book written about their stuff and too little about other bands. I love Napalm Death but for me it is wrong to put too many of their story in there. It’s like discrimination on the other band. But somehow, this book is great. It’s awesome book. With rare pictures and flyers, Albert Mudrian really knew how to bring the atmosphere of the early days of death metal and grindcore. This book is highly recommended for death metal or grindcore worshipper.
Noxa – Grind Viruses
Noxa is a grindcore band from Jakarta, Indonesia and they sound like Rotten Sound which hail from Finland. Actually, these two bands have connection. Lyrics for track “Starvation” were done by Keijo from Rotten Sound and Emil Englund from Gadget appeared as guest vocal. This is non-stop grindcore release contain 31 tracks that talked about war, society, anti-government, murder and even polygamy (track 31 is “Poligami”). They sang in English and also in Bahasa Indonesia. For Rotten Sound fans, act fast. Get this CD.
Standing Hard; A Youth of Today Tribute
Full credit to Embrace Records for their effort to gather 22 hardcore/punk bands all over the world to pay tribute to hardcore legend, Youth of Today. This compilation CD features these 22 band cover Youth of Today song with their version. Start with hardcore band from Germany, The Tangled Lines with their own version of Modern Love Story that in my opinion, are better then the original version from Youth of Today. Malaysia has two representatives, Second Combat (covered “Flame Still Burns”) and Nostalgia (covered “Honesty”) showed to the world the stronghold of Malaysia Hardcore scene. But what lack in this compilation is no bands cover my favorite Youth of Today song, “No More”. Anyway this compilation dedicated to hardcore kids all over the world.
(rip)
The Garrison – Self Title
The Garrison completely combines 2 genre of music. Don’t call them punk band, don’t call them reggae band. Call them reggae punk band. This debut D.I.Y release is a live recording release but still sound good. This band took The Clash as their major influence, talked about society, peace and politics in their lyrics. It contains five tracks and one hidden track after the “Acheh, Now” track that I can assume it is my favorite track in this CD. The hidden song sounds like it were recorded while live performing maybe at bar or pub. But at the background of this track, you can hear someone is talking and laughing and that interrupt the mood of this song. I think that I will ask those people to shut the fuck up if I were there. Luckily, I wasn’t. It is enjoyable debut release by the Garrison.
(rip)
Goresluts – Shinju Outercourse
Tools Of The Trade – Inmate Consumption
No time to breath. That’s I think a great word to describe this full length by grindcore powerhouse, Tools Of The Trade when I listen to this. There are 10 tracks of this record. The first track, “Seeking of Affiliation” start of with great sneak peak from a movie I believe and it start very well. This full length is remastered at Republic Czech and that is the reason why it sounds pretty awesome. Get this CD if you are a fan of Vormit and Negation.
(rip)
Negation – 10.0 Richter Scale
When I get this CD, I thought it was a new release by Negation. Maybe it was an EP but after bought it, I felt a little bit disappointed because this CD is seems like a promo CD with CD-R inside. Most of the songs (7 actually) were already release on 4 Way Split Eastern Grind Unleashed and 1 song already release in Metal To Metal Compilation. After saw them performing live many times before, I think that a great band like this should come out with new record. They are awesome and great to watch when they playing live. Hopefully this ‘punch in the face’ grindcore band should come out with ‘punch in the face’ release sooner or later.
(rip)
Dead Eyes Glow – in Search of the Glory We Had Lost
This debut album by Terengganu kids is a hard hitting record. I don’t know what to call this kind of music. It’s a mixture of variety sounds. I would like to call it as death metal mix with modern hardcore sound, mix with math and also had melodic sounds in it. This is a technical stuff which fulfill with incredible riff, technical drum, screamo vocal and gang choruses. Least to say, I’m not really into this kind of music but for those who were, it is an awesome record. The recordings were professionally done, great inlay and it won’t disappoint you.
(rip)
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Anarchist Voices by Paul Avrich
Written by Paul Avrich who is an anarchist himself, this book feature some of oral interview which conducted by Paul Avrich himself. This book contains 180 interviews with some of relatives and friends to the anarchists (and the anarchists themselves) who involved in Haymarket tragedy in United States and also about the people who involved with anarchism. From the story of the early movement of American anarchist until the story of their heyday, this book also contains some of the untold story of anarchist figure, which I found it really interesting. It’s contains the stories of personal detail about such anarchist luminaries as Emma Goldman, Rudolf Rocker, Sacco and Vanzetti.
This book is grouped in six sections organized around individuals or major aspects of the movement. Lastly, this is a well done book. It is great and will be invaluable resources for students who learns about this kind of stuff and also for people who really had interest in the idea of anarchism.
By the way, I'm still reading this book and it's had around 580 pages. It will take time to finish it and it seems that this is the most heavier and thick book I ever read.
ENDNOTES: Check out the Maximum RockNRoll Radio at Maximum RockNRoll website. It's a great radio show playing some stuff from DIY bands around the globe. Now I just subscribe to it and I can listen to it every week. Thanks to iTunes. haha
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
first issue is OUT NOW!
Radical Review first issue is OUT NOW!
Interview with
grindcore powerhouse: Tools Of The Trade &
reggae/punk: The Garrison
Columns by Rip (his story behind Radical Review name)
Endy (about gig been raid at Kota Bharu)
and an article from Dan Clore (why Olympic Games Suck)
Plus:
A Short History about Peter Kropotkin (Anarchist Figure)
Pictures taken from gigs around KL on September
and book reviews and music reviews...
Get Your Copy Now at:
- Ricecooker Shop, 1st Floor Annexe, Central Market
- Nebiula Shop aka Jaie Shop, 1st Floor, Campbell Complex
- Tools N Trade, 1st Floor, Campbell Complex
- Auntie Shop, 1st Floor, Campbell Complex
- Acoustic Music Station, Pertama Complex
- Borders Bookstore, 1st Floor, Berjaya Times Square
(we not selling directly at major bookstore like this. just ask your copy from staff there name Apeng or Arip)
- Zurich Skateshop, Kuala Terengganu (starting this October)
Or just contact us to get yourself a copy or sell at your area.
23.09.08 Radical Review #1
After that, Campbell Complex is the first to go. There are many music stores at Campbell Complex that I can sell this fanzine, Jaie Shop, Tools N Trade and Auntie Shop. Everything went smooth. All the music stores that I mentioned are looking forward to sell this fanzine and thank to their co-operation.
Next stop, Pertama Complex. Acoustic Music Station is a well known store. But they were known for selling more international scene’s stuff than local scene. So it might be difficult for me to negotiate with them but its turns out wrong. Acoustic Music Store also well co-operative. Another music store in Pertama Complex is Music Zone. They have 2 outlets in this mall so I think they can sell this fanzine without compromise.
When I enter the store, there are 2 kids inside the store. Both of them were their workers. One with shitty In Flames t-shirt and the other one is emo-kid-look-alike wearing Burzum t-shirt.
The kid who wore In Flames t-shirt approached me. “Can I help you?” he said. “Yup, I just wanna ask you, can you guys sell my fanzine here?” I answer him and start asked him back. He later answered “What? Fanzine? What is that?” he asked curiously. “Yeah, fanzine. Zine.” I pronounced the word ‘zine’ differently for so many times to make him understand. But still, this kid still doesn’t know what the hell I’m talking about. With a little bit of frustrated, I show him a copy of my fanzine. Later he told me, “We not really sure whether we can sell this kind of ‘things’. We have to ask our boss first.” Disappointed with that statement, I decided to step out from this store.
I felt sorry for him and his friend. They knew nothing about fanzine. In my view, I felt that they are unlucky enough because they didn’t involve themselves in D.I.Y culture. These fuckers need to grow up.
Around 3 o’clock, Ricecooker Shop at Central Market is my next stop. I knew there would be no problem to put my fanzine to be sold in this shop. After a short discussion, Joe Kidd agrees with the deal, and there go my own fanzine. Lying beside the other local fanzine and facing the Maximum Rock N Roll table, I do at least felt my efforts are worth enough. Hoping the next issue will comes out soon.
—rip--
END NOTES:
Go listen to Bad Religion’s No Control and Brutal Truth.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
A Libertarian View of the Olympics
Nation-states force taxpayers to pay for a meaningless spectacle in which governments "promote peace" by trying to prove their superiority over each other, pitting their chosen champions against each other at totally arbitrary activities.
Practically nothing about the Olympics will strike a libertarian as positive.
The nation-states involved force taxpayers to fund this silly spectacle. Now, many individuals may well enjoy watching the Olympics as a welcome respite from more important things like, say, keeping informed about politics and the world, working at productive activities, engaging in activism of whatever kind, or finally -- living their own lives. But why can't they pay for it themselves? Why should anyone else have to pay for it for them?
Most of the "sports" in the Olympics are totally arbitrary activities. It is beyond reason to determine why anyone should care which of the national champions involved perform better at them. A few of them do have æsthetic value, such as ice-skating, but even these have many arbitrary rules imposed on them.
The athletes who compete in these "sports" must sacrifice their right to privacy and subject themselves to invasive drug tests that not only test for dangerous performance-enhancing substances such as caffeine, but for recreational drugs like marijuana. The former could possibly be justified on grounds of fairness (as many athletes might not wish to endanger their health in order to perform better), but the latter is completely senseless.
At least these athletes have voluntarily chosen to sacrifice their rights. As Naomi Klein has documented (I'll try to insert links later), the totalitarian government of China has violated the rights of countless numbers of its citizens in order to better put on this ridiculous spectacle. They have displaced countless Chinese citizens from their homes and ratcheted up security-state measures.
As if to heighten the absurdity of the spectacle, the Chinese government imposed computer-generated graphics over the opening ceremony and had a pretty girl lip-synch a song sung by another girl. Guy Debord would be proud.
Finally, the ostensible purpose of this ludicrous spectacle is to "promote peace" internationally. Just how having nation-states pit their champions against each other in the attempt to prove their superiority might meet this goal is an open question.
What if all of these governments got together and, instead of competing at some completely arbitrary activity, tried to do something productive that required cooperation rather than competition? What if the citizens of the world got together, bypassing their governments, and did this themselves?
The Olympics suck.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Why Police Fucking Suck
When I talk to the people who I've been friends with since before I was a revolutionary punk rock type guy, things always get uncomfortable when anything that is remotely political (which is just about everything) comes up. How can I explain the political beliefs that I hold to be true without spending five days recounting my experiences and thoughts that have led me to believe what I do. I don't have five days, and usually the people listening don't have five days. Which means that up 'till now, I've blurted out things that have made little sense, or have been downright stupid. I mean, it is true that police suck ass, but saying it like that doesn't change many people mind.. And if I leave a conversation feeling further away from the person that I just talked to then what's the point?
So I thought of a way to explain, in under five minutes, why I think that police fucking suck. I putting it here so that you can use it if you find yourself talking to people that love police and law and order.
When I say that "police suck", or "I don't think there should be any police", people always say something like "what are you saying, we should just have total anarchy? What are you going to do about the rapists and the killers. I think that we need people around to protect us from those who wish to do us harm."
So my simple answer goes something like this, "Police don't protect us from those that wish to do us harm. The job of cops is to enforce the law of the land. The laws of the land in this country were written by slaveowners and the descendants of slaveowners. The laws in this country are mainly set up to protect property, because they were written by the people who have the most property. So a police's job is actually to protect property more than to protect the people. I can prove this idea with this example; if a person is starving and has no money, and he or she goes into grocery store that has an abundance of food, and he or she steals some of the food, it is a police's job to arrest him or her. If he or she tries to flee, it is a police's right to beat or shoot him or her. Plus with bribery and police misconduct to people that we always heard on news and read on newspapers has nothing to do with protecting people. They actually harm to the people. There are many examples like this, instances where police act as the foot soldiers for the rich. Another things about cops is that they very rarely actually protect people. More often they try to catch people who have already done something that against the law. If a person really wants to end violence, then a good place to start is by confronting violence. Vote against more violent cops. Vote against more violent weapons. Turn off the TV and don't pay to see movies that are full of it.
But most of all, try to even out the balance of power and wealth so that everyone has equal access to things that they need to survive, that way people won't need to take food, money, property, power or life from other people. And of course I can bring up that having police allows some fucked up, bad individuals more chances to do harm to other people as much as it allows good people a chance to protect other people.
Friday, August 1, 2008
1st Issue On Progress
Radical Review is a not-for-profit fanzine created as a media to promote anarchism, underground & D.I.Y culture and anything related to the society. The first issue will be out soon. If you guys interested to put some flyers, ads, columns, cartoons, arts or anything related, please do not hesitate to email us or post any flyers or ads to our Myspace comment box. Seriously, we will not accept any major label or related ads, or ads for comps that include major label bands. Any material contain racist, sexist or fascist will not accepted. We at Radical Review reserve the right to refuse ads for any reason at any time.
The first issue is still on progress. Well, the first issue will feature interview with KL based reggae/punk The Garrison and another band still not confirm. Also feature is CDs Review; F.I.D/Insect Warfare split 7", Straight Answer (The Complete Discography 1996 - 2007), Negation (10.0 Ritchter Scale), The Garrison EP and more. While on Books Review - Vegan With A Vengeance by Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Choosing Death by Albert Mudrian and more.