"The military, prison, and financial policies of the U.S. government are interrelated, creating a social system that is repressive and offensive to human dignity for people who experience it, especially the marginalized, the poor, the 'Third World'. The poor in America are filling the prisons and the 'Third World' are the fodder on the other end of the bombs in America's wars. In categorizing the abuse of power that is undertaken by institutions operating 'above the law' or through State privilege, the deprival of life by government policies through war and the deprival of liberty to individuals through imprisonment are particularly fundamental problems that relate to the basic human rights every person should enjoy equally. Capitalism is being used as a justification for these actions historically by American policies, leadership, and their rhetoric... When you discuss what the alternatives to the 'corruption' that favors the 1% or represents only a fraction of the 1% who are permitted an active or consequential role in politics, it seems that #ows is suggesting an alternative of direct, active, particpative democracy that is also interested in a reform of policy according to moral standards." + Understanding #ows - Noam Chomsky Interview

Media News:

Skilled Simulations of Violence as Entertainment
Imitation of Media Violence
A Media Policy to Promote Alternative Programming - Submitted by: Jon Akash

The influence of popular entertainment programming in determining social roles and identities in both children and adults is often cited as a component of television, films, and music videos, but the imitation of violence depicted in media is real when inflicted on society. David Chandler suggests that calls to censor or ban opinions that corrupt traditional values dates back at least to Plato and his writings, but modern liberal-democratic society is based upon principles of free speech that prohibit most censorship of media. (Chandler, 1992) Nevertheless, ever since the early research of Albert Bandura and others on imitative violence in children, the effect of social programming on behavior has been noted through psychological studies.

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Media News:

'the activist lawyer' and 'the corrupt lawyer'
Law and Popular Culture
On the image of attorneys in media archetypes - Submitted by: Nicole Briggs

In critically evaluating the scholarship and impact of the last 20 years of “Law and Popular Culture” studies in Law Schools, the importance of image and appearance in constructing public opinion is made evident, as well as the popularity of legal themes in mainstream culture itself. Academic studies have drawn comparisons to the way media stereotypes of law and legal issues can frame public awareness of themes in ways that may be prejudicial to jury selection or point to biases that might influence juror opinions subliminally on technical legal issues of great importance. There has been an awareness of the importance of accuracy in legal representations in mass media, but also in the importance for lawyers to be aware of the social context when practici...

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Media News:

limits nondiscrimination to undefined ‘lawful’ content
Net Neutrality Debate
Google and Verizon's "joint policy proposal" - Submitted by: David Marshall

Google and Verizon represent two of the largest and most influential companies in America in information technology and telecommunications. That these two companies should have an advanced legal position on the proposed net neutrality regulations is to be expected, because such legislation would directly affect their business operations in the U.S. and internationally. Google and Verizon have been releasing joint statements since 2009 on net neutrality laws, yet the most extensive “joint policy proposal” was announced publicly on August 9th, 2010. (Patel, 2010) In this announcement, Google and Verizon listed three reasons behind their position:

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‎‎'Philip Glass and Lou Reed occupied Lincoln Center last week, after a performance of Glass' opera, "Satyagraha," at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City... The black-and-white short film, "Visible Shape," by Jean Thevenin, is clearly meant to stir populist sentiment for the movement, and it's quite effective. Glass' music -- "Protest" from "Satyagraha" (as performed by the New York City Opera Orchestra) -- plays in the background, as the protesters being their chant:
"When I saw you, I saw love."'
 + Satyagraha - NYC Protest 2012

‎'As "Satyagraha" opera attendees filed out into the Plaza, OWS activists called out and invited them to join them. A small group streamed toward the barrier, forming a circle with opera enthusiasts on one side and OWS activists on the other. In that moment of oneness, there was a shared acknowledgement of the profound values of Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., who called the world to a higher consciousness. As people on both sides shared their ideas and stories with one another in the spirit of Gandhi, the assembly resonated sonorously. For a few moments, all barriers to understanding were completely obliterated. Glass infused the general assembly with truth-force by joining demonstrators and quoting from the Lord Krishna. "I come into the world, a man among men, to put virtue back on its feet."'
+ Satyagraha - OWS Plaza Protest

‎‎“Satyagraha” — 'with a text by Constance DeJong adapted from the Bhagavad Gita, sung in Sanskrit — had its premiere in 1980. It is as much ritualistic pageant as it is drama, and this imaginative staging, directed by Phelim McDermott with further direction and set and puppet designs by Julian Crouch, treats it accordingly... since the action, such as it is, is based loosely on Gandhi’s early activities in South Africa, the work’s central message is one of pacifism. In this regard the production makes the passing of legacies vivid: from Tolstoy, perched, writing and pondering, in a high, remote nook in the first act, through Gandhi onstage to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who comes to dominate the stage, miming oration, at the end.'
+ Satyagraha - Production Reviews

Media News:

Glitch is a divination in abstract Promethean theory
Glitch Art: Theory & Practice
Psi, Synchronicity, and the Organic Technosphere - Submitted by: Lodro Zodpa

Where the digital represents exact order and precise control of virtual realities through mathematical dualities as symbolized in binary code or machine language, the "glitch" in digital art is an example of chaos in order, or the moment of singularity as expressed by space, time, & mind in the image. Olga Goriunova and Alexei Shulgin define the glitch as being symbolic of the first generation of web art or net art, the artistic expression of the global underground community in the dot.com era of the early internet’s birth and expansion. "Glitch: This term is usually identified as jargon, used in electronic industries and services, circuit-bending practitioners, gamers, media artists, and designers.

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Media News:

The Right to Drive & Civil Disobedience
The Advertising Effect
Adolescents in Saudi Arabia and United States - Submitted by: David Marshall

This essay looks at historical and contemporary examples to research the gap in generational identity patterns and the conflict between traditional and modern values in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, widely considered to be one of the most conservative governments and political societies in the world. The availability and effect of modern media, particularly from Western sources of production, such as television, movies, and music in Saudi Arabia will be reviewed from contemporary reports and placed in the context of wider social change movements such as the “Arab Spring”, democratization, and reform that seemingly threaten traditional values and identities in the Kingdom.

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Media News:

building cultural identity through shared experience
Media or America?
The ideal image is the striving for perfection - Submitted by: Stephanie Grant

When considering media as a structural expression of society, a clear definition of the term’s applicability is required at the onset to make the area of reference clear. “Media” as a term refers to the technological plurality of the means of human expression, communication, and information storage / retrieval methodologies. An example of a single “medium” of expression would be print, the pairing of paper and pencil or paper and ink with thought, speech, and communication, through either the pen or the printing press. Historically, it is possible to relate different media to epochs and eras of human civilization and its evolution.

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TypeHost News Blogs are based upon citizen journalism and independent commentary as inspiring debate on the issues of collective importance in historical events or international policy development, as well as covering arts, music, literature, new media, and trends in research science. TypeHost offers "professional writer" upgrades to site accounts for people who wish to publish featured editorial content on the site, as well as providing a "free" blog account to every registered user which includes a community profile, social networking, link sharing, image galleries, videos, reviews, classifieds, and other publishing options. Sign up now or login to publish TypeHost News Blogs.
Structuralism & Semiotics - The Mechanics of Sign Systems - Submitted by: Thomas Evers

1. Language as System of Codes and Signs. In the beginning of Chapter 3 of “Popular Culture: A User’s Guide” (2010), O’Brien and Szeman introduce the framework for linguistic analysis of popular culture which is based in the “mechanics of sign systems.” (p.68) The intention of the authors in this introduction is to deconstruct the phenomenology through which meaning itself is created in social relationships through communication. The authors also highlight the importance of ideology in...
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Thomas Evers

TypeHost News Links is a social bookmarking archive where users can share favorite web pages and other users can rate the quality of the information by voting them up or down. Social Bookmarks can also be used to footnote or cross-reference links published in news articles or blog posts. TypeHost News Links can be submitted by any registered user, and combine with user profile pages, image galleries, podcast publishing, reviews, classifieds, forums, blogs, and news articles to give community members a full range of tools for creative social networking on political reform issues related to activism and social justice on the website. Sign up or login to share TypeHost News Links.

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Why We’ve Censored Wired.com

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/01/why-weve-censored-wired-com -

'We’ve blacked out the headlines on our website homepage today as part of a global internet protest against two radical anti-piracy bills pending in Congress — legislation that threatens to usher in a chilling internet censorship regime here in the U.S. comparable in some ways to China’s “Great Firewall.” SOPA and PIPA, the bills in question, are in tactical retreat as this story goes live...'
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Unbound - books are now in your hands

http://www.unbound.co.uk/ -

"Unbound is a new way of connecting with writers. Most of the writers on our site will be well known, others will appear here for the first time. What's different is that instead of waiting for them to publish their work, Unbound allows you to listen to their ideas for what they'd like to write before they even start. If you like their idea, you can pledge to support it."
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Smashwords - ebook publishing and distribution platform

http://www.smashwords.com/ -

"Smashwords is an ebook publishing and distribution platform for ebook authors, publishers and readers. The website offers multi-format, DRM-free ebooks, ready for immediate sampling and purchase, and readable on any e-reading device. Smashwords is ideal for publishing novels, short fiction, poetry, personal memoirs, monographs, non-fiction, research reports, essays, or other written forms that haven’t even been invented yet."
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