Facing the Gulf Video

Monday 29 November 2010

Reflections on Commoditization and a Climate of Contempt

Something to think about from the P2P website.
http://blog.p2pfoundation.net/manufacturing-contempt-through-the-commoditization-of-practically-everything/2010/11/29/comment-page-1#comment-451610

Platform - an organization we admire

Platform in it's own words:

For over 20 years, PLATFORM has been bringing together environmentalists, artists, human rights campaigners, educationalists and community activists to create innovative projects driven by the need for social and environmental justice.

This interdisciplinary approach combines the transformatory power of art with the tangible goals of campaigning, the rigour of in-depth research with the vision to promote alternative futures.

Since 1996, our work has focussed on the impact on our minds, our bodies, our society and our environment of that most potent of modern phenomena - the transnational corporation.

From the polluting of the air that we breathe, to the altering of the earth's climate, from the destruction of indigenous cultures to the demise of our town centres, transnationals are shaping our lives with unprecedented power.

To continue and expand their work they have a crowdfunding project up at indiegogo

http://www.indiegogo.com/licencetospill

They are offering some great rewards for supporters. Well worth checking it out.

The Ratcliffe Trial

Follow the story of the trial at:  
http://ratcliffeontrial.org/
“On the issue of coal-fired power stations they are right … carbon emissions will kill us all … As politicians we do not grasp the urgency of scientific warnings about how little time we have left to radically transform our whole thinking about sustainable energy systems. Inevitably, this leaves the challenge to be picked up by the public rather than by parliament. In doing so, it just doesn’t help if we end up locking up those who would save the planet rather than those who drive us towards climate crises.”
Alan Simpson
Former MP for Nottingham South
 

 

Wednesday 24 November 2010

BP: a crude portrait of a repeat offender

In a Propublica report, journalist Abrahm Lustgarten, details BP's safety and maintenance failures and violations. He refers to the first dot in a crude portrait of a repeat offender:

Pascal was assigned to BP in 1998, when the company’s Alaska division was settling a criminal case involving a contractor who had illegally dumped hundreds of gallons of toxic waste back into a well hole. It was the company’s first federal felony, Pascal’s first assignment to BP and the first dot in a crude portrait of what would shape up to look like a repeat offender.

Read more at Propublica

http://www.propublica.org/article/bp-accidents-past-and-present

The Tyranny of Oil author, Antonia Juhasz on her book tour

Justice Department Letter to Feinberg regarding claims

Here is the link to Pro-Publica's article about the Justice Department's attempt to improve Feinberg's Gulf Coast Claims Facility.
http://www.propublica.org/article/read-justice-dept.s-letter-criticizing-gulf-spill-czars-final-claims-guidel

One of the main issues is 'releasing' BP from liability for a lump sum final payment.

Friday 19 November 2010

An amazing video from Liberate Tate

This is an amazing video from an artist/activist action from Liberate Tate.
It doesn't seem to want to play on the blog but if you click the video it takes you to this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz-_2KLt1W0feature=player_embedded#at=94
Or you can watch it as part of an article about the action here:
http://www.tmponline.org/2010/07/01/liberate-tate-action-against-bp-sponsorship/
It's 5 minutes long but please watch to the end. The former Tate employee's words are so powerful and so touching.

Friday 12 November 2010

Louisiana Fairytale by Ellen and Arturo Ciompi

A Louisiana Fairytale - that's what we all wish for the people of the Gulf Coast - One with a happy ending please!