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the state of media in america in democracy now

June 22nd, 2008 ViCtOOr

The beauty of being isolated from the hammer of American media conglomerates is the luxury it brings in the choice of independent media outlets to browse the latest news. The more research and classes I spend on Media and the information revolution, the more evident it is that information is a fundamental pillar of democracies worldwide. Stringent regimes thrive on controlling information. Intense propaganda is best served by a handful of media conglomerates.

Now is not the time to launch into an organized argument against the state of media in the United States. Instead I want to plead for all my friends to spend the time watching this program from Democracy Now (1). In this broadcast from June 6th 2008 you will see:

  • 6th June 2008 Headlines
  • Robert McChesney, Co-founder of Free Press, Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the author of The Political Economy of Media: Enduring Issues, Emerging Dilemmas and Josh Silver, Executive Director of Free Press, speaking about the necessity of independent media outlets and net neutrality (video embedded below).
  • FCC Commissioner Michael Copps in a fantastic piece on the outrageous state of affair at the Federal Communications Commission;
  • The very articulate Adrienne Maree Brown on the brilliant Ruckus Society and;
  • Native American writer Louise Erdrich, author of Love medicine.


This is a 10 minute segment from the broadcast hosted on YouTube.
Download the video of the Democracy Now! June 6th broadcast
Democracy Now! video podcast.

The broadcast is an hour long, but it is an hour essentially spent.

Thanks for taking the time to watch this. Be informed.

(1) Under the Links you will see Democracy Now as one of the broadcasters we have elected and Miro as the player to retrieve all this content.

40 mpg in my honda civic 95

June 22nd, 2008 ViCtOOr

Inspired by the story of hypermilers in a Mother Jones article , I decide to bring Erin, my fierce Honda Civic 1995 to a gas consumption test.

erin 95 honda civic

Hypermilers are a breed of drivers who, notwithstanding the de facto testosterone rules of the road, cruise to achieve the best mileage possible. No need for electrical cars or hybrids, Wayne Gerdes, the protagonist of the article does it in his plain old Accord. His magic trick? anticipation and aerodynamics.

My little 1995 Civic, a beautiful donation from my friend Kathy, could already average 20 miles per gallon (mpg) with its 10 gallon tank. In ideal circumstances during our road trip from Chicago to Miami last year, we even managed a nice round 30 mpg. Conditions are not perfect in Curacao where most of the trafic is semi-urban but I felt the need, the need for green.

kathy first owner of erin

Relax max, chill bill, an antillean grandma is caressing my rear bumper as I let go of the accelerator a while back. She can read my plate as long as she wants, I have no reason to accelerate since the light ahead of us is still red. I’m rolling in gently and realize that I won’t need to break this time around. Conditions are perfect and I fluidly reintegrate the flow of cars who had passed me a few seconds ago.

Over the course of the next three weeks (that’s how long it took me to waste my tank away), I learn all inclines and declines to accelerate and break as little as possible. Conserving momentum is essential when trying to save gas. My tires screech on a few high-speed turns and I never pass 40 miles per hour but the limits are being pushed.

Ultimately, Wayne and I have different motives. Regardless, Erin will achieve a landslide victory and roll 400 miles on one tank, placing the gas consumption of this 13 year old Honda to 40 miles per gallon.

Next step? Recycling water and harnessing the sun. I heard people have done it.

06.08 curacao en images

June 21st, 2008 ViCtOOr

these are the best shots taken on dushi curacao thus far. enjoy!

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06.08 first sunset on chiara cove

June 14th, 2008 ViCtOOr

don takes us to his little hidden treasure: chiara cove in curacao

 

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jessica est folle de fa fa

May 18th, 2008 ViCtOOr

je voudrais un croissant. baguette? hein hein hein…

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les flight of the conchords dans foux de fa fa (and if you passed your test maybe it’s time for a little business time)

05.08 a night at dontidos

May 11th, 2008 ViCtOOr

toasting to the iridescence of a caribbean sunset thanks to the everlasting hospitality of master don of dontido’s

sunset at Coral Estate

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musical russian mountains

May 8th, 2008 ViCtOOr

swiss classical music not for the faint of heartww

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05.08 carine et co

May 4th, 2008 ViCtOOr

la famille palcoux (sans la plus grande) passe deux semaines ensoleillees sur curacao

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12.06 happy birthday jesus party

May 4th, 2008 ViCtOOr

jesus started his round this year with a little beer pong at 2141 leavitt

mro3000 at the cross

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10.06 halloween with mro

May 4th, 2008 ViCtOOr

tourists from the windy city celebrating halloween with eve

windy city tourists

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09.06 the shirlenas in dekalb

May 4th, 2008 ViCtOOr

shirlenas #1, #2 & #3 are visiting the faivres in dekalb

jess, annie & maryrose

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340mps and dj active orange at bourbon

May 4th, 2008 ViCtOOr

the two irreducible dj’s are throwing it down at bourbon

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03.06 paul watson visits (the) us

April 25th, 2008 ViCtOOr

sir paul watson pays us an amiable visit (and cooks italian)

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05.06 karen’s birthday

April 20th, 2008 ViCtOOr

a birthday at the arlington heights race tracks

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04.06 cards at 1534 leavitt

April 17th, 2008 ViCtOOr

poker faces on an inviting couch

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03.06 the move from leavitt to leavitt

April 17th, 2008 ViCtOOr

the matt & victor show moves down the road

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03.06 mark embley’s birthday

April 17th, 2008 ViCtOOr

ann sather delivers the birthday wishes this year

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03.06 jim dee art exhibit

April 16th, 2008 ViCtOOr

jim dee’s art show in chicago

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01.06 puneet cham & sue bacigal’s wedding

April 16th, 2008 ViCtOOr

indian wedding in detroit!

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01.06 kathy’s birthday

April 16th, 2008 ViCtOOr

celebrating kathy’s birthday with the clan

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