Saturday, April 08, 2023

Main Blog Moved to Kersplebedeb.com!

Since March 2013, the main Kersplebedeb website has been migrated to a primarily wordpress format.

What this means in practical terms is that everything you are used to seeing on Sketchy Thoughts is now being posted straight to Kersplebedeb and simply being automatically mirrored here. So in general, you will probably have a better reading/viewing experience if you head over to Kersplebedeb.

For those who prefer the Sketchy Thoughts blogger layout for whatever reason, this page will continue to be automatically updated whenever something is posted to Kersplebedeb, for at least the short-term future. However, as additional functionality is added to the Kersplebedeb site via wordpress, the Sketchy Thoughts page will probably begin to show its age more and more.



Sunday, March 25, 2018

Imperialist Realities vs. the Myths of David Harvey - ROAPE



By John Smith When David Harvey says “the historical draining of wealth from East to West for more than two centuries has largely been reversed over the last thirty years,” his readers will reasonably assume that he refers to a defining feature of imperialism, namely the plunder of living labou

Read the rest of this post on the original site at Imperialist Realities vs. the Myths of David Harvey - ROAPE



Monday, March 19, 2018

Support Herman Bell!

15-lens-herman-bell-embed-blog480Last week the New York State Board of Parole granted Herman Bell release. Since the Board’s decision, there has been significant backlash from the Police Benevolent Association, other unions, Mayor De Blasio and Governor Cuomo. They are demanding that Herman be held indefinitely, the Parole Commissioners who voted for his release be fired, and that people convicted of killing police be left to die in prison.

We want the Governor, policymakers, and public to know that we strongly support the Parole Board’s lawful, just and merciful decision. We also want to show support for the recent changes to the Board, including the appointment of new Commissioners and the direction of the new parole regulations, which base release decisions more on who a person is today and their accomplishments while in prison than on the nature of their crime.

Herman has a community of friends, family and loved ones eagerly awaiting his return. At 70 years old and after 45 years inside, it is time for Herman to come home.

Here are four things you can do RIGHT NOW to support Herman Bell:

1- CALL New York State Governor Cuomo’s Office NOW
518-474-8390

2-EMAIL New York State Governor Cuomo’s Office
https://www.governor.ny.gov/content/governor-contact-form

3- TWEET at Governor Cuomo: use the following sample tweet:

“@NYGovCuomo: stand by the Parole Board’s lawful & just decision to release Herman Bell. At 70 years old and after more than 40 years of incarceration, his release is overdue. #BringHermanHome.”

4- Participate in a CBS poll and vote YES on the Parole Board’s decision
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/…/herman-bell-parole-police-ou…/
The poll ends on March 21st. Please do this ASAP!

Script for phone calls and emails:
“Governor Cuomo, my name is __________and I am a resident of [New York State/other state/other country]. I support the Parole Board’s decision to release Herman Bell and urge you and the Board to stand by the decision. I also support the recent appointment of new Parole Board Commissioners, and the direction of the new parole regulations, which base release decisions more on who a person is today than on the nature of their crime committed years ago. Returning Herman to his friends and family will help the heal the many harms caused by crime and decades of incarceration. The Board’s decision was just, merciful and lawful, and it will benefit our communities and New York State as a whole.”

Thank you for your support and contributions.

With gratitude,
Supporters of Herman Bell and Parole Justice New York



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Sunday, March 18, 2018

Herman Bell Granted Parole!

15-lens-herman-bell-embed-blog480A respected elder, Herman Bell, was granted parole having met all the criteria for release according to his sentence.  The parole commissioners recognized his progress after serving nearly 45 years in prison and granted his parole application.  He is looking forward to being reunited with his family and friends.  We welcome him home.


 

There is a predictable police-instigated backlash to the parole board’s decision — one thing you can do to oppose this is go to the CBS news poll on facebook, and register your support for releasing Herman (go here — https://www.facebook.com/CBSNewYork/posts/10155802154019024 — and vote ‘yes’)



on the main Kersplebedeb website: http://ift.tt/2HIEUjS



March Sale at Leftwingbooks.net

28795691_10155228364431643_5410751262075387904_n

A number of books from Kersplebedeb (and other publishers!) are on special on the leftwingbooks.net website for the rest of the month of March, 25% off or more — some of the books on special include:

and many more … you can check them all out at https://www.leftwingbooks.net/sale

(This sale ends March 31)

 



on the main Kersplebedeb website: http://ift.tt/2pmby3s



Friday, March 16, 2018

Prosecutors Say A Woman Who Went Undercover With An “Anarchist Extremist Group” Will Testify At Inauguration Protest Trials (repost)

In the next round of trials against people charged with rioting during President Donald Trump’s inauguration, federal prosecutors want to put a witness on the stand under an alias who spent two years undercover with “an anarchist extremist group” in New York.

Read the rest of this post on the original site at Prosecutors Say A Woman Who Went Undercover With An “Anarchist Extremist Group” Will Testify At Inauguration Protest Trials



on the main Kersplebedeb website: http://ift.tt/2pjAOHv



Assembly of First Nations, RCMP co-operated on response to mass protests in 2007 (repost)

The Assembly of First Nations worked closely with the Mounties and provincial police to exchange information about protests and develop common stances before a national aboriginal day of action in the summer of 2007, according to RCMP documents.

Read the rest of this post on the original site at Assembly of First Nations, RCMP co-operated on response to mass protests in 2007



on the main Kersplebedeb website: http://ift.tt/2IxHH0q



Prosecutors Say A Woman Who Went Undercover With An "Anarchist Extremist Group" Will Testify At Inauguration Protest Trials



In the next round of trials against people charged with rioting during President Donald Trump's inauguration, federal prosecutors want to put a witness on the stand under an alias who spent two years undercover with "an anarchist extremist group" in New York.

Read the rest of this post on the original site at Prosecutors Say A Woman Who Went Undercover With An "Anarchist Extremist Group" Will Testify At Inauguration Protest Trials



Assembly of First Nations, RCMP co-operated on response to mass protests in 2007



The Assembly of First Nations worked closely with the Mounties and provincial police to exchange information about protests and develop common stances before a national aboriginal day of action in the summer of 2007, according to RCMP documents.

Read the rest of this post on the original site at Assembly of First Nations, RCMP co-operated on response to mass protests in 2007



Thursday, March 01, 2018

Montreal Screening: The Gentleman Bank Robber

when: Friday, March 9 at 7 PM – 10 PMGBR_FINAL_POSTER_DIGITAL
where: qpirg concordia, 1500 de maisonneuve ouest (montreal)

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1065764840275933/

The Gentleman Bank Robber is a portrait of revolutionary rita bo brown, a white working class butch from rural Oregon who became known as “The Gentleman Bank Robber” in the 1970s for combining her butch style of dress with a polite way of demanding funds from bank tellers.

The film moves between everyday moments with bo in and around her current home in Oakland, California, and historical retelling of the events of bo’s extraordinary life through interviews with bo and her collaborators, archival materials, and rare social movement ephemera.

The Gentleman Bank Robber weaves together personal and political perspectives on 20th century social movement histories, including queer liberation in the 1960s; militant, underground activity with the George Jackson Brigade in the 1970s, a revolutionary prison abolitionist group; political prisoner support work in the 1980s, and prison activist work into the present day. bo brown is a model for how to lead a life of committed activism while maintaining a sense of humor and humanity.

Note that this event is pay what you can, and all funds received will go to support Bo’s medical expenses (see below)

Books from Kersplebedeb will be available, including Lumpen: The Autobiography of Ed Mead (one of Bo’s comrades from the George Jackson Brigade), at big discounts.

Childcare will be available.

Directed by Julie Perini, 47 minutes, 2017
With original music by Marisa Anderson & Lisa Schonberg

SUPPORT BO BROWN!

In the summer of 2016, bo was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dimentia, a terminal neurodegenerative disease. As of October 2017, bo’s community is raising funds to support her in-home medical care. Donate to the Bo Brown, Forever Activist, Forever Survivor fundraising campaign here:https://www.youcaring.com/bo-brown-655777

ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION

QPIRG Concordia is a wheelchair accessible and scent-free space see http://www.qpirgconcordia.org/accessibility/ for further details

 

for more information email info@kersplebedeb.com



on the main Kersplebedeb website: http://ift.tt/2F5tVQx



Thursday, February 22, 2018

Winter Pride Mini Queer Between the Covers

qbcwinterTuesday, February 27 at 12 PM – 4 PM
Concordia University’s EV Atrium (the building glued on to the metro; you can enter via the metro or Guy though the official address is 1515 Saint-Catherine St W)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/914229078746543/

 

As part of Concordia University’s first Winter Pride//Fierté en Hiver celebration, QBtC is holding a mini bookfair in the University’s EV Atrium. Our mini fair is happening on Tuesday, February 27th from 12-4 PM. Come join us for some fun, zines, art and queer culture as part of Concordia’s Winter Pride, and check out the other cool events happening, too!



on the main Kersplebedeb website: http://ift.tt/2FkuDdG



Hamilton Anarchist Bookfair: March 3rd and 4th

hamiltonbookfair2018-squaregraphicThe Hamilton Anarchist Bookfair – Saturday, March 3 and Sunday, March 4, 2018 – takes place at Westdale Secondary School (700 Main St. W. MAP) Easily accessible from the 403 and a quick bus ride from MacNab Terminal in the downtown Hamilton area.

At the bookfair there is dozens of booksellers, zinesters, distributors and organizing groups from all over Hamilton, Ontario, North America, and beyond, sharing their publications and materials, most of which are hard or impossible to find at mainstream book stores. Many of the materials are available for free, and much of it is published specifically to be available at the Bookfair. Please note: Booksellers and vendors will be displaying on both days: Saturday, March 3 & 4. Workshops, theme rooms, and more will also take place on both days.

During the weekend, there is an Anarchist Film Room screening videos and documentaries produced by individuals and grassroots collectives.

There is also art installed and displayed in the space as a part of the Art and Anarchy exhibit.

Free childcare and kids activities are available at the Bookfair in the Kid Zone; kids and parents are welcome and encouraged to attend the Bookfair!

For everyone who attends, there’s also a Chill Space. The Chill Space was created out of the recognition that a Bookfair can be really overwhelming and intense for a variety of reasons, and that folks might need a place to be apart from the main Bookfair without feeling like they have to leave altogether.

There are also workshops and presentations throughout the weekend. Some are intended as introductions to anarchism for those who are new to anarchy, while others explore an anarchist-themed subject in some depth.

In general, during the Bookfair, don’t hesitate to ask members of the Bookfair collective, or folks who are tabling or presenting, any question or inquiry you have about the ideas and practice of anarchism. The Bookfair collective actively strives to create an accessible and safe(r) event.

The Bookfair site is close to a handful of restaurants, bus stops and a grocery store.

The entire Bookfair is free, and open to all; however, your donations are appreciated so that we can meet our expenses.

Essentially, the Hamilton Anarchist Bookfair is for people curious about anarchism and wanting to learn more.

For more information: http://www.steelcitybookfair.ca



on the main Kersplebedeb website: http://ift.tt/2GBMVqs



Saturday, February 17, 2018

Organizing the lumpenproletariat: Cliques and communists in Berlin during the Weimar Republic - Eve Rosenhaft



During the Weimar Republic, popular anxieties about the state of society became focused on a field of problems in which youth, political radicalism and a general brutalisation of social and political relations were assumed to be directly linked with one another in peculiarly threatening ways.

Read the rest of this post on the original site at Organizing the lumpenproletariat: Cliques and communists in Berlin during the Weimar Republic - Eve Rosenhaft



Organizing the lumpenproletariat: Cliques and communists in Berlin during the Weimar Republic – Eve Rosenhaft (repost)

During the Weimar Republic, popular anxieties about the state of society became focused on a field of problems in which youth, political radicalism and a general brutalisation of social and political relations were assumed to be directly linked with one another in peculiarly threatening ways.

Read the rest of this post on the original site at Organizing the lumpenproletariat: Cliques and communists in Berlin during the Weimar Republic – Eve Rosenhaft



on the main Kersplebedeb website: http://ift.tt/2EAdkEq



Friday, February 02, 2018

Reality has a surprising amount of detail (repost)

My dad emigrated from Colombia to North America when he was 18 looking looking for a better life. For my brother and I that meant a lot of standing outside in the cold.

Read the rest of this post on the original site at Reality has a surprising amount of detail



on the main Kersplebedeb website: http://ift.tt/2GG5ASC



The Terrifying Rise of Alt-Right Fight Clubs (repost)

Anastasia Yankova, a Russian model-turned-mixed martial artist who has appeared in a Nike commercial, was a month away from her professional debut when she took to Instagram to post a cartoon of Adolph Hitler.

Read the rest of this post on the original site at The Terrifying Rise of Alt-Right Fight Clubs



on the main Kersplebedeb website: http://ift.tt/2s3uU1U



Friday, January 19, 2018

Florida Prisoners Are Laying It Down (repost)

During early 2018 prisoners across Florida are gonna “laydown” in nonviolent protest of the intolerable conditions in Florida’s prisons.

Read the rest of this post on the original site at Florida Prisoners Are Laying It Down



on the main Kersplebedeb website: http://ift.tt/2DkUHDQ



5 Ways to Support FL Prisoners Going on Strike Tomorrow (repost)

Tomorrow, prisoners across the state of Florida plan to launch a work strike against prison slavery, high canteen prices, and to fully return parole – among other demands.

Read the rest of this post on the original site at 5 Ways to Support FL Prisoners Going on Strike Tomorrow



on the main Kersplebedeb website: http://ift.tt/2DRoEMV



Florida Prisoners Set to Begin Strike (repost)

Inmates at Florida state prisons prepared to strike Monday to protest brutal living conditions and their work for little or no pay. The strike, which has been coordinated between 10 prisons in the state, is expected to last one month or longer.

Read the rest of this post on the original site at Florida Prisoners Set to Begin Strike



on the main Kersplebedeb website: http://ift.tt/2DhuYfv



5 Ways to Support FL Prisoners Going on Strike Tomorrow



Tomorrow, prisoners across the state of Florida plan to launch a work strike against prison slavery, high canteen prices, and to fully return parole – among other demands.

Read the rest of this post on the original site at 5 Ways to Support FL Prisoners Going on Strike Tomorrow



Florida Prisoners Are Laying It Down



During early 2018 prisoners across Florida are gonna “laydown” in nonviolent protest of the intolerable conditions in Florida’s prisons.

Read the rest of this post on the original site at Florida Prisoners Are Laying It Down



Florida Prisoners Set to Begin Strike



Inmates at Florida state prisons prepared to strike Monday to protest brutal living conditions and their work for little or no pay. The strike, which has been coordinated between 10 prisons in the state, is expected to last one month or longer.

Read the rest of this post on the original site at Florida Prisoners Set to Begin Strike



Sunday, January 14, 2018

Florida Prisoners Are Preparing to Strike Against Unpaid Labor (repost)

People incarcerated throughout the state of Florida are planning a January 15 work stoppage to protest their conditions, and they say they are prepared to continue the protest for more than a month.

Read the rest of this post on the original site at Florida Prisoners Are Preparing to Strike Against Unpaid Labor



on the main Kersplebedeb website: http://ift.tt/2qYQXWO



Florida Prisoners Are Preparing to Strike Against Unpaid Labor



People incarcerated throughout the state of Florida are planning a January 15 work stoppage to protest their conditions, and they say they are prepared to continue the protest for more than a month.

Read the rest of this post on the original site at Florida Prisoners Are Preparing to Strike Against Unpaid Labor



Wednesday, December 27, 2017

The lower your social class, the ‘wiser’ you are, suggests new study (repost)

There’s an apparent paradox in modern life: Society as a whole is getting smarter, yet we aren’t any closer to figuring out how to all get along.

Read the rest of this post on the original site at The lower your social class, the ‘wiser’ you are, suggests new study



on the main Kersplebedeb website: http://ift.tt/2C18seh



The lower your social class, the ‘wiser’ you are, suggests new study



There’s an apparent paradox in modern life: Society as a whole is getting smarter, yet we aren’t any closer to figuring out how to all get along.

Read the rest of this post on the original site at The lower your social class, the ‘wiser’ you are, suggests new study



Monday, December 25, 2017

January 20, Buffalo: Looking at the US White Working Class Historically book release

lwwch_coverWHEN: 7pm, Saturday, January 20, 2017
WHERE: Burning Books, 420 Connecticut Street, Buffalo
facebook: 
http://ift.tt/2By0SUi

Can White People Be Organized Against Racism? A Multi-Racial and Multi-Generational Approach: Launch party for David Gilbert’s Looking at the U.S. White Working Class Historically with Naomi Jaffe, co-founder of New York State Prisoner Justice Network and former member of the Weather Underground; Jerome Wright, Upstate Organizer for the Campaign for Alternatives to Solitary Confinement (CAIC) and founder of the MAN (Mentoring and Nurturing) Program; and Katie Schaffer, Statewide Organizer for JustLeadershipUSA and Leadership Team member of Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ)-NYC.

David Gilbert is a white U.S. political prisoner imprisoned since 1981 for his participation with members of the Black Liberation Army in an armed action. From prison, he has written three books and dozens of articles engaging in thoughtful dialogue with today’s young activists on organizing movements of resistance and liberation under changing conditions.

Looking at the U.S. White Working Class Historically continues that dialogue, taking a hard look at white racism and exploring some possibilities for organizing to overturn it. Naomi, Jerome, and Katie will use the book as a stepping-stone to open a conversation from their varied experiences of multiracial and multi-generational organizing for justice.



on the main Kersplebedeb website: http://ift.tt/2C45t43



January 11 in Baltimore: Freedom For Political Prisoners Night!

baltimore

WHERE: Red Emma’s Bookstore Coffeehouse, 30 W North Ave, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
WHEN: Thursday, January 11, 2018 from 7:30 PM – 9 PM

Join us as we launch the 2018 Certain Days: Freedom for Political Prisoners Calendar! Former political prisoner and Real News Network producer and host Eddie Conway, former ELF political prisoner and Certain Days collective member Daniel McGowan, and Morgan State University professor and journalist Dr. Jared Ball will lead a discussion on political prisoner David Gilbert’s new book, Looking at the US White Working Class Historically, and also discuss the importance of supporting political prisoners, past and present.



on the main Kersplebedeb website: http://ift.tt/2DcugQ3



Saturday, December 23, 2017

Bitcoin, a commentary (repost)

When this commentary was broadcast at the beginning of my radio show at noon, Pacific time, December 21, bitcoin was trading at about $15,600. It had a bad Friday, losing almost a quarter of its value, bottoming out at $11,858, before recovering to $14,267 as I’m posting this.

Read the rest of this post on the original site at Bitcoin, a commentary



on the main Kersplebedeb website: http://ift.tt/2DEBai7



Bitcoin, a commentary



When this commentary was broadcast at the beginning of my radio show at noon, Pacific time, December 21, bitcoin was trading at about $15,600. It had a bad Friday, losing almost a quarter of its value, bottoming out at $11,858, before recovering to $14,267 as I’m posting this.

Read the rest of this post on the original site at Bitcoin, a commentary



Say NO to the New Package Restrictions in NYS Prisons

telldoccsnoWe need your help! NYS DOCCS is piloting a new program that will harm people in prison and their loved ones. This change in policy will harm our editors as well as 52,000 other people imprisoned in New York State.

Beginning in January 2018, people at Greene, Green Haven and Taconic Correctional Facilities will no longer be able to receive packages directly from family members or friends. All packages must be ordered through an approved vendor. In September 2018, this policy will apply to ALL 54 prisons in New York State.

This policy is pro-business and anti-family. It is harmful because:

1) People in prison can no longer receive fresh fruits and vegetables or canned foods.
2) Warm clothing such as hoodies and scarves are prohibited.
3) All books must be newly purchased. No used books allowed.
4) Prices are controlled by the vendor and basic necessities will be more expensive.
5) People on the outside must use a credit card, check or money orders to pay for the approved packages. No cash or food stamps.
6) Those without access to the internet or those who are less technologically savvy face additional obstacles in sending packages.

JOIN OUR POSTCARD CAMPAIGN

Send a postcard NOW to the individuals below to oppose the package policy.

Postcards should be sent to:
Hon. Andrew M. Cuomo
Governor of New York State
NYS State Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224

Acting Commissioner Anthony Annucci
NYS DOCCS
Building 2, State Campus
Albany, NY 12226

Some sample language you can include on your postcard:

Dear Governor Cuomo,
This holiday season is about giving, not taking away. I object to the new DOCCS package rules.
From,
(Your Name)
(Your relationship to people in prison, if applicable)

Dear Acting Commissioner Annucci,
The new DOCCS package pilot punishes innocent families. Having a loved one in prison is already expensive and difficult—the new rules make it worse. Rescind the package pilot!
From,
(Your Name)
(Your relationship to people in prison, if applicable)

Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more updates from this campaign!



on the main Kersplebedeb website: http://ift.tt/2Bs5n2t



Kersplebedeb End of Year Sale!

endofyear2017

At leftwingbooks.net there is currently a 50%+ sale on almost all Kersplebedeb Publications, until the end of the year! This combines with the free shipping in North America for orders of over $50

You can check it out at http://ift.tt/1urGEpChttp://ift.tt/1urGEpC — please take a moment to let your friends know too!



on the main Kersplebedeb website: http://ift.tt/2Br8HuK



Sunday, December 10, 2017

The challenges of being trans, male, and homeless in Montreal (repost)

Getting an apartment is a rite of passage for thousands of Canadians in their late teens and early 20s, but for Esteban Torres, a 21-year-old trans man living in Montreal, signing the lease on his three-room apartment earlier this year was especially sweet.

Read the rest of this post on the original site at The challenges of being trans, male, and homeless in Montreal



on the main Kersplebedeb website: http://ift.tt/2kSBMM5



«Je ne céderai pas à La Meute et à la haine», dit Gabrielle Bouchard, nouvelle présidente de la Fédération des femmes du Québec (repost)

La présidente de la Fédération des femmes du Québec (FFQ) n’entend pas reculer devant ses critiques, à la suite d’une chronique dénonçant le fait qu’une personne transgenre dirige le principal organisme représentant les femmes au Québec.

Read the rest of this post on the original site at «Je ne céderai pas à La Meute et à la haine», dit Gabrielle Bouchard, nouvelle présidente de la Fédération des femmes du Québec



on the main Kersplebedeb website: http://ift.tt/2iLpWPQ



Conservative party leadership advisor helped create anti-Islam organization (repost)

A senior member of Andrew Scheer’s leadership team helped create an anti-Islam organization during his campaign to lead the Conservative Party.

Read the rest of this post on the original site at Conservative party leadership advisor helped create anti-Islam organization



on the main Kersplebedeb website: http://ift.tt/2kOeR4C



«Je ne céderai pas à La Meute et à la haine», dit Gabrielle Bouchard, nouvelle présidente de la Fédération des femmes du Québec



La présidente de la Fédération des femmes du Québec (FFQ) n'entend pas reculer devant ses critiques, à la suite d'une chronique dénonçant le fait qu'une personne transgenre dirige le principal organisme représentant les femmes au Québec.

Read the rest of this post on the original site at «Je ne céderai pas à La Meute et à la haine», dit Gabrielle Bouchard, nouvelle présidente de la Fédération des femmes du Québec



The challenges of being trans, male, and homeless in Montreal



Getting an apartment is a rite of passage for thousands of Canadians in their late teens and early 20s, but for Esteban Torres, a 21-year-old trans man living in Montreal, signing the lease on his three-room apartment earlier this year was especially sweet.

Read the rest of this post on the original site at The challenges of being trans, male, and homeless in Montreal



Conservative party leadership advisor helped create anti-Islam organization



A senior member of Andrew Scheer’s leadership team helped create an anti-Islam organization during his campaign to lead the Conservative Party.

Read the rest of this post on the original site at Conservative party leadership advisor helped create anti-Islam organization