In anticipation towards / preparation for the potentiality of total Planetary Shutdown (as has been predicted by the Mayans, NASA, Terence MacKenna, the Nostradamus, possibly some Australophithecus proto-shaman named ‘Zhembg’, and many other interesting people), I am devoting the next 681 days to communicating the spectrum of paranoia which I believe can reorder the chaos of human existence into a super-prismic ultra-rainbow of utopian self-discovery. I will attempt to weave an exquisite tapestry made of theories, counter-theories, maths, lies, stories, speculations, strategies of survival, proposals for responsible hedonism, temporary autonomous zones, and general psychogeographic meanderings. I will tap into a network of like-minded decoders of human knowledge in the attempt to gather and exchange data, experiences, fears, hopes, etc. in a feedback loop of triumphant futility.

ENJOY (approximately) 681 DAYS IN THE (100%) PARTY-ZONE.

Shred the next 600-odd days with my dear pal Joey Ryken.

No words…

I can not fucking believe Qatar was awarded the 2022 World Cup. And I also can’t believe the Guardian wrote this in-flight-magazine-style puff piece last week (“An unprecedented opportunity awaits to forge fresh, enhanced understanding with the Arab world. This chance to deconstruct some tired preconceptions about Muslim mindsets should not be shunned lightly. With a successful tournament serving as a highly effective slap in the face of extremism, Islamic fundamentalists could even be in for some overdue marginalisation. Admittedly passports bearing Israeli stamps do not exactly go down a storm in the Gulf but Qataris are adamant that, were Israel to qualify, they and their supporters would receive warm welcomes.”) only now to slowly come to their senses:

In May this year, Amnesty International published their summary of concerns in relation to Qatar. Their report, which covers the period January to December 2009 but is still regarded as current, claims women face discrimination and violence and says hundreds of people continued to be arbitrarily deprived of their nationality.

The report also details how at least 18 people, mostly foreign nationals, were sentenced to flogging of between 40 and 100 lashes for offences related to “illicit sexual relations” or alcohol consumption. In June this year Amnesty International called on Qatar to “lift restrictions on the rights to freedom of opinion and expression and to take steps to promote freedom of the press”.

Another controversial issue is that homosexuality is illegal in Qatar. “It’s obviously very disappointing to see Fifa giving their backing to a country where homosexuality is illegal and where people can get imprisoned,” said Ed Connell, a spokesman for the Gay Football Supporters Network. “The governing body of football are trying to send out a message that homophobia is unacceptable but they are endorsing a country where it’s illegal. It just sends out a very bad message. You wonder how people are meant to interpret Fifa’s commitment to tackling homophobia when they endorse a country in this way.”

World Cup 2022: ‘Political craziness’ favours Qatar’s winning bid (The Guardian)

From DubaiLand by Aleix Plademunt

Steve Ignorant: The truth of Crass that I’ve read of his is revisionist to say the least. There’s no question that during the period that we lived 15 people in the house with 25 cats there was unbelievable accord. Obviously there were occasional rows about something, but they were very, very rare and we managed somehow. We couldn’t have done what we’d done otherwise. However many albums, all of the stuff, it ran like a machine. We did it at the cost of our emotional lives, and we were very good at it.

People seem to think now that Crass was always sort of this “up the front there and everyone pogo.” It’s just not true. More often than not, they’d be fucking walking out. They hated Yes Sir. No one wanted to stay in the bloody room when we played that, so it’s a complete myth that we were a successful rock ’n’ roll band, really. It was only in retrospect that that happened.

Crass: ANARCHY AND PEACE, LITIGATED

Oil-clogged wave in Alabama

Via the Ecoterrorist.