So the inflatable rat is actually connected with a certain historical rhetoric within the movement that I’m not especially sad to see going by the wayside. But be that as it may, I think that if you’re in AFL-CIO management and you can actually say shit like “We want to engage owners re: our value proposition not threaten them” with a straight face then I have no idea what the fuck you & yr “value proposition” are doing in a labor union instead of an MBA program. http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/14478/time_to_retire_scabby_the_rat_says_top_afl_cio_leader/

In which a Bronx woman invited to speak about informal-sector and low-income accessibility within the food-justice movement is then abruptly kicked out, because her group hadn’t finished the extensive and costly paperwork for formal recognition as a 501(c)3. The happier ending is that she then turned around and put together her own food-justice conference, instead.

From FWs in Vegas.

Patents kill.

Patents kill.

Via Shawn P. Wilbur http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_scythe I’m a little sad that “War Scythe” isn’t already the name of a half-political / half-magickal black metal band.

Today at Rad Geek People’s Daily [radgeek.com]: On Being Pretty Much OK With That (Factories, Corporate Secrecy, and Free-Market Anti-Capitalism Edition) http://radgeek.com/gt/2013/01/24/pretty-much-ok/

[Via ACIJ. In which Heritage Hall Museum deploys chickenshit artistic censorship in defense of international apartheid laws. You can call or e-mail Heritage Hall Museum at 256-761-1364 or hhmuse@bellsouth.net to let them know what you find offensive.] “Noriega said, ‘I just submitted the works, the board reviewed them, and they said they weren’t interested. … When the board said they wanted my work pulled, the faculty agreed unanimously to pull the whole show, in solidarity.’ “He went on to explain that ‘the work deals with HB 56, and it is unfortunate that the board found it offensive. To me, it is HB 56 that is offensive. And preventing an artist from presenting his work by stifling and censorship is offensive, archaic and barbaric. But, on the other hand, I also have to thank the board for opening up new avenues for my work.’”