Archive for November 17, 2011


Ai Weiwei update: artist supported by ‘huge wave of sOlidarity’

Filed under: Ai Weiwei, media, news, thus far... — 7 Comments
November 17, 2011

French news service AFP (Agence France Presse) are today reporting that artist Ai Weiwei has been buoyed by ‘a huge wave of solidarity’ involving 30,000 other Chinese people raising 8.5 milion Yuan to support his very fragile predicament. This is a situation whereby freedom of expression in contemporary China is the core issue.

In addition to his thought provoking and magnificent art, Ai Weiwei had investigated the needless deaths of school children who died in shonkily built schools that had collapsed in earthquakes of recent years. Icon of art became enemy of the state. Consume away, if you can, but whatever you do, don’t question…

Free AiWeiwei

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Fear trade recipes, chapter 3: ‘think tanks’

Filed under: the fear trade, thus far... — Leave a comment

think tanks. ‘Think-tanks’. Think ‘tanks’. Think, “tanks!!!”

Tanks are part of the Fear trade, as are think tanks, aka ‘policy institutes’: eg. the IPA (Institute of Public Affairs), Melbourne’s IOT (Institute of Orange Tanning), ALEC…

Here’s a smashing and simple recipe for your next ‘think tank’:

  • repeat the mantra: “policy institute” “policy institute” “policy institute” “policy institute” while you assemble the basic ingredients
  • at least three beards
  •  cue cards that are inscribed with useful phrases for public/media appearances:

“at the end of the day”      “that’s highly (in)appropriate”        “quite frankly”   “the overwhelming evidence” “any decent pers…”

  • research ‘evidence’:  free range or processed, statistics, statistics, statistics
  • titles:   Senior Fellow, Emeritus Professor

Add botox, check orange tan, schedule plenty of media appearances…

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