Reverend Billy made it onto the ballot

Posted on | August 19, 2009 | No Comments

Great news for New York City. Reverend Billy’s dedicated street team has managed to collect 18,000 signatures and thereby cleared the path for at least one trustworthy candidate at the upcoming election for the mayor position in the worlds greatest city.

From the newsletter:

“More than 100 of you collected over 18,000 signatures. We are turning in the signatures today and we’ll celebrate with a cake at the meeting tomorrow. From here we launch the last and most vivid part of the campaign -77 Days to go!- turning out the vote, exciting people’s democratic sensibility, and shooting wild oxygen into the election.
We want your input as we move into this next phase, we want your skills and talents, all of you– media people & artists, data technicians & scientists, teachers, tinkerers, walkers, talkers, we need it all. Join us.“

Follow the campaign at www.voterevbilly.org

Violent police raid against Iraq fugitives in Copenhagen last night

Posted on | August 13, 2009 | No Comments

Last night, Danish police raided Brorsonkirken (Brorson Church), which has served as shelter for a large group of Iraqis that have been denied political asylum and are awaiting being sent back to Iraq.

The case is highly controversial and has split the country into two groups; those in favor of the repatriation and those – the large majority of the population – who are outraged about the cruelty and inhumanity shown by the Danish authorities in the case.
As a result of this outrage, a large community have mobilized to support the fugitives and to put political pressure on the Danish government to not only change the verdict against the Iraqis, but also to change Danish legislation on how fugitives are handled in general. Current legislation is under heavy pressure from the EU and several international aid organizations, as the laws at many points conflict with basic human rights as set forth in ao. the Geneva Convention.

Last night, just a few hours ago, the police in full combat uniforms entered the church with brute force (using baton and pepper spray to make way through a group of over 500 peaceful laymen activists currently surrounding the church to create a human shield trying to keep the police from getting in). The police took 17 Iraqis with them while pushing aside both Iraqi women, babies and seniors to get to the subjects they wanted to take with them. What awaits these 17 people is now uncertain, but near repatriation seems a very realistic next step.

The main hub of supporters involved in the housing in the church is organizing a peaceful protest march today, Thursday, August 13, at 18.00 hours (6pm) from Brorsons Kirken to the Danish parliament at Christiansborg Castle.

They need help. Here is what we can all do to support them:

• If you have footage of the violent actions last night, please pass it along.
• Help spread the word of the friendly protest march tonight.
• Volunteer to help put up posters and pass around flyers etc.
• Write editorials to dailies and webzines – and blog!
• Participate in the peaceful protest march today

Read more about all the above at the supporter website.

Read some of the many articles in this morning’s news coverage:
Violent clash at the Brorson Church (in Danish)
Eye witness: Police with helmets and shields inside the church (in Danish)

Watch tv-clip of the police beating sitting pacifist students with batons, as they clear the road for the bus containing the detained fugitives:
http://politiken.tv/nyheder/indland/article767190.ece

Inspiring writer’s advice

Posted on | August 11, 2009 | No Comments

Jeffrey Zeldman, New York-based writer and designer and editor of popular blog Jeffrey Zeldman Presents, just made an inspiring blog post about the dilemma of being under time pressure when working as a creative professional. His mantra, write when inspired, rest when tired, and subsequent argumentation makes good sense. Check it out if your work includes deadlines and need ammo for that next one-on-one with your editor.

Dow vacates London HQ to avoid Bhopal water

Posted on | July 15, 2009 | No Comments

Just received this from the admirable Yes Men:

July 13, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Yes Men have elaborate plans to contribute to the movement for
meaningful action on climate change, beginning in early September and
culminating at the December climate talks in Copenhagen. To contribute
financially to these efforts (which of course we can’t tell you about),
please visit http://theyesmen.org/donate/now. And if you live in New
York and know how to sew, swim, get arrested, or pretty much anything
else, please write to us.

—

@Yes Men – if you need help in Copenhagen, just say so… (I live in Denmark)

The Pirate Bay ownership to change hands?

Posted on | June 30, 2009 | No Comments

This was just announced minutes ago on The Pirate Bay blog:

TPB might change owner

Yes, it’s true.

News reached the press today in Sweden – The Pirate Bay might get aquired by Global Gaming Factory X AB.

A lot of people are worried. We’re not and you shouldn’t be either!

TPB is being sold for a great bit underneath it’s value if the money would be the interesting part. It’s not. The interesting thing is that the right people with the right attitude and possibilities keep running the site.
As all of you know, there’s not been much news on the site for the past two-three years. It’s the same site essentially. On the internets, stuff dies if it doesn’t evolve. We don’t want that to happen.

We’ve been working on this project for many years. It’s time to invite more people into the project, in a way that is secure and safe for everybody. We need that, or the site will die. And letting TPB die is the last thing that is allowed to happen!

If the new owners will screw around with the site, nobody will keep using it. That’s the biggest insurance one can have that the site will be run in the way that we all want to. And – you can now not only share files but shares with people. Everybody can indeed be the owner of The Pirate Bay now. That’s awesome and will take the heat of us.

The old crew is still around in different ways. We will also not stop being active in the politics of the internets – quite the opposite. Now we’re fueling up for going into the next gear. TPB will have economical muscles to let people evolve it. It will team up with great technicians to evolve the protocols. And we, the people interested in more than just technology, will have the time to focus on that. It’s win-win-win.

The profits from the sale will go into a foundation that is going to help with projects about freedom of speech, freedom of information and the openess of the nets. I hope everybody will help out in that and realize that this is the best option for all. Don’t worry – be happy!

Freeform101.org in hibernation for 2,5 weeks

Posted on | May 30, 2009 | No Comments

As this is being written, I (the editor of autofunk.dk/freeform101_web) am sitting in Heathrow Airport waiting for my flight to Bangalore, India, where I will meet up with my girlfriend and head out into the wild! We’ll be backpacking around south India.

This means that autofunk.dk/freeform101_web will go into hibernation until June 21st, 2009. By then, however, I will come back with lots of new perspective, thoughts and rants. Looking forward to that!

Teaching copyright right

Posted on | May 28, 2009 | No Comments

Quote from todays newsletter from EFF (the Electronic Frontier Foundation):

“Last week, the Copyright Alliance Education Foundation – a nonprofit mouthpiece for the entertainment and software industries – unveiled plans to spread its protectionist ideas to the nation’s schools and libraries through the distribution of a curriculum titled “Think First, Copy Later.” “Think First, Copy Later” and other intimidating educational materials were produced by the MPAA, RIAA, Business Software Alliance, and other content holders to scare students into believing that making copies is wrong.

EFF knows that the creators and innovators of tomorrow don’t need more intimidation. What they need is solid, accurate information that will help them make smart choices about how to use new technologies. That’s why EFF is launching the free, Creative Commons-licensed “Teaching Copyright” curriculum and website to help educators explore copyright issues in their classrooms. These materials encourage students to discover their legal rights and responsibilities – including how to make full and fair use of technology that is revolutionizing learning and the exchange of information.”

Read more at the EFF website and the official Teaching Copyright website.

Climate Greenwash Award winner announced: Vattenfall!

Posted on | May 24, 2009 | No Comments

This weekend, an alliance consisting of Corporate Europe Observatory, Attac, Klimabevægelsen (Danish for ‘Climate Movement’), KlimaX and NOAH held the so-called ‘Climate Greenwash Award’-show in Denmark. A satirical event aimed at creating critical awareness of the Business Summit held in Denmark the very same weekend.

From the Climate Greenwash Award website: Big business is keen to be part of the climate solution – and is holding its own World Business Summit in Copenhagen from 24th – 26th May. The Danish government is facilitating the event. Several big carbon emitters are involved. Does big business have the real solutions to the climate crisis? Or are they trying to look green while polluting as usual? Which company has been making the most outrageous claims to be green ahead of this year’s crucial UN climate talks in Copenhagen?”

Between 13 and 22 May, vistors to their website could cast a vote to decide which of the six nominated companies should win the Climate Greenwash Award. The nominees were: BP, Shell, Dong, ArcelorMittal, Vattenfall and Repsol.

The winner was just announced: VATTENFALL – with the issue of the following press release:

Climate Greenwash winner revealed

Copenhagen, Saturday 23 May – Swedish energy giant Vattenfall has been revealed as the winner of the Climate Greenwash Award 2009 at a ceremony in Copenhagen on the eve of the World Business Summit on Climate Change [1].

The Danish Government was also given a special award for its role in helping establish the World Business Summit on Climate Change – which is expected to attract some of the world’s most polluting companies; for providing business lobbyists with direct, privileged access to negotiators ahead of crucial UN Climate Change talks in December [2]; and for withdrawing support for Danish wind energy and failing to meet its Kyoto targets

Vattenfall, which won with 39% of the vote, was nominated for “its mastery of spin on climate change, portraying itself as a climate champion while lobbying to continue business as usual, using coal, nuclear power, and pseudo-solutions such as agrofuels and carbon capture and storage (CCS).”

The energy company also played a key role in setting up the World Business Summit on Climate Change through the Combat Climate Change – a lobby group established by Vattenfall to promote the “climate-friendly technologies” such as carbon capture and storage and nuclear power, which are the company’s preferred options for tackling climate change.

Results of the vote:

The Climate Greenwash Awards were organised to highlight the way in which big business is increasingly turning to green spin to hide its polluting agenda. Energy companies, many of which once denied that climate change was happening, are now keen to portray themselves as green heroes in the fight against climate change.

But the awards organisers warn that many of the so-called solutions being put forward by business will not help reduce emissions. Companies are advocating unproven technologies such as carbon capture and storage and failed mechanisms such as carbon trading, to justify their continuing pollution.

Climate Greenwash Awards Coordinator Kenneth Haar said:

“We would like to congratulate Vattenfall for their outrageous use of green spin to support their dirty business model. Vattenfall wants to build more coal plants in Europe, even though coal is the dirtiest source of energy – and it has successfully lobbied the EU for funds to develop carbon capture and storage technology. But even if this unproven technology works, it will not help reduce emissions quickly enough to help prevent the threat of climate change.

“I would also like to give a special mention to the Danish Government which has provided these polluting industries which such easy access to the climate talks. Denmark says it wants companies to back a deal on climate change, but the reality is that they are giving big business the opportunity to completely undermine the effectiveness of any deal that is done.”

The Climate Greenwash Awards were organised by Corporate Europe Observatory, Attac Denmark, The Climate Movement, ClimaX and Friends of the Earth Denmark.

Contact:

Kenneth Haar – tel +45 23 60 06 31 or email kenneth@corporateeurope.org

Erik Wesselius – tel +45 – 21 64 21 42 or email erik@corporateeurope.org

Notes:

[1] Full results will be available online at www.climategreenwash.org

[2] See Climate Summit Inc., Corporate Europe Observatory, May 2009.

Manufactured news on Danish TV2 – #tv2wikigate

Posted on | May 18, 2009 | 1 Comment

These last days an interesting topic has circled in the Danish blogosphere; a quite embarrasing one for Danish national television channel TV2, who was simply caught manufacturing news. The event has been named #tv2wikigate and started when I the live morning show ‘Go’ Morgen Danmark’ on Danish national television channel TV2 on May 13, 2009, they ran a critical piece on Wikipedia and its user-generated business model – and subsequent potential accuracy shortcomings. To illustrate its alleged flaws, the host Cecilie Frøkjær and Anders Breinholt checked the entries of their own names and discovered that Frøkjærs birth date was wrong.
This puzzled many viewers who knew about Wikipedia, because even if Wikipedia often has errors in its entries (because contributors disagree on viewpoints – often of political or historic kind), cold facts are almost always right.
This entized a Wikipedia user (S. Juhl) to check the version history, where you can see when editing of a page has taken place. This revealed that the birthday had been edited the day before the tv-program by an unknown user with the ip-address 194.182.139.62. S. Juhl ran a Whois on the ip-address and discovered that it belonged to the Egmont Media corp, who produces ‘Go’ Morgen Danmark’!

Since then – in the last days – the blogosphere has been buzzing with this alleged manufacturing of news:

Read the Wikipedia discussion – host Anders Breinholt’s attempts at damage control on Twitter – or read a chronological account of the event from beginning up until now, courtesy of Stefan Bøgh-Andersen at overskrift.dk.

Latest update:

Today TV2 issued a correction, that – however – only excuses the fact that it was wrongly mentioned in the show that Wikipedia is unregulated, when it is in fact supervised by a group of users.

“Vi starter morgenen med en berigtigelse.

I onsdags sagde vi her i programmet, at det brugerstyrede internet leksikon Wikipedia ingen opsyn har med forkerte oplysninger. Det var ikke korrekt. I Danmark holder en gruppe almindelige brugere øje med ændringer.

Jeg skal desuden beklage, at det fremstod som om flere opdigtede oplysninger om min medvært Anders Breinholt og mig selv rent faktisk var lagt ud på wikipedia. Det var ikke tilfældet.

Vi beklager unøjagtighederne.”

Danish newspaper war summarized

Posted on | May 8, 2009 | No Comments

In recent years a newspaper war raged in Denmark – mainly as a consequence of fierce competition between the well-established Danish printing houses and a new Icelandic-funded intruder, battling to lead the free daily newspaper market. It did indeed get bloody.
Given my interest in the ongoing global paradigm change in news publication (news moving from print to the online shpere), I’ve followed the development of the Danish newspaper feude fairly closely, but so far never read an article that summarized the entire course of events as well as this one one in Chris Anderson’s (of The Long Tail fame) Wired blog, referencing an original account made by Jon Lund, head of the Danish Internet Advertising Bureau. It’s highly recommended reading, if you dig this topic.

Other good sources in this field (as namedropped earlier) are blogs such as Journalism 2.0, Beatblogging.org and Publishing 2.0.