pitter patter on the keyboard

Vice travels to Chihuahua where kidnappings and murder are a virtually daily occurance to meet with Mormon colonists, including relatives of presidential candidate Mitt Romney for a look into the drug war south of the border and how United States policy affects the daily lives of nothern Mexicans.

Is Vladimir Putin the richest man in Europe? Al Jazeera’s People & Power investigates the rumours surrouding Putin’s alleged vast and hidden fortune.

A Debate between Chris Hedges and the CrimethInc. Ex-Workers Collective on Tactics & Strategy, Reform & Revolution.

I found it most entertaining to watch this passive-aggressive neo-hippie representing the black bloc come up against Chris’ cool, deliberate, authoritative demeanour. Admittedly, I had made up my mind going into this debate having seen first hand the blowback generated by the so-called “black bloc” at the G20 protest in my own city of Toronto. Their actions turned a lot of the sensible public against the greater whole of protestors, even putting a bad taste in my own mouth about a protest I would otherwise be fully behind. During and since the G20 we have seen a ramping up of American-style crowd management across Canada, backed by a justification vividly illustrated by the burning cruisers – a PR stunt even many mainstream Canadian news organizations believe was perpetrated by the police and swallowed hook, line and sinker by the bloc.