SICKNESS: White Americans abandoned democracy and embraced authoritarianism when they realized brown people would soon outvote them

from Boing Boing

A working paper from a pair of political scientists analyzed World Values Survey data to trace the rise of support for authoritarianism in America to a growing sense among white people that democracy's commitment to giving everyone a vote would soon erode their privilege, as the growing population of racialized people started to vote for fairer policies.

They're echoing Peter Thiel's frank admission that "freedom" (the right to amass unlimited power and wealth) is incompatible with "democracy" (the right for everyone to vote, even the people who will cease to sell you their blood if they can secure a wage that allows them to keep it for themselves).

The conclusions are based on surveys of attitudes well before the Trump election, because Trump is the result of this phenomenon, not the cause of it.

One important measure that is not included in the study is the role that inequality plays in the rise of support for racist authoritarianism. Neoliberalism's core tenet is that we "can't afford" to see to it that everyone is housed, fed, educated and cared for, and that any suggestion that this is in reach given policies that seek broadly shared prosperity instead of a Gilded Age aristocracy is "unrealistic," "socialistic" and "unworkable."

But it seems obvious to me that any anxiety about losing privilege will be sharpened and magnified if you believe that the underprivileged face homelessness, hunger, ignorance and suffering due to preventable illnesses. As security for life's essentials has been withdrawn since the Reagan years, the sense that we're playing a game of musical chairs that ends with the least-privileged flat on their asses has only mounted. White privilege gave you a better shot at getting one of those chairs, so losing white privilege in an age of neoliberal austerity is a lot worse than losing it during (say), the more widely shared prosperity enjoyed during the justice struggles of (say) 1968.

"The GOP has dug itself into such a hole on this that the most practical effort to stave off these impending losses is to disenfranchise the votes of the same ethnic/racial outgroups against whom GOP messaging has been stoking animosity," Miller tells me. A party built on demonizing and attacking marginalized people is a party that will have to disenfranchise those same people if it is to survive.

Blaming authoritarianism on partisanship suggests that both sides are equally to blame for the erosion of democratic norms. But greater commitment to abortion rights and free healthcare in the Democratic party isn't a threat to the foundations of democracy. The growing concentration of intolerant white voters in the GOP, on the other hand, has created a party which appears less and less committed to the democratic project. When faced with a choice between bigotry and democracy, too many Americans are embracing the first while abandoning the second.

"Social intolerance isn't just leading to GOP support as we know it and see it now," Miller says. "It's leading to preferences in favor of the kind of candidate the GOP ultimately nominated and supported for president." In embracing the politics of white identity, then, the GOP made a Trump possible — and is likely to make more Trump-like candidates successful in the future.

White Outgroup Intolerance and Declining Support for American Democracy [Steven V. Miller and Nicholas T. Davis]

The Trump effect: New study connects white American intolerance and support for authoritarianism [Noah Berlatsky/NBC Think]

Lyre Bird Impression of a Camera, Car Alarm and Chainsaw

bonus:

I hope this woman wins the Georgia governorship.

from: Politically Georgia

Former House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams won the Democratic nomination for Georgia’s top office on Tuesday, defeating ex-state Rep. Stacey Evans and advancing her quest to become the nation’s first black female elected governor.

She will face one of two Republicans in November in the race to succeed Gov. Nathan Deal, a competition that will test whether the state is truly competitive after more than a decade of GOP rule.

“We are writing the next chapter of Georgia history, where no one is unseen, no one is unheard and no one is uninspired,” a jubilant Abrams said, adding: “And I know for the journey ahead, we need every voice in our party - and every independent thinker in the state.”

Abrams attracted national attention, big-name endorsements and millions of dollars in outside spending with her “unapologetic progressive” platform to flip the Georgia governor’s office for the first time since 2002.

School of Life Monday: How the Modern World Makes Us Mentally Ill

It's easy to blame ourselves for not feeling 100% in our minds, but some of the causes of mental unwellness have to do with large systemic problems in our societies, among these, an emphasis on individualism, a manic faith in Romantic love and a cult of meritocracy.

Skateboarding – Bringing People Together

WORD.

John Oliver on Bullshit Rehabs

BLACK FLAG, MY WAR demo Made at the band's absolute peak!

Taken from "The Complete 1982 Demos".
These are the only recordings the band made with possibly their strongest lineup: Henry Rollins on vocals, Greg Ginn and Dez Cadena on guitar, Chuck Dukowski on bass, and Chuck Biscuits on drums.

Peanuts Gang Singing "Bohemian Rhapsody"

The US has had 57 times as many school shootings as the other major industrialized nations combined

(from CNN)
School shootings are a reality in America, an average of one a week just this year alone.



But how does the US compare with other countries in the world?

That's difficult to ascertain because very little research exists to quantify that.

For the purposes of this analysis, we followed the criteria below -

The scope: First, we looked at the G7 countries -- the countries with the largest advanced economies in the world.

The countries are Canada, the US, Japan, Germany, Italy, France, the UK.

The time period: From January 1, 2009 to May 21, 2018.

The definition: The parameters we followed in this count are -

Shooting must involve at least one person being shot (not including the shooter)

Shooting must occur on school grounds

We included gang violence, fights and domestic violence (but our count is NOT limited to those categories)

We included grades Kindergarten through college/university level as well as vocational schools

We included accidental discharge of a firearm as long as the first two parameters are met

The analysis: For US stats, CNN reviewed media reports and a variety of databases including those from the Gun Violence Archive and Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems. For international stats, we looked at local and national media reports.

The caveat: Reporting on non-fatal school shootings is not always available. There may be additional school shootings with injuries that did not make it into the newspaper or digital publications, and therefore aren't counted in databases that rely on media reports. This is true for shootings in the US and elsewhere.

What we found:
There have been at least 288 school shootings in the United States since January 1, 2009.
That's 57 times as many shootings as the other six G7 countries combined.

Broadening out the list

Next, we wanted to broaden our list out to include some countries that were mentioned in a few of the viral posts that were going around this weekend.

In some of the incidents, the casualty count is very high (the Peshawar siege; the Kenya attack). But when it comes to the frequency of attacks, the US still leads by a wide margin.

Number of school shootings in the US compared with select countries
When compared with countries that were mentioned in a few viral social media posts, the US still leads in frequency of school shootings since January 1, 2009.
Country / Shooting incidents
United States 288
Mexico 8
South Africa 6
India 5
Pakistan 4
Nigeria 4
Afghanistan 3
France 2
Canada 2
Brazil 2
Greece 1
China 1
Kenya 1
Azerbaijan 1
Germany 1
Russia 1
Estonia 1
Turkey 1
Hungary 1
Spain None identified
Australia None identified
Switzerland None identified
Italy None identified
Japan None identified
Netherlands None identified
Argentina None identified
United Kingdom None identified

Source: CNN analysis, news reports

top graphic: Martin Sprouse

Chuck Dukowski - BLACK FLAG very rare photograph on my instagram feed

CHUCK DUKOWSKI of BLACK FLAG at practice somewhere in the SouthBay section of Los Angeles, early 1982. I was lucky enough to have sat in on practice with Black Flag many times, even made photos a few times. Now ordinarily one would think at practice what are you gonna shoot some corny portraits? or half ass playing tuning? and writing? FUCK NO ... BLACK FLAG WERE BRINGING IT! Like their lives depended on it! 6-8 hour days of practice, often, their practice could be more intense than a gig!! so eventually i decided to bring my camera a few times. This practice was especially intense, i shot an amazing roll of film here or maybe even two, made some incredible photographs including the iconic image of Henry that was used on the cover of SPRAY PAINT THE WALLS (The Story of Black Flag) as well as classics of Greg and another of Chuck with that crazy mustache, when the head of his base smashed the flash off the top of my camera. They were my favorite band of the era and Dukowski was the heart and soul of that band to me. A real badass. Intelligent. A few weeks ago when i was out in L.A. for the Skateboarding Hall of Fame event, i took an afternoon to visit Chuck and his wife Lora down in Venice, i ended up hanging out for like 7 hours! Great people, never enough of them, I’m stoked to have such good friends around the world (or at least the parts of it I’ve visited). #PunkRock #inspiration #Integrity #TheDuke #Dukowski #BASS #PunkRockChangedOurLives #WhatISee #NoMore #PaddedCell #HardcorePunk #TheMan #Legendary #Flag (totally worth seeing) also if you look close there’s an ACTION NOW sticker on the bass head there 😉 #MyRules get the book hear the song... everything through the recording of the DAMAGED album is what i am referring to when i discuss their greatness and inspiration to ME (save a few songs) GO LISTEN TO THAT STUFF AND STOP FLIPPING THROUGH INSTAGRAM 👊🏽

A post shared by glen E. friedman Ⓥ (@glenefriedman) on May 18, 2018 at 2:41pm PDT

School of Life Monday: Sane Insanity

SUNDAY SERMON: What You Eat Matters - 2018 Documentary H.O.P.E.

SATURDAY NIGHT

PLAY THIS LOUD and get SCHOOLED.



An All Time Classic and Favorite.

T.G.I.F.

Skateboarding was here and it's dope!

So this video came out a couple of months ago, gotta figure it was made in the fall or late in the year. So it's fair to assume it keeps moving like it always does, but this is mind boggling...



thanks Aaron!

Hawk: 50 tricks at Age 50

(one of my early photos of Tony Hawk from ages past....)

This is pretty fucking incredible...

I never imagined being able to skate into my adult life, or that anyone would still care if I did. To celebrate, I did 50 tricks that I've created (and/or pioneered on vert). Thanks to all of you that made this dream possible. It's been an unreal ride, but I'm not done yet.

(trick names and years in closed captions)

Noise pollution is the new ‘secondhand smoke’ according to experts

from Inhabitat:

Noise pollution is “the new secondhand-smoke.” Researchers at New York University are conducting a five-year study of noise in the City to better understand how the sounds around us impact our health. Scientists generally agree that anything over 50 decibels increases stress, anxiety, hypertension, and heart attack risk – that’s the same level of sound as a quiet suburb. Now experts are exploring ways to change our sound landscape and avoid harming public health like we did for decades with secondhand smoke.

There have been no definitive studies on change in city noise levels, which is what makes this study so vital. But while there is no official word, yet, there have been greater numbers of lawsuits over noise and more people with hearing problems, as well as short-term studies that point to the negative health effects of noise. “It took decades to educate people on the dangers of secondhand smoke. We may need decades to show the impact of secondhand noise, ”activist Bradley Vite told the Washington Post.

Policymakers in the United States have some catching-up to do when it comes to noise pollution. “We’re in active denial,” Rick Neitzel, director of environmental health policy at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, told the Washington Post. “We’re far, far behind what Europe is doing.” In 2009, the European Union (EU) approved regulations that set noise levels to 40 decibels at night to “protect human health,” while also limiting continuous day-time noise to 50 decibels.

In the United States, 97 percent of the population must contend with human-caused noise. Even national parks are subject to loud human activity, with over two-thirds reporting significant levels of noise pollution, much of which is caused by airplanes and industrial activity such as drilling. So what can we do? To combat this rising threat, Texas is testing specially-grooved concrete that is capable of reducing highway sound levels by 5.8 decibels on average. In Phoenix, more than 200 highways have been repaved with a concrete-tire mix that uses recycled tires to create a more sound-absorbent roadway. Elkhart, Indiana recently approved high fines on “loud and raucous sounds,” such as caravans of motorcycles. “These biker gangs that roar through town can get up to 125 decibels,” Vite said. As a result of these fines, Elkhart has received $1.6 million in new revenue, which it has used to purchase four new police cars.

Via the Washington Post

School of Life Monday: POLITICAL THEORY - Karl Marx

Sunday Snippet

How an overweight 40-year-old became a top ultra-athlete

After shortness of breath from climbing the stairs at home, Rich Roll, the author of "Finding Ultra," decided to change his lifestyle. Dropping 60 pounds in six months, this out-of-shape dad became an ultra-endurance athlete at 39.

Art, Flyers and Comics of Shawn Kerri

from Dangerous Minds:

“I’ve never gotten the same thrill out of having one of my cartoons printed in a magazine as much as seeing one of my old fliers — something I did for a punk gig the week before — laying in the gutter. Seeing it all mashed and dirty thrilled me, because that was how I was living, too. It looked exactly like my life.”

—artist Shawn Kerri

Artist Shawn Kerri (Shawn Maureen Fitzgerald) spent most of her life growing up near San Diego before taking off to make a name for herself in Los Angeles. Kerri was just nineteen when she showed up at the office of CARtoons magazine looking for work and quickly became one of the magazine’s only female illustrators for much of its entire run. A huge fan of hot automobiles herself, Kerri drove a badass 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air around LA hitting up shows and soaking in the city at every stop. Swept up in the furor of late 70s and early 80s southern California punk, Kerri’s artwork quickly became a favorite of bands like Circle Jerks, T.S.O.L., the Germs and others which were used for show flyers, posters, and album art. Perhaps her most intrinsic contribution to the punk scene is the “Skank Kid,”(as originally drawn and named by Kerri), the high-stepping hardcore mascot of the Circle Jerks since the early 1980s. You know, this guy:

Early on in her career, Kerri worked along with her then-boyfriend, another notable illustrator entrenched in the punk scene, Marc Rude, an artist some consider to be one of the fathers of underground punk art. They would collaborate on a zine called Rude Situation but would part ways. Kerri would go on to score work in tons of publications such as Cracked, adult magazines like Hustler, Chic, and Gentleman’s Companion—as well as underground comix and zines like Cocaine Comix, Commies from Mars and Flipside. During her active time as an artist, she was wildly prolific, though not as well known as her peers like Rude, Pushead and fellow SoCal legend Raymond Pettibon. Perhaps it was because Kerri didn’t care to engage in copyright disputes. Such a situation presented itself in 1986 when the agent and record label for one of Kerri’s favorite bands, Circle Jerks, took it upon themselves to claim ownership of the Skank Kid image. Instead of engaging in a long and expensive legal fight, she allegedly signed over the rights to her image to Circle Jerks vocalist Keith Morris.

Another compelling piece of Kerri’s story are the rumors concerning her death sometime in the 1990s—which have been disputed by many claiming to know otherwise. According to this article, Kerri died shortly before her 40th birthday after falling down the stairs at her mother’s home in San Diego. And this is where we swing back to Kerri’s former boyfriend Marc Rude for what is likely the correct version of what happened to her. According to an article via Maximum Rock N Roll, Carl Schneider, the filmmaker behind the 2014 documentary on Marc Rude, Mad Marc Rude: Blood, Ink & Needles, paid a visit to Kerri at her mother’s home sometime in 2004 and confirmed the artist was still very much alive but in rather poor health. For what it is worth, Kerri’s Wiki page does not note she has passed, listing only the year of her birth which is 1958. Whatever the case, it would be my hope the talented, passionate punk is loved and staying strong somewhere in sunny SoCal. I know Kerri’s dedicated fan-base would love to know more about her current status, as would I.

I’ve posted images of Kerri’s work below as well as a few images of her adult-oriented work published using the name Dee Lawdid. Some are NSFW. Skank or die!

go to the original article on DM for the entire piece with more of Shawns art:HERE

Guy Mariano Video days Flashback - celebrating his induction into the Hall of Fame

Guy just got inducted in the skateboarding hall of fame. this part of Guy became an instant classic and still holds up to this day. Guy at the time was doing things on a skateboard that was mind blowing. The Jackson 5 song went so well with who guy was and who is he now. To this day this part still hold up and solidified Guy’s position in skateboarding forever.
guest post: Reda

insta: @giovannireda

Donald Glover - Childish Gambino - This Is America

Daily Party Platter from Jonathan Toubin Little Hank "Mr. Bang Bang Man" (Sound Stage 7, 1966)

Greetings from Manchester, UK! This Jamaican-informed floor filler isn't only a NY Night Train Soul Clap classic but its also a 60s Twisted Wheel classic! In America in its day this one was apparently the kind of good-time obscurity only played in Pittsburgh! A bouncy rhythm punctuated with "Shotgun Wedding"-style novelty gunshots - but when he sings about walking down the street with his pistol in his hand, it shouldn't be taken literally. He's singing about something else! All the girls call him "bang bang man"! And how rare is it that you have a record that fit in the Pittsburgh scene, the Northern Soul scene, and the NY Night Train parties - and has a ska/rock steady groove to boot? A rare bird! And an instant party!

Not much is known about Little Hank other than the fact that he had two rather limited mid-1960s Sound Stage 7 45s. As per usual, feel free to comment if you have any info on Little Hank or this record...

School of Life Monday: Why You Will Marry the Wrong Person

This video sees Alain de Botton, Creator of The School of Life and narrator on the majority of our videos, talking at a Google event in London in 2017.

Daily Party Platter from Jonathan ToubinRobert Parker "Holdin' Out" (NOLA, 1967)

Another Wardell Quezerque-produced and arranged Robert Parker gem on NOLA with a tight-as-nails Smokey Johnson groove!

http://funky16corners.com/f16zine/WEB...

You're listening to the semi-regular addition to the New York Night Train Party Platter playlist. Each track here is recorded directly from my original 45s (no bootlegs, reproductions, etc) to give you an idea of what the real deal authentic vinyl I turn at my parties sounds like. COME BACK EVERY DAY FOR A NEW FIX! Because the records pass so quickly on the dance floor, this channel is an attempt to stop and focus on one record at a time in hopes to personally learn more about each one and at the same time turn you on to the artists, tracks, labels, etc. I'm just hipping myself to a lot of these records for the first time as well - so you can view this as our journey into learning more about cool old records together! But above all else I hope this music moves you as much as it moves me.

How to fold World Record-setting paper airplanes

from Boing Boing:

John "The Paper Airplane Guy" Collins shows us how to fold "Suzanne," the aircraft that set a 2012 world record for flying 69.14 meters.

"I bring paper airplanes into classrooms and start talking about complicated ideas involved with fluid dynamics and using paper airplanes to explain it," Collins told Wired. "If you can have a group of middle schoolers and high schoolers that don't look at their phones for 45 minutes while you're doing a demonstration, you've hit success," he says.

SKATEBOARDING HALL OF FAME Induction ceremony tonight! in Anaheim!

I'll be there!

GEF

Daily Party Platter from Jonathan ToubinJoyce Harris "Baby Baby Baby" (Fun, 1965)

Wowza! What an unusual and killer combo! "No Way Out" rock'n'roll singer Joyce Harris, also Sinner Strong of "Souvenirs of the Soul Clap Vol 2"'s "Don't Knock It 'Til You Try It" fame, hooked up with Big Easy soul/funk/r&b god Eddie Bo for this stellar one off on his obscure Fun label! The other side is an essential burning ballad but this one is an upbeat light-hearted soul dancer that I can see having big Northern Soul appeal...

http://blog.ponderosastomp.com/2010/0...

Daily Party Platter from Jonathan Toubin Robert Parker "Soul Sister" (NOLA, 1968

"Soul Sister" may be my favorite Robert Parker track and a platter i've owned three copies of... The first one got destroyed in an accident many years ago... For years I made do with a crackly one I found and all's well that ends well as I've been turning this beaut for the last couple of years... This dynamic grower is one of the trinity of platters closing out Robert Parker's classic Wardell Quezerque-produced NOLA Records period of his career and definitely worth a million turns...

http://funky16corners.com/f16zine/WEB...

WHAT IF ALL THE GREAT AMERICAN PUNK HEROES HAD THEIR OWN CLASSIC COMIC BOOK TITLES?

from Dangerous Minds:

Not long ago a Brazilian artist going by the name W. Loud cooked up some excellent punk rock/Marvel mashup covers. W. Loud’s graffiti-style signature cleverly transforms that “W” into a little crown on top of the word “LOUD.”)

Loud dedicated one image each to covers for the Descendents, Black Flag, the Misfits, the Dead Kennedys, and Minor Threat (whom we’ll count as “punk” for the purposes of this exercise). Loud appears to favor the U.S. variety of punk rocker, there ain’t a Brit in the bunch. For the most part, the covers are freely invented, not 1:1 homages, but Loud was sure to sprinkle in lots of clues to transmit his enthusiasm for both Marvel lore and the bands. He made sure to work in the familiar band logos and slogans (“EVERYTHING SUCKS TODAY!”) as well as the pivotal first year of the band’s existence.

So you have Milo popping up on the outfits of two members of the Descendents, the familiar Alternative Tentacles logo occupying a corner of the Dead Kennedys cover, and devilock’d Jerry Only and crew backing up Danzig as was their lot in real life.

You can get prints and T-shirts of these images at the Touts website.