The open source movement needs to have the ability to apply itself to a broad context of society. Therefore, there is a need for manifestos. It must be able to look at the behavior of people in regards to technology, and then view social technology in the same way. What is most vital is the adaptability and distribution of power. There is much that can be learned from the open source philosophy for the sake of human relations.

 
The changes in culture that occurred in the 1960's was expressed primarily through music, movies, fashion, and graphic arts. The medium that at first seems neglected in the counterculture is literature. Many inspiring books were from another era, such as The Lord Of The Rings and Steppenwolf, and the contemporary works appeared limited to Ken Kesey and Tom Wolfe. But there was a growing crop of literature that can now be fully appreciated.

 
Now with the Oscars over, and being saddened that tastes have degenerated so that Chicago would win best picture, I have Turner Classic Movies and The Independent Film Channel to console me. I have also turned my interest to the era known as "The New Hollywood" which is the period of the 1960's and the 1970's. The apex was 1967 (Bonnie And Clyde) to 1977 (Star Wars: A New Hope), and was the point where the counterculture seeped into the movie business. It was the time of original plots and original film technique, of Robert Evans and Robert Altman. There should be a special showing of the films of 1971 alone on TCM.

 
Last night Chicago unfortunately won best picture, and also won for Catherine Zeta-Jones the best supporting actress Oscar. With the disappointment that an undeserving musical won such a high award, there were the pleasant surprises that Frida won for best makeup and other nominations, and The Pianist also did quite well. It is actually very sad that Gangs of New York did not win one Oscar. Overall, out of my eight predictions I was correct for four of them. Special appreciation to Michael Moore for being so brave as to denounce the war and the Bush regime in his acceptance speech. It was real moxie, and had more directness to it than other wishes for peace made by other winners such as Adrien Brody and Chris Cooper.

 
The official rally and march in New York City drew about 200,000 people, while spontaneous rallies and marches were formed in such places as Washington D.C. that had hundreds of thousands attending. This is in spite of the mainstream media's 24 hour coverage of the war that helps the government give the impression of a speedy war. A quick war implies a victory, but denies the fact that a "shock and awe" tactic means increased bombings and more civilian deaths. "Shock and awe" and "surgical strikes" is a contradiction in terms.

On another note, the Oscars are tomorrow. If any war news preempts the ceremony, it just shows that only an idiot son of the American elite as president can ruin the Oscars. Either that, or Chicago winning all its nominations. I will literally hit my head against the wall if Chicago wins.

 
Spontaneous anti-war rallies are forming across the nation, and around the globe. One way to get the argument for peace across is to use the addresses of multiple newspapers and send them the same editorial. It is a chance to reach a wider audience, and propose that a real support of U.S. troops is to bring them back home.

 
As of this posting, the war with Iraq has officially begun. Now is the time to further local protests in collaboration with nationwide action this upcoming weekend. If one really supported the troops, then they would demand their elected officials end this travesty and send them home. One needs to look at the alternative new sites for any real insight, as the corporate controlled media will now go into the business of manipulaitng emotion under the banner of patriotism.

 
There has been the question of what one could immediately do after the beginning of an attack on Iraq. In my community, there is a plan to march down our main street at 5:00 P.M. on the day of the attack, or the day after if the attack happens at night. Anyone who is in doubt about what to do should consider this. At the very least, go down to a busy street corner with a sign for a couple of hours. There needs to be an immedaite reaction to demonstrate to the administration and people in your community that the peace movement still is alive and strong. As of this writing, there is a 48 hour deadline for Saddam Hussein to leave Iraq. The countdown has officially begun.

 
This past weekend could be the last weekend of peace. In response to a looming war, there have been rallies, marches, and candlelight vigils. The mainstream media tend to downplay the attendence to these protests, so it is good to look to an alternative view in these cases. But with time, the sheer numbers of dissent can break through the blockade of underplaying the news in corporate controlled media. It is just a matter of keeping up the direct action while keeping the peace dialogue going with others in the community.

 
The current situation in the U.N. is that a vote on a second resolution may happen after the March 17th deadline. With China, Russia, and France on the Security Council ready to veto an attack on Iraq, it is going to be a unilateral action if it happens next week. Therefore, a strategic victory for the peace movement is assured, as the credibility for this war plummets. Coupled with the historical precedent of this being the only time that a war has been largely protested against before it even happens, and it can be stated without exaggeration that George W. Bush may start this war, bu the anti-war movement will end it.

 
When, or if, the war starts, there is going to be a dramatic change in the pitch of the anti-war movement. It is not going to be crushed, but rather employ nonviolent civil disobediance tactics along with intensified rallies and marches. When the proverbial fit has hit the shan, a place to look to is Not In Our Name. There is also going to be global peace vigils on Sunday March 16th. Things are definitely coming to a head as the deadline of March 17th nears.

 
In this month of March, there are two national anti-war protests going on. On March 15th, there is a convergence on the White House in Washington D.C.. On the 22nd of March is a massive rally and march in New York City, this time with a permit for both. Ideally, one should attend both, but at least go to one of them and make your voice heard. And if the war should start at the end of this month, then the next step is for the anti-war movement to perform direct action by way of nonviolent civil disobedience.

 
If you feel that the right movies were not mentioned for nomination by the Academy Awards, there is a chance to vote your own opinion. The alternative news website Alternet has a page where they have their own movie awards nominations, and give people a chance to cast votes. The categories are thematic rather than strict aspects of a film. They even employ the more progressive Instant Runoff Voting system (IRV) which allows voters to make a first, second, and third choice. Vote early and feel aesthetically empowered.

 
The current and growing anti-war movement is unique from the protests against the Vietnam war in that this protest movement is separated from a counterculture as in that of the 1960's. Though there is nothing wrong with a counterculture, especially the revolution in music, fashion, and art in the 1960's, this current peace action is more practical. In the 1960's, there was a utopian idealism that permeated the attempt to stop the war. It clouded purposeful strategy, and when those ideals were not readily realized there was a lot of disillusionment among people as the 1970's began. Today, the anti-war mobilization is a broad collection of people from all walks of life. And there is still a counterculture, though infused with irony and aware of its limits and boundaries.

 
I am starting to get a little paranoid. The nothingness.org site seems to be down since last Thursday. The site is a repository of anarchist and situationist literature, while being an inspiration to the current dissent against the current staus quo. With the New York City police purposely preventing protestors from exercising their right to peacefully assemble on February 15th, it would not be too bizarre to have the authorities pressure website hosts from discontinuing so-called subversive information. They have already done enough persecution of online headshops to warrant some sense of caution.

 
In competition with Turner Classic Movies airing nothing but Oscar awarded and nominated movies this month, The Trio Channel is showing classics from the "New Hollywood". The term refers to the generation from the 1960's to the 1970's who redefined Hollywood with a more director-driven iconoclastic film style. These include Dennis Hopper (The Last Movie and Easy Rider), Martin Scorsese (Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore), and George Lucas (THX-1138). The specific flavor of that time, where social change was reflected on screen, is attributed to this group of people fresh out of film school who made their own movies before the age of the blockbuster. Independent films are their spiritual children.

 
The Oscars are coming up toward the end of this month. And so, Turner Classic Movies is showing nothing but Oscar nominated or awarded movies all this month of March. For a real appreciator of movies, Turner Classic Movies and the Independent Film Channel (with the Sundance Channel if you get that station) are the centerpiece of television. If the Academy payed more attention to these stations to get an idea of what is a great movie, then we would not have this horrendous Chicago debacle this year.