Shell Oil Building it's own Army

What happens when people are down-trodden upon by Governments and Corporations, many revolt.

This is not to say crimes don't get committed on the Revolting side as well as on the "Occupying Side", (Corporate Controlled Nigerian Government).

However, it does deserve a deeper look; because on the surface Shell Oil is just protecting their Employees and Business Venture... Not too many will think that is bad. What Most miss is that this is setting a bad precedent. Especially when Shell Funds groups like the JTF who harm or kill civilians or Non-combatants in an attempt to retain control over their assumed assets in Nigeria.

Big Oil is making a statement to Nigerians and the World that Oil is more important than Peoples Freedoms and Rights, no less.

The Precedent seemingly being set by this is that if Shell can continue to retain the right to keep Nigerian Citizens under their thumb and Rule via the Nigerian Govt. for their own personal wealth and gain.

They and other Corporations with the wealth and intrepid resolve to build their own armies and use them at will, will.

We Americans already know what Corporations do when they have they power to wield; The consumer becomes unimportant and sales become the ultimate goal. Our products become less safe, risks are taken with the end consumers health because chemicals deemed unsafe are then used to cheapen product production and increase monetary saturation for them.

Granted Shell is mainly an Oil based company, but the precedent being set affects m ore than just Shell or Oil.

It affects all Corporations and Governments willing to let greed trump Rights and Freedom.



Do I want Shell Employees to be kidnapped or worse... No! Absolutely Not.

But nor do I want Corporations to believe they have they right to kill so they can continue to operate in anonymity .

Many Corporations, (Many American Corporations also), work deals or arrangements with smaller, destitute, or weak foreign Governments that allow them to cheaply produce a product. Which many times means producing at the cost of the environment and in turn those that live in that environment.

Using unsafe production techniques, many times using unsafe chemicals in the process that end up polluting water tables, ground, other waterways and the local airways.

Using dangerous methods is so prominent because it is usually cheaper than making things safe, and the bottom line is profit margin.

And many of these foreign Governments are willing to sacrifice their lands and people in an effort to have a source of stable revenue.

Be Aware Americans and the World, just because it happens to someone else does not mean it cannot happen to you or I.


R. William Holzkopf Jr.

Santigold!

I have found for a while that every so often genius strikes not once but twice in a lifetime.

I also tend towards groups and artists that say it like it is and don't hold back on account of the feelings of others, the dirty Music industry, and or the Politicians who would seek to de-evolve us into some mindless mass.

Santi White of Santigold is just one of those people and she has such an eclectic range of sound that I am both honored and fascinated by it!

The best description of Santigold comes from this Article by Alexis Pauline Gumbs of BrokenBeautiful Press : http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/santogold-santogold/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2223468439/
http://brokenbeautiful.wordpress.com/

She states ever so succinctly:
"Santi White reborn in the eclectic sound of Santogold calls her own music “a mash up of all that stuff”. Produced by a crew including snowboarders, electronic and dub-based producers like Squeeze and Diplo and sounding like what happens when London, Jamaica, Brooklyn, Philly and an old school Hindi film soundtrack explode out of a Nintendo set, Santogold’s self-titled first album is ska resurrected, punk retooled, drum and base repossessed and pop reborn. This is the soda shack where punk and electronica meet the rhythm of a diasporic dub addiction. You almost have to write a surrealist poem to describe this music. "

I write this of Santigold: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2223468439/ & http://www.myspace.com/santigold

...because I really enjoy her music and Brunt in your face nature, but one of my favorite songs by her is [Shove it], which usually gets an array of confused remarks but as [Frictional] on June 24, 2011  commented on http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/3530822107858689363/

They state:
"When she chants "We think you're a joke. Shove your hope where it don't shine," she's making two statements at once. The first is what some prejudiced person/dirty politician/hipster-wannabe music critic might say to you, "Look at who you are, all hopeful, but you're nobody. We think you're a joke. Shove your hope where it don't shine." However, these words themselves can be reclaimed. We don't have to be held down, "We know how you work and you use guns cause you don't have any other strength. We gain soul from where we come from and who we are. We think you're a joke. Shove your hope where it don't shine."
"

I agree with this interpretation because that is what I feel from her lyrics as well.

So if you are looking for something that will speak to your roots but also will challenge you, just listen to some Santigold!

R. William Holzkopf