During his 2nd detention this week, Zimbabwean opposition leader is told that political rallies are forbidden, even though the election is just a few weeks away.

And on top of it all, Mugabe, the thug in chief, has halted the operations of international aid groups like CARE, even though millions of Zimbabweans depend on these groups for food.

All the while he's been in Rome attending a UN Conference on the Food Crisis.

The shame of it all! The horror of it all!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080606/ap_on_re_af/zimbabwe

Global military spending up 45% in ten years, with the U.S. accounting for most of it.

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5i4sG_dfTSlvH_ckBVY5docV1C2dg

Hi Franklin! I just mentioned that one particular MDC show we played on my blog. Remember that? Cheers!

http://popenorton.stumbleupon.com/

how could anyone forget that MDC show! or rather, what preceded it...

I hope you are well. Will have to check out your blog.

Zimbabwean opposition candidate dropped out, citing the increasing violence directed at his supporters... Police raided his headquarters.

War crimes trials for Mugabe and his cronies and supporters!

the only thing you got wrong in your memory banks is that once we got out the flipped-ver car and you were cursing me, a car stopped and instead of asking if we were allright, he rolled down the window and said "watch your toungue, son" and then drove off...

Toyota corolla 1976, we love you!

UN has said the a free and fair election is impossible.

Nonetheless, South Africa continues constructive engagement with Mugabe.

WHAT HYPOCRITES.

eeek - a free and fair election in Zimbabwe that is...

So... the sham election came and went in Zimbabwe, and with state repression at its highest in some time, Mugabe, the sole candidate.... won. Imagine that. They did a quick swearing-in on Friday during which he and his ministers gloated over their "triumph," an "election" which just about everyone else in the world called a fraud, with the sole exception perhaps of that constructive-engage-ionist Mbeki.

How bad was it? Let's just say it made Florida 2000 look like a model election.

Forecast? Mugabe will continue to terrorize the opposition. And South Africa will continue to thwart any meaningful international reaction.... until Mbeki is replaced/removed/told to "go home, you've done enough harm, sir."

... and some good news for a change...

The Colombian Army rescued 15 hostages from the FARC including the foremer presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, three US contractors, and the rest, members of Colombian Army and police; with an operation in which the Army posed as a fictitious humanitarian organization.

Obviously this will complicate any further efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to the remaining hostages... but before we all jump in an criticize this, let's not forget that hostage-taking, no matter the cause, is tantamount to torture.

Betancourt, for instance, had been held for about six years; similarly with the US defense contractors. Betancourt was captured when she headed off to meet with the FARC to plead for a peace process.

Hi Franklin,
Looks like there's another band called Blowback. Thought you'd like to know.
They did a west coast tour. That's funny! There's a band from Norway called The Colombian Neckties. Now there's a band called Blowback.

http://prankrecords.blogspot.com/2008/01/s...-blowback-west.html

Hey, do you keep in touch with Senorita Carlita? (hehe) She was the head of the Marlo Thomas fan club, wasn't she? (heh heh)

Ok, enough of the inside jokes. Later!

Ya there are actually 2 others, at least that I know of... one from Japan (hardcore punk, just toured w/Tragedy), and one from Sweden (stoner rock). I guess the world's big enough for 3 BLOWBACKs....!

Interview with Greg Palast in Razorcake magazine (hint, hint):

http://www.razorcake.org/site/modules.php?...5ce548af3fc11c7ca11

Maybe we do it via phone this weekend Hack, Senor will be in town so we just gotta track down Frankie

Sounds good, just let me know.

--- On Wed, 8/20/08, QT - BIII <qtopic-14-HrL2p2wxUjH@quicktopic.com> wrote: From: QT - BIII <qtopic-14-HrL2p2wxUjH@quicktopic.com>
Subject: Blowback
To: "QT topic subscribers" <qtopic-subs@quicktopic.com>
Date: Wednesday, August 20, 2008, 3:42 PM

< replied-to message removed by QT >

If you listen to NPR, you might have already heard this:

'Rock en Espanol' takes hold in Charlotte, NC
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94411657

THIS BOARD HAS MOVED!

BLOWBACK is finally upgrading to a new forum that should be way better than this old Quick Topic board. All of the old posts have been moved over to the new system, including the thousands of old backbiting, backstabbing, impersonating posts by friends and enemies from all corners. If you want some entertainment, trying looking through some of the old ones (I just did). Click on "Archives" from the new board....

Anyway, you can still post and subscribe by email and do all of the things that you've been able to do, but it should be easier to search and comment on other posts and do a bunch of other things. If you need help just email info @ blowback.org.

Here's the new board, or just go to blowback.org and click on "TALK" from the nav.

http://www.blowback.org/main/index.php?blogid=5

-Seņor