Brave New Films blog

The McCain Economy: Some Straight Talk

info@bravenewfilms.org — Thu, 08 May 2008 19:33:18 -0500

McCain discusses his economical plans in a straight forward manner

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Chris Bennett Sings: '"Get Out Of Town George Bush'"

info@bravenewfilms.org — Fri, 09 May 2008 11:32:52 -0500

Chris Bennett adds new (fabulous) lyrics to a classic Cole Porter song.

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I Want My McTV!

info@bravenewfilms.org — Fri, 09 May 2008 07:36:03 -0500

It was laughable to watch John McCain, who has proven to either have a bad memory, a problem telling the truth, or both, to ask that we "consider the source" in response to Arianna Huffington's claim that he told her he didn't vote for Bush in 2000. Then again, he doesn't remember who he was back then, so why should he remember what he said either?

John McCain: I Agree with Osama Bin Laden and Gen. Petraeaus

info@bravenewfilms.org — Thu, 08 May 2008 15:34:48 -0500

From March 24. McCain also attacks Obama and Clinton for disagreeing with him and bin Laden.

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Edwards: "Reform Health Care Responsibly, Morally"

info@bravenewfilms.org — Thu, 08 May 2008 15:32:54 -0500

On the 30th anniversary of the "War on Cancer," Elizabeth Edwards, one of the nation's most outspoken and effective advocates for universal healthcare coverage, tells a US Senate Committee Panel led by Senator Ted Kennedy, "...we've chosen as a nation to turn our backs on some of us who have the disease [cancer]. I urge you to reform health care responsibly, morally, and aggressively." May 8, 2008

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Tom Brokaw on Why Tuesday?

info@bravenewfilms.org — Thu, 08 May 2008 11:29:17 -0500

Jacob Soboroff thanks our subscribers for letting us know that Tom Brokaw shouted us out during MSNBC's North Carolina and Indiana election-night coverage, and plays the snippet for those who missed it.

For more: http://whytuesday.org

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Civil Disobedience For Sean Bell

info@bravenewfilms.org — Fri, 09 May 2008 03:31:32 -0500

Reverend Al Sharpton, and organizers across New York City, lead protests in six locations to fight for justice after the shooting death of Sean Bell.

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John Edwards on The Today Show

info@bravenewfilms.org — Fri, 09 May 2008 03:35:11 -0500

Edwards on the Today show this morning.

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A People's History of American Empire by Howard Zinn

info@bravenewfilms.org — Thu, 08 May 2008 13:27:26 -0500

Empire or Humanity? What the Classroom Didn't Teach Me about the American Empire by Howard Zinn and narrated by Viggo Mortenson.

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Beverly Hills Chihuahua

info@bravenewfilms.org — Thu, 08 May 2008 15:01:11 -0500

First, before you read any further, go watch the trailer for Disney's movie, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Then, come back so we can talk about it.

You like that? Hmmm?

At a time when writers and producers of material about human Latinos face unprecedented resistance to our material, Hollywood had absolutely no problem green-lighting "Beverly Hills Chihuahua." It will be released in September, which is (coincidentally? methinks not) Hispanic History Month in the United States. Note: The brown male dog hooks up with the whitest female dog ever, and asks, slyly, "Jealous?" Also note, he is "50 percent warrior, 50 percent lover."

Nah, no stereotypes there.

At a time when new information about the incredible complexity of ancient Mayan civilization, writing, language and mathematics is being uncovered, at a time of unprecedented attacks upon those of Mexican descent in this country, at a time when history books are finally starting to admit that many tens of millions more indigenous people were killed in the Americas than previously admitted - this, THIS is what we get from our film industry.

A film industry with a long history of very cozy relationships with government propagandists.

If I hadn't sat in so many meetings where studio execs made comments that would make Jim Crow laws seem enlightened, I wouldn't believe it. But believe it I do. George Lopez and Salma Hayek on board to voice the characters.

Thoughts?

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Happy 40th Birthday CCC!

info@bravenewfilms.org — Thu, 08 May 2008 11:19:28 -0500

The Center for Community Change, from which the Movement Vision Project emerged, celebrates its 40th Anniversary. What are the Center's roots and what is its future?

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Bush Job Approval Hits New Low Within GOP

info@bravenewfilms.org — Thu, 08 May 2008 03:33:37 -0500

President Bush's job approval rating among members of his own party is now at 60%, an all-time Gallup low.

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Who Will Fix America's Broken Health Care System?

info@bravenewfilms.org — Thu, 08 May 2008 03:33:30 -0500

More at therealnews.com

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The Onion: Software Reveals Missing Child Likely a Prostitute

info@bravenewfilms.org — Thu, 08 May 2008 03:31:36 -0500

Today Now! utilizes computer technology to show a mother how rampant drug use and prostitution has ravaged her little girl's body.

More coverage at: onion.com

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CNN Nudges Clinton Out the Door Ever So Gently

info@bravenewfilms.org — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:33:48 -0500

Segment on CNN's Situation Room, May 7, 2008

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John Cusack's $3 Trillion Shopping Spree

info@bravenewfilms.org — Thu, 08 May 2008 10:00:27 -0500

John Cusack, the star of the upcoming Iraq War satire War Inc., writes:

THAT WAS FUN. Just got done spending $3 trillion. Try it yourself - it's a lot harder than you might think. Honestly, it would have been a whole lot easier just to follow the president's example and blow it all on one illegal occupation of Iraq.

$3 trillion is the projected cost of the Iraq War according to Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz and Harvard lecturer Linda Bilmes. That's a whole lot of zeros, but what does it really amount to? How many homes would it buy for Americans who've fallen victim to the subprime meltdown? How many debts would it pay off for developing nations? For that matter, how many of those new Mac Air laptops would it buy me? As it turns out, one whole hell of a lot of all of those things combined.

Try it yourself: http://3trillion.org

What's Wrong with a Little PsyOps?

info@bravenewfilms.org — Thu, 08 May 2008 09:35:57 -0500

Last month, The New York Times published its front-page exposé of the Pentagon's strategy of using military analysts. The retired officers who frequently appeared on TV were the ideal vehicle to broadcast the administration's message on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. "Message force multipliers," Pentagon officials called them.

Well, earlier this week, the Pentagon released all of the documents that had been turned over to the Times. It is a staggering load. But most immediately intriguing is audio of some of the briefings at the Pentagon, including two featuring Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

The audio we've excerpted here comes from a meeting on April 18, 2006. It was an emergency meeting called because earlier in the month, several retired generals had hit the airwaves demanding that Rumsfeld resign. 17 analysts attended the briefing, which featured Rumsfeld and then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Peter Pace. It was a remarkable display of servility, with one analyst at one point proclaiming that Rumsfeld need to get out there on the "offense," because "we'd love to be following our leader, as indeed you are. You are the leader. You are our guy."

Caught on Tape: Philly Police in Controversial Arrest

info@bravenewfilms.org — Wed, 07 May 2008 17:32:50 -0500

In this violent arrest on Monday night, at least a dozen white policemen brutally beat three African-American men after a drive-by shooting in North Philly. The men arrested had nothing to do with the shooting of Philly police officer Stephen Liczbinski last Saturday night, but here was the police's misplaced hostility at its ugliest. This video stands as a testament to just how terrible gun violence and racial tensions have become in Philly.

And while police managed to capture Liczbinki's killer, that story has been completely overshadowed by this display of excessive force and police brutality.

"We have 6,700 members on the city police force," [Police Commissioner Charles] Ramsey said to CNN's John Roberts. "Occasionally we have someone engaging in conduct we're not especially proud of. It happens in any large organization.
Ramsey said the beating should be placed in context.
"We're going through a difficult time this week," Ramsey said.

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Cindy McCain Refuses to Release Her Tax Returns

info@bravenewfilms.org — Thu, 08 May 2008 07:34:40 -0500

Cindy McCain on NBC's Today Show, May 8, 2008

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A Land Called Paradise

info@bravenewfilms.org — Thu, 08 May 2008 06:41:05 -0500

The NY Times has a great piece today about American Muslim artists who are creating videos like this one to challenge stereotypes about Islam.

In December 2007, over 2,000 American Muslims were asked what they wished they could say to the world. This is what they said.

MAS Media Foundation presents "A Land Called Paradise." Unofficial music video for Kareem Salama's "A Land Called Paradise." Directed by Lena Khan.

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