“Something inspired you to get involved, and something inspired you to be a Democrat instead of running as a Republican. Because somewhere deep in your heart you said to yourself, I believe in an America in which we don’t just look out for ourselves … but we also have a sense of neighborliness and a sense of community, and we are willing to look out for one another and help people who are vulnerable and help people who are down on their luck and give them a pathway to success and give them a ladder into the middle class. That’s why you decided to run.”

-Obama at the Democrat Caucus before the Health Care vote

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/22/health-care-vote-us-obama

Yes We Did!

Congrats America, you did it. Thank you for making peoples health care  equal and having the same rights as well. Health Care is a RIGHT not a privilege, regardless what others may think.

They hail from the land of the free, the home of the brave, a place where it is said anyone can prosper regardless of colour, creed or religion. But dozens of Americans have tried in recent years to gain asylum in the UK by claiming they were persecuted in their homeland, according to figures released to the Guardian under the Freedom of Information Act.

Home Office statistics show that between 2004 and 2008, 45 Americans submitted asylum applications to the UK Border Agency claiming they had fled the US and were unable to go back because they had a well-founded fear of persecution. Fifteen Canadians also applied. All 60 were turned down.

A US government source said the American applications were most likely submitted by self-declared “political refugees” claiming they faced discrimination under the last administration. The applications from the US peaked in 2008, the final year of George Bush’s presidency, when 15 Americans submitted asylum claims.

Between 2004 and 2008 there were 132,640 asylum claims made in the UK, according to government statistics.

The Home Office refused to reveal the rationale behind the claims or why they were refused, saying a manual search of the records would be required, exceeding the time limit for Freedom of Information requests.

But on various online forums, people claiming to be American refugees have outlined their cases. One Texan hoping to be allowed sanctuary in Scotland claimed he had been “persecuted as a political dissident against US government war-mongering”.

Liza Schuster, an asylum expert from the department of sociology at City University, said: “I don’t know the details of those cases, but assume the US citizens are deserting before being sent to somewhere like Afghanistan. With the Canadians I’m really not sure. It is, as is clear from the numbers, pretty unusual – if only because it is relatively easy for those people to leave their countries and settle elsewhere. Why not just apply for a work visa and renew and then apply for leave to remain?

“As someone who would not find admission to European countries too difficult, it would only make sense to claim asylum if you feared extradition back to Canada or the US, or if there was some reason you might be refused entry. It is interesting – I’d be curious to know more – not least because in spite of what the law books say, granting asylum is a criticism of the originating state.”

According to the Home Office figures, most of the US and Canadian applicants were aged between 18 and 59, though a small number of American asylum seekers were over 60.

The Refugee Council, the largest organisation in the UK working with asylum seekers and refugees, said it had helped 18 American and two Canadian asylum seekers between 2004 and 2008. The adults ranged in age from 29 to 59 with a mean age of 44. The Americans had nine dependent children aged under 16.

“In this time this group of clients attended 40 advice sessions and mainly came to see us regarding their entitlement to UKBA asylum support, and issues associated with destitution,” said a spokeswoman.

Donna Covey, the chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: “No country is safe for every person all of the time. Those with a genuine need for protection, whatever country they are from, should have the right to claim asylum in a place of safety.”

A small number of Americans have successfully claimed asylum abroad over the past few decades. In 1997 the Netherlands granted asylum to Holly Ann Collins, together with her three children, when they claimed to be fleeing domestic abuse. The family had spent three years living in four different Dutch refugee camps before their application was approved.

In June 2008 Texan mother Chere Tomayko and her two daughters were granted asylum in Costa Rica, also on the grounds of abuse.

After America went to war in Iraq in 2003 a number of US soldiers deserted and crossed the border to Canada, where they tried to claim asylum.

For a number of years Private Bethany Smith has been fighting to stay in Canada, claiming she was persecuted in the army because she is a lesbian.

Smith, who now goes by the name Skylar James, told Canadian authorities she was repeatedly harassed and threatened with death, then denied an honourable discharge because her superiors wanted to send her to Afghanistan. In November a senior judge ordered Canada’s immigration and refugee board to look again at her case.

In November 2004 I was at in an British Airways lounge at JFK airport and while waiting to board a flight to Manchester, UK I was watching John Kerry give his concession speech. Disappointed with the outcome, I called my partner in the UK and jokingly said ‘ Can I apply for political asylum while I’m there?’
Apparently I wasn’t the only person with the same idea.

According to Freedom of Information Act, 45 Americans (and 15 Canadians) applied between 2004 and 2008. I find that so interesting. Were things THAT bad back home for people? You think, like the UK, America is a place to find safety, not run from it.  I know the whole lefty versus righty thing can get heated, but to the point to move to country? Why not apply for asylum in Canada?

It seems, strange. They author cited one case of a person from Texas and his outline of WHY he should be granted Asylum seekers status. I guess there are places in Texas that can be overwhelming and not willing to at least listen to another beliefs, but  you can move to other places inside of the United States thats more in line with your own views. Thats what so great about America. No need to change countries, just change states or even counties.

The only bit about the article that bothered me was this statement:

Liza Schuster, an asylum expert from the department of sociology at City University, said: “I don’t know the details of those cases, but assume the US citizens are deserting before being sent to somewhere like Afghanistan. With the Canadians I’m really not sure. It is, as is clear from the numbers, pretty unusual – if only because it is relatively easy for those people to leave their countries and settle elsewhere. Why not just apply for a work visa and renew and then apply for leave to remain?

Does she not know how HARD it is to apply and receive a work visa in the UK? Even during the good times, it is incredibly difficult for an American (or non-eu citizen) to be receive a UK work permit.  Now a days with the Governments further restrictions on foreign workers, with the point system and EU residents having priority over jobs, its impossible.  Well it is, UNLESS you’re  someone of an extremely skilled nature and unique in your field, you will be guaranteed that Tier 2 visa.

I think what makes Ms Schusters statement so hard to handle, as she is a ‘expert’   she should have knowledge of that fact and how difficult it is to gain entry into the UK with valid right to remain. I bet there are loads of asylum seekers who have tried to apply for a Tier 2 visa and didn’t qualify. The only way to get their families to safety was to go down the Asylum route.

I think that statement, for me, is what makes this whole article so shocking and not so, ‘Oh I wasn’t the only one with the sorta-clever idea’

Ours is the one with the lights on.

Very Christmassy. Was supposed to head into town to get some grit from B&Q but felt it was too dangerous to venture into town by bus and hope to find a cab home. Walked up to our council grit bin and grabbed enough to tide us over the next few days

Now just nervous if it will still be shit and if I can get into work tomorrow.

for those lucky enough to make it into Boston with the amazing Nor’Easter heading your way, looks like the guys are giving you a real treat (Even if Danny hates it)

Okay besides the NKs my other guilty boyband pleasure is Robbie Williams. Ive had a crush on him since like 1999 when I first saw the video for Millennium on MTV2 (yeah when they actually played videos and not just MTVs repeats) and just always had a crush on him. His music is nothing outstanding but it is pretty decent pop music (should I say its even better than the NKs?? – please dont hate me!)

Apparently after releasing the shit storm that is/was RudeBox (most people dont even acknowledge this exists) he kinda went hunting for aliens in the Hollywood Hills with Peter Andre and got a little pudgy. Hes shed some weight and now back. New single is called ‘Bodies’ and due out on October 12, with a full album entitled ‘Reality Killed the Video Star’ on November 9th. The album is being co-written with his former song writing partner Guy Chambers (Who helped co-write the majority of his biggest hits) and produced with the help of Trevor Horn (of the Buggles fame) and Mark Ronson (brother of infamous DJ Samantha Ronson).

The Making of the Return of Robbie Williams

Id also like to point out that Off the Wall is probably the best debut solo album ever AND probably one of the best dance records ever. From start to finish it is PERFECT

Jones Beach! 1988! from LET'S GET THIS FOUNDATION on Vimeo.

$10,000 has been raised so far and even more in books donated at shows. Ladies lets keep getting this and give give give!!!

BitTorrent users spend money, too

8:31 AM, June 3, 2009

Vuze — the company that’s trying to sell licensed, high-def videos to users of the BitTorrent file-sharing software — has spent much of the past two years trying to persuade Hollywood that its users are customers, not thieves. So far, however, the major studios have entrusted little to Vuze beyond movie trailers and other promotional videos. Now Vuze is trying to prod Hollywood with some eye-opening data about its clientele’s buying habits and purchasing power: in addition to being copyright infringers, they spend a lot of money on movies and movie-watching gear. Said Vuze CEO Gilles BianRosa, “Those users are actually Hollywood’s best customers.”

Yes, that’s a self-serving comment. But BianRosa’s assertion is supported by a survey by media consulting firm Frank N. Magid Associates of about 1,300 Internet users between the ages of 18 and 44, nearly 700 of whom use Vuze. The survey, which Vuze released late Tuesday, included the following insights about the members of the company’s audience:

• They buy 34% more movie tickets, purchase 34% more DVDs and rent 24% more movies than the average Internet user.
• They tend to have more and better equipment for consuming media, including home theaters and expensive computers with large screens.
• They spend less time watching TV, more online, and far more watching downloaded or streaming video.
• They’re not only early adopters, they’re more likely to share their opinions online, and with more people.

BianRosa said he talks frequently with studio executives, and a common attitude is that BitTorrent users are “never going to pay for anything” and “are basically at the heart of Hollywood’s problem right now.” Rather than dismissing them, though, the survey shows that Hollywood should be trying to understand when and why they decide to buy content. The data tells Hollywood that Vuze’s audience is ready for video delivered digitally and willing to spend heavily on programming and the means to consume it. What it doesn’t reveal, at least not explicitly, is why those users buy DVDs but not the downloadable movies sold or rented by authorized outlets such as CinemaNow, iTunes or Amazon.com.

Naturally, BianRosa has a few guesses. First, he said, the price demanded for downloadable movies is about the same as what it costs to buy or rent a physical DVD, yet the downloads don’t deliver as much value. That’s true in part because the DRM used on the downloadable media creates “massive friction” for consumers, making those files less portable and harder to use than discs. And  the studios’ demand that online distributors pay anticipated royalties in advance cuts down on the availability of legitimate content by making it hard for many smaller outlets to get into the business, he said.

The studios’ pricing strategy is dictated to some degree by their concern about cannibalizing DVD sales, which have been a critical source of revenue. But BianRosa asked, “How can there be cannibalization if there isn’t distribution?” It’s not a question of trading analog dollars for digital dimes, as NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker famously put it, because the profit margins should be better online than they are in the physical world, BianRosa said. Rather, the issue is whether Hollywood can afford not to be experimenting online with BitTorrent and other distribution platforms that millions of people are using. The studios, he said, are “hoping for a model online that will magically emerge on its own, with all the problems resolved … and then embrace it. That’s just not the way it’s going to happen.”

Of course, it’s not fair to say the major studios are shunning the Internet just because they haven’t been willing to license content to Vuze on BianRosa’s terms. They’re doing some significant experiments online, particularly with television programs and advertiser-supported platforms such as Hulu (which NBC Universal and News Corp. founded). They’ve gradually offered more movies for rent or purchase on the Net, and reduced the time lag between the DVD release and online availability. But they’ve not gone nearly as far as the music industry to enable fully stocked video-on-demand services online or provide the same quality and flexibility in downloadable media as they do in packaged products. And neither the record labels nor the studios has made a credible attempt yet to compete head-to-head with bootlegged goods on the distribution platforms where piracy thrives. Perhaps the Vuze survey will give Hollywood more incentive to court those users, rather than simply wishing they’d go away.

– Jon Healey

Yes we needed this article to tell use things we already know, but maybe if its in print the god damn RIAA and MPAA will read this and it MIGHT (though probably not) get through their thick heads. We’re trying to HELP them and they REFUSE to embrace the way the system has changed and works. Oh wells. Until then well keep on fighting and theyll keep on losing out.

New Kid on a Vlog from LET’S GET THIS FOUNDATION on Vimeo.

Please go to the link and give at least $10 (or about £6.20) for 5 books for some very lucky kids to get and learn the joy of reading! your $10 (or £6.20) will help a kindergärtner learn the joy of reading. Its a great gift and if we help only one kid, that will make all our efforts worth it. reading IS fundamental and so many children go to bed without a night time story. please dont let this happen any more.

how hot is he?

Until then enjoy this teaser (i think it orignally came from @ktsummer summer video)

Anyways, Joey posted a new blog today. Can I just say this man never ceases to amaze me? So good.

This blog is the informal yet official announcement of something very
exciting and powerful-
The Let’s Get This Foundation-
Helping the world, Step by Step.

I believe that all of us want to help out, but we don’t know how or we
just don’t think our contribution will make a difference. Thankfully,
the fact is we can make a difference.

The Let’s Get This Foundation is about people coming together to learn
how, in even the smallest ways, we can make the world a better place.

We are gonna learn as we go, but the time is now!

We want this foundation to be a hub for all kinds of charitable works.
A place where we can go to get involved in something that we are
passionate about. A place where we can find a passion we didn’t know
we had.

Charity often feels like a selfless action, but we believe that
there’s no greater feeling than helping others in need.

Like it says- helping the world, Step by Step- we will take it one
endeavor at a time.

So… “Step 1″ is a Summer Children’s Book Drive on this year’s Full
Service Tour.
There is an enormous lack of age appropriate reading material for the
kids.
I will be informing you with the staggering facts in the coming weeks.

Of course, I am aware that I am asking you to buy a new book after you
already have paid for tickets to our show, so if you can’t afford to
do it now, maybe you will be inspired to help out in another way.

But a quick note to those of you that spend money on teddy bears and
t- shirts or hats for us, maybe this summer you can spend it on a new
book for a child that really needs it

We fully appreciate all of the gifts you bring to the show and it is a
sign of your artistry and love, but I know me and the guys would feel
alot better knowing that your gift went to a bigger cause.

Early reading is crucial in so many ways and effects almost every part
of society. There is a huge void and I know we can fill it with new
books for these children.

I will be in touch with all kinds of info and a new web-site to link
us all up.

In the meantime, I’m working on a studio version for “5 Brothers and a
Million Sisters” and will give it away as a free download to those who
bring a NEW childrens book to a show this summer. Having the actual
books in hand is great. However, if you choose not to bring one with
you to the concert, we are hooking up with an amazing on-line
organization that will enable you to buy a new book for as low as TWO
Dollars!!! Those who want to go that route will also get the free
download- my thank you for getting involved.

I will be looking for volunteers in every city to help out at the
shows, so start working on you “why I want to be a part of the book
drive” in 100 words or less essay EMAIL ONLY TO: letsgetthisfoundation@gmail.com

More to come very soon!
Thank you for listening.
And I wouldn’t be asking your help if I didn’t think we will be making
a huge impact on this problem!
Now… For real….
Let’s Get This!!!
-jm

Wish i had time Id email him asking about giving back here in the UK or at least in the northern half.