America: Freedom to Fascism
1 hr 51 min May 5, 2007
Director Aaron Russo offers a captivating argument about the validity of the 1913 Federal Reserve Act. Initially, I was convinced Russo was onto something. Unfortunately, I think it’s more a semantic argument regarding the definition of income and a claim that federal taxation violates other constitutional rights. However, I still have yet to find documented proof that income tax is lawfully mandated. What’s your take?
What significance does Venom have to Heavy Metal?
Venom formed around 1979 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. They were among the first (ahem…if not THE first) to blatantly associate themselves with Satan. There was no on-the-fence flirtation with his dark overlord, as with bands like Black Sabbath. In fact, there was no subtext whatsoever.
Venom embraced the idea of Satanic metal. They thrived on everything dark, black and utterly evil. In many respects, Venom was more like a fanclub for Satan than it was actually a band. Granted, this was mostly a publicity tactic — I’d be surprised to learn that any of the members actually knew who Anton Levay was.
In the early 80s, Venom earned a lot of notoriety within the metal community because they were doing something that had never been done. Satanic themes ran deep and the music was recorded very sloppily, low-fi and gritty. Their dress and dark personality highlighted the facade they created.
Venom influenced an entire subgenre, and gave it a name with the release of their second album in 1982, Black Metal. This sparked the black metal craze of the early 1990s, paving the way for bands like Emperor, Mayhem, Immortal and Marduk.
Flying Whales
7 min 04 sec
I came across a professional live video for this band — and since they rock like nobody’s business, thought it only fair to share. Enjoy!
Of course, I couldn’t stop there. Here’s another video from the same album: The Heaviest Matter of the Universe
4 min 20 sec
Both videos are songs from Gojira’s latest album From Mars to Sirius. This is an episodic album with environmentalist themes. From Mars to Sirius follows a character’s journey in renewing life on the planet.
Gojira is a metal band from Bayonne, France. Opinions differ when it comes to the type of metal they fit into. I’ve heard people call them death metal, thrash, progressive and sludge. At this point, I think it’s safe to say they’ve managed to create their own version of metal. Gojira formed in 1996, with brothers Joe and Mario Duplantier. They were later joined by guitarist Christian Andreu and bass player Jean-Michel Labadie.
Who still thinks we’re alone in the universe? The Disclosure Project
1 hr 55 min 35 sec
On May 9, 2001, over 20 members of the intelligence community came forward to help confirm the existence of UFOs, extraterrestrial vehicles and life forms. Witnesses are willing to testify under oath before congress and claim to have been part of several covert government projects, using advanced technologies that have the power to end the energy crisis, global warming and other environmental issues.
Everyone is up in arms about an interview that took place with actress Marion Cotillard. The 32-year old Oscar winner appeared last year on the French cinema program Paris Premiere, during which she fueled the fire of the 9/11 conspiracy.
Apparently, the French star doesn’t buy the official account of the September 11 attacks. She also questions the 1969 landing on the moon.
In reference to what happened at the World Trade Center, Cotillard said, “We see other towers of the same kind being hit by planes, are they burned? There was a tower, I believe it was in Spain, which burned for 24 hours.
It never collapsed. None of these towers collapsed. And there [New York], in a few minutes, the whole thing collapsed.”
Obviously, the media is doing what it does best — stirring up unnecessary controversy. In fact, this recent exposure may create a backlash in Cotillard’s career. Many people feel that her comments are entirely disrespectful and lack referential merit. Why? Because she isn’t an American? Every nation is affected by what happens in America.
A lot of angry bloggers are quick to point out that, of course she believes this ridiculous conspiracy theory, she’s a silly actress. It’s true, actors are meant to entertain, not offer their wisdom. And who cares what some actress says about the September 11 attacks?
But it seems the media has created the perfect opportunity for rightists to put a lid on speculation — hasty generalizations about her intelligence as demonstrative of the idiocy of the theory. However, no one can deny, many questions remain unanswered.
Johnny Got His Gun is an American anti-war novel, written in 1938 by Dalton Trumbo. Published in 1939, the novel illustrates the cruelty of war through the perspective of an American soldier named Joe Bonham.
During WWI, Joe suffers a debilitating injury from an artillery shell. He wakes up to a new reality — life in a hospital bed with no limbs or ears, not even a face. Joe is also stripped of his communicative capacities, unable to see, speak or hear. The text reveals a state of near lifelessness and the following nine years depict his observations, thoughts of past and present and the torment of a life confined to the mind.
Johnny Got His Gun is often used for studies in American proletarian literature, as it critiques the manner in which war effects different social classes — the upper class initiates and profits from war, while the lower class fights and dies for it.
About the Author
Dalton Trumbo was originally from Colorado. In 1925, he moved to California and started working at a bakery in Los Angeles. He eventually developed a successful career as a writer, working for large names like Warner Bros. and Columbia Pictures.
Following WWII, Trumbo was among a number of people in the entertainment industry called to testify before McCarthy’s House Committee on Un-American Activities. For refusing to answer questions about involvement with the Communist Party, Trumbo and nine others became known as the Hollywood Ten. He served a year in prison and was blacklisted from the film industry until 1959.
Left Gate is a counter culture magazine that explores ideas a little left of center. The sole purpose of Left Gate is to create a haven for all things deviating from the mainstream. If you want to angle off the beaten path, Left Gate is the place you. The site provide reviews, downloads and videos on music, books and film. It addresses conspiracy theory, alternative lifestyles and philosophies and current and historical cultural issues.
