Readings
Below are some selected and submitted readings that I believe fans of this site will find interesting and illuminating. This is meant to be a kind of forum page in which personal contributions can be made. Perhaps you've done some writing that you would like to post on The Journal be it an academic work or an editorial, this is a perfect forum. Even if your writing does not conform to the overall philosophy of this website, feel free to send your submission. If you have any suggestions, readings or personal writing please forward them to: submissions@andosciasociology.net.
All submissions will be considered, but not all submissions will be selected. All submissions should present a well reasoned argument and be presented in an intelligible and intelligent manner. I will not take responsibility for editing grammar or content. Andoscia Sociology, the Journal of a Mad Sociologist, nor any other entity will take ownership or rights for any material submitted. Andoscia Sociology and The Journal are non-commercial sites. No royalties will be paid and no profits should be expected from submissions.
NEW IPCC 2007 Report: With all the hoopla about the politics of climate change and the biases of the IPCC I figured it would be a good idea to just read the report. It's actually pretty well balanced and underscores the robust findings of climate scientists as well as the uncertainties that still remain. I think folks of all political stripes will be surprised that it is not the envirofascist screed as flogged by conservatives, nor is it the concrete mantra as vaunted by liberals. Let's stop listening to the pundits and actually read the sources!
Declassified Report on CIA Torture: Heavily redacted, but gives you an idea of just how bad it's been.
Unclassified Report on the President's Surveillance Program: 10 July 2009: As ordered by the infamous FISA Amendment 2008, this report highlights that the value of President Bush's Surveillance Program is, at best, dubious.
Sold Out: How Wall Street and Washington Betrayed America: The title is self explanatory.
Madoff was a Piker: Here's an apt description of how the banking system constitutes a giant Ponzi scheme. An interview with Bill Moyers.
The Conservative Nanny State: How the Wealthy Use the Government to Stay Rich and Get Richer: By Dean Baker
Global Trends 2025: Where is the world headed based on the policies that we have going today? Read the National Intelligence Council report
Jailed Nation: The United States has 5% of the world's population but 25% of the world's prisoners. Corrections Institutions are being taken over by private interests an is one of the country's fastest growing business sectors. What the hell is going on?!
Restoring Classroom Justice: This article was forwarded to me by a student. It can be found on the In These Times website. We must start thinking critically about positive discipline in the classroom. What we are doing now, obviously, does not work. How can we maintain a functional classroom, teach our students responsibility, and at the same time demonstrate that discipline is a learned behavior. Discipline in schools does not have to be a tyranny.
Breaking Free With Fair Elections: A new Declaration of Independence (from corporate money) for Congress.
Supporters of Fair Elections: This is a list of National Politicians who support fair elections. If your representative is not on the list then give them a call and find out why.
Fair Elections Act: Here is the bill working its long way through Congress. Sponsored by Senator Durban (D) and Senator Spector (R) this is bi-partisan legislation that has, for once, been written in the best interest of the voting public.
Torture--Educing Information and Tortured Justice: An interesting look at the validity of torture as an interrogation technique.
Convention Concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries: Throughout the world indigenous people are under threat of extermination, usually for the greedy interests of major powers and transnational corporations. Read what the United Nations delineates as the rights of indigenous people all over the world, from South Florida to Botswana
Steal Back Your Vote: Robert Kennedy Jr, and Greg Palast have created a great comic intended to get you informed and get you active regarding the very real threat of voter suppression. Of all the great issues of our time that get virtually no press the issue of voter suppression is the most fundamental threat to a free society. If you've read the comic and you want to make a contribution for this noble effort click here. Also, read the Rolling Stone article, Block the Vote.
Bushonomics: How we got into this mess in the first place: A look at the economic horror show that was the Bush Administration.
The CIA Family Jewels Part I
The CIA Family Jewels Part II
The CIA Family Jewels Part III
The CIA Family Jewels Part IV
Well, not exactly. The Family Jewels were moved from what used to be the "Commentary Page." these are previously classified papers released by the federal government a few years back. Take a look at them and try to determine, just what is so important there that it has to be confidential?
Senate Armed Services Committee Inquiry into the Treatment of Detainees in US Custody: Who is to blame for violations of the Geneva Convention in US run prisons in Iraq?