Fire in the hole - A review of the novel The Iron Cage by Amos Keppler

   The Janus Clan series of novels starts off in The Defenseless as a fairly ordinary story about a seemingly all-American family. It changes slowly from that, turning into blood and strife, ghosts and shadows.

  There are several images of symbolic nature in the series. There is the river, the desert, the shadow and the fire, all important throughout the series.

  The Iron Cage is the tenth book. It is the last being published, but there are three more books that have already been released. This one is still an ending of sorts.

  Don’t expect anything even remotely mainstream here. Some mainstream people will be scared out of their wits if they should stumble upon this book. Seekers and open-minded people and those wanting a true description of the ongoing modern inhuman society will love it.

  Amos Keppler’s books can’t really be categorized, no matter how hard you try. They are far beyond any average attempt at doing that. Perhaps the entire Janus Clan series can be said to lean towards science fiction, but even that is a stretch. Each of the novels can touch anything, any genre, really.

  Most of all they are both a grim and optimistic tale about the modern world and those not fitting in there.

  The is about a different world in the late eighties, with both similarities and notable differences from our world. Ronald Reagan has become downright unpopular. The entire idea of neoliberalism and western establishment society have been seriously questioned by many people, not merely those walking in the Janus Clan’s tracks.

  The story follows the clan of warriors and subversives at various squatted buildings across the United States, in Miami, Chicago, and eventually Las Vegas, where everything crashes and burns, exploding both literally and metaphorically. A parallel story follows Mike and Linda, as they gather their other group of subversives and warriors. Those two groups have much in common, but not everything. The differences seem bigger than the similarities.

  Everyone should write about what Amos Keppler is writing about. The stories are so potent and powerful, so well describing human existence. This book is no exception in that regard.

  The last four chapters taking place in Las Vegas are a pleasure to read. An event that has been hinted at in several other books is finally happening. The payoff is amazing, the final chapter impossible to give proper praise. My advice is to read all the books in the series. The long story told in thirteen books is a modern classic transcending all genres and expectations, an epic story, in the true sense of the word.

  This is my first blog post in almost eight years, but the book is an event, so the occasion fits well with that.

No wonder woman

  This is about Gal Gadot, the former Israeli IOF (Israeli Occupying Force) soldier gone Hollywood, but it’s also about people unable and unwilling to see her for what she is, and acting on it.

  She is a propaganda tool, quite frankly for Zionism and all its vile acts.

  During the 2014 Gaza massacre she defended it, and the killing of over 500 Palestinian children with the eagerness of a true zealot. Her being chosen to play Wonder Woman has already been used extensively by the Zionist propaganda ministry. The success of the movie will undoubtedly lead to even more of the same.

  It has already been hailed as «a triumph of woman filmmaking» and women’s rights. To me it’s the exact opposite.

  Why bother with Gadot in particular? Some people may ask. She’s just one actor among many Israelis making their way in Zionist-friendly Hollywood.

  Well, I support BDS - a boycott of Israeli artists, academics and general society. The way I see it no Zionist actor should be given roles outside Israel at all, but Gadot is high profile. She has already become the idol of thousands of girls, girls that will grow up and wanting to become like her. That is a betrayal of trust I can hardly stomach pondering.

  But what more than anything prompted me to write this was the following and similar reactions:

  One of my followers on Twitter tweeted a photo of a wall at a theater with advertising photos from the movie and basically cried out: how fucking cool is this.

  I pointed out that this particular «wonder woman» supports the killings of thousands of Palestinian children, and expected a heated discussion to follow. But the tweeter in question just calmly responded: «I totally understand where you are coming from, however, in this moment, I'm reveling in my fandom».

  In that very moment she revealed that she just didn’t care, didn’t care at all. A movie was more important to her than the horrors perpetuated by Gal Gadot and her former colleagues.

  Let that sink in for a moment. The saying «if you don’t stand for anything, you’ll fall for everything» and far worse really applies here.

  Lisa’s (the fan’s name) experience of the movie was far more important to her than the stark reality surrounding it. That is scary. That is scary and horrible beyond belief.

  People like Lisa are what almost more than anything else enables the tyrants of the world to keep their positions. She isn’t as bad as Gal Gadot, she’s worse. I agree with people saying that it isn’t evil and wickedness ruining the world, but people’s indifference to it.

Jill not Hill

  Everything I’ve heard Jill Stein say and seen her do tells me that she is the right woman in the right position. I’ve seen her respond to tough, loaded questions from journalists and spectators and generally speaking handling her challenging position in excellent ways. So, I will definitely support her. There are plenty of reasons to do so. We must stop Clinton, Trump and Johnson. Everything those three do and will do will worsen humanity’s already dire situation. Everything Jill Stein and the Green Party will do will improve it. It’s pretty simple and straightforward, really. We must embrace and propagate the positive message of necessary, mandatory change coming from Jill Stein and the Green Party and the entire radical community. We must give them all the support we possible can, like with Jeremy Corbyn and all other true agents of change in the world.

  Yes, those in charge, the oppressive forces of the world can't rule unless we keep allowing it. Sick, isn't it? It’s time we acted on that, and stopped them from ruining our lives, ruining humanity and all life on earth.

  The Sanders non-concession speech

The true problem

  Racism/xenophobia in general doesn’t just hurt those subjected to it in a given society, but everyone in it, because it poisons that given society, making it a very unpleasant place to live.

  Minorities and migrants get the brunt of it, of course, since they’re directly harmed by it, but many people supporting them are also attacked directly, both physically and mentally. They’re called traitors and worse by the eager racist zealots. People helping the refugees in Greece, for instance have actually received death threats.

  A society dominated by such a horrible view on what humanity is supposed to be isn’t a very harmonic and pleasant society at all.

  Yes, the racist/anti-migration supporters are the problem, the huge problem, not minorities, not refugees, not migrants. The very idea that foreigners bring trouble is preposterous. They bring very necessary change and spice to our lives.

  I’m very happy and proud that I’m a part of a growing underbelly of society and humanity saying no to old horrors and embracing the new, exciting world of true multiculturalism.

  Those in charge of a given society encourage xenophobia because it distracts people from what’s truly wrong in that society.

  It’s time for us to say a big NO to both the ugly mass of xenophobes and their masters.

Civilization - the great lie

  «The great lie is that it is civilization. It is not civilized. It has been literally the most bloodthirsty, brutalizing system ever imposed on this planet. That is not civilization. That’s the great lie, that it represents civilization.

  Or if it truly represents civilization and that’s truly what civilization is, than the great lie is that civilization is good for us». John Trudell

Why atheists celebrate Christmas

  I asked the question five years ago. I didn't really get an answer then and I haven't really got an answer since.

  The closest I've come to getting it can basically be summed up in one sentence: «It belongs to everyone».

  As if it’s a good thing.

  It is really true. You get most disappointed by people you think should know better. Atheists celebrating Christmas are nothing but apologists for the greed and fanaticism of capitalism and Christianity.

  It’s very important to expose events like Christmas for what they truly are and not give in, and join in on the deception, and thereby supporting it.

  Whether you call it Christmas or Xmas is totally irrelevant.

  If you want to celebrate any official or semi-official day these days or nights celebrate the Winter Solstice and do so at December 21.

  Santa Clause doesn't exist

  Jesus has never existed

Interfaith my ass

  So called interfaith discussion groups, often run and moderated by Wicca practitioners aren’t really discussion groups at all, but places «thriving» on censorship, where all true disagreement is squashed.

  It’s easy to see why they exist. Religious groups are very similar and that they seek common ground shouldn't come as a surprise to anybody.

  The true objective is to squash critical voices and people criticizing religion.

  I’m pagan, pagan as in not Wicca. Wicca is just one more religion, one more dogmatic belief system. Its proponents, even though there are individual differences of course want to dam, even block what they call negative emotions and all expression of it. They also censor what they deem inappropriate. How very Christian of them and to all true pagans they seem very much like Christian light, not only fluffy bunnies (a very appropriate term)… Honest people are being banned constantly from such gatherings. That’s not pagan to me. Pagans, to me and many other witches embrace and savor all human emotion, leaving nothing behind.

  I guess interfaith gatherings are better than them waging war against each other, but in truth it isn’t so different. The true war is the one they are waging against all the rest of us, those rejecting religion and decrying it as a truly negative influence in human life.

  For further reading I recommend this piece - The Raging Witch - which is a great deeper study of the subject.

Feminism

  Some males, as incredible as that sounds or should sound see feminism as a threat to their manhood. They’re not very confident or mature, I guess.

  Some equally insecure females are afraid that they will not appear to be sufficiently «feminine», as if feminine means being weak and subservient and dependent.

  The main reason for this set of thoughts is that we’re raised in a patriarchal society, with its twisted view on human relations. We are trained by its propaganda to behave in certain ways, ways far from natural. Males are encouraged to dominate and females to be dominated in such a society. That rape is seen as an entitlement in an environment like that isn't strange at all.

  Without the power of feminism we would be stuck in those age-old delusions, and women would probably have no say over their own lives at all. We would be nothing but those pretty dolls misogynists prefer us to be. Young girls should think very carefully before supporting any attack on feminism. They are used in a ploy in order to make them insignificant. Please wake up, girls, and kick those disgusting misogynists in the balls instead.

  The obvious take on this is that sex and everything, all human interaction, actually should come from mutual interest and/or respect between two or more people. Is the word «mutual» really that hard to understand?

I am a Palestinian

  «Ich bin ein Palestiner».
  In case you’re wondering: that’s me, paraphrasing John Fitzgerald Kennedy…

  Israel’s ongoing attack on and disintegration of Palestine is in truth an attack on us all, our very humanity. I feel enraged and dirty and all extremes of human emotion while I experience this from afar, through alternative, independent media. It’s like watching the colonization of what is now called America as it happens. That, too, was a fairly slow, ongoing process, with its many massacres at uneven intervals. All US governments and its establishment eagerly aided the process, just like in Israel.

  Shame on you if you think this is wrong or exaggerated. Facts speak like blood every single day and night in Palestine, in the suffering and death of an entire people, including its children, tortured and imprisoned and killed by uncaring Israeli soldiers, men and women obviously enjoying what they do.

  Zionist colonization of Palestine was a well-crafted plan, and is more than hundred years’ old. It was a bad thing from the start and has turned from bad to worse since then.

Property is theft

  Period! Possession is nine tenth of the law. The law is made by the rich and powerful in order to benefit the rich and the powerful, against those with little or nothing. All rich men/women have walked over dead bodies to get where they are. The rich has not worked to get where they are. Their workers/slaves have done that for them. If the rich should give to charity it isn't admirable at all. The money isn't theirs to give. They have stolen it from the rest of us.

  That should pretty much cover it.

Nope!

  Nope, the extreme Global Warming we see today wouldn't have happened without human activity. It happens faster and with far more powerful consequences compared to «natural variations». This solemn and obvious truth only rejected by dumb and greedy jerks should have made us change our lives in fundamental ways. We must change society completely, in a way far more favorable to nature. We should have done so long ago. As it is now we are pretty much like the elephant in a china store, ruining everything, including our own means of survival. We commit collective suicide. And not just because of the human created climate change, but due to virtually all minor and major decisions we make or don’t make.

Excess gun availability USA

The ongoing struggle

  On Haymarket November 11, 1887 four anarchists were executed after being convicted on triumphed up charges. One of them Albert Parsons proclaimed in his closing speech at his trial - «Your ballot – what is it good for? Can a man vote himself bread, or clothes, or shelter, or work? In what does American wage-slaves' freedom consist? The poor are the slaves of the rich everywhere. The ballot is neither a protection against hunger nor against the bullets of the military. Bread is freedom; freedom bread. The ballot is no protection against the bullets of those who are practicing the street-riot drills in Chicago. The ballot is worthless to the industrial slave under these conditions. The palaces of the rich overshadow the homes or huts of the poor, and we say with Victor Hugo, that the paradise of the rich is made out of the hells of the poor. The whole force of the organized power of the government is thrown against the workers, whom the so-called better class denominate a mob».

My experience with protests and cops

  I have been an activist for more than twenty years, in Denmark and all over the world. I've been shot at, had my bones broken by experts (and their clubs) and generally speaking experienced everything there is to experience in the hands of the tyrants’ bullies.

  The crackdown on protesters may happen in a number of ways. We are usually victims of hard surveillance and harassment between engagements and often imprisoned before the protests even begin.

  During the protests they confront us in vast numbers, often numbers exceeding ours. What usually happens is that they charge us, on horses, with their dogs and clubs. This is when they don’t care if people witness their brutality or not. They just beat up on us with everything they have, and then they arrest us. If they don’t attack outright they use officers in civilian clothing in order to better pick us up and arrest us one on one. I have been shot at several times. I haven’t been hit, but several fellow protesters close to me have been.

  There is no need for them to bother with people’s reactions to their brutality, of course, since most people buy their rather outrageous explanations wholesale without the slightest truly critical thought. Most people are constantly lapping up all the important lies and deceit coming from those in charge and their eager servants and bullies.
  After the arrest we may sit on a given sidewalk for hours, no matter the weather or the temperature. We always make sure to put on warm clothes, even in the summer, but sometimes, under various pretexts they strip us and force us to sit there almost nude. If it is major protest (or not), during one of those G8 meetings, for instance they usually take us to a cold, dark place with provisional cells and make us stay there for days. And you can just forget about legal representation.

  After they let us out, usually without charging us with anything they step up the surveillance and harassment.

  It never actually stops.

  I have had my bones broken, suffered invasive hands in my private parts (my cunt) and tried several times to take it all to court. In vain, of course.

  The police are not there to protect us or our rights, that's for sure.

  This as a brief summary. Click on the links for details.

  Those in charge play this cat and mouse game with us they call democracy. Don’t be foolish enough to believe there is any honesty there, except each time they break your bones, terrorize you or shoot you.

  That is their honesty.

  Further reading:

  Tyrants' bullies

  Gestapo is alive and well, and living in Denmark

  Gitmo Copenhagen

  The same old false song

  Strasbourg burning

  Nights of rage and fire

  We walk through the streets

  Still here

  Smoke

  Orwell day

  The ruse of elections

On the subject of «New World Order», its perceived desire to exterminate ninety percent of humanity and similar claims

  It's bullshit, quite frankly. First: there is no «new world order», but the same ol', same ol'. Second: those old forces in charge are perfectly happy with having billions suffer in degradation and poverty. They need that overabundance of slaves.
  The claim that the UN will implement a socialist world government is completely ridiculous. If only it was true.

  Those using much energy on stating such obviously false claims are helping those in charge by distracting people from the true issues.

The world turned on its head

  Clean and healthy food is far more expensive than the poisonous and unhealthy «food» found in most stores.

  Soaps and shampoos without parabenes and perfume and poisons are far more expensive and widespread in the modern community than what is making us sick and killing us.

  Go figure.

  Rich people can easily afford healthy products. those struggling financially cant. The war on those living in poverty rages on.

  The world is turned on its head again. It doesn't matter whether or not anything is healthy and truly natural as long as it sells, as long as those making it make a buck. As we suffer in a society that is pervasively oppressive, we’re also deprived of what we need to survive and thrive, both mentally and physically.

  We suffer a regime that is unhealthy in all meanings of the word.

  Those in charge clearly want it that way, and it is up to us to change it, to correct everything that is so very wrong in our world.

Very true statements exposing US & Obama hypocrisy and war crimes

  Obama called "war criminal" & "hypocrite of the century" in Irish parliament. Both very true statements.

  "Don't come lecturing us about liberty. You need a reality check. Don't act like a spoiled rude child. Here you will only find dignity and sovereignty. Here we haven't invaded anyone. Here we don't torture like in Guantanamo. Here we don't have drones killing alleged terrorist without any due trial, killing also the women and children of those supposed terrorists. So don't come lecturing us about life, law, dignity, or liberty. You don't have the moral right to do so." - Rafael Correa, President of Ecuador

The horrors of statutory rape

  I think the term «statutory rape» should be removed from the law. At best there are countless examples of its horrific consequences. One of the partners may be just above what the law describes as legal age and the other right below it. He or she who is  right above, only a day will be convicted of rape and get many years in jail, and also end up in rape registers, a horror suffered by both sexes. Is the situation different when one partner is many years older? To a point, yes. But to say that a teenager isn't a sexual being and claim that a minor doesn't understand the consequences of his or her acts isn't doing them any favors. The entire modern human community’s understanding of sexuality is warped and the victims are many. That is also true when it comes to the fact that we live in a rape culture, partly glorifying true rape. Like everybody should realize: rape has nothing to do with sex, but with power, and also in this context the term «statutory rape» becomes a terrible distinction.

Three countries of horror

  I was born in canada, am a norwegian citizen and live in denmark. All three countries have soldiers in Afghanistan and it DISGUSTS me. There is no true justification for having soldiers there and the many attempts at justification are nothing but sickening propaganda. Like the invasion itself, it is an aggressive, brutal act typical of NATO. And we should definitely not hold a public funeral every time a mass murderer returns home in a casket.

No, it’s not a happy Earth Day

  The reasons for this are obvious: there are no signs of improvement. On the contrary, the forces of destruction are waxing, not waning. The forces of life are waning, not waxing.

  We, humanity must stop seeking solutions to the many problems we face within the parameters of current mainstream society. It should be self-evident to everybody interested by now that such solutions are making everything go from bad to worse and causing true solutions to be ever farther away from being implemented.

  Those in charge, content in their position at the top of the pyramid don’t want solutions. They are happy to force-feed us useless pseudo-solutions and illusions of grandeur.

  You don’t look for technological solutions, don’t pretend that what will make everything worse will make everything better. Advanced technology and closing our eyes for its horrors and dangers brought us where we are today.

  We must open our eyes, not fervently keeping them closed.

  Civilization must be abandoned, not further «developed». The wholesale destruction brought on by civilization must stop, must stop now.

  Language of oppression

  Emphasis wrong