Plot
The plot essentially breaks down into three sections: first, the Invisible Girl, the Human Torch, and the Thing respond to a call to arms from Mister Fantastic, causing a commotion as they do so; second, there's a five page synopsis of how the Fantastic Four got their powers; finally, the issue concludes with the foursome battling the Mole Man and his monsters.
Reception
The issue is generally considered to be the start of the Silver Age at Marvel Comics. As a key piece of comic book history, the issue has fared well on the second-hand comic market; for example, the Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide for 2010 lists this issue as the second most valuable Silver Age comic issue at $52,000, second only to Amazing Fantasy #15 (the first appearance of Spider-Man).
Gonzo Opera is a sub-genre of classical opera that uses contemporary subjects, often wildly satirical and comical. The performing resources necessary—number of singers, players and set design—are minimal, allowing the works to be easily portable and easily affordable by small companies.
In 1993, Los Angeles musician Jeff Kaiser produced a "minigrand" opera called The Rooster Brings Heresy, which was described as a gonzo opera by the Los Angeles Times.
In 2005, Australian Casey Bennetto described his musical production Keating as a gonzo opera. It was a hit at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
The gonzo opera Too Much Coffee Man was produced in 2006 at the Portland Center for the Performing Arts. The libretto was by Shannon Wheeler, based on Wheeler's comic book characters in a plot that begins in a coffee shop and ends with a capitalist Martian attempting to blow up the Earth. The music is by Emmy-winning composer Daniel Steven Crafts. A subsequent work, And the Winner Is… brought together Crafts and Santa Fe playwright Thomas B. Woodward, who adapted his prize-winning play (about a Ms. American Pageant with unexpected consequences) into a libretto. Crafts has published a "manifesto" describing gonzo opera.
Background
The Swedish Pirate Party, officially known as Piratpartiet, was formed on 1 January 2006, when its website went online at 20:30 CEST. Similar parties were created and registered in Spain, Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Poland and few other countries. While parties in several other nations also have seen attempts. Each branch and party in their respective countries are unique, independent, and autonomous, save for the discussion of international news on the mailing list.
The United States version is not registered or officially recognized in any state. A number of state chapters are currently in the process of gaining recognized party status.<br clear=all>
Platform
Reform of Trademark
Trademarks are abused around the world, in that they contain elements which are protected by either copyright or patent. A single protection for trademarks should exist, and fair use provisions made as with copyright. Trademarks should also not appear as the central issue on any dispute not arising from fraud.
Abolition of Digital Rights Management
All DRM and similar schemes do are to encourage people to find ways to prevent loss by circumvention. DRM is the key issue in the DMCA, and the chief reason that our population is now breaking the law en masse. DRM itself also inhibits the rights of artists to have their works experienced in as close to a live act as possible.
Right to Privacy
Regulatory bodies are by their very nature governing. They should therefore be prohibited from interfering in a person's private affairs. However, people should remember that their private affairs should remain private. Passwords, encryption, and other forms of electronic privacy should be afforded the same privileges as sealed envelopes.
Right to Government Transparency
The population should at all times understand what a governing body is doing, with or to whom it is doing these things, and for what reasons. Though there is a need for national security for so long as there are enemies outside of our borders, there should never be any issue with ordinary citizens who need information. Likewise, the responsibility of citizens is to ensure that information which is of a sensitive nature is handled in a sensitive manner, so that it does not fall into the hands of those who would misuse such information to harm human life.
Reform of Copyright
Copyright is flagrantly abused around the world, has an unreasonable term length, and is used to prevent, rather than promote, innovation. This is directly counter to its stated intent in the beginning, of protecting authors' works. Additionally, the right of use should never be in question; merely the right to be credited. The term should be reverted to the 14 year term of the Copyright Act of 1790, with a right to renew for 14 additional years, at most.
Right to Assemble
Peaceful assembly is guaranteed by our Constitutional First Amendment, just as free speech and free press is. Permits to protest should only be necessary if protests are planning to be disruptive (marching down streets, etc.). Police should not have a right to—though they are currently not prohibited from—disrupting the exercise of the expression of unpopular free speech.
This also covers community organization, where the political and other needs of a community sometimes requires localized political activism. People need to be able to know that what they believe can be supported; and they need to know that what they believe can be correct—or corrected.
Reform of Patent
Patent is abused extensively around the world, has become the chief legal means to suppress innovation, and is largely to blame for stymieing technological progress. The practice of shelving a patent (failing to develop a patented idea which competes with one's own ideas instead of developing both and allowing innovation to spring from them) is abhorrent, and needs to be curtailed within the law. Patents which fail to be developed or have significant progress in any four-year term should be unenforceable.
Right to Free Press
Speech is protected under our Constitution, even unpopular speech, though action carries with it consequences. However, recent erosion of the First Amendment by inattentive lawmakers has led to a suppressive ideology that endangers journalistic freedoms (a necessary freedom in order to keep governments, political parties, and every other organization honest).
Underscored by recent events in St. Paul, reporters who are arrested by mistake for being in an area to report the news should have all charges summarily dismissed unless they were in fact doing damage or harm. This should be a standing policy in all city governments. Reporters form a necessary part of our government process, in bringing truth to the public.
News agencies which seek to misreport the news cannot be trusted to serve the best interests of the people, but there is a difference between news and entertainment. News agencies should have the freedom to decide which is which. However, news agencies should also be restricted from becoming the mouthpieces of special interest. One of the major issues is the limitation of small media outlets. Big media should not control 80% of the market; there should be a limit to the amount of the market that large networks control in any area.
===Rejection of the Concept of Copyright infringement or "Online Piracy"===
The idea that sharing anything online is piracy is absurd on its face. Actual piracy requires forceful and aggressive acts, committed against those who would keep a cargo safe from harm. The cargo in this case is the freedom to act. We would take it from those who jealously guard it for themselves and divide it amongst everyone in the country.
The Pirate Party wants to "raid" the law and "carry away" (repeal) laws which do not serve those on our metaphorical boat. The trick of it is: we're all in the same boat. It is in service to those on our boat (the Earth) that we aim to help.
We are not willing to accept that file sharing should be banned (and will take steps, once we have party members in office, to ensure that any laws in this regard are adamantly opposed, since technology isn't the problem, but rather education about what its proper use is). On the other hand, we do agree that there is a significant amount of wrong being done to our rights in the name of protecting those whose sole aim for over 50 years has been the control and manipulation of human minds. Brainwashing our population is against our national interest in maintaining a democracy.
Abolition of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and related subsequent provisions within copyright law
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 provided for legal repercussions for circumvention of copy protection, as well as making backup copies of any media illegal. This act has resulted in the intimidation, prosecution, and/or conviction of tens of thousands of people in our country—people who are otherwise law-abiding and who are not interested in being labeled thieves or crooks for doing what the internet was intended to do: share ideas. This is therefore a First Amendment issue, being freedom of expression, and we call for a repeal of this highly illogical and vertically-oriented law on the grounds that it is simply a bad law.
Ballot access Reform in Oklahoma
Oklahoma is considered one of the most restrictive states in the nation with regards to ballot access. The Pirate Party of Oklahoma is working with "Oklahomans for Ballot Access Reform" (OBAR) to push for reform and improve access to the ballot for third parties in Oklahoma.
History
The Pirate Party of Oklahoma was formed on January 18th, 2010 with the signing of its constitution," and the filing of a motion of intend to form a political party with the Oklahoma Election Board. The party was given official United States Pirate Party State Chapter status on January 19th, 2010," and currently holds the chair of the State Advisory Board.
In February of 2010 the Pirate Party of Oklahoma joined the Green Party of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Socialist Party, the Oklahoma Libertarian Party and the Oklahoma Constitution Party in seeking to reform Oklahoma's restrictive ballot access laws through the Oklahomans for Ballot Access Reform coalition (OBAR)."
The Pirate Party of Oklahoma did not have any candidates running for state-wide or national office in 2010.
Board of Directors / Officers
* Administration Officer (Chair) - Marcus Kesler
* Operations Officer (Vice-Chair) - Vacant
* Records Officer - Vacant
* Promotions Officer - Vacant
* Finance Officer - Vacant
* Legal Officer - Vacant
Howard Mukanda: “Why I live”
Howard Mukanda is a highly talented Zimbabwean young man. He is highly motivated to improve the lives of orphans in Africa and to be highly engaged in women’s issues. He believes that we have the power to create a happy world for everyone, including the less fortunate members of our societies. He deems living a selfless life as a way that creates a reality that fulfills his heart’s desire.
Early in his life, Howard was moved by the suffering experienced worldwide byOrphaned children. During his first year of High school, Howard became actively engaged in a community development programs. As a peer educator and (peer) counselor, he worked with children of diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds, and ended up guiding and supporting them to cope with various family problems and life challenges. Despite his proficiency in Math and Chemistry, Howard realized that working with orphans was something that naturally made him happy and a sense of self worth.
During his high school years, Howard participated in a lot of extracurricular activities that included running long distance, playing chess and had some leadership roles in most of the activities he participated in. He was the Scripture Union Chairperson (a student Christian group) and during this time, he managed to turn a lot of students into Christianity and the group stood its ground at the school and dominated any other school events. Howard was the Harare High school Head boy in 2008-2009 year and through his great calm and bold leadership, he managed to help instill order and discipline in most students in school and most of them still admire him for his good works.
Furthermore, Howard was actively engaged in a number of community projects in the High density suburb of Mbare. He was an active member of the Youths against Aids Club and had an immense contribution into it. Howard volunteered at a number of local Non-Governmental Organizations. He worked closely with Mashambanzou Care trust as an Orphans Psycho-social support (PSS) group co-coordinator. He attended the PSS group every Wednesday afternoon and his role was to make discussions topics for the meetings and as well as co-coordinating the group meetings. This project was funded by Mashambanzou Care Trust as an outreach program for AIDs orphans and Howard found himself actively influencing the meetings. This involvement not only stirred Howard’s joy and personal satisfaction, but it also earned him a good reputation amongst his peers and the Mashambanzou Care Trust organization as well. Howard’s ideas and influence is still being used at the current existing PSS meetings in Zimbabwe up to date.
In addition to the PSS, Howard worked closely with Chiedza Childcare Centre (website http://www.chiedza.org.zw/). Chiedza has a lot of great programs for orphaned children and they include providing school feel, meals and educational support. Howard volunteered at this Center during his high school years and soon after graduating from High school, his passion to work with orphaned children made him work there as an intern. Throughout his 6 months of internship, Howard made an impact at Chiedza. He revived the organisation’s Resource Center, a place where children study and do their homework. Howard introduced various methods of managing the place and made it attractive to children, a move that improved the Children’s pass rate at school. http://www.chiedza.org.zw/documents/pdf/20101stquarternewsletter.pdf. It is at this place where Howard realized his path in life. He recognized his desire to serve, to live a selfless life by being there for orphans. Howard began to appreciate more the works being done by Organizations such as Mashambanzou and Chiedza. His passion to work with orphaned children doubled and he realized that’s something that brings him joy and happiness in life.
Regardless of his leadership and community engagement, Howard still excelled in school. He was the best O-level student at Harare High School in 2007. He had excellent results after completing High school and applied to American Colleges. On 22nd of August 2010, Howard left Zimbabwe to further his studies in America at Concordia College in Minnesota. His only hope and desire is to exploit his American education to help him realize his life dream. His dream and mission is “to be an advocator of change in the orphan’s lives by founding more orphanages throughout Africa, there are more orphans who are yet to be reached out there.” This dream may seem huge, but for Howard, all things are possible.