Mohammed Gets a Job

October 2012:

Facing blatant discrimination in work fields, Australian Muslims are changing their names to angelical [sic] ones to increase their chances of employment. 

"It's sad many Muslims feel compelled to do this," Keysar Trad, founder of the Islamic Friendship Association, told Australia’s The Telegraph on October 7. 

“That message is unless you do take on an Anglo name you won't get past the front door.” 

Trad said that Australians with traditional Muslim names often experience blatant religious discrimination when applying for a job.

August 2013:

Muhammad is now officially one of our most popular baby names.

Either Keysar Trad was lying about victimhood a year ago, or Muslims today aren't worried in the slightest that their children's employment opportunities might be limited and that one day their son Mohammed "won't get past the front door".

The jobless rate among Muslim men is more than double the national average.

Must be "discrimination"...

Capitalism Disaster

A plea for funds from Antony Loewenstein:

Today I’m proud to announce the launch of a Kickstarter campaign with New York-based film-maker Thor Neureiter. We need to raise US$20,000 in one month to continue shooting footage in Haiti, Papua New Guinea and Afghanistan. Please tell your friends, family, lovers, enemies and everybody else about this independently supported project. It continues the journey, in film form, of my new book, Profits of Doom.

Traditionally film producers would negotiate film rights to a good book. I guess that wouldn't be "independent" enough for budding Oscar Winner Loewenstein. Here's what your donation gets you. For $25:

We'll send you digitally a striking postcard image from the Disaster Capitalism film.

In other words, they'll email you a picture. Digitally! For $50:

We'll send you a signed copy of Antony's book, Profits of Doom, endorsed by Noam Chomsky, Jeremy Scahill, John Pilger and others plus a link to the completed film.

Those links are expensive you know. For people who donate $100 they are more generous and will not send you his book. Instead:

We'll send you one original photograph shot by Antony and Thor in Haiti, Afghanistan or Papua New Guinea and online access to deleted scenes. Plus a link to the completed film and a DVD.

Seeing what Antony has published in the past, I can't imagine the horrors that were deleted during the editing process. Pony up $250 and:

We'll give you a copy of the hot (yet to be written) soundtrack by New York based DJ/rupture, a copy of Antony's Profits of Doom book, one original photograph shot by Thor and Antony, thanks in the credits, exclusive access online to deleted scenes and a link to the completed film.

Hasn't even been written but the soundtrack is "hot"! The biggest music stars in the business could only hope to receive such reviews in-advance. The "Exclusive" online access to deleted scenes isn't that exclusive anyway. Those tightarses who donated $100 get it too. $500:

We'll arrange an exclusive VIP screening of the film when completed (in New York, transport/accommodation not provided), digital access to the completed film, meeting with Thor in New York and Antony (via Skype, he travels a lot!), thanks in the credits and exclusive access online to deleted scenes.

I wonder who pays for all this travel? The score so far: $2,065 pledged of $20,000 goal. You'd assume the filmmaker has a few friends and family. The Kickstarter page notes: this project will only be funded if at least $20,000 is pledged by Thursday Sep 19, 7:46pm EDT. Antony faces some stiff competition for those bucks. Update: He made it. Just. His partner Thor Neureiter is "an Emmy award winning, New York based filmmaker". Antony is already describing himself as a film-maker. Fake it until you make it Ant...