Tuesday 27 July 2010

NO TRUTH HERE PLEASE, WE'RE MPs.

      
        It would seem that a Tory MP can't tell the truth without being reprimanded. Old Etonian MP for Penrith, Rory Stewart said that parts of his constituency, “were pretty primitive” with “people holding up their trousers with bits of twine”. Such a statement of truth meant that he had to take a finger wagging from his colleagues and then apologise by stating that his remarks were “extremely foolish”. Perhaps the millionaire twins Cameron-Clegg don't want people to have such a vision of their “BIG SOCIETY” it sort of spoils the Oxbridge illusion that they are trying to weave. A society where everybody is “properly” dressed, is an entrepreneur earning lots of money and runs around doing charity work for the poor, that don't really exist. Their world is not our world and they have no idea how we live and quite frankly they don't give a shit. It's all about ripping us off in favour of their millionaire club friends while telling us it is all for our own good. Isn't it about time that we didn't give a shit about them and took things into our own hands? When will we ever learn.

Saturday 24 July 2010

THE STATES MINDERS.

Guardian.co.uk phot.
       
      Is there anybody in this country accepts the result of the Crown Prosecution Service investigation on the Ian Tomlinson case, that is anybody but the police? An avalanche of photographic evidence of a brutal unprovoked assault on an innocent man and their view is no grounds for charging anyone. It appears that the officer who is seen to violently strike Ian Tomlinson from behind had been investigated on two previous occasions, one for excessive violence during an investigation and once for road rage while off duty. As they say in the "force" he has form. This will be seen by almost everybody as another case of whitewash, another case of a death at the hands of the police and nobody held to account. Ian Tomlinson is not alone, the list of such cases goes back a long way.
     
      1979 saw the death of Blair Peach from a fractured skull when struck on the head by police while attending an anti-nazi demonstration. No officer ever held to account. In 1999 Harry Stanley, a Scot living in London shot dead by police while walking home with a leg for his coffee under his arm. They were acting on a "tip-off" about and Irishman with a gun, again no officer held to account. More recently, in 2005, we had the case of Jean Charles De Menezes a 28 year old Brazilian electrician living in London shot dead on the tube, another case of mistaken identity. The met in this case were found guilty of "breaching health and safety rules". To this list can now be added the name Ian Tomlinson, while walking home brutally assaulted and died the result of an unprovoked attack by a police officer. No officer held to account.


     We are supposed to believe that they are only here for our protection, what crap. The police are here to protect the powers that be, and will always attack those who feel strong enough about the injustice in this system to take to the streets. I have no doubt there will be others names who will be added to this list as more and more people feel the injustice inherent in this capitalist system.


Wednesday 21 July 2010

SLASH AND BURN.

      
        The well manicured millionaire twins from the Westminster House of Hypocrisy and Corruption's planned cuts are a true slash and burn policy. What they have in mind is the biggest and most sustained cuts since the second world war, and for good measure they'll throw in some tax rises and benefit changes that will hurt all the ordinary people and crush the poorest and most vulnerable in society. So severe is the planned attack on the ordinary people that the rating agency Standard & Poor's has expressed doubts about whether the government has the stomach for the carnage it is planning, but we know it has, as none of the cuts will affect the millionaire cabinet nor their millionaire friends, who, by the way, are responsible for the “debt crisis” they are moaning about.
        Even the IMF is somewhat concerned about the well manicured millionaire twins' cavalier attitude, as France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Britain all have plans to squeeze domestic demand, all spouting, things will be just fine, as they all expect to export more???
       The millionaire cabal keep going on about the need to slash the boated public sector and let the private sector grow and create jobs. Of course they never mention that the public sector had nothing to do with the “debt crisis” in the first place, that wee problem was the full responsibility of the greed driven private sector that the so love, having the binge of its life. Well why shouldn't they love the private sector and want it to grow, they own it!!
       This so called fiscal plan, is no more and no less than a class war battle, a plan to transfer all public assets to the pampered millionaire parasites' private sector, guaranteeing that your every action and desire will make money for them and giving them total control over every aspect of society.
       If we the ordinary people lose this battle we will see the end of all public assets and all public space, our children will inherit nothing, they will be total slaves to the greed and vagaries of the corporate world. It is their world, or it is our world, there is no compromise.
 
 
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Monday 19 July 2010

GLASGOW SOLIDARITY NETWORK.


GLASGOW SOLIDARITY NETWORK.
Landlord withholding your deposit?
Employer withholding wages?

Let's do something about it. You don't have to go it alone. Call Glasgow Solidarity Network for support from people like you, standing up for their rights.
Together we win!
Phone or text us on 07982742305
or e-mail us at glasgowslnet@gmail.com

Next meeting: Tuesday 20th July.
Daisy Street Community Centre 7pm.

Sunday 18 July 2010

CHILD ABUSE BY THE STATE.


Use an inverted knuckle into the sternum and drive inward and upward.
Drive fingers into groin.
Continue to carry out alternate elbow strikes to the young person's ribs until a release is achieved.
Drive straight fingers into the young person's face, and then quickly drive the straightened fingers of the same hand downwards into the young person's groin area.
Nose distraction" techniques – sharp blows to the nose –
Ram knuckles into ribs and rake shoes down the shins.

        Sounds like training for the SAS but the term “young person” should perhaps give a hint. These are some of the government sanctioned child abuse techniques in an instruction manual used in privately run prisons for young offenders. We are talking about youngsters from 12 to 17 years of age, and this treatment being inflicted by adults.
         Carolyne Willow, national co-ordinator of the Children's Rights Alliance for England (CRAE), which led the campaign for disclosure of this manual following the deaths of two teenage boys in secure training centres, said: "The manual is deeply disturbing and stands as state authorisation of institutionalised child abuse. What made former ministers believe that children as young as 12 could get so out of control so often that staff should be taught how to ram their knuckles into their rib cages? Would we allow paediatricians, teachers or children's home staff to be trained in how to deliberately hurt and humiliate children?"
           Phillip Noyes, director of strategy and development at the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, said: "These shocking revelations graphically illustrate the cruel and degrading violence inflicted at times on children in custody. On occasions these restraint techniques have resulted in children suffering broken arms, noses, wrists and fingers. Painful restraint is a clear breach of children's human rights against some of the most vulnerable youngsters in society and does not have a place in decent society." What Phillip Noyes doesn’t mention is that these techniques have also caused death. A child being killed while in the care of an adult, would that be murder?
         Of course the perpetrators of these acts of child abuse are aware of the possible damage as the manual does give some warnings of the possible effects of such treatment by stating that the techniques risk giving children a "fracture to the skull" and "temporary or permanent blindness caused by rupture to eyeball or detached retina". The manual also acknowledges that the measures could cause asphyxia. One passage, explaining how to administer a head-hold on children, adds that "if breathing is compromised the situation ceases to be a restraint and becomes a medical emergency".
         One thing the state is good at is brutalising those who don’t fit into its grand plan, in the case of privately run young offenders institutions, the state hands over the responsibility for the degradation and humiliation to a private company who proceed to make millions of pounds from the process. As they say, "busines is busines"
          It is not often that I agree with a Sir anything but I’m inclined to agree with Sir Al Aynsley-Green, the former children's commissioner for England and emeritus professor of child health at University College London, when he said: "It's time the whole country knows what is going on under their noses. This is just part of a brutal system, and we welcome the fact this is finally in the open."
       It is finally in the open, but will it change? Well that is up to you and I.
THE REBEL

Rebel rebel break the rule,
What does it matter that a “wise” man sees a fool.
Not for you the herd’s dull beat
Making tomorrow, yesterday’s repeat,
Living out the life of a clone
Marching with the crowd but always alone.
Shaping your life from some dusty tome
Playing it safe, staying at home.
 
Rebel rebel break the rule
Swim in the sea, never the pool.
Live your emotions, feel the surge
Follow your dreams, chase the urge.
Make life though short, an exciting game
Not a mad march for fortune or fame.
Capture the moment, live it now
Being alive your only vow.
Rebel rebel break the rule
In the end,          you’re humanity’s jewel.

ann arky's home.

Friday 16 July 2010

VIDEO TRAINING FOR SOCIAL CHANGE.

    

    Activist TV Reporter Training           When: Saturday 24th July 2010 - 10am-6pm
Come and meet everyone and watch some films at 7pm on Friday 23rd July
Where: Forest Cafe, 3 Bristo Place, Edinburgh EH1 1EY       Cost: Free / donation

    Places are limited, so please fill in the application form at http://visionon.tv/training/application. Lack of experience is no barrier. Commitment to making social change with video is much more important!

Video Training for Social Change
   
     Make the news you don't see on the news. visionOntv has created easy templates for rapid-turnaround citizen video news reports. These reports can be made by absolute beginners, or by people with skills but little time.
      Make watchable and effective films for the widest possible audience. Our training programme isbold and unique. We have taken away the obstacles to making effectivefilms by radically simplifying the whole process. Come to the workshop to learn how to make fast-turnaround video news reports. Ourproduction templates will enable you to make films with whateverequipment you already possess. You can even make videos with no camera at all!
       Please bring the items of portable recording equipment you have - video camera, stills camera,mobile phone, laptop computer. We will use them during the workshop. Please note: to complete your productions, an extra session on Sunday morning (at Forest Cafe Edinburgh) will be necessary.

A joint production with Undercurrents.

ann arky's home.

VIBRANT VEGGIE VISION.

ECO VEGGIE PEEPS!


Yes, you there! Are you looking for a flat??

     Imagine a home in Glasgow where you & your flat-mates are actively participating in making a difference in the wider community through your personal choices. Now imagine yourself soaking up countless new skills & finally getting the chance to explore the full potential of your own creativity. Better still; imagine a place where all of your ideas are not only valued but valuable too!
     Well, what’s the point of being awake if you’re not living the dream? We’re a very passionate group of people with a vested interest in simple & sustainable living. Our aim is to work towards an inclusive home with little to no environmental impact by minimizing waste (using compost & wormeries, reducing the amount of packaging we buy & finding creative ways to reuse it) using home made, eco friendly detergents & cleaners, and of course recycling, conscious use of power, heat & water.
      It will also be an empowering grassroots hub for locals & travellers to share and pick up new skills & ideas; a host for couchsurfers, educational documentary nights, jam sessions, weekly communal meals & loads of workshops on everything from clowning to acroyoga!
      The flat boasts 7 big bright sunny rooms, a lounge, 2 full bathrooms, a kitchen and a big HUGE garden to call our own!! It’s furnished with all the essentials at £340 a room & will be ready for occupancy on August 1st 2010 (postcode G12 8BP).
      We prefer that all of the flat-mates are vegetarian or vegan but if you choose to eat meat then we will ask that it is not cooked or prepared in the flat
      If this sounds like something you’d like to be a part of then drop us a line!Please include a brief note about how you feel that you could contribute to the home as well as a bit about yourself.

     We can’t wait to hear from you!     Peace & love from The Glasgow Westend Intentional Community.

takeachanceonme21@hotmail.com

ann arky's home.

Thursday 15 July 2010

END THE STATES BLOOD GAMES.


PROTEST FRIDAY 16 JULY
END THE KILLING, BRING THE TROOPS HOME
5.00 - 6.00PM DOWNING STREET LONDON SW1A 2

Four more UK soldiers killed in one day, three of them by a recruit to the Afghan army, but Liam Fox, the defence secretary, still says we will "see our mission through and train Afghan security forces so they can look after their own security and our forces one day can come home". The latest opinion poll shows that only 17 percent of the British public agrees with him. Stop the War has called a protest at Downing Street this Friday to represent the vast majority who say bring the troops home.

RALLY MONDAY 26 JULY 7PM: AFGHANISTAN - TIME TO GO
CONWAY HALL, 25 RED LION SQUARE, LONDON, WC1R 4RL

SPEAKERS INCLUDE: Lance Corporal JOE GLENTON, just released from prison following his court martial for refusing to fight in Afghanistan, ex-soldier ROSS WILLIAMS, jailed in 2008 for refusing to fight in Iraq, CAROLINE LUCAS MP and other MPs. More speakers TBA.

The war in Afghanistan is in crisis. The strategy for the US-led occupation is crumbling. Violence is increasing, with deaths of Afghan civilians and Nato troops at higher levels than at any time since 2001. But the Con-Lib coalition government continues to send troops to kill and die in a war that has no purpose and is being lost. Among the speakers at this rally will be two soldiers who were jailed by the British army for agreeing with the two thirds majority of people in Britain who want all the troops brought home now.

 http://stopwar.org.uk
 
ann arky's home.

Sunday 11 July 2010

SOLIDARITY.

Landlord messing you around?

Agency not paying you?

Job centre making life a misery?

Feel like it's too much to cope with alone?

We all face problems like these and it can seem impossible to do anything about them. The Glasgow Solidarity Network is a group of people, just like you, who work together to support one another and stand up for their rights.

Modelled on Seattle Solidarity Network, Anti-Poll Tax unions and the Claimants' Union from the 80's, Glasgow Solidarity Network is a non-hierarchical organisation controlled by its members and unaffiliated to any political group or party. It aims to confront bad landlords, bad employers, and bad jobcentres/benefits agencies through collective direct action and build solidarity between tenants, claimants and workers, active and retired.

Come by Daisy Street on the 13th July to help us get this project off the ground, whether you could really use some solidarity yourself or whether you can offer it to others.

Blog: http://glasgowsolnet.tk

Email: glasgowsolnet@gmail.com



ann arky's home.

Sunday 4 July 2010

WORKERS, KNOW YOUR HISTORY.


       Saturday 3rd July saw Paisley celebrate its long running Sma' Shot Day. This consists of a parade from Brodie Park on the outskirts of the town through the streets to the town centre. The parade is lead by the beating of the Charleston Drum with locals dressed as weavers from the 19th century, in the town centre there are stalls and fun for the kids with the day ending with the burning of the "CORK". An effigy in top hat and tails representing the boss of the weavers of old. In all the literature about the Sma Shot event very little links it to the real reason the event takes place, it was in effect a great victory for organised labour against tight-fisted capital in a bitter dispute during 1856. It is probably the longest running celebration in Britain of a strike victory. It is so easy for these events to be taken over and used as a fun parade and their origins to be forgotten. We should never allow this to happen we must always keep alive the fact that all we have was won from the bosses by what can only be described as long and sometimes very bitter struggles by our forefathers and that struggle goes on today. The events of today mean we have to prepare for further struggle as once again capital is hell-bent on attacking the living standards of the working class.  We need a new "Charleston Drum"
A short history of the Sma' Shot Strike 1856. 

ann arky's home.

Saturday 3 July 2010

HOLIDAY SNAPS FROM GREECE!!!


How democracy works when the people object to having their living standards trashed to save the bond markets, How the greedy wealthy parasites' minders show their supine support for a corrupt system.