A little explanation of how the system works, it is over an hour long but well worth staying with it, it is very informative and well made. Settle down with a cup of coffee and enjoy,
Saturday, 9 July 2011
Friday, 8 July 2011
NOBODY SHOULD DIE LIKE THIS.
This is an appeal through Amnesty International, it is an appeal from one human being to another, deportation should not mean death. Migration is not a crime, the system we live under means that on occasions migration is the only way to survive. Nor should you be punished for trying to seek a better life for you and your family under what is a very brutal and exploitive system, corporate capitalism.
Last October, my husband Jimmy Mubenga was put on a plane accompanied by three private security guards to be forcibly removed from the UK. We had lived in the UK for 16 years and our five children were born here.
Jimmy died during the removal process. I found out that his death was probably due to the dangerous and abusive techniques used to restrain him. Before he died, witnesses on the plane heard Jimmy cry out that the guards were going to kill him. No one should die like this. Please stop it from happening again
The guards are under investigation for alleged manslaughter and are currently on bail. I am left struggling to bring up our five children without a father.
I would not want anyone to have to go through what our family is suffering. Yet there have been many other reports of people being injured while being removed from the UK. If nothing is done it is only a matter of time before there is another death.
To prevent this, I ask that you write to Home Secretary Theresa May urging her to make the system more humane. This must include proper training of staff carrying out removals, independent monitoring, and making private companies more accountable.
Please take this action in memory of my husband, Jimmy Mubenga.
Thank you,
Adrienne Makenda Kambana (Jimmy Mubenga's widow)
Thursday, 7 July 2011
HOW WESTERN DEMOCRACY WORKS!!!
This little video is just one example of how Western representative democracy applies austerity cuts to its electorate. An example of how your representatives respond to your wishes, remember, you elected them to do your bidding!!!
WHO RUNS BRITAIN??
There are those who say that the Monarch rules Britain, a constitutional Monarch, but she has to put her seal on parliament's work. Others say we are a representative democracy. We elect our representatives and they do our bidding. Well we have a monarch, that's for sure, our vomit media makes sure we are spewed over with stories of her, her family, all their side-kicks and their antics that we fund. As for a representative democracy, well they are certainly elected by a section of the public, though not all my any means, but do they represent us? The recent slashing of all social spending and selling off of all our public assets, against the loudly expressed wishes of that same public, lays the lie of it being a representative democracy. Just who are they representing?
So who does runs Britain? Recent events are beginning to make that very clear indeed. The News of The World hacking episode with the alleged payments to police officers for information, the spectacle of all the political parties fawning at the feet of a newspaper empire, for fear of it destroying their reputation and their seat on the gravy-train, makes it obvious who sets the menu on the political table.
It is obvious that if we are to answer honestly, who runs Britain, we have to say, a bunch of greedy morally depraved reporters, bent cops, a cabal of self-centred, power hungry, arrogant millionaire politicians and a greedy media mogul. What is more important is for whose benefit are they running the country? You'd be an idiot if you said, the people of Britain.
By John Hartfield.
With three wars running, our social services being decimated, our health and education being privatised, unemployment rising and all our public assets being sold for a song to the corporate world, it is simple to work out for whose benefit they are running the country. Of course that could change, it all depends on the people.
THE REBEL.
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.
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
WHOSE DEBT IS IT ANYWAY???
This world is built on debt, every country is more or less obliged to borrow, then when their debt is too big for them to handle they sell their debt. Then the countries that buy the debt have too much debt they sell the debt, eventually every country is carrying too much debt and they scurry around for somebody else to buy their debt, but nobody can, well except the Joe public, the tax payer. so they, have to pay for the debt with "austerity cuts", translated that means slashing their standard of living, throwing millions on the dole destroying all social services and selling off all public assets, so that the insane mery-go-round can start up again and the banks and bond markets don't lose their greed gotten gains.
UNPAID WORKERS - THIS IS LONDON CALLING!!!
CLEANERS STRIKE HITS THE CITY
Early morning contract cleaners hired by the City of London at Guildhall have staged a two day strike in protest at unpaid wages. The 34 cleaners only get the minimum wage, but even then cleaning contractor Ocean has underpaid many of them continuously over the last 3 months, despite asking them to work extra hours.
Their patience ran out on Tuesday 14 and Wednesday 15 June, when those still unpaid refused to lift a finger until the company gave them assurances they would be paid. Their other workmates agreed to stay put with them in the reception area in solidarity for the duration of their two hour shift. The situation is now on a knife edge, with the company issuing some ‘amended’ payslips, and promising that the rest of the shortfall will be made good this week and in next month’s pay packet.
The workers, who hail from many different countries, are meanwhile presenting a collective grievance and have vowed to protest if the company fails to come up with the goods.
They belong to the IWW’s 640 (Cleaners and Allied Trades) branch. The last visible protest movements by City cleaners were at UBS's Liverpool Street offices in 2010 and the Willis Building in 2009.
Sent by: IWW 640 (Cleaners and Allied Trades branch)
This is the UK, you would think that our millionaire PM and his millionaire cabal with their "Big Society" would step in and tell the employer that "we are all in this together", that'll be the day. I have no doubt that the employers board of directors will be on Champagne drinking terms with our millionaire public school thugs who are in charge of The Westminster Houses of Hypocrisy and Corruption. Our media are not slow to run an article about slave labour and unpaid workers in developing countries, adding the usual "tut-tut, those foreigners" but are not so keen in pointing out blatant exploitation right here at the heart of their stinking system of capitalism.
Monday, 4 July 2011
FREE HETHERINGTON, SOLIDARITY WITH GREECE.
Wednesday 6th July 7:30-1030 pm.
Greece is currently at the centre of a pan-European struggle against austerity and cuts. As the IMF and their puppets in the PASOK government attempt to force through further austerity measures - amid huge protests, riots and occupations - while the future of the Euro and the global capitalist economy hang in the balance, here at the Hetherington we'll be having a night of food, films and solidarity with the Greek resistance.
Film showings:
- THE POTENTIALITY OF STORMING HEAVEN: a half hour documentary on the youth insurrection in December 2008.
- DEBTOCRACY: made this year, a documentary which examines the current financial situation in Greece, and looks at possible solutions.
Followed by a discussion, and we'll be having Greek food from the Free Hetherington kitchen too!
CONTROL OR FREEDOM????
How far are you prepared to go along he road of the surveillance society? Some time ago I posted an article on grooming our kids to accept a surveillance society. Since then nothing has been done to reverse that trend. Government after government increases or re-enforces that surveillance and it is still accepted that it has that right to monitor and control our every movement, all "for our own good" of course.
This short video shows just how far they can and will go unless we the people tell them to FU** OFF and take control of our own lives and protect our kids from their menacing interference.
Thursday, 30 June 2011
TEAPOT COLLECTIVE INTRODUCTION TO ANARCHY - PAGE 14.
Next up is page 14 of the Teapot Collective Introduction to Anarchy, This is the last page, the next part is about the Teapot Collective and some suggested further reading. You can read page 13 HERE.
By the hundreds of thousands peasants organised in the MST ("Movement of the Landless") in Brazil are squatting land to live and work collectively. In the LA riots a few years ago, the poor revolted, looting and making their communities no-go areas for the authorities. In 1994, theZapatistas liberated many villages in Chiapas, Mexico, and their struggle against free trade agreements which had disasterous effects on the large peasant population has become international with the Encuentros, gatherings of groups and individuals from all over the world fighting corporate powers.
But anarchy is also about small-scale resistance, about individuals refusing standards, ignoring authority and joining up to improve their lives. Everyday, we can experiment with and learn ways of dealing with each other without leaders or domination, with mutual respect, building the world we want now - in our relationships, our interactions and our resistance.
THE EAGLE HAS LANDED.
In this society anxiety walks with us, will my benefit be cut, will I be deported and who knows why a young man would throw himself in front of a train, but then again, this is capitalism.
Jim McFarlane 30-6-11 hereandnowscot@gmail.com
I was early. I had the luxury - on a clear day - to get off the shoogly bus. Across the Squiggly bridge I sauntered, northwards past the Broomielaw, nondescript buildings housing bureaucrats of BT, the Scottish Office.....
The Job Centre in Argyle Street wasn't my destination, this time, carrying on, was the ATOS assessment centre at Cadogan St. - quiet outside at mid morning - no Black Triangle or dis ability campaigners this early.
Reaching Bothwell Street I at first turned right, only to discover the imposing entrance I had imagined to be "Eagle" was not the place. About turning I strode. Across the road, every window of Habitat festooned the message: closing down sale/ everything must go! A symbol of the sixties myth, going the way of Woolies.....
Just beside the slip-road from the Kingston Bridge was the Eagle building. The penny dropped. This was the immigration office place. Up to the 4th floor, a screening barrier and uniformed civil servant greeted me. Keys, coins, lighters, all to be placed on a tray. It was a hallmark of departure.
I had to sit next to the toilets. This was the designated bay for benefit appeal claimants. In the larger waiting room space, a few of Jock Tamson's bairns who awaited a different fate: the right to stay or face deportation.
Another unshaven man was processed. He said he was late because a young lad had thrown himself under an Underground train at Govan. No empathy overflowed from the clerk. My fellow claimant's lateness would undo my planned escape to Paisley afterwards. I settled down - a few BBC science magazines helped distract my thoughts. Others came & went or nervously visited the latrines.
My time came. The clerk led me along the corridor. He opened the door. A surprise greeted me. This was not like Wellington Street or other overspill locations for Appeals. It was a miniature court room. I took my seat, a desk in front with water and tissues. I was at least 12 feet away from judgement.
The legal man, explained how they would conduct the proceedings. The medical man - whose face betrayed a liking for the bottle - asked the questions. It was a case of casting the mind back, a portrait of anomie in the months before last autumn. A period when the diagnosis was incomplete. The medical scans were underway but not going as planned. I was sleeping fitfully, I was not functioning as before. Enough information was gleaned.
Time to go. There would be no verbal verdict. I would be in a state of suspense. They ushered me out of the Eagle's lair. Would I continue under the scrutiny of the State? Or would I tread the path of precarity .
Disability assessor
[to be continued...]
A CLASSY MAYFAIR FIRESALE!!!
For those poor deluded souls who still think that "their" government is driving the fiscal policy in their respective countries, the extract below helps to clear the smoke from the bankers and bond markets smoke and mirrors illusion. Austerity cuts, as I keep spouting, have nothing to do with deficit reduction, it is all to do with flogging off everything in sight to the corporate world at "firesale" prices. Everything must go, ports, airports, land, anything that the corporate world can make money from will be handed to them on a plate, social services will be starved of funds letting the corporate world step in and sell the service to you at a price and profit to them, all of this at the dicate of the IMF and ECB. "Your" government is selling "your" country and the money raised will of course, not go to those who actually own these assets, the people, no, it will all go to the bankers and bond markets to cover their losses, and "your" government will comply, even if it decimates the living standards of the people, even if the people take to the streets in mass protests making it quite clear that they do not want this policy to continue. The state's minders will also be on the streets dealing out brutal repression with baton and tear gas, and if that doesn't work their is always the army. So much for democracy.
The short extract below was taken from from an article that appeared in The Guardian June 29 and was written by Aditya Chakrabortty and titled, Greece crisis. As Athens erupts Mayfair hosts a classy firesale,. The full article is well worth reading. The graphics are not The Guardian's.
'At first, yesterday's meeting looked like a thousand other upmarket business events; suits gathered at Claridge's hotel in London's Mayfair for a day's discussion of how to reform Greece and its economy. But listening to the presentations from Greek ministers and officials about the airports, the ports, the land they were auctioning off to the highest bidder, the real purpose of the day came into sharp focus. Here in an art deco room with five chandeliers and too many mirrored surfaces to count, was the beginning of a classy firesale.
The men from Athens were not calling it that, of course. “A professionally run privatisation plan” is how George Christodoulakis, the man in charge of Greece's asset sales preferred to describe it. But even he conceded that the pace and scale of the government's scheme to flog €50bn (£44.8bn) of assets within the next five years had been forced on it. “One can say; is this the best time to sell assets?” '
Tuesday, 28 June 2011
THE MARCH OF CORPORATE FASCISM.
This July will be the 75th anniversary of the start of the Spanish Civil War. When the fascist started their onslaught on the elected Spanish government, thousands of ordinary people from around the world made their way to Spain to help in that fight against Franco's fascists. Thousands from Britain alone, see previous post. That spirit of solidarity is once more needed as the fascists once more attack the ordinary people. This time it is not Spain, and they are not lead by a military general. The modern day fascists are world wide, has no uniform and doesn't carry a gun. They wear suits, carry laptops and sit at desks in offices of splendour. Today it is corporate fascism that dictates the fiscal policies in every country in the world.
ATHENS.
There is not one government in Europe that was voted in to decimate the education system, privatise the health system, close libraries, shut down nurseries, cut social benefits and social services, raise pension contributions and raise the pension age. However, that is what you are getting. Not only that we are being told that it is all for our benefit, we are told that if we don't accept their grand plans we will face dire consequences. What we are told is the best option is austerity cuts, and that translate into, we cover the banks and bond markets losses and accept an impoverished society mired in deprivation for at least a decade or two.
PARIS.
However, we don't have to play the game with their loaded dice, we can write the rules of the game ourselves, we can change the way the game is played. Across Europe that is what is happening, in France there are mass demonstrations, in Spain there are weekly protests across the country building up to a national day of action on the 24 July, in Greece there are on going mass protest in Athens and else where across Greece. Here in the UK there is a public service day of protest on Thursday 30th June.
LONDON.
The protests have to move out from the big cities, they have to take place in every city, town and village in the country. This struggle is not the struggle of one particular group it is the struggle of all the ordinary people against the relentless march of corporate fascism. Your so called representative government does not represent you, it takes it orders from the banks and the bond markets and they are not interested in the welfare of the people, only in the welfare of their bank balances.
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