Avoidable.

 

 

Image courtesy of Live Science.

 

          I wrote the following article away back in March 2007, but I think is more relevant today that ever before. We are at present witnessing the disastrous result of climate change and at an ever increasing rate. To persist with the present insane self centre greed driven economic system is to be blind to the obvious disaster that we all face.

Image courtesy of Conversation.

You Must be Red to be Green

           Green issues are frequently spouted on TV, radio,and the press with lots of business hot shots and pompous politicians commenting on this solution and that solution, of course never mentioning,that it is the corporate greed machine and its ever increasing quest for profit that is the prime cause of our environmental problems. However the truth is, not until there is sustained and successful challenge to the short term interests of this planet-trashing corporate greed machine and its replacement by a sane and sustainable system of seeing to needs rather than greed, will any of the suggested solutions make an impact.
         The economic structures of society have to be changed before environmental issues can be seriously dealt with and resolved. As long as the primary economic structure is the greed driven corporate profit motive, blessed and implemented by the usual corrupt state power, any attempt at resolving environmental problems will be ineffective. The present economic system is plundering and raping the planet for profit and is taking us and our descendants down a road to environmental disaster. To ask the corporate world to be more caring and compassionate and think of the long term interests of us all, is rather naive to say the least. they have to compete with each other or die and will always work to maximise their profits come what may, or their shareholders will leave in droves.
         The corporate world is just one big greedy machine, avaricious and insatiable, within the corporate greed machine is a ruling class that puts its interests before the interests of society as a whole. It is obvious that this is in direct conflict and contrary to the long-term planet wide solutions required to reverse global warming. This short term self-interest of the corporate greed machine must not be allowed to override the interests of the world's population. We cannot allow the short term interests of the pampered privileged parasite shareholders to govern our world, all our futures are at stake. Only when we have eradicated this short-term self interest of the corporate greed machine, abandoned parasitical shareholders to the dustbin of history, can we hope to reverse the environmental disaster we are facing. The future of our children and grandchildren depend on us carrying out this necessary restructuring of society. The more you examine today's environmental problems the more it becomes obvious, that to be Green, you have to be Red.

 

Visit ann arky at https://spiritofrevolt.info    

Failing.

 

         For how long will humanity accept the pimps and gods of war to dominate our lives. Slaughter in the name of power, wealth and domination over others has plagued humanity for centuries and we seem to have learned nothing. The following poem could have been written yesterday but sadly it was written circa 2285-2250 BCE by the first ever named woman poet Enheduanna and still the Gods of war are "raging like thunderstorms" when will we turn in our millions against the rising wings of war, once and for all.

Image courtesy of Canadian Dimension.

Lament to the Spirit of War

by Enheduanna

loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

You hack down everything you see, War God!

Rising on fearsome wings
you rush to destroy our land:
raging like thunderstorms,
howling like hurricanes,
screaming like tempests,
thundering, raging, ranting, drumming,
whiplashing whirlwinds!

Men falter at your approaching footsteps.

Tortured dirges scream on your lyre of despair.

Like a fiery Salamander you poison the land:
growling over the earth like thunder,
vegetation collapsing before you,
blood gushing down mountainsides.

Spirit of hatred, greed and vengeance!

Dominatrix of heaven and earth!

Your ferocious fire consumes our land.
Whipping your stallion
with furious commands,
you impose our fates.
You triumph over all human rites and prayers.

Who can explain your tirade,

why you carry on so?

                                          Image courtesy of Peace & Planet News.

Visit ann arky at https://spiritofrevolt.info   

Subterfuge.

        By stealth, subterfuge, and smoke and mirrors, that is how most states function. They pump out a phoney statement with innocent sounding misnomers, but the intention is slithering into place, and the powers that be hope it will not be noticed until it becomes an accepted fact and is too late to reverse. It has been the opus operandi for states across time and the planet. Sadly the result is usually horrendous bloodshed, death and destruction for the innocent. However, this fate is not heaped on the perpetrators of this callous, brutal deceit. When will we ever learn, the state is the enemy of the people, equality, peace, justice and freedom. Its demise is our only hope of a better world for all. 

From Struggle La Lucha.

July 31, 2023 Gary Wilson 

 

          

           U.S. troops in Poland, near the Ukraine border. In July, President Biden authorized an addition 3,000 reservists to join more than 12,000 troops in NATO countries surrounding Ukraine. Is this troop build up in preparation for “boots on the ground” in Ukraine? Newsweek reported that in July NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced a support package for Ukraine that would “result in the U.S. eventually sending soldiers to fight in the war against Russia.”
            U.S. troops in Poland, near the Ukraine border. In July, President Biden authorized an addition 3,000 reservists to join more than 12,000 troops in NATO countries surrounding Ukraine. Is this troop buildup in preparation for “boots on the ground” in Ukraine? Newsweek reported that in July NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced a support package for Ukraine that would “result in the U.S. eventually sending soldiers to fight in the war against Russia.”
        The Pentagon has approved hazard pay for U.S. troops serving in Ukraine, paving the way for a possible expanded presence. Military Times reported July 27 on the new hazard pay policy.
         Troops who qualify will get back pay as far back as April 24, 2022.
         “Grier Martin, who is temporarily serving as the Pentagon’s top personnel official, approved the change in a July 13 memo, which was posted to the unofficial ‘Air Force amn/nco/snco’ Facebook page,” Military Times says.
         The approval of hazard pay is seen as a sign that the Pentagon is preparing for a possible expansion of the U.S. military presence in Ukraine. The Biden administration has steadily increased the number of special forces “advisers” and trainers in the country. While calling them advisers and trainers, they actively participate in the war.
        Washington has a long history of entering wars this way, from Vietnam to Central America to Afghanistan. The U.S. initially claimed it was not sending “boots on the ground” to Vietnam, but eventually, there were over 500,000 U.S. troops in Vietnam. The U.S. also claimed that it was not sending troops to El Salvador, but eventually, over 500 U.S. special forces were operating in El Salvador, commanding the Salvadoran military dictatorship.
        Washington won’t say that it is directly involved in combat in Ukraine. It can be expected to stick to euphemisms (advisers or security details) to describe its activities. The euphemisms are its way of expanding involvement, hoping no one will notice the increasing numbers of troops on the ground.

Visit ann arky at https://spiritofrevolt.info     

Homeless.

Image courtesy of BBC

            I have lived a long life, heading for 90, and throughout the adult period of that life I have heard repeated bullshit spewed out by the crooks and liars that hold the reins of power. As each election approaches, (I call them crooks and liars competitions) I've listened to those phoney pledges, "We will end child poverty" "we'll end homelessness". So here we are and the figures for homelessness are staggering to say the least. The figures here are for England alone, I have no doubt that the other three parts of this part of the planet called The United Kingdom will swell the numbers considerably.

Image courtesy of Edinburgh Live.

 

         No doubt when the elected crooks and liars hear of these figures they may 

spout, "pandemic", "Ukraine", but the figures are the worst for 25 years. In England, according to a recent report by Shelter, almost 250,000 are in temporary accommodation, this is up 74% over the last 10 years, the present bunch of crooks and liars have been in control for 13 years, so we know where the blame lies. In this human disaster there are123,000 children living, (if you can call it living) in temporary accommodation. In England 1 in 208 are homeless,15,000 are living in hostels and there are 2,400 sleeping rough.

Image courtesy of The Mirror.

 

         This is an indictment of failure of the present economic system, it is not that 

we live in a poor country, we are among the richest countries in the world. Yet all my long life I have heard these callous phoney promises, but the poverty and deprivation continues. It is not an immutable fact of nature, it is the result of an economic system that pillages and plunders the riches created by the people and channels it into the coffers of the wealthy, powerful, pampered, parasite class. We are the causalities of a class war, a war we can win if we come together in organised solidarity, throughout our workplaces and communities. We have the numbers, the imagination and the knowledge to end this cruel insanity and create that better and fairer world for all our people.

 

Visit ann arky at https://spiritofrevolt.info    

Unstable.

 

Image courtesy of Refinery 29.

          We live in a very unequal society, a world of inequality that stretches across the planet with its ensuing misery and deprivation for the majority. What our plunderers and pillagers of the corporate parasite class and their state bed companions should do well to remember is that an unequal world is an unstable world. Fractures are already appearing and the anger is simmering just beneath the surface, occasionally bursting forth in riots, insurrection and resistance, built on a shared burden of struggle. As the capitalist system is utterly incapable of creating an equal society as it is based on profit from exploitation, it is also incapable of creating a stable and fair society. It becomes ever more obvious that if we want a fair and just society we will have to dismantle the present economic system of profit which is driven by greed and self interest. There is no magic wand, nor will the change come from above with a bunch of roses. The change we want will have to be wrestled from the hands of the plundering capitalist system we must replace. Banners and polite marches with snap slogans will not force the plunderers to relinquish their opulent lifestyles in favour of equality and fairness. It will take the mass of the population to rise up and in solidarity state that enough is enough, we will be free and live in a fair society that sees to the needs of all our people.

 The Invisible.

We live there— yes— there
A little bit above the dead
But quite a bit below the living
Where poverty is a dream
Deprivation a reality
Our daily bread an illusion
We sigh--we weep—
As ruthless poverty
With its cold claws
Tears the heart from our children
We ask—WHY?
Surrounded by opulence
Invisible to arrogant greed
Anger simmers beneath the surface
We seek equality
We will have justice
If blood is the price
So be it. 

 

Visit ann arky at https://spiritofrevolt.info    

Shafted.

Image courtesy of 124News.

 

            This government seems to find it easy to come up with money for any of its pet schemes. Take our Monarch Charles III at present he gets a present annually of tax payers money to the tune of £86.3 million, obviously struggle to keep up his standard of living, the state steps in and for 2025 he will receive an wee boost of tax payers money to the tune of £38.5 million, bring his tax payers gift to a tidy £124.8 million annually. Does he need it? Is he struggle to get by on a taxpayers gift of £86.3 million? Recent research shows that Charles III's personal wealth is in the £2 billion region. Who else in this country has a personal fortune in the region of £2 billion and receives a tax payers annual gift of £124.8 million? Obviously there is no shortage of tax payers money to help out billionaires, but not any for struggling health workers, teachers homelessness, child poverty, and others struggling to maintain some standard of living.

Image courtesy of Amnesty International.

 

 

         In another field where the government is extremely generous with your money is in what they call the "defence" budget, in actual fact it is a "war" budget. I can't think of a country on the planet that has any plans to invade the UK, except perhaps America, if we don't do as we are told in supporting U$A's endless wars.
         Our war budget for 2021/22 was £45.9 billion and our £800 million Prime Minister has stated we will "ramp up" "defence investment" (war preparation). Of course he doesn't mean with his money, but with yours. The war budget has in 2020 received a £24 billion "cash boost", again, your cash, and they want to feed it more of your money.
         When do we wake up to the fact that we are day and daily being continually shafted by the rich and privileged parasite class. While in public they shed crocodile tears about our dire situation, and privately laugh at us as they sip their champagne doing deals of pillage and plunder.

Image courtesy of Big Issue.

 

         That better life for all means we have to bring this whole stinking edifice to greed, corruption and self indulgence, this capitalism and state, joined at the hip, insanity, to an end.

Visit ann arky at https://spiritofrevolt.info      

Survival.

 

          Everybody surely knows that there is something dangerously wrong with our present economic system. It has in the past, present and will in the future fail miserable to see to the basic needs of all of humanity and the survival of humanity itself. If you are a member of that strata of people at the receiving end of the economic system’s free hand out of poverty and deprivation, you’ll understand what I’m saying. 

                                              Image courtesy of The Communist.

          Why does this system persist despite in vicious disregard for the vast majority of humanity? It spawns wars across the globe from South America to Africa, the Middle East to Europe, wars that only the privileged few gain from, but the vast majority suffer the consequences the deaths, injuries and devastation. We are prisoners of a system owned and controlled by a small number of very rich individuals and massive international monopoly corporations. The only result from such plundering and pillaging the Earth’s resources is to deny the vast majority of humanity a decent standard of living. 

Image courtesy of MR online

         This system persists because of our subservience to the illusions peddled by its propaganda machine and the control by the various states that manges the population with laws, rules and regulations that perpetuate the existing status-quo. Change will only come when we start to see through the illusions and help others to join us in dispelling myth and replacing it with facts. Awakening to the fact that our acceptance of this system of injustice and savage brutality is not laid down in tablets of stone from some immutable design, it is human designed system and can be changed only by human intervention on a massive scale. We have to abolish borders, erase racism, grow our solidarity for all repressed people and build on co-operation, sustainability and justice for all. We accept the inequality and injustice and hand it down to our children and grandchildren or we stand up, join hands, get organised on a massive scale and make the changes we need and are due, as we are the creators of all the wealth on this planet. Organised solidarity is our winning weapon.

Visit ann arky at htpps://spiritofrevolt.info   

Misery.

            It always amazes me how our government has money to throw around at making people's lives miserable or unbearable, but can't find any money to make people's lives better. There's no money to improve the quality of life for our health workers, our kids suffer because there is no money to improve the education system. It can however find money to higher a floating prison to house immigrants. The Bibby Stockholm, named after the founder of the company John Bibby, who made his money in the slave trade, is a barge designed to hold 200 and will be used by the UK government to house 500 migrants. Barge is a misnomer, prison is the correct name, as the inhabitants of this hellhole will not be allowed to walk about on the port. The government flags this up as money saving but are paying this private company a sum of £1.6 billion of our tax money, to manage this arrangement. Money to create misery

Image courtesy of Ripples.

 

         Then there is our "defence" budget, the UK government has announced it will spend an "EXTRA" £2.5 billion on army munitions, this comes on top of the £5 billion boost to our war spending. All that money will have no other purpose than to destroy other people's towns and cities and kill thousands of people we don't even know. More money to create misery.

Image courtesy of Middle East Institute.

 

         Where is the pouring of vast sums of our tax money on making the lives of the ordinary people better? We are continually faced with austerity, poverty shadows our children, our elderly, and our most vulnerable. wages stagnate or fall, living standards are continually eroded, and we are told by the wealth privileged, to "hold our nerve"
         We know there is a better way to shape our society, to one that sees to the needs of all our people. A society not based on war, exploitation and profiteering, but built on mutual aid, co-operation and sustainability. That change will not come from the wealthy and very comfortable privileged parasite class, but will only come from the people themselves. We are the ones that create all the wealth on the planet, we are the rightful beneficiaries of that produce, but we will have to stand up and take it, it will not be gifted to us. 

 

Visit ann arky at https://spiritofrevolt.info 

Pollok Free State.

           Pollok Free State was a long bitter struggle to save part of Pollok Estate being carved into a motorway to suit the corporate bodies that transport goods for profit, destroying ancient trees & habitat of hundreds of species in the process. Of course the cry from the powers that be was, "it will be good for the economy" and screw the planet. we are fortunate that Spirit of Revolt Archive, has a large collection of photos and documents of the struggle at https://spiritofrevolt.info/simon-yuill-collection/ SoR-25-2-1. All free to view.

 

Visit ann arky at https://spiritofrevolt.info

Anti-War.

Image courtesy of Nation Library of Scotland

         Monday May 15th. is International Conscientious Objectors Day, a day when we rightly mark in honour of all those who had the courage to refuse to be drafted into the state's military killing machine. Two world wars have seen thousands of individuals take a stand against the state process of murdering citizens who happen to live on another patch of this planet, and all the blood and misery shed is for power and wealth to the few. We owe a debt to these courageous individuals for their courageous stand in the face of brutal and savage state reprisals.
        Glasgow like most cities, towns and villages across the country has a proud band of conscientious objectors. To them we raise a clenched fist and say thank you.  

      The two short pieces from our Spirit of Revolt Archive T SOR 1-1-2 refer to Allan Burnett one of Glasgow's young courageous conscientious objectors who eventually ended living in New Zealand.

 

Visit ann arky's home at https://spiritofrevolt.info  

You Bet!

         Today, April, 15th. is Grand National Day, a day of pomp, ceremony, tradition and lots of MONEY. The grand spectacle, of fun and entertainment, at a price. Every year hundreds of racing horse die because of the money that can be made form pushing them beyond their limit. However this is covered up so as not to spoil the flow of big money to the gambling corporations and the large breeding stables. 2021 was a year of record horse deaths, Racecourses were responsible for taking the lives of 220 horses in 2021, there is no defence for this pointless slaughter. You will not find this information on the news our in the press, it is hushed up to keep the public ignorant of this perpetual slaughter in the name of greed.
          It is just another example in this society of exploitation of anything that can generate money for the rich and powerful, another branch of "bread and circuses" for the poor, to fill the coffers of the rich parasite class. They will dress any form of slaughter as entertainment, necessary, or just hide it from public view, to keep the necessary flow of wealth streaming in the direction of their grubby money grabbing hands. If we want justice for all, that must include all animal life on this planet. After you place you hard earned cash on a bet and watch these animals being pushed beyond their limit to enrich a few, think, how many will not be alive next week.

The following from Animal Aid.

       

Racecourses took the lives of 220 horses in 2021 – for which there is no defence.

          Despite this shocking statistic there is a public silence from racing’s rulers, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and its Horse Welfare Board. Its flagship welfare strategy document titled, ‘A life well-lived’ is, after just two years, in a chaotic free-fall.
          The Welfare Board’s incoherent policy has, in racing terms, ‘fallen at every hurdle’. Whether that is race horses being sent for slaughter because of unregulated breeding, mirrored by a lack of post-racing aftercare; violent behaviour towards horses with the use of the whip; or deaths on racecourses.
          But the BHA’s Horse Welfare Board is not alone in its failure. The ongoing killing of horses requires associated support structures. Horse welfare organisations and vets are tight lipped too, from either ignorance or apathy.
        With uncontrolled power, racing’s big players, comprising, racecourses, multi-national betting operators, and massive breeding and racing operations, all seem content with the current situation of equine exploitation and maltreatment. Whilst polarised political views from Westminster weakens positive horse welfare change.

 

 Visit ann arky's home at https://spiritofrevolt.info  

Mary?

 

Image courtesy of Entertainment.

 

            I often think that this God guy should come down from his home in the sky and explain his virgin birth caper. If he did, every TV outlet on the planet would give him air time to explain himself. After all, when he made Adam he just used some dust, and for Eve he took a rib from Adam, so why when he wanted to create a son, he had to come down to Earth and screw somebody’s wife? After all he had proclaimed his dogma that a marriage is one man and one woman, so why the adultery? Was this his first and only erection, or did he have them on several occasions, but this time decided to use it more productively? Did he enjoy the sex, did Mary, was she even aware of it? If not, then this was rape. Then of course there is the other question, since God doesn’t eat or drink, unless there is a supermarket and a kitchen in heaven, why on earth, or in heaven, did he give himself a penis. Its only purpose is to get rid of urine and for sex? Was he planning in starting a family through the usual means? Are there urinals in heaven? There are just so many questions he has to answer. I also think Joseph has a case for a divorce and perhaps Mary could bring rape charges against him. If he is a decent guy he should show up and explain himself.

 

 Image courtesy of ImgFlip.

 

Visit ann arky's home at https://spiritofrevolt.inf  

It's a Con.

            Our lords and masters who pontificate in those Westminster Houses of Corruption and Hypocrisy, pump out green messages, to save the planet. They tell us, take a shallower bath, a shorter shower, turn your thermostat down a degree or two, only put enough water for a cup of tea in the kettle, wear a jumper or two, all to save the planet. We are being asked to alter our lifestyle make sacrifices. Meanwhile their buddies in the wealthy parasite class carry on with their lives of luxury, private jets, gas guzzling limousines and luxury homes dotted around the planet.
           Their latest little pleasure trip is a three year cruise, that will visit 135 countries visiting all the continents on the planet. How this thundering hulk of steel carrying 1,074 passengers plus crew, ploughing its way across the world, burning fossil fuel 24 hours a day fits in with saving the planet must be the joke of the year.

            It is obvious that any sacrifice to save the planet is to be done by you and I, the serfs of the system, and doesn't apply to the rich, wealthy, pampered, parasite class. It becomes more obvious by the day, that their are laughing at us, as they merrily carry on with there pampered lives of luxury and we do the sacrificing. When will we ever learn, the system is rigged, can't be reformed, has to be destroyed, if we want that better life for all. A society of fairness, justice and mutual aid, that sees to the needs of all our people.

 

 

Image courtesy of AFAR.

The cruise will take place on the MV Gemini, which can accommodate up to 1,074 passengers. Cabin sizes range from 130 square feet for interior staterooms (which include a double bed, a bathroom, and a desk) to 260 square feet for balcony suites (which have an additional living room area).
          Pricing, which includes all meals, drinks (both alcoholic and nonalcoholic), laundry, Wi-Fi, gratuities, housekeeping, and port fees, starts at $90,000 and go up to $330,000 based on accommodations.

Image courtesy of AFAR.

 

Visit ann arky's home at https://spiritofrevolt.info