MILITARY £600M CONSULTANTS

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

MILITARY £600M CONSULTANTS Freedom Dec 2011_Freedom 22/11/2011 00:26 Page 1 £2 www.freedompress.org.uk Vol 72 • DECEMBER 2011 GANG WARFARE Welcome to a new era of LENS CAP SING WHEN WE’RE WINNING political policing When Oxbridge graduate Bernard Hogan- Howe began his new job as Metropolitan police commissioner in September, he brought with him the quaint PR phrase ‘total policing’ (that he himself coined when chief of Merseyside police) as a way of introducing himself into the new role as top cop. As a soundbite it ticked all the right boxes for an insouciant media – enticing, unspecific and unavoidably non-committal. But what in reality does a change at the top of the police pile mean for anarchists and activists especially during this period of economic disintegration and increasingly fractious social unrest, what can we expect in this new era of total policing? Already this year we have seen several examples of pro-active policing taking on a more sinister role – the kind of policing that goes beyond public order and preservation of the peace but designed to undermine Photograph © Max Reeves political expression. Anarcho-punk veterans Chumbawamba bring a bit of style and substance to the steps of St Paul’s as When education activists did a banner drop at the Lib Dem party conference in they serenade the Occupy masses with songs about the better times. The mini gig, on the day of the September they were remanded for three student demo, also featured Billy Bragg and Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine and folk days by West Midlands police as their legend Peggy Seeger. The Chumbas are doing a short tour in December – check the Freedom website “membership of an organisation showed for details. page 38 MILITARY £600m CONSULTANTS 8 The Ministry of Defence (MoD) were forced of accountability Within the government INSIDE to admit that spending on consultants is out department itself, a leftover from Tony Blair, Winter blues page 3 of control, as a freedom of information request the war prime minister, and his tenure in reVealed that the goVernment militarY depart - office. Even the MoD’s internal report on 99% of what? page 6 ment has paid out almost £600m in the last FATs revealed a catalogue of abuse including tWo Years on consultants alone. The document “significant weaknesses” in the cases International news pages 8 and 9 reVealed the MoD spent £564m on “technical submitted for money, “weaknesses in the support”, in comparison to spending just £6m robustness of scrutiny” by those in charge of Prize crossword page 14 on consultants in 2006. In total 380 private the budget and contracts being awarded firms are now being paid to give the MoD without any kind of competition, meaning Svartfrosk page 16 technical support and consultancy. that the “ability to demonstrate value for The reason for the obscene escalation in moneY Was compromised”. It most cases there Reviews pages 20 and 21 spending was the introduction by the last was no assurance that any of the guidelines Labour Government of The Framework were actually being followed. ISSN 0016-0504 Agreement for Technical Support (FATs), a In addition to these figures the MoD spent policy that allowed senior defence officials £24.87bn on its suppliers during 2009-10 With to hire private companies without the £4bn of that going to Bae SYstems despite the required authorisation from government company sacking 9,000 employees this year 9 770016 050009 ministers. Added to this was a complete lack due to ‘government spending cuts’. Freedom Dec 2011_Freedom 22/11/2011 00:27 Page 2 2 Freedom • December 2011 NEWS NEWS IN BRIEF LENS CAP PORTRAIT OF A RADICAL December has been designated as a month of protest against Atos, the private health- care provider contracted to assess the suitability of benefit claimants for social welfare. Since taking over the evaluation process, which earns the company millions from government funding, they have been criticised almost uniVersallY for their record and conduct towards the unemployed. Atos Healthcare is part of IT giant Atos Origin selected by the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP) to administer the Work Capability Assessment (WCA), testing sick and disabled people who apply for benefit. Photograph © The Invisible Photographer In November 2010, a government select committee report heavily criticised the WCA for being too “mechanistic”. In addition, twelve doctors working for Atos face being struck off for improper conduct, and other members of Atos’ staff are under investigation over allegations of obscene criticism of claimants. The DWP is reported in 2011 to have by far the highest number of decisions overturned at appeal of any government department. Over time sick and disabled people and Noam Chomsky visited the UK for the Rebellious Media Conference where he gave a key note address their supporters have grown more militant to a packed audience on the future of radical media, but focused on the Occupy movement. He also and more vocal in their condemnations of Atos. In return Atos threatened legal action met up with radicals from London for a private meeting. Although Freedom were not invited to attend – against the Internet hosting companies of the organisers were very select in their choices – we are told he was in inspired form. three websites – Carerwatch, After Atos and Atos Register of Shame, attempting to silence claimants and their small organisations who have had the courage to speak up. The December campaign, dubbed ‘A Social Centres breakout Month of Festive Action Against Atos and the Benefit Cuts’, brings together grassroots With government moves to outlaw squatting radical community hub and active political claimants groups and disability rights in residential buildings and the organisation base. As the people involved in the activists to stage protests, direct action, of activists into a movement of positive Birmingham Social Centre say “The spaces demonstrations and other events to high - action against the criminalising of squatters, by their nature attract local residents, local light the way in which the disabled and once again radical social spaces is back on activists and often create exchanges and sickness claimants are being increasingly the agenda and the forefront of people’s meeting points that result in strong treated as second class citizens. They list political activity. communities actively p ursuing their civil all Atos corporate offices across the UK Groups such as Squatters Action for power and asserting control over their own country which will be targeted throughout Secure Homes (SQUASH) and Squatters lives”. the month of action. Network in Brighton (SNOB), along with Groups in Birmingham, Sheffield and The coalition government is continuing the long established Advisory Service for Manchester are all committed to establishing and extending the welfare reform policies Squatters, are all playing their part to ensure permanent social centres in their respective brought in by the previous Labour govern - individuals retain the right to a safe home in cities. This is an incredibly positive move ment of penalising the unemployed by empty buildings. We will be looking at the and hopefully in the new year we will see slashing billions from the benefits system implications of the new laws against emerging new places for radical ideas and in a series of moves which will cause squatters in future editions of the paper, but activities. increased poverty and destitution for for now we ask what is the future for millions of people. autonomous social spaces? If anarchists wish to get involved in any of these Disabled people, parents, pensioners, the Social centres, simply defined are ‘radical projects then get in conta ct: unemployed and the low waged will all be independent social and community centres’ • Sheffield http://sheffieldsocialcentre.org.uk/ drastically affected by the reforms. and they have had something of a • Manchester http://www.manchestersocialcentre. As the call out says: “millions of resurgence in recent times. This may be due org/ disabled, low paid, unemployed or sick to the upsurge in political activism in • Birmingham http://birminghamsocialcentre. people are facing a future of poverty, general and recognising the need for a wordpress.com/ Worsening health and homelessness. For the last year disabled people, claimant activists and supporters haVe been protesting against the inhumane treatment being inflicted on already vulnerable people. We need more than ever to increase the pressure and fight these attacks on our most basic needs and very survival.” Check the Benefit Claimants Fightback website for events: benefitclaimantsfightback.wordpress.com/ Freedom Dec 2011_Freedom 22/11/2011 00:27 Page 3 Freedom • December 2011 3 NEWS Winter blues Along with those alarming statistics is a According to the energy regulators How energy companies are recent report that estimates almost 3,000 Ofgem, profits per customer rose an will die this winter as a direct result of fuel astonishing 733% over the past six months, making a killing poverty – more than the number killed in rising from £15 in June to £125 in October. traffic accidents each year. The Hills Fuel On top of this the average electricity tariff Despite an uncharacteristic mild autumn, Poverty Review, commissioned by the is set to increase by £300 a year to £800, winter brings with it the necessity of to government, base their findings on figures with gas prices rising from £845 to more increase gas and electricity consumption to from the Office for National Statistics that than £1,300. keep warm during periods of lower states there are 27,000 extra deaths on To put that into some perspective, it is temperatures. Characteristically many average in the UK each winter compared to estimated that for every one per cent rise in people cannot afford to do so.
Recommended publications
  • WEB KARAOKE EN-NL.Xlsx
    ARTIEST TITEL 10CC DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 2 LIVE CREW DOO WAH DIDDY 2 UNLIMITED NO LIMIT 3 DOORS DOWN KRYPTONITE 4 NON BLONDES WHAT´S UP A HA TAKE ON ME ABBA DANCING QUEEN ABBA DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW ABBA GIMMIE GIMMIE GIMMIE ABBA MAMMA MIA ACE OF BASE DON´T TURN AROUND ADAM & THE ANTS STAND AND DELIVER ADAM FAITH WHAT DO YOU WANT ADELE CHASING PAVEMENTS ADELE ROLLING IN THE DEEP AEROSMITH LOVE IN AN ELEVATOR AEROSMITH WALK THIS WAY ALANAH MILES BLACK VELVET ALANIS MORISSETTE HAND IN MY POCKET ALANIS MORISSETTE IRONIC ALANIS MORISSETTE YOU OUGHTA KNOW ALBERT HAMMOND FREE ELECTRIC BAND ALEXIS JORDAN HAPPINESS ALICIA BRIDGES I LOVE THE NIGHTLIFE (DISCO ROUND) ALIEN ANT FARM SMOOTH CRIMINAL ALL NIGHT LONG LIONEL RICHIE ALL RIGHT NOW FREE ALVIN STARDUST PRETEND AMERICAN PIE DON MCLEAN AMY MCDONALD MR ROCK & ROLL AMY MCDONALD THIS IS THE LIFE AMY STEWART KNOCK ON WOOD AMY WINEHOUSE VALERIE AMY WINEHOUSE YOU KNOW I´M NO GOOD ANASTACIA LEFT OUTSIDE ALONE ANIMALS DON´T LET ME BE MISUNDERSTOOD ANIMALS WE GOTTA GET OUT OF THIS PLACE ANITA WARD RING MY BELL ANOUK GIRL ANOUK GOOD GOD ANOUK NOBODY´S WIFE ANOUK ONE WORD AQUA BARBIE GIRL ARETHA FRANKLIN R-E-S-P-E-C-T ARETHA FRANKLIN THINK ARTHUR CONLEY SWEET SOUL MUSIC ASWAD DON´T TURN AROUND ATC AROUND THE WORLD (LA LA LA LA LA) ATOMIC KITTEN THE TIDE IS HIGH ARTIEST TITEL ATOMIC KITTEN WHOLE AGAIN AVRIL LAVIGNE COMPLICATED AVRIL LAVIGNE SK8TER BOY B B KING & ERIC CLAPTON RIDING WITH THE KING B-52´S LOVE SHACK BACCARA YES SIR I CAN BOOGIE BACHMAN TURNER OVERDRIVE YOU AIN´T SEEN NOTHING YET BACKSTREET BOYS
    [Show full text]
  • Squatting – the Real Story
    Squatters are usually portrayed as worthless scroungers hell-bent on disrupting society. Here at last is the inside story of the 250,000 people from all walks of life who have squatted in Britain over the past 12 years. The country is riddled with empty houses and there are thousands of homeless people. When squatters logically put the two together the result can be electrifying, amazing and occasionally disastrous. SQUATTING the real story is a unique and diverse account the real story of squatting. Written and produced by squatters, it covers all aspects of the subject: • The history of squatting • Famous squats • The politics of squatting • Squatting as a cultural challenge • The facts behind the myths • Squatting around the world and much, much more. Contains over 500 photographs plus illustrations, cartoons, poems, songs and 4 pages of posters and murals in colour. Squatting: a revolutionary force or just a bunch of hooligans doing their own thing? Read this book for the real story. Paperback £4.90 ISBN 0 9507259 1 9 Hardback £11.50 ISBN 0 9507259 0 0 i Electronic version (not revised or updated) of original 1980 edition in portable document format (pdf), 2005 Produced and distributed by Nick Wates Associates Community planning specialists 7 Tackleway Hastings TN34 3DE United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)1424 447888 Fax: +44 (0)1424 441514 Email: [email protected] Web: www.nickwates.co.uk Digital layout by Mae Wates and Graphic Ideas the real story First published in December 1980 written by Nick Anning by Bay Leaf Books, PO Box 107, London E14 7HW Celia Brown Set in Century by Pat Sampson Piers Corbyn Andrew Friend Cover photo by Union Place Collective Mark Gimson Printed by Blackrose Press, 30 Clerkenwell Close, London EC1R 0AT (tel: 01 251 3043) Andrew Ingham Pat Moan Cover & colour printing by Morning Litho Printers Ltd.
    [Show full text]
  • Billboard-1997-08-30
    $6.95 (CAN.), £4.95 (U.K.), Y2,500 (JAPAN) $5.95 (U.S.), IN MUSIC NEWS BBXHCCVR *****xX 3 -DIGIT 908 ;90807GEE374EM0021 BLBD 595 001 032898 2 126 1212 MONTY GREENLY 3740 ELM AVE APT A LONG BEACH CA 90807 Hall & Oates Return With New Push Records Set PAGE 1 2 THE INTERNATIONAL NEWSWEEKLY OF MUSIC, VIDEO AND HOME ENTERTAINMENT AUGUST 30, 1997 ADVERTISEMENTS 4th -Qtr. Prospects Bright, WMG Assesses Its Future Though Challenges Remain Despite Setbacks, Daly Sees Turnaround BY CRAIG ROSEN be an up year, and I think we are on Retail, Labels Hopeful Indies See Better Sales, the right roll," he says. LOS ANGELES -Warner Music That sense of guarded optimism About New Releases But Returns Still High Group (WMG) co- chairman Bob Daly was reflected at the annual WEA NOT YOUR BY DON JEFFREY BY CHRIS MORRIS looks at 1997 as a transitional year for marketing managers meeting in late and DOUG REECE the company, July. When WEA TYPICAL LOS ANGELES -The consensus which has endured chairman /CEO NEW YORK- Record labels and among independent labels and distribu- a spate of negative m David Mount retailers are looking forward to this tors is that the worst is over as they look press in the last addressed atten- OPEN AND year's all- important fourth quarter forward to a good holiday season. But few years. Despite WARNER MUSI C GROUP INC. dees, the mood with reactions rang- some express con- a disappointing was not one of SHUT CASE. ing from excited to NEWS ANALYSIS cern about contin- second quarter that saw Warner panic or defeat, but clear -eyed vision cautiously opti- ued high returns Music's earnings drop 24% from last mixed with some frustration.
    [Show full text]
  • Songs by Artist 08/29/21
    Songs by Artist 09/24/21 As Sung By Song Title Track # Alexander’s Ragtime Band DK−M02−244 All Of Me PM−XK−10−08 Aloha ’Oe SC−2419−04 Alphabet Song KV−354−96 Amazing Grace DK−M02−722 KV−354−80 America (My Country, ’Tis Of Thee) ASK−PAT−01 America The Beautiful ASK−PAT−02 Anchors Aweigh ASK−PAT−03 Angelitos Negros {Spanish} MM−6166−13 Au Clair De La Lune {French} KV−355−68 Auld Lang Syne SC−2430−07 LP−203−A−01 DK−M02−260 THMX−01−03 Auprès De Ma Blonde {French} KV−355−79 Autumn Leaves SBI−G208−41 Baby Face LP−203−B−07 Beer Barrel Polka (Roll Out The Barrel) DK−3070−13 MM−6189−07 Beyond The Sunset DK−77−16 Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home? DK−M02−240 CB−5039−3−13 B−I−N−G−O CB−DEMO−12 Caisson Song ASK−PAT−05 Clementine DK−M02−234 Come Rain Or Come Shine SAVP−37−06 Cotton Fields DK−2034−04 Cry Like A Baby LAS−06−B−06 Crying In The Rain LAS−06−B−09 Danny Boy DK−M02−704 DK−70−16 CB−5039−2−15 Day By Day DK−77−13 Deep In The Heart Of Texas DK−M02−245 Dixie DK−2034−05 ASK−PAT−06 Do Your Ears Hang Low PM−XK−04−07 Down By The Riverside DK−3070−11 Down In My Heart CB−5039−2−06 Down In The Valley CB−5039−2−01 For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow CB−5039−2−07 Frère Jacques {English−French} CB−E9−30−01 Girl From Ipanema PM−XK−10−04 God Save The Queen KV−355−72 Green Grass Grows PM−XK−04−06 − 1 − Songs by Artist 09/24/21 As Sung By Song Title Track # Greensleeves DK−M02−235 KV−355−67 Happy Birthday To You DK−M02−706 CB−5039−2−03 SAVP−01−19 Happy Days Are Here Again CB−5039−1−01 Hava Nagilah {Hebrew−English} MM−6110−06 He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands
    [Show full text]
  • The Divine Comedy Inferno • Purgatory • Paradise • a Life of Dante POETRY Read by Heathcote Williams with John Shrapnel Inferno
    Dante The Divine Comedy Inferno • Purgatory • Paradise • A Life of Dante POETRY Read by Heathcote Williams with John Shrapnel Inferno 1 Canto I 7:43 2 Canto II 7:27 3 Canto III 7:45 4 Canto IV 8:02 5 Canto V 8:16 6 Canto VI 6:55 7 Canto VII 7:44 8 Canto VIII 7:28 9 Canto IX 7:34 10 Canto X 7:29 11 Canto XI 5:51 12 Canto XII 7:03 13 Canto XIII 7:21 14 Canto XIV 7:50 15 Canto XV 5:58 16 Canto XVI 7:39 2 17 Canto XVII 6:30 18 Canto XVIII 7:36 19 Canto XIX 6:35 20 Canto XX 6:29 21 Canto XXI 6:18 22 Canto XXII 7:11 23 Canto XXIII 8:00 24 Canto XXIV 7:45 25 Canto XXV 7:17 26 Canto XXVI 7:36 27 Canto XXVII 6:21 28 Canto XXVIII 7:43 29 Canto XXIX 7:10 30 Canto XXX 7:57 31 Canto XXXI 7:55 32 Canto XXXII 6:35 33 Canto XXXIII 8:34 34 Canto XXXIV 8:30 Time: 4:10:30 3 Purgatory 35 Canto I 8:16 36 Canto II 8:01 37 Canto III 8:24 38 Canto IV 8:45 39 Canto V 8:23 40 Canto VI 9:01 41 Canto VII 7:35 42 Canto VIII 8:11 43 Canto IX 9:00 44 Canto X 8:20 45 Canto XI 8:14 46 Canto XII 7:54 47 Canto XIII 9:07 48 Canto XIV 8:05 49 Canto XV 8:31 50 Canto XVI 8:11 4 51 Canto XVII 8:13 52 Canto XVIII 7:53 53 Canto XIX 8:17 54 Canto XX 8:28 55 Canto XXI 8:11 56 Canto XXII 8:12 57 Canto XXIII 7:44 58 Canto XXIV 8:55 59 Canto XXV 8:06 60 Canto XXVI 8:28 61 Canto XXVII 8:09 62 Canto XXVIII 7:47 63 Canto XXIX 7:20 64 Canto XXX 7:55 65 Canto XXXI 7:58 66 Canto XXXII 8:32 67 Canto XXXIII 8:59 Time: 4:33:28 5 Paradise 68 Canto I 8:42 69 Canto II 8:36 70 Canto III 6:38 71 Canto IV 7:48 72 Canto V 7:47 73 Canto VI 7:44 74 Canto VII 8:12 75 Canto VIII 7:41 76 Canto IX 7:48
    [Show full text]
  • JOHN SANDOE (BOOKS) LTD Independent Bookseller in Chelsea Since 1957
    JOHN SANDOE (BOOKS) LTD Independent bookseller in Chelsea since 1957 10 BLACKLANDS TERRACE, LONDON, SW3 2SR +44 (0) 207 589 9473 www.johnsandoe.com [email protected] BOOKS FOR CHRISTMAS 2017 A selection of books to be published between now and Christmas Robert Louis Stevenson: An Anthology: Selected by Adolfo Bioy Casares & Jorge Price and availability may be subject to occasional revision BIOGRAPHY MY HOUSE OF SKY: A LIFE OF J A BAKER Hetty Saunders, introduction by Robert Macfarlane First biography of the author of The Peregrine, winner of the Duff Cooper Prize in 1967 and recently described as “the gold standard for all nature writing”. £20 THE VANITY FAIR DIARIES: 1983-1992 Tina Brown Vivid insights into life at the New York razor’s edge where fashion, culture and politics meet. After her success there, it is hard to recall that this was a failing magazine when TB began her tenure as editor. £25 BRUTUS: THE NOBLE CONSPIRATOR Kathryn Tempest Still the most famous political assassin in history (pace Lee Harvey Oswald), it remains arguable that he was acting from duty to his country on the Ides of March. £25 CARRINGTON’S LETTERS Dora Carrington, edited by Anne Chisholm “Your letters are a great pleasure,” said Lytton Strachey, “I lap them down with breakfast and they do me more good than tonics, blood capsules or iron jelloids.” What more can one say? £30 THE FIRST IRON LADY: A LIFE OF CAROLINE OF ANSBACH Matthew Dennison The brilliant wife of George II, one of the German princesses who brought the Enlightenment to England: matriarch, politician and regent, she was also a champion of science, philosophy, gardening, inoculation, physics, literature and the arts.
    [Show full text]
  • JSR 2-2 E.Indd
    Restoring the Garden of Eden in England’s Green and Pleasant Land: The Diggers and the Fruits of the Earth ■ Ariel Hessayon, Goldsmiths, University of London Th is Land which was barren and wast is now become fruitfull and pleasant like the Garden of Eden —Th e Kingdomes Faithful and Impartiall Scout1 I will not cease from Mental Fight, Nor shall my Sword sleep in my hand: Till we have built Jerusalem, In Englands green & pleasant Land —William Blake, ‘Preface’ to ‘Milton’2 I. The Diggers, 1649–50 On Sunday, 1 or perhaps 8 April 1649—it is difficult to establish the date with certainty—five people went to St. George’s Hill in the parish Walton-on- Th ames, Surrey, and began digging the earth. Th ey “sowed” the ground with parsnips, carrots, and beans, returning the next day in increased numbers. Th e following day they burned at least 40 roods of heath, which was considered “a very great prejudice” to the town. By the end of the week between 20 and 30 people were reportedly laboring the entire day at digging. It was said that they intended to plow up the ground and sow it with seed corn. Furthermore, they apparently threatened to pull down and level all park pales and “lay all open,” thereby evoking fears of an anti-enclosure riot (a familiar form Journal for the Study of Radicalism, Vol. 2, No. 2, 2008, pp. 1–25. issn 1930-1189. © Michigan State University. 1 2 Ariel Hessayon of agrarian protest).3 Th e acknowledged leaders of these “new Levellers” or “diggers” were William Everard (1602?–fl.1651) and Gerrard Winstanley (1609–76).
    [Show full text]
  • I4P Rochdale Community Champions Building Community Knowledge, Developing Community Research
    Rochdale Community Champions Building Community Knowledge, Developing Community Research in 2015 I4P Rochdale Community Champions Building Community Knowledge, Developing Community Research Rochdale Community Champions Building Community Knowledge, Developing Community Research Edited by Katy Goldstraw, Helen Chicot and John Diamond Contents 05 Foreword, Steve Rumbelow 06 Who Are Rochdale Community Champions? 07 The Leadership and Participatory Research Methods Training 08 Rochdale Community Champions: Adult and Continuing Education in action 09 Participatory Research: Principles and Practice 11 The Research: Case Studies 12 1. Yasmin and Andrew 29 2. Chris 32 3. Jan 39 4. Julia 45 5. Norma 45 The Research Process 48 Afterword, John Cater 49 Appendix One: Proposal from Edge Hill University to work with Rochdale Community Champions 51 Appendix Two - Four: Session Planners 53 Appendix Five: Who is Who and How to find out more 2 3 Rochdale Community Champions Building Community Knowledge, Developing Community Research Foreword to the Project Steve Rumbelow, Chief Executive, Rochdale Borough Council. This is the second booklet to come from the joint work between Edge Hill University and the Rochdale Borough Community Champions. It is an illustration of the deep thinking and hard work that our Community Champions put into their role; not just through the help they give to others as volunteers but also through the careful thought and care that sits behind that. This booklet provides us with some examples of what it means to be a Community Champion. It tells us that who you are and what you think and believe is an important element of what you do. Public services are facing very challenging times and are having to find new and better delivery models, which work to support confident and resilient communities.
    [Show full text]
  • Razorcake Issue #25 As A
    ot too long ago, I went to visit some relatives back in Radon, the Bassholes, or Teengenerate, during every spare moment of Alabama. At first, everybody just asked me how I was my time, even at 3 A.M., was often the only thing that made me feel N doing, how I liked it out in California, why I’m not mar- like I could make something positive out of my life and not just spend N it mopping floors. ried yet, that sort of thing. You know, just the usual small talk ques- tions that people feel compelled to ask, not because they’re really For a long time, records, particularly punk rock records, were my interested but because they’ll feel rude if they don’t. Later on in the only tether to any semblance of hope. Growing up, I was always out of day, my aunt started talking to me about Razorcake, and at one point place even among people who were sort of into the same things as me. she asked me if I got benefits. It’s probably a pretty lame thing to say, but sitting in my room listen- I figured that it was pretty safe to assume that she didn’t mean free ing to Dillinger Four or Panthro UK United 13 was probably the only records and the occasional pizza. “You mean like health insurance?” time that I ever felt like I wasn’t alone. “Yeah,” she said. “Paid vacation, sick days, all that stuff. But listening to music is kind of an abstract.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Issue (PDF)
    the magazine of the Democratic Socialists of America DEMOCRATIC EFT www.dsausa.org Vol. XXXIX No. 3 Winter 2011 DSA’s 2011 convention: Building socialism, forming comradeship, resisting corporate domination By Michael Hirsch he hotel housing the convention was contemporary turnout contest just days Americana, a blue glass multi-story pile. As before the convention. And architecture and location, the area was capitalism then there was Occupy regnant, situated in a right-to-starve state where Wall Street’s exemplary Tunions are under the gun and socialism is a word used populist effort to speak for to scare the horses. No one was scared this time, as a disenfranchised majority, Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) held its 2011 fan the proverbial flames biennial convention and marked its tasks and perspectives of discontent and turn class at a time when resistance, emboldened by the Arab spring, war from a slur by the the Wisconsin mass demonstrations and the Occupy Wall right into a description of a Street movement’s confidence that “we are the 99 %” is compelling left politics. on the rise. If one thing crystallized Inside the capacious convention hall, under a scarlet the convention consensus, banner proclaiming “Obama is No Socialist, But We Are,” it was naming and targeting criminal mismanagement over 100 delegates and observers, including a far-right by the nation’s financial institutions, the laggard blogger from the misnamed Accuracy in Media, planned government response to the economic crisis, and their fightback for the New Year. Delegates savored resistance in the streets, on the job and ideologically the impact of the Wisconsin protests that built massive to free-market fundamentalism and the plutocrats who resistance to the state governor’s union busting, the huge benefit from it.
    [Show full text]
  • Anarchists in the Late 1990S, Was Varied, Imaginative and Often Very Angry
    Price £3.00 Issue 230 Late 2009 An end to the safety net Labour is stripping away the last of Britain’s social wage — is there anything left to stop them? Front page pictures: Garry Knight, Photos8.com, Libertinus Yomango, Theory: Reportage: Also inside After the How Oaxaca revolution, has learned this issue... what next? to wage war Editorial Welcome to issue 230 of Black Flag, the fifth published by the current Editorial Collective. Since our re-launch in October 2007 feedback has generally tended to be positive. Black Flag continues to be published twice a year, and we are still aiming to become quarterly. However, this is easier said than done as we are a small group. So at this juncture, we make our usual appeal for articles, more bodies to get physically involved, and yes, financial donations would be more than welcome! This issue also coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Anarchist Bookfair – arguably the longest running and largest in the world? It is certainly the biggest date in the UK anarchist calendar. To celebrate the event we have included an article written by organisers past and present, which it is hoped will form the kernel of a general history of the event from its beginnings in the Autonomy Club. Well done and thank you to all those who have made this event possible over the years, we all have Walk this way: The Black Flag ladybird finds it can be hard going to balance trying many fond memories. to organise while keeping yourself safe – but it’s worth it.
    [Show full text]
  • Wednesday, 28 April 2021 1 (10.00 Am) 2 MR FERNANDES: Good
    1 1 Wednesday, 28 April 2021 2 (10.00 am) 3 MR FERNANDES: Good morning, everyone, and welcome to 4 the third day of evidential hearings in Tranche 1 5 Phase 2 at the Undercover Policing Inquiry. My name is 6 Neil Fernandes and I am the hearings manager. 7 For those of you in the virtual hearing room, please 8 turn off both your camera and microphone unless you're 9 invited to speak by the Chairman, as Zoom will pick up 10 on all noises and you will be on screen. 11 I now hand over to the Chairman, Sir John Mitting, 12 to formally start proceedings. 13 Chairman. 14 THE CHAIRMAN: Thank you. As at the beginning of every 15 evidential session, a recording made last year is going 16 to be played. For those listening to it for the first 17 time, please listen carefully. 18 I am conducting this Inquiry under a statute, 19 the Inquiries Act 2005, which gives me the power to make 20 orders regulating the conduct of the Inquiry, including 21 its hearings. In the exercise of that power, I have 22 made a number of orders which affect what you may and 23 may not do in the hearing rooms and after you leave 24 them. Breach of any of the orders is a serious matter 25 and may have serious consequences for you. 2 1 If I am satisfied that a person may have breached an 2 order, I have the power to certify the matter to 3 the High Court, which will investigate and deal with it 4 as if it had been a contempt of that court.
    [Show full text]