social revolution – Page 1387

UK Strike Escalates Resistance

Published: June 30, 2011 08:48 by imc-london | Share

Tagged as: critical_mass cuts demo2011 j30 peoples_assembly social_struggles solidarity strike ukuncut workers_struggles
Neighbourhoods: london london_wide uk uk_wide
Published by group: Imc London Features

Across the capital most schools, colleges, local authority staff and civil service joined 750.000 UK workers on a one day strike to warn the govenment and capital to stay away from their pensions and wages. Pickets were established early in the morning in every corner of London being fed with home made food by UK Uncut’s ‘Big Society breakfast‘ [pics] Across the UK over 12,000 state schools were closed. Everyone out to show solidarity.

The Critical Mass toured the picket lines in support since early in the morning starting out at Burgess Park near Elephant and Castle [report | pics | live broadcasts] The mass trade union march (one of 80 in the country) started at Lincoln Inn Fields, and it was reported to be 20-30,000 strong at its destination Westminster Hall where speeches took place. There was a call for a People’s Assembly at the same spot at 2pm coordinated by the J30 Strikers’ Assembly Bloc. UK Uncut also had a set of challenges starting at 3pm with Banker City vs. Public Sector United outside QE Hall. The police were reported to be heavy handed in stopping people from leaving the prescribed route, with many reports coming in of many young people being stopped and searched [more] along the route. Plain clothes police snatch squads were deployed in the late afternoon around Pariment Square and Whitehall and became vety active arresting people whilst kettles were being formed [report] Reports of a total of 31 people were arrested during the day [Green & Black Cross Legal support: 07946541511]

A flavour of the pickets: outside of Lambeth Town Hall, Hackney Community College, The British Museum, Peckham Job Centre, HMRC Euston, Parliament, The British Library, London College of Communication, as well as a cultural workers strike… Plus a demonstration outside the ATOS building in Euston. The Traflagar Square anti-cuts Camp set up the night prior to the strike was evicted in the early morning. See also Elephant reports on the day.

Updates from the streets: IMC London Tumblewire | Tumble pics: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Tumble video | Video | Further info: June 30th website | UK Uncut | Afed statement on the strikes | The Commune on the march.
Other Union statements of action: NUT (National Union of Teachers) | UCU (Universitiy and College Union) | PCS (Public and Commercial Services Union) | ATL (Association of Teachers and Lecturers).

NIGERIA: Daily disasters dwarf Gulf oil spill.

NIGERIA: Nigeria’s agony dwarfs the Gulf oil spill. The US and Europe ignore it

by John Vidal, The Guardian (UK)
May 30th, 2010

The Deepwater Horizon disaster caused headlines around the world, yet the people who live in the Niger delta have had to live with environmental catastrophes for decades.

A ruptured pipeline burns in a Lagos suburb after an explosion in 2008 which killed at least 100 people. Photograph: George Esiri/Reuters

We reached the edge of the oil spill near the Nigerian village of Otuegwe after a long hike through cassava plantations. Ahead of us lay swamp. We waded into the warm tropical water and began swimming, cameras and notebooks held above our heads. We could smell the oil long before we saw it – the stench of garage forecourts and rotting vegetation hanging thickly in the air.

The farther we travelled, the more nauseous it became. Soon we were swimming in pools of light Nigerian crude, the best-quality oil in the world. One of the many hundreds of 40-year-old pipelines that crisscross the Niger delta had corroded and spewed oil for several months.

Forest and farmland were now covered in a sheen of greasy oil. Drinking wells were polluted and people were distraught. No one knew how much oil had leaked. “We lost our nets, huts and fishing pots,” said Chief Promise, village leader of Otuegwe and our guide. “This is where we fished and farmed. We have lost our forest. We told Shell of the spill within days, but they did nothing for six months.”

That was the Niger delta a few years ago, where, according to Nigerian academics, writers and environment groups, oil companies have acted with such impunity and recklessness that much of the region h Burning pipeline, Lagos as been devastated by leaks.

In fact, more oil is spilled from the delta’s network of terminals, pipes, pumping stations and oil platforms every year than has been lost in the Gulf of Mexico, the site of a major ecological catastrophe caused by oil that has poured from a leak triggered by the explosion that wrecked BP‘s Deepwater Horizon rig last month.

READ on HERE

http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=15592

Asambleas 15M Toma la Calle.

Trobada d’assemblees de barri de Barcelona Posted on juny 23, 2011 by acampadabcn| 5 comentaris Pel proper diumenge 26 de Juny a les 17.00H, està convocada a Plaça Catalunya, una trobada de les 23 Assemblees de Barri de la nostra ciutat. Després de la mobilització del 19 de Juny, hem de fer un pas més endavant. Entre totes hem conquerit les places i és entre totes que hem de marcar el camí a seguir. L’objectiu de la Trobada Plenària és poder debatre i reflexionar juntes, per enriquir i enllaçar els debats que estan emergent als diferents barris i també, establir com ens interrelacionarem en el futur i com gestionarem la feina feta fins ara -des de les diferents Assemblees i AcampadaBCN- i la que hem de seguir fent. Fins ara, l’acampada de plaça Catalunya ha estat un espai de confluència, es per aixó que arrel de la proposta de (re)pensar l’espai Plaça Catalunya com a Àgora, ens han sorgit diferents dubtes sobre com fer-ho, que volem compartir amb totes les Assemblees de Barris per tal d’anar-los discutint plegades. A les 15h, hi haurà una trobada oberta prèvia per definir l’Ordre del Dia i repartir les tasques de moderació. Aquí es pot descarregar una proposta d’ordre del dia. → 5 Comentaris Posted in Actes assemblea, Info general

http://acampadabcn.wordpress.com/

MOVILIZACIONES por el juicio de Billy, Costa y Silvia 18-22 Julio


by O GATO PRETO Email: callalaorden (nospam) riseup.net	23 Jun 2011


18-22 JULIO 2011 BELLINZONA (SUIZA) MOVILIZACIONES POR EL PROCESO En Abril de 2010 Silvia, Costa y Billy fueron arrestados en las cercanías de Zurich, y, desde entonces, acusados de querer atacar con explosivos un laboratorio IBM de investigación nanotecnológica, se encuentran presos en las cárceles helvéticas. Poco después de un año nuestros compañeros y nuestra compañera serán procesados (18-22 de Julio) mientras el laboratorio IBM “Binning and Rohrer Nanotechnology Center”, inaugurado el Mayo pasado, iniciará con sus nefastos proyectos. IBM, multinacional americana pionera de las nanotecnologías, mediante la miniaturización de los componentes electrónicos a escala nanométrica quiere transformar a seres humanos, animales y ambientes naturales en infraestructuras del engranaje de una mega-máquina para el control total de la vida. Qué importa si la eficiencia económica mata, agrede, estresa, deprime y hace enfermar, si arrasa los ecosistemas y amenaza la supervivencia en el planeta, si somete a cuerpos y espíritus a su velocidad, si se justifica y se alimenta a sí misma, sin sentido alguno. En nombre de la funcionalidad, valor idealizado, la máquina “perfecta” deberá reemplazar al ser humano, imperfecto, inconstante, frágil. Nuestra lucha, la de Billy, Costa y Silvia, junto a la de todas y todos los revolucionarios y rebeldes del mundo siempre ha sido combatir contra el sistema de explotación y dominio. Nuestros compañeros y nuestra compañera nunca han ocultado su hostilidad hacia el que explota, envenena y aterroriza cotidianamente. El enemigo siempre ha sido visible a sus ojos, fácil de descubrir. No es difícil reconocer en las nuevas tecnologías (nanotecnología, biotecnología, cibernética) uno de los instrumentos de dominación en manos de pocos para subyugar a todos y todo. El avance del sistema tecnoindustrial se refuerza gracias a ellas, combustible necesario de un modelo de desarrollo bio y ecocida que para sobrevivir necesita de consenso y de una pacificación social total. ¡Donde estemos nosotrxs no la tendrán jamás! Siempre nos opondremos a quien está haciendo de la tierra una extensión de silicona, cables y cemento, y de nuestras vidas un sustituto virtual de la existencia. Contra el Estado y el capital, que con su lógica de explotación quieren que los seres humanos sean esclavos, los animales mercancía y el planeta una reserva permanente de recursos de saquear, hacen falta respuestas adecuadas… ¡hacen falta guerreros y guerreras! Anarchiche e anarchici di via del Cuore, il Silvestre, individualitá anarchiche ticinesi, anarchiche e anarchici bolognesi, Coalizione Contro le Nocivitá, Las Vegans, Villa Vegan Occupata, Equal Rights ForlíMiércoles 20 Julio 18:00h NANOTECNOLOGÍA Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA. Presentación de material informativo y debate. Proyección del video “RFID-la policía total”. JUEVES 21 Julio 18:00h Coloquio sobre la importancia de la solidaridad para el movimiento revolucionario. Estos encuentros serán en la Casa del Pueblo de Bellinzona (frente a la estación de tren). Además de la presencia en la Audencia, durante toda la semana se desarrollarán distintas iniciativas en la ciudad. Se invita a toda la gente que no pueda asistir a organizar y participar en iniciativas solidarias durante estos dias. http://barcelona.indymedia.org/newswire/display/425734/index.php

Science Fiction, Utopia, and the Radical Imagination

by anticapitalista on Mon, 05/09/2011 – 19:56.

Second issue of Red River Radical http://redriverradical.wordpress.com
Cynicism, hope, and experimentation in genre fiction has always been an important part of Leftist culture.

Taking a look at anarchism, feminism, and anti-colonialism in sci fi and contemporary sci fi’s lack of living up to much of any standards.

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Iceland/Islandia: WE WONT PAY BANKS. Revolution!.

Its first pledge was to break all its promises, making the party almost impossible to attack, then it promised a polar bear to the zoo and a drug-free parliament within 10 years.

The party’s only advertisement was in a newspaper personal column, saying: “The Best Party wishes to meet good people aged between 18 and 90.” Its 10-point plan had 13 points. And the party’s campaign video featured candidates singing Tina Turner’s Simply the Best, with the chorus: “We are the best, the bestest of parties, best for Reykjavik, best city of every week.” It works in Icelandic.

Iceland was ripe for change, having effectively gone bust thanks to the cronyism of a cluster of politicians and bankers who thought that they could turn an island of fishermen with a population of 318,000 into a financial superpower.

In less than four years, the most rapid expansion of a banking system in history saw three privatised banks develop assets 10 times the size of the country’s GDP. It was the Icarus economy. Property prices tripled, the stock market multiplied nine times, and people borrowed heavily – often in foreign currencies – to cash in on the boom. The crash was fast, hard and painful, worsened by the collapse of the krona as the state, unable to bail out the banks, refused to pay foreign creditors.

The strategy looks smart now, compared with events in Greece and Ireland, but the country was angry and frightened. Voters wanted change, and the Best Party caught the mood, capturing Reykjavik with 34.7% of the vote. “No one has to be afraid of the Best Party,” said Jón in his acceptance speech. “Because it is the best party. If it wasn’t, it would be called the Worst Party or the Bad Party. We would never work with a party like that.”

read lots more HERE…

http://news.infoshop.org/article.php?story=20110620010932192