alanjjohnstone
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IS creates its own money systemhttp://www.cnn.com/2014/11/13/world/meast/isis-currency/index.html
Quote:Its aim is to stay away from the "tyrant's financial system," ISIS said in a statement. It said it would issue another statement to explain the new currency's exchange rate, and where it can be found.The currency will include seven coins: two gold, three silver and two copper.The move is "purely dedicated to God" and will remove Muslims from the "global economic system that is based on satanic usury," ISIS said.Been a while since this thread has been activated Came across this article on Bella Caledonia http://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2014/11/17/whos-making-all-the-money/ i missed the debate on on the Parliament channel
With 2000 signed up LU members registered, 500 attended their conference as delegates, 1 in 4. That is not bad a turn-out.I await the reports of their conference.
I thought this report may also be of interest – nuclear fusion powerhttp://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-29710811 Lockheed has unveiled a plan to develop a compact, magnetic fusion device in less than a decade. The team believe they have found a new way of squeezing atoms together so they fuse and generate energy, in a small-scale magnetic device.They argue that their device, which would fit on the back of a truck, could produce 100 megawatts (MW) of power and use just 25kg of fuel in a year.The unfortunate aspect of this possible innovation is again capitalism and competition.
Quote:"I don't know in this case. It might be that they have some good ideas, but partly because they are doing it commercially they are not going to tell us, so it can't be subject to the normal scientific peer review. If they do have some innovative ideas they'd be fools to tell us."The really foolish thing is keeping secret a way of saving the planet and not enlisting the help and support and expertise of many others “
Just to keep the pot boiling the blog has just posted about when renewable energy is not renewable and suggests that the alternative maybe a low-energy society…a return to the consumption levels of the 70s! http://socialismoryourmoneyback.blogspot.com/2014/11/a-low-energy-world.html
Something perhaps we could endorse…not the red poppy…nor the white poppy…but the BLACK poppy/
Quote:on the 6th Nov 2014, counter-militarism activists pasted 16,000 black poppiesaround the city of Glasgow to appeal to the public to consider what Remembrance Sunday means. Each poppy represents one of the conciencous objectors, making up 16,000 war resistors who took a stand against their enlistment during the First World War.http://resistmilitarism.com/(533 posters were pasted up, each depicting an approximately 30 poppies equalling the 16, 000 total.)Imagine the indignant uproar if we were to go along on Remembrance Sunday to exercise the right to lay a wreath of Black Poppies…..we want our existence highlighted…such an act certainly would attract attention if we could get away with it. Even trying would draw interest.Kudos to Glasgow activists
Oh, how i dread entering these debates, but i'm alway succumbing. Yes i always thought Dietzgen's contribution was to say that ideas are a material force. i often say so when engaged in debates about class struggle, actual experience and the need for ideology as well Anyways, I sought refuge Andy Pancakes (to follow YMS's informality first name relationship with Charley and Fred) . https://www.marxists.org/archive/pannekoe/society-mind/ch01.htm
Quote:The relations which the productive system establishes between men have the same stringency as biological facts; but this does not mean that men think only of their food. It means that the manner in which man earns his living – that is, the economic organization of production – places every individual in determinate relations with his fellow-men thus determining his thinking and feeling. It is true, of course, that even up to the present nearly all the thoughts of men have been orientated around the getting of food, because a livelihood has never been assured for everybody. The fear of want and hunger has weighed like a nightmare on the minds of men. But, in a socialist system, when this fear will have been removed, when mankind will be master of the means of subsistence, and thinking will be free and creative, the system of production will also continue to determine ideas and institutions.Quote:Natural science, by investigating the forces of nature, develops into the important productive force. All the technicalities in developing and applying science, including the most abstract mathematics, which is to all appearances an exercise in pure reason, may therefore be reckoned as belonging to the technical basis of the system of production, to what Marx called the “productive forces.” In this way material (in a physical sense) and mental elements are combined in what Marxists call the material basis of society….we may understand their erroneous view of Marxism as a theory dealing exclusively with the material side of life.Not sure if those quotes bring anything worthwhile to the table but i did think this comment has been part of LBird's underlying case and the reason he will call himself a communist.
Quote:As a view of life, however, Marxism is real only through the class that adheres to it. The workers who are imbued with this new outlook become aware of themselves as the class of the future, growing in number and strength and consciousness, striving to take production into their own hands and through the revolution to become masters of their own fate. Thus Marxism as the theory of the proletarian revolution is a reality, and at the same time a living power, only in the minds and hearts of the revolutionary proletariat.And Pancakes emphasises:
Quote:Of vital importance, however, are Marx’s original scientific contributions. There is first of all the theory of historical materialism, according to which the development of society is determined by its productive forces that make for a certain mode of production, especially through the productive force of class struggles. There is the theory of the determination of all political and ideological phenomena of intellectual life in general by the productive forces and relations.http://www.marxists.org/archive/pannekoe/materialism/ Hence productive materialist…material productive…i can see is pretty much valid terminology. Bu i probably raise the wrath of Lbird who may well consider Pannekoeks understanding of Dietzgen expresses the same weakness Engels does of Marx ( i have read though Dietzgen's sone Eugene distorted his fathers ideas and led to a weakening of it that the Lenininist diamats exploited) But i probably posted a simplistic baby-version of what is being discussed here. i better bow out
Found a thread where David Graeber supports the bombing of Gadaffi and expresses his sympathies for th Libyan "rebels '" of Benghazi and was basically accepting the interpretation of events as presented by NATO so his call for intervention in Rojava is even more suspect since in Libya there was no libertarian/Spanish Civil War precedent to try to bolster.http://www.newleftproject.org/index.php/site/article_comments/popular_rebellion_and_imperialist_designs1Okay he offers a caveat that he didn't voice support of NATO but he tacitly approves of its actions as covering fire for "…the good guys, in the sense of, people who share our principles, values, dreams…" who just possibly might be able to "outfox and outflank NATO’s determination to avoid a genuine insurrectionary situation" and while acknowleding that there are also bad guys on the rebel side, he fails to recognise the benefits of NATO intervention to them…and as we saw , we know who prevailed and how they themselves divided and are now involved in a civil war shelling and bombing civilian areas. After reading his appraisal , i have little confidence in any of his military insights.
Was it not your good self who proposed investing party funds in gold…or am i mistaken? If so, might it be a good time to buy?
This may well be a change in policy since i was moderator of both forums, ALB. (or perhaps i misunderstood and applied the wrong policy at the time, which wouldn't be at all surprising)Previously, companion party members could join and send messages to Spopen since it was a discussion forum on theory, open to all WSM members to exchange views and opinions…but they were excluded from posting on Spintcom since that was an internal forum for SPGB members only for party business. But no harm done in posting the invite here and i hope some will take up the opportunity and be able to contribute to the international media.
Probably not the right thread but i thought this might be of interesthttp://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/a-third-of-uk-jobs-to-be-replaced-by-robots-and-computers-in-next-20-years-9851119.htmlA third of British jobs to be lost over next 20 yrs due to robotics and nearly half of American jobs.
I thought this statement from Wigan football player who refused to wear the poppy quite moving even if it is simply another nationalist view.http://www.wiganlatics.co.uk/news/article/14-11-07-statement-regarding-james-mcclean-2070059.aspx#p0k9HUKLmojzl0T0.99"…for me to wear a poppy would be as much a gesture of disrespect for the innocent people who lost their lives in the Troubles – and Bloody Sunday especially – as I have in the past been accused of disrespecting the victims of WWI and WWII. It would be seen as an act of disrespect to those people; to my people…"
advice groupsSP, BrianJ of Swansea branch who has experience of such, once suggested this at a conference/ADM but it was shot down in flames for a number of different reasons but the most obvious is that it does associate us with reformist activity foremost.socialsAlways suggested and always viewed sympathetically. We have a few talented musicians (and plenty of comedians) in the party to make such occasions enjoyable…but apart from limited one-off events we have never ever tried making it a regular gig. Down to size again and members who have the ability being over-stretched (and probably under-paid by the Party) food banks etcBefore my time but didn't ex-member Robin C try to argue for this involvement (LETS) . Again it is down to numbers and the persception that we suggest reformist path and palliatives…In the future i see no problem with a food cooperative…buying in bulk at discount prices, storing at HO for members/sympathisers use, or even simply a notice board at HO of members buy/sell and offers of their DIY services at "mate rates".I think on a couple of threads i suggested one practical thing we could do is offer our premises as a meeting place, and offer internet and printing facilities. I'm always impressed by the Quakers and their welcoming strategy for practically all-comers at their meeting houses, but there is a lesson…It is not a means of recruitment, there is not a knock-on effect of gaining members. But it may widen a little our circulation of literature which we would make freely available.And again, i would think a Saturday/Sunday drop-in coffee-shop/cafe book-shop/reading room is feasible enough to try. Our advantage is that we are situated on a busy High Street and could take more advantage of that.But once more it requires volunteers and members may think they are giving too much time to the Party, although if we can make the activity more pleasurable and ourselves SOCIAL-Party, the tasks are less odious. All the above , of course , has the caveat that it shouldn't impact on our primary purpose…being a political party.
Well done.Once again i have to say we should be spending more money in our advertising of meetings and of the party generally. In my experience, local papers are usually read from front page to the back page, particularly the classifieds, unlike the nationals when only a few sections get read and the other bits are merely skimmed.Also worth exploring are the local university/college newspapers.
Our blogs has repeatedly over the years posted on a much wider H and S issue that effects many peoples lives – shift working – that seems to be continually ignored by business. The facts are in and it is proven that it is detrimental to workers physical and mental well-being. I have argued when working that it is not at all difficult for those industries with occupational pensions to actually produce statistics on life expectancy differences for shift and non shift workers (as well as manual and non-manual labour) and i have always wondered why the unions have never ever pressed for these figures to be produced. It is just a matter of giving an actuary the task of collating the information.
