alanjjohnstone
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Comrade Vein shares Comrade Chambers feelings about the song and has said so often on the other list but of course many other comrades disagree. That is to be expected. We cannot all share the same musical tastes. But i speak as someone who came into the socialist movement as a half ass hippie idealist, just as others later became involved with it through the [full ass ] punk music scene. However, i do take issue that the song is not an anthem of socialists. I challenge anybody to come up with another song that has lyrics as closely in tune (pun intended) with our own aim as Imagine. (Candy Rock Mountain by Shirley Temple, may be a contestant !!) As Lennon said, Imagine " is anti-religious, anti-nationalistic, anti-conventional, anti-capitalistic… but because it is sugar-coated, it is accepted." and i will add to the point that it has been played in Liverpool Cathedral as a religious hymn!! But again we need not exaggerate its importance by claiming things for it which may not be true. JohnB was in error saying that it was the Communist Manifesto that inspired the song. JohnL himself has explained the background…it was spurred by a Yoko Ono poem. http://www.beatlesbible.com/people/john-lennon/songs/imagine/ Vin may be interested to know that the Party has its own song and i believe accompanying music. Perhaps someone could send a copy to him so perhaps he can put the words to his own music or re-arrange the song's music into a more modern sound . Another way to by-pass copyright.
When you post your future videos, link to your new blog and have the party's link there. That is a way around it, i believe.
“The Green Party believes that the power to create money must be removed from private banks.” Not only here in the UK. Ellen Brown is the US Green Party of California candidate for the state- treasurer. “ We’ve had to tighten our belts, slash services, and sell off public assets because “we don’t have the money.” But we do. All money is simply credit – negotiable IOUs – and it is created by banks when they make loans. We can generate a huge credit base by forming our own state-owned bank – The Bank of North Dakota, the nation’s only publicly-owned state depository bank, has proved the model….I believe public banking is the wave of the future and the most viable way to get out of our current financial and budget woes…. We cannot have a sustainable environment or sustainable communities without a sustainable banking system, one that returns the profits to the people rather than siphoning them off for private gain…” http://www.cagreens.org/elections/2014/statewide-candidate-questionnaire-ellen-brown-treasurer The allure of the miracle of the quick-fix for all the problems of capitalism!! She is less Green Party but more 19th c Greenback Party http://ellenbrown.com/monetary-proposal/
Not come across the smoking gun article but i am sure when you read between the lines of this one what is currently taking place in China's banking system knocks holes in Positive Money and Ellen Brown arguments . Once again it is the central bank that is creating the money and the credit as the private banks struggle to maintain their deposit/lending ratios mostly inter-bank borrowing rather than acquiring individual deposits and subsequent profits from them. http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/4d8d97b4-6ac0-11e3-b47d-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2oZvlWyQD
" why outsource 'professionally' (i.e. pay) when we have a socialist willing and able to undertake the project?"Just as we did previously have a committment from "two key members " – who subsequently couldn't fulfil it. We cnnot attach any blame because personal or work reasons will invariably interfere with good intentions. That is one difference with voluntarism in socialism and volunteering while having to exist under capitalism now. Also hopefully the pool of volunteers in socialism with all the savvy will be a lot bigger. Why were they key members? i hazard a guess that they had the training, the experience and the technical know-how and access to equipment. We also have the history of a volunteer member, also with the requisite technical talents, undertaking to digitalise and place all the Standard archive online and after almost 10 years for various reasons this has not been achieved. To emphasise, when we enter into out-sourcing we have an agreement that holds failure to deliver as breach of contract that we can refuse to pay for any work done or demand compensation for the failure to complete the task or finish it on an agreed time-scale. Please don't let my comments distract from the excellent work of Vin has been doing and hopefully he will continue but i am sure he will be the first to admit that he has not got the same skills as someone, who has trained on the subject at some educational establishment and served his apprenticeship and who now does internet/web projects for a living and i am sure he will also admit he lacks many of the expensive and complicated computer programmes at a professional's disposal.I have often argued with Paddy that let a 1000 flowers bloom should be our approach to propaganda and live with the various levels of competence and degrees of success. My only concern is that if a video is done in the name of the party for party propaganda purposes such as election broadcasts that will be put on air we take the same care in selecting who performs the work as we will when it comes to replacing the HO central heating gas boiler.We also have to be assured that it is perfectly permissible under law, otherwise those funds we possess will swiftly disappear as we get sued or stitched up in lawyers fees for a choice in music ! What we do still require is volunteers to oversee a sub-contracted task to chek it is done to our satisfaction but the demands on time and energy for such is much less pressing than being expected to carry out the project. But this is all straying away from the thread so once more i congratulate Vin on his Xmas video and trust he will produce a lot more in the future. Imagine may be a good song but it is not a necessity for a good socialist video. I will genuinely be surprised if you get a reply from Yoko much less permission, but first you have to get through her legal department!! But what have you got to lose…nothing ventured, nothing gained, don't ask, don't get.LENONO MUSIC1 W. 72ND ST. , NEW YORK, , 10023
"Unfortunately, due to the withdrawal of two key members from the project, it is not going to be possible to produce a video" – EC reportDespite the feelings of some, i still believe that outsourcing professionally rather than being reliant upon volunteers may cost more but in the long term is the way to go.He who pays the piper calls the tune so we should not be averse to hiring experts as we still as a party exercise editorial control. After all, we have now surrendered the sovereignty of our party funds to independent outsiders to invest on our behalf. With the fact that any video will compete with millions of others, we need every tip and advantage we can get to gain internet exposure. We also require the talents and technical insight and knowledge of others to produce an effective video series.
Something worth reading on religious politics.http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/12/25/new-pope-old-doctrine/
So far you are fortunate but You Tube will remove the video if they get pulled up for it.http://www.youtube.com/yt/copyright/ "When a copyright holder or their authorized representative notifies us of a YouTube video that infringes their copyright, we remove the content promptly." http://www.youtube.com/yt/copyright/faq.html#c-crm It is simply the numbers are so great that many get away with it for so long but i have many you tube clips on blogs that have been deleted after a tinme. Our political enemies would speed the process by informing the copyright holder of the infringment – e.g. it happened when the Canadian conservative party used Imagine , or if it simply becomes so popular (very unlikely) that it comes to their attention. We should not expect Yoko Ono to agree to our use since that would be more or less her endorsement of one particular political party. Any Party video must be free of copyright issue or it just won't be broadcast on tv. We should also have a radio audio script for use …something much easier to accomplish…just good speaking voice and some overdubbing. That can be combined with a video using clips and stills. Aside from an election video presenting an overview of the party and its positions , i favour a series of videos on specific topics, addressing each social problem , all concluding in a similar fashion – the need for political action for socialism to solve them. Too often we can describe the problems, as many others do, but we fail to explain our unique strategy for change sufficiently or highlight our own party role and why we appeal for actual support as well as understanding.
As been pointed out , most music and lyrics are copy-right. Don't be at all surprised when You Tube eventually pulls your video, it isn't political censorship, but them watching their legal back.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Imagine.oggSo i found a link to non-royalty music that anyone attempting to do a video should first explore for a suitable sound track. https://creativecommons.org/legalmusicforvideosLenono Music are the rights holder of Imagine. You could try requesting Yoko Ono for permission but she is highly protective of it and personally i think you haven't a piece of a chance getting it.
It was indeed an excellent propaganda video. I hope you go on to produce more of the same. Perhaps name-dropping the Party and its website , would be also useful. As for the positive side…images of the millions that tried in vain to stop the Iraq invasion could show the anti-war sentiment…images of the hundreds of thousands who took part in Make Poverty History, despite its inevitable failure…images of the world-wide Occupy Movement, Arab Spring, anti-austerity protests despite their short-comings demonstrate the potential for resistance and the possibility for a future socialist movement…the seeds are there waiting to sprout and grow. But my favourite John Lennon track is Working Class Hero…
To stir the pot http://www.theguardian.com/environment/earth-insight/2013/dec/23/british-petroleum-geologist-peak-oil-break-economy-recession "The final peak is going to be decided by the price – how much can we afford to pay?", Dr. Miller told me in an interview about his work. "If we can afford to pay $150 per barrel, we could certainly produce more given a few years of lead time for new developments, but it would break economies again." Miller argues that for all intents and purposes, peak oil has arrived…Although he is dismissive of shale oil and gas' capacity to prevent a peak and subsequent long decline in global oil production, Miller recognises that there is still some leeway that could bring significant, if temporary dividends for US economic growth – though only as "a relatively short-lived phenomenon"…Miller and Sorrell point out that "most authors" in the special edition "accept that conventional oil resources are at an advanced stage of depletion and that liquid fuels will become more expensive and increasingly scarce." The shale revolution can provide only "short-term relief", but is otherwise "unlikely to make a significant difference in the longer term."
Our SOYMB blog also has the same quote with the same conclusion as you drawhttp://www.socialismoryourmoneyback.blogspot.com/2013/11/its-not-all-papal-bull.html"He is advocating the (and failed) remedy of good old fashioned christian charity. Capitalism and charity have worked hand in hand to turn us into a world of few benefactors and millions of beggars."But it is an interesting development if we also consider another religious leader the Dalai Lama's admission of semi-Marxist beliefs from a year or so ago. http://www.socialismoryourmoneyback.blogspot.com/2011/02/marxism-and-dalai-lama.htmlWe should be prepared for the Archbishop of Canterbury form A arriving at HO in the near future
In no way to diminish your and your comrades hard work, we have only anecdotal evidence for any actual impact. I wonder what a scientific poll would say if a 1000 random voters from the NE were asked a few basic questions about the SPGB and its case and how it compares with a 1000 from some other part of the country. It is a pity the party never ever spends money in such research. I can give anecdotal evidence that once Glasgow and Edinburgh branch ceased outdoor meetings many believed the party also ceased to exist because it was not replaced by any other propaganda of similar prominence. Edinburgh branch did actually become defunct, more than once, i recollect, and disappeared from view. The few current members are doing a gallant job at showing the colours again but it will be an uphill challenge, particularly since other factors in life has undermined the credibility of any political party It is visible activities that is important. That is my point. Being seen on the ballot papers as well as the letter page in the newspapers. Being seen on protests and political rallies. Being seen at rivals public meetings. Being seen on their lists and blogs.The latest addition to the archives reminded me of the mundane but vital aspect of selling the Standard and being seen on the streets. http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2013/12/selling-standard.html "political parties avoided us like the plague." If the prey can escape and flee – they live another day. We should corner them and devour them for all to see – figuratively speaking…i'm not advocating cannibalism, at least not yet ;-pAnd it is consistency…not one-offs…until people fully expect to see the Party in public.
To widen the debate geographically, i have to confess to being a bit disappointed by Edinburgh and Glasgow branches decision to not engage in the Euro-elections. Their published respective minutes didn't offer too much of an explanation to their refusal to participate, unfortunately. They have sadly let pass an opportunity of making a short promotional video and TV broadcast and the delivery of tens of thousands of leaflets to homes – neither any longer being constrained by tight budgets.The problem was not financial resources but a reluctance in the members to invest time and energy into the venture, even though the actual individual and physical commitment could have been as minimal as simply offering up one's name and address as a candidate. i sympathise with the fact that many members are getting on in age and have declining health and fitness but no actual foot-work of hand delivering door-to-door the leaflets was required. The production of the video could have been outsourced either to other party members in the country or to be undertaken by a commercial company. I also detect a reluctance to also engage in the Scottish Independence Referendum debate at a time when the opportunity of discussing politics is being opened up by it now. I hope this changes the nearer we come to the actual vote. But surely we can already be preparing a much needed pamphlet on the futility of nationalism and producing leaflets for yes and no events. If not in person at least we should be making serious attempts to have a virtual presence on referendum websites and discussion lists and blogs to raise our profile. Without continual advance preparatory work, we should not be surprised when our public meetings at the time of the referendum attracts few visitors and little interest. The Socialist Party has the problem that very few know what we stand for but we become an irrelevancy if no-body knows that we actually exist !!
