ALB
Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Actually I don't bthink there has ever been a blanket ban on non-members writing for the Standard. The position is, at least today, that we do/would publish an article from a non-member provided (a) it expressed our point of view and (b) we indicated that the writer was a non-member. Sometimes, also, they might be published as a letter.
The Turkish authorities have arrested six people for allegedly minting these Islamist State's coins:http://news.yahoo.com/turkey-arrests-six-over-minting-coins-155140896.htmlActually, in the areas controlled by both ISIS and the Kurdish YPG the currencies that circulate are the Syrian pound and the American dollar, though ISIS are trying to stop some Syrian notes being used in some parts of the area they control (in this case about to lose):http://www.syriahr.com/en/2015/10/islamic-state-prevents-the-circulation-of-2-categories-of-the-syrian-currency/("Nusayri" is the derogatory term that Sunni extremists use to describe members of the Alawite sect of islam)ISIS are said to pay their foreign fighters in dollars.
No of course it's not acceptable that a branch member should not be able to take part in an online branch meeting but this was not intentional but due to an unforeseen consequence of the software. This is being looked at with a view to finding a solution which will avoid this happening again. The problem will be raised at the ADM in a few weeks time in the report of the Central Organiser.
Yes, I was going to come back on that figure given by the Daily Torygraph of a 42% turnout. It seems that they mistakenly gave the figure for abstentions. Even so, as you point out, even a 57% is bad for the ruling class there and indicative of a low legitimacy for whatever government emerges.
The anti-austerity Left Bloc, with 10% ( of a low, 42% turnout) didn't do too badly, but the outgoing government which campaigned on the slogan "austerity works" was voted back in:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/portugal/11911562/Portugals-austerity-government-wins-re-election.htmlIt looks as if most workers in Portugal are resigned to the fate that capitalism has imposed on them at present.
I'll probably get a bollocking from someone for this, Steve, but why don't you complain to OFFCOM or even to OFFTOP.
Interesting interview here will one of the commanders of the Kurdish YPG. They are fighting not only against ISIS but also against the Al-Nusrah group which the Western media say are "moderates" but are actually part of Al Quaeda, motivated by the same Sunni muslim extremism originating from Saudi Arabia as ISIS:http://www.syriahr.com/en/2015/10/the-general-commander-of-peoples-defense-units-ypg-in-an-interview-with-sohr-we-view-al-hasakah-as-a-nucleus-of-the-new-democratic-syria/Here is the spiritual leader of the Al-Nusrah group preaching religious war against the Shiites and Alawites:http://www.syriahr.com/en/2015/09/al-muhaysin-addresses-the-mothers-of-the-sunni-apostates-in-the-regime-army-either-to-make-your-sons-defect-from-the-regime-army-or-their-destiny-is-going-to-be-captives-then-killed/Some moderates !
From Thursday's Times:
Quote:System that's first-rate is beginning to malfunction. (10)Additional clue, it's not first rate and has been malfunctioning for years.
The Membership Applications Committee (MAC) make that point explicitly:
Quote:Below are the figures we have available for successful membership applications since 2008 (we do not have figures going further back). Website applications began in 2009 and show an increase from 2013 onwards after a ‘Join’ tab was added to the Party’s homepage rather than having to be looked for elsewhere on the site:2008 102009 10 (4 via MAC)2010 11 (7 via MAC)2011 9 (3 via MAC)2012 17 (15 via MAC) (out of 20 applications via MAC)2013 21 (15 via MAC) (out of 52 applications via MAC)2014 29 (23 via MAC) (out of 76 applications via MAC)2015 (to date) 21 (18 via MAC) (out of 53 applications via MAC)As to subscription to the Socialist Standard, I don't think it has had any effect. However, we don't know how many more may be reading the Standard online. In fact, the editorial committee has been asking for a way of measuring this to be found. Perhaps by requiring people to sign up for free to read it? Only that may reduce the number of actual readers.
robbo203 wrote:(is it even "only progressing slowly" ? I thought the membership was, actually, slowly falling in absolute terms)Reluctant as I am to keep this thread alive in view of the turn it's taken, here's some details of the numbers of members joining for the past 8 years from a recent Membership Application Committee report:
Quote:2008: 102009: 10 2010: 11 2011: 9 2012: 172013: 21 2014: 29 2015 (to date): 21What the Socialist Standard said about Hardie in 1908:http://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/socialist-standard/1900s/1908/no-48-august-1908/letters-fall-keir-hardieand in 1961 on the myth of his opposition to the First World Slaughter:http://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/socialist-standard/1960s/1961/no-679-march-1961/kier-hardie-myth
If only to reassure Private Fraser that he needn't jump off a bridge, I am sure we'll be able to ensure a presence at this march in London on Sunday 29 November:http://www.campaigncc.org/29novdemo
I see the idiot student union officials who proscribed her have been forced to back down by public outrage and ridicule:http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/ex-muslim-speakers-warwick-university-10145068Good thing too.
