martin wheeler

It is becoming increasingly clear that this century’s wars will be fought, unlike those of the last century, not between nation states, but between opposing ideological camps. Muslims against non-muslims; filthy greedy stinking-rich predatory capitalists against those who not only feel, but who genuinely are, financially oppressed; etc.
So it is with no surprise at all that we learn that tomorrow (January 18th) is to be a day of global protest against those who would control the internet for purely financial gain.
[see : http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/English_Wikipedia_anti-SOPA_blackout]
Traditional ideas on copyright felt the first cold draught of a terminal chill in the 1950s, with the advent of the Xerox copier. Today, not only print, but film, sound and any kind of visual imagery which can be rendered in digital form have to be totally re-thought in terms of their revenue-generating capability for their authors or producers.
Perhaps the outdated concept of copyright, like that of the nature of capitalism, now needs to be totally re-cast to fit snugly in with the changing realities of the modern technogical world.

As Glastonbury demonstrates luke-warm solidarity with the global ‘Occupy’ movement, and a group of travellers/squatters hi-jack the name of the movement as they move into Avalon Plastic’s old premises, perhaps it is time to remind ourselves of the basics behind the movement – perhaps nowhere better expressed than here :
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/nov/06/naomi-wolf-occupy-movement

(and with Oakeshott, too)

How come that in a country with a population of 62 to 63 million, a single, individual, feckless, politically inept Prime Minister can take it upon himself – and himself alone – to carry out what is fundamentally no more than the biased wishes of a small minority (80-odd only) rabidly right-wing politicians, whose approval he so desperately seems to crave ?

Maybe it’s time for the population as a whole to air their views; to have the temperature taken of what they think – and want.
In the strongest terms possible.
And ignore the elected puppet whose strings seem to be being pulled by some other group.

[spoiler : This time, Germany wins]

So there we have it.

PoshBoy Flashman returns from Brussels, having gained absolutely nothing. Whatsoever.
Once again, Europe finds itself divided in opposition – with little Britain standing alone, facing a mass of continental nations, united aginst it.
All in order to protect the obscenely filthy rich minority holding the real global economic power, who use the deregulated status of London’s financial services markets to fill their pockets at the expense of the other 99% of us.

Isn’t it time the world (and Britain in particular) recognized that the 19th century is long gone; the models of capitalism developed then are no longer in any way applicable to today’s world; and that ethical behaviour now takes precedence over old-style free-market economics and other measures of capitalist “success” ?

Well, well, well – who would have thought it.
For weeks I’ve been deliberating on whether to put out a statement wondering why Glastonbury hasn’t as yet declared an interest – as any decent locus claiming to be the heart chakra of the planet’s counter-culture might be expected to – in commenting on the unstoppable rise in popular demand for social and economic change on a massive scale; and a definitive end to the outrageous practices of unbridled capitalist greed for the benefit of the privileged 1% minority we’ve all been witnessing for the past three decades.
Looks like it might just happen at last.

Thursday, 15th December (one week from today) will see the beginnings of what (hopefully) will become a global jacquerie – the ‘Occupy [Glastonbury]‘ movement. To participate in this event, be outside St John’s Church (i.e. on the pavement) at 10 a.m. Or before.
Be there.

…should find themselves forced to pay Super-Tax.

Of 95p in the pound — like it used to be in the good old days.

That’ll stop the 320,000 minority — who first of all bankrupted; then blackmailed the whole of British society by uncontrolled gambling in the pursuit of their own personal gain — from whingeing and whining about a miserable 50p in the pound on their ill-gotten gains.

It’s absolutely nonsensical to pretend that one of the lowest taxes in Europe on high earners could possibly deter foreign businesses from investing in Britain.
The super-selfish super-rich whiners must either put up with it — or face the inevitable jacquerie. The signs of the coming storm are already well in place.
[Did we learn nothing from the late eighteenth century ?]