All this time I've been thinking that Christmas was just mid-financial year orgy of consumerism, required to prop-up the retail market. But now Prime Minister Howard is saying it's all about Christianity! I wonder if he would be back in the papers taking it all back if we all took him up on his request, and went to church, or spent time with the family unit instead of going to the shopping centres!

But seriously, we have quite a good separation of church and state here, and it is a shame to see it interfered with. If people wanted shopping centres to show the nativity, then I'm sure they would oblige. But the PM calling for the reenforcement of Christian ritual unnecessarily marginalises non-Christians, and potentially adds fuel to the fiery bellies of some misguided Anglo-Saxon Christians.

‘This is a story that implicates all of us. Torture, and fear of torture, are factors in holding costs down in our new-age globalized production system. Take just-in-time delivery, add a touch of submersion in shit, fear of beating, fear of drowning, and voilà! You get Wal-Mart’s everyday low prices. 

 

That’s not quite how the story gets conveyed in the business press, however. When American economists and executives opine about China, you don’t hear about the jailing and abuse of workers who seek decent living standards. There’s nothing new in this: Our guys in the oil business have never said word one about the repressive Saudi regime, and United Fruit was always the Latin American banana-republic dictator’s best friend.  

HELP! Wanted: Transcript of John Howards Address to the Nation dated the evening of the Global Anti Protest Day - Sunday 16th February 2003??? (I was protesting at the base of Parliament House in Adelaide).

I specifically remember a line within the Address that I wish to revisit as spoken by our Prime Minister John Howard that night. I could not believe it at the time and yet I wasn't surprised. I remember the line rekindled my thoughts about the direction that Australia (following the UK and the US) could be heading during and possibly post Iraq invasion. Since early 2003 what I have seen and heard confirms it.

It may come as a surprise to many people but banks 'print' money, the government has no real control over monetary policy and as a result has almost no control over the economy at all.

What do you mean banks print money?

 When you go to a bank and get a loan on a mortgage the bank is not lending money which someone has actually deposited with them. They just record your debt and create electronic money by recording a credit in someone else’s account. You pay interest on the money they just created. Why do you pay interest on something which cost nothing to create?  - because banks decide you should and there is nothing we can do about it.

I have been thinking about the possible avenues of action an individual, or collection of individuals can take against the policies of a foreign nation. I know groups like Amnisty do this kind of thing all the time, to the best of my knowledge via letter writing and awareness raising. The current topical example of this is the case of Nguyen Tuong Van, and the threats of boycotts of Singapore owned companies such as Optus and Singapore Airlines.

For a boycott to work, what has to happen? Obviously the concerned few will not be sending these companies broke, but could they be put under pressure? And how does one make sure that they know why they are under pressure? Letter writing to the board? Public demonstrations?

1) Twirl a fire stick

2) Put a sticker on the back of your car

3) Sign a petition

4) Wear Bali pants

5) Make your own bead jewellery

6) Don't wash your hair

7) Sign an online petition

8) Join Greenpeace

9) Don't wear shoes

10) Vote for a major party

I propose we start an action group to commence Citizen Initiated Referenda to take back control of our democracy from the party political machine(s).

Could any (all) of you better educated, informed and connected readers, bloggers and others please post links and material here to get us started on this movement.

I, for one, refuse to let this country sink into the hands of a bunch of conservative facists due to apathy.

Yours in Fury.

Take a look at the attached military spending figures for 2004.

World Total military expenditure $US975 billion.

USA $US455 billion 3.8%GDP
Israel $US 11 billion 9.1%GDP
Japan $US 42 billion 1.0%GDP
Germany $US 34 billion 1.4%GDP
France $US 46 billion 2.6%GDP

CRUNCHING SOME NUMBERS (at last)

In a couple of my opinions I expressed in discussions about what we should or not do, I alluded to being reasonable or not... All this to do with the psychological warfare we need to create. A counter-action to the lies that are dished out everyday by our government (and peddle by others if you wish).

Crickey.com manages to do it a bit but, even there, it’s still in “limbo-land�? as far as turning the necessary number of minds around... “Preaching to the converted�? is not a bad thing as it reinforces the faith but one still needs to go our there and do some door to door salesmanship...