French Strikes: last death convulsions of old left?

Above: 'old left' fellow travelers cling to their status quo in France, as their political hulk slowly sinks.

Like the last wave of CPE student occupations, strikes and riots which handed Sarkozy a decisive victory in the following general election, the latest strike madness to hit France is hardly 'Paris 68'.

Instead of anything sensibly situationist or revolutionary like calling for real change, justice and equality, the current transport strikes are all about preserving the status quo for a minority elite of molly coddled state workers who want to retain the right to retire at 50 - while everyone else in the country suffers.

A poll today reports that 71% of the country wants Sarkozy to stand up to the strikers - and hopefully he will.

Meanwhile, we can expect more self harming trouble as the anti democratic and corrupt 'old left' in France convulses in it's last death throws. Already a wave of 'direct action' student strikes and occupations is under way. Just like the CPE strikes it seems these are led by a minority of macho militant Che Guevara wannabes acting against the wishes of the majority who just want to finish their degrees and get on in the world.

The Times reported today: At Nanterre University, where the May 1968 revolt started, anti protest students shouted “Allez les Bleus” – the football supporters’ encouragement – as riot police charged students who were picketing the entrance to their lecture rooms.

There may also be more riots and looting by the dispossessed 'under class' whose plight has been ignored by the left for generations. Ironically their best hope for a decent future lies with Sarkozy.

However there are growing signs that the strikes are not being as well supported by workers as the dinosaur unions would like - and already some union leaders are desperately trying to row back from the abyss of total marginalisation that the more intelligent amongst them can see for themselves and their members.

Hopefully the Arthur Scargill clones amongst them can be persuaded to look outside and smell the coffee.

If they come to their senses, France can get back to reality and catch up with the British who dealt with the corrupt unions during Thatcher's time (one of the few things she got right), and have reaped the benefits ever since.

In the meantime more and more educated French are coming to work in London; so many that they now call London 'Paris On Thames'.

• With today's opening of the Eurostar high speed train service at St Pancras the French can now escape the current miserable state of their country at 300kph (168mph) and be in London just over 2 hours later.

The difference between the grotty Gare du Nord station in Paris, and the brilliant regeneration of London's St Pancreas says it all for the urgent need for radical reform in France, and an end to the blackmail rule of the conservative, bigoted and corrupt 'old left' reactionaries now trying to preserve the status quo, and their elitist position.

Sarkozy

Bird Flu hits Britain - christmas could be cancelled for turkeys

Richard Neville Interviews John Howard, Prime Minister of Australia

With Australia in the midst of a general election campaign, and the current prime minister John Howard looking like losing badly, this highly entertaining, no holds bared series of interviews with him by Richard Neville (one time editor of the 60's OZ magazine), may well be Howard's swan song, or suicide note. In fact it is so mad you might think it is a spoof, but sometimes fact is stranger than fiction (especially Howard's eyebrows). Howard is an Australian remix of Maggie Thatcher and George Bush, with some Tony Blair doing a guitar solo.

Watch Howard's tongue as he struggles to control it; it is almost enough to make you believe that Australia has a lizard for Prime Minister. He does fairly well on climate change ... then blows it all at the end.

The interviews are hosted by homepagedaily.com; currently in 'beta' development, this is a slick looking new 'bourgeois liberal neo hippy' Australian website well worth watching for the future.

• The Australian election is on 24th of November.

halloween MI6: spooks, loons and 9.11 'truth' goons

Above: Sir Richard Dearlove, former head of MI6, at the LSE.

schmoontherun thought it would be amusing to spend part of this years Halloween night by going to a talk at the LSE by top spook Sir Richard Dearlove, former head of MI6. What he had to say was widely reported in the press the day after and being too busy I did not bother to blog the event. There was very little that he had to say that most people do not already know, so all I did was confirm in person that Dearlove is not a lizard.

The only reason for this post is that a number of blog reports have since emerged by '9.11 Truth' nerds bragging about how they "successfully" slagged Dearlove off and forced him to 'run away'.

In fact what happened was a number of total loonies asked some very stupid questions and made the 9.11 Truth Movement look very stupid in front of a large audience of press and LSE students. The audience audibly groaned as one after another the usual crankie 'truth' theories were rolled out by the conspiracy anoraks who did their cause absolutely no good what so ever.

Afterwards at a free drinks party they disgraced themselves further by screaming obscenities and calling for the death penalty. They then YouTubed a very heavily edited video of their pathetic antics - which cut out the more ridiculous and anti Semitic questions by their supporters, as well as the audience's negative reactions to their absurdities. So much for the 'truth'.

These goons hide behind the title 'We Are Change'. However this is just the 'brown shirt' wing of the now utterly discredited 9.11 'Truth' Movement, which has in its membership people who believe the planes that hit the twin towers were holograms, or even death rays from outer space, and of course David Shayler who believes he is the new messiah. 'We Are Crazies' would be a more apt name for them.

An ever increasing number of previous supporters of the 9.11 'truth' movement are now ex supporters. Many still believe there should be a public enquiry into 9.11 because the 9.11 Commission was such a whitewash, but they don't want to be associated with these idiots.

Most sane people run a mile when they are asked to buy into the loony conspiracy theories by so called '9.11 academics', hologram crack pots, and anti Semite's who regurgitate 'jewish conspiracy' Bilderberg theories originating from the Third Reich, while claiming to be truth seekers.

The 9.11 'Truth' Movement really is a 24/7 Halloween Show. But the worse thing about it is that it is spreading lies and miss information, totally discrediting any serious attempts at getting at the real truth.

DEATH RAYS FROM OUTER SPACE:



The Top Five 9/11 Conspiracy Theories Debunked:

Sir Ian Blair: end the persecution of a good cop

Sir Ian Blair, Metropolitan Police Commissioner, is the most progressive police office to have ever held the post as London's top cop - so it is no surprise that the right wing press are out to get him.

That they should be prepared to stoop so low as to use the Jean Charles de Menezes tragedy against him just exposes the depth of their hypocrisy and criminal irresponsibility.

London's mayor Ken Livingstone is absolutely right to defend Sir Ian, and so should all progressive and decent people. Currently we have an unholy alliance of the right wing and all the usual cop haters on the left screaming for blood; it is an utterly disgusting spectacle of the lowest forms of political life in action.

Dose anyone, except the most deranged conspiracy anorak nerd, seriously believe the police shot an innocent person on purpose? The fact is that the very brave officers involved believed the London Underground was again under attack only days after an despicable outrage that killed and wounded a large number of innocent working people.

They deserve support and understanding, not the mean minded insults to their integrity that have been leveled against them. The recent court case against the Met for the crime of putting the public in danger was a total farce and should never have happened. It was Health & Safety gone mad. Of course the public are going to be put in danger when you are fighting a war on the streets of London against suicide bombers!

The two most common reactions to death are guilt and anger. Unfortunately instead of seeing Jean Charles de Menezes death as a terrible tragedy for all concerned (including those who killed him), many people have allowed the easiest emotions to rule; anger and the blame game.

Here at the 'schmoontherun' safe house we support the rule of law because the rule of law is necessary to protect the liberty of the individual. Of course nothing is perfect, and the rule of law and justice in Britain is certainly not perfect.

But that does not mean liberal and progressive people should allow themselves to be sucked into bigoted prejudice against the police.

It is thanks to people like Sir Ian Blair that the Metropolitan police have dramatically improved over the last few years. I remember the time in the 60's & 70's when the only thing wrong with calling the police 'pigs' was that it was an insult to pigs. There are very few 'pigs' in the police now, and 'schmoontherun' has no problem in being able to say in 2007 'I love cops'.

The police do a vital and dangerous job, often with amazing patience and good humor as well as bravery, and we should have the guts to give them the appreciation they deserve.

The last thing we need now is for Sir Ian to be removed by a howling lynch mob led by the likes of the Daily Mail & Telegraph 'pigs' who hate him because he is a liberal cop. Heaven help us if they ever gained the power to decide who runs London's police service.

Jean Charles de Menezes

sex pistols revival: can they still get it up?

Above & below: Graffiti in Novosibirsk, Siberia, Russia.

Punk may or may not be dead, but one thing is for sure; there is precious little real 'anarchy in the uk', and the 'The Sex Pistols' pop ghost group don't help by digging themselves up for yet another revival tour (their third despite claiming credibility for years promising they would never do it).

The Sex Pistols, more than any, are responsible for the marketing of anarchism as a 'news of the world' horror story in most peoples minds. True anarchism involves supporting peace and cooperation and the belief in taking personal responsibility. But the Sex Pistols fakes reinforce every negative 'News of the World' stereotype of anarchists as violent, selfish, unpleasant, irresponsible, untrustworthy, brats. The Sex Pistols are in fact a massive anti anarchist advert and the right wing press lap it up.

The result is moronic 'anarchist' groups like Class War supported by people who have brought the News of the World stereotype and think smashing windows and being surrounded by police and looking like BNP nazi thugs is a good idea. The antics of these media victims have been responsible for destroying the anarchist movement in Britain and turning it into a total perversion. The recent 'Anarchist Book Fair' was a typical example - a gathering of people with major personality defects.

Class War also attempted a revival recently - about 75 morons turned up led by their leader Ian Bone who rants (a bit like Jonny Rotten) against having leaders. Yea sure! All he is really doing is trying to promote his lousy book. Like the Nazi BNP 'Class War' supports the death penalty; their publicity called for putting the heads of toffs on spikes. Thankfully the police kept these political pikies well under control.

BBC review of Brixton Academy gig: "Songs once deemed subversive - Anarchy in the UK, God Save the Queen - are somewhat stripped of their nihilism and vitriol when an ecstatic room largely populated by middle-aged men bellow along jubilantly." -

So can the 'Sex Pistols' still get it up? With Viagra perhaps it seems. Get back to LA you fakes; you never did anything for anyone in Britain except take their money.

• Gigwise has received a number of comments about the Brixton Academy gigs so far. They hit out at what they call a “dire” and “shoddy” show. One impassioned comment reads: “Went last night. They were shite to the point of embarrassing. Worst gig ever.”

Jean Charles de Menezes

George Monbiot, Al Gore: climate change criminals against humanity

Geoge Monbiot and the 'we can save the world from global warming' brigade were at it again last week (Friends Meeting House, Euston, London). Like a bunch of snake oil sales quacks they were selling their latest books, and the 'eco con' that they can cure climate change.

The common belief that humanity can stop climate change and global warming is at best wishful thinking, and at worst a lie being used to further other political agendas (both left & right) which have very little to do with a concern for the environment.

Of course dramatic climate change is happening, and it is going to get a lot worse. And of course human activity effects the climate; but just as it is possible for man to cause an earthquake, most earth quakes are natural and we can not stop them.

HARSH REALITY: Regardless of who or what is causing climate change, the sad truth that few have the guts to face (just as few can really accept they are going to die one day), is that the dramatic changes now beginning to be felt all over the planet are unstoppable.

The harsh reality that no one wants to admit in public, is that what ever we do, millions (if not billions), of scandalously impoverished people are going to die, or have their lives ruined because of climate change; millions have already died.

CLIMATE CHANGE CHURCH: Evangelical false prophets like George Monbiot (however well intended), prefer the comfort of shallow populism by preaching that we can all be 'saved' if only we stopped 'sinning', paid more spurious airport taxes (Gordon Brown is loving it), and make out direct debits to the Climate Change 'Campaign'. This is pretty much as self deceiving as believing you will go to heaven if you say the right prayers, and give generously to the church collection.

Instead we should be urgently preparing for the inevitable and horrible disasters which will happen, which are happening, regardless of any actions by humanity. If we did prepare, and save what we can, instead of wasting time and money on quack CO2 remedies, perhaps millions of lives could be saved, especially in the poorest parts of the world, but not if you support the Climate Change Campaign lie, which is selling a cure that will not work.

WAR: The environmental issues facing us all, which really are caused by humanity, are poverty, toxic pollution and the out of control pillaging of natural resources. These are problems humanity really does cause, and can actually prevent, despite the constant opposition of the powerful vested interests profiting from poisoning, human exploitation and oppression of the worst kind.

If we seriously addressed these problems, perhaps we could also stand a chance of preventing some of the most disastrous effects of extreme climate change. These effects include flooding, drought, famine, storms, pestilence and epidemics, but most ruinously of all, they include war. And we won't just be fighting over fish.

Part of the solution requires the toppling from power of those who have consistently blocked, over countless generations, all previous attempts, by many, many people, at establishing peace, freedom, equality and justice for all, and a sustainable future.

VAMPIRES: The blockers and destroyers could be called 'Death Culture Vampires', because they literally feed off the blood of children (i.e. under age sugar cane workers), and their culture prospers by killing and destroying where ever they go. Maybe 'we' are all guilty by association, because we are all collaborators with this evil and unjust, dominant side of human culture.

They (we?) do this evil exploitation simply because of their (our?) own selfishness and insecurity. But they (we) live in constant torment and should be pitied, not hated. Their (our?) overthrow would be their (our?) own liberation!

But, to overthrow the 'Vampires' requires an honest, rational, democratic, global movement; we need peace, freedom, equality and justice for all, and a sustainable future.

We don't need a load of hysterical people wasting our time, looking for a new religion, hoping to save the world by 'stopping' climate change.

Dramatic 'Climate Change' is something than has occurred on this planet for millions of years, and it does not give a damn if humans don't like the temperature suddenly going to boiling, or freezing, or melting, or exploding into a trillion pieces point.

ECO CONS: But tragically many naive left/liberal environmentalists have jumped on the CO2 bandwagon, led by leading eco con Al Gore & Co, and now backed by massive corporate ('vampire') interests and many governments. Climate change CO2 hysteria is even being used to promote a huge boost for the nuclear industry; this is yet another utterly ignorant and futile remedy. (See the very informed comments at Pickled Politics).

Meanwhile Monbiot and many so called 'green' pie in the skiers would like us all to return to the middle ages, but modeled on Glastonbury Festival (or the 'Big Green Gathering'). These urban romantics, many of whom own their own houses worth the annual income of several thousand impoverished peasants, and scream blue murder at the slightest inconvenience, dream of living by subsistence farming, eating nettles.

Of course what they don't admit to themselves is that in such 'romantic' circumstances their children will be lucky to have a life expectancy of 35. As many of these 'new age' self deceivers don't believe in vaccination, but do believe in reincarnation, presumably that's OK.

However, for the several billion people struggling just to survive, the arrogant and patronising preaching of people like George Monbiot and Al Gore is not OK; it is a crime against humanity.

Above: Trendy Solar Powered Tipi to save the planet? This is even more ridiculous than Tory leader David Cameron's £2000+ windmill that powers a light bulb; manufacturing solar panels consumes more energy than they will ever produce.

Peace, Freedom, Equality and Justice for all, and a sustainable future.

• 'How Global Warming And Al Gore May Rescue the Nuclear Power Industry'.
• uk floods: climate change 'eco cons' challenged by science.
• Climate Change Camp Crazy Crankie Crusties.

• Latest Eco Con Conference News.

climate change

halloween: left wing or right wing - they are all vampires