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February 2010

St. Precario, Chopin oder Crosby

Zwischen gestern und heute leben die Marginalisierten und huldigen dem Heiligen Precarius und seinen Engeln mit Headseat, Plastikhandschuhen, in Schürzen oder sonstwas. Obwohl heute vielleicht auch ein anderer heiliger, melancholischer Antagonist gefeiert werden könnte. Schließlich jährt sich sein Geburtstag zum 100sten Mal. Oder vielleicht sollte Crosbys Hand geküßt werden? Wahrscheinlich aber wohl [...]

Shameless Self-promotion Sunday

It’s Sunday night. Late, I know. But on a night like tonight, it is never too late. A night of love. A night of rage. A night of Shamelessness.

You know the deal. What have you been up to this week? Write anything? Leave a link and a short description for your post in the comments. Or fire away about anything else you might want to talk about.

Molly’sBlog 2010-02-28 19:53:00


AMATEUR ASTRONOMY:
ASTEROID DEFENSE:
Some, who have not been fans of this blog for years, may find it strange that I would post what follows below. It is not strange in the world of Molly's Blog. I am an amateur astronomer, and I very much support the space programs of various countries. I watch the progression of the constellations and the planets across the skies, and I am thrilled to see them. What follows is one of the reasons. Whatever one's ideological beliefs they would indeed be destroyed by a planetary catastrophe. Such catastrophes have happened in the the past, and they will happen in the future unless we are able to prevent them. This is an inevitable truth. The following, from the Planetary Society, gives their idea of "planetary defense".
♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣
Projects
Mirror Bees: Planetary Defense
A New Way to Deflect a Dangerous Asteroid
What do we do if an asteroid is found to be on a collision course with Earth? At this point, the answer is not clear, so The Planetary Society is partnering with researchers to discover ways to protect Earth when we one-day find a dangerous space rock.

We're working with a team at the University of Glasgow in Scotland to study a new technique which uses concentrated light to gently move an asteroid -- a project we call "Mirror Bees."
The researchers at the University of Glasgow, under the leadership of Massimiliano Vasile, became interested in this approach when they set out to compare nine approaches to planetary defense. To their surprise, one of their results was that Mirror Bees would work more quickly and effectively than all but nuclear warheads. (But unlike the use of nuclear explosions, there would be no risk of breaking a huge asteroid into any number of equally deadly smaller asteroids, nor would the procedure face as many political and bureaucratic hurdles.)
So just what are Mirror Bees?
This new technique involves many small spacecraft -- each carrying a mirror -- swarming around a dangerous asteroid. The spacecraft could precisely tilt their mirrors to focus sunlight onto a tiny spot on the asteroid, vaporizing the rock and metal, and creating a jet plume of super-heated gases and debris. Alternatively, the satellites could contain powerful lasers pumped by sunlight, and the lasers could be used to vaporize the rock. The asteroid would become the fuel for its own rocket -- and slowly, the asteroid would move into a new trajectory.

With your help today, The Planetary Society can step in to make a huge difference in this crucial area of space science.

We need advanced and creative thinking to deflect Earth-threatening asteroids and comets. The "Mirror Bees" system is one promising way.
Help make it happen!
Major questions still remain about this technique. For example, will the plume of superheated gasses ejected from an asteroid dissipate, or will it block sunlight to the mirrors?
Would the debris settle on the satellite mirrors?
Can the asteroid's rotation be dealt with effectively?
Will the gas plumes be enough to deflect the asteroid?

The Planetary Society is stepping in to fund a series of laboratory experiments to answer these and other questions. Vasile's group is working with Ian Watson and the laser lab of the University of Glasgow's Mechanical Engineering Department to devise some ingenious small-scale experiments. We'll be funding equipment, supplies, and a graduate student dedicated to working on the experiments.

Only through these types of studies, as well as additional theoretical research, can the details of this technique be worked out and understood. If it pans out, it will be a rapid, effective, and safe option to use against the asteroid that inevitably will come Earth's way.

Molly’sBlog 2010-02-28 17:54:00


INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-TURKEY:
FREE SEHER TUMER:
The following appeal for solidarity comes from the international labour solidarity site Labour Start.
TLTLTLTLTLTLTLTL
Act NOW!
Turkey: Free Seher Tümer
Union activist Seher Tümer, Branch Secretary of PSI affiliate SES (the trade union of public employees in health and social services), will spend International Women’s Day 2010 in prison.



But international solidarity action could open the door to freedom for her.




Ms Tümer has now been detained in an F-type prison for almost a year, with no clear charges being brought against her. PSI is convinced that her arrest is linked to her activities in the labour and women’s movements in that country, including participating in International Women’s Day activities last year. Tumer, who is Kurdish, was arrested and imprisoned in April 2009. Her case mirrors that of fellow union leader Meryem Özsöðüt, who faced similar charges of belonging to a terrorist organisation. (Özsöðüt was released after eight months in prison following a major international protest campaign led by PSI.)



PSI has been closely following this case. Ms Tümer’s next court appearance is planned for 9 March, PSI and EPSU have sent a joint letter of protest to the Turkish Prime Minister demanding that all charges be dropped and that she be immediately released.



PSI urgently calls on trade unions and concerned organisations to write similar letters of protest. Join the Labourstart Campaign and send a letter of protest now.
TLTLTLTLTLTLTL
The Letter:
Please go to this link to send the following letter to the Turkish authorities to demand the release of Seher Tumer.
YLTLTLTLTLTLTL
Mr Recep Tayyip Erdoðan
Prime Minister
Ankara
Republic of Turkey
Dear Prime Minister,
I write to demand the immediate release of Ms Seher Tümer, Branch Secretary of SES (Trade union of public employees in health and social services), Turkey, an affiliate of Public Services International (PSI).

Ms Tümer has now been detained in an F-type prison for almost a year, with no clear charges being brought against her. We are convinced that her arrest is linked to her trade union activities.

We are sure that, as a member of the International labour Organisation and an aspiring member of the European Union, your Government will want to act swiftly to ensure that this breach of fundamental human and trade union rights is corrected.
Yours sincerely,

Molly’sBlog 2010-02-28 17:26:00


MOLLY'S LINKS:
OUR LINKS:
Molly continues to 'chug down' her links ala the Spanish CNT. I'm presently at the CNT in Catalonia, and there is a lot more that I have to list before I get out of the anarchosyndicalist ballpark. What can I say for now. Despite being restricted (more or less) to links that are in English, French or Spanish Molly's Blog is now far and away the most comprehensive list of links for anarchists contacts anywhere. We intend to complete expanding this section of the blog, and we hope you will help us. If any of our links are "dead" please inform us here or via Molly's Suggestion Box so that we can eliminate them. Help keep a listing current in less than four years.

The Picket Line — 1 March 2010

1 March 2010

Mr. and Mrs. Francis R. Riggs

The Miami News 1 March 1951

I didn’t find much else about the Riggses in on-line newspaper archives, but one other article, from 15 March 1950, reads:

Tax Collector Wins, But Refusal Registers War Tax Protest

The tax collectors always catch up with Mrs. Francis R. Riggs — by her own admissions — but she feels she scores a point.

The Cambridge woman was one of nearly a score of persons who participated in a public protest yesterday against use of tax funds for military purposes.

She told reporters that for seven years she had deducted from her federal income tax that proportion she believes is being spent to prepare for war.

This year, she said, she and her husband are withholding 39.3 per cent of their tax.

“They catch up with me in the end and charge me six per cent,” Mrs. Riggs said, “but I am convinced that public protest is morally right and necessary.”

The group, led by the Rev. Wolcott Cutler of St. John’s Protestant Episcopal Church, Charlestown, carried posters reading “I refuse war taxes” and “H-bombs return to burn.”

The posters said members of the group represented the Fellowship of Reconciliation, the War Resisters’ League and the Peacemakers.

The walked for an hour on Tremont Street between Park and Boylston Streets. The protest was timed to interest workers hurrying home at 5 P.M.

The MIT Tech ran this editorial in their 11 April 1950 edition:

The Saga of Valerie: The Tech receives all sorts of mail — bills, checks, Clipsheets from the Board of Temperance. But in garnering material for this article, I was handed a letter with the scribbled commentary, “required reading.” It is from one Valerie Riggs, who says that she has refused to pay income taxes since 1944 and is refusing again this year because, to put it simply, she doesn’t like the way the government is spending it. She says that “…those in our government who are deciding our fate for us … are consulting the cleverest minds in science to concoct the most diabolical schemes for killing innocent men, women, and children…” This is probably accurate enough to make the boys in Ballistics run their fingers around the insides of their collars, but Valerie has found the solution, fellows! Just refuse to pay your taxes, and the world situation is solved! Let’s all Laissez-faire with a big bang!

We appreciate the thought, but someone, whose initials are V.R., is being awfully idealistic. There is even an organization known as the Peacemakers whose members are doing the same as Valerie. So if any of you want to do away with your taxes, we can give you the address of these people and you too can refuse to pay. There’s only one catch — it’s illegal.

Personal Philosophy Part 1: Atheism

Hello my new blog readers! I realized today I've posted a few entries on here without really explaining anything about myself — something I intend to change right now! I think this will be the start of a series of posts about me, my thinking, my beliefs, etc. This one will be my thoughts [...]

Continue reading at Forward, the Absurd Hero! …

Tagged with:

Molly’sBlog 2010-02-28 15:47:00


INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-PHILIPPINES:
SOLIDARITY WITH PHILIPPINE WORKERS:
The following appeal for solidarity in two different labour disputes in the Philippines comes from the Maquila Solidarity Network.
PPPPPPPPPPPPPPP
Take action on Philippines labour rights abuses‏
Last fall, a high-level International Labour Organization (ILO) mission went to the Philippines to investigate “serious allegations of the murder of trade unionists, death threats, arrests of trade union leaders in connection with their trade union activities, widespread impunity relating to violence against trade unionists and the militarization of workplaces in export processing zones (EPZs) and special economic zones”. Their report is due to be released next month.
Unfortunately, violence and judicial persecution of trade union leaders and activists is continuing. Below, we urge you to support workers’ rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining by taking part in two action campaigns by labour and human rights promoters that highlight the continuing pattern of abuse of worker rights in the Philippines.
Karnation Industries:
Twenty workers at Karnation Industries were arrested during a 2007 strike against the illegal dismissal of union members, the non-payment of holiday pay and night bonuses, as well as a salary that was only half of the minimum wage at the time. They have spent two and a half years in prison, during which time two workers died from tuberculosis contracted since their incarceration. 14 workers were temporarily released on bail in November of 2009. Four of the workers remain in prison. All of the surviving workers are still facing charges, and the company has filed a motion to reverse the bail decision and return all of the workers to prison. Join the Asia Human Rights Committee in protesting the continuing judicial persecution of the Karnation 20 here.
Dole Food Company:
Managers at a Dole pineapple plantation in the Philippines have worked with the military on an intimidation campaign against an independent workers’ union and their democratically elected union leaders for the past four years. Workers who met recently with an International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) representative have been fired or suspended. Join the ILRF in protecting the rights of Dole workers to freedom of association and collective bargaining here.

Thank you for joining with the Maquila Solidarity Network in supporting the continuing efforts of labour and human rights workers on the ground.

--Maquila Solidarity Network
606 Shaw St.
Toronto, ON
M6G 3L6
Canada
416 532-8584

The Sisters Of Mercy – Temple Of Love (1992) (Single)

From Twitter: "Jon2aylor Trevor Phillips attacks grip of middle class http://bit.ly/dw2aHB >Phillips is right about this.."The definition of 'middle-class' is so fluid as to have rendered itself redundant as this article clearly testifies. The term is so meaningless that it has now begun to irk me, like so much else, when I see it used by people who you would think would know better.I don't have

I’ll be on the “Anarchy Time” Radio Show Tonight

I‘m a guest this week on Movement Radio’s Anarchy Time show, tonight at 9PM EST. Anarchy Time is an entertaining and informative show hosted by James Cox, Mandie Cunningham and Tom Ender. You can listen online for free every Sunday evening from 9-11PM EST. Almost 140 people have RSVP’d on Facebook for the show, so clearly it’s no joke. I hope you’ll give it a listen and call in with really tough questions for me!

Click here to listen at 9PM EST tonight. (You can also listen to the podcast recording of the show at the same link. It was a good show!)

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