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Comment by Nick Beddow on February 20, 2012 at 15:50

This weekend I have mainly been reading Eric Hobsbawm's "Changing The World" (which did my head in) and Monty Python's Autobiography (a huge book) (which did my back in) and was struck by the similarities between the bickering of Marxists and the bickerings of the Pythons (how Cleese and Jones didn't tear new bums off each other..perhaps they did) - so the Life of Brian inspiration for the Judean Peoples Front could well have been rooted as much in Python dynamics as a hooting satire of left wing sects. Does it matter? Not a bit. Why am I mentioning it then? I've got no idea. I'll get my coat then...

Comment by Lady Lindsay Langlands on February 20, 2012 at 1:08

Nick ,I fear no such luck is on the horizon..on a humourous note ,perhaps I should act on the old saying, "If you can't beat em join em " so ..just buy a Boat , Name it the "Love Boat " hire a skipper and find Gilligan's Island. I'd be self employed.. wouldn't have to pay any tax, nor sufer the disappointment and frustration the current status does create.:)

Comment by Nick Beddow on February 19, 2012 at 15:19

Hi Lady, I hope that all political asylum seekers (activists like us) receive such consideration from every govt on the earth. And are welcomed by the general community

Comment by Lady Lindsay Langlands on February 19, 2012 at 14:51

The thin edge of the wedge is now begining. The gvt here has jsut announced that they are going to allow 1/3rd of all Political Asylum seekers who sail into Australian waters on Boats, without any papers to substantiate who they actually are , to live in with the general community while their applications are processe. Boats of approx 100 people are arriving 3 times a week .The boat asylum seekers pay people smugglers about $5,000.00 each to be ferried here.However don't have any identity docos.The Govt is spending approx $8,000.00 per single person or family on Fridges,Washing Machines,Furniture ,TV's etc etc. They will be given free medical , free dental and free rent.They will also receive Govt benefits to live on during the time they are being processed, all at the taxpayers expense. Meanwhile back at the ranch , low income earners have to wait up to 8 yrs per Govt housing,the homeless figures are growing, as is unemployment. Electricity ,water ,land and council rates are all going through the roofr.A new carbon tax is being applied as of the 1st July. The govt rebate per private health insurance is undergoing big reform ,so high income earners will drop out,and mid income earners willl have to pay more..mortgage interest has risen 6 times in twelve months , is there something not quite right here ?? If you dare to say so..the PC come out of the workwork and call you a racist and a bigot. I must be mentally disadvanged myself it seems , as I can't see any benefit per the hard working taxpayers in this. Aged Pensioners are too poor to be able to afford to have their heaters on......I'm quite frankly more than fed up ...           

Comment by Nick Beddow on February 18, 2012 at 19:33

Great to see everyone's so happy :) Keep on keeping on

Comment by penny waterhouse on February 10, 2012 at 14:53

hi lady - I come at this from a different starting point. I can't say I pay much attention to politicians at all. an old anarchist saying is "whoever you vote for the government gets in" and since there is little difference between them all, giving them attention simply encourages their bad behaviour. And I certainly don't expect the answer to capitalism to come from politicians in the western world.

the dilemma for me is, since their bad behaviour impacts on our lives, what sort of response can we make: principled exit (take care of ourselves, with or without them); critical engagement (to show that we are watching and at least paying some attention to accountability and making it difficult for them to make their progress); direct action (we'll take what we want - especially since their club does this all the time). And I'm sure there are lots of other possibilities.

I think it's really difficult for those working directly with people harshly affected by inequality and greed, how to square the circle of current power relations and the high level of need resulting from the poor state of play. So if they whinge, I hope it makes them feel better, since there's very little left as a remedy. And as we, at NCIA say.....Dissent Protects Democracy.

so let's have more of it and hope that the hot air gets us to take off and find our own solutions!

My solution of today is deciding to repaint my bathroom lino. surely this will help to topple global capitalism......?

Comment by Nick Beddow on February 7, 2012 at 11:38

A big thankyou to my fellow activists who have encouraged me through the bad-back business: a new tune for the NatCAN band:

"I'm a vertebrate

And I'm okay

I sleep all night

And I stand all day

I go to shelves

And reach my lunch

I slip on snow

Bejasus - crunch! "

 

Comment by Nick Beddow on February 6, 2012 at 23:33

My back is sorted I think - just been down the local pub for a jam and it feels fine again and behaving almost like a back. OK - Gloomy Sunday it is - saw a fantastically surprising interview on Breakfast one morning before setting off for work a couple of weeks ago, where a music psychologist talked about how sad songs make us feel happy because we can choose to be sad and enjoy it and then loads of endorphins join in - she was a proper surprise on a crap programme :)

Comment by penny waterhouse on February 6, 2012 at 19:58

how's your back nick?

on band songs....I prefer "gloomy sunday" followed by "feeling good". the girls always get the best songs I reckon

Comment by Nick Beddow on February 6, 2012 at 17:04

Nothing personal mate but I'd prefer "Leave Your Clothes On" :)

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