MANITOU

A Message from Syria by actor Fadwa Soliman

2011-12-02T13:51:00.005-09:00

No Time for Losers

2011-11-20T12:26:00.016-09:00

Darwinian principles should apply in the euro zone and the rule of survival of the fittest prevail, with the strongest economies having the leading say in how the bloc is run, Finland's Europe Minister Alex Stubb said on Thursday. Setting out his argument for the euro zone's six triple-A rated countries to have more influence in the region's economic management, Stubb said the 13-year-old currency needed to look to its strongest members to secure the future. "We've been looking at the whole debate from the wrong end, we've been looking at countries that we need to save and help all the time," he told Reuters in an interview. "For me, the euro is a Darwinist system, it is the survival of the fittest. The markets take care of that, and I think that's the best way we can keep up market pressure," said Stubb, who is himself a fitness fanatic and frequently completing Ironman triathlons.

- Reuters, 17 November 2011

Welche Werkzeuge findet der Planet-Manager vor? Wie kann er seinen Auftrag wahrnehmen, während ringsumher die überflüssigen Massen nicht nur nach Brot, sondern nach Lebenssinn schreien? Wenn die ständigen Massaker auf dem ganzen Globus sich immer unabweisbarer als Schlachten im Kampf um Wasser und Ackerboden entpuppen?

Zunächst muß überwacht werden, und zwar gründlich und lückenlos. Hitlers Drittes Reich hatte für damalige Verhältnisse einen gewaltigen Lausch- und Spähapparat aufgebaut, aber verglichen mit den Verhältnissen unter Stalin, und natürlich erst recht im Vergleich zu den heutigen Möglichkeiten, war er eine recht altmodische und klapprige Angelegenheit…

Es wird auch selektiert werden müssen. Gut, die Sache der Menschenrechte hat in der zweiten Jahrhunderthälfte Fortschritte gemacht, kein Zweifel…

Dennoch, es wird selektiert. Hier und heute.

Manchmal findet die Auswahl äußerst konkret statt, und dann zeigt sich, daß sie immer noch nach alten Kriterien funktioniert. Rupert Neudeck, der Initiator der „Cap Anamur“-Hilfe, hat erst jüngst darauf hingewiesen, daß bei den großen Massakern in Ruanda zunächst und reflexhaft die Weißen ausgeflogen wurden – einschließlich belgischer Nonnen, die sich solche rassistische Präferenz, die nicht ganz ihren Ordensgelübden entsprach, durchaus gefallen ließen. Es konnte dabei zu der grotesken, aber bezeichnenden Situation kommen, daß ein US-amerikanischer Diplomat zurückgelassen wurde, weil er eine schwarze Haut hat und man ihn deshalb automatisch zu den Überflüssigen rechnete.

Selektiert wird von der transnationalen Finanzmacht schon vorher, wenn es um die Verlängerung von Krediten, die Umschuldung der Ärmsten, die Bedingungen für weiter gewährtes Wohlwollen geht.

Selektiert wird durch die GATT-Abkommen, welche der sicherste und unauffälligste Weg zur Ausrottung etwa noch existierender traditioneller Gesellschaften und Kulturen sind.

Selektiert wird an den Grenzen des Schengener Abkommens, auf deutschen Flughäfen, wo das einst sehr liberale deutsche Asylrecht zu einem bürokratischen Fegefeuer geworden ist. Sinn solcher Selektion ist die Bewahrung des Wohlstandsgefälles, das nicht zuletzt durch die vorhergehende Selektion, nämlich die terms of trade, die internationalen Handelsbedingungen, entstanden ist.

Selektiert wird in nie dagewesener Breite und Gründlichkeit in der Arbeitswelt. Die jahrtausendelang geltende Qualifikation eines arbeitswilligen Normalmenschen, der über starke Muskeln, geschickte Hände und einige Ausdauer verfügt, ist völlig unwichtig geworden. Man geht davon aus, daß die erwünschte Produktion der Weltwirtschaft dank der technisch-wissenschaftlichen Innovation von etwa zwanzig Prozent der Weltbevölkerung geleistet werden kann. Der Rest wird vorläufig von der schon etwas tatterigen Wach- und Schließgesellschaft der Nationalstaaten betreut, aber eines Tages, das ist vorauszusehen, muß er entsorgt werden.

Selektiert wird aber auch in den obersten Stockwerken der Weltökonomie. Die Riesensaurier mit den großen Firmen- und Konzernnamen verschlingen einander in mehr oder weniger freundlichen takeovers, wobei mehr oder weniger klar der Endzustand eines weltweiten Gesamtkapitalisten am Horizont erscheint. Wackere Kartellämter versuchen die Entwicklung wenigstens zu bremsen, aber allzuviel Glück haben sie dabei nicht. Man hat für diese Spielchen die Regeln der grausamen Königin in den ökonomischen Regelkreis hineingenommen; was dabei an Schicksalen den Bach hinunter geht, ist unvermeidlich, also uninteressant, und wird höchstens durch sogenannte Sozialpläne abgefedert. Der Gesamtkapitalist am Ende der Selektionskette kann sich dann als Planet-Manager konstituieren und die große Rechnung aufmachen, die über kurz oder lang fällig ist.

- Carl Amery, Hitler als Vorläufer. Auschwitz – der Beginn des 21.Jahrhunderts ?, Luchterhand, München 1998, Seite 176-179 (gekürzt)

Die Bundesrepublik Deutschland ist ein demokratischer und sozialer Bundesstaat. Alle Staatsgewalt geht vom Volke aus. Sie wird vom Volke in Wahlen und Abstimmungen und durch besondere Organe der Gesetzgebung, der vollziehenden Gewalt und der Rechtsprechung ausgeübt. Die Gesetzgebung ist an die verfassungsmäßige Ordnung, die vollziehende Gewalt und die Rechtsprechung sind an Gesetz und Recht gebunden. Gegen jeden, der es unternimmt, diese Ordnung zu beseitigen, haben alle Deutschen das Recht zum Widerstand, wenn andere Abhilfe nicht möglich ist.

- Grundgesetz der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Artikel 20 (der letzte Satz über das Widerstandsrecht wurde 1968, im Zuge der Notstandsgesetze, in den Gesetzestext eingefügt)

***

Music: Queen’s "We Are the Champions", released as single the 7 October 1977, is from their studio album "News of the World". It has become an anthem for sporting victories and was recently voted catchiest pop song of all time by some sort of 'rocket scientists' who were relying on ‘maths, science, engineering and technology’… I don't like this song, because for me it’s the secret anthem of neoliberalism.

This Is Not America

2011-11-16T13:37:00.009-09:00

Das System der Befehle ist allgemein anerkannt. Am schärfsten ausgeprägt hat es sich wohl in den Armeen. Aber viele andere Bereiche des zivilisierten Lebens sind vom Befehl ergriffen und gezeichnet. Der Tod als Drohung ist die Münze der Macht. Es ist leicht, hier Münze auf Münze zu legen und enorme Kapitalien anzusammeln. Wer der Macht beikommen will, der muß den Befehl ohne Scheu ins Auge fassen und die Mittel finden, ihn seines Stachels zu berauben.

- Elias Canetti, Masse und Macht (Crowds and Power), Schluß

According to the Syrian Uprising 2011 Information Center (16/11/2011), the place where this man is tortured and mistreated is Kafr Nabl, 40 km south of Idlib, Syria.

Fear Form Flying

2011-11-10T11:46:00.017-09:00

- Politics is over, Charles, it doesn’t touch the public imagination any longer. Religions emerged too early in human evolution – they set up symbols that people took literally, and they’re as dead as a line of totem poles. Religions should have come later, when the human race begin to near the end. Sadly, crime is the only spur that rouses us. We’re fascinated by that “other world” where everything is possible.

- Most people would say there’s more than enough crime already.

- But not here !

-- J. G. Ballard, Cocaine Nights (1996), Counterpoint, Washington, D.C. 1998, page 245

Über solch gut und so rein geschriebenen Nonsens mag man nicht diskutieren. Zwischen der beliebig hervorragenden Ästhetik gewisser Phänomene, z.B. der Kristallisierung der Welt oder des vom Busch und Krokodilen überschwemmten London und der wachsenden Existenz, die in diesen Phänomen vernichtet wird, gibt es keinerlei Übergänge. Eine Guillotine, ganz mit Veilchen geschmückt, bleibt eine Guillotine. Die Ästhetik der Vernichtungsformen, das ist eine Sache, und ihr, das persönliche Sein vernichtender Charakter, ist eine andere Sache; zwischen den Kategorien der Eschatologie und der Ästhetik gibt es keine Konjunktionen. Wenn wir das sagen, dann tun wir das nicht als blinde, hartnäckige Anhänger des empirischen Credo. Keineswegs ! Nur, in welche ontologische und metaphysische Ordnung eigentlich sollen wir diese Art der Beziehung „Subjekt – Objekt“ hineinstecken, damit eine Begriffsadäquation entsteht ? Denn rein ästhetische Argumente sind kein Fundament für eine Metaphysik als Existenztheorie. Wenn Glaubensliturgien schöne Objekte benutzen, dann gilt diese Schönheit nicht als autonom: ist sie doch sakral geweiht. Dadurch kann sie nicht völlig geschlossen in ihrer Ästhetik gehalten werden. Sie ist nur ein Signum der Offenbarung, ein Hinweis auf die Anmut der Transzendenz, sie tritt hier nur zeitweilig in den Rechten eines symbolischen Vertreters auf. Wir würden daher jeden für irre halten, der das Kreuzeszeichen durch ein Kreiszeichen zu ersetzen verlangt, weil – seiner Meinung nach – „ein Kreis schöner als ein Kreuz“ sei; als einen Irren und nicht als einen Metaphysiker sollen wir auch denjenigen ansehen, der uns die Vernichtung schmackhaft machen will, indem er ihr ein ästhetisch attraktives Äußeres gibt. Nicht der ist heiliger, der auf dem Scheiterhaufen schöner brennt …

Die Erzählungen Ballards sind jedoch im allgemeinen gut geschrieben.

-- Stanisław Lem, Phantastik und Futurologie I (polnisch 1970), Frankfurt am Main 1984, Seite 283 (über Ballards Roman „The Illuminated Man“ und die Erzählung „The Drowned World“)

While in the RAF, Ballard also wrote his first science fiction story, "Passport to Eternity", as a pastiche and summary of the American science fiction he had read.

He left the RAF in 1954 after two years and returned to England. In 1955 he married Helen Mary Matthews and settled in Chiswick, the first of their three children being born the following year. From 1957, Ballard worked as assistant editor on the scientific journal "Chemistry and Industry". In 1960 Ballard moved with his family to the middle-class London suburb of Shepperton in Surrey. In 1964 Ballard's wife Mary died suddenly of pneumonia, leaving him to raise their three children – James, Fay and Bea Ballard – by himself.

--http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._G._Ballard

Ballard zog seine drei Kinder alleine auf. Er behauptete, die Hausarbeit lasse sich in fünf Minuten erledigen, vorausgesetzt, man mache keinen Fetisch aus der Sache. Die Presse belegte ihn mit dem Beinamen "Prophet von Shepperton".

-- http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Graham_Ballard

1955 heiratete J.G. Ballard die aus wohlhabenden Verhältnissen stammende Sekretärin Mary Matthews. In „Wunder des Lebens“ erinnert er sich, daß sie im Gegensatz zu seinen Eltern von seiner Zukunft als Autor überzeugt war, ihm anfangs sogar ihre Schreibmaschine lieh. Pragmatisch, aber auch romantisch.

--Wolfgang Frömberg, „Ein Leben wie im Flug“, FAZ, 10. November 2011, Seite 30 (über Ballards jetzt in deutscher Übersetzung bei Edition Phantasia erschienene Autobiographie „Miracles of Life")

PHOTO: JG Ballard and his children. He acknowledged reading his daughters' copies of the "New Musical Express" during the punk era. "I'd grab it from them and start reading avidly, because it seemed to convey the news, not about rock music, which I wasn't interested in, but about the larger world." - J. G. Ballard mit seinen Kindern Fay, James und Beatrice

http://www.rrr.org.au/playlist/5740/

O Banqueiro Anarquista

2011-06-01T10:51:00.009-08:00

Wir hatten das Abendessen beendet. Mir gegenüber saß mein Freund, der Bankier, ein großer Händler und namhafter Schieber; er rauchte wie einer, der nicht denkt. Die Unterhaltung war allmählich ins Stocken geraten und erstarrte schließlich ganz. Ich versuchte auf gut Glück, sie wieder in Gang zu bringen und bediente mich dabei der erstbesten Idee, die mir durch den Kopf ging. Lächelnd wandte ich mich ihm zu:

"Richtig! Mir wurde erzählt, Sie seien früher Anarchist gewesen."

"Ich bin es nicht nur gewesen, ich bin es noch immer. In dieser Hinsicht habe ich mich nicht geändert. Ich bin Anarchist."

"Was Sie nicht sagen! Sie und Anarchist? Und wieso wären Sie Anarchist? ... Sie verstehen das Wort vielleicht anders..."

"Anders im gewöhnlichen Sinn? Nein, keineswegs. Ich gebrauche es ganz im gewöhnlichen Sinn."

"Sie wollen also sagen, Sie seien Anarchist im selben Sinne wie diese Typen von den Arbeiterorganisationen? Es gäbe also keinen Unterschied zwischen Ihnen und diesen Bombenlegern und Gewerkschaftstypen ?"

"Daß ich nicht das Leben der Bombenleger und Gewerkschaftstypen führe, stimmt. Doch deren Leben spielt sich jenseits des Anarchismus, jenseits ihrer Ideale ab. Meines nicht. In mir - jawohl, in mir, dem Bankier, dem großen Händler und Schieber, wenn Sie es so hören wollen - in mir vereinigen sich beide, Theorie und Praxis des Anarchismus, auf's genaueste. Sie haben mich mit diesen Idioten von Bombenlegern, mit denen von der Gewerkschaft verglichen, um zu beweisen, ich sei anders als sie. Das bin ich auch, nur ist der Unterschied folgender: die da (jawohl, die da, nicht ich) sind nur in der Theorie Anarchisten, ich bin es in der Theorie und in der Praxis. Die da sind Anarchisten und Dummköpfe, ich bin Anarchist und gescheit. Darum mein Guter, bin ich der wahre Anarchist!"

- Fernando Pessoa, Ein anarchistischer Bankier (1922)

***

Die deutsche Übersetzung von Reinold Werner erschien 1986 als Quartheft 146 im Berliner Verlag Klaus Wagenbach.

Don't do it, Ameneh !

2011-05-13T14:47:00.008-08:00

Ameneh Bahrami is an Iranian woman blinded and badly disfigured in an acid attack by a fellow student at Tehran university in October 2004, after she had rejected his romantic advances. In the following trial she informed the court that she desired "to inflict the same life on him that he inflicted on me". In February 2009, the criminal court ordered qisas (retaliation) on her attacker and entitled her to blind him with acid as well. This sentence was reportedly set to be carried out on Saturday the 14th May 2011; it was postponed at the 11th hour on Saturday, the ISNA news agency reported.

The Trial of Jesus

2011-04-22T10:26:00.018-08:00

The trial of Jesus (Christ before Caiphas)

Scrovegni Chapel, Padua, Italy, painted 1304-1313 by Giotto

"Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death."

- The Holy Gospel according to Mark, Chapter 14, 61-64

See also this story according to Matthew, Chapter 26, line 63-66. The essential difference between both texts is that Marc says the high priest tore his shirt (in biblical Greek: tous chitônas), while Matthew identifies him expressingly as Caiphas and says he tore his cloak (tà imátia). Luke and John do not report this gesture. The rending or tearing of one’s clothes (as a sign of intense grief and anger) is a common mourning practice in historical Mediterranean & Near Eastern cultures and other parts of the world. In Jewish tradition it is known as Kriah.

The Arab Revolution

2011-02-25T12:40:00.034-09:00

On February 21st protesters gather in Libya's second-largest city, Benghazi, where the uprising against the regime of Col. Muammar el-Gaddafi began the 16th February. The protesters made their own flags to replace those representing their dictator's regime (Photo via Public Broadcasting Service, USA)

On February 25th, the first Friday prayer service since Benghazi declared itself free from Colonel Gaddafi, was charged with emotion, both triumph and anger. Worshipers cried as an imam, on a stage and through loudspeakers, gave a defiant, impassioned speech about liberating Tripoli, and the fight for justice and freedom. Benghazi is now being run by committees of citizens (Photo: Suhaib Salem/Reuters via Boston Globe; with text from NYT)

In Benghazi, a relative mourns the death of Ahmed Sarawi, 36, who was killed in recent clashes. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said today that reports indicated that "thousands may have been killed or injured" during the regime's bloody attacks against the uprising. (Photo: Suhaib Salem/Reuters via Boston Globe)

Migrant laborers and other expatriates prepare to board a ship going to Greece from the Libyan harbor in Benghazi. (Photo: Asmaa Waguih/Reuters via Boston Globe)

The Libyan uprising and brutal counterattacks by forces still loyal to Muammar el-Gaddafi have prompted tens of thousands to flee, including these Chinese evacuees arriving on the Greek part of the island of Crete. Many of those fleeing were able to take Greek ferries to safety; others were stuck in Libyan ports waiting for ships to arrive and seas to calm. The main airport in Libya has been overrun with people desperate to leave, witnesses say. (Photo/text: Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images via Boston Globe)

Libyan protesters shout slogans against Libyan leader Muammar el-Gaddafi in front of the Libyan embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Photo: Getty Images via New Statesman, UK)

Anti-government protesters attend a rally in Taiz, Yemen, on February 25th. It was the biggest pro-democracy protest day in Yemen's recent history. Local media reported 30,000 demonstrators in Sana'a and more than 100,000 nationwide. In Saana where also 10,000 government loyalists took to the streets the protestors called for an end to the 32-year reign of President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The protest was peaceful, though at times tense. Protesters want better living conditions as well as political reform. One banner read simply: "Look at the gap between rich and poor." In the southern port city of Aden with more than 10,000 people on the streets two people were killed and thirty-four wounded, mostly by live bullets, witnesses said. (Photo: Reuters via Time, USA; text from The Guardian, UK, and The Peninsula, Qatar)

Sana'a, Yemen, 25 February: An anti-government protester chants slogans demanding the resignation of President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The president ordered security services to protect protesters. (Photot/text: Muhammed Muheisen/AP via The Guardian, UK)

Iraqi anti-government protesters confronting the riot police during a demonstration in Baghdad on Friday 25th, billed as "day of rage". Thousands marched on government buildings and clashed with security forces Friday in cities across Iraq in an outpouring of anger that left eleven people dead — the largest and most violent anti-government protests in the country since political unrest began spreading in the Arab world weeks ago. (Photo/text: AP via Arab News, Saudi-Arabia)

Bahraini protesters thronged Manama on Friday to demand the end of the ruling Sunni regime, as top US military officer Admiral Mike Mullen reaffirmed Washington's commitment to embattled King Hamad. "The people want to topple the regime!" roared tens of thousands of demonstrators in Pearl Square, which has become the epicentre of protests that began on February 14th (Photo: Associated Press; text: Agence France-Presse)

Today, February 25th, protesters, not satisfied with only ridding Egypt of Mubarak, protested the new cabinet. Tens of thousands rallied in Cairo's Tahrir Square, keeping the pressure on Egypt's military rulers to carry out reforms and calling for the dismissal of members of the Mubarak regime who are still in place. (Photo: Khalil Hamra/AP; text: Axis of Logic)

Tunisians chant slogans as they hold Tunisian and old Libyan flags during an anti-Gaddafi protest at the Tunisian-Libyan border crossing of Ras Jdir. Weighed down with suitcases, blankets, and, for some, horrific memories, people fled into Tunisia by the thousands. (Photo/text: Zohra Bensemra/Reuters via Boston Globe)

Tunisia's and Egypt's Revolution

2011-02-11T13:09:00.010-09:00

Tarek el-Tayyib Mohamed Ben Bouazizi, known as Basboosa, the street vendor who set himself on fire on December 17, 2010, in protest of the confiscation of his wares and sparked the Tunisian Revolution

An Egyptian woman cries as she celebrates the news of the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak, who handed control of the country to the military, Friday night, in Tahrir Square, Cairo

On Revolution

2011-02-04T21:10:00.030-09:00

Cairo, Friday night: Several thousand demonstrators remained in Tahrir Square, for the Night Prayer and Protest, after curfew (Photo: Ed Ou for The New York Times)

From the writings of Ruhollah Khomeini:

"All governments in the world are based on bayonets. We do not know any monarchy or republic in the contemporary world that is founded on justice and reason. They all maintain themselves only by repression."

From the New York Times, USA (by Anthony Shadid):

" 'We decided on eliminating all businessmen', Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq said Friday of his cabinet in an interview with Al Arabiya, an Arabic satellite channel, in a gesture toward protesters who have made Mr. Ezz a symbol of everything corrupt about the state."

From the Press Trust of India via Hindustan Times:

"A failed assassination bid against Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman has left two of his bodyguards dead, according to a media report. The incident was reported by Fox News which said, "Such an attempt on the life of Omar Suleiman would mark an alarming turn in the uprising against the government of President Hosni Mubarak, who only recently named Suleiman as Vice President in an effort to quell the unrest and possibly line up a successor." White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, however, refused to comment on the issue."

From the Indo-Asian News Service via Deccan Herald, India:

"Protesters stand their ground in Cairo square

Cairo, Feb 5, (IANS):

Defiant protesters continued to camp in Cairo's Tahrir Square to seek the ouster of Hosni Mubarak, a day after tens of thousands of Egyptians held a ''day of departure'' for their president who has ruled for the past 30 years.

Demonstrators stood their ground in Tahrir Square, the focal point of the unrest that has swept through the country. Massive protests also took place in Alexandria, Mahalla and Giza. The protests entered the 12th day Saturday.

Mubarak is under intense pressure to quit as the protests gained momentum. He said he is willing to step down at the end of his term in September, but refused to quit now. He has even warned that if he leaves now, there will be chaos in the country.The protesters are unimpressed with Mubarak's statement and have kept up their demand for his immediate ouster.

Al Jazeera reported Saturday that protests continued into the night as the demonstrators defied a curfew. The newly relaxed curfew now runs from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. local time.

The protesters have made it clear that they would not budge till Mubarak steps down.

"It's either death, or freedom," a protester said.

'Go Mubarak!' chanted the protesters.

Egypt's Defence Minister Mohamed Hussein Tantawi was a surprise visitor to ground zero Tahrir Square Friday. He met his military commanders and a few protesters [see photo below].

The square has been encircled by the army with checkpoints at a few entrances and the soldiers have been trying to keep the pro-Mubarak supporters away from the anti-president demonstrators [see also this Tahrir square protest diagramm].

The unrest had turned violent Wednesday when bloody clashes took place between the pro- and anti-government supporters, leaving 13 people dead and over 1,000 injured. It has been estimated that around 300 people have died across Egypt.

On Friday, there was a huge cheer when a rumour went around that Mubarak had stepped down. The protest leaders quickly said it was false. The protesters became even more upbeat, saying it will be true the next time around.

An Egyptian journalist died Friday of a gunshot wound suffered while covering the unrest a week ago in Cairo, the Committee to Protect Journalists said in New York.

Ahmad Mohamed Mahmoud, who was working for the newspaper al-Ta'awun, was hit by what the newspaper described as sniper fire while filming a confrontation between security forces and protesters Jan 28 near Cairo's Tahrir Square, DPA reported.

His death Friday was the first by a journalist covering the unrest in Egypt, according to CPJ. A number of journalists have been detained or assaulted while covering the protests in Egypt.

Hosni Mubarak said he doesn't care what people say about him and was fed up of being president.

"I don't care what people say about me. Right now I care about my country, I care about Egypt," said Mubarak. Mubarak, 82, told ABC News that he was fed up of being president.

He said he would like to leave now, but can't as he fears that the country would sink into chaos, ABC News reported."

A natural gas pipeline exploded on Saturday in El Arish in Egypt's North Sinai, after mass protests broke out in the country more than a week ago (Photo: Xinhua)

Egyptian Journalist Dies of Gunshot Wounds (A roundup on violence against journalists, from Associated Press via New York Times)

Saboteurs attack Egypt gas pipeline to Israel (Agence France-Presse via Ma'an News Agency, Palestine, see also Jerusalem Post, Israel)

Anti-Mubarak protests staged in Mauritanian capital (trend, Azerbaijan)

We Are All Egyptians (New York Times' Nicholas Kristof reporting from Tahrir Square on Thursday)

Mubarak's Hired Thugs - Rural Poor Paid To Attack Opposition Supporters (Der Spiegel, Germany, via Free Interned Press, USA)

Egypt's defense minister, Mohamed Tantawi, center (with cap), spoke with demonstrators on Friday in Cairo. (Photo: Khaled Desouki/AFP- Getty)

Source:

Ayatollah Khomeini, Meine Worte. Weisheiten-Warnungen-Weisungen (Auszüge aus Valayat-e Faqih, Kaschfol Asrar und Touzih-ul Masa'el), München 1980, Seite 19 (Original title: Principes politiques, philosophiques, sociaux et religieux, Paris 1979)

Growing concerns over rise in killings - UN urges Iran to halt executions

2011-02-03T13:59:00.022-09:00

Undated photo of Zahra Bahrami, an Iranian-Dutch citizen, who was executed under dubious circumstances in Tehran on Saturday, January 30

While there seems to be no change in the cases of Sakineh Ashtiani and Habibollah Latifi (who are still supposed remaining on death row), there are now growing concerns not only in Western media over a dramatic rise of executions so far in 2011 in Iranian prisons. Expressing alarm at the increase, United Nations human rights chief Navi Pillay said on Wednesday at least 66 people were executed in January in Iran, while Ms Pillay’s aides said they had recorded about 300 executions for the whole of last year.

Two Iranian opposition leaders, Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, have also condemned the growing number of executions in Iran, while expressing support for the popular movements that are shaking up countries in the Arab world.

On Monday, the U.S. State Department had urged the Iranian government to halt executions after Tehran hanged Zahra Bahrami, a Dutch-Iranian woman, saying she was a drug smuggler. The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran has said the drug charges were only a pretext to execute Bahrami, and the Netherlands froze all ties with Iran on Sunday, a day after the hanging. According to Reuters news agency her family said the charge was fabricated after she was arrested for participating in anti-government protests in 2009.

According to the United Nations Office for Human Rights (Geneva), there are at least three known cases in which Iranian political activists were executed in January. The three persons, Jafar Kazemi, Mohammad Ali Haj Aqaei and another man whose name was not disclosed, were affiliated with banned political parties. Kazemi and Aqaei were arrested in September 2009 during protests. All three were convicted of mohareb or "enmity against God", and hanged last month.

In the United States there were forty-six executions in 2010 and four executions so far in January 2011 (and more than 3.000 prisoners are actually waiting on death row).

At least 66 executions in Iran's death penalty in January - UN says (BNO News, Netherlands, via New Kerala, India)

Iran: UN Human Rights chief concerned about recent spate of executions (United Nations Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights, Geneva)

UN experts call for a moratorium on death penalty in the Islamic Republic of Iran (United Nations Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights)

Concerns grow over fate of Political prisoner in Iran after disappearance (National Council of Resistance in Iran, an organisation linked to the People's Mujahedin of Iran)

Iranian opposition leaders speak out against surge in executions (Payvand, San Francisco)

Message of Zahra Bahrami's execution to the world (Radio Zamaneh, Netherlands, via Payvand, San Francisco)

Zahra Bahrami Executed in Iran (Rohama.org, Union of Islamic World Students, Tehran)

2 Terrorists Jafar Kazemi and Mohammad Ali Haj Aqaei Executed in Iran (Rohama.org)

Death Row Prisoner's Father: Confessions After 17 Months of torture (International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, Netherlands, via Payvand, San Francisco)

Dutch gov't seeks return of hanged woman’s body (Reuters via cnews, Canada)

No change in Ashtiani case, says Iranian judiciary (Roundup) (DPA, Germany, via Monsters & Critics, UK & USA)

Judiciary still examining Sakineh Ashtiani case (Tehran Times, Iran)

Iran: 103 Hinrichtungen seit Beginn des Jahres 2011 (Weblog von Ali Schirasi, Germany)

Alle 8 Stunden wird im Iran ein Mensch hingerichtet (Weblog von Ali Schirasi)

Iran: Elf Jahre Gefängnis für Nasrin Sotoudeh (Weblog von Ali Schirasi)

Feuer unter der Asche - Wo ist die iranische Frauenbewegung? Man hört nichts mehr und sieht nichts mehr (Frankfurter Rundschau, Germany)

Women, Islam, Egypt and Iran (The Huffington Post, USA)

Iran urged to drop prison sentences against human rights activists (Amnesty International)

Die Menschenrechte im Iran als Herausforderung für die Weltgemeinschaft (IranAnders.de, Germany)

USA Executions 2011 (as of 01/25/11) (Website of Rick Halperin, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, USA)

Iranian Lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh was arrested in September 2010 on charges of spreading propaganda and conspiring to harm state security. In January 2011, she has been sentenced to 11 years in prison in addition to barring her from practicing law and from leaving the country for 20 years.

To help Ms Sotoudeh, write letters to the Iranian authorities. More information is here (in German, with English summary).

Lawyer: Iran halts execution of Kurdish student

2010-12-26T12:01:00.007-09:00

From Agence France-Presse:

"Iran halts execution of Kurdish student: lawyer

By Hiedeh Farmani (AFP)

TEHRAN — Iran has halted the execution of Kurdish student Habibolah Latifi, who was due to be hanged on Sunday for backing a separatist rebel group, his lawyer told the ISNA news agency.

"The verdict has been halted for the moment," lawyer Nemat Ahmadi told the agency. "The sentence has not been carried out and he has met with his family this morning."

A court in the western city of Sanandaj, Kordestan province, had notified Latifi's other lawyer that he would be hanged Sunday morning, Ahmadi said.

Latifi, a law student, has been convicted of waging war against God (moharebeh) for supporting PJAK, the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan, a banned Iranian-Kurdish rebel group.

In a letter to the judiciary chief Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani on Saturday, Ahmadi said he had requested "a delay in carrying out the verdict, a fair and lawful investigation and commuting of the sentence."

The announcement came as rights groups Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch called on Iranian authorities not to go ahead with Latifi's execution.

Latifi was originally sentenced to death in 2008 for taking part in armed acts in the western province of Kordestan, according to his other lawyer Saleh Nikbakht -- a ruling upheld on appeal in February 2009.

He was detained in November 2007 and charged with taking part in an assault on the car of the prosecutor in Sanandaj, the capital of Kordestan, and attacking a police station the same year.

According to Nikbakht, Latifi had admitted being a PJAK supporter but denied committing acts of violence. The student told the court he was not in Sanandaj when the attacks took place.

London-based Amnesty on Saturday urged Iran to commute the sentence, after hearing from his lawyer that he was to be executed Sunday at Sanandaj prison in Kordestan.

"While we recognise that governments have a responsibility to bring to justice those who commit crimes, this must be done according to international standards for fair trial," said Amnesty's Malcolm Smart.

"It is clear that Habibolah Latifi did not receive a fair trial by international standards, which makes the news of his impending execution all the more abhorrent," said Smart, Amnesty's Middle East and North Africa director.

The New York-based Human Rights Watch issued a similar statement on Friday, calling on Iran's judges to rescind the execution order and suggesting that Latifi had not had a fair trial.

"The circumstances surrounding Latifi's arrest, detention, and conviction strongly suggest that the Iranian authorities have violated his fundamental rights," said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.

"As in numerous previous security cases, intelligence agents appear to have subjected Latifi to torture and a court sentenced him to death without any convincing evidence against him."

In Paris, a group of between 20 and 30 demonstrators picketed the Iranian embassy in the early hours of Sunday, with some protesters chaining themselves to the railings outside, organisers and police said.

Officers eventually moved in to cut the chains of the protesters and break up what they said was an unauthorised demonstration, said a police spokesman.

Hundreds of militants from the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged a bloody campaign for self-rule in southeast Turkey, and its sister group in Iran, PJAK, are based in the mountains of northern Iraq."

Save the life of Habibollah Latifi

2010-12-25T02:36:00.016-09:00

Habibollah Latifi, a Kurdish student and political activist, currently imprisoned at the Sanandaj Prison in south-western Iran, is according to his lawyer under the immediate threat of execution. His niece says Habib has been accused of moharebeh, enmity with God, through a fabricated case of the Sanandaj Intelligence Office. Habib himself said in court that they have extracted confessions from him under special circumstances and under torture. Nemat Ahmadi, the other lawyer of Latifi, said on Saturday that he is presently at the Head of the Judiciary’s office to deliver a letter addressed to Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani, the Head of the Judiciary System of Iran, requesting clemency for his client, as well as objecting to the way this case has been reviewed. Ahmadi said he is hoping to receive a reply by 5:00 p.m. today.

I beg and pray to God, the All Gracious, the All Merciful - Save the life of Habibollah Latifi

From the Guardian:

""Iran poised to execute student accused of being Kurd terrorist

Habibollah Latifi's family say he is not member of separatist group but is being punished for his political activism

A 29-year-old Iranian student activist is facing execution tomorrow unless an international campaign launched by human rights groups can persuade authorities to quash his conviction.

Habibollah Latifi, a politically active student of civil engineering at Azad University, in the south-western province of Ilam , is scheduled to be executed in Sanandaj prison tomorrow, following what his lawyer has described as an unfair trial.

His family is pleading with the international community to urge Iran to stop his execution.

"We do not have any other hope than reaching out to the international community," Latifi's sister Elahe told the Guardian. "Please help my innocent brother not to be executed while people of the world are celebrating Christmas."

Latifi, a member of the Kurd minority in Iran, was arrested on 23 October 2007 in Sanandaj, the capital of Kurdistan province, and was taken to prison where he has been kept for the past three years and two months.

Iran says he was a member of Kurdish Independent Life party (PJAK), an armed opposition group and has convicted him of Muharebeh (enmity against God) but his family denies his connection with PJAK and claims the charges were fabricated .

"This is nonsense, they're just angry with his political activities as a student and have charged him with the false claim that he was a member of PJAK, that's absolutely a lie, it's just an excuse for them to execute him," his sister said.

According to Amnsty International, his trial was held behind closed doors and his lawyer was not allowed to be present to defend him. His death sentence was upheld by the appeal court in Sanandaj on 18 February 2009.

Human rights advocate Peter Tatchell, who has campaigned in defence of Iran's ethnic minorities, said: "Iran has a long history of persecuting its Kurdish ethnic minority population, including framing peaceful, lawful Kurdish rights activists on false charges.

He added: "Habibollah Latifi was sentenced to death after an unfair trial in a closed court, where he had no legal representation – clearly in violation of articles 10 and 11 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

"The Iranian authorities should, at the very least, revoke the execution order and schedule a new trial where Latifi can have legal representation, call witnesses and submit forensic evidence in his defence."

Amnesty's Middle East and north Africa director, Malcolm Smart, said: "We are urgently appealing to the Iranian authorities to show clemency, halt the imminent execution of Habibollah Latifi, and commute his death sentence. "

He added: "It is clear that Habibollah Latifi did not receive a fair trial by international standards, which makes the news of his impending execution all the more abhorrent." "

Students protest mostly peacefully all over Italy - Strike as prelude to Greek austerity vote

2010-12-22T14:14:00.025-09:00

This Roman place, shown at the end of the below "Youtube", is called Piazza del Gesù. It is one of most typical places of Rome, taking its name from the chiesa del Gesù, and owes its celebrity also to the Palazzo Cenci-Bolognetti, which was until 1994 the headquarter of the Democrazia Cristiana party. La piazza reminds me of a school excursion in 1982 with our history teacher, Mr. Zwölfer, because he had quartered us in the little hotel just in front of Il Gesù. I liked much this teacher, we had a lot of debates, and after the high school exam Mr. Zwölfer gave me as farewell present "The Greek Discovery of Politics" by Christian Meier, a book by which I was very impressed, although I do not like its recourse to Carl Schmitt and Nietzsche ...

22 dicembre - La diretta dalle città contre il ddl Gelmini (Atenei in rivolta, Italy)

22 dicembre - Cortei e scontri, blocchi stradali e azioni in decine di città, a Roma 30mila in piazza: voi soli nella zona rossa, noi liberi nella città! (Uniriot, Italy)

Napoli 22.12 - 10.000 studenti in piazza -Occupati porto e stazione (Uniriot, Italy)

Palermo 22.12 - Gli studenti assediano il Palazzo della Regione, scontri con le forze dell’ordine (Uniriot, Italy)

Italian students protest against education budget cuts (2nd Roundup) (Deutsche Presse-Agentur via Monsters & Critics)

Thousands of Italian students take to the streets (Agence France-Presse)

Italy students protest tuition cuts (Al Jazeera)

Greeks go on strike before austerity vote (Daily Times, Pakistan)

Greeks rally against 2011 budget (Reuters)

Greek lawmakers set to vote on austerity budget amid protests (People's Daily Online, China)

Greece passes austerity budget (2nd Roundup) (Deutsche Presse-Agentur via Monsters & Critics)

buback ponto schleyer der nächste ist ein schweizer

2010-12-16T10:07:00.004-09:00

Via Econo-Matrix

Before Punk (II)

2010-12-16T09:47:00.006-09:00

I see faces and traces of home
back in New York City –

So you think I'm a tough kid?
Is that what you heard?

Well I like to see some action

and it gets into my blood.

They call me the trail blazer –
Rael - electric razor
I’m the pitcher in the chain gang,
we don't believe in pain

‘cos we're only as strong, yes
we’re only as strong,

as the weakest link in the chain.

Let me out of pontiac when
I was just seventeen, I had to get it out of me, if you know
what I mean, what I mean.

You say I must be crazy, ‘cos I don’t
care who I hit, who I hit.

But I know it’s me that’s hittin’ out
and I’m, I’m not full of shit.

I don’t care who I hurt, I don’t
care who I do wrong. This is your mess I’m stuck in,
I really don't belong. When I take out my bottle,
filled up high with gasoline, you can tell by the night fires
where Rael has been, has been.

As I cuddled the porcupine

he said I had none to blame, but me.

Held my heart, deep in hair, time to shave, shave it off, it off.

No time for romantic escape, when your fluffy heart is ready for rape.

No!

No time for romantic escape,

when your fluffy heart is ready for rape.

No!

Off we go ...

Your sitting in your comfort
you don't believe I’m real,

you cannot buy protection
from the way that I feel.

Your progressive hypocrites
hand out their trash,

but it was mine in the first place,
so I’ll burn it to ash.

And I’ve tasted all the strongest meats, and laid them down in coloured sheets.

Llaid

them down

in coloured shields.

Who needs illusion of love and affection

when you’re out walking in the streets
with your mainline connection?

Connection.

As I cuddled the porcupine

he said I had none to blame, but me.

Held my heart, deep in hair, time to shave, shave it off, it off.

No time for romantic escape, when your fluffy heart is ready for rape.

No!

… No time.

Before Punk (I)

2010-12-16T09:26:00.009-09:00

“The last great adventure left to mankind” –

Screams a drooping lady
offering her dreamdolls at less than

extortionate prices,

and as the notes and coins are taken out

I’m taken in, to the factory floor.
For the Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging
All ready to use

The Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging

I just need a fuse.
Got people stocked in every shade,
Must be doing well with trade.
Stamped, addressed, in odd fatality.
That evens out their personality.
With profit potential marked by a sign,
I can recognize some of the production line,
No bite at all in labour bondage,
Just wrinkled wrappers or human bandage.
The Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging
All ready to use
It’s the Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging

- I just need a fuse.
The hall runs like clockwork
Their hands mark out the time,
Empty in their fullness
Like a frozen pantomime.
Everyones a sales representative
Wearing slogans in their shrine.
Dishing out failsafe superlative,
Brother John is No. 9.
For the Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging
All ready to use
It's the Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging

- I just need a fuse.
And the decor on the ceiling
planned out their future day
I see no sign of freewill,
So I guess I have to pay,

pay my way,
for the Grand Parade ...

Grand Parade

Oh, the Grand Parade

Yes, the Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging

- All ready to use
The Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging

- just need a fuse.
Grand Parade

Grand Parade

Greece is striking and celebrating a great molotov party against European austerity

2010-12-15T12:36:00.036-09:00

From the Greek Streets, UK, reports this from today's General Strike in Athens :

"More than 100,000 people marched in central Athens today against the freshly-voted labour relations law and the austerity measures imposed by the government and the EU/IMF/ECB troika. One of the biggest mass demonstrations the city has seen in recent times was met by brute police violence; the police, nevertheless, proven unable to quell peoples’ anger. A former conservative minister, Kostis Hatzidakis, made the unfortunate decision to be present at Stadiou Street at the time of the demonstration and felt the anger of the demonstrators, quickly leaving the scene injured. Street-fighting erupted across the city, which saw chaotic scenes for hours. Barricades were erected across Patision Avenue, which leads to the Polytechnic School; waves of demonstrators arriving at Syntagma square, outside Parliament, fiercely fought with the police. An – eventually unsuccessful – attempt by demonstrators to occupy the building of GSEE (the country’s mainstream trade union) saw people fighting off the notorious Delta motorcycle police and two of their bikes were set ablaze.

From reports coming in so far, 23 people were detained in Athens today and of those 10 are arrested and face charges. There will be an update on the arrested tomorrow.

One of the most empowering elements of today’s demonstration was peoples’ sheer anger and their willingness to fight back at the police repression and to defend their right to be on the streets. New tactics, including the incredibly successful use of fire extinguishers in keeping police away from demonstrator blocks, is surely a legacy for the struggles to come.

A good selection of photographs on Athens IMC: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 [some English picture legends here]

Apart from the spectacular images circulating around global and local media, an astonishing feeling in the streets of Athens is the rage felt by ordinary people toward authority, the police and of course, the people who have lead us all to today’s situation."

Parrhesia = Free Speech. Not all cops are bastards, if you can't beat them, talk to them ...

This man’s placard reads: “They are bringing us the [Axis] Occupation, 1940-1944″

From Free Voice Network via Europeans against the political system:

Huge protests and mass strikes stormed Greece today. Rallies and marches ran not only in the major big cities but even in smaller towns. Workers, trade unionists, anarchists and people from all kinds of political parties expressed their anger against the austerity measures of the government and the stance of the European Union. For once again what we see, is the reactionary broadcasting from the Western media. Here is a screen-shot of what the BBC has broadcasted today, definitely one of the most outrageous lies ever seen about Greece:

[Apparently the merry old aunt BBC has meanwhile elaborated her text, so I have copied this revised version:]

BEGINNING REVISED BBC TEXT

"Greek police have clashed with protesters in the capital Athens as unions stage a general strike against government austerity measures.

Demonstrators threw petrol bombs and police responded with tear gas as the violence flared outside parliament.

A former minister was chased and beaten by a mob and forced to seek shelter in a building [Reuters Video, and other here].

The day of action has grounded flights, disrupted public transport and closed schools across the country.

It is the seventh general strike this year following tough reforms needed to receive a 110bn euro (£84bn) bail-out from international organisations.

Police said about 15,000 people were taking part in marches in Athens.

Protesters started fires around luxury hotels in Syntagma Square, outside parliament, and cars were set ablaze. Riot police fired several rounds of tear gas in response.

The BBC's Malcolm Brabant in Athens says the scenes are some of the ugliest in a year of protests marking the country's economic crisis.

He says a lynch mob atmosphere developed as former conservative minister Kostis Hatzidakis emerged from parliament and was chased by dozens of protesters.

Former conservative minister Kostis Hatzidakis was surrounded and beaten by a crowd.

The opposition MP was pictured surrounded by a mob and with blood pouring from a head wound. Mr Hatzidakis's office said he was unable to reach hospital because of the crowds.

Witnesses said demonstrators shouted at him: "Thieves! Shame on you!"

Police said at least 10 people had been detained and three had been injured.

Roads jammed

With public transport at a standstill, major roads connecting the centre of Athens were jammed as motorists struggled to get to and from work.

Journalists were also on strike, affecting news bulletins on TV and radio.

Teacher Anastasia Antonopoulou, 50, travelled from the Ionian island of Zakynthos to join thousands marching through Athens on Wednesday.

"I can't sit on the sofa and watch my country go down. I'm here to shout and struggle," she said.

"Many of my students' parents are jobless."

On Tuesday, the Greek parliament voted through key economic reforms stipulated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and European Union, which are funding the bail-out.

The new legislation will cap the salaries of workers in state-run companies such as the public transport networks.

In the private sector, employers will no longer have to abide by union-negotiated agreements and can set their own wages.

Prime Minister George Papandreou said the measures were designed to keep struggling companies afloat.

But union leaders have condemned the moves.

"We need to send the government a message that we will not accept measures that lead us only to poverty and unemployment," Ilias Iliopoulos, general secretary at the civil servants' union Adedy, told Reuters news agency.

Our correspondent says opposition groups are angry with the government for taking just 10 hours to debate such major changes to employment law.

However, as a result Greece is now more likely to receive its fourth instalment of financial aid due in the New Year, he adds.

Wednesday's strike is part of a European day of action against economic reforms.

Workers have been rallying against austerity measures in countries including Spain and Belgium, ahead of a summit of EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday and Friday."

END REVISED BBC TEXT

The BBC shamefully mentions only what the police claims ignoring any other source. The protesters in Athens were not only 15.000 but according to local people 100.000. Many claim that the number is much higher, close to 200.000! It is very obvious that BBC reproduces cheap pro-capitalist propaganda trying to show that the clashes between Greek protesters and the police are the actions of a minority while the majority of the people support the austerity measures which is not true at all! Only in the second major city of Greece, Thessaloniki, there were more than 10.000 protesters. In Volos it is estimated that more than 2.500 people marched. 4.000 also gathered in Patra, 2000 in Heraclio (Crete), 2.000 in Ioannina, 1.500 in Xanthi (the numbers are approximate). Rallies took place also in small islands such like Skopelos and Naxos.

The BBC instead of being focused on police brutality where repression forces attacked even peaceful protesters, spends too much of its analysis for what happened to Kostis Hatzidakis, a conservative MP who was beaten up by an angry crowd. He was nothing more but a person who belonged to the previous conservative government of New Democracy, one of the most corrupted governments in the history of Greece. He knew that thousands of angry people were gathered in the Athens city centre, he knew that all of them are very hostile towards any Greek politician but instead of avoiding the “battlefield” area decided to cross this crowded street ignoring the possible consequences.

Around 14:00 in Athens, members of the riot police attacked people who were standing around Sina area. There are serious witnesses that a couple was brutally beaten up by 4 policemen. In the same area, police threw tear gas against the student’s block. The atmosphere was suffocating. The block of the trade Union GSEE has been also targeted by the riot squad as well. When a group of people reached the GSEE building and opened the main door, members of the riot squad entered, trying to kettle, many of them pulling out even guns. However, at the same time another angry crowd appeared and attacked the riot squad which finally retreated due to the huge number of gathered people.

Heavily armed police forces followed strict orders to evacuate Parliament square because patrol cars and police vehicles offered help to some MPs who wanted to escape. Rumours say that the evacuation of the Parliament square happened in fear of a rebel invasion into the Parliament House.

In Athens, “everything smells like a junta” says a protester. Close to the office of “Deposits and Loans” the police arrested a 55 year-old photographer without any single reason despite the reaction of many bystanders who did everything possible to liberate him but with no success. Another has been insulted for taking pictures and there are witnesses of the arrest of a girl with a camcorder. “Suddenly, a red car appeared coming down the university. When the people realised that it was taking pictures the driver rushed with speed against the protesters! People could have been killed because of that” said another protester.

Ordinary people chased a group of about 20 police undercover forces while others were setting barricades at the Polytechnic school. When the crowd started shouting against the police, the riot squad fled. The undercover forces run away towards the area of Exarcheia but one of them who did not escape from the angry crowd, was beaten up. Later on, a girl was taking pictures while a policeman was dragging a person outside of the University and members of the riot squad confiscated her camera.

In Thessaloniki several people called for first aid in a local pharmacy while some were taken away by an ambulance. As it is estimated that they have been brutally attacked by the riot squad. 28 people have been arrested while later on, 17 of them were released. Many protesters also condemned the actions of some trade unionists, accusing them for being “sold off to the government”.

CNN Reporting: John Psaropoulos, Athens, interviewed by Charles Hodson, London, with Reuters Pictures. Or the other way round. A joint venture, I suppose ...

Turkish TV Live Reporting

Greek Video with a Street Fighting Scene

See also

La mort de l'euro, un fantasme (Jean Quatremer, Coulisses de Bruxelles)

Europe Staggers as Critical Summit Looms (New York Times)

Street violence, trade union demos cast shadow on EU summit (EUOBSERVER, Brussels)

WRAPUP 1-EU hopes to seize debt crisis initiative at summit (Reuters U.S.)

Greek finance ministry set ablaze in Athens protest (Indo-Asian News Service via newKerala.com, India)

Anti-Austerity Protest in Greece Turns Violent (New York Times)

Greece: Anti-austerity riots erupt (Photos) (3news, New Zealand)

More fotos from today Athens (Act for Freedom Now !)

Athen: Generalstreik schlägt in Krawalle um (German Reuters Video via Der Spiegel)

Ex-Minister in Athen blutig geschlagen (Iran German Radio)

Aus dem Arcor.de-Newsticker:

15.12.2010, 09:00

Massive Streiks legen Griechenland lahm

In Griechenland hat ein massiver Streik begonnen. Landesweit geht heute den ganzen Tag über praktisch nichts mehr: Flüge fallen aus, Fähren laufen nicht aus, auch Schulen sowie Busse und Bahnen werden bestreikt. Die Proteste richten sich gegen das harte Sparprogramm der sozialistischen Regierung. Gestern hatte das griechische Parlament eine Reihe von einschneidenden Änderungen im Arbeitsmarkt verabschiedet. In den kommenden Tagen soll der Sparhaushalt 2011 gebilligt werden.

15.12.2010, 13:22

Schwere Ausschreitungen in Athen

In Athen ist es im Zusammenhang mit den Streiks gegen die Sparpolitik der griechischen Regierung zu schweren Ausschreitungen gekommen. Mehrere Brandsätze wurden gegen die Beamten geworfen. Diese antworteten mit massivem Einsatz von Tränengas und Blendgranaten. Vor dem Parlament in Athen herrschte Chaos. Vermummte versuchten den Eingang des Finanzministeriums zu stürmen. Sie warfen mehrere Brandflaschen. Immer wieder waren Explosionen zu hören. Die Polizei lieferte sich regelrechte Straßenkämpfe mit den Randalierern.

15.12.2010, 16:05

Streiks und Krawalle legen Griechenland lahm

Vermummte Demonstranten haben sich in Athen Straßenschlachten mit der Polizei geliefert. Die Krawalle brachen am Rande eines zunächst friedlichen Protestes gegen das Sparprogramm der griechischen Regierung aus. Vor dem Parlament attackierten Randalierer die Polizei mit Brandflaschen. Die Beamten setzten Tränengas und Blendgranaten ein. Immer wieder waren Explosionen zu hören. Streiks gegen den Sparkurs der Regierung legten zudem weite Teile des Landes lahm.

Holy shit, Monsieur le Député ! Former Member of European Parliament and Ex-Minister Kostis Hatzidakis (45), from the conservative Nea Demokratia Party, was ambushed by protesters angry with his role in precipitating the 2010 debt crisis and beaten by a dozen of them (see Reuters Video )

Yes, we can : It's not only rock 'n' roll, so we like it ...

Berlusconi buys time and sparks urban guerrilla warfare in Italy

2010-12-14T14:33:00.035-09:00

From the blog Act for Freedom Now ! (by Severrino):

"14 December 2010 - Thousands of college students demonstrated today in Rome and major cities in a day of action against the Gelmini reform and in support of the no-confidence vote against Berlusconi. Among them, however, were also social centres and the militant black bloc. And after the confidence in the House, the violence broke out.

Black Bloc activists and militants from the social centres, who had joined the student marches in the morning, reached corso Rinascimento, a step away from the Senate, presided over by the police. Against the police cars paper bombs, firecrackers, cobblestones, bottles and eggs rained down. There were riots and fights in different areas of the centre between Via del Corso and Piazza del Popolo, with charges of tear gas in response to improvised barricades with trash bins on fire, road blocks, broken windows, and assaults on armoured forces of law and order with sticks and hammers. A dozen young men with their faces covered raided the offices of civil defense in via Ulpiano smashing windows and throwing eggs, no injuries among employees. The wounded in the street however were at least 40. Among them a journalist of the Agi, hit in the face by a stone.

At Porta del Popolo police charged protesters engaged in heavy stone-throwing, to back them off to the Tiber. The bulk of the procession is split: one part is directed at the Flaminio district, the other Prati. A difficult day today for the Capital. In the streets, on the day in Parliament voted confidence in the Berlusconi government, university and high school students, along with temporary workers, workers, researchers, Aquila earthquake survivors and activists from struggles for housing and social welfare gathered under the name "united against the crisis."

From the blog Italy Calling (by a Partisan Woman):

"It’s difficult to make out a clear picture of what’s been happening today, when Italian websites and blogs are still being inundated with of updates, reports, pictures and videos. While Berlusconi was narrowly winning a vote of confidence in Parliament (314 to 311…3 fucking votes!), thousands of people took to the streets to protest once again against the Gelmini reform and the government.

Demonstrations started in the morning and went on till late afternoon. In Rome at least 100,000 protesters have been estimated, from all sorts of groups: students, precarious workers, factory workers, social centres, migrant groups, groups of residents from L’Aquila.

Milan, and Rome in particular, have seen scenes of total urban guerrilla warfare. In Rome protesters tried to break into the Parliament buildings and were violently charged by the police. Riots went on for hours in central Rome and blocked the whole city centre. Italy Indymedia says at least 41 people were arrested and 57 injured among the police.

Alemanno, Rome’s right wing mayor, and his close friends from the right wing party Alleanza Nazionale, were seen around enjoying the charges and the beatings.

In Milan protesters invaded the Stock Exchange, and attacked banks, party HQ’s and other buildings.

Protests have also been held in other European countries by Italian students studying abroad."

Aus dem Arcor.de-Newsticker:

"15.12.2010, 03:45

Randale nach Erfolg für Berlusconi bei Misstrauensvotum

Nach dem knappen Sieg des italienischen Ministerpräsidenten Silvio Berlusconi bei einem Misstrauensvotum ist es in Rom zu schweren Ausschreitungen gekommen. Einige hundert Demonstranten verwüsteten bei Straßenschlachten mit der Polizei Teile des historischen Stadtzentrums. Mehr als 100 Menschen wurden verletzt. Berlusconi hatte den Misstrauensantrag der Opposition im Abgeordnetenhaus mit nur wenigen Stimmen Vorsprung abgewehrt. Kritiker werfen ihm Stimmenkauf und Bestechung vor."

See also

Roma, gli scontri con la polizia (La Repubblica, Italy, photos)

Riots break out in Rome after Silvio Berlusconi survives confidence votes (The Guardian, UK)

Berlusconi's vote success sparks clashes in Rome (Agence France-Presse via Yahoo)

Berlusconi gerettet! Italien im Chaos ! (Bild.de, Germany)

Over 100 injured in Rome riots (Indo-Asian News Service via Hindustan Times)

News Analysis: Berlusconi dramatically wins confidence vote (Xinhua News Agency via People's Daily Online, China)

Berlusconi Taps Italy's 'Gut Instincts,' Makes Voters Accomplices: Books (Bloomberg)

From the Battle of Rome ...

... and how it began (reported by embedded journalists Luca Telese e Arianna Ciccone):

Warming up on Lombard Streets ...

Photos via Der Spiegel

Reports: Bangladesh factory fire kills at least 25 people - ITUC urges investigation

2010-12-14T14:29:00.029-09:00

A crowd gathers as smoke rises from a garment factory at Ashulia, Bangladesh, on Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2010. A devastating blaze raced through the factory, killing at least 25 people and injuring more than 100, witnesses and news reports said. (Photo: Pavel Rahman / AP via Washington Times)

14/12/2010 - Five days after the start of a massive strike in Bangladesh's garment industry which turned already very violent on Sunday (with four dead workers) and two days before the national "Victory Day" (celebrating the end of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War), a mysterious fire has today broken out in one Bangladeshi clothes factory at Ashulia, a suburban area about 16 miles north of the capital of Dhaka, and there are contradictory reports that dozens of workers have been killed and hundred injured.

According to the Brussels-based International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) four garment workers were killed and over 200 were injured on 12 December in violent clashes between the workers of apparel factories and members of "law enforcement agencies" (that is to say: bought thugs), when the police opened fire on the protesting workers.

In a letter signed by it's General Secretary Sharan Burrow (photo below), the ITUC has today protested with a fax to Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina (photo below) and urged an independent investigation into these killings ensuring "that those responsible are held to account".

Bangladesh has about 4,000 garment factories that export more than $10 billion worth of products a year, mainly to the United States and Europe. Customers include Wal-Mart, Tesco, H&M, Zara, Carrefour, Gap, Metro, JCPenney, Marks & Spencer, Kohl's, Levi Strauss and Tommy Hilfiger.

From the New York Times:

(article by Julfikar Ali Manik, Dhaka, and Vikas Bajaj, Mumbai, India, published December 14, 2010) :

"Bangladesh Factory Fire Kills at Least 20

A fire at a garment factory north of Dhaka, the capital, killed at least 20 people and injured dozens on Tuesday, in the latest blow to the country’s largest industry.

The fire at a 10-story factory in the Ashulia industrial area, about 16 miles from the capital, started on the ninth floor around lunchtime, when most of the workers were outside. Local reporters who had canvassed hospitals said at least 24 people had been killed. Factory officials said they knew of about 20 deaths.

About 5,000 people worked in the building, producing pants for customers in the United States and Europe, said Delwar Hussain, a deputy managing director at the Ha-Meem Group, which owns the factory. Fire officials were still fighting the fire, which spread to the top floor, into the evening as people gathered at the compound to look for relatives.

It was not immediately clear which Western retailers were supplied by the factory. Garment factories employ about three million Bangladeshis, most of them women, to make clothes for stores like Wal-Mart and H & M.

Just days ago, three people were killed in labor protests. Workers have said they were protesting because some factories had not carried out a government-mandated 80 percent increase in the minimum wage, to 3,000 taka a month or about $43.

It was unclear what had caused the fire at the Ha-Meem factory and whether it was related to the labor unrest. Mr. Hussain said that the company suspected an electrical short circuit, but that investigators from the government and the garment industry association were still working to establish the cause.

Piles of clothes in garment factories are easily combustible. Fires can be very deadly because some factory owners lock exits to prevent workers from leaving their machines. Mr. Hussain said the doors at the company’s factory had not been locked.

International labor groups have criticized the safety of Bangladesh's garment factories. A factory fire outside Dhaka in February killed more than 20 people.

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association said it would pay the families of workers killed in the Ha-Meem fire 100,000 taka (about $1,400), and the company has promised to pay another 100,000 taka.

Mr. Hussain said the company hoped to reopen the first eight floors of the factory as early as Tuesday because they did not appear to be damaged. He said the company expected to meet all pending orders. The ninth floor was used as a finishing area where workers prepared shipments, and the 10th floor housed a dining hall, he said. "

See also

HA-MIM FIRE - 'It 's an act of sabotage' (bdnews24.com, Bangladesh)

Bangladesh police shoot striking garment workers (World Socialist Web Site)

27 killed, 100 injured in Bangladeshi factory blaze (AP via Washington Times)

Bangladesh clothes workers die in factory fire (BBC)

People looked at a burning garment factory in Ashulia, Bangladesh (Photo: Andrew Bilaj / Reuters via NYT)

Sharan Burrow, the General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, speaking at Labour Day 2007 in Queensland, Australia (Photo: Wikipedia)

Sheikh Hasina Wazed, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, 17/10/2000 (DoD photo by R. D. Ward)

Workers rushed to rescue stricken colleagues after the fire (Photo: Reuters via BBC)

Bangladesh: Four people killed and hundreds injured during garment workers protests

2010-12-13T14:06:00.022-09:00

Bangladesh garment workers are protesting since Friday for the implementation of a minimum wage law which should already come into force in November (The photo, dating possibly from an earlier demonstration, is from the European Pressphoto Agency via Al Jazeera - See video about similar protests in Summer)

From today's Agence France Press:

"Bangladesh garment protests spread after deaths

DHAKA — Protests by Bangladeshi garment workers over low wages spread on Monday, a day after four people were killed in violent clashes between demonstrators and the police.

More than 4,000 garment factory staff blocked roads and staged a sit-in in the northern district of Gazipur, one of the country's main manufacturing areas which produces clothes for many Western brands.

On Sunday, four people were killed in the southeastern port town of Chittagong, where police fired live bullets and tear gas shells to control riots.

Dozens of people were also injured at protests in the capital Dhaka.

Bangladesh's garment workers have been angered that a government hike in wages has not yet been implemented by some employers, while senior staff complain they will not benefit from the new pay structure.

"They have blocked the main highway linking Dhaka to the north of the country," Khandaker Shafiqul Alam, police inspector at Gazipur, told AFP.

"The protests are led by senior workers who are frustrated that they have lost out under the new wage scheme," he said, referring to the new minimum wage plan introduced in November.

Bangladesh's 4,500 garment factories, many of which produce clothes for retailers such as Wal-Mart, H&M and Levi Strauss, must now pay workers at least 3,000 taka (43 dollars) a month -- up 80 percent on the 2006 minimum wage.

In Chittagong, 30 people have been arrested and criminal cases have been lodged against a further 3,000 over involvement in the recent violence, Kusun Dewan, deputy commissioner of police in Chittagong, told AFP.

Garments accounted for 80 percent of the country's 16.2 billion dollars of annual exports last year. Bangladesh's factories employ more than three million workers, about 85 percent of them women."

See also

Bangladesh police shoot striking garment workers (World Socialist Web Site)

Garment Worker Riots in Bangladesh Continue After 4 Killed (Time Magazine Newsfeed /Krista Mahr)

Labor violence in Bangladesh (The Donga-Al Ilbo, South Korea)

Six Korean firms hit by Bangladesh protests (The Korea Herald via Asia News Network)

Deadly wage protests in Bangladesh (Al Jazeera)

Bangladesh police break up workers protests: three dead (Reuters India)

Bangladesh raids militant hideout, detains five (Reuters India)

Proteste der Textilarbeiter in Bangladesch weiten sich aus (AFP Germany)

Tote bei Arbeiterprotesten in Bangladesh: Viele Verletzte bei gewaltsamen Ausschreitungen (LabourNet, Germany, mit umfangreichem Dossier)

Fleeing Catastrophe, Stuck in the Slums of Bangladesh (Time Magazine Video)

Photos from this weekend's protests: AFP via The Peninsula Qatar, Getty Images via Time Magazine and APA/EPA via Der Standard

Greece: Attica citizens clash wildly with police over landfill site

2010-12-12T15:28:00.014-09:00

From Act for Freedom Now ! (see also here):

"The residents of the Attican district of Keratea (around 41 km south-east of Athens) have gathered since early Saturday morning at Ovriokastro in opposing against the State’s decision to build up a garbage storage area on the certain spot. The State has decided to build up the garbage storage area of the whole Attica’s waste on Ovriokastro, despite the fact that the certain spot is officially an archeological site (decision of the Central Archeological Council). In the mobilization of the citizens participate also members of the major council who also provided citizens with the town-hall’s vehicles. Earlier on Saturday, around 5:00, police forces arrived at Ovriokastro in order to guard the area, so bulldozers could started construction. Hundreds of people started directing on the spot trying to block the construction.

The police reacted in their usual neo-fascistic methods by throwing tear-gas, sound-shine grenades and beating up children, youths, men and women, people in their third age.

The citizens responded with stones, Molotov cocktails, flaming barricades and woods they could find around in order to protect themselves and nature. After the straight reactionof the citizens the pigs stated that they would leave the spot, accepting that their presencethere is illegal. Instead, more police started gathering (around 400 of special police) but also more citizens started directing to Ovriokastro. During the clashes, a small fire raised up “accidentally” in the forest because of a tear-gas canister.

Later the three water canon cop-vehicles started directing also on the spot, while a cop-helicopterwas continuously flying above the mountain. The police remained in the area forthe whole night.

The companies who are involved in the certain construction:

ΜΕΣΟΓΕΙΟΣΑ.Ε. - ΠΡΟΕΤΑ.Ε. - ENDRACO Α.Τ.Ε.

On Sunday mourning around 2000 people started directing towards the spot.

The police started the war for one more time and the citizens kept on defending with any weapon they could find around. The clashes kept on during the whole afternoon with the cops beating up even children and women but also having a water-canon with them – important to mention that this is the first time of its use after the fall of the military junta.

Mr. Marinos Aliferis, a journalist, was injured by the pigs’ violence and had to go to Evaggelismos Hospital. Civil cops have also switched off for several minutes the live-streaming camera of zougla.gr.

Meanwhile, flaming barricades are set up on Lavriou Avenue and some citizens have also sabotaged the electricity supply. Also shots from a gun have been heard in afternoon, possibly from citizens who shot on the air to make the police think twice about their actions.The guerrilla keeps on until the time that this article is being written with barricades on several roads, attacks with stones and Molotov cocktails and body to body fights.The citizens have made it to keep the police stepping back anytime they were trying to attack. Tones of tear-gas have been thrown but the people still resist. Residents from other areas have started directing to the spot driving also four bulldozers with them in order to protect themselves from police violence. The people have announced that they will remain there for the whole night."

See on the problem of garbage management in Greece:

http://landfillsgrece.blogspot.com/

Best practice

2010-12-12T11:56:00.009-09:00

Police told schoolboy Nicky Wishart he would be arrested if his picket at David Cameron's office sparked unrest (Photo: Virginia Phelps)

From the Guardian via Fefes Blog

(Article by Shiv Malik, Friday 10 December 2010 17.49 GMT):

"Schoolboy warned by police over picket plan at David Cameron's office

Nicky Wishart, 12, told he faced arrest if public disorder ensued and armed officers would be present

The mother of a 12-year-old boy has criticised Thames Valley police for taking her son out of lessons because he was planning to picket David Cameron's constituency office today.

Nicky Wishart, a pupil at Bartholomew School, Eynsham, Oxfordshire, organised the event on Facebook to highlight the plight of his youth centre, which is due to close in March next year due to budget cuts.

The protest, which was due to take place today, has attracted over 130 people on Facebook, most of whom are who use youth centres in Cameron's constituency, Witney.

Wishart said that after the school was contacted by anti-terrorist officers, he was taken out of his English class on Tuesday afternoon and interviewed by a Thames Valley officer at the school in the presence of his head of year. During the interview, Wishart says that the officer told him that if any public disorder took place at the event he would be held responsible and arrested.

Speaking to the Guardian, Nicky Wishart said: "In my lesson, [a school secretary] came and said my head of year wanted to talk to me. She was in her office with a police officer who wanted to talk to me about the protest. He said, 'if a riot breaks out we will arrest people and if anything happens you will get arrested because you are the organiser'.

"He said even if I didn't turn up I would be arrested and he also said that if David Cameron was in, his armed officers will be there 'so if anything out of line happens ...' and then he stopped."
Wishart, who describes himself as a "maths geek" said he was frightened by the encounter. "I was really scared. Normally I'm a confident speaker but I lost all my confidence. My mum was worried, and I was worried and I didn't know what to do."

Wishart's mother, Virginia Phelps, 41, said: "On Monday I got a phone call in the afternoon at the school from one of the senior staff members, saying, 'we've had the police here, it's to do with the anti-terrorist group, they've taken an interest in something Nicky's posted on FB'.

"I was under the impression that the police would come to the house and speak with us in the evening but I am absolutely fuming that they spoke to him when I wasn't present, especially when I live just 10 minutes from the school."

Speaking about the youth club, Phelps, a mother of three added, "Over the last few months, the kids have been trying to keep the youth club open, raising money by cleaning cars. They've raised £140. Through the club they've been had all sorts of experiences that I couldn't afford to give them myself."

Despite the police visit, Wishart said he would continue with the picket today and he would be delivering a letter to Cameron's staff about the youth centre closure.

A spokeswoman for Thames Valley police said: "We have dedicated officers who work in partnership with all the schools in our area to make sure young people remain in education and in a safe learning environment.

"On Tuesday 7 December, our schools officer for west Oxfordshire attended the school in Eynsham and spoke to a 12-year-old boy in the company of the pupil's head of year, about a planned protest. This was not with the intention of dissuading him from organising it, but to obtain information regarding the protest to ensure his and others' safety. As with any demonstration, we always aim to facilitate a peaceful protest."

The headmaster of Bartholomew school, Andrew Hamilton, refused to give comment saying that it was something that the school was "dealing with internally"."

Common sense

2010-12-12T11:12:00.005-09:00

UK student protests turn into heavy riots, as tuition hike passes in Parliament

2010-12-09T13:22:00.038-09:00

9/12/2010 - The UK student protests reached a new climax Thursday with heavy riots around Westminster, as the House of Commons approved plans to increase tution fees for students in England to up to £9,000 per year. The move was carried by 323 votes to 302, which means that the Conservative-Liberal coalition government's notional majority narrowed of 84 to 21. Although all 57 Lib Dem MPs said before the election that they would oppose any rise in tuition fees, 28 of them voted for the hike, while even 6 Tory backbenchers voted no.

The day had begun with new demonstrations and sit-ins throughout Britain followings weeks of nationwide protests, university occupations and direct actions lobbying or targeting MPs. Maybe 25.000 students were marching through central London, repeatedly attempting to break through police lines or rushing down side streets, determined to reach parliament. Although it was announced that protesters would not be allowed into Parliament Square, students surged in, getting close to the House of Commons, while the police began to “kettle” people then tore into them. They started with baton charges then galloped in on horseback (aerial view video), whereby one rider fell from his horse (Video from Sky News)

A live protest map also here

Subsequently students launched themselves at police lines and barriers, and tore down the fencing around the grass in Parliament Square (Video), forcing the police to retreat behind barricades as the Parliament Square and the surrounding streets were finally occupied (see Video roundup , Video). A group of around 150 students, furious at being stopped from joining the protest outside parliament, occupied the National Gallery at Trafalgar Square, others set off to march through central London .

When the Commons' vote finally became known in the early evening, some protesters tried to ram their way through the doors of the Treasury, chanting "One solution, revolution", and started using concrete blocks and metal poles to smash windows of the building on Great George Street while being contained inside the square. Others attacked the Supreme Court or vandalized statues in Westminster Square, including one of Winston Churchill.

Three quarter hours before the attack on the Supreme Court, around 7:15 p.m., Prince Charles and Camilla entered the scene, as if the royal protocol wished to reserve them also a little role in this riot theatre: Their limousine, a 1977 Rolls Royce Phantom VI, was attacked by protesters in Regent Street as they travelled to London Palladium for a Royal Variety Performance. A rear window was smashed and paint bombs were hurled at the vintage car, but the princely couple stayed unharmed (Video, Amateur footage & witnesses). The Duchess of Cornwall tried to brave the situation even with historic sense of mind: “There’s a first time for everything,” she told reporters before the couple drove off in an armored police truck after the performance.

At nearly the same time, around 7:25 p.m, a group of up to 1,000 students were marching down Oxford Street, chanting "General strike now". A branch of Topshop, owned by billionaire Philip Green, who has been targeted for not paying taxes on company dividends in the United Kingdom, was savaged on the way, while bins were overturned and police were attacked on Oxford Street, causing panic among shoppers.

Altogether some 38 protesters and 10 officers have been injured according to official reports. Six officers required hospital treatment and four suffered minor injuries. So far 20 people have been arrested: nine for violent disorder, two for arson, two for assault on police, two for criminal damage, one for being drunk and disorderly and four for burglary.

Meanwhile, a law professor, Ian Grigg-Spall, said he lodged a legal complaint calling for Lib Dem leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg to be prosecuted for fraud over the controversial tuition fees under Section 2 of the Fraud Act.

Students lay siege to House of Commons (Socialist Worker Online, UK, with links, timeline etc.)

Britain: the student revolt (In Defense of Marxism, large roundup)

For whom the fee tolls - The Debt Generation fights back, as Parliament votes on fees (SchNEWS, UK, compact story of events)

Police brutally attack protesters as UK parliament backs university fees hike (World Socialist Web Site)

Da Londra: L'avanguardia balla il dubstep (Mercato Occupato, Bari, Italy)

Royal car attacked in protest after MPs' fee vote (BBC, roundup with video)

Tuition fees: government wins narrow victory as protests continue (The Guardian)

Protesters Attack Car Carrying Prince Charles (New York Times)

police/media lies - student protest pics & report (Indymedia London)

London tuition fee protest (Boston Globe, The Big Picture, big-formated photos)

Students smash the police in London (Anorak.co.uk, 66 photos)

Protesters attack royal couple yes! and yes! British students riot in London (Act for Freedom Now, photos)

Prince Charles and Camilla caught up in tuition fees protest violence (Liverpool Daily Post, UK)

Sarah Teather votes for tuition fee hike (Willesden & Brent Times)

UK backs tuition hike amid furore (Al Jazeera)

Cameron condena la violencia de "una minoría" en las protestas estudiantiles (El País, Spain)

Londres: manifestations violentes sur fond de débat parlementaire (Agence France Presse)

Londra: 20mila persone assediano la Camera dei Comuni e assalto all’auto di Carlo e Camilla (La Repubblica, Italy, via Contro l'Informazione Manipulata)

Englische Uni-Reform : Wütende Studenten attackieren Limousine von Prinz Charles (Der Spiegel, Germany)

Studentenproteste: Randalierer greifen Charles und Camilla an (Focus, Germany)

"An Opposition, on coming into power, is often like a speculative merchant whose bills become due. Ministers have to make good their promises, and they find a difficulty in so doing. They have said the state of things is so-and-so, and if you give us the power we will do thus and thus. Of course, something must be done: the speculative merchant cannot forget his bills." (Walter Bagehot, The English Constitution, 1867, Chapter V)

"The House of Commons is thronged with people who get there merely for 'social purposes', as the phrase goes; that is, that they and their families may go to parties else impossible." (Walter Bagehot, The English Constitution, 1867, Chapter II).

"In all cases it must be remembered that a political combination of the lower classes, as such and for their own objects, is an evil of the first magnitude; that a permanent combination of them would make them (now that so many of them have the suffrage) supreme in the country; and that their supremacy, in the state they now are, means the supremacy of ignorance over instruction, and of numbers over knowledge. So long as they are not taught to act together, there is a chance of this being averted, and it can only be averted by the greatest wisdom and the greatest foresight of the higher classes." (Walter Bagehot, The English Constitution, Introduction to 2nd ed., 1872)

Photo No. 2: The Open Society and Its Enemies: Liberal Democrats Party Leader Nick Clegg and Vince Cable on 11th April 2010 as they put the finishing touches to the Liberal Democrats party election manifesto at Mr Clegg's Putney home.

UK: Bank occupations and school sleep-ins ahead of Commons' fee vote

2010-12-08T14:01:00.017-09:00

8/12/2010 - Pupils at some London schools say they will sleep in school to protest against plans to triple tuition fees in England and cut university funding. At the same time, there have been several demonstrations across England and Scotland in the build-up to Thursday's Commons' vote on the controversial plans. Occupations have been continuing at about 20 universities, including Exeter and Leeds - where protestors have squatted now also a branch of Santander Bank on the campus (see Youtube video below).

In Dundee, a group of protesters broke away from the demonstration and entered the nearby Royal Bank of Scotland branch in High Street to continue their action. They blocked customers coming in and out of the bank and waved anti-capitalism banners. In London, a flash "teach-in" demonstration was held by protestors at Euston Station. Earlier, a group dressed as suffragettes demonstrated outside the constituency offices of Lib Dem minister Lynne Featherstone in north London, while the Education minister Sarah Teather, when asked by Sky News about her vote, lost stante pede all her oratorial soft skills and preferred to run away... (Video here).

Pupils stage university tuition fee rise occupations (BBC, today's roundup)

Students Stage Protests Ahead Of Fees Vote (Sky News, roundup)

Student protests – live coverage (The Guardian)

Students storm Royal Bank of Scotland in protest over fees (NEWS.Scotsman.com)

Clegg cast as panto villain as Durham students make their voices heard (The Northern Echo)

VIDEO: Falmouth students march through the streets (Falmouth People)

Clashes hit Milan's La Scala opening night - Barenboim speaks out

2010-12-07T15:44:00.010-09:00

7/12/2010 - Protesters clashed with Italian riot police on Tuesday in front of Milan's world-famous La Scala opera house. Hours before an opera season opening performance of Richard Wagner's The Valkyrie was due to open at La Scala, students let off flares and smoke bombs as part of protests against government higher education reforms currently in parliament.

Inside La Scala, conductor Daniel Barenboim used the opportunity to lobby Italy's president, Giorgio Napolitano, who was in the audience. Turning to the stalls before the performance began, Barenboim announced that “in the names of the colleagues who play, sing, dance and work, not only here but in all theatres, I am here to tell you we are deeply worried for the future of culture in the country and in Europe."

He then read out the ninth article of the Italian constitution, which includes a promise to protect the country’s "historical and artistic heritage" as well as promoting "the development of culture and scientific and technical research."

Italy: Clashes hit Milan's La Scala opening night (ADNKronos, Italy)

Clashes mar La Scala season opener (DPA via Monsters & Critics)

7 dicembre - Prima della Scala Milano: una generazione precaria in rivolta! (MilanoX via Uniriot, Italy, background article)

Verso la sfiducia – Le rivolte non si fermano (Atenei in rivolta, Italy, also about today's actions in Bari, Catania, Roma, Torino)

Verletzte bei Protesten vor Scala-Premiere (APA via Der Standard, Austria)

Photo: Luca Bruni /AP

Anniversary of Rage

2010-12-06T15:38:00.019-09:00

Athens, December 6th: When the joint student/teacher demonstration gathered at 11 a.m., the police had already closed roads and deployed several thousand officers around the city. The first two banners read: "Pupils and workers against the IMF memorandum - Money for schools, not for banks - Resistance Coordination of the Pupils' Initiatives" - "Our dreams are bullet-proof (alexisphaira) - Sixth class". In the Greek capital, this rallye was today only one of several protest marches and gatherings in memory of the shooting of Alexandros Grigoropoulos. In 17 Greek cities people took to the streets to commemorate the second anniversary of his murder, and there were also a lot of memorial gatherings or solidarity actions in other countries (for example in London /2/, Newcastle, Berlin, Hamburg, Weimar or Munich, see Contra Info roundup).

Struggle for Freedom against the State of Terror. December 6th, 2010
Nationwide report on the demonstrations of December 6th and the unprecedented police aggression. Solidarity actions around the world. (Contra Info, very large roundup !)

Demonstrations and actions in 17 Greek cities mark two-year anniversary of the state assassination of Alexandros Grigoropoulos; police announce unprecedented traffic ban in central Athens (From the Greek Streets, UK)

96 people detained in Athens, 42 of which have been arrested (From the Greek Streets, Photos)

Riots return to Greece, 2 years after teen's death (Associated Press, with Photos)

Riot police storm metro station in Athens – plus other videos from the day’s demos (From the Greek Streets)

Brutal represión contra miles de manifestantes en el segundo aniversario del asesinato de Alexis (Alasbarricadas, Spain)

London students show Solidarity with Greek students (Youtube)

Massenunruhen in Athen (Indymedia Germany)

Auseinandersetzungen in Athen (Indymedia Germany)

Remembering Alexandros Grigoropoulos

2010-12-05T16:28:00.009-09:00

When he was shot by the police officer Korkoneas, the Greek teenager Alexandros Grigoropoulos was as young as the British school student who took the floor at the Coalition of Resistance Conference in London.

Fifteen years.

Tomorrow Alexis is gone for two years.

He’s gone to a university occupation in London, standing behind a barricade in Rome, protesting in the streets of Dublin…

Generation X2

2010-12-04T14:17:00.006-09:00

See also the commentary of Edward Fullbrook on the Real-World Economics Review Blog

Greek students protest over education reform and clash with police

2010-12-03T07:41:00.005-09:00

Athens, December 2nd: During a "paneducational rally" students try to break through a police cordon in front of the Greek Parliament. The demonstration marched also to the British embassy in Athens, in solidarity with British students who oppose plans to increase tuition fees.

From Independent Television News (ITN), UK:

"University students across Greece took to the streets in protest for the second day running on against the government's planned education cuts.

Students said they were also acting in solidarity with British students, by taking their demonstration to the British Embassy in Athens.

Greek students fear the education reform will lead to cost cuts in education and new tuition fees. Police arrested several students after clashes broke out and at least one student was injured.

Police used tear gas on the students after they charged officers in an attempt to break a police cordon in front of parliament.

This was the third protest in the last few weeks as the Education Ministry discusses reforms in the system, to be announced in the next few months.The government's planned education reforms include shrinking and merging public colleges and universities and reducing the teaching workforce.The reforms come as the government has implemented general economic measures to reign in spending, cut costs, and increase revenues to reduce their debt. Some of the measures, including wage cuts and lay-offs, have angered workers. Protests have died down since the beginning of the year but various labour groups continue to keep up the momentum."

See also

photos on Indymedia Athens: protest march - police brutality - mural slogans

Greece: Clashes at student rally (Associated Press)

Greek police clash with students at British embassy (Reuters)

This is just the beginning

2010-12-01T15:15:00.014-09:00

November 30th: The day when the Camera dei deputati voted the Law Gelmini, the city of Bologna, home of the oldest university of Europe, lived to see like many other Italian cities a veritable student & pupil revolt. Urban blockades and demonstrations paralyzed the city, then the protest march blocked the motorway for over an hour. Finally at the train station, another possible target for blockades, a long phalanx of Police and Carabinieri in riot-gear attacked the crowd and fired tear gas on the march. After around twenty minutes of extremely high tension, the march restarted to block Via Rizzoli and Via Zamboni, before returning to the Faculty of Arts where a meeting was held at six o’clock.

This is today’s English leader from the website Uniriot.org, written by Paolo Do, Rome, which gives a roundup of the Italian events on Tuesday 30th November:

“It is just the beginning !

These days the crisis of the Italian government, that is living an agony since the last two months, was spread over the country: students’ protests, occupations everywhere are unfolding the political crisis. We are facing a multiplication of its dimensions, of its temporalities.
From the «book block» to the occupation of rail stations, airport, port, cities, the Italian student movement is experimenting an original temporality of the crisis: it is a non-linear time, that is a new starting point of resistance against the European austerity.

For the first time hundred of student from high school are beside the university’s student composing a new subject, a new political event.

The clinamen of the 30 of November, as well as of the event at the Milbank tower in London few weeks ago, are fed with the anger of a new generation, their desire and collective organization.
Yesterday Italy was completely blocked by demonstrations that closed motorways, like in Bologna and Turin, where the mobility was blocked for hours.

Here Bologna

Here Turin

In Rome students clashed violently with police several time to reach the Parliament, and then blocked the city centre and the main railway station:

Here the clash at the Roma downtown

Here

Here the occupation of Termini

The day of 30 November shows us a new kind of protest beyond the rituality: in all over the country the student movement is facing the attempt to organize strikes blocking the mobility and fluidity of the metropolis, its hubs and centre of logistic.

Here the clash at the rail station of Bologna

Here Pavia

Up to today, many universities are still occupied. General assemblies and meetings are going all over the cities despite yesterday the reform was passed to the Parliament. The next step for this law will be the discussion at the Senate house by 14 of December. But the government probably will not have enough time: we will topple them before: yes, it is just the beginning!"

See also

Movement, learning: a few reflections on the exciting UK winter 2010 (by Manuela Zechner, London, on Uniriot.org)

Against the reform, another revolt! Updates on student protests in Italy (Italy Calling via Libcom)

and the sites Atenei in revolt and Italy Calling

Che fare ? What is to be Done ?

2010-11-30T16:05:00.005-09:00

Walk out of school and college. Take action in workplaces. Lay siege to parliament.

If everyone gets behind the student revolt then this government can be beaten over the rise in university tuition fees to £9,000 a year. School, college and university students are on the streets, millions of others support them, and government ministers are in a spin.

Liberal Democrat ministers were this week debating whether or not to vote for the policy they had shaped in the cabinet! If the fees are beaten then it will make it much easier to fight other attacks such as the abolition of the Education Maintenance Allowance that hundreds of thousands of young people rely on.

And it will boost all of us in the battle against this vicious Tory-Lib Dem coalition.

The central date for us all is the day when the fees are voted on by MPs in parliament.

That is scheduled to take place at some time before Christmas. On that day, everyone—student, worker, pensioner, unemployed—should be part of the movement.

Protest, lay siege to Parliament, send a delegation from work to the demonstration, walkout if you can.

Trade union leaders must back the calls for action, as the UCU lecturers’ union already has. The Tories and the lickspittle Liberals are out to wreck our lives. Let’s sink them.

Socialist Worker Online, UK

The claims of the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) and other middle class “left” organisations that building up "direct action" and merely getting larger numbers onto the streets is an adequate strategy for defeating the cuts must be rejected.

Placing all the emphasis on greater protest activity by the students is the means by which the SWP cynically attempts to cover up the complicity of the Labour and trade union bureaucracy with the imposition of the cuts and divert students away from a political struggle against those elements. Especially under conditions in which the state is preparing more severe repression against protests, this would mean leaving the students to fight alone, to be picked off by the police and worn down.

Young people cannot look to disaffected Liberals, the Labour Party or the trade unions to fight back against the efforts to impose the global economic crisis on the backs of working people. They are not a solution to the problem, they are part of it.

Students and youth must make a conscious political turn towards the working class. This is the opposite of the orientation to the Trades Union Congress proposed by the SWP and others. It means linking up with all sections of workers facing cuts in their jobs, wages and living standards through the building of rank-and-file committees in a rebellion against the trade unions. The fight against austerity must be based in a struggle against the capitalist profit system, for the bringing down of the coalition government and for a workers’ government based on socialist policies.

International Students for Social Equality, UK

Picture to yourselves a popular uprising.

Probably everyone will now agree that we must think of this and prepare for it. But how? Surely the Central Committee cannot appoint agents to all localities for the purpose of preparing the uprising. Even if we had a Central Committee, it could achieve absolutely nothing by such appointments under present-day Russian conditions. But a network of agents that would form in the course of establishing and distributing the common newspaper would not have to “sit about and wait” for the call for an uprising, but could carry on the regular activity that would guarantee the highest probability of success in the event of an uprising. Such activity would strengthen our contacts with the broadest strata of the working masses and with all social strata that are discontented with the autocracy, which is of such importance for an uprising. Precisely such activity would serve to cultivate the ability to estimate correctly the general political situation and, consequently, the ability to select the proper moment for an uprising. Precisely such activity would train all local organisations to respond simultaneously to the same political questions, incidents, and events that agitate the whole of Russia and to react to such “incidents” in the most vigorous, uniform, and expedient manner possible; for an uprising is in essence the most vigorous, most uniform, and most expedient “answer” of the entire people to the government. Lastly, it is precisely such activity that would train all revolutionary organisations throughout Russia to maintain the most continuous, and at the same time the most secret, contacts with one another, thus creating real Party unity; for without such contacts it will be impossible collectively to discuss’ the plan for the uprising and to take the necessary preparatory measures on the eve, measures that must be kept in the strictest secrecy.

In a word, the “plan for an all-Russia political newspaper”, far from representing the fruits of the labour of armchair workers, infected with dogmatism and bookishness (as it seemed to those who gave but little thought to it), is the most practical plan for immediate and all-round preparation of the uprising, with, at the same time, no loss of sight for a moment of the pressing day-to-day work …

Class political consciousness can be brought to the workers only from without, that is, only from outside the economic struggle, from outside the sphere of relations between workers and employers. The sphere from which alone it is possible to obtain this knowledge is the sphere of relationships of all classes and strata to the state and the government, the sphere of the interrelations between all classes.

Lenin, What is to be Done ?(1901)

London protesters come here face to face with Metropolitan Police after a new day of marching against the planned university tuition fee increases. Police said 146 demonstrators were arrested after a group of protesters refused to leave Trafalgar Square at the end of the demonstration. There were also ten arrests in Bristol. At least the British Liberal Democrats seem to have come now politically under pressure and mull abstaining in the parliamentary vote on tuition fees, while the Government in Wales decided to spare Welsh students from a rise in tuition fees. (Photo: Reuters)

See

Europeans stage anti-austerity protest (Reuters via ZCommunications.org)

Ddl Gelmini, proteste in tutta Italia La Camera approva la riforma (La Repubblica, Italy, chronology of events)

30 novembre 2010 - Diretta sms - contro il ddl, scontri e blocchi stradali, occupate decine di stazioni, la rivoltà dell'università contro il governo (Uniriot Network, Italy, chronology)

Rolling coverage of student protests on Day X2 (Socialist Worker Online, UK, chronology)

Budget cuts stir protest in Italy, UK (Wall Street Journal Europe)

Protests against tuition fees strain coalition (Reuters UK)

'Non-students to blame for trouble' (The Evening Post, Bristol, UK)

Punished for being English: Welsh students join Scots in being spared tuition fees rise (Daily Mail, UK)

Italian student protests widen and even spread abroad

2010-11-29T16:26:00.028-09:00

Oh la la, the Little Mermaid is flattered: A protest gathering of Erasmus students in Copenhagen, Denmark - Their banners read: "No to the Law Gelmini - On the run, but not to Samoa Islands"

29/11/2010- While Italy was drawn into the European debt crisis on Monday for the first time (as its borrowing costs shot up sharply on the financial markets), the massive student revolt in Berlusconistan is still rolling on. On the eve of the very last amendatory lower house decision over the contested education reform (called Law Gelmini), the normal activities of university & schools kept on being dominated by gatherings, protest marches, squats, rooftop occupations and symbolic actions of all sorts. The wave of revolt has now even reached Erasmus students or researchers in Paris, Brussels and other cities, which organized gatherings, prepared flash-mobs and tried to spark the flame of protest also abroad. At the same time, protesting pupils, a lot of professors & academics and important media (as La Repubblica) are supporting (or seem to sympathize with) the revolting students.

See

Università, la riforma al rush finale - Gelmini attaca il rettore di Firenze (La Stampa, 30/11/2010 - 08:30)

Italy drawn into crisis as borrowing costs rise (The Irish Times)

29 novembre - Azioni, blocchi e flash mob in tante città, comunicati dagli Erasmus, poi tutte occupate le facoltà della Sapienza (Uniriot.org, Italy)

Universita' - Roma, Pisa, L'Aquila - Occupazioni in tutta Italia (La Repubblica, Italy)

Università, protesta al Cern di Ginevra. A Pompei striscione contro la riforma (La Repubblica via Uniriot.org)

A central Italian protest webside with updates about ongoing protests is Uniriot.org

Activists in Pompei, Italy, holding banners which read: "Government of public destruction - Today Pompei - Tomorrow the universities"

"The Future is a Black Hole": Rooftop protest of Italian students, doctorands & researchers at the CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research), Geneva, Switzerland

See

Studenti Protestano Su Tetto Cern Ginevra (ANSA News Agency, Rome)

Picture gallery with Erasmus protesters from Madrid, Tartu (Estonia), Falun (Sweden), Siviliga (Spain), Munich (Germany) and Barcelona (La Repubblica)

Violent scenes at a London townhall meeting, as UK braces for more student protests

2010-11-29T16:25:00.006-09:00

29/11/2010 - While British students prepared for their third and biggest education cuts protest day (on Tuesday 30th November), there was fracas and fury in a Southeast London borough, Lewisham, where around 400 protesters tried to force their way into a local council meeting which was to decide about spending cuts. We document here the article from the "Socialist Worker Online" about this event:

"Riot police attack protesters at Lewisham Town Hall

Around 400 people rallied outside Lewisham town hall this evening against plans by the Labour run council to make £60 million cuts. The protest, organised by Lewisham Anti-Cuts Alliance, was boosted by a large feeder march of university students from Goldsmiths College.

After a rally many people rushed into the town hall to voice opposition to the cuts. Around 100 protesters managed to get in.

Police then attacked the protesters with horses, dogs, riot shields and truncheons.

One eyewitness, an NUT (National Union of Teachers) member, told Socialist Worker, “The police were like animals. The beat people with their truncheons and even attacked a 72 year old pensioner.”

A student at Goldsmiths, told Socialist Worker, “We marched down from the college and people joined us. We recognise the need to demand not just a future for students but for everyone.”

“Then they denied us access to the town hall and police attacked us, grabbing people by the hair and the neck.”

“It shows how little democracy there really is.”"

See also

Photos of the anti-cuts protest in Lewisham (Socialist Worker Online, UK)

Fracas and fury as Labour Lewisham approves cuts package (The Guardian, UK)

Students plan third and biggest education cuts protest (The Guardian, UK)

Day X2 - Next wave of student protests (Anticuts.org, UK, schedule of planned actions)

Student Protests Test U.K. Coalition Government (Wall Street Journal, New York)

Police warn students against violence (Reuters, UK)

Central Websites with updates about ongoing protests are

Anti Cuts Protest - Publicising Resistance To Tory Cuts

FeesProtest.com (lists & map of protest mini-sites, twitter feeds)

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/

Sudan's grooving Dervishes

2010-11-28T10:32:00.005-09:00

See also the pertaining reportage of Anita McNaught and this illuminating article on contemporary civil war accountancy.

Militant protest against austerity cuts in central Berlin

2010-11-26T18:22:00.017-09:00

26/11/2010 - More than 300 activists tried on Friday to storm or infiltrate the Parliament Square around the Berlin Reichstag where deputies had to decide about austerity cuts. Although acting in several little swarms and affinity groups (and using the so-called Five Finger Tactics practised already at the Heiligendamm G8 protests), they were violently pushed back by massive police forces in riot-gear. So they floated afterwards to the Headquarter of the ruling Christian Democrat party (CDU) which was beleaguered and harassed for some time.

Inspired by the Italian student protests the days before, some protestors employed red shields to defend themselves against the cops (photos here). According to the police two persons were arrested under the allegations of breach of public peace and infringement of disguise interdiction.

The actions around the Parliament occurred out of a demonstration of around 1,000 striking pupils and a protest march of 4,500 people, the latter organized by a reformist-left, union-near political alliance.

According to press reports the Police had mobilized around 1,700 forces, dogs without muzzle and helicopters. Before, the state had edicted a demonstration ban for the whole Parlament Square under the pretext of terror warnings.

See also

4500 protestieren in Berlin gegen Sparpaket (Indymedia Germany, with photos and links)

Demos gegen das Sparpaket: Mit der Fingertaktik an der Polizei vorbei (Der Spiegel Online, Germany, with video and photos)

A group of demonstrators tries to break through Tiergarten, a central Park, near the German Parliament

Photos:

Sven Becker / Spiegel Online (oben)

Bildagentur Frontalvision.com / Turus.net (unten)

Thousands of anarchists march in central Athens against state terrorism

2010-11-26T17:36:00.009-09:00

From the Greek Streets, UK, posted on Friday, November 26, 2010 :

"On Thursday night, around 2,500-3,000 anarchists marched in central Athens against state terrorism and in support of the imprisoned comrades. Police presence was huge, with riot police deployed on both sides of the streets for the entire route of the demonstration. The apparent tactic, it seems, was of obstructing contact between the demonstrators and any passers-by. At the end of the demonstration, outside the Propylea of Athens university, there were scuffles with the police.

The next anarchist demonstration in central Athens has been called for December 11th. On December 6th, the anniversary march for the death of Alexis is taking place, while the 15th is the day of the next general strike."

UK and Italy again rocked by militant student protests - Portugal shut down by historic mass strike (video update Italy)

2010-11-24T15:08:00.044-09:00

BBC reports here live from today's Student Protest in the United Kingdom. This afternoon police were kettling in thousands of student protesters who were trying to force their way into the Parlament Square in central London (the same scenes here in a very impressive video, turned on the ground, with a lot of "free speech" from pupils & students). Occupations, teach-ins and walkouts have been reported throughout the country, upon which the new center-right government of David Cameron tries to impose higher university fees and all sorts of cuts. There were violent skirmishes in London going on until night.

Occupations and walkouts across the UK against cuts (Indymedia UK)

Day X live coverage of student protests across Britain (Chronology of events from Socialist Worker, UK)

Day X: Student protests in pictures (Socialist Worker)

Pictures from Leeds student protest by Charlotte Groves (Socialist Worker)

British Students Leave Classes Over Cuts (New York Times, with photos)

More Violence Erupts At Student Protests (Sky News, UK, with several videos & photos)

Tuition fee protests turn into a riot again (Belfast Telegraph)

Student tuition fee protesters dispersed by police (BBC)

Fees demo brings chaos to streets (Harrow Observer, West London)

Student protests: School's out across the UK as children take to the streets (The Guardian, UK, with video)

Interview with an anarchist student occupier at Sheffield University (The Fargate Speaker via Libcom, UK)

Student protests: Wagner's a riot for revoltings students (Daily Star, UK)

Student protests turn ugly (ITNews Video, UK, from Youtube)

Des milliers d'étudiants manifestent à Londres (Le Figaro, France)

Handgemenge bei Studentenprotesten in London (Reuters Video via FAZ, Germany)

From Xinhua News Agency / People's Daily Online, China:

"University students on Wednesday assaulted the Italian Senate to protest against the new education reform, while hundreds of other students clashed with the police across the country.

Over 2,000 students marched up to the Senate, forced the entrance door and threw tear gases, eggs and stones at the windows, as state TV Rai reported. Police intervened to push back the students out of the parliament. Eight cops have been injured in the riots, while several students either swooned or were harmed.

Rome was blocked in a total chaos for nearly the entire day. Other groups of students staged dramatic happenings and flash mobs in front of the House, wearing ropes around their hands and necks yelling the slogan: "The government is strangling us but we will set ourselves free from its tyranny."

The students called for the government's resignation, especially that of Education Minister Maria Stella Gelmini, condemning the cuts in the education budget and the new reform aimed at increasing merit and the role of private universities.

The student blitz is the first in its kind in recent Italian history against an institutional body, quite symbolic of the current political turmoil the government is facing and the threat of an early vote.

Other students occupied Rome's central La Sapienza University, climbing on the roof of the building and shouting at who ever tried to reach them. The only MP who climbed on the roof with them in sign of solidarity was the leading opposition party secretary Pierluigi Bersani, who exploited the youth dissent in view of a government fall.

In other Italian cities, students and young researchers occupied universities, schools and institutes. In the town of Siena railways tracks were blocked for several hours in sign of protest, causing the cancellation of trains and blocking the station for hours. Also foreign students took part in the mass demonstrations.

The climate of social tensions is thus degenerating. Last time students staged such extreme mass protests was in the 1970's at the time of the global student mobilization phase."

Student protests in Italy against education cuts (World Socialist Web Site)

For more actual informations, see the Uniriot.org Site. Italy

Proved excellent since Roman times: the testudo or tortoise formation (Schildkrötenpanzer-Taktik)

(from Der Standard, Austria)

The Portuguese staged a massive general strike Wednesday in protest against spending cuts. It was the first joint general strike of Portugal’s two biggest unions since 1988. Like Greece, Italy, Ireland, Spain and other states, the country has recently become the target and victim of the financial markets, that is to say banks, speculators and neoliberal international institutions (European Union, European Central Bank, International Monetary Fund).

Strike paralyses Portugal, angry student protest in UK (Nine O'Clock, Romania)

Unions bring Portugal to a grinding halt as Irish-style bailout looms (The Guardian, UK)

Portuguese on general strike against austerity (Reuters via Arab News)

Portugal shut down by general strike (Libcom, UK)

Como a greve geral está a afectar o país (Jornal de negocios, Portugal, with photos)

Spain, Portugal in line for bail-out ? (AP via St. Petersburg Times, Florida)

Fears Mount Over Spain, and Risks to the Euro (New York Times)

Students protesting today during a rally on Leeds University campus, UK

(Photo by Charlotte Groves)

Greek revolutionaries claim responsibility for parcel bomb campaign

2010-11-23T13:01:00.031-09:00

November 2: The day after their arrest, Panagiotis Argyrou, 22, and Gerasimos Tsakalos, 24, members of the Conspiracy Cells of Fire group, are escorted out of the prosecutor office in Athens

Two imprisoned members of the Greek radical left Conspiracy of Fire Cells group have claimed for the first time their responsibility for parcel bombs addressed to European leaders and international embassies. In a letter published yesterday on the Indymedia Athens website they said they had dispatched “incendiary packages” to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the headquarters of the Eurojust agency The Hague and the embassies of Belgium and Mexico in Athens.

“We declare ourselves therefore prisoners of the revolutionary war, proud members of the revolutionary organization Conspiracy of Fire Cells. We do not regret anything” said the communique signed by chemistry student Panagiotis Argyrou, 22, and Gerasimos Tsakalos, 24, who were arrested in Athens on November 1.

They added that "even in the difficult conditions of our imprisonment, we will never stop publicizing our clear views and positions on armed violence, urban guerilla and revolution".

Argyrou and Tsakalos were detained hours after the first booby-trapped parcel, addressed for the Mexican embassy in Athens, exploded in a postal office, lightly wounding one worker according to press reports.

In total 14 parcels containing books or folders apparently filled with an slightly explosive powder were sent from Greece in the first week of November, including one that reached the offices of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and another intercepted in Italy and meant for Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. According to the news agency DAPD the package adressed to Merkel contained a pipe filled with black powder.

The Conspiracy of Fire Cells, labelled a "terrorist" group by Greek authorities, emerged in 2008 with the first of its arson and bomb attacks on government buildings and the offices and homes of Greek politicians that have never caused serious injury.

We document here the letter of the two comrades in an English translation:

„WHOEVER DOES NOT ARM HIS DENIALS, DIES IN HIS CONTRACTS

On 01/11/2010, after we have already dispatched two incendiary packages to Suisse Mail on Astidamantos street and to ACS on Spirou Merkouri street, in Pangrati, which were addressed to the Mexican embassy in Athens and the Eurojust (EU Police agency) in the Hague, we found us surrounded by police officers of the DIAS group (motorbike task force) and arrested. In our possession were found two more packages of incendiary parcels destined for the presidential residence of Nicolas Sarkozy in France and the Belgian Embassy in Athens.

As revolutionaries we do not recognize any interrogating authority. So, we were bound to refuse to apologize to cops and investigators, since we feel only before the public and comrades obliged to explain our revolutionary position.

We declare ourselves, therefore, prisoners of the revolutionary war (αιχμάλωτοι του επαναστατικού πολέμου), proud members of the revolutionary organization Conspiracy of Fire Cells (Συνωμοσία Πυρήνων της Φωτιάς).

We do not regret anything and we support all communiques and actions of our organization, as well as those that will happen from now on, which made us and will make us proud.

We support with all our soul the Conspiracy of Fire Cells, because it is also a part of our soul. Proudly we reclaim our choice to find ourselves in a position of attack against the system. Even in the difficult conditions of detention we will never stop publicizing our clear views and positions on armed violence, urban guerilla warfare and the revolution (για την ένοπλη βία, το αντάρτικο πόλης και την επανάσταση).

Comrades, let us not allow them to take from us even a drop of land.

Comrades, let’s break the apathy and societal infatuation.

Let’s blow up the normalization routines of society once and for all.

P.S. There is no more beautiful way to show solidarity and to broaden the revolutionary consciousness than the continuation and intensification of diverse guerilla actions. So we send our most sincere comradly greetings to the guerillas, which in spite of the times, continue to illuminate with fires of hate the miserable nights of the metropolis.

In the campaign for international solidarity to foreign organizations and imprisoned fighters, a communique of the organization will follow.

NOTHING IS OVER

THE WAR CONTINUES

Conspiracy of Fire Cells – Commando Practical Theory

Gerasimos Tsakalos Panagiotis Argyrou”

Sources:

Indymedia Athens (Greek communique)

Act For Freedom Now (English translation)

325.nostate (English translation)

Indymedia Germany (English translation)

Revolte.blogsport (deutsche Übersetzung)

Greek extremist group claims parcel bomb campaign (ANP/AFP via Radio Netherlands Worldwide)

Greek extremist group claims responsibility for parcel bombs campaign (AP via NYPost)

Group claims bomb campaign (AFP via Gulf Times)

Griechische Anarchisten bekennen sich zu Paketbomben (ANP via Dnews)

Athens hit by wave of mail bombs (The Star, Canada, 02/11/2010)

Photo: Getty Images via The Star, Canada

Iran official says Sakineh's life could be saved

2010-11-22T15:04:00.022-09:00

In this CNN talk with Fareed Zakaria which was broadcasted on Sunday, Mohammad Javad Larijani, the Secretary General of Iran's High Human Rights Council, said there is a chance that the punishment of Sakineh Mohammadi-Ashtiani "should be lessened" (see also the second part on the question of nuclear weapons).

Today Larijani told Iran's English-language Press TV that "Iran's Council of Human Rights has helped a lot to reduce her sentence and we think there is a good chance that her life could be saved".

'Ashtiani's life could be spared' (Press TV, Iran, Monday, Nov 22, 2010)

'US should accept influential Iran' (Press TV, Iran, Wednesday Nov 17, 2010)

Case of detained Germans going through judicial process (Tehran Times Political Desk)

Americans Reassess Iran (Middle East Online)

Spiritualité et récitation

2010-11-19T05:31:00.028-09:00

Music from Ostad Elahi (1895 - 1974), who was a spiritual thinker, musician, philosopher and jurist at the same time - Here another of his compositions, played by his youngest son, Dr. Chahrokh Elahi

And I say that to God Most High belongs a secret consisting in the relationship of measured airs to the souls of men, so that airs work upon them with a wonderful working. Some sounds make to rejoice and some to grieve, some put to sleep and some make to laugh, some excite and some bring from the members movement according to the measure, with the hand and the foot and the head.

Et je dis qu’à Dieu le Très-Haut appartient un secret qui consiste dans la relation des airs mésurés avec les âmes des hommes, de faςon que ces airs s’exercent en eux avec une efficacité éblouissante. Certains sons (aswât) font qu’on se réjouit, d’autres qu’on attriste, certains font dormir, d’autres font rire, certains excitent (itrâb) et suscitent dans les membres des mouvements, de la main, du pied et de la tête, accordés à la mésure.

- Al-Ghazali, The Revival of the Religious Sciences, Book 18 (On Music and Singing), written around 1100

Tant qu’on voudra considérer les sons que par l'ébranlement qu’ìls excitent dans nos nerfs on n’aura point les vrais principes de la musique et de son pouvoir sur les cœurs. Les sons dans la mélodie n’agissent pas seulement comme sons, mais comme signes de nos affections …

Solange man die Klänge nur an der Erschütterung bemißt, die sie unseren Nerven bereiten, wird man niemals zu den wahren Prinzipien der Musik und ihrer Macht über die Herzen gelangen. Die Klänge in der Melodie wirken nicht nur als Klänge, sondern als Zeichen unserer Gefühle …

- Rousseau, Essai sur l’origine des langues, où il est parlé de la mélodie et de l’imitation, écrit en 1754, publié en 1781

… es schien, als begleiteten die verzierten Wände und Decken die Pilger bei der Rezitation des Korans.

Das Grundprinzip war Symmetrie. Es begeisterte die Sinne, es feierte die Schöpfung und reflektierte in seiner strengen Form eine größere Wahrheit. Gott hat die Welt, wie der Koran mehrfach sagt, in richtiger Proportion geformt. Symmetrie ist mehr als nur eine ästhetische Regel, sie ist eine Qualität der göttlichen Schöpfung. Indem der Mensch die Regeln der Symmetrie und Proportion auf sein Leben überträgt, folgt er sozusagen Gottes Fußstapfen. Symmetrie als Tugend.

In den Mustern und Ornamenten des Islam, in den kleinen gleichmäßigen Einheiten, die auf Stoff und Marmor zusammenwirken und die von den Innenwänden zu den Außenwänden und von dort in die weite Welt hineingeschrieben werden, herrschen einige Grundprinzipien: Gleichgewicht, Wiederholung, Wechselbeziehung, Gleichförmigkeit. Keines der Elemente erfährt durch Perspektive oder Positionierung größere Bedeutung als die anderen, so wie kein Mensch höher steht als ein anderer. Der Mikrokosmos spiegelt sich im Makrokosmos. Das Geheimnis der Schönheit liegt in der verschlungenen und verwickelten Beziehung zwischen den gleichgewichtigen Teilen.

Um das gesamte Ornament zu erkennen, muß man außerhalb des Musters stehen. Die Schöpfung ist größer als die Summe aller Teile. So repräsentiert der Schmuck der Welt sowohl die göttliche Ordnung als auch die Verpflichtung zu ihr. Die islamische Kunst ist in allen ihren Formen ein einziger Lobgesang. Sie verdeutlicht die Unermeßlichkeit Gottes.

Aber mit welchem Effekt und mit welchem Ziel, dachte ich, als ich ein letztes Mal um die Kaaba kreiste …

- Ilija Trojanow, Zu den heiligen Quellen des Islam. Als Pilger nach Mekka und Medina, 2004

Sources:

Al-Ghazali (1058-1111) wrote his last great work "The Revival of the Religious Sciences" in the years after he had passed through a spiritual crisis and abandoned his post as professor at Bagdad university (Nizamiyya) in 1095. It's forty books deal in four divisions - worship, daily life, moral evils and virtues - with the whole of Islamic life from a practical point of view. Book 18 (Kitab âdab al-sâma' wa al-wajd, "Book on the good use of audition and trance") is part of the second division. It was translated into English by Duncan Black MacDonald, Emotional Religion in Islam as affected by Music and Singing. Being a Translation of a Book of the Ihyâ 'Ulûm ad-Dîn of al-Ghazzâlî with Analysis, Annotation, and Appendices, in: Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, 1901: pages 195-252 et 705-748; 1902: pages 1-18; cited here according to page 218; translated into French by Gilbert Rouget, La musique et la transe. Esquisse d’une théorie générale des relations de la musique et de la possession, Nouvelle édition revue et augmentée, Préface de Michel Leiris, Gallimard, Paris 1990, page 470 (transl. enlarged by me); the English translation of Al-Ghazali's treatise has recently been republished under the title "Music and Singing", by IBT Books, Kuala Lumpur 2009, 139 pages, ISBN: 9789675062230

Rousseau édité par Chr. Porset, Ducros, Bordeaux 1970, page 163, cité par Rouget sur page 311; il y a maintenant une nouvelle édition franςaise de ce texte chez L'Harmattan, Paris 2009, ISBN 978-2-296-09168-9 (avec un essai de la philosophe Angèle Kremer-Marietti, "Jean-Jacques Rousseau ou la double origine et son rapport au système langue-musique-politique"); auf deutsch existiert eine Ausgabe J.-J. Rousseau, Musik und Sprache. Ausgewählte Schriften, übersetzt von Dorothea und Peter Gülke, Heinrichshofen, Wilhelmshaven 1984, ISBN 3-7959-0424-2 (vermutlich ist der besagte Text sowie Rousseau's "Dictionnaire de Musique" darin enthalten)

Ilija Trojanow, Zu den heiligen Quellen des Islam. Als Pilger nach Mekka und Medina, Piper Verlag, München 2004 (erschienen im Verlagsprogamm Malik), Taschenbuch Serie Piper 2006, Seite 135

International Students' Day: Greece, Italy and Beyond

2010-11-18T13:20:00.036-09:00

17th November 2010: Protest March of Pupils and Students in Rome, Italy

On the eve of today’s little known World Philosophy day (which this year coincided with the official closing of the world's biggest religious event, the Islamic Hajj, the annual pilgrimage of Muslims to Mecca), yesterday's International Student's Day was celebrated worldwide in at least a dozen countries with political manifestations, marches and other actions. Fidel Castro honoured this day with a long speech to the Cuban youth, and so did the Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly with a congratulary address to the students of his country. At Osmania University at Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh, India), the de facto headquarters of the Telangana movement, which fights for an independant Federal Indian State, riots and clashes with Special Police units erupted late on Thursday after a protest rallye. At least 20-30 students are believed to have sustained serious injuries. In Europe, nationwide and high-spirited protests took place in Italy and Greece, where the demonstrations of Wednesday were also - as in Hyderabad - marked by a particular national agenda.

This is especially true for austerity-ridden Greece, commemorating on this 17th november traditionally the bloody 1973 anti-dictatorship uprising (which ringed in the end of the then military junta). Here several ten thousands students and teachers, workers and pensioners marched through central Athens, while another 12,000 protesters joined a rally in Thessaloniki. This year the focus of protesters’ anger was Greece’s international creditors: the European Union and the International Monetary Fund. Activists said, the Athens march was the most intense and populous demonstration the Greek capital has seen since May 5th. It was accompanied by battles of youths with the police (which went on until late in the night), but also by clashes between activists and the youth branch of PASOK, the social-democratic party in power (here a video from Thessaloniki). 48 protesters were detained according to official statements. Police also reported clashes in the southern city of Patras.

In Berlusconi-plagued Italy around 200,000 young people in 100 towns and cities took part in the forceful protests against austerity cuts and the privatisation of education, leading to rail occupations or traffic jams and bus and train cancellations in many of them. The Milan city council said the demonstration there had been marred by vandalism, with graffiti scrawled on walls, shop windows smashed and trash strewn across streets. There are also reports about activists squatting university spaces or schools (and these occupations seem still going on).

Osmania university erupts again over Hyderabad’s free zone status (Daily News & Analysis, India)

Violence again near Osmania University campus in Hyderabad, India (The Hindu)

Students protest at Osmania University (Press Trust of India via NDTV)

Students protest cutbacks in school system (Iceland Review)

It's International Students day! (Jamaica Observer)

Students planning to step up protests at tuition fees (Camden New Journal, London)

National Students Protests Wednesday 24th November (Indymedia UK)

Statement of Solidarity from Greece for U.K. students (Void Network via Anarchist News)

Greeks march to mark 1973 revolt, protest austerity (Reuters, with Photos )

Greek Riots; Protesters Clash With Police At 1973 Uprising Anniversary March (AP & The Huffington Post, with Photo Gallery)

"The IMF is not an image on your TV screen”: report from tonight’s demo in Athens (Indymedia Athens via From the Greek Streets)

Athens Polizei gewinnt 17. Riot (Indymedia Germany)

Vandalism, disruption as students protest cuts, reforms - Associations say 200,000 took part in nationwide demos (ANSA)

Italian students protest reform, budget cuts (AFP via Gulf Times)

Scuola, tagli e riforme: in 200 mila per dire no (Indymedia Piemonte)

Gli studenti invadono Milano: 17 Novembre verso Lo Sciopero Generale (Indymedia Lombardia)

Manifestazioni in tutta Italia: Scuola scende in piazza, cori contro Berlusconi - Fumogeni a Montecitorio (Corriere della sera - Picture Gallery)

17 novembre: una nave pirata nel mare normalizzato del movimento studentesco (CSOA Mercato Occupato Bari)

Hundert Demonstrationen in ganz Italien gegen Bildungsreform (DPA / Europe Online)

Bozen: "No Gelmini Day" - 500 Schüler demonstrieren (Südtirol News)

Global Wave of Action for Education Hildesheim (Indymedia Germany)

Schulstreik 17. 11. Osnabrück - Bilder (Indymedia Germany)

Berlin: Rave der Bildungsleichen (Indymedia Germany)

Bildungsstreik 2010 - Make Party ???? (Radio Dreyeckland)

Commemoration and Protest: 1973 Uprising Anniversary March in Athens, Greece (17th november 2010)

Jannis Ritsos (1909 - 1990)

2010-11-11T13:19:00.014-09:00

Eine gute Maske für schwierige Zeiten, der Mythos.

*

Rot grellrot
das Rot -
lösch es mit Schwarz
ja mit dem Schwarz
reiß ein Loch ins Papier
wirf hinein
die Nägel das Messer das schwarze -
ach getötetes Rot
tiefe Musik.

*

Diese Angst,
etwas bleibt übrig,
was ich nicht nahm.
Und die Angst,
daß jenes Endlose
ein Ende hat.

Seltsam -
die Lichter werden schwächer,
die Schaufenster erlöschen.
Bevor es Nacht wird,
dämmert es.

Wieder Bewegung,
Bewegung der Häuser, der Straßen.
Grün, Rot,
Grün, Rot.
Nicht nur Rot.
Die Verkehrspolizisten
haben ihre Posten bezogen.

- Jannis Ritsos, Erotika Gedichte, aus dem Neugriechischen von Thomas Nicolaou, Medusa - Verlag Volk & Welt, Berlin 1983, Seite 51 (Athen, 24. 2. 1980) und Seite 95 (Athen, 24. 12. 1980)

Foto: Thessaloniki, Greece, Protest against Papandreou, 11. September 2010, Reuters via NTV

British Students Protest Massively Against Cuts and Storm the Tory Headquarter

2010-11-10T19:37:00.035-09:00

London, 10 November, in early afternoon: Out of a protest march of more than 50.000 people, students and activists with red-and-black flags have boarded the rooftop of Millbank Tower, the headquarter of the ruling Conservative Party

(see Videos from Daily Telegraph & BBC - Video from Russia Today - German Videos from AP & Reuters)

Tens of thousands of students and lecturers marching on parliament - Chronology of the events until 16:30 (Socialist Worker)

2010 student protest in London (Wikipedia - Speed Record !!!)

Students smash Tory headquarters (Indymedia UK via Libcom)

Inside the Millbank Tower Riots (New Statesman)

Fury about more than tuition fees (The Independent)

Student riot marks end of Coalition's era of consensus (The Independent)

London tuition hike protests turn violent (New York Times)

Student protests create an Edgar Allan Poe moment (The Guardian)

Update from occupied Tory Headquarter (Indymedia UK, 18:43)

Parliament square occupied - Free University open (Indymedia London, 20:34)

PLEASE SIGN: Statement of solidarity with students arrested at Millbank (Indymedia UK)

View from the rooftop of Millbank Tower

Photos: Indymedia UK

In Memory of Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni Nine

2010-11-10T14:46:00.010-09:00

damhsaigh d'fhearg dance your exasperation
damhsaigh do ghliondar dance your euphoria
damhsaigh na gunnaí dance the gun
chun suain to soothing
damhsaigh dance

- Ken Saro-Wiwa, from a mural painting in County Mayo, Ireland

The Ogoni Nine were a group of nine activists from the Ogoni region of Nigeria, including outspoken author and playwright Ken Saro-Wiwa, Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel, and John Kpuine, who were executed in November 1995 by the military dictatorship of General Sani Abacha.
The executions provoked international condemnation and led to the increasing treatment of Nigeria as a pariah state until General Abacha's mysterious death in 1998. Saro-Wiwa had previously been a critic of the Royal Dutch Shell oil corporation, and had been imprisoned for a year prior to the executions in November 1995.
At least two witnesses who testified that Saro-Wiwa was involved in the murders of the Ogoni elders later recanted, stating that they had been bribed with money and offers of jobs with Shell to give false testimony – in the presence of Shell’s lawyer.

- From Wikipedia

Photo:

Mural painting of Chris Philbin & John Monaghan

Salesmen

2010-11-08T06:02:00.028-09:00

"Come on, show me the capital !"

His eyes open wide in vision stared sternly across the sunbeam in
which he halted.

--A merchant, Stephen said, is one who buys cheap and sells dear, jew or gentile, is he not?

--They sinned against the light, Mr Deasy said gravely. And you can see
the darkness in their eyes. And that is why they are wanderers on the
earth to this day.

On the steps of the Paris stock exchange the goldskinned men quoting
prices on their gemmed fingers. Gabble of geese. They swarmed loud,
uncouth about the temple, their heads thickplotting under maladroit silk
hats. Not theirs: these clothes, this speech, these gestures. Their full
slow eyes belied the words, the gestures eager and unoffending, but knew the rancours massed about them and knew their zeal was vain. Vain patience to heap and hoard. Time surely would scatter all. A hoard heaped by the roadside: plundered and passing on. Their eyes knew their years of wandering and, patient, knew the dishonours of their flesh.

--Who has not? Stephen said.

--What do you mean? Mr Deasy asked.

He came forward a pace and stood by the table. His underjaw fell
sideways open uncertainly. Is this old wisdom? He waits to hear from me.

--History, Stephen said, is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake.

From the playfield the boys raised a shout. A whirring whistle: goal.
What if that nightmare gave you a back kick?

--The ways of the Creator are not our ways, Mr Deasy said. All human
history moves towards one great goal, the manifestation of God.

Stephen jerked his thumb towards the window, saying:

--That is God.

Hooray! Ay! Whrrwhee!

--What? Mr Deasy asked.

--A shout in the street, Stephen answered ...

--- JAMES JOYCE, ULYSSES (1922)

Seine Augen öffneten sich weit, als hätte er eine Vision, starrten unbeweglich durch den Sonnenstrahl, in dem er stand.

"Kaufmann", sagte Stephan, "ist der, der billig einkauft und teuer verkauft, ob er nun Jude oder Heide ist. Habe ich nicht recht ?"

"Sie sündigten gegen das Licht", sagte Deasy ernst. "Und man kann in ihren Augen die Finsternis erkennen. Und deshalb finden sie bis auf den heutigen Tag keine Ruhe auf Erden."

Auf den Stufen der Pariser Börse stehen goldhäutige Männer, notieren die Kurse mit ihren begemmten Fingern. Gänsegeschnatter. Sie schwärmten laut, unheimlich durch den Tempel, unter ungeschickten Seidenhüten ersannen ihre Köpfe allerlei Ränke. Nicht ihre: diese Kleider, diese Worte, diese Gesten. Ihre schweren, langsamen Augen straften die Worte, die eifrigen und harmlosen Gesten Lügen, kannten aber den Haß, der sich um sie türmte, und wußten, daß ihr Eifer umsonst war. Vergeblich häuften und sammelten sie geduldig. Zeit würde sicher wieder alles zerstreuen. Ein Schatz, aufgehäuft am Straßenrande: Plündern und Weitergehen. Ihre Augen kannten die Jahre des Wanderns, und geduldig kannten sie die Unehre ihres Fleisches.

"Wer tat das nicht?", sagte Stephan.

"Was meinten Sie ?", fragte Deasy.

Er kam einen Schritt nach vorn. Ungewiß fiel ihm der Unterkiefer schief nach unten. Ist dies alte Weisheit ? Er will von mir hören.

"Geschichte", sagte Stephan, "ist ein Alp, aus dem ich erwachen will."

Vom Spielplatz klang wieder der Knaben Schrei. Ein schwirrender Pfiff: Tor. Und wenn dieser Alp dir nun von hinten einen Tritt versetzte ?

"Die Wege Gottes sind nicht unsere Wege", sagte Deasy. "Alle Geschichte bewegt sich auf ein großes Ziel zu, die Offenbarung Gottes."

Stephan schnellte den Daumen auf das Fenster zu und sagte:

"Das ist Gott."

"Hurra ! aaa! raa!"

"Was ?", fragte Deasy.

"Ein Schrei auf der Straße", antwortete Stephan …

(ÜBERSETZUNG GOYERT 1927)

Die Augen weit offen wie vor einer Vision, starrte er streng durch den Sonnenstreif, in dem er stehengeblieben war.

Ein Kaufmann, sagte Stephan, ist einer, der billig einkauft und teuer verkauft, ganz gleich ob Jude oder Heide, nicht wahr ?

Sie haben gesündigt wider das Licht, sagte Mr. Deasy grabesschwer. Noch in ihren Augen kann man die Finsternis sehen. Und das ist der Grund, daß sie Wanderer sind auf Erden, bis auf den heutigen Tag.

Auf den Stufen der Pariser Börse die goldhäutigen Männer, Kurse notierend mit ihren edelbesteinten Fingern. Narrengeschnatter. Sie wimmelten laut und unheimlich herum im Tempel, die Köpfe voll pausenlos schwirrender Flausen unter den linkisch getragenen Seidenhüten. Nicht die ihren: diese Kleider, diese Reden, diese Gesten. Die vollen bedächtigen Augen straften sie Lügen, die Worte, die gierigen und doch harmlosen Gesten, doch sie kannten den tiefen Haß, der sich um sie ballte, und wußten, ihr Eifer war eitel. Die Zeit würde gewißlich alles wieder zerstreuen. Ein Hort, gehäuft nur am Straßenrand: geplündert bald und in andere Hände wandernd. Ihre Augen kannten die Jahre des Wanderns und wußten, harrend, um die Unehren ihres Fleisches.

- Wer wäre das nicht ?, sagte Stephen.

- Wie bitte, was meinen Sie ?, fragte Mr. Deasy.

Er kam einen Schritt vor und stand am Tisch. Der Unterkiefer sank ihm schief herab, der Mund stand ihm unsicher offen. Ist das die Altersweisheit ? Er wartet, daß ich etwas sage.

- Die Geschichte, sagte Stephen, ist ein Albtraum, aus dem ich zu erwachen versuche.

Vom Spielfeld der Knaben scholl Gebrüll herüber. Ein schwirrender Pfiff: Tor. Doch was, wenn dieser Albtraum dir einen Tritt versetzte ?

Die Wege des Schöpfers sind nicht unsere Wege, sagte Mr. Deasy. Alle Geschichte bewegt sich auf ein einziges großes Tor zu: die Offenbarung Gottes.

Stephens Daumen schnellte hoch und wies auf das Fenster:

- Das ist Gott !

Hurrah! Aaah ! Jaaaaah!

- Was ? fragte Mr. Deasy.

- Ein Gebrüll auf den Gassen, antwortete Stephen …

(ÜBERSETZUNG WOLLSCHLÄGER 1975)

Sources:

The Fragment is taken from the Nestor-Episode in the Telemachiad, the First Part of "Ulysses"

Ulysses by James Joyce, Shakespeare and Company, 12, Rue de l'Odéon, 12, Paris 1922, page 33

James Joyce, Ulysses, edited with an Introduction and Notes by Jeri Johnson, first published 1993, reissued as an Oxford World’s Classic Paperback, Oxford University Press, 1998, page 33 (reproduces the 1922 original edition with identical pagination)

James Joyce, Ulysses, vom Verfasser autorisierte Übersetzung von Georg Goyert, mit einer Einführung von C. Giedion-Welcker, Rhein-Verlag AG, Zürich 1956, Lizenzausgabe Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag, München 1966, Band 1, Seite 42

James Joyce, Ulysses. Roman, übersetzt von Hans Wollschläger, Suhrkamp Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 1975, Lizenzausgabe für die Europäische Bildungsgemeinschaft Verlags-GmbH u. a. , o.O, o. J., Seite 48.

IMAGO: marx_comix

SAVE THE LIFE OF SAKINEH MOHAMMADI ASHTIANI

2010-11-02T12:45:00.007-08:00

Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, an Iranian Azeri woman convicted of adultery, is now under the immediate threat of being executed under Islamic Sharia law. An Iranian activist said she could be executed as early as Wednesday, citing sources close to the court. Many people already appealed to the Iranian authorities for an act of clemency and compassion towards Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani. We join here the words of the letter that the Italian human rights organization EveryOne sent to the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad; the Minister of Justice, Morteza Bakhtiari; and the Head of the Judicial System of Iran, Ayatollah Sadegh Ardeshir Larijani to ask for an act of grace towards Sakineh.

Milan, September 28th, 2010

Hon. President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad;

Hon. Minister of Justice of the Islamic Republic of Iran Morteza Bakhtiari;

Hon. Head of the Judicial System of Iran, Ayatollah Sadegh Ardeshir Larijani

Honorable Authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran,

as pointed out by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, millions of people throughout the Western world - who consider capital punishment brutal and cruel, and an extreme form of revenge against a human being considered guilty of a serious crime - have appealed for the life of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, while at the same time support for Teresa Lewis, sentenced to death in Virginia (USA) and executed on September 23rd of this year was not as half as vociferous.

Now you, the authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran and people inspired by a great religion based on love of life, have the opportunity to make a first step to show greater compassion, greater attention towards human life than the Western world, in which a great number of violations of human rights are still today taking place and many innocent lives, including children, women and the sick are lost due to unjust persecution. Appealing for your compassion, mercy and love for human life, EveryOne Group kneels before you and asks for an act of clemency towards Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani.

In the hope that we have reached your hearts, and that you will grant an act of compassion towards Sakineh, we wish to thank you for your kind attention.

for EveryOne Group,
the co-Presidents
Roberto Malini, Matteo Pegoraro, Dario Picciau

I BEG AND PRAY TO GOD, THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE MOST MERCIFUL

SAVE THE LIFE OF SAKINEH MOHAMMADI ASHTIANI

EVERY HUMAN BEING IS IMPORTANT

IT WILL BE A LITTLE STEP TOWARDS A BETTER WORLD WHERE ALL PEOPLES AND HUMAN BEINGS CAN LIVE TOGETHER IN NON-VIOLENCE AND PEACE, DIGNITY, PROSPERITY AND JUSTICE

All Saints or: Mother Earth Knows History

2010-11-01T19:42:00.032-08:00

Gaia is a touchy lady: In the night from Reformation Day to All Saints, a huge crater opens up in a little town, Schmalkalden, which was a very fatal place for German Protestantism

Als die theologischen Besprechungen im Dezember [1529] zu Schmalkalden fortgesetzt wurden, haben die Wittenberger [also die Anhänger Luthers], trotz allen Zornes und aller Bitten des Landgrafen Philipp von Hessen und des Straßburgers Stadtmeisters Jakob Sturm, ihre dogmatischen Abweichungen in erschreckender Starrheit festgehalten. Dabei waren die Laien noch mehr versteift als die Theologen; vor allem der Kurfürst von Sachsen; aber auch der Ansbacher Vogel [lies wohl : Heinrich Vogler, der Kanzler des Markgrafen von Brandenburg-Ansbach, aus der Linie der fränkischen Hohenzollern]. Er erklärte, "daß wir mit den Mißhelligen in kein Verständnis und gleich so wenig in weiter Schickung zu kaiserlicher Majestät willigen mögen". Es war ein erneuter Unglückstag unserer Geschichte, wie man mit Recht gesagt hat.

- Karl Brandi, Deutsche Geschichte im Zeitalter der Reformation und Gegenreformation, München 1969, Seite 167

Aus deutschsprachigen Nachrichtenmeldungen vom Tage (alle Angaben nach mitteleuropäischer Zeit / Central European Time):

01.11.2010, 10:52

50 Christen sterben bei Geiselnahme in Bagdad

Bei einer blutigen Geiselnahme in einer irakischen Kirche sind in der Nacht 55 Menschen ums Leben gekommen. Die ehemalige Umweltministerin und christliche Aktivistin, Pascale Warda, sprach von 50 toten Christen. Mit ihnen starben fünf Geiselnehmer. Die Agentur Sumeria News meldete, 70 Menschen hätten Verletzungen erlitten. Die Polizei hatte vergeblich versucht, die Christen aus der Kirche in Bagdad zu befreien. Doch als die Polizisten das Gotteshaus stürmten, zündeten die Terroristen ihre Sprengstoffgürtel. [Acht amerikanische Soldaten waren offenbar zu wenig, um die Schlächterei zu verhindern].

01.11.2010, 07:47

Fünf Tote bei Drohnenangriff in Pakistan

Bei einem US-Drohnenangriff im pakistanischen Grenzgebiet zu Afghanistan sind fünf Menschen getötet worden. Das unbemannte Flugzeug feuerte zwei Raketen auf ein Haus in Nord-Waziristan ab. Das verlautete aus Geheimdienstkreisen in der Region. Die Stammesgebiete gelten als Hochburg für radikal-islamische Extremisten aus dem Umkreis des Terrornetzwerks Al-Kaida. Die USA haben die Zahl ihrer Drohnenangriffe auf Nord-Waziristan in letzter Zeit erhöht.

01.11.2010, 15:14

PKK verlängert Waffenruhe am Tag nach Anschlag

Einen Tag nach dem Selbstmordattentat auf einen Polizeiposten im Zentrum von Istanbul hat die verbotene Kurdische Arbeiterpartei PKK jede Beteiligung bestritten. Zudem verlängerte die Organisation eine ausgelaufene Waffenruhe bis zur türkischen Parlamentswahl im Sommer 2011. Bei dem Anschlag waren 32 Menschen verletzt worden, darunter 17 Passanten. Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel verurteilte den Bombenanschlag.

01.11.2010, 17:53 (Reuters)

Paketbomben in Griechenland abgefangen - Sarkozy im Visier

Die griechische Polizei hat mehrere Paketbomben abgefangen, von denen eine an den französischen Präsidenten Nicolas Sarkozy adressiert war. Die anderen Päckchen sollten an die Botschaften Belgiens und der Niederlande gehen, wie ein Polizeisprecher am Montag sagte. Zudem sei ein weiteres, für die Vertretung Mexikos bestimmtes Paket bei einem Lieferservice in Athen in den Händen einer Angestellten explodiert, die sich leicht verletzt habe. Die abgefangenen Pakete seien kontrolliert gesprengt worden.

01.11.2010, 22:50

Jemen kritisiert Einflugverbot nach Deutschland

Die jemenitische Regierung hat das deutsche Einflugverbot für im Jemen gestartete Flugzeuge kritisiert. Das sei eine «hastige und übertriebene Reaktion», sagte ein Sprecher in der Hauptstadt Sanaa. Die «kollektive und unlogische Bestrafung» schade auch Jemens Anstrengungen im Kampf gegen den Terrorismus. Nach dem Fund von Paketbomben aus dem Jemen war das Flugverbot für Maschinen aus dem arabischen Land verschärft worden. Die Bundesregierung stuft die Terrorgefahr als ernst ein. Nachgedacht wird auch über Einfuhrverbote aus anderen Ländern

01.11.2010, 12:45

Bundesregierung fordert Schutz der Christen im Irak

Die Bundesregierung hat sich schockiert über die blutige Geiselnahme im Irak mit 50 getöteten Christen und Dutzenden Verletzten geäußert. Regierungssprecher Steffen Seibert sagte, der Überfall auf die Kirche in Bagdad zeige, wie gefährlich die Lage für Christen im Irak sei. Es sei ganz entscheidend, dass es dort eine handlungsfähige Regierung gebe. Die irakische Polizei hatte in der Nacht vergeblich versucht, die Christen aus der Kirche zu befreien. Doch als Polizisten die Kirche stürmten, zündeten die Terroristen ihre Sprengstoffgürtel.

01.11.2010, 19:06

Regierung verschärft wegen Paketbomben Einfuhrverbote

Die Bundesregierung prüft nach den Funden von Paketbomben aus dem Jemen Verschärfungen im Frachtverkehr. Ein Paket war in Köln/Bonn umgeladen worden. Nach dem Flugverbot für alle Maschinen aus dem Jemen erwägt die Bundesregierung jetzt Einfuhrverbote auch aus anderen Ländern. Konkrete Ländernamen für Einfuhrverbote wollte Regierungssprecher Steffen Seibert zunächst nicht nennen. In Sicherheitskreisen ist angesichts der Bombenkonstruktion von einer neuen Dimension der Bedrohung die Rede.

01.11.2010, 17:59

Ausweitung von Einflugverbot aus dem Jemen

Nach dem Fund von Paketbomben aus dem Jemen ist das Flugverbot für Maschinen aus dem arabischen Land nach Deutschland verschärft worden. Die Deutsche Flugsicherung wurde angewiesen, direkte und indirekte Flüge aus dem Jemen abzuweisen. Das teilte das Verkehrsministerium in Berlin mit. Zuvor hatte das Bundesverkehrsministerium bereits das Unternehmen DHL aufgefordert, jede Fracht aus dem Jemen auf seinem Drehkreuz in Leipzig streng zu kontrollieren. Der Paketdienst überprüft seitdem bis auf weiteres die Fracht aus dem Jemen, gleichermaßen wie UPS und FedEx.

01.11.2010, 17:12

BBC: Ex-Terrorist gab Hinweis auf Bombenpakete

Der entscheidende Hinweis auf die Paketbomben der Al-Kaida aus dem Jemen soll von einem reuigen Mitglied der Terrororganisation stammen. Das berichtet die britische BBC. Sie beruft sich dabei auf nicht näher genannte offizielle Quellen. Dschabir al-Faifi habe den Hinweis gegeben, der zur Entdeckung der beiden gefährlichen Pakete in Frachtzentren in Großbritannien und Dubai führte. Al-Fafi hatte sich im September den jemenitischen Behörden gestellt. Später wurde er nach Saudi-Arabien gebracht.

01.11.2010, 16:26

Inhaftierte Deutsche im Iran bitten um Begnadigung

Die beiden seit über drei Wochen im Iran inhaftierten Deutschen haben bei der Justiz um Begnadigung gebeten. Das teilte ein Sprecher der iranischen Justizbehörde mit. Die beiden Deutschen hätten gestanden, dass sie keine Reporter seien. Diplomaten der deutschen Botschaft in Teheran konnten die beiden Deutschen zum ersten Mal im Gefängnis in Täbris treffen. Die beiden Männer waren verhaftet worden, als sie den Sohn und den Anwalt von Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, einer zum Tod durch Steinigung verurteilten Iranerin, interviewen wollten.

02.11.2010, 00:06

Glückwünsche aus aller Welt für Brasiliens neue Präsidentin

Nach ihrer Wahl zur ersten Präsidentin Brasiliens hat Dilma Rousseff zahlreiche Glückwünsche aus aller Welt erhalten. Kanzlerin Angela Merkel lud Rousseff zu einem baldigen Besuch nach Deutschland ein. Sie freue sich darauf, die Partnerschaft zwischen den beiden Ländern weiter zu vertiefen, schrieb Merkel an die neue Staatschefin, die ihr Amt am 1. Januar 2011 antritt. Auch US- Präsident Barack Obama lud Rousseff zu einem Besuch nach Washington ein. Die 62-Jährige ist Tochter eines bulgarischen Einwanderers.

01.11.2010, 18:46

Deutschland nimmt Abschied von Loki Schmidt

Mit einer schlichten, aber ergreifenden Trauerfeier hat Deutschland Abschied von Loki Schmidt genommen. Ihr Mann, Altbundeskanzler Helmut Schmidt, nahm im Hamburger Michel gefasst an dem Trauergottesdienst teil, an der Seite seiner Tochter Susanne. Mehr als 2000 Gäste waren in die Barockkirche gekommen, darunter viel Polit-Prominenz. Neben den Altbundespräsidenten Richard von Weizsäcker und Horst Köhler nahmen auch amtierende Politiker teil, allen voran Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel.

01.11.2010, 14:00

Bundestagspräsident kritisiert Regierung

Klare Worte: Bundestagspräsident Norbert Lammert hat der Bundesregierung vorgeworfen, die Atomgesetze viel zu schnell durchs Parlament gebracht zu haben. Es habe sich nicht um «ein Glanzstück von Parlamentsarbeit» gehandelt, sagte der CDU- Politiker der «Frankfurter Allgemeinen Zeitung». Er habe den «Verdacht mangelnder Sorgfalt». Die Laufzeiten seien nach seiner Kenntnis auch nicht sachlich begründet, sondern schlicht ausgehandelt worden. Die Bundesregierung wies die Vorwürfe zurück.

01.11.2010, 04:51

Kennedy-Berater Sorensen gestorben

Einer der engsten und letzten Berater von John F. Kennedy ist tot. Theodore Sorensen starb nach Angaben der «New York Times» gestern in einem Krankenhaus in New York. Er wurde 82 Jahre alt. Sorensen war mit Anfang 30 Rechtsberater im Weißen Haus geworden und gehörte bis zu Kennedys Ermordung 1963 zu seinen einflussreichsten Vertrauten. Vor allem war er aber Kennedys wichtigster Redenschreiber. Ihm wird auch der legendärste Satz aus der Amtseinführungsrede 1961 zugeschrieben: «Fragt nicht, was Euer Land für Euch tun kann, fragt, was Ihr für Euer Land tun könnt.»

01.11.2010, 19:53

US-Experten im Jemen

Ein Team von US-Experten ist in den Jemen gereist, um die Sicherheitsmaßnahmen an Flughäfen zu überprüfen und Airport- Personal zu schulen. Dabei sollten «hochentwickelte Suchtechniken» vermittelt werden, sagte ein Regierungssprecher in der Hauptstadt Sanaa. Ziel der Spezialisten seien die Flughäfen in Sanaa und Aden, wo internationale Flüge abgewickelt werden. In England und Dubai waren Paketbomben gefunden worden, die Terroristen vom Jemen aus an Ziele in die USA verschickt hatten.

01.11.2010, 20:47

Regierung: Terrorgefahr ist ernst

Die Bundesregierung stuft nach den Funden von Paketbomben aus dem Jemen die Terrorgefahr als ernst ein. Sie prüft weitere Verschärfungen im Frachtverkehr. Nach dem Flugverbot für alle Maschinen aus dem Jemen erwägt die Bundesregierung jetzt Einfuhrverbote auch aus anderen Ländern. Bundesinnenminister Thomas de Maizière sagte, die Zuverlässigkeit der Drittstaaten und deren Kontrolle werden man zu überprüfen haben. Beim Besuch eines Paketumschlagzentrums auf dem Flughafen Köln/Bonn sprach er sich für eine europäische Lösung aus.

01.11.2010, 17:48 (Stern.de)

London und Paris schließen Militärallianz

Großbritannien und Frankreich wollen einen neuen Verteidigungspakt schließen, durch den die Zusammenarbeit in diesem Bereich massiv ausgeweitet werden soll. Der britische Regierungschef David Cameron kündigte am Montag in London an, dass er einen entsprechenden Vertrag am Dienstag mit dem französischen Präsidenten Nicolas Sarkozy in der britischen Hauptstadt unterzeichnen werde. Das Abkommen solle die nationale Sicherheit beider Länder erhöhen.

01.11.2010, 13:55

Bundeswehr-Kampftruppen kritisieren Ausrüstungsmängel

Deutsche Kampfsoldaten in der nordafghanischen Unruheprovinz Kundus kritisieren Mängel an ihrer Ausrüstung. Die Bundeswehr bleibe bei der Versorgung und Ausrüstung der Truppe hinter ihren Möglichkeiten, sagte der Chef der dritten Kompanie der Task Force Kundus, Hauptmann Michael L., der dpa. Die Soldaten könnten wesentlich effizienter und schneller ausgerüstet werden. Der Offizier sagte aber auch, die Mängel seien nicht so schwer, dass sie kriegsentscheidend seien [soll das heißen: dieser Krieg ist eh verloren, da kommt's auf ein paar Krüppel mehr oder weniger auch nicht mehr an ?].

01.11.2010, 14:19

Medwedew sorgt mit Südkurilen-Besuch für Eklat

Demonstrativer Besuch: Kremlchef Dmitri Medwedew hat Moskaus Anspruch auf die umstrittenen Südkurilen-Inseln mit einer Kurzvisite unterstrichen und damit Japan verärgert. Medwedew landete auf dem Rückflug von Vietnam überraschend auf der Pazifik-Insel Kunaschir und kündigte Millioneninvestitionen in die Region an. Es war der erste Besuch eines russischen Präsidenten auf den Südkurilen, die auch von Japan beansprucht werden. Tokio nannte die Reise «äußerst bedauerlich» und bestellte Russlands Botschafter ein.

01.11.2010, 09:56

Westerwelle beginnt Besuch in Moskau

Außenminister Guido Westerwelle sieht gute Chancen für eine weitere Annäherung in den Beziehungen zu Russland. Er sprach in Moskau von einer Neuausrichtung des NATO-Russland-Verhältnisses. Insbesondere bei Präsident Dmitri Medwedew sei «Bewegung» zu erkennen. Medwedew nimmt in diesem Monat auch am NATO-Gipfel in Lissabon teil. Heute will Westerwelle den russischen Außenminister Sergej Lawrow treffen. Dabei dürfte es auch um eine Mitwirkung Russlands am geplanten NATO-System zu Raketenabwehr gehen. Weitere Stationen von Westerwelles Reise sind Weißrussland und Litauen.

01.11.2010, 20:42

Guttenberg in China eingetroffen

Verteidigungsminister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg ist zu einem zweitägigen Besuch in China eingetroffen. Bei seinen politischen Gesprächen in Peking wird es unter anderem um die militärische Zusammenarbeit, die neue NATO-Strategie, den Afghanistan-Einsatz und den Kampf gegen die Piraterie gehen. Guttenberg wird zunächst einen Ausflug zur Großen Mauer unternehmen und dann eine sicherheitspolitische Rede in der deutschen Botschaft halten.

01.11.2010, 10:45

Deutscher Tourist in nepalesischem Hotel erfroren

In den Bergen Nepals ist ein deutscher Trekkingtourist gestorben. Wie die Polizei mitteilte, wurde die Leiche des 55-Jährigen in einem Hotel in der etwa 3800 Meter hoch gelegenen Himalaya-Region Mustang entdeckt. Die genaue Todesursache werde untersucht. Ermittler gehen davon aus, dass der Tourist an einer Kombination aus Höhenkrankheit und Unterkühlung gestorben sein könnte. Die deutsche Botschaft in der Hauptstadt Kathmandu versucht derzeit, mit den Angehörigen des Mannes Kontakt aufzunehmen

01.11.2010, 04:55

Winnenden-Rektorin bekommt Luther-Medaille

Ihre Schule wurde auf tragische Weise bekannt, weil ein Amokläufer dort wütete: Astrid Hahn, frühere Rektorin der Albertville-Realschule von Winnenden, hat die Luther-Medaille der Evangelischen Kirche in Deutschland erhalten. Hahn habe den Trauernden Mut zugesprochen, einen Neuanfang in der Schule mitgestaltet, aber auch die eigene Ohnmacht und Hilflosigkeit zugelassen, hieß es in einer Laudatio. Vor mehr als anderthalb Jahren erschütterte die Bluttat von Tim K. ganz Deutschland: Er tötete insgesamt 15 Menschen und brachte sich schließlich selbst um.

01.11.2010, 15:18

Java-Vulkan speit glühende Asche

Der indonesische Feuerberg Merapi hat erneut Panik ausgelöst. Mehr als 1500 Meter schoss heiße Asche in den Himmel. Die Anwohner des Berges flohen in Angst, berichteten die lokalen Medien. Mit Lastwagen, Autos und Krankenwagen holten Helfer die gerade zum Vulkan zurückgekehrten Menschen aus der Gefahrenzone. Seit dem Ausbruch der Eruptionen am vergangenen Dienstag kamen 38 Menschen um. Über neue Todesopfer liegen keine Berichte vor. Inzwischen warnen Fachleute vor einem anderen Vulkan. Danach ist die Temperatur des Insel-Vulkans Anak Krakatau, der zwischen den Hauptinseln Java und Sumatra liegt, in den vergangenen Tagen gestiegen, Rauch steigt auf.

Textquellen: dpa; dpad; Reuters; Arcor.de-Newsticker; Stern.de

Photo: dpa via Der Spiegel (background article on sudden landslices)

Arbeitslose

2010-10-29T14:32:00.011-08:00

Eine sehr widerstandsfähige Pflanze aus der Familie der Herbstzeitlose. Sie kommt verstärkt in ländlichen Gebieten mit schwacher Infrastruktur vor. Zu den Eigenheiten der A. gehört es, sich vor allen Dingen im Winter sprunghaft zu vermehren. Staatliche Stellen stehen ihrem Wildwuchs recht hilflos gegenüber. Erfahrungsgemäß schafft nur ein gesunder wirtschaftlicher Aufschwung Abhilfe. Doch einen solchen herbeizuführen, stellt selbst biologische Koryphäen vor kaum lösbare Probleme.

- Steffen E. Köpf, Je höher der Absatz ... Köpfs heiteres Wirtschaftslexikon. Mit 51 Illustrationen des Autors, Econ Verlag, Düsseldorf - Wien 1980, Seite 20

Copyright / Credits:

Phantasy-Factory / Lady Roxy, Domina & Lebenskünstlerin, Cologne, Germany, hier allerdings wohl in Ihrem privaten "Liebesnest" im Luxemburgischen ...

On Gardening, Enclosure and Property

2010-10-17T11:55:00.024-08:00

Think of the good things that nature has produced ... in the way of herbs, roots, fruits, grain, cattle, fish - all in common - ; in the way of wood and metals; of skins and wool; of the commodities that are derived from animals ... Whatever is brought forth, it has spread out in this great domicile of the world without erecting any barriers or doors, in order that they might be held in common by all who come into it. Now, tell me, you who have raised yourself up with a little or with much, are you more a child of nature than I ? If not, why do you exclude me as if you were a legitimate son of nature and I a bastard ? But you say, I used my labour and my industry. Just do not bar with me your titles to possession, and I shall do the same. Out of the evil that is in us we make our own what liberal nature intended for all ... we ... enclose it and forbid it to others; we set it off with fences, walls, locks, iron, arms, and finally with laws. And so, greed and ill will have brought hunger in the midst of the abundance of nature and poverty in the riches of God.

- Juan Luis Vives (1492-1540)

Avant que les proprietez des choses fussent distinctes, tout estoit public et commun. Et faut croire que les premiers Autheurs des loix qui ont réglé les peuples pour les faire vivre en paix ... ont réservé au public pour demeurer en sa première nature ce qui estoit nécessaire pour tous ensemble... Suivant ce, se peut dire que le seigneur d'un pré en prairie n'est pas seigneur de la pleine propriété, mais seulement pour s'en servir selon ce que la Coutume luy en a donné puissance et permission.

Bevor das Eigentum aller Dinge unterschieden wurde, war alles öffentlich und im Gemeinbesitz. Und man darf annehmen, daß die ersten Urheber der Gesetze, welche den Völkern eine Ordnung geschaffen haben, um ihnen ein friedliches Zusammenleben zu ermöglichen ... für die öffentlichen Güter (die Allmende), damit diese in ihrem ursprünglichen Zustand blieben, dasjenige reserviert haben, was alle zusammen notwendig brauchen ... Insofern kann man sagen, daß der Grundherr einer Wiese im Wiesenland diese nicht als volles Grundeigentum besitzt, sondern sich ihrer nur in dem Maße bedienen kann, als ihm das (kollektive) Gewohnheitsrecht die Vollmacht und Erlaubnis hierfür gegeben hat.

- Guy Coquille, La Coutume de Nivernais (vers 1590)

Le premier qui, ayant enclos un terrain, s’avisa de dire: Ceci est à moi, et trouva des gens assez simples pour le croire, fut le vrai fondateur de la société civile. Que de crimes, de guerres, de meurtres, que de misères et d’horreurs n’eût point épargnés au Genre humain celui qui, arrachant les pieux ou comblant le fossé, eût crié à ses semblables: Gardez-vous d’écouter cet imposteur; vous êtes perdus, si vous oubliez que les fruits sont à tous, et que la Terre n’est à personne.

Der erste, der ein Stück Land eingezäunt hatte und es sich einfallen ließ zu sagen: dies ist mein und der Leute fand, die einfältig genug waren, ihm zu glauben, war der wahre Gründer der bürgerlichen Gesellschaft. Wie viele Verbrechen, Kriege, Morde, wie viel Not und Elend und wie viele Schrecken hätte derjenige dem Menschengeschlecht erspart, der die Pfähle herausgerissen oder den Graben zugeschüttet und seinen Mitmenschen zugerufen hätte: 'Hütet euch, auf diesen Betrüger zu hören; ihr seid verloren, wenn ihr vergeßt, daß die Früchte allen gehören und die Erde niemandem'.

- Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Discours sur l'inégalité (1755)

Gardening was probably one of the first arts that succeeded to that of building houses, and naturally attended property and individual possession. Culinary, and afterwards medicinal herbs, were the objects of every head of a family: it became convenient to have them within reach, without seeking them at random in woods, in meadows, and on mountains, as often as they were wanted. When the earth ceased to furnish spontaneously all these primitive luxuries, and culture became requisite, separate enclosures for rearing herbs grew expedient. Fruits were in the same predicament, and those most in use or that demand attention, must have entered into and extended the domestic enclosure. The good man Noah, we are told, planted a vineyard, drank of the wine, and was drunken, and everybody knows the consequences. Thus we acquired kitchen-gardens, orchards, and vineyards. I am apprised that the prototype of all these sorts was the garden of Eden, but as that Paradise was a good deal larger than any we read of afterwards, being enclosed by the rivers Pison, Gihon, Hiddekel and Euphrates, as every tree that was pleasant to the sight and good for food grew in it, and as two other trees were likeweise found there, of which not a slip or sucker remains, it does not belong to the present discussion.

- Horace Walpole, On Modern Gardening (2 August 1770)

This primitive accumulation plays in Political Economy about the same part as original sin in Theology. Adam bit the apple, and thereupon sin fell on the human race. Its origin is supposed to be explained when it is told as an anecdote of the past. In times long gone by there were two sorts of people; one, the diligent, intelligent, and, above all, frugal elite; the other, lazy rascals, spending their substance, and more, in riotous living. Thus it came to pass that the former sort accumulated wealth, and the latter sort had at last nothing to sell except their own skins. And from this original sin dates the poverty of the great majority that, despite all its labour, has up to now nothing to sell but itself, and the wealth of the few that increases constantly although they have long ceased to work. Such insipid childishness is every day preached to us in the defence of property. ... as soon as the question of property crops up, it becomes a sacred duty to proclaim the intellectual food of the infant as the one thing fit for all ages and for all stages of development.

- Karl Marx, The Capital, Volume I (1867)

Printed Sources:

Juan Luis Vives: Helen Sullivan, The Communal Mind and the Master Artifice, Stochastis Editions, Athens 2010, page 177; Guy Coquille: Marc Bloch, La lutte pour l'individualisme agraire dans la France du XVIIIe siècle (1e partie), in: Annales d'Histoire économique et sociale, Volume II, 1930, page 329 ou: M.B., Mélanges historiques, Tome 2, Paris 1963, Repr. 1983, page 593 renvoyant à Guy Coquille, Coutume du Nivernais, éditée par André Dupin, 1864, page 262; J.-J. Rousseau, Diskurs über die Ungleichheit - Discours sur l'inégalité. Kritische Ausgabe des integralen Textes ... neu ediert, übersetzt und kommentiert von Heinrich Meier, UTB Schöningh, Paderborn u.a. 1984, page 172 f; Horace Walpole, On Modern Gardening, Pallas Athene Publishers, London 2004, Reprint 2010, page 11f.; das deutsche Marx-Zitat am Anfang von Kapitel 24 des ersten Bandes des "Kapital": MEW 23, Seite 741 oder Ullstein-Taschenbuch 2806, Seite 659

Photo: Englischer Garten, München, Germany

Kapitalismus als Religion

2010-10-12T15:50:00.021-08:00

Das war heuer ein seltsamer Nobelpreis-Reigen, erbaulich vor allem für die Liebhaber der westlich-liberalkapitalistisch gepolten Technokratie. Zuerst traf es einen britischen Physiologen, der im Vatikan prompt alle Alarmglocken schrillen ließ, am Dienstag und Mittwoch schlug dann die Stunde für das chemische Element Nr. 6, es wurden forsche kohlenstoff-forschende und palladiumkatalysierende Kreuzkoppler prämiert, am Donnerstag gab’s Dichterlorbeer für einen marktliberal gewendeten Kosmopoliten, der, nachdem er im Präsidentenpoker seiner Andenheimat einem Sohne Nippons unterlegen war, welcher inzwischen eine 25-jähriger Haftstrafe verbüßt, nunmehr mit spanischer Staatsbürgerschaft in London lebt… Am Freitag dann ein Glücksgriff unserer Juroren, sie hätten die Medaille ja auch an Tony Blair oder Dubya für's Durchziehen des Irak-Kriegs vergeben können, mit der Vergabe des Friedensnobelpreises an einen Aufrechten, der wegen verbaler "Untergrabung der Staatsgewalt" eine 11–jährige Haftstrafe im Reich der Mitte absitzt, während der letztjährige Preisträger (wie Martin Luther King, jener einzige Dissident eines NATO-Mitglieds, der je die irenische Trophäe empfing) aus dem Westen kam, dafür aber inzwischen mehr oder weniger blindlings – aber nicht ganz so mörderisch wie der einst in Indochina tätige Preisempfänger des Jahres 1973 – Bomben auf pakistanisches Staatsgebiet wirft …

Zum Abschluß, bei der Verleihung des Preis für Wirtschaftswissenschaften der schwedischen Reichsbank in Gedenken an den Erfinder des Dynamits, kam dann verbal nochmal das chemische Element Nr. 6 zu Ehren in Gestalt eines gewissen Peter Diamond & zweier Kollegen, die nobilitiert wurden für theoretische Dienstleistungen am Arbeitsmarkt, d. h. im Ökonomen-Kauderwelsch ausgedrückt: für ihre „Analysen von Märkten mit Suchfriktionen“.

Liest man die Begründung der Jury genauer, dann ist Dr. Peter Hartz sozusagen nochmal haarscharf am Nobelpreis vorbeigeschrammt.

Immerhin kann man den Juroren zugute halten, daß die Arbeitsmarkt-Theorie in einem fürchterlichen Zustand war, bevor sich Diamond & Konsorten ihrer dann in den Siebziger Jahren endlich mit einem grundstürzend neuen Ansatz erbarmten, der sogenannten Such-Theorie bzw. Schlüssel-und-Loch-Theorie, welche die ältere Äpfel-und-Birnen-Doktrin ersetzte.

Das behaupten jedenfalls Zeitzeugen, die in diesen heroischen Jahren der Wirtschaftswissenschaft dabei waren.

Hören wir etwa den Arbeitsmarkt-Ökonomen Michael Burda, der uns in der FAZ schildert, wie das die Kollegen damals trieben:

„Bis dahin hat man Arbeitsmärkte mit sehr einfachen Modellen, wie für die Märkte für Äpfel und Orangen, analysiert.“ (12. 10. 2010, Seite 11)

Man kann sich diesen Vorgang forschungsgeschichtlich und theoriedynamisch - dem heiligen Thomas S. Kuhn sei Dank, er erhielt ja nie den Nobelpreis ! - lebhaft ausmalen: Mit angewandter Botanik und Streuobst-Theorie kam die Arbeitsmarktforschung einfach nicht mehr weiter (der Apfel als autotrophe Spezies & Lebensform fällt bekanntlich nicht weit vom Stamm und muß sich insofern nicht speziell auf die Suche machen); dann aber entdeckten Diamond & Co. die wunderbare Welt der Protozoen, Einzeller, Amöben, ein neues Wissenschafts-Paradigma entstand, und geboren ward die revolutionäre Such- bzw. Schlüssel-und-Loch-Theorie.

Bis die Arbeitsmarkt-Forschung ihre Standard-Theorie heuristisch entsprechend verfeinert hat, bis sie informationstheoretisch gut abgehangen und schließlich zur Komplexität der Primatenforschung fortgeschritten ist, wird zwar wohl noch ein kleines Weilchen vergehen. Pfadabhängig dürften erstmal die einfacheren Heterotrophen als Modelle des zoon oikonomikon dran glauben müssen, Heuschrecken, Lemminge, Karl von Frischs Bienen und Konrad Lorenz’ Graugänse…

Aber vielleicht schaffen das unsere Menschenmarkt-Ökonomen auch noch, bevor - das wird dann ein größerer Paradigmenwechsel - der Kapitalismus endgültig schlappmacht.

Die ganze Bagage ist ja von einem starken Glauben beseelt.

Diamond bekannte gestern:

„Ich glaube an Märkte und den Kapitalismus“. (FAZ, 12. 10. 2010, Seite 11)

Schön, daß neben Frau Theologia auch die Volkswirtschaft eine „Dogmengeschichte“ besitzt …

Image: Die Value Map Roland Ingleharts, in der man allerdings die Naturreligionen, Hinduismus, Buddhismus, Judentum, orthodoxe Christenheit und Islam vermißt ...

Cop sentenced to life for murdering Alexandros Grigoropoulos

2010-10-12T09:05:00.006-08:00

Korkoneas receives life sentence plus 15 months; Saraliotis receives 10 years and asks for suspension to his sentence (Act for Freedom Now; see also From the Greek Streets )

Guilty verdicts for policemen in teen murder trial - One officer gets life, the other 10 years (Ekathimerini, Greece)

“Revenge" for Alexandros Grigoropoulos - Officer given life for boy's murder in Greek riot case (BBC via Indymedia UK)

Greek police officer convicted of Alexandros murder (Libcom)

The dark calyx of a mangosteen

2010-10-06T11:45:00.011-08:00

Hitam-hitam si tampuk
manggis

Berkulit hitam manis

٭

Kecantikan semula jadi
warna kulit agak gelap
tetap manis bercahaya
menawan dan rupawan

٭ ٭

The dark calyx of a mangosteen

One whose skin is honey-brown

٭

A natural beauty
whose dark tone of skin
emits a sweet light
demurely pretty

٭٭

Der dunkle Kelch einer Mangostan-Frucht

Jemand mit honigbrauner Haut

٭

Eine natürliche Schönheit
deren dunkle Hautfarbe
ein süßes Licht ausstrahlt
von herber Pracht

- Siti Zainon Ismail, 100 Malay Proverbs – 100 Pepatah Petitih Melayu, Institut Terjemahan Negara Malaysia (ITNM), Kuala Lumpur 2010, 203 pages, here: page 115

(100 Malay Proverbs is a beautiful bilingual book I found today at Frankfurt Book Fair’s Malaysian exhibition, Hall 6.1, E 916. The author who collected these proverbs, Siti Zainon Ismail, is a researcher of Malay cultural art heritage, a multi-awarded poet and an artist. She illustrated herself much of these proverbs.

And on Saturday 9th October at 3.00 pm there is at the Forum Dialog, Hall 6.1, a launch of a book about Makyung, a traditional form of dance-drama from northern Malaysia which is at least 800 years old. The book-launch is followed by a Makyung live performance).

Photo: Mangosteen Tree

Gais Tropiques oder Von der Kunst, zusammen zu wachsen

2010-10-03T12:20:00.021-08:00

While the city-state comes into existence for the sake of life, it exists for the good life.

Der Staat (die Polis) ist um des bloßen Überlebens willen entstanden, dann aber um des vollkommenen Lebens willen bestehend.

- Aristoteles, Politik, I, 1, 8 (= 1252b 30)

Sa gerbe n’était pas avare ni haineuse …

Seine Garbe war weder geizig noch boshaft …

- Victor Hugo

En quelque soir, par exemple ...

retiré de nos horreurs économiques ...

Il frissonne au passage des chasses et des hordes.

An manchen Abenden …
entronnen den Schrecken der Ökonomie …
erschauert er, sieht er die Horden
der wilden Jagd vorüberziehn …

- Rimbaud, Soir Historique, cité par Viviane Forrester

Non ! dit l’Arbre. Il dit: NON ! dans l’étincellement

De sa tête superbe

Que la tempête traite universellement

Comme elle fait une herbe !

Nein ! sprach der Baum. Er sprach : NEIN ! im Funkenschlag
seines Löwenhauptes,
das der Sturmwind genau so durcheinanderwirbelt,
wie er ein Kraut schafft.

- Paul Valéry, Au platane (in Les charmes)

Einem sozialen Vorgang kann auf natürliche Weise eine besondere Würde gegeben werden, wenn man alle körperlich-organischen Vorgänge strikt aus ihm ausschließt.

- Mary Douglas, Natural symbols. Explorations in cosmology, Introduction

Wenn Bevölkerungsexplosionen mit Nahrungsmangel zusammentreffen, entstehen darwinistische Verteilungskämpfe, Arten sterben aus, andere überleben, das wissen wir, weil Charles Darwin die Bevölkerungstheorien von Thomas Malthus gelesen hat und dadurch erst seine Evolutionstheorie entwickeln konnte.

- Dr. Frank Schummelpeter, Payback

Ich ernähre mich durch Kraftvergeudung.

- Joseph Beuys

Tableau:

Henri Rousseau, Le rêve (1910)

Voir aussi cet homme-âge à Claude Lévi-Strauss

Dismal science discovers heart or: We are the moustards of the world, stopit

2010-10-03T06:06:00.007-08:00

But his heart’s not in it

… reads the legend of this photo in the printed version of “The Economist”, October 2nd-8th 2010, page 33.

Online:

http://www.economist.com/blogs/newsbook/2010/09/spains_strikes

On dismal science

Riot hopping or: Michi der Krawalltourist

2010-10-03T05:35:00.007-08:00

WIR SIND VERABREDET (ACTING IN CONCERT)

Spanish trade union leaders Candido Mendez (second from left), and Ignacio Fernandez Toxo (right) as well as Michael Sommer, boss of the state-near Confederation of German Trade Unions (centre, the dude pointing his finger), demonstrate during a general strike held in Spain in Madrid, Sept 29, 2010.

Source:

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2010-10/01/content_11372659.htm?

Livestream from Stuttgart station protest

2010-10-01T10:22:00.020-08:00

Yesterday, the month-long battle over the rebuilding of the central train station in Stuttgart, Germany, has escalated massively, when the workers started to cut the first trees. Hundreds of people were hurt by the police with lacrimogenes, water cannons etc.

Friday morning 2.000 Stuttgart pupils went on strike (here a video about a struggle between pupils and police on Thursday), and Friday night was taking place a great manifestation with 100.000 people according to the organisators.

Europe on strike against austerity - Riots in Spain - 300 police arrests at Brussels

2010-09-29T17:15:00.033-08:00

Spain's general strike: teleSUR, Caracas, Venezuela, reports live from Madrid

EU anti-austerity protests (NewsNow, UK)

Economic protestors rally across Europe (China Business Weekly)

Espagne: Grève générale et gros affrontements à Barcelone (Brèves du désordre, Nancy, France)

European day of action: Protests and strikes all over Europe – “We are many, you are few” (International Marxist Tendency)

Europe marches; Brussels stands still (The Nation, USA)

General Strike - Noticias de Huelga en Inglés (Alasbarricadas, Spain)

Anticapitalist union CGT’s statement on the outcome of the general strike of 29 September (via A-Infos, Canada)

Generalstreik in Spanien (Indymedia Germany, mit zahlreichen Links)

Krisengroßdemo und Polizeirepression in Brüssel - Mehr als 300 Verhaftungen (Linksunten.indymedia, Germany)

Protesting truck drivers - Thessaloniki, Greece (Teacher Dude's Grill and BBQ, Greece)

Workers in Madrid start their general strike by closing shops on 29 September 2010. They are chanting "Close!" and "Strike!" (Youtube via Socialist Worker online, UK)

General strike manifestation in Vilanova i la Geltrú, Barcelona, Catalonia (Youtube)

Barcelona: One hundred young people attack Europe Bookstore and a Burger King (Act for Freedom Now)

General strike action in Almeria and Mojacar area, southeastern Spain (Act for Freedom Now)

Irish parliament attacked in truck protest (UTV News, UK; see also Gulf Times, Qatar, and Tagesanzeiger, Switzerland)

Riots in Spain over austerity measures (Telegraph Video, UK)

Protestors from more than 30 European countries have taken to the streets over government plans to introduce spending cuts (Reuters Video, USA)

Ausschreitungen bei Generalstreik in Spanien (Reuters Video, Germany)

Spanish riot police and protesters clash during a nationwide general strike (Telegraph Picture Gallery, UK)

Millions take to streets of Europe against the cuts (One Solution Revolution)

Europe has gone out on strike as protesters took to the streets of Spain, Belgium, Italy and Greece to demonstrate against tough austerity measures. (Telegraph, UK)

Europe-wide protests kick off over austerity measures (RT, Russia)

100.000 at Brussels Euromanifestation (7sur7, Belgium)

218 arrests at Brussels - Euromanif a big success according to unions (Le Soir, Belgium)

France : 30 pétroliers en attente dans les bassins du port de Marseille suite à une grève (Le Quotidien du Peuple, Chine)

Fuck the sold-out unions, we strike ! (From the Greek Streets, UK)

Scab lorries have been shot at with a shotgun (From the Greek Streets, UK)

Truck strike turning ugly - Sofia complains Bulgarian drivers attacked (Ekathimerini, Greece)

Lorry drivers vow to continue their strike (From the Greek Streets, UK)

London ambulance workers demonstrate against privatisation (Socialist Worker, UK)

Stalk your local bankster: Attac Germany harasses bank branches in 75 towns and distributes FT fake "Financial crimes" (Attac Germany, see also here & here & Scharf Links)

Thousands of people took to the streets of Dresden against cuts (Indymedia, Germany)

Pay you fuckers ! 2.500 people gather in Berlin to protest against the crisis (Indymedia, Germany)

VdK-Protestaktion "Stoppt den Sozialabbau !" (Radio Utopie, Germany)

On beer

2010-09-26T10:21:00.019-08:00

Another Excerpt from Herbert Achternbusch's Experimental Film "Bierkampf" (Beer Fight) (1977)

Two Beer Miracles of St Columban in Early Medieval Europe (around 600/612)

De cervisae redundatione absque effusionis damna fluentis

Patratum deinceps aliud miraculum, quod per beatum Columbanum et eius cellerario factum fuit [in caenubio Luxovio ?], referam. Cum hora iam refectionis adpropinquaret et minister refecturi cervisam administrare conaretur, - quae ex frumenti vel hordei sucos equoquitur, quamque prae ceteris in orbe terrarum gentibus preter Scordiscisi et Dardanis gentes quae Oceanum incolunt usitantur, id est Gallia, Brittania, Hibernia, Germania, ceteraeque ab eorum moribus non disciscunt - , vas quod tiprum nuncupant ad cellarium deportat et ante vase quo cervisa condita erat adponit, tractoque serraculo meati, in tiprum currere sinit. Quem subito [beati Columbani] patris imperio alius e fratribus vocavit. At ille oboedientiae igne ardens, oblitus meatum obserare, pernici cursu ad beatum pergit virum, serraculum quem duciclum vocant manu deferto. Postquam sibi vir Dei quae voluerat imperata deprompsit, recordatus neglegentiae, celer ad cellarium rediit, coniciens, nihil in vase de quo cervisa decurrebat remansisse. Intuitus supra tiprum cervisam crevisse et ne minimam stillam foris cecidisse, ut crederes in longitudine tiprum geminatum esse, ut quali et quanta rotunditas infra tipri inerat corona, talis in altum cervisset orna. Quantus imperantis meritus, quanta oboedientia obsequentis ! ut sic utriusque tristitiam Dominus voluisset avertere, ne, si fratrum substantiam et imperantis et oboedientis ardor diminuisset, ambo se a licitis alimentis abdicassent. Sic aequus arbiter occurret, ut utrorum culpas ablueret, quas illis, si, casu veniente vel Domino permittente, fuisset patratum, ambo suis noxis evenisse adseruissent.

Another miracle was wrought by St. Columban and his cellarer [at Luxeuil Abbey ?], which I shall relate. When the meal-time came, and the latter was ready to serve out the beer (which is boiled down from the juice of corn or barley, and which is used in preference to other beverages by, all the nations in the world-except the Scotch [confusion between Scoti and Scordisci ?] and barbarous nations who inhabit the ocean-that is, in Gaul, Britain, Ireland, Germany and the other nations who do not deviate from the customs of the above) he carried to the cellar a jar, called a tybrum [unknown vernacular expression] , and placed it before the vat in which the beer was - Having drawn the plug, he permitted the beer to flow into the jar. Another brother called him suddenly by the father's command. He, burning with the fire of obedience, forgot to put in the plug, called a daciculum, and, carrying it in his hand, hastened to the blessed man. After he had done what the man of God wished, he returned quickly to the cellar, thinking that nothing would be left in the vat from which the beer was running. But he saw the beer had run into the jar and not the least drop had fallen outside, so that you would have believed that the jar had doubled in size. Great was the merit of Columban commanding great the obedience of the cellarer, that the Lord thus wished to avert sadness from both of them, lest, if the either had diminished the substance of the brethren al of without needful food ; so the just Judge hastened to wash away the faults of both which had been committed by accident and with the Lord's permission, but which each would have asserted was due to his own remissness.

Wie das Bier überfloß, ohne daß dadurch Schaden entstand

Nun will ich ein anderes Wunder erzählen, das sich bald darauf [im Vogesen-Kloster Luxueil ?] zutrug und vom heiligen Columban und seinem Kellermeister gewirkt wurde. Schon war die Stunde der Erholung nahe und der dafür verantwortliche Diener wollte eben das Bier bereitstellen - es wird aus Gerstensaft herausgekocht und steht, sieht man von den beim Ozean wohnenden Scordiscern und Dardanern [= Stämme im Gebiet der antiken Provinzen Moesien, Illyrien und Pannonien] ab, bei fast allen Völkern der Erde in Verwendung, also in Gallien, Britannien, Hibernien, Germanien und bei allen übrigen, die sich von deren Lebensgewohnheiten nicht unterscheiden - er trug also das Gefäß, das man tiprus [bislang nicht geklärter volkssprachlicher Ausdruck,"Krug "?] nennt, zum Kellermeister, stellte es vor dem Faß nieder, in dem das Bier aufbewahrt wird, zog den kleinen Riegel heraus und ließ die Flüssigkeit in den tiprus laufen. Da rief ihn ein anderer Bruder ganz unerwartet im Auftrage des Vaters, des heiligen Columban, zurück. Jener aber vergaß voll des glühenden Eifers, nur ja gehorsam zu sein, den Riegel wieder vorzuscheiben, eilte im schnellen Lauf zum heiligen Mann und trug dabei den Riegel, der duciclus [als Ableitung von educere=herausziehen erklärt] heißt, in der Hand. Als ihm der Mann Gottes seine Wünsche dargelegt hatte, erinnerte er sich plötzlich seiner Nachlässigkeit und eilte rasch in den Keller zurück. Dort bemerkte er, daß das Faß, aus dem das Bier herausfloß, leer geworden war. Beim näheren Hinblicken sah er, daß das Bier das Fassungsvermögen des tiprus zwar weit überschritten hatte, daß aber dennoch nicht der kleinste Tropfen vergossen worden war. Man hätte glauben können, der tiprus sei zu doppelter Höhe emporgewachsen. Wie eine hochgewachsene Esche türmte sich die Flüssigkeit in einer großen runden Krone von unten aus dem tiprus heraus. So sehr stand einer der Auftraggeber in der Gnade Gottes, so groß war der Gehorsam des Gehorchenden. Also hatte der Herr beiden die traurige Strafe esparen wollen, sich der erlaubten Nahrung enthalten zu müssen, da ja das gemeinsame Gut aller Brüder durch den Eifer des Auftraggebers und dessen, der gehorcht hatte, Schaden erlitten hätte. Dem wollte der gerechte Richter entgegentreten und befreite beide von der Schuld, die, wie sie beide hätten zugeben müssen, durch ihre Unbedachtsamkeit hervorgerufen worden wäre, wenn das Schicksal es so gewollt oder der Herr es zugelassen hätte.

De Brigantiae sessione gentiumque correptione

Ad destinatum deinde perveniunt locum [Brigantia, Lacus Bodamicus]. Quem peragrans vir Dei non suis placere animis aiet, sed tamen ob fidem in gentibus serendam inibi paulisper moraturum se spondit. Sunt etenim inibi vicinae nationes Suaevorum. Quo cum moraretur et inter habitatores loci illius progrederetur, repperitur eos sacrificium profanum litare velle, vasque magnum, quem vulgo cupam vocant, qui XX modia amplius minusve capiebat, cervisa plenum in medio positum. Ad quem vir Dei accessit siscitaturque, quid de illo fieri vellint. Illi aiunt se Deo suo Vodano nomine, quem Mercurium, ut alii aiunt, autumant, velle litare. Ille pestiferum opus audiens, vas insufflat, miroque modo vas cum fragore dissolvitur et per frustra dividitur, visque rapida cum ligore cervisae prorumpit; manifesteque datur intellegi diabolum in eo vase fuisse occultatum, qui per profanum ligorem caperet animas sacrifiantum. Videntes barbari, stupefacti aiunt magnum virum Dei habere anhelitum, qui sic possit dissolvere vas ligaminibus munitum, castigatusque evangelis dictis, ut ab his segregarentur sacrificiis, domibus redire imperat.

At length they arrived at the place designated [Bregenz, Lake Constance], which did not wholly please Columban ; but he decided to remain, in order to spread the faith among the people, who were Swabians. Once as he was going through this country, he discovered that the natives were going to make a heathen offering. They had a large cask that they called a cupa, and that held about twenty-six measures, filled with beer and set in their midst. On Columban's asking what they intended to do with it, they answered that they were making an offering to their God Wodan (whom others call Mercury). When he heard of this abomination, he breathed on the cask, and lo! it broke with a crash and fell in pieces so that all the beer ran out. Then it was clear that the devil had been concealed in the cask, and that through the earthly drink he had proposed to ensnare the souls of the participants. As the heathens saw that, they were amazed and said Columban had a strong breath, to split a wellbound cask in that manner. But he reproved them in the words of the Gospel, and commanded them to cease from such offerings and to go home.

Die Reise nach Bregenz und wie er die Heiden tadelte

Hierauf gelangten sie an ihren Bestimmungsort [Bregenz, Bodenseegebiet]. Als er ihn gesehen hatte, sagte der Mann Gottes [Kolumban], daß er seinen Vorstellungen zwar nicht entspreche, versprach aber trotzdem einige Zeit hier zu verweilen, um den Heiden den Glauben in ihr Herz zu pflanzen. In der Nachbarschaft befanden sich nämlich die Völker der Sueben. Als er hier verweilte und sich bei den Bewohnern der Stadt aufhielt, bemerkte er, daß sie sich daran machten, ein heidnisches Opfer darzubringen. Sie stellten nämlich ein großes Gefäß, das in ihrer Sprache Kufe heißt und ein Fassungsvermögen von etwa 20 Scheffel ["Maß" laut K. S. Frank] hat, angefüllt mit Bier in der Mitte des Ortes auf. Der Mann Gottes aber schritt auf diesen Krug zu und fragte, was mit ihm geschehen solle. Sie erwiderten, sie wollten ihrem Gotte namens Wodan, den sie, wie andere berichten, auch Merkur nannten, ein Opfer darbringen. Als jener von ihrem verderblichen Vorhaben hörte, blies er erzürnt auf das Gefäß, worauf dieses auf wunderbare Weise mit großem Lärm zerbrach und in Stücke barst. Das Bier aber strömte in raschem Fluß heraus. Daraus war klar zu ersehen, daß in diesem Gefäß der Teufel versteckt gewesen war, um durch den heidnischen Opfertrank die Seelen der Opfernden zu umgarnen. Als die Heiden das sahen, staunten sie und meinten, der Mann Gottes besitze einen gewaltigen Atem, mit dem er sogar dieses mit starken Verstrebungen zusammengehaltene Gefäß zerstören könnte. Er aber tadelte sie mit den Worten des Evangeliums, sie sollten solche Opfer in Zukunft unterlassen, und hieß sie dann nach Hause gehen.

Jonas von Bobbio, Vita sancti Columbani abbatis discipulorumque eius (Leben des heiligen Abtes Columban und seiner Schüler), veröffentlicht 643 n. Chr., Buch I, Kapitel 16 und 27 (Lateinisch-deutscher Text nach: Quellen zur Geschichte des 7. und 8. Jahrhunderts. Unter Leitung von Herwig Wolfram neu übertragen von Andreas Kusternig und Herbert Haupt, Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, Darmstadt 1982, Seite 442-445 und 482-485; MGH-Edition von Bruno Krusch (1902); English translation (different numeration: chapter 26 / 53 !) by Dana C. Munro, in Translations and Reprints from the Original Sources of European history, University of Pennsylvania, II, 7, Philadelphia [1897-1907?] ; vgl. auch die Übersetzung von Karl Suso Frank, Frühes Mönchtum im Abendland, Artemis, Zürich-München 1975, Band 2, Seite 198-199 und 223; Italiano: M. Tosi – E.Cremona – M. Paramidani, Piacenza 1965; Français: Dom Adalbert de Voguë, éd. de l'abbaye de Bellefontaine, 1988)

Wackenroder and the Making of German Romanticism (around 1793)

Der Charakter der Bamberger soll im allgemeinen Biederherzigkeit, Phlegma, Aberglaube und häufiges Biertrinken sein. Die vielen Feiertage laden in allen katholischen Ländern zum Müßiggang ein. Die katholische allgemeine Nationalphysiognomie ist sehr auffallend und kenntlich, besonders bei den Frauenzimmern. Sie sind mehrenteils klein, nichts weniger als schön, und haben eine eingedrückte Nase. Die Bürgerinnen tragen Mützen, die über beide Ohren spitz herunterlaufen, und hinten, wo sie kurz sind, einen steif aufgeschlagenen Chignon ["Dutt"?] sehen lassen.

Wilhelm Heinrich Wackenroder, Brief an die Eltern, in W. H. W., Werke und Briefe, Berlin 1938 (Nachdr. bei Lambert Schneider, Heidelberg 1967), Seite 526

Hegel and Beer (around 1807/1808)

Was Hegel in Bamberg gesucht und gefunden hatte, waren neben dem unerläßlichen Broterwerb im Zeitungsgeschäft die Berührung mit dem unverfälschten katholischen Mittelalter und das Bier gewesen.

Horst Althaus, Hegel und Die Heroischen Jahre der Philosophie. Eine Biographie, Hanser, München 1992, Seite 232

La canaille à l'Elysée

2010-09-22T13:54:00.019-08:00

Laut FAZ hat die Londoner Tageszeitung "Financial Times" das Ergebnis der schwedischen Parlamentswahlen vom Sonntag, bei der die rechtspopulistischen "Schwedendemokraten" des Nadelstreifen-Rassisten Jimmie Ǻkesson 5,7 Prozent holten, folgendermaßen kommentiert:

Die Wahlen zeigen, daß Schweden weniger außergewöhnlich ist, als viele denken … Daß eine Gruppe rechter Populisten so gute Ergebnisse erzielen konnte, … hat das Land in einen Schock versetzt. Doch Schweden gleicht sich schlicht einem europaweiten Trend an, bei dem Parteien von Rechtsaußen die wachsende Anti-Immigrations-Stimmung in wirtschaftlich schweren Zeiten ausnutzen. Das ist eine Stimmung, die etablierte Parteien nicht ignorieren können. Aber … es ist auch nicht das erste Mal, daß sich Lumpengesindel in die höfliche, wenn auch glanzlose Welt der schwedischen Politik gedrängt hat.

Glückliches Schweden ! In Frankreich sitzt das Lumpengesindel im Élysée-Palast …

VISITEZ LE PALAIS DE L’ÉLYSÉE:

LE VESTIBULE D’HONNEUR (EHREN-EINGANGSHALLE)

LE SALON DORÉ (BÜRO DES PRÄSIDENTEN)

LA SALLE DES FÊTES (FESTSAAL)

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PROTESTATION COLLECTIVE EN BULGARIE CONTRE LA DÉPORTATION DES ROMS

NO BORDER CAMP IN BRUSSELS (25 SEPT. >>> 3 OCTOBER 2010)

PROTEST AGAINST BRUSSELS ECOFIN SUMMIT (29-30 SEPTEMBER 2010)

***

Sources: Photo officielle de Nicolas Sarkozy, président de la République Française, à l’Élysée, 16 mai 2007 - Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 22. September 2010, Seite 2 („Lumpengesindel in einer höflichen Welt“)