Monthly Archives: February 2013

Squeezing blood from stones – Tory style

Posted on February 28, 2013 by

Under the current system, people on low or no incomes have up to 100% of their council tax paid by their local council through Council Tax benefit. However, in just five weeks time, at the beginning of April, the  current … Continue reading →

Posted in Austerity, Cuts, Green Party, Labour Party, Politics, Resistance | 1 Comment

The Buddha’s parable of the burning house – Brecht

Posted on February 26, 2013 by

Guatama the Buddha taught The doctrine of greed’s wheel to which we are bound, and advised That we should shed all craving and thus Undesiring enter the nothingness that he called Nirvana. What is it like, this nothingness, Master? Every … Continue reading →

Quote | Posted on February 26, 2013 by | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Can’t pay? Don’t pay

Posted on February 25, 2013 by

Obviously, we all know that this is Government is absolutely vile. But of all the vile things that they have done, or are planning to do (or at least, that they currently admit they are planning) the imposition of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Austerity, Cuts, Democracy, Green Party, Labour Party, Resistance | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Orthodoxy and the Left

Posted on February 24, 2013 by

A few days ago I wrote about how the SWP’s leadership, who endlessly go on about the need to ‘defend the IS tradition’, have over the years coarsened and stultified the organisation’s politics and practice to the point that they … Continue reading →

Posted in Quotes, Socialism, The Left, Theory | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

A little nag about food

Posted on February 24, 2013 by

I rather like my local farmers market. Yes, I know that farmers’ markets are full of insufferably smug Guardian readers pushing four wheel drive baby buggies and buying expensive vegetables and even more expensive meat and bread because it is … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, Humour | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

As soon as this pub closes

Posted on February 22, 2013 by

Thanks very much to my old comrade Richard Kuper for reminding me of this extremely irreverent, but  detailed and devastatingly accurate overview and history of the British left from the late ’80s. He suggests that it is still relevant in … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Humour, Reviews, Socialism, The Left | Leave a comment

In praise of Leon Rosselson

Posted on February 21, 2013 by

I was astonished to discover the other day that Leon Rosselson will be 80 next year. To be fair he is still a sprightly 78, but still…) I first saw him in the early ‘60s on TV, performing as a … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Music, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments