The Wholesome Photo of the Month Thu May 09, 2024 11:01 | Anti-Empire
In 3 War Years Russia Will Have Spent $3... Thu May 09, 2024 02:17 | Anti-Empire
UK Sending Missiles to Be Fired Into Rus... Tue May 07, 2024 14:17 | Marko Marjanović
US Gives Weapons to Taiwan for Free, The... Fri May 03, 2024 03:55 | Anti-Empire
Russia Has 17 Percent More Defense Jobs ... Tue Apr 30, 2024 11:56 | Marko Marjanović
Anti-Empire >>
A bird's eye view of the vineyard
Alternative Copy of thesaker.is site is available Thu May 25, 2023 14:38 | Ice-Saker-V6bKu3nz
Alternative site: https://thesaker.si/saker-a... Site was created using the downloads provided Regards Herb
The Saker blog is now frozen Tue Feb 28, 2023 23:55 | The Saker
Dear friends As I have previously announced, we are now “freezing” the blog. We are also making archives of the blog available for free download in various formats (see below).
What do you make of the Russia and China Partnership? Tue Feb 28, 2023 16:26 | The Saker
by Mr. Allen for the Saker blog Over the last few years, we hear leaders from both Russia and China pronouncing that they have formed a relationship where there are
Moveable Feast Cafe 2023/02/27 ? Open Thread Mon Feb 27, 2023 19:00 | cafe-uploader
2023/02/27 19:00:02Welcome to the ‘Moveable Feast Cafe’. The ‘Moveable Feast’ is an open thread where readers can post wide ranging observations, articles, rants, off topic and have animate discussions of
The stage is set for Hybrid World War III Mon Feb 27, 2023 15:50 | The Saker
Pepe Escobar for the Saker blog A powerful feeling rhythms your skin and drums up your soul as you?re immersed in a long walk under persistent snow flurries, pinpointed by
The Saker >>
Come and See Nick Dixon and me Recording the Weekly Sceptic at the Hippodrome on Monday Fri Jul 26, 2024 09:00 | Toby Young
Tickets are still available to a live recording of the Weekly Sceptic, Britain's only podcast to break into the top five of Apple's podcast chart. It?s at Lola's, the downstairs bar of the Hippodrome on Monday July 29th.
The post Come and See Nick Dixon and me Recording the Weekly Sceptic at the Hippodrome on Monday appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
The China Syndrome: A More Sensible Approach to Nuclear Power Than Britain Fri Jul 26, 2024 07:00 | Ben Pile
While China advances with cutting-edge nuclear power, Britain's green zealots have us stuck with sky-high bills and a nuclear sector in disarray, says Ben Pile.
The post The China Syndrome: A More Sensible Approach to Nuclear Power Than Britain appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
News Round-Up Fri Jul 26, 2024 00:55 | Richard Eldred
A summary of the most interesting stories in the past 24 hours that challenge the prevailing orthodoxy about the ?climate emergency?, public health ?crises? and the supposed moral defects of Western civilisation.
The post News Round-Up appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
The Losing Battle to Get Public Sector ?TWaTs? Back in the Office Thu Jul 25, 2024 19:06 | Richard Eldred
Years on from Covid, Civil Service 'TWaTs' (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday office workers) are harming productivity and leaving desks empty. The Telegraph's Tom Haynes explains how this remote work trend affects us all.
The post The Losing Battle to Get Public Sector ?TWaTs? Back in the Office appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
?Prepare to Go to Jail,? Judge Tells Just Stop Oil Art Vandals Thu Jul 25, 2024 17:00 | Richard Eldred
Guilty and about to face the consequences, two Just Stop Oil activists who hurled tomato soup at a Van Gogh masterpiece have been told to prepare for prison.
The post ?Prepare to Go to Jail,? Judge Tells Just Stop Oil Art Vandals appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Lockdown Skeptics >>
Voltaire, international edition
Netanyahu soon to appear before the US Congress? It will be decisive for the suc... Thu Jul 04, 2024 04:44 | en
Voltaire, International Newsletter N°93 Fri Jun 28, 2024 14:49 | en
Will Israel succeed in attacking Lebanon and pushing the United States to nuke I... Fri Jun 28, 2024 14:40 | en
Will Netanyahu launch tactical nuclear bombs (sic) against Hezbollah, with US su... Thu Jun 27, 2024 12:09 | en
Will Israel provoke a cataclysm?, by Thierry Meyssan Tue Jun 25, 2024 06:59 | en
Voltaire Network >>
View Comments Titles Only
save preference
Comments (4 of 4)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4"The danger is that once the Live 8 gigs have been played many will believe the fight to be over."
i thhink this quote is a good appraisal of the problems of spectacular demonstrations and such like. live 8 and MPH are spectacular in the sense that they rely totally on those in power to effect their demands, which itself relies on the unspoken presupposition that the powerful wil listen to their subjects if only they are asked. participation in events takes the form of spectation, turn up to gigs, go to events- all the while there is no question of the power hierarchies inherent in world economics that create these problems. in fact as a lobby group or campaign MPH actually reinforces the legitimacy of the powerful by saying that only they have the ability to effect these changes.
my own view on mass mobilisations and state power is that the state will only change policy if the refusal to do so is of worse consequence (for the state) then doing so. so these huge once off PR stunts don't really threaten state power, the state can downplay the negative PR by a few paltry gestures, such as Brown wearing the bracelet or a highly publicised cancellation gesture, but this obviously doesn't amount to anything like what is needed to truly 'make poverty history'. the only way to make power change policies is by constant pressure, not large spectacles. the management of the world economy in the interests of first world elites is too beneficial to be given up without a fight. such a fight bwould involve a fundamental rethinking of the way the world is run, so by allowing these once off events the G8 nations are actually being done a great service by Geldof and co.
MPH provides us with a perfect example of recuperation, don't be fooled.
can give ONE example of how either Geldof or Bono have differed in their "demands" from the already rejected Brown plan on debt reduction, then I'll buy a ticket and a wristband.
This "protest march and gig series" are Blair directed shams, nothing has been suggested which goes further than the position already discussed during the London / Washington summit.
If you think the Davos Switzerland 2005 World Economic Forum held under the title "Taking Responsibility for Tough Choices" was somehow made more democratic or relevant to the millions who have died in the meantime through poverty, or war, or disease, or lack of water, or hunger, or lack of drugs for want of patent permission by the presence of Blair, Bono and Bill Gates on the stage, then you don't get further than GO. What is most offensive is that whilst the irish government refuses to expand its aid and honour its previous commitments, the english speaking commercial media are happy to *spin* the whole event as "the irish conscience to the british imperial guilt".
Enough is Enough.
If the world had been fair in the first place, neither U2 nor Bill Gates would ever have approached multi-millionaire status. Yet, instead we have a world where Bono could say to the non-elected directors of world economics "my job is to tell you when you get it wrong". He's failed his job. Now it is for history to correct the wrong and see him judged.
When the blood is squeezed, add a dash of weak words loudly spoken for the worst after-taste imaginable.
"Bono and Geldof face the difficult task of ensuring that the plight of sub-Saharan Africa remains to the fore front of the media."
But Mary, didn't Geldof say that this was it, after this we can say we tried? I remember hearing him say that. I imagine he'll go back to his media enterprise and the G8'll go back to selling weapons to lunatics and keeping their foot pressed tightly on HIPC throats and the whole thing'll be forgotten about (by the mainstream of the north's media) for another couple of decades.
Northern N.G.O.s, war criminal politicos, and celebrities are not the solution. The people of the HIPC's are the solution. They must and will fight neo-liberal policies and sponsored instability.
"But Mary, didn't Geldof say that this was it, after this we can say we tried? I remember hearing him say that."
Twas Bono