LL:PR: GIANT PROTEST PLANNED FOR BUSH AUST VISIT
media release *** media release September 16, 2003 Stop the War Coalition GIANT PROTEST AGAINST BUSH VISIT Anti-war and human rights activists are preparing a giant protest against US President George Bush when he visits Australia in late October. A meeting last night of 60 people representing 17 organisations (including four local peace groups, Sawiyan - Committee in Solidarity for Palestine; the Other September 11 Committee; Friends of the Earth; Illawarra NoWar and Books not Bombs) has called the Stop Bush protest around the themes: Troops out of Iraq; No Free Trade Agreement; Break the Howard-Bush Alliance and Justice for Palestine. Nick Everett, from Stop the War Coalition, said that the protest was expected to be large given the mass opposition to the war on Iraq. "We're appealing to the half-million people who marched on February 16 against the war on Iraq to come out again against the occupation", said Everett. Brian Webb added that Stop the War also expected people concerned about the US government's support for global trade regulations which privilege the rich countries over the poor to mobilise. "The US government's refusal to sign on to the Kyoto greenhouse protocol and the nuclear non-proliferation treaty; and its support for compliant dictatorships, such as in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will also bring people to the protest." Rihab Charida from the Sawiyan - Committee in Solidarity with Palestine said that the US government's support for Israel's war on Palestine, and its refusal to condemn the expulsion of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat from Palestine, would bring many communities concerned about peace in the Arab world to the protest. A demonstration has been called for 5pm at Town Hall the day President Bush arrives in Australia (any time from October 21). Stop the War is also supporting a planned national convergence in Canberra, and will be assisting the ACT Network against War which is planning a lunchtime protest at Parliament House. Contact: Nick Everett 0409 762 081 Brian Webb 0425 347 634 Rihab Charida 0405 760 929 Bashir Sawalha 0413 859 060 GEORGE W. BUSH - ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS PRESIDENT: Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 20:04:27 - From: "Alan Heymann" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> (source unknown) I attacked and took over two countries. I spent the US surplus and bankrupted the US Treasury. I shattered the record for the biggest annual deficit in history (not easy!). I set an economic record for the most personal bankruptcies filed in any 12 month period. I set all-time record for the biggest drop in the history of the stock market. I am the first president in decades to execute a federal prisoner. I am the first president in US history to enter office with a criminal record. In my first year in office I set the all-time record for most days on vacation by any president in US history (tough to beat my dad's, but I did) After taking the entire month of August off for vacation, I presided over the worst security failure in US history. I set the record for most campaign fund raising trips by an president in US history. In my first two years in office over 2 million Americans lost their jobs. I cut unemployment benefits for more out-of-work Americans than any other president in US history. I set the all-time record for most real estate foreclosures in a 12-month period. I appointed more convicted criminals to administration positions than any president in US history. I set the record for the fewest press conferences of any president since the advent of TV. I signed more laws and executive orders amending the Constitution than any other US president in history. I presided over the biggest energy crises in US history and refused to intervene when corruption was revealed. I cut health care benefits for war veterans. I set the all-time record for most people worldwide to simultaneously take to the streets to protest me (15 million people), shattering the record for protest against any person in the history of mankind. I dissolved more international treaties than any president in US history. I've made my presidency the most secretive and unaccountable of any in US history. Members of my cabinet are the richest of any administration in US history. (The poorest multimillionaire, Condoleeza Rice, has a Chevron oil tanker named after her). I am the first president in US history to have all 50 states of the Union simultaneously struggle against bankruptcy. I presided over the biggest corporate stock market fraud in any market in any country in the history of the world. I am the first president in US history to order a US attack and military occupation of a sovereign nation, and I did so against the will of the United Nations and the vast majority of the international community. I have created the largest government department bureaucracy in the history of the US. I set the all-time record for biggest annual budget spending increases, more than any other president in US h
LL:INFO: September 27 Melbourne Channel 31 Literacy event
_ LITERACY AND THE LEFT A PROGRAM TO TAPE-RECORD Channel 31, Melbourne community TV, Saturday, September 27 at 8.30 a.m. is broadcasting a new experimental half-hour self-help cartoon video literacy program that anyone can tape and copy for their own use and their family, for self-help watch-at-home learning, to watch and re-watch, and as a take-home aid for courses, schools and second language learners. < ABC GO! HELP YOURSELF TO READ AND SPELL or FIND OUT WHERE YOU GOT STUCK This is the premiere of Experimental Version 7 of a world-first innovation. Copies of the videos and CDs, including earlier versions can also be bought from the New International Bookshop. It is a step in campaigning for 'Literacy for the Left' because so many people cannot read, or cannot read anything worth reading. That is a tremendous handicap for democracy and any hope of a just society. (As a recent poster to Leflink remarked: It is certainly a stark contrast when a relatively poor country like Venezuela builds 3000 new schools and has 100,000 volunteers waging a national literacy campaign, while a rich country like Australia closes schools and privatises education! And when the Left in Anglo countries does not regard it as urgent that everyone should be able to read books - more than just forms and labels.) The video/CD program has been developed over 20 years, and is based on research and my experiences as a clinical child psychologist and teacher. So many people labelled dyslexic are confused and have gaps about how to read. It is a disgraceful situation ___ FURTHER INFORMATION The aim is free or cheap re-useable kits that learners of any age can copy, borrow or buy from courses, libraries, schools, workplaces, video and bookshops, or download from the Internet, of especial value to distance learners, to those who cannot or will not attend courses, and to English-language learners who need assistance with English speech sounds. Top learning principles! Overview of the English writing system Starts from scratch With advance-organizers Self-help for independent learning Cognitive understanding as the key Chunking information for economical learning No activities except reading Intrinsic entertainment with no diversions, Lots of surprises, and Learning to Read by reading Not suitable for group viewing See also http://home.vicnet.net.au/~ozideas http://home.vicnet.net.au/~ozideas/lthytr.html http://home.vicnet.net.au/~ozideas/vchecklist.htm In the future, I hope that it will be taken for granted that everyone setting out to learn to read, or with literacy difficulties, at any age from five to eighty, will be able to watch and re-watch at home a lively half-hour cartoon video/DVD with animated text. It will give them an overview of the English writing system and what it helps to know to learn to read. It will be a self-help tool that can help learners and teachers in three ways - instruction, diagnosis and intrinsic interest. It will make phonics and print interesting, while using a Whole Language approach of 'learning to read by reading'. Encouraging learners' self-help will not supersede teachers - rather, it would be an invaluable aid to free them for imaginative and inspiring teaching with students who were not bogged down. ADVANTAGES * It can help adults and adolescents who have failed to learn by conventional methods because it is not 'more of the same'. It builds on the strengths of older learners, in the ability to learn by understanding, and to bring to the task a background of experience. It uses principles of adult learning such as advance-organisers, chunking, linking concepts, use of cognitive structure, and self-help, making independent learning possible. * Most learners do not know what they do not know, in order to negotiate how they are to learn it. The video shows them what they may need to know, so they can know what help they need, and feel encouraged to attend courses. * It starts from absolute scratch - since many adult learners fail in literacy courses because neither they nor their teachers have realised where they may have an elementary gap or confusion that sabotages everything else. This video can show them where they got stuck, where their gaps and confusions lie. "There are only 26 letters? I thought there were thousands!" "Oh, you don't have to learn every word separately? I gave up after the first hundreds!" * It uses computer graphics to present complex concepts in a visually simple and fascinating way. * The visuals and the structure simplify the task, using George Miller's principles of 'chunking' to facilitate comprehension and recall. * Ideally, it should be of such high quality as a production that
LL:REM: Ian Chappell@ refugee public forum - Wed 17/9
A Just Australia Invites you to join Cr. David Brand - Deputy Mayor, at a public meeting with Ian Chappell Phillip Adams Hanifa Deen Howard Glenn Plus special guests and entertainment Come along to hear why Ian Chappell and our other speakers have joined A Just Australia in its campaign for just refugee programs in Australia. You will also have the opportunity to hear first hand stories from = refugees and asylum seekers in the local community and their hopes for = their lives in Australia. When: Wednesday 17th September at 7.30pm Where: St. Kilda Town Hall, Cnr Carlisle and Brighton Rd The evening is free but we will be asking for donations and explaining = how you can support our work on a long-term basis. Carmel Shute Council Media Officer City of Port Phillip Ph: 03 9209 6163 Fax: 03 9525 4640 Mob: 0412 569 356 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] . -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
LL:DDV: Socialist Alliance trade union pamphlet lanuch
You are invited to attend a general meeting for trade union members in Socialist Alliance. Tuesday 30 September, 6.00pm. Upstairs, John Curtin Hotel, 29 Lygon St, Carlton Socialist Alliance has many members who are active unionists. Our caucuses in the NTEU and AEU are starting to make a real impact. There are good possibilities for the Left as shown in recent victories by SA members and other left candidates in union elections. We have an essential role in building union consciousness among workers and developing militant trade unions. The meeting will launch our new trade union pamphlet, which is an invaluable aid to any union activist. There will be three agenda items: 1. Launch of the trade union pamphlet by John Cummins (CFMEU) and Louise Walker (NTEU) 2. Report on progress of Socialist Alliance trade union work nationally 3. Plans for how we organise our trade union work in Victoria The meeting should take about one and half to two hours depending on the discussion. It would be great to see as many as possible of our union members there to share experiences and develop a good plan for our union work. We are also organising a trade union seminar for 1.00-5.00pm on Saturday 18 October at the MUA rooms in West Melbourne. The title will be ``Seminar for unionists: getting organised. It will kick off with guest speakers - new postal union state secretary Joan Doyle and new MUA secretary Kevin Bracken. This will be followed by two workshops, one on how to challenge the anti-union laws and one on organising in non-union and poorly-unionised workplaces. Please contact Sue Bolton on 0413-377-978 or 9639-8622, Judy McVey on 0418-347-374 or Maureen Murphy on 9386 0367 if you have any questions or would like to discuss anything. Yours in unity Sue Bolton, Judy McVey and Maureen Murphy -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
LL:DDA: House Concert this Saturday
A Special House Concert Come and celebrate the cultures and the creativity within the Canberra community and at the same time, contribute to the costs of refugee advocacy. Salar Ayoubi extraordinary singer & multi-instrumentalist from Iran Nitya & Andrew Purdam Bamboo flute and tabla - Ragas of Spring A Chorus of Women Women singing for peace and cultural well-being. Shahzad Kayani Songs from Pakistan JAMNN instrumental music from Macedonia, Greece, Bulgaria Iqbal Khalidi Songs from Afghanistan Ahmed & Nihad Contemporary music from Kurdistan & Turkey Maryam Saeed Sublime Poetry Iimala (& students) Egyptian Dance The Tribe David, Natalia and friends All money raised will cover the fares to send Marion Le to Baxter Immigration Detention Centre so she can represent a young Afghan asylum seeker who is about to return to the Refugee Review Tribunal: "I was lucky enough to meet this young Afghan in Baxter in January this year. He could be the son of any of us, he is shy, sweet, and he misses his Mum dreadfully. He grieves for family members killed, both in the past, as well as one brother killed recently. Like the young people in our own communities, he too deserves to be safe. He heard about Marions trip to Afghanistan and he begged me to find her and tell her about him. (Claire Bruhns). Saturday, Sept 20th 7.00 for 7.30 pm start 7 Yate Gardens, Rivett (Claire, Nitya & Hannahs Place) $10 Contribution + bring plate to share for late supper RSVP ph 6288 0535; 0401325943; [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
LL:DDN: Workers' Control Conference: 10th-12th October, 2003
===>>> Register Now: http://www.jura.org.au/workerscontrol/ ==>>> Please forward to your friends and workmates. ===>>> Apologies for cross postings. There is an alternative... Workers' Control Workers' Control Conference University of Technology, Sydney 10th-12th October Hi all, This is an invitation to register for the "Workers' Control Conference", which will be held from the 10th to 12th October, 2003. The conference will be a dynamic weekend of talks, discussion and workshops on past experiences of workers control and the current strategies of militant unionism. http://www.jura.org.au/workerscontrol/ KEYNOTE SPEAKERS Keynote speakers confirmed to date include: * Michael Crosby (Co-director, ACTU Organising Centre) * Joan Doyle (newly elected Secretary, Victorian Postal Union) * Martin Kingham (Victorian State Secretary, Construction Division of the CFMEU) * Humphrey McQueen (Author, historian) * Paul True (Special Projects Officer, CFMEU. Speaking on the NSW Builders' Labourers Federation and the Green Bans. Author of "Tales of the BLF - Rolling the Right!") * Hall Greenland (Author of 'Red Hot: The Life and Times of Nick Origlass'). Topics to be covered by plenaries and workshops include: * Reforming the Union Movement Today * The Organising Model: Successes and Limitations * The NSW Builders Labourers Federation and the Green Bans * The Ability of Militants within Unions to Achieve Change. * The Possibilities and Limitations of Direct Action Today * The Harco Work-in * The Experience of the Melbourne Tram Workers * Unorthodox Leninism: Gramsci and Workers' Control * The Student-Worker Uprising in France in May 1968. * The Workers' Revolt Against Stalinism in Hungary in 1956 * The Australian Experience of Workers' Self-Management * The Social Responsibility of Trade Unions: the 1938 Port Kembla Pig-iron dispute and the NSW Builders Labourers Federation Green Bans. * The Opera House Work-In * Revolutionary Reforms and Andre Gorz. * Creating a Workplace Newsletter * Workers' Self-Management and the Upsurge of the 1960s and 70s * Workers' Control in Australia in the 1960s and 70s: successes and failures * The idea of self-management in Marxist revolutionary theory. * Workers' Self-Management and the Allende Government in Chile 1970-3 AGENDA AND MORE INFO To view a complete agenda for the conference visit the conference website: http://www.jura.org.au/workerscontrol/ REGISTRATION We strongly encourage people to register before the conference so that we can properly predict numbers for seating, printing and catering. You can register by: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Phone: 02 9572 9089 Or on our website at: http://www.jura.org.au/workerscontrol/register.html PLEASE include your name, phone number, email address and a postal address. No money is needed - you can pay on the day. SUBMITING WORKSHOPS If you would like to present a workshop please contact the conference organisers by 25th September, 2003. Workshop topics should be in the spirit of the conference. In your submission, please include a title and a 50 word overview of the workshop. Due to limited space and time, we may not be able to accept all workshops. Please email [EMAIL PROTECTED] We are interested in workshops on any relevant topics, but in particular would be interested in both practical workshops on recent experiences of union organising in various industries, and historical workshops on the experiences of militant union movements. PUBLICITY AND MEDIA We would greatly appreciate any assistance with publicising the conference. If you contact us, we can post you copies of the agenda and posters. If you have access to your own photocopying you can download PDFs of the material from our website at: http://www.jura.org.au/workerscontrol/promo.html Please don't be shy about asking us for posters and leaflets - we have thousands of them. If you can assist by getting an advertisement or article in your union newsletter or email list, that would be excellent. If you need any statements or an article, please contact us. GET INVOLVED. INVITE YOUR FRIENDS. The Workers' Control Conference is open to all genuine participants. Please forward this email to people you think might be interested, submit a workshop, register early, and join us on the 10th, 11th and 12th for a dynamic weekend of debate and discussion. In Solidarity, Nick Harrigan For the Workers' Control Conference Organising Committee. Phone: 02 9572 9089 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Mail: PO Box N32 Petersham North NSW 2049 Web: http://www.jura.org.au/workerscontrol/ CONFERENCE CO-SPONSORS The Workers' Control Conference is an initiative of members of Jura Books, the Centre for Radical Workplace and Union Democracy and the Research Initiative on International Activism at University of Technology, Sydney. WOULD YOU LIKE REGULAR UPDATES FROM JURA BOOKS? If you
LL:INFO: Call for papers: Community Development/Human Rights
Community Development, Human Rights and the Grassroots Trades Hall Victoria Street (Cnr Lygon Street) Melbourne, Australia 14 - 18 April 2004 (a conference for academics, researchers and the grassroots practitioners) There is a renewal of interest in community development, both in Australia and internationally. This conference will explore the questions: What does community development look like today? What are the key issues? What is its potential? How is it operating at the grassroots and in global contexts? What are the links between community development and human rights? There will be two sections to the Conference: Reflection14-16 April, 2004 (14th - evening Opening Session - Hotel IBIS) This section will focus on reflection and analysis of the role, methods and contexts of community development today. In particular, it will consider the influence of the human rights revolution on local and global community projects. Submissions for papers which address the following themes are invited, but other themes are also welcome. * human rights and community development * social capital * community development and globalisation * new and old forms of activism * multiculturalism and cultural citizenship * the effects of neo-liberalism & managerialism * gender, race and class * third sector research * indigenous projects * strengths & weakness of capacity and community building * women in community development * diversity and solidarity in community development * civil society debates and discourses Abstracts should be 200 - 300 words and written in plain English and an electronic copy (in MS word format) sent to: Email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Phone (03) 5227 2113 (all papers will be blind peer - refereed) Website www.deakin.edu.au/cchr Deadline for Abstracts 14 November 2003 Grassroots 17 - 18 April, 2004 Themes of these two days of the conference will be: * the political context of community development * challenging the status quo * co-option and colonisation * working in atypical areas * new sites of community development * community development and the future Workshop facilitation (10 -15 minutes) will focus upon issues relating to these themes. This will involve sharing and celebrating ideas and experiences, with creative discussion and decisions for future directions. The process of these two days will be participatory, interactional and provocative (workshops - not presentations) focussed upon core community development values in practice (rather than specific projects or programs). Those interested in further information, becoming involved in planning the conference and / or facilitating workshops please contact Caty Kyne (ph: 03 94817894) [EMAIL PROTECTED] or Ben Leeman (ph: 03.9819 3239) [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
LL:DDV: Free Trade Agreement
With the collapse of the talks at the WTO in Mexico, the Liberals are quickly shifting the focus to the Free Trade Agreement with the US. The next round of talks begin in Canberra on October 27. That is why you are invited to a forum hosted by Socialist Worker: "The Free Trade Agreement: economics of empire" Speakers: * Kevin Bracken, state secretary of the MUA * Patrick McLiesh, Socialist Worker Thursday, September 18, 7pm at RMIT, Swanston St, city. For more info ring Tom on 0408 619 152 or visit www.iso.org.au Please forward . -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
