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We have also received this email at Head Office from what appears to be a government agency:
Fracking: The Debate on Hydraulic Fracturing for Gas
The Mermaid, London, 19th May 2014Govtoday and Securing the Future are delighted to be hosting Fracking:
The Debate on Hydraulic Fracturing for Gas. The conference will be held
on Tuesday 19th May at the Mermaid Conference Centre, London.REGISTER YOUR PLACE TODAY via the URL below
http://www.fracking-conference.co.uk/index.php?option=com_gtereg&subid=
{subtag:subid}&refcode=FR14AG&Itemid=262Discounts for Group Bookings Available
VIEW FULL DETAILS OF THE PROGRAMME
http://www.fracking-conference.co.uk/programmeAlicia Greally
Marketing Executive
Tel: + 44 (0) 161 686 5589
Email: alicia.greally@gtevent.co.ukFracking: the Debate on Hydraulic Fracturing for Gas will discuss how the
advancement of fracking could contribute significantly to the UK’s energy
security and reduce the reliance on imported gas as the country moves to
a low carbon economy.The conference will provide delegates with an opportunity to hear about and
understand the prospect of increased shale gas extraction in the UK.A high profile panel of speakers will discuss the impact of the recent
recommendations examining the cases both for and against fracking UK shale.Confirmed Speakers INCLUDE:
Duarte Figueira
Head of the Office of Unconventional Gas and Oil
Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC)Dan Byles MP
All Party Parliamentary Group on Unconventional Oil and GasProfessor John Loughhead
Executive Director
UK Energy Research CentreJoin The Debate
TOPIC: The Debate on Hydraulic Fracturing for Gas in the UK
Have Your Say – comment on this topic using the guest log on provided
below.Username: fracking20 Password: fracking20
Comrade Paddy Shannon who is not on this forum has sent in this contribution:The thing about quantum mechanics is that it works but nobody knows why it works. There have always been two conflicting views on this, which one could call the chaos and the hidden order perspectives. On the chaos side there were Heisenberg, Niels Bohr and others who contended that fundamental ‘particles’ were probably not really particles, nor waves, nor anything we can possibly imagine, and their behaviour was essentially unknowable. Even attempts to measure their position or velocity introduce an observer bias. ‘Theory’ in the prevailing Copenhagen perspective is really ‘probability’. It works because, just like with humans, you can’t predict the behaviour of individuals but you can always predict the behaviour of crowds.The other school of thought follows the tradition of classical Newtonian physics (though this goes right back to Aristotle’s dictum ‘a thing is either X or it is non-X’), and this school has never been able to accept the Copenhagen view as anything but a fudge. In this viewpoint belong Einstein (“God doesn’t play dice” etc) and Erwin Schrodinger, whose famous ‘cat’ was an attempt to illustrate the intrinsic paradox of quantum uncertainty (how can a cat be dead and not dead?). Pilot wave, hidden variables etc, are attempts to explain quantum phenomena in deterministic frameworks.Quantum mechanics is the practice of quantum physics, without the theory. You do the sums, you get the right answers, no questions asked. Quantum theory, on the other hand, is where all the bitching takes place, with jobs and promotions often depending on which view you take. For an accessible and entertaining bitching session about string theorists and why they are the spawn of Satan, check out Lee Smolin’s The Trouble with Physics.
Another letter received on this:Dear Editors, RE: R. BrandTotally agree with Ian McRae – Letters Soc. Stand. January 2014 – he has hit the nail right on the head with his comments and condemnation of R. Brand.Your printed reply is very disappointing after so much learned writing which appears in the Socialist Standard – anyone new to Socialism and reading this article on first viewing of the Soc. Standard would, in my opinion, be likely to put the magazine down and forget the idea of a new way of living as led by as yet another ' bunch of nutters'.Biggest problem we have is continuing with the title SOCIALISM – the majority of people to whom I talk about this logical idea of human progression and betterment invariably condemn the title Socialism as State Capitalism with their minds wandering off in the direction of the next 'big bucks' job or 'who's won the footy tonight' ! Is a change possibly on the cards ?T.L. Smith
DAP who is not on this forum has sent in this contribution:Yes, it's (an ad?) from Money Week and they are known to be quite bearish, especially the editor, Merryn Somerset Webb, who also writes in the FT.There's a grain of truth of course but lots of hyperbole. YMS's comment underneath is right about not properly taking inflation into account. Big nominal numbers can be deceptive here – percentages are best.The point about gilts being in a bubble is right of course and interest rates will indeed rise as we know. But the main problem is likely to be the levels of personal debt not state debt, as these are far more serious and have risen more noticeably in the last 10-20 years. State debt is less of a problem in a relative boom, which will happen at some point, but personal debt is, as we've seen before. But highlighting that, I guess, doesn't fit in so neatly with the obvious agenda of the writer!
Conway Hall's publicity for this debate here:http://www.conwayhall.org.uk/what-are-we-going-to-do-with-capitalism
There's now going to be a local radio broadcast on this too on Sunday 19 January..
Here's the details.
Due to be broadcast *19th January 6pm* on Resonance FM, this half hour
program is an insider’s tour of the many faces of Speakers’ Corner,
peppered with sonic surprises. It reveals Corner’s intriguing origins, its
enduring mystique, and why people who write it off as a realm of cranks and
fanatics should think again. The show gives a taste of the incredible
archive of oral history, field recordings and photos which is nearly ready
for researchers at Bishopsgate Institute.The show features
– snippets of oral history with Speakers' Corner regulars
– entertaining archive footage of orators and hecklers past and present
– a musical adaptation of Jonathan Swift’s gallows satire “Clever Tom
Clinch” by the amazing Kalbakken.Listen online anywhere in the world: http://resonancefm.com/listen Or tune in to 104.4FM if your radio is near London Bridge! After the 19th you can download it from On the Record's website<http://soundsfromthepark.on-the-record.org.uk/radio-show/> .
"On the Record" who have prepared this oral history of Speakers' Corner have sent us a number of complimentary copies of their booklet on this. If anyone would like a copy we will send them one in return for postage costs (50p second class stamp if in the UK or international reply coupon if abroad). Write to: 52 Clapham High St, London SW4 7UN or email spgb [at] worldsocialism.org
Here are the words of the pre-WW1 Party song. We haven't been able to find the music:"THE WORLD FOR THE WORKERS".A SONG OF REVOLUTION.Words & Music by H J NeumannYou toilers of the world, arise!To bravely speed the day,When all your forces organiseKing Capital to slay,And from the master class you'll wrestThe powers of the State,Which, wielded in your interest,Your class emancipate.There sounds above the class war dinThe battle-cry we use:Unite! you have a world to win,Your chains alone to lose.Your lot in life is darkest gloom;You sow and others reap.And want and mis'ry are your doom,While idlers treasurers heap.Why have they riches, you distress,Though you all wealth have wrought?It is because the few possessThe earth while you have nought.There sounds, etc.While you an idle class maintainFor pittances you'll toil.To own your products you must gainPossessions of the soilAnd of all means the workers needTo found the Commonwealth,And thus enable all to leadFull lives of peace and health.There sounds, etc.Arise! the message to proclaim,The message full of cheer;That Labour's freedom is your aim,That brighter days are near.To men exhausted by the fray,To women in despair,To children wanting food and play,To all the message bear.There sounds, etc.COPIES of the above four-part song–S., A., T., B.–(which will be sung by a choral party at the Annual Social on April the 9th), complete with pianoforte accompaniment and Tonic-Solfa setting may be obtained, price 3d, or post free 3 1/2d, through the branches or from the Head Office."
Dr. Charles Smith, who runs The Alfred Russel Wallace Page http://tinyurl.com/q6cqnqt comments: Thanks for writing, and the tip. I am glad that this piece has found its way to the socialist readership, and agree largely with the *general* points you make. However… Unless you have some new information I don’t, there are a lot of—too many–factual errors in what is written below, as well as a number of dubious conclusions on specific matters (for example, where did you see that Wallace met Bates at a “social reform” meeting—does Bates say this? Bates had little or no interest in politics, and Wallace said he thought they met in the town library at Leicester. Wallace says nothing that I know of about any interests in social issues while he was at Leicester). I can live with a bit of literary license, but Wallace did not, for example, lose *all* his Amazon collections, nor was he penniless on his return, because of a substantial insurance policy—he even had time and resources for a while to vacation in France. Please don’t ask me to comment individually on all the inaccuracies I perceive, as it would take more space than the essay itself! Well, maybe I’m just being too picky, but it seems a pity to make some good points (especially in the last paragraph) and surround them with a caricature of factuality—this is at best lazy, and at worst counter-informative. And in Wallace’s case, the facts are just as interesting as any inaccurate embroidery. All of this leaves me with mixed feelings… CHS. P.S.: Despite his early experiences with Owenists, Wallace did not consider himself a socialist until his reading of Bellamy in 1889. He was not interested in Marxist socialism, though he seemingly knew about it at least as early as the time of Marx’s death in 1883.
Comment received at Head Office:
To PB… Liked your review of Pinker's nonsense book..lol.. you should read the new collection by Douglas Fry called
"War, Peace, and Human Nature".. there are a few essays which debunk Pinker
from a scientific perspective.Vin, there's a second-hand paperback copy of The Making of the English Working Class amongst the books on sale at our Head Office. Price: £5. You can have it for this plus postage and package, say, another fiver (it's a hefty tome of over 900 pages), say, £10 in all. Just send a cheque (made out to "The Socialist Party of Great Britain") to our address.
Email received from General Secretary of the Bakers Union who was sent a copy of the article:
Quote:An excellent piece that sums up the situation fairly. The dispute clearly demonstrated what can be achieved when workers stick together against a brand name or indeed any employer.The dispute not only inspired confidence amongst those 210 brave workers, it also wakened the sleeping giant of the trade movement who rallied around to ensure that our members were not starved back to work. We also hope that this dispute will inspire others to take similar action in defence of their terms and conditions. Another really fantastic outcome, besides the obvious victory, has been the support that those members at Wigan have dedicated themselves to giving other workers in struggle. Long may it continue.RegardsRonnie Draper,General Secretary,Bakers Food & Allied Workers Union,Stanborough House,Great North Road,Welwyn Garden City,Hertfordshire, AL8 7TAFor Members interest
Hundreds of anti-austerity campaigners will occupy Westminster Bridge today
(5th November) to express anger at what they believe are failed government
economic policies alongside more than 40 parallel protests taking place across
the UK as part of the "Bonfire of Austerity".The direct action, supported by more than 25 groups including trades unions
and pressure groups, will see giant energy bills set on fire to highlight
growing living costs and falling wages which are amongst the sharpest in
Europe.Earlier in the year the Peoples' Assembly brought thousands of campaigners to
Central Hall in Westminster where delegates said "We do not accept that
government’s austerity programme is necessary. Austerity does not work: it is
a failure in its own terms resulting in neither deficit reduction nor growth
[…] it is unjust, immoral and undemocratic. Alternatives exist."In September the Peoples' Assembly coordinated the 'Save our NHS' protest that
saw more than 50,000 people outside the Conservative Party conference in
Manchester.What: Bonfire of Austerity, burning energy bills on Westminster Bridge along
with campaigners from many groups, including trades unions, political parties
and pressure groups.Where: Westminster Bridge, London
When: Gathering at 6pm today (Tuesday, 5 November). Fireworks and burning of
energy
bills at 7pmFor interviews call: 07412019623, 07872481769, 07970126249
Further details about the protests and Peoples' Assembly at
http://thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/For anyone who is interested –
Embargo: For immediate publication
Attention: news, political and planning correspondentsAnti-austerity campaigners to hold ‘Bonfire of Austerity’ protests & civil
disobedienceAnti-austerity campaigners will tomorrow (Tuesday 4 November) join a national
day of protest and civil disobedience by holding protests and direct action
across the UK.Campaigners will highlight the human cost of the government’s cuts programme
which has seen many local services decimated, jobs lost, wages frozen and the
benefits which supported some of the neediest in our community drastically
reduced.40 towns and cities will see ‘Bonfire of Austerity’ events, including a mass
occupation of Westminster Bridge in London where campaigners will ceremonially
burn their energy bills.Peoples' Assembly co-ordinator Sam Fairbairn said, “This government chose to
punish those least responsible for the economic crisis whilst letting the
bankers carry on as before. It might be back to boom time in the City of
London, but most households round here are struggling with frozen wages and
soaring energy bills.“Cameron’s self-defeating austerity is still sucking the life out of places
like London – but there’s a growing movement fighting back. Through the
National People’s Assembly Against Austerity, we’ve brought together many
groups, from NHS campaigners and pensioners to trade unionists and those hit
by the bedroom tax. This firework night we’ll be holding a Bonfire of
Austerity where Cameron’s policies will be going up in flames – over the
coming months we’ll be working to make sure the actual policies disappear
almost as quickly.”The wave of protests has been called by the People’s Assembly Against
Austerity, with journalist and campaigner Owen Jones saying, “We're going
through the longest fall in workers' pay-packets since Queen Victoria sat on
the throne. The Big Six energy companies are holding the country to ransom,
and drive millions into fuel poverty. The Tories are building a Britain of
food banks, legal loan sharks and zero hour contract workers. Millions
languish on social housing waiting lists. In years to come, many of us will be
asked what we did to stop this horror show. That's why it's time to tap into
our country's proud tradition of protest and civil disobedience, and make loud
and clear our demand for an alternative to the failure of austerity."What: Bonfire of Austerity, burning energy bills on Westminster Bridge along
with campaigners from many groups, including trades unions, political parties
and pressure groups.Where: Westminster Bridge, London
When: Gathering at 6pm on Tuesday, 5 November. Fireworks and burning of energy
bills at 7pmFor interviews call: 07412019623, 07872481769, 07970126249
