UK
After the Guildford Four - The Red Menace
Article examining the case of the Guildford 4 following their release in October 1989, and placing it in a broader context of state repression.
"Wrongfully convicted prisoners should stay in jail rather than be freed and risk a loss of public confidence in the law." (Lord Denning, 21/2/88)
"Prison is a killer- everything about it is designed to kill and destroy the human being." (Johnny Walker, one of the Birmingham 6)
The ambulance dispute, 1989 - The Red Menace
Article attempting to link up the 1989-1990 London ambulance workers' dispute with that of council, construction and hospital workers.
Now the police won't just put you in hospital, they'll drive you there too
More misery now! - The Red Menace
Article looking at the impact of the 1989 public transport workers' strikes in London and elsewhere.
Forced to lie in the sun instead of sit in front of a VDU ...to stay in bed instead of going to work ...these have been some of the horrific privations inflicted on commuters by the last few months’ transport strikes. If this is misery, give us more of it!
Up against the prole tax - The Red Menace
Article examining successful methods of resistance, following the introduction of the Poll Tax in Scotland in April 1989.
Poll tax
Education: the future of an illusion
Article looking at 1989 attacks by the government on the higher education system in the UK.
Despite the rhetoric about reducing "state interference" the government has a unified social policy that seeks to restructure all areas of social life in line with the changing needs of capital. Examples of the breadth of this policy include the dismantling of the NHS, the increase in the size of the British prison population and a number of changes in the education system.
Acid comment: the moral panic about acid house parties - The Red Menace
Article looking at the media hysteria surrounding the Acid House music subculture of the late 1980s.
In the last couple of months the ‘acid house’ scene has eclipsed even "lager louts" and football hooligans as the media’s favourite Threat to Civilisation As We Know It. From all the talk about "Crazed Acid House Mobs" and "Drugged Disco Parties", it would seem that the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are about to descend on humanity dressed in bandanas and Smiley tee-shirts.
Goldacre: 'Argument is about capitalism, not food '
Ben Goldacre points to the analogies between the 'organic' food argument and the BigPharma vs homeopathy/'alternative medicine' - mainly that all niches will be filled under capitalism.
Ben Goldacre, of Bad Science fame, reports on the Soil Association's response a recent Food Standards Agency (FSA) report on organic food. Goldacre says the FSA's report shows "that organic food is no better than normal food, in terms of composition, or health benefits".
Lewisham Bridge School Heritage listing upheld
Parents occupying Lewisham Bridge Primary School in south-east London are a step closer to keeping the school open after the English Heritage Grade 2 status of the school was upheld.
Supporters and parents of children have been encouraged by the news that Lewisham Bridge Primary School's status as a Grade 2 English Heritage site has been upheld. This means that the school cannot be knocked down and replaced, as had been intended.
I blame the parents!
Popular media coverage often lays the blame for youth problems at the feet of parents. New report shows that contrary to received opinion, parents actually take greater interest in what their kids are up to now and monitor their activities more.
You know what it's like, you turn on a radio phone-in show or watch some soapbox commentator on TV talk about the rise of 'anti-social crime' or 'youths misbehaving' and you don't have to listen longer than two minutes before someone embarks on a hysterical rant with 'you gotta ask, where are the parents?' and starts whinging about the 'DeCl1Ne oF f@mILee VaLeWs!1!!!1!'.
Vestas occupiers sacked
On Tuesday night, eleven of the twenty-five Vestas wind turbine workers occupying their plant against closure were fired without offer of redundancy pay.
Eleven of the 25 workers at the Vestas factory in Newport, Isle of Wight, England who have been carrying out a sit-in since Monday July 20 have been sacked with immediate effect.
