EU Propaganda

Climate chaos has begun to rate as newsworthy for the corporate and state media in Ireland with both Prime Time and The Irish Times recently covering the issue.

These came in the wake of scientific report after scientific report underlining the gravity of the situation. However, the main corporate/state media focus is on reducing individual consumption, with technical fixes coming second. This focus on individual consumption serves to mask the routes of environmental crisis, routes which are inherent in the structures of society, i.e. in the way society is organised. It is no co-incidence that we see EU governments promoting the idea ‘You control climate change’ and that the solution is a personal reduction in individual consumption.

Related Links: Indymedia Feature on Arctic Climate Chaos | Social Change not Climate Change | Ecology and Class: where there’s brass, there’s muck | Green Communism | Eco-Socialist Manifesto | Plane Stupid | Mark Lynas | Rising Tide

The Free Derry Museum is a community based museum telling the story of the people of the Bogside, Creggan and the Brandywell over a four year period ending with the events of Bloody Sunday, where 14 people were killed by the Paratroop regiment of the British army.

John Kelly was standing at the museum entrance, chatting to a woman about the 35th anniversary commemoration of Bloody Sunday. He welcomed us in and told us how his brother Michael was one of those killed on that day. This was a true community museum, in the heart of Free Derry. Unlike most museums, it doesn’t ‘own’ any of the items on display; rather, they are all on loan from the families and individuals involved.

freederrymuseum002.jpg 7.31 Mb freederrymuseum003_1.jpg 7.55 Mb

IMC interview with John Kelly of the Free Derry Museum
IMC interview with John Kelly of the Free Derry Museum 4.15 Mb

Jim Travers claims that the match between the Republic of Ireland and San Marino has given us the space to reflect on our beliefs, that what we thought in the past has now come true. Ireland was terrible by any standards and deserved to walk away with nothing more than a loss.

So Do We Kiddo

An Indymedia contributor stumbles out of their weekend lethargy long enough to dust off a hangover and type up this report on a Tony Benn address entitled "Peace, Faith and Power" delivered over two weeks ago on January 23rd to Trinity's Hist. With the dazzling might of the Internet age at my disposal, contemporaneous reporting has never been so exciting…

First the platitudes, Tony Benn is one of Britain's most graceful statesmen, serving over half a century in the British parliament before famously leaving to “devote more time to politics” and declaring himself "free at last" of the parliamentary shackles delaying real struggle.

So why doesn't Shell have a big banner outside their office announcing that they are making record profits? Why don't they issue a press release saying that they are doing better than ever, and things are improving for their shareholders like never before? Why aren't they celebrating?

Shell Oil made €20,000,000,000 in 2006

Shell's profits don't include the amount of oil and gas reserves they own, or the huge amount of equipment and buildings they are leasing or that they own. This is money that they have after they have paid all the bills (although not the security costs at Bellanaboy- the taxpayer pays that), and everyone's salary. This is pure profit for their shareholders.

This year's figure - €20,000,000,000 - is deceptive because it hides the fact that the dollar is weak at the moment, and energy has to be traded in dollars (Saddam Hussein started to sell oil in euros a few years ago, and look what happened to him). Profits are way up this year.

The company never had it so good.

Related Links: Galway solidarity protest with Rossport   |   Vigil for Shell victims in Belfast   |   Shell to Sea banner display at Patrick's Bridge, Cork