I have recently discovered that donning a cleaner’s garb or waiter’s apron is a passport to a wealth of knowledge. A very rich harvest of information is available to every non-descript person in a service industry. A typical but dated example (I do not wish to compromise my current activities) would be an overheard conversation between two bankers regarding the then new strategy of reducing (their) costs while simultaneously narrowing the options/freedoms of the population. The banks and other large financial institutions decided that it was far more expedient and profitable to run their businesses utilising a strategy of perpetual debt rather than temporary debt. ‘Joe and Josephine’ citizen were about to become perpetual debtors or economic slaves. ... read full story / add a comment

This article has been copied from the website of the Committee for a Workers' International. ... read full story / add a comment

Augusto Pinochet's $26m (£14m) fortune was amassed through cocaine sales to Europe and the US, the general's former top aide for intelligence has alleged. ... read full story / add a comment

Irish Republican Information Service (no. 72)
Teach Dáithí Ó Conaill, 223 Parnell Street, Dublin 1, Ireland
Phone: +353-1-872 9747; FAX: +353-1-872 9757; e-mail: [email protected]
Date: 12 Iúil / July 2006
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Today, Wednesday 12th July, Israel has again invaded Southern Lebanon from which it withdrew only 6 years ago, having brought about the futile slaughter of some 18,000 - 20,000 Lebanese and Palestinian civilians. This new invasion is "in response" to the capture by Hizbullah guerrillas of two Israeli soldiers. Today also Israel butchered a further two dozen civilians in Gaza, including an entire family of 9 adults and children. ... read full story / add a comment

Israeli armed forces crossed the border into their northern neighbour Lebanon in the last 36 hours.
This illegal incursion follows entry of IDF forces into the occupied Palestinian territories of the last week.

Hezbollah in a press conference has called for "discussions", warned of "surprises" if the "enemy attacks" and wants "prisoner exchange" and hinted at "linking this crises to the plight of their Palestinian brothers". The leader of Hezbollah also rejected Israeli blusters that the IDF would return the country of which they now form a democratically elected government of "returning Beirut to 20 years ago".

The rest of the "Hariri's Game" series which covers Lebanese politic development since the asassination of Hariri on Saint Valentine's Day 2005.
... read full story / add a comment

While most of us in Ireland know and oppose Bush in relation to the US foreign policy, it is at times instructive to understand what the Bush Administration is getting up to internally in the US.
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Daily Ireland
11/07/2006

When President Nasser nationalised the Suez Canal Company in July 1956, the British, French and Israeli governments believed they had found the excuse to attack Egypt that they had long wanted. ... read full story / add a comment

Black & Tans were "no angels" - major concession by Ken Loach critic

BY CHRISTOPHER BARRETT An Phoblacht July 6 2006

Before it went on release, 'critics' who had not seen it, denounced Ken Loach's The Wind that Shakes the Barley. The London Times critic compared it to Nazi propaganda - ironic considering the role of ex-Black & Tans in reactionary and fascist politics in Britain. In the Daily Mail Ruth Dudley Edwards asked: "Why does Ken Loach loath his country so much?" - a question better addressed by Ruth to a mirror. Ruth also, in the manner of death penalty advocates discussing 'humane' methods of killing, informed us that the British Empire was "the most humane"...... ever, so there. ... read full story / add a comment

Italian Leftists Appeal
Withdraw Italian troops from Afghanistan!

Support needed from international Left
Sinistra Critica (Critical Left)

The new centre-left italian government of Romano Prodi is going to ask parliament to vote for continuing the Italian military presence in Afghanistan. This is a clear break with the anti-war feelings of the Italian left that were expressed in the enomous anti-war mobilizations which took place under the reactionary Berlusconi government. ... read full story / add a comment

It has long been observed, that on Sunday the mass does different things.
Some go to church, some return from clubs and sleep, some read a book, some do the gardening, some catch up with their kids, some eat a lot, some practise yoga, some Vote.
It has long been valued that on their non-banking days people are pretty much the same as when they work, graft, toil and sweat. Except they have less money making opportunities. This facilitates their increased participation in their society as citizens and nationals of the Civilised World.
It has long been observed that the mass on their non banking days readily absorb shite.
This is why coups are most successful on the weekend, and elections as well.
It is on your non-banking days that you are presented with the most filagree woven tissues of spirit and lie, ghost and truth. It is through weekend that you allow others to have considerable space in your head. As a global and local movement truthfully based on ethical principles - we can indulge ourselves on Sunday every once in a while. And wonder why some of us are excommunicated. I do not wish to enter the theologically or anthropromorpholigically unknown. Big words scare me.

Less than a week ago, an insecure worker on temporary contract exceeded the speed limit of the metro train he was driving by exactly twice as entered the "Jesus" station of Valencia city. The tunnel was widest at that point, the subsequent derailing killed over 40 people - I may not ask what was he thinking??? nor where he is now.
In today's edition :- ... read full story / add a comment

Yesterday, Radio Free Éireann highlighted the ongoing POW Protest in Maghaberry. Geraldine Taylor of Republican Sinn Féin phoned in, fresh from the RPAG White Line Picket in Belfast to describe the situation and to be interviewed, plus Patrick Williams of Cumann na Saoirse Náisiúnta/ National Irish Freedom Committee. ... read full story / add a comment

Who cares anyway?
It's just a missile made by brown people
targeting brown people....

[do not expect cries of 'No Nukes' heard from the 'West' - either from the halls of power or from the streets] ... read full story / add a comment

July-September issue of West 47 now online at
http://www.galwayartscentre.ie/west47/index.html ... read full story / add a comment

Daily Ireland Friday columnist Robin Livingstone decides to highlight some lesser-known predilections of the Orange brethren. All in the name of mutual tolerance an understanding.

Shed loads of cash bring wondrous joy to brethren
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A considered and balanced view of the media event presently saturating the airwaves, the “North Korean Missile Crisis”, would reveal an hysterical, farcical over-reaction! The Korean so-called long range ICBM explodes on launch – good one, Kim! But notice how quick the coalition of willing criminals are to utilise anything to distract the public attention away from the criminality of Guantanamo Bay, Iraq, Camp Bond Steel (occupation base in the Balkans which utilises the services of East European child sex slaves to service American troops). THIS IS AMERICA, policeman of the world, welcome to ‘freedom’, exploitation and the pollution that is American culture. [The world needs the USA like it needs a hole in the head!] ... read full story / add a comment

Today saw a historic joint venture into cyberspace by the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin who spent the day answering questions which had been put to him on the internet in a surprising joint project between the BBC and the Russian Government.

Amongst the questions put to Vlad, were the reason why he lifted the t-shirt of a 6 year old boy during a walkabout earlier this week & kissed his stomach. Putin replied ""He seemed very independent and serious... I wanted to cuddle him like a kitten and it came out in this gesture. He seemed so nice,".

Other human interest questions included one put by a 17 year old Russian girl who wondered at what age Mr Putin had lost his virginity. & of course some telly adicts had to ask about Korean missiles.
Vlad outlined his worries for Russia and his pride. The project comes amidst a concerted focus by the BBC on russian affairs in the lead up to this year's G8 conference which will be held in St. Petersburgh shortly.
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"North America's getting soft, patron, and the rest of the world is getting tough. Very, very tough. We're entering savage new times, and we're going to have to be pure and direct and strong, if we're going to survive them." - Videodrome

The Pentagon is co-parenting Pandemic with its unlikely - or possibly inevitable - same sex sugar daddy: U2's Bono. His Elevation Partners spent $300 million last November to bring the Studio together with Bioware "to create the world's best funded and largest independent game development house." Now there's a cause. ... read full story / add a comment

Legislation that would allow Ireland's DEFENCE forces to take part in "EU battlegroups" has been railroaded through the Dail according to an article in the Irish Independent, May 5th 2006 by Geraldine Collins and Michael Brennan. (As there's a login requirement at the Indo I repost the full story below this summary): ... read full story / add a comment

In an even more serious reflection of the experiences of the Pitstop Ploughshares in Ireland, Flight Lieutenant Malcolm Kendall-Smith has been put through the ringer for his conscientious objection to the Iraq War. ... read full story / add a comment