National Novel Writing Month

Comments from characters in the book

“I am glad Xavier has written this book about The Swinging Fist but I am disappointed that he doesn't mention the very high quality of Old Hogshead ale and the very reasonable prices. Some of his comments on Firewater are a bit wide of the mark too. Lots of people enjoy it. Overall it is a good book though. Krix

“I was hoping this book would enable me to have a fling with a nicely-manicured young man who wasn't gay. I can guarantee that Terrence wouldn't have noticed. But I am afraid that is Xavier all over. He was just too busy trying to save the world to give a thought to his mother.” Geert Hollands

“A first class book all round. I am very pleased with how Xavier has portrayed the characters and events in The Town. My role could have been given a bit more prominence but it would be churlish to cavil in my view. Wolf-Dietrich Von Raitenau

Land of Whose Fathers?

This pamphlet by Geoff Jones is an education both for those who have only started to question the "official" history of Wales but for those who have been active in the movement elsewhere in the UK for years.

It reminds us of the tremendous capacity of the working class to seek to change society and of the resilience of workers who have been defeated to carry on the struggle time and time again.

The Labour traitors would much rather that the outspoken workers' leaders of the past should be forgotten. This is because those men and women put the present canaille of political leaders to shame.

This book is a useful antidote. Moreover it is a message of hope. The ruling class have "finally defeated" socialist ideas many many times and every time they have come back. Often stronger than ever :)

http://derekmcmillan.com/

Crusade against Trade Unions

Owen Jones has tweeted that "This blatant co-ordinated crusade against Unite/trade unions by Murdoch lobbyists and the Tory frontbench has become a McCarthyite witchhunt."

It is also true that the cowardly ditching of the trade unions by Miliband has encouraged the Tories to seek to turn the clock back.

Clegg - who most people trust as far they could comfortably spit a rat - has pretended that the government will crack down on "poor management practices" as well as attacking the trade unions. And I'm the queen of Sheba.

It is of course only irresponsible trade unions which will be affected. From Clegg's speech it is clear that he means those trade unions who fight for their members.

If you think back to the police treatment of the miners under Thatcher you can see where Tory propaganda about "Trade Union bullying" ends up.

http://derekmcmillan.com/

Tories rewriting history

The Tories are attempting to purge all pre-2010 election pledges and statements from the Internet, according to the New Statesman. 

Computer Weekly originally tumbled onto the scam, but the NS article enumerates Cameron's ongoing hypocrisy on the issue. Just one example here, you can read the article for yourself online if the Tories haven't contrived to make it "disappear"!


As remarkable as it may seem, Cameron told Andrew Marr the weekend before the general election that a Conservative government would not cut any front-line services.

What I can tell you is, any cabinet minister, if I win the election, who comes to me and says: "Here are my plans," and they involve front-line reductions, they'll be sent straight back to their department to go away and think again. After 13 years of Labour, there is a lot of wasteful spending, a lot of money that doesn't reach the front line.

Since then, 5,870 NHS nurses, 7,968 hospital beds, a third of ambulance stations, 5,362 firefighters and 6,800 frontline police officers have been cut.

The Conservative Party are even trying to get content removed from the Internet Archive. 

Older readers might remember "Oceania is at war with Eurasia. Oceania has always been at war with Eurasia." This was Orwell's parody of the changes in line of the Communist Party when they ceased to be allies with Hitler and became antagonists. 

The Stalinists do not have a monopoly on trying to rewrite history when it is inconvenient. And of course we cannot forget (although New Labour have forgotten!) those pesky 'weapons of mass destruction' which Saddam was supposed to have.

If you shake hands with a politician, make sure you still have your watch afterwards. In fact why not count your fingers to be on the safe side? 

We need a new workers' party. This lot of politicians are worse than useless. 

http://derekmcmillan.com

Forbes foaming at the mouth over Kshama Sawant

Forbes Magazine has an article calling for Kshama Sawant (and by implication all Socialist teachers) to be sacked. The headline is quite explicit "Why Is Seattle Socialist Kshama Sawant Allowed To Teach
Economics?" and the article goes on to ridicule economics in general and Socialist ideas in particular.

The ruling class has no interest in democracy if it gets in the way of their profits. Little things like freedom of speech and free expression will just have to go if they are inconvenient.

Forbes Magazine is the foremost advocate of unfettered capitalism. This view seems to have survived the banking crisis.They do not seem to have a grasp of colloquial English because they describe themselves as "the capitalist tool." I think we can all agree about that.

Kshama Sawant is a socialist candidate in the Seattle City Council election. The core issues of Sawant's campaign are a minimum wage increase to $15 per hour, rent control, and increased taxes on the
wealthy. She promised to donate the portion of her salary as a City Council person which exceeded the average salary in Seattle.This is anathema to the politicians whose main activity is finding ways to increase their expenses.

No wonder Forbes has been provoked into this disgusting hate campaign.

http://derekmcmillan.com

 

 

A game of cards

This is the first hand in the game of cards between Krix and Xavier  in Salt Wars. It may make it easier to understand.

What West Sussex Teachers got up to while I was in Australia!

http://derekmcmillan.com/

CBI oppose living wage

The champagne charlies of the CBI are choking on their caviar because they cannot afford to pay a living wage. They said exactly exactly the  same about the minimum wage. If the minimum wage was brought in, industry would be ruined.  They would all be begging in the streets. They aren't

Fortunately for them directors can vote themselves massive bonuses so the poor dears won't starve :-)

Notoriously in the nineteenth century employers 'proved' to their satisfaction that cutting working hours to ten hours a day would lead to ruination. Each time they pull this stunt it has less credibility.

Click here