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Signs of Hope – A continuing series – 11th August August 11, 2016

Posted by WorldbyStorm in Uncategorized.
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Gewerkschaftler suggested this recently:

I suggest this blog should have a regular (weekly) slot where people can post happenings at the personal or political level that gives them hope that we’re perhaps not going to hell in a handbasket as quickly as we thought. Or as the phlegmatic Germans put it “hope dies last”.

Any contributions this week?

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1. yourcousin - August 11, 2016

The kid didn’t need surgery for his broken arm and was able to get his cast put on yesterday. Taking the win on this one.

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GW - August 12, 2016

Good to hear YC.

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2. Torheit - August 11, 2016

Qubes OS!

Made by a team out of Warsaw led by the very wonderful Joanna Rutkowska, one of the best architects and doers in the Open Source security community.

Why is it a sign of hope?

Because it is a practical and sustained piece of resistance against not only the surveillance and disruption of political dissent practiced by Five Eyes and the Russian and Chinese equivalents, but also against the information oligarchs like Google, Facebook and Apple, who are seeking to enclose our commons.

Use Qubes well and it’s hard for the parties above to get much of a grip on you in the online world.

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3. sonofstan - August 12, 2016
4. Gewerkschaftler - August 12, 2016

I’ve been boycotting the Olympics because of lack of time and much interest, as well as the evictions and repression against the poorer citizens of Rio that the games have caused.

But the protest there is lively: You may have already seen it but this runner made his feelings about the current coup government of neolibs and military dictatorship scions clear by painting them on his arse.

“Fora Temer” = Temer out!

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5. GW - August 14, 2016

People’s Ride is a taxi-driver’s coop set up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to take on the power of the Uber would-be monopolists.

Lots of interesting insight to be gleaned – for instance:

With Uber you make maybe $11 an hour – barely enough to take care of yourself, let alone save anything to rely on as you get older. With our business model, a driver can earn 55% more than driving with Uber or other rideshare services. It is hard to describe; being organized as a worker coop just provides a more fulfilling experience.

and:

If I might make a plug here, I think one thing a lot of leftists have to learn is that they need to bite the bullet and spend the money for administration, organizers, managers and office workers. It might seem bureaucratic, or feel as if you are giving up power, but it is not – as long as the oversight is given to the general assembly of an organization. It flips a typical business structured like a pyramid completely upside-down. The Left can shooting themselves in the foot by trying to do everything using volunteers. It overworks people and you get half-quality results.

plus a pro-active relationship with a trades union:

We’re also looking into teaming up with a labor union. There are untold benefits, beyond support and solidarity, to working with a larger network. I have been part of the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives (USFWC) and the Union-Coop Council since it started in Massachusetts. We’ve found that a union provides the capacity to run a democratic organization. They’re best at bringing to the forefront the needs of the interest involved, whether at work or in the community.

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6. Michael Carley - August 16, 2016

I am delighted to discover there really is a Bob Crow international brigade.

https://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-3be2-Rojava-international-brigaders-honour-the-legendary-Bob-Crow

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