On “Ruth Keedy Benjamin (June 4, 1947—June 29, 2012)”
My best wishes goes to the family and friends of Ruth Keedy Benjamin. She seems to have been an amazing woman who never succumbed to the pessimism of the times. It would have been good to know what she thought of the recent upsurge of militant activity not only in the US but across the globe.
Dave T
UK
18 July 2012
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I was so dreadfully sorry to learn of Ruth’s death. I last saw her at the 2009 Summer School, where her room was down the hall from mine. She was always so quiet and determined. I liked her very much. I send my condolences to her daughters.
Carolyn
18 July 2012
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My sympathies to all Ruth’s family and friends and comrades.
Anthony B
18 July 2012
On “Greek government lays out fresh cuts, privatisations”
Good article. The ruling elite is out to impoverish workers as much as they can. What they can do depends on how workers will fight back. And workers will do.
J
19 July 2012
On “JPMorgan scandal: The tip of the iceberg”
Asking the average person who their “favorite banker” is would be like asking what is their favorite kind of animal droppings they like to step in. That Obama has a favorite is telling in and of itself.
A Google search, however, reveals not one but several (at least self-described) “favorite bankers” of the president, including some who apparently go golfing with Obama and wear “presidential cuff links.” Not surprisingly, all of them are criminals. Obama knows what he likes!
EG
17 July 2012
On “The police state 2012 Olympics”
Thanks, Patrick Martin, for an excellent analysis of the rising militarism, despotism of the ruling classes and the immiseration of everybody else. Even more so since no major media voice even touches the social side of the Olympics, preferring flag-waving nationalism, competition among nations, and commercial interests of the sponsors. The sums of public money and resources expended are enormous even on the scale of one country, the UK, but astronomical if one counts the world’s entire expenditure for this one event! Is it at all possible that this enormous exploitative, nationalistic, corporatist and militaristic machine, which started as an idealistic sporting event for amateurs in late 19th century, will collapse under its own obscene weight? Time will tell, but not any time soon. In a way it mirrors the whole development of social history for the last two centuries.
My suggestion is to go with the flow, arrange the next Olympiad in one of US’s megabases, and there is plenty to choose from! Security guaranteed of course, and there would be important savings both socially and economically, in these difficult times to come.
Mirek
Australia
18 July 2012
On “A right-wing rant against British youth from Slavoj Zizek”
While on the search for reviews of Slavoj Zizek’s book Less Than Nothing I came along the article by Stefan Steinberg. I would like to congratulate him for his incisive article on this clown, and also for his views on the London riots. When those riots occurred I had for myself a somehow different view, but I’m grateful for his arguments and hints to reverse some of my positions.
Haimo H
Austria
19 July 2012