Live 8

[Stretch]

Sources - a clown reading list

The July, '05 Reason Magazine has a nice review of the book "The Shackled Continent: Power, Corruption, and African Lives, by Robert Guest, Washington, D.C.,
Smithsonian Books, 288 pgs, $27.50

Guest is the African editor for the Economist.

Since I've been reading on the topic for decades, I didn't see anything startling in the overview, but the specifics he sites are nice. Particularily the Zambia example. An average percapita income in 1964 of $540 plunging to $300 by year 2000, (inflation adjusted) despite $6 billion in foreign aid from 1980 to 1996.

Bad government, no rule of law, no property rights = no investment, no savings, no progress. "Africans are poor because they are poorly governed".

See Zimbabawe for another nasty example.


Here are some articles from past issues

http://www.picosearch.com/cgi-bin/ts.pl

The June 20 issue of Forbes also has a nice article "Trickle Up Economics" relating to how "low - tech, low -cost designs are helping the poorest farmers on earth grow their way out of poverty." Sites the Denver, CO organisation International Developement Enterprises, and the success of their bottom up aproach to helping people help themselves in the third world.

Forbes (and others) have covered the micro-lending success phenom of the last few years.

Heifer International may be one of the best known boot strapping charities out there, but they are certainly not alone.

http://www.heifer.org/

Having said all that, Chris, ANY opportunity to perform is an
opportunity to learn. Go for it and have fun!

It's ok if you don't want to perform as your
Renaissance character, just don't go as a UN aid worker ! ;>)

Smack! Bad Clown! Bad Clown!

[martin ewen]

re offline

Steven, you are one of the most consistantly helpful people on these boards. (I've said that before) Whereas I am merely just consistant and so I've been told by a few ,irritating, overly aggressive, mean and nasty.
And my clowns even worse.
I'm going to take great pains to be excessively polite to you in future. As a gesture of respect.
It could be an interesting exercise, especially if you choose to abuse it.
(it would be a bizzarre role switching exercise)

[Peter Voice]

I'm sorry I haven't replied earlier, Martin and Ren Man but I was busy.

If you need the money to pay rent, eat etc., Ren Man then of course you go to work. The moral and ethical issues involved are a hot potato that I was throwing back to you.

I was trying to comment on the fact that you seemed to be preparing to give it a half-cooked, laissez-faire attempt.

The rewards I was referring to were those that come through more applied effort.

I suppose it's how you read it. I will get back under my rock.

[jesus]

I wonder if the concert will be as long as this thread?
I doubt it will be as entertaining.

[Steven Ragatz]

Live 8 issue

So Martin, what's your take on this?:

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/68c254e8-e8d3-11d9-87ea-00000e2511c8.html

It seems to be pretty middle of the road.

Steven Ragatz

[Mr.Taxi Trix]

My take on it is that it is roughly dead on, and quit calling me Martin. Real, national effort on a prolonged basis, like roughly 1/10 the level of commitment we are showing in the warmongering front, would do way more than this brief spark of a concert.

In terms of the moral puzzle, where people will gather, there performers will play. I don't think it would take away anything from the event to work it. I'm a little with Peter on the 2/3 speed performing, but I do get it.

It's easier to goof around with a fire devilstick and an "oh by the way there it sits" hat then it is to work a full circle show, but way less rewarding.

[jesus]

So Renaissance man, are you gonna go for it?

[Guest]

Nah, turns out it's laundry day...

Actually, it looks like it'll be hard to get a razorblade betwixt members of the crowd, much less find a space to juggle. We'll see...

I seem to have been unclear, though, about my intent at the event; especially consdering the: half-cooked (read, "assed"), 2/3rd speed, not-taking-it-seriously comments.

To clarify: Was planning to care. Admitted in my initial post that my skills are limited; and in this community, they are...but they are skills nonetheless. I planned to do the best I could with what I got - without interfering with the event - and hoping for but not expecting some monetary kindness in return for a couple smiles.

Wasn't planning on trying to rope off an area to do a more profitable full-blown show, but to be passive, and take what came; and if non-"aggression" is considered tantamount to lackadaisical, then I just dunno. Besides, with an almost all-verbal show, trying to do something essentially visual would be a professional stretch.

So, thanks to them what merit thanks; and hopefully the above will disabuse the others of their mistaken impression of my work ethic.

Drive fast, take chances

Chris

[gav]

In regards to Africa, there is no helping them. Almost every effort to do so, has the oppisite effect.
Right now the EU is totally fucking over several African nations by flooding them with excess Eu products for rock bottom prices. Which means that all the money they recieve from elsewhere also ends up elsewhere, and local producers are going broke because they just can't compete with products that EU countries would be happy just to throw away let alone sell for cost price in Africa!
Who has the solution? I don't know. I do know that these events in their aid are definately more about promoting the people involved than the countries at need.

[martin ewen]

Now the carnival is over

Looking at the larger context of Global masses effecting positive change and in response to Stevens query.
Any opinions I have would be framed with the knowedge that most political discourse over the last 30 years has been influenced (or led) by the
Delphi Technique
and its minor variation the
Alinsky method

Here I'll google it for you

http://www.eagleforum.org/educate/1998/nov98/focus.html

There are other links but this one is the most straightforward as it requires effort to understand and also to see the possible scale of its application.
Combine this system of fabricated consensus and look at it through this particular cerebral lense

"Hegemony
The most successful method to manipulate and control society is the Hegelian Dialectic, named after its originator Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831). It has been used by Karl Marx and Frederick Engels to support their theory of communism. The dialectic process as described by Hegel can be reduced to three parts: a recursive pattern of thesis, antithesis, and synthesis. The thesis (each idea) is opposed by its antithesis and reconciled with the thesis in a synthesis (consensus), which in turn becomes a new thesis opposed by antithesis. Hegel said that history was nothing but the expression of this flux of conflicting and resolving ideas. Since every synthesis is the thesis of a new dialectic, social change is guaranteed. The process continues until society reaches the Absolute Idea: the ultimate synthesis, giving rise to no antithesis. (my emphasis)For arguments sake lets say the "Absolute Idea" is world government.

The dialectic process is at the core of all political and social manipulation. 1 Fascism against communism; capitalism against communism; democrats against republicans; conservatives against liberals; Christians against Muslims; environmentalists versus property owners; greens against libertarians; pro-choice pitted against pro-life; antiwar activists versus the neocons. The control of the conflict and resolution leads everyone into a new cycle of conflicts. 2 The right-left political dichotomy of western politics is carefully orchestrated: a classic divide and conquer Hegelian trap. Whichever side of any particular ideology we happen to adhere, our beliefs and convictions fulfills a necessary role in the grand scheme. A perpetual recursion of constant change, becoming, ceasing, contradictory aspects of tension/conflict and eventual transformation.

In order to have complete control over the conflict of opposites it is necessary to control the creation of textbook enemies as well. That Hitler's Third Reich (the communist revolution, the creation of Israel, Saddam Hussein, Noriega, Bin Laden and much too many to list) were financed, supported and nurtured by Wall Street bankers, and/or the CIA and/or members of western secret societies is not coincidence 3. With the Soviet Union having run its course (capitalism vs. communism) through successful "synthesis" with the west, a new "antithesis" was already mature enough to take its place: Islamic Fundamentalism.

Hegemony
The control of the dialogue and ideas leads inevitably to hegemony; defined, succinctly, as the power of ideas exercised by a dominant or privileged social group over subordinate social groups. Hegemony is the aftermath of the Hegelian Dialectic, the outcome of the "ends justify the means" maxim. The people have not submitted to this power, "they consent to it - though it is clearly not in their own best interest. Hegemony is a form of control in which those who have power maintain their position, not through force, but through the elaboration of a particular ideology or world view. This form of social control is long lasting, it is an effective, and patient, tactic."

So in answer to your question I think that Africa is a victim of a Hegemonic strategy employing major elements of the Delphi technique and that people attending concerts has no effect whatsoever on the systems that perpetuate poverty .
But it does make those people feel good about themselves and whether that perpetuates the system or changes it I think is fairly self evident.
But thats just my opinion and I am a clown.
As such I believe laughter is a truth and work outwards from there.

[worldwidese]

The Bush Gang and Hegemony

Wake up America on this day, the 4th of July. You are being led up the garden path to ruin by Bush (the people behind Bush more accurately.)
Quote "Hegemony is a form of control in which those who have power maintain their position, not through force, but through the elaboration of a particular ideology or world view. This form of social control is long lasting, it is an effective, and patient, tactic."

He prattles on to the home folks about spreading Democracy throughout the world, yet what he really wants for us is that we here should be ruled by Plutocracy and narrow minded Theology.

One by one, the guy ropes of our safety nets are being cut. For example, the banks and credit card companies are allowed to charge usurious rates and use deceptive marketing practices, fleecing millions of unwary consumers and forcing them into bankruptcy, yet effective legislation to protect consumers was blocked in Congress by the banking industry.

Surreptitiously, large companies are now reducing retirement benefits with no political opposition. Corporations today-such as Exxon-Mobil-are earning huge profits by taking bigger and bigger chunks out of our wallets.

Theology wise, for example we have Pharmacists whose religious conscience now allows them to refuse to fill prescriptions for Birth Control pills.

Fourth of July is a great time to step back, take a look at what's really going on and strike out for a new Independence!

[harmonicakev]

How was it?

So Ren Man, I'm curious as to how things went. Was it a tough crowd? Did you have fun? Make any money? Inquiring minds would like to know! Ciao - Kev.
P.S. Martin does the BEST posts, attitude and all.

[martin ewen]

John Pilger's take

http://www.newstatesman.com/200506270006

[Guest]

Re: How was it?

Originally posted by harmonicakev
So Ren Man, I'm curious as to how things went. Was it a tough crowd? Did you have fun? Make any money? Inquiring minds would like to know! Ciao - Kev.
P.S. Martin does the BEST posts, attitude and all.

I will confess that I did not get there. Various and sundry stuff was permitted to sway me in other directions. Got to see Pink Floyd on the tv, though, so it all worked out well.

p.s. you're right.

[Stretch]

the peanut sheller - make a diference

Saw this on Link TV. A hand oowered peanut sheller for sun dried peanuts. Does a day's work in an hour. Increases protein consumption while increasing soil fertility. Very inexpensive for the villagers to make. 100% of your donation gets used to help put peanut shellers in villagers. A project of the Full Belly Project and returned Peace Corp volunteers.
I'm sending a check.