Michael Greenwell

Education Education Education

Michael Greenwell — 2007-07-24T21:40:00Z

What Tony has taught us

Tony Blair, when asked what the priorities for the new labour government would be famously said “education education education.”

In the spirit of Paulo Coelho's ‘Thank You George Bush' [1] I would like to thank Tony for the education he has provided us.

There were three repetitions of ‘education'. So here we go, here are three things he has re-educated us all about… (...)

Tony Blair, when asked what the priorities for the new labour government would be famously said “education education education.”

In the spirit of Paulo Coelho's ‘Thank You George Bush' [1] I would like to thank Tony for the education he has provided us.

There were three repetitions of ‘education'. So here we go, here are three things he has re-educated us all about… (...)

- thumping the tub

How To Run A Country (and Get Away With It) Part - 2

Michael Greenwell — 2007-05-28T18:33:00Z

Your Handy D.I.Y guide to getting away with ruining yours and any other country that might cross your path...

Appointing a Czar - Appointing a Czar is a handy way of deflecting bad publicity on a difficult issue. Drugs, for example have been a hot issue for a long time and have caused successive governments major difficulties. Appoint a Czar and these problems simply go away.

It's easy - the case of Keith Halliwell is a good example. (...)

- thumping the tub

How to Run a Country (and get away with it) - Part 1

Michael Greenwell — 2007-05-19T21:42:00Z

Raising Taxes – contrary to dominant political belief of our time there is nothing inherently wrong with raising taxes. Nonetheless you must not be seen to raise taxes.

Most of the electorate in the UK want high quality European style public services whilst simultaneously wanting US style low taxation. The two things simply don't add up so you must raise the money for the public services without being seen to raise taxes. This means raising VAT and other taxes that the public do not see deducted from their pay slips. Fuel tax, Cigarette and Alcohol Duty and many more options are available.

It is true that these taxes penalise the poor more than the rich but the poor don't vote and are generally in no position to defend themselves anyway, so there is no problem. (...)

- thumping the tub

Politician Speak Translated - Part 2

Michael Greenwell — 2007-05-08T19:30:00Z

A new political dictionary.

Its difficult even for politicians to keep up with some of the jargon, spin and rhetoric these days so, in order to help, there follows a brief description of some of the more common phrases.

Fiscal Prudence - this is a nicer way of saying that you are going to cut social security spending. Prudent is a nicer word than mean. Ebenezer Scrooge suggested that he was prudent - not mean.

Special Relationship - The much-lauded "special relationship" between the US and the UK has many facets to it. At its origin the relationship was that in exchange for bailing Britain out in the First World War the British would agree to American control over much of the war effort. The arrangement continued during the Second World War but this time the Americans insisted upon having some permanent bases on UK soil[1]. Finally, at this well-developed stage the "special relationship" has reached a new phase: everyone has to do what America tells it to, and the British get the special privilege of pretending they were in on the decision beforehand and can therefore contrive to save face. (...)

- thumping the tub

Politician Speak Translated - Part 1

Michael Greenwell — 2007-05-03T17:50:00Z

A new political dictionary

Its difficult even for politicians to keep up with some of the jargon, spin and rhetoric these days so, in order to help, there follows a brief description of some of the more common phrases.

Pre-emptive Strike - this is the new term for attacking people who haven't touched you yet. To put it in a more social setting it is equivalent to going up to a man in a bar and punching him just in case he happens to spill your beer later on.

Preventive War - This means denying everyone but yourself and your friends the chance to even buy a beer. (...)

- thumping the tub

Don't Worry About it

Michael Greenwell — 2007-04-26T08:55:00Z

Geldof and Bono syndrome.

Here is a thought for you… there is a certain species of man, his role being undefined or undefinable, that those in power, unsure of what to do with him, grab, put a hook through his finger and leave dangling on a line for his fellow men to grab onto.

Now the truth is I don't know where that thought came from. I woke up with it this morning after I was struggling to think of what to say in this article last night.

And there he was in my mind, brave Bob, from the 80s, banging the table, send us the fucking money (even though he didn't really say that). Where did he come from? What was this hairy thing that had come out of nowhere to remind us all that there was a world outside our homes, offices and schools? (...)

- thumping the tub

Operation Saddam - America's Propaganda war (Documentary)

Michael Greenwell — 2007-04-09T15:28:00Z

Another Iraq War Documentary

I wonder if when it is all finished there will have been more documentaries made about the Iraq war than there will have been soldiers killed. At any rate, if you add up every distortion, every sleight of hand and every downright lie that has been told – and there have been a lot - you won't come anywhere near the number of civilians killed.

I feel somehow obliged to sit through them all - even though they mostly contain the same information. There are usually one or two new snippets in each one which join a couple of dots and lead you toward completing the full and depressing picture.

- thumping the tub / SpinWatch

'Operation Hollywood' and 'Hollywood and the pentagon'

Michael Greenwell — 2006-10-31T21:05:00Z

If you think of propaganda Lassie is not the first thing that springs to mind. Nevertheless, over the years, Lassie and hundreds of other TV shows and movies have been made with assistance and/or script ‘advice' from the US government. - thumping the tub

The History of Oil

Michael Greenwell — 2006-09-22T05:56:38Z

"Your good war, your just war has always been presented as a one off, a discreet event no more connected to other wars than consecutive productions of the same musical because all the ‘just war', ‘humanitarian' arguments begin to unravel if ever a war is seen to be part of a continuous foreign policy that has remained absolutely consistent for decades."

Stuck away on More4 channel where anything even remotely controversial seems to get put these days was an absolutely fantastic stand up show by Rob Newman.

"There is in our own time an absolute taboo among the corporate news media and the political class against mentioning anything whatsoever to do with the strategic and economic reasons for war." (...)

- thumping the tub

'7/11': Another day at the office

Michael Greenwell — 2006-07-11T18:48:00Z

An immediate reaction to the Mumbai bombings

I am writing this as I watch the news come in from Mumbai. I got home and turned the TV on and it was 4 bombs, then 5, 6 and it is at 7 at the moment.

This isn't a considered opinion on anything, I am writing this as I watch the chaos and the horror unfold.

They have just started calling it 7/11.

- thumping the tub / SpinWatch

Academia Nuts

Michael Greenwell — 2006-03-03T16:31:00Z

If we wish to see serious changes in the way society works we have to stop rehashing misconceptions that have led us to where we are now. Academics are generally trusted as sources of information. Unfortunately many take money producing junk science for major corporations. Although the attempt to turn as all into good little corporate citizens is bad enough in itself the problem runs much deeper.

One might hope that in universities the finest minds come together to work out new ideas and solutions. Sadly, this is not often the case. The most closed minds I come across tend to be in the academic world. As an undergrad I spent years being dismissed as a fringe conspiracy nut because I kept bringing up the Project for the New American Century. [2] I was saying that this very sinister group of people were planning some extremely serious and nasty business. Given that they now hold the positions of US Vice-President, President of the World Bank, US Ambassador to the UN, US Secretary of State and many more and have begun a series of illegal wars, I feel I have been somewhat vindicated. (...)

- thumping the tub / Dissident Voice