Morning Comrades!
I hope everyone is enjoying this week on here so far seeing that the content has been more focused on a specific topic, I know I am. There will be some more on Rosa Luxemburg after this commercial message, that, alongside your patreon style support of this work helps me pay the bills and all that. Plus, I like making t-shirts. No questions asked.
This first drop of 2022 comes in two parts. One, is a re-print from a collaboration I did with Alyasha Owerka Moore back in 2019 and the other is a new design whose profits are being donated to a Queer Space here in Hamburg whose work depends on donations and has been doing extremely valuable work for that community. Both of these shirts are available now through to Sunday and all other information is published in the online store.
Hot Shots Episode 2 is here and ready for you. I listened to your feedback and adjusted the sound levels so hopefully my mumbling is a little clearer this time around. In this episode I “focus” on some current events coming out of Spain in regards to the Barcelona Terrorist Attacks, Covid-19, Schools, Governments and well, Capitalism, naturally and I finally try and tackle Crypto, NFT’s, Blockchains and all that mumbo jumbo. Enjoy!
I know I have touched on this briefly in the 2nd episode of this week’s “Hot Shots” but I wanted to link this article for you all to get into also. I am still trying to wrap my head around this one and whilst I am sure developing facts from this revelation will be kept out of the press on purpose I will do my best to follow this one. It’s important.
In addition to the above and how truly evil and in line with the demands of the Capitalists our so called Democratic Western Governments are part 400 I guess, here is a damning report that proves how together with the WTO, IMF and the World Bank, said governments torpedoed Yugoslavia’s working Socialist Economy on purpose that lead to the largest genocide and war in Europe after WW2, purely because, “urgh, no commies”.
This research by Robert Allen shows that Yugoslavia's socialist economy was actively destroyed by structural adjustment programs imposed by Western powers in the 1980s, which led in turn to the disastrous political conflict of the 1990s.
"Yugoslavia embarked on a program of rapid economic and social development based on its unique system of labour-managed firms and market socialism." "The government addressed regional inequalities through massive inter-republic transfers. Kosovo was a primary beneficiary." The IMF and World Bank programs slashed economic growth, cut govt public spending, and stopped the inter-republic transfers. Labour-managed firms were converted into capitalist enterprises run by private creditors. "Yugoslavia collapsed under the impact of the IMF’s structural adjustment program. Budget cuts meant that the government could no longer provide everyone with economic and social security, and so allegiance to Yugoslavia defaulted to allegiance to republics and national communities." Fuck Yeah Freedom and so on.
Continuing and ending this special week to remember Rosa Luxemburg and her pivotal work I felt I had written enough and wanted to share a few A/V pieces relating to her that are probably easier to digest than my ramblings.
Start with this and then head into the 3 part mini series about here afterwards.
No wanting to leave “just” with that, here are two semi-unrelated videos that will brighten up your weekend. As YT is a conservative US wet dream, this damn video is age-restricted, but the title is: Turbofolk, Orientalism, and Civility – The West’s Obsession With the "Violent" East and it’s bloody brilliant.
Finishing with more music, I’ve said everything that needs to be said about Fountaines D.C. , without a shadow of a doubt one of the best bands to have emerged out of anywhere in the last 20 years, their new single and accompanying video just cement that claim even further.