So there go our woods and forests

[oldjerry]

Well this 'middle-aged male'(and thanks for that) would welcome contributions from anyone ,whatever their age,gender,race,orientation, .etc.etc..etc......(but not Welsh hermaphrodites,.....I'm not that bloody liberal).

[Zech]

What I do like on here is senisble middle age male debate, and this shows it very well.

I'll make sure I keep out of this one, then ;-).

Much what I was thinking, Susie ;-)

[oldjerry]

The middle - aged bloke has suddenly aged,depressed by this sexist crap, Rosa Luxemburg is turning in her grave.

[MKG]

What I do like on here is senisble middle age male debate, and this shows it very well.

How dare you, Sir!!!! Sensible indeed!

(And, OJ, what's wrong with Welsh hermaphrodites? They're OK on toast).

Mike

[boboff]

Sorry.

[oldjerry]

What I do like on here is senisble middle age male debate, and this shows it very well.

(And, OJ, what's wrong with Welsh hermaphrodites? They're OK on toast).

Mike

Nice one!! ....can't do the little face things,annoying yet also strangely pleasing.

[boboff]

When you go to full Editor, there is a box of them on the right, just click them.

[jim]

Dear oldjerry,

Emma Goldman just asked me to pass the message that she and Rosa Luxembrg aren't coming to the revolution unless there's singing and dancing,

Love and Peace
Jim

[Green Aura]

That's alright then - Karl and Leon are striking up the band as I write. I asked them not to tell Joe though - hope that's OK!

Vive la revolution

[MKG]

The only Luxemburg I know is the one which used to fade in and out at night, usually whistling horribly during my favourite songs. Is that her?

Mike

[oldjerry]

I had to go to bed early,so all I got was bloody Radio Bingo.

[Susie]

I would still oppose union involvement in national policies because, although they purportedly represent "the working man", in truth they are just another political power base for wannabe revolutionaries.

This is a difficult one for me because in principle I disagree with this really strongly, I think unions can be great. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend union membership to anyone with problems at work as I think they provide a level of help you can't access elsewhere (and collective action) - I've seen them do it, and I know incredibly intelligent, principled people who work/ have worked for unions and achieved huge amounts on behalf of really marginalised workers.

In practice my personal experience has been *absolutely bloody shocking*. I don't have enough (negative) superlatives. So there you go.

[bonniethomas06]

What I do like on here is senisble middle age male debate, and this shows it very well.

I'll make sure I keep out of this one, then ;-).

Me too - besides, I've got ironing to do.

[Zech]

If your political horizons are limited to the options provided by the Big 3 parties in the UK, there's nothing I can do for you. They're all as bad as each other

Is there an alternative?

I always vote, and always take the time to try to figure out which is the least bad of the option on offer, but I often wonder why I bother.

I'm not asking rhetorical questions here. If you can suggest a better approach, I'd be genuinely interested in hearing about it.

[oldjerry]

If you can believe what you see on the TV,it seems that the only way a regime can change,is by many heroic young people with nothing to lose hitting the streets(though only time will tell as to wether that will bring real change).For me ,I find it difficult to bother much with anything that falls outside my personal sphere of life.I don't like all my neighbours(and vice-versa) but we all know that at least when the s--t hits the fan we're going to get help.I think by keeping your economic/social/etc dealings as close as you can to yourself,you at least have the feeling that things aren't completely out of control.This way of looking at things is predicated on the idea that all the stuff that comes from outside,government/law/media et al is BEYOND your control,and has to be dealt with/avoided/put up with/ignored etc ,choose whichever.I'm sure being in a rural situation makes this easier,but the principle remains the same wherever.