December 2007I just discovered this article by Janine Schwab in PeaceWork Magazine. It’s about living in a foreign country, poetry and activism. It includes the author’s own translation of a poem by Viennese refugee Erich Fried.
Whosoever
from a poem
awaits salvation
should rather
learn
to read poemsWhosoever
from a single poem
expects no salvation
should rather
learn
to read poems.
The Reverend Jesse Jackson gave a talk in New Road Baptist Church, Oxford, on 13 November, after being made an honorary fellow of Regent’s Park College, Oxford. I agree with most of what he said, except his final exhortation that people in sub-prime debt should be offered debt restructuring (rather than bankruptcy?). I thought that was not radical enough.
You cannot spell ‘mortgages’ without ‘age’ and ‘mort’: We need to find a way to work out housing allocation without most people having to spend a large chunk of their lives working (for ‘The Man’) to pay off their student-loan debt and mortgages. Security of housing does not necessarily have to mean ownership.
We also have to work out a way for energy-efficient measures to be implemented on all housing stock: be it rental (state-owned or private) or occupant-owned. Anyway, Jesse got what he wanted (almost) this week: Guardian Business: Bush imposes curb on mortgage rises. Be careful what you wish for.
In other news: Let’s see if Sarkozy can help free Íngrid Betancourt; new encyclical: Spe Salvi.
508 is a show about Worcester. This week, Mike is joined by Brendan Melican and Bruce Russell.
Brendan points out an interesting story about people avoiding jury duty in East Brookfield. The T&G website features odd comments on a photo about Shrewsbury’s menorah (related blog post: “It’s time for a ceasefire in the Christmas culture wars”), and a man who’s been in prison 30 years.
Mike reads the Worcester Local First brochure and the Coalition of United Students’ Distorientation Guide. He’s been leafleting for Vegan Outreach at the local colleges, and notes that WPI students have an attitude. Brendan recommends Rolling Stone’s article on factory pig farming.
Bruce notes that many sidewalks are still icy, and threatens to sue or destroy the city.
Don’t miss the Stone Soup 1st anniversary party!
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