text:
Soviet cogitations: 4764
Defected to the U.S.S.R.: 20 Jul 2007, 06:59
Ideology: Marxism-Leninism
Forum Commissar
I see what you are doing, Rosa. You are attributing Marxism with an individiual ahistorical idealism that has never belonged there.
Marxism has never reduced reality to an "apprehension" of reality, or much less to "thought". Maybe the way it is being expressed isn't the most accurate, but the spirit of it should rise above such semantics.
We mustn't lose sight of what Marx so greatly explained in his Second Thesis on Feuerbach:
Here he is bringing back our active side, which has been so obscured by the contemplative abstractions of thinkers. What we perceive is a social, historical product, but this isn't something purely "subjective", since this has been PROVEN by practice. Objects are "born" from our interactions with them, they are delineated (sp?) from our understanding of them. As any scientist might tell you, we build models, we control things, in order to discover how they interact "without us",
So, to take the fact that we see broken glass as broken glass (note the Wittgenstenian terminology), recognize what it is as an object, doesn't mean that the glass exists "only in our thought". We might venture that something ontologically exists, but beyond that, it's scholastics, and not worth wasting time on.
The important thing to remember is that reality doesn't come in a "subjective apprehension" and an "objective existence"; both objective and subjective are historical categories forged by our historical praxis. It is only through practice that we discern from the undifferenciated whole what is objective and what is subjective. That is, every"thing", every sensation "exists" as such, but it is only though activity and culture that we can correctly separate what "really" exists as an object and what merely exists as sensation. What is "truth" and what is "error."
As Charles Peirce explained:
I hope this helps in clearing some of the confusion.
BTW, quoting from dead Marxists and trying to force us to accept these statements as our own argument is not a healthy tactic. Our allegiance is to truth, and the positivist excesses of a lot of DiaMat is well documented. Engels Dialectics of Nature has been refuted by a great deal of Marxists, who are precisely Marxists in that they reject any essencialist excess.
"You say you have no enemies? How is this so? Have you never spoken the truth, never loved justice?" - Santiago Ramón y Cajal
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Soviet cogitations: 231
Defected to the U.S.S.R.: 08 Nov 2010, 22:13
Ideology: Trotskyism
Well, no; this is g_red's theory, not mine! I do not have a philosophical theory, nor do I want one, nor do we need one, so I suggest you take this up with g_red, not me.
In which case, much of your post was wasted effort.
In fact, I quote living and dead Marxists. [Do you really object to me quoting Lenin and Mao?]
Anyway, you quoted a dead Marxist -- Marx! And a dead bourgeois philosopher, too -- Peirce!!
And I am not attacking Diamat as such, but all forms of 'materialist dialectics' (but not in this thread).
Recall, this thread centres on the comments several comrades made about my attempt to summarise classical Dialectical Materialism for absolute beginners. [How many times do I have to make this point!?]
So, it would be inappropriate for me enter into the 'deeper' aspects of this theory (if there are any, that is).
And, no, you haven't cleared anything up at all. That Peirce quotation, for example, is radically confused (and, ironically, seems to contradict Hegel).
"The emancipation of the working class will be an act of the workers themselves."
Soviet cogitations: 4764
Defected to the U.S.S.R.: 20 Jul 2007, 06:59
Ideology: Marxism-Leninism
Forum Commissar
It is very frustrating to attempt to engage in conversation someone who gets so hung up on semantics. What do you understand by philosophy? Something like an estranged speculative practice that incurs in grammatical violations or something like that. Is this the only way to understand this? Is it inevitably this what it is talked about when the word comes into play? This seems highly presumptuous. Especially considering the usage of "philosophical problem" to refer to matters referring to the possibility of truth, methodology, metatheory, or even to one's picture of reality and the (class) assumtions this brings. In this very licit sense, it is highly dangerous (and false) to talk about an absence of philosophy (in this sense) and borderline dishonest to lock down discussion merely because of semantics. Could we say that W. had no theory of truth or objectivity, no class contents, because he rejected the label of philosophy? Were you not critiquing a conception of reality just one page back using an objective/subjective divide? How are you above my clarification of those categories as relative and historical simply because you summarily dismiss it by shieking away from philosophy. For shame.
Re: Quotations. I am not saying that you shouldn't use quotations, and I I gave you that idea, I'm sorry. What I'm saying is that you are proceeding with an inverse argument from authority, using what appears to be flawed statements from "authorities" to dismiss positive arguments offered in this thread (people trying to explain what dialectics "is", not about defending this or that figure). It is this tactic which I find devious.
"You say you have no enemies? How is this so? Have you never spoken the truth, never loved justice?" - Santiago Ramón y Cajal
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Soviet cogitations: 231
Defected to the U.S.S.R.: 08 Nov 2010, 22:13
Ideology: Trotskyism
Well, one of the problems with traditional thought was it's sloppy use of language and logic. Forgive me if I, like other analytic philosophers, point this out, and insist on clarity.
As I have written elsewhere:
That, of course, is a philosophical question itself.
I mean it in the sense it has always been meant (since at least Plato's day): the attempt to formulate a general theory of 'Being', existence and meaning. This approach to 'knowledge' goes hand-in-hand with the idea that there is a hidden world, anterior to experience, which is more real than the material world we see around us, and which is accessible to thought alone.
Er, no; but like Marx I do believe this:
And, I also think that traditional philosophy is part of this estimation, too:
As I have also posted elsewhere:
Well, you are welcome to this failed approach to pseudo-knowledge, but you can count me out.
Yes, I can say he had no theory of truth, etc. But, even if he had, I haven't, and nor do I want one.
But what about this?
In fact, as I also pointed out, I do not prefer to use these words (there are far better words we could employ), but they seemed to me to apply to g_red's ideas. I'll be happy to withdraw them if he/she objects.
But, even if I do use these words (to refer to the ideas others promote), that does not imply I have a theory of 'objectivity' etc. In fact, in one of my essays, I spend about 5000 words showing just how useless these words really are:
http://anti-dialectics.co.uk/page_13%20 ... bjectivity
In fact, and with all due respect, since you are the one who is trying to peddle ruling-class ideas here, you should be the one to hang your head...
"The emancipation of the working class will be an act of the workers themselves."
Soviet cogitations: 231
Defected to the U.S.S.R.: 08 Nov 2010, 22:13
Ideology: Trotskyism
Well, I am concerned to criticise the classical theory, not a revisionist version, formed on the hoof, by anyone else.
Moreover, these revisionist theories fail where Hegel's theory succeeded: in providing a response to Hume's criticism of rationalist theories of causation.
I can explain more if you want.
[Anyway, why do we need a theory of change? Especially if it will inevitably prove to be non-sensical, alongside every other philosophical theory that has ever been concocted, on the hoof or otherwise.]
"The emancipation of the working class will be an act of the workers themselves."
Soviet cogitations: 4764
Defected to the U.S.S.R.: 20 Jul 2007, 06:59
Ideology: Marxism-Leninism
Forum Commissar
I am not arguing in favor of "sloppiness", on the contrary, I am arguing in FAVOR of clarity of understanding, above the indeterminacy of words.
Rosa Lichtenstein wrote:
Yes, in those cases it is quite clear what we are referring to, but why this is so is something sometimes forgotten by us because of their abstractness and their stability, namely the model or totality they are inserted in.
Here's an example (which I'm sure you'll consider trivial) regarding that "G":
Wikipedia wrote:
Now, we both know that any confusion between one "G" and another "G" (the aforementioned gravitational constant or another value in an another equation) is something laughable and due to a gross misunderstanding of what the context is, but I would like to point out to this fact; how easily we forget the entire cultural edifice behind any one concept and that the precision in usage is derived from this (what we may call "discipline")
In another context (har), but aiming for the same thing was Marcel Duchamp with his critique of retinal art. As I understand it, what he and other artists in his time were doing through readymades was to bring to the forefront (and therefore question) the extoling of something as art by the mere placing of it in a museum, in a gallery. What you have is people admiring an object because they are told that they should, they have learned what is to be admired (the painting instead of the frame or a piece of wall) and only observe it as a finished product, without considering the practices they are carrying out, the institutions and the culture that are responsible for there being a "museum" with "art" for people to gaze at.
Music is much the same, not only because again we have a product (a concert, for example, or even further a composition) abstracted from practices, but also because before the destruction of norms and tonality carried forward last century, it was (is) very possible to judge a work as good or bad with relative "objectivity", simply because of the stability of the rules established and the esthetic values predominating (discipline, once again).
I don't need to bore you more explaining how this applies to science, understood a disciplnes.
What I will contrast, however, is with matters such as "language", "truth", "philosophy" and a long etcetera, Can we say that they arise crisply from a clear model? We cannot. Here we enter life, history, and a pletora of practices, a nigh-infinity of language games. It is because of this that we must understand how we are using concepts, with what rules, under what premises. To abstract from this, to "pedantly" insist on a single usage, denying other valid uses, is to fall for an abstraction, it is to fall prey to what Labriola termed "verbalism". Something very sloppy indeed.
So yeah, as I said, something like that, as ONE approach and practice carried out under certain circumstances. Very telling is how you start off from Plato and how you immediately piggyback metaphysics to any possible philosophy. It neatly leaves out the presocratic thinkers who did not divorce reality trascendently.
I again insist that this is not the only way it is understood. This is not because I will it, but because of common usage and practices.
Rosa quoting Marx wrote:
Even more reason to avoid getting bogged down by semantics.
Rosa quoting Marx wrote:
Yes, "ruling class ideas", we don't want to peddle any ruling class ideas. We don't even want to touch them. Be it, philosophy, mathematics, art, architecture,..oh, wait.
I seem to recall a case of somebody who had to deal with this (the examples are endless, though).
Henri Lefevbre wrote:
And this was in France. I don't need to go into how logic fared within the USSR.
Somebody could reply that this is different, because this is "science", a somehow "pure knowledge" that is apart from "ideology", and how philosophy was made for the sole purpose of bourgeois control and so on. This is false, ideology is present in all discourse, it is a dimension of any production. You cannot draw the line between something being "ideologically free" and something being "just ideology" (such a view would be falling pray to ideology, understanding the ideological effect as being the belief in the direct apprehension of an object, free from conditioning).
Rejection of any given discoursive production because it is "tainted" by ideology is an ultra-left fallacy. What is needed is to perceive ideology in any given discourse through a genealogical critique of the process that gave birth to it, This doesn't negate an idea, but it explains it, and it allows us to use it more correctly. This holds true for any branch of knowledge, only some are more changing, some are more stable.
And I can say you are full of it. That you use the word truth means that you are adept in the language games it is applied in, this means that you are participant in the practices, the social reproduction, and the culture which generate its usage. You can remain oblivious to the explicit outlining of these processes, and therefore to a working concept of what truth is (a theory of truth), (many, many people do) but you cannot pretend to do so while at the same time claim to be carrying out science (which has to place itself mentally "above" the medium it works on).
No, you were assuming an individualist view of objectivity/subjectivity in order to disprove their explanation of a dialectic view of reality. Your denial of delving into theory probably blinds you to this.
Another very apt quote:
Charles Beard wrote:
Rosa Lichtenstein wrote:
So in other words, you are not here in this "discussion board" to discuss anything, only to continue with your knocking down of strawmen.
"You say you have no enemies? How is this so? Have you never spoken the truth, never loved justice?" - Santiago Ramón y Cajal
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Soviet cogitations: 231
Defected to the U.S.S.R.: 08 Nov 2010, 22:13
Ideology: Trotskyism
Well, I note you used words to make this point, which, if correct, would mean that your point is indeterminate, too.
Are you suggesting that philosophy/dialectics does not deal with "abstractions"?
Where did I suggest otherwise? But, if we are to be clear, we are going to have to concentrate on detail and precision, where possible -- or, on what some call "semantics".
Maybe so, but I'm not too sure that this has to do with anything I argued.
Where have I insisted on a "single use"? If we use these terms in different ways, then we can discuss them, and come to some agreement. If we can't, then, as I pointed out to g_red, communication will cease.
But you reply:
Well, I explained how I was using this word; I nowhere said it couldn't be used in any other way, did I?
And I left out the pre-Socratics since we have far more information about Plato's (and Aristotle's) approach to this subject. In my essays, I lump these thinkers in, too, but with qualifications like this attached to them.
You can't expect me to enter into such 'pedantic' detail here, can you?
I agree (and I even use this word in relation to Wittgenstein's work, but with the caveat added that he meant it in a completely new sense, that is, as a practice aimed at unravelling the confusions we fall into when we misuse language), but then it's up to you to say what you mean by this word.
If by 'semantics' you mean the sort of complex jargonised confusion traditional philosophers (like Hegel) were mired in, I agree. If, on the other hand, you mean the sort of conceptual/linguistic analysis Wittgenstein (and others) practiced, I can't agree, since he (they) tried to do what Marx suggested we do (although I am not implying they were aware of his advice): return to ordinary language -- which is what I try to do.
The difference with (traditional) philosophy is that it is purely ideological. Mathematics isn't. Of course, if you can show me where "mathematics, art, architecture..." have distorted Marxist theory, I might agree with you. Alas, you forgot to tell us.
Of course logic has been used to assist ruling-class theorists (just as technology and mathematics have) -- and I include in that the 'logic' one finds in Hegel. But (traditional) logic was heavily infected with metaphysics, psychology, and pseudo-science. But, logic as such (that is, mostly post-Fregean logic) is no more ideological than is mathematics.
Also, my ideas are not dependent on logic. I merely use it to show how confused Hegel and Marxist dialecticians (in general) are even about Aristotelian logic!
indeed, Lefebvre himself was also prone to making the sort of crass errors about logic we find in Hegel -- so I'm not too sure why you are quoting him. [You might as well quote an astrologer criticising astronomy!]
But, you reply:
However, my argument isn't: We must steer clear of anything the ruling-class and their theorists have ever produced or patronised.
It's this (in a nutshell): traditional philosophy is non-sensical -- and no wonder, it is purely ideological.
I then go on to argue that part of the reason Dialectical Marxism [DIM] is such a long-term failure is that it has imported this ideology into the workers' movement -- and that it has been used to 'justify' substitutionism, rationalise anti-Marxist tactics and strategies, and help disguise the fact that DIM is a long-term failure.
Moreover, unless we are idealists, there is no good reason to think that we can access fundamental truths about reality, valid for all of space and time, from thought/language alone -- which is what traditional philosophers and dialecticians (living and dead -- and those who post here) do all the time.
Only slightly less than you, sweety.
On that basis, you might as well argue that I have an advanced theory of, say, partial differential equations every time I throw a ball.
You appear to have imbibed part of Wittgenstein's work (and the worst part too, it seems: his ideas on 'language games'), while ignoring his core idea: that all 'philosophical theories' are 'houses of cards' and are thus a complete fraud, based as they all are on the systematic distortion/misuse of language, just as Marx noted.
Well, there's quite a few unsubstantiated assertions in there. I have no theory, and I defy you to show (as opposed to allege, with no proof) that I do.
And, just as soon as you manage to pull that impossible trick off, I will apologise profusely, don sack cloth and ashes, and disown that theory.
If you re-read what I was arguing against, you will no doubt see that I was merely making explicit what I took to be the implications of g_red's own views, not mine.
A similarly unsympathetic reading of this post could equally well, and with just as much justification, argue that you are propounding a similar view to me (about philosophy) just because you are arguing with me!
You really do need to disentangle what I am arguing against from my own views; the former does not transform what I post into the latter.
Yes, I have seen dozens of quotations like that, but, alas, they are all accompanied with no proof at all.
Same here.
May I remind you that this thread is about my essay (check the OP, if you disagree), which was centred on classical DM. If you want to have a wider discussion, start a new one.
Or is that too obvious?
"The emancipation of the working class will be an act of the workers themselves."
Soviet cogitations: 4764
Defected to the U.S.S.R.: 20 Jul 2007, 06:59
Ideology: Marxism-Leninism
Forum Commissar
(...And so inevitably, replies become longer and soon too cumbersome to properly address. Let's try it while we can.)
Rosa, with all due respect, you claim innocence and good will on a number of things, but, in my view at least, you have incurred in the opposite of what you state several times. So in your above reply we'll agree on a number of things, but I again state that you have not carried out what you have said.
Re: indeterminacy
Rosa Lichtenstein wrote:
Is communication indeterminate? Obviously not. Is it an open-ended active process? Yes. Is communication contained in the "message"? No. Any significant object will always be "more" than "merely" itself because of the attributions given to it by the encultured subject (its semantic contents will "overflow" the object). It is up to the receiver to "correctly" interpret a discourse by actively creating a reading following social semiosis.
That words are not fixed is exactly how communication happens.
Re: a concept coming from a model
Where have I ever suggested that? I was talking about the precision derived from having a cultural edifice and a discipline create a specific model for a historic fact or a mathematical quality, as opposed to a common usage word. The latter as concepts are also abstractions, but they have a much less stable and less agreed upon model/models.
Re: The gravitational constant being something "not sloppy"
By opposing an agreed upon variable vs a common usage word, overlooking the key difference between them.
Fine if you want to call it that, then call it that. As I understand it, it usually refers to losing sight of concepts, of ideas, by focusing on the words used (usually misunderstanding, or refusing to understand the way they are trying to be used).
So for example, you have dismissed entire arguments because of an offending word such as "philosophy" or "your" argument (conveniently understanding the first as metaphysics and the second as "your beliefs" as opposed to "the argument you presented")
Re: The examples of art in unmasking abstraction from processes and practices (commodity fetishism?)
That's very disheartening, almost to the point of making me think that writing to you is pointless. Let's try again. What I gave was what I thought was a good example of something (art or music) having a known meaning and agreed upon value derived from concrete practices that because of abstraction become invisible for the "audience", who fail to see that the foundation for these values comes from these very practices.
What I was hoping to achieve was to make explicit that the precise meaning derived by your examples (a battle, a constant, etc.) come from precise practices that when recited randomly like that, remain hidden, but which would explains the difference between them an a common word like "justice".
Humor is another example of this. if we see a comedian walking in a gallery and admiring the ticket boot, or a frame, or a bathroom stall, we laugh at the gross ignorance of our cultural practices, which are so commonplace that we have even stopped thinking about them.
Re: On the many uses of words
How about when Mabool explained dialectics only to be given an inverse argument from authority about what your single use of it was? What about you retching at the mention of philosophy and even though it was explained that it meant "philosophy in this sense" you still stuck to "philosophy as metaphysics"? What about you using a "single use" of objectivity and subjectivity when it was clearly being used in another sense?
Re: Philosophy according to Rosa
Except you don't want to use it in any other way, because it doesn't fit with your anathema of the word.
Yes, their approach. Only now do you add this crucial condition.
I like how you use quote marks around pedantic, as if I had brought that word into play.
Re: Suddenly, saying philosophy is not a sin.
So now you agree on their being other valid uses for philosophy, a first in this thread.
Re: Semantics, again.
It's like that saying. If you have to ask..
I'm sure this is a rhetorical (and trick) question, since it is so axiologically loaded.
Gee, I wonder if I meant that I want to mire in confision or not..
In any case, if semantics is a word that confusing to you, then let's not get bogged down by semantics and use something else.
Re: ruling class ideas.
Firstly, thank you for adding that "traditional" adjective in parenthesis when talking about philosophy. Progress.
To satisfy your statement, there are Marxist takes of all of those subjects, some of which are indeed distorted and which distorted practical and theoretical works (and which gave much harm to "real existing socialism", at least in winning hearts and minds)
But that is beside the point, because I have apparently not explained myself correctly. I am saying that:
1. All of production (material or spirtual) is conditioned by ruling class ideas, but that does not mean that they are reduced to ruling class ideas.
2. No area of production is innocuous to ruling class ideas and no area of production is harmful per se because of ruling class ideas.
Ergo, ruling class ideas, understood now as ideology, permeate to differing degrees all disciplines, which means that they have to be correctly critiqued from a proletrariat view to surmise their validity and their usefullness.
To simply assume any given production as neutral is positivist, but to discard any given production as harmful because of its ideological distortions is ultra-leftist.
Re: An exempli gratia
Again, and I'm sorry for insisting on it, you seem to "jump" at the word logic and rail against that, instead of taking it as what I explicitly said it was: an example (among coutless others), given for the sole purpose of showing how dogmatic insistance on "ruling class ideas are bad" stopped what could have been an interesting endeavour to rescue certain disciplines from abstraction.
The science vs ideology dilemma
Even the most crude propagandistic novel has an aesthetic dimension that is irreducible to that of "pure ideology".
While we have science, arts, journalism, architecture, philosophy, yes, and other more or less delineated discursive categories, we do not have something called "ideology" in itself. This is because of historical reasons, of course, but also because there is no such thing as an ideological discourse in itself. Ideology is a condition, a dimension of discourse that is present in all of the others.
And so, even as Marx brilliantly showed with the ideological limitations of political economy, it was still not "pure ideology " and while many things were worthless, others were not.
I kind of agree with you on traditional (thank you) philosophy being non-sensical. But I won't agree on it being "pure ideology."
I disagree. Marxism is the most advanced conception of the world, as far as I know. That it became so flawed under "real existing socialism" is something that points to their ideology: their real practices, existence, political ideas, production, degree of workers control. Not the other way around.
Another example (only for the sake of an example): I'm currently in Mexico. In Mexico, before ten years ago, the country was governed by one party, the PRI. This lasted for 60 some years. They came to power after the Mexican revolution. And though they veered to the right, and though they built huge political machines, and later turned to neo-liberalism, and stifled democracy. They always (ideologically) upheld the Mexican Revolution and its values. Even to this day that party (which sadly seems poised to retake the presidency) still defends that revolution as their revolution, even though they are diametrically opposed to anything that revolution really meant. Is this because, a) the ideals of the revolution were flawed, or rather, b) because they were distorted by the prevailing ideology and political climate?
Horse before the carriage or carriage before the horse? Life determining consciousness or vice versa?
OK, I understand your gripe with certain interpretations of Marxism, but these have been critiqued by Marxists for almost as long as those interpretations sprung up.
Re: people as a cluster of social relations
That is not what I said at all. What I would say in your case is that if you successfully throw a ball (with intent, with a goal, let's say) then you understand how things like gravity works, how there's something pulling the ball down, even if you have no idea that there is such a thing like gravity.
Back to that truth example. if I ask you "is that true", and you instead of giving me a blank look, reply "yes it is," or "no it isn't", it means that you are adept at using the word truth, even if when asked "what is truth" you might give me a blank look.
OK. You seem to think that just because of the division of labor and the divorce from practice that much of philosophy is born from it means that these questions, no, these words, are somehow anathema.
Re: practical vs theoretical knowledge
Please read again what I wrote. I said that you could be completely oblivious to theory, only that you cannot do so while pretending to carry out science, which need models, hypotheses, and which come from assumptions about reality (theories about reality).
Re: Rosa's use of objectivity
OK, how's this: What you attribute as his own views (your view of what is "his view") is flawed because it, consciously or not, assumes an individualist and absolute view of what objectivity and subjectivity are.
These things, like me misattributing something about your view, should be clarified, not swept under the rug by recoling that it is "her" argument, not mine. At least, if I am criticizing your argument on some wrong assumption on my part, the generous thing would be to reanalyze what you said when corrected of my error.
But giving your opponent a flawed premise in order to disprove it is something that should be called to attention.
Re: Nifty quotation
Hmm..how about all of the history of so many different sciences when scientists have claimed to be above ideology, above historical circumstance, above social conditioning even, only to spew the most obvious of ideological conditioning and class contents. Functionalism, positivism, empyricism, the examples are endless.
Re: Rosa's willingness to discuyss
The OP was five pages ago. Are we discussing your essay at all here? How about in my last post? Or the one before it?
Moreover, though Mabool was replying against your essay, he was doing it from his own conception of DM, not "correcting" the quotes that you provided in your essay to fight against. Instead of addressing him, you gave an argument from authority, or to rephrase that, you simply repeated your essay. ("Hush. Im not talking to you, I'm talking to Engels").
What do you mean?
"You say you have no enemies? How is this so? Have you never spoken the truth, never loved justice?" - Santiago Ramón y Cajal
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Soviet cogitations: 231
Defected to the U.S.S.R.: 08 Nov 2010, 22:13
Ideology: Trotskyism
In fact, my last reply was shorter than the one before. Anyway, Das Kapital is longer than Wages, Price, and Profit. So what?
Except, you are the one who insists on interpreting my attempt to draw out what I took to be the implications of g_red's theory as my own views.
I wonder if I can do the same with what you say? Will that too "incur in the opposite of what you state several times"? [But see below.***]
May be not, but, alas for you, you keep using words to make your point! Perhaps you should switch to semaphore, or maybe use an Aldis Lamp?
Well, this looks like a very poorly supported theory of yours, and not at all what we mean by "communication" in ordinary language. I prefer to take Marx's advice here:
In which case, I have no idea what you mean here since, according to you, these words aren't 'fixed'.
Worse still, neither have you, since all you have to go on is your memory of your use of these words, which according to you, aren't 'fixed'.
And the same will be true of any answer to this that you care to post.
[Perhaps you can now see why Marx called your approach to 'philosophy' a distortion of language, and enjoined us to return to "ordinary language"?
If you persist, you will just dig a deeper and deeper hole for yourself.]
***According to you, and the way you interpret me, all you have to do is deny this, and that proves you did indeed suggest it.
Indeed, and that's because physicists are careful with the details -- i.e., with what some call "semantics".
Ah, but my other examples did not do this.
Anyway, in agreeing on this "variable" (it is in fact a constant!), physicists had to use words, and words with precise meanings, too. Otherwise the definition would be no good. [Or do you think that when they discuss such things they do not use language?]
Not so in dialectics. Wall-to-wall sloppy thought.
In other words, your excuse for sloppy thought.
I am merely describing what we would have to do in order to agree. You can call it "Susan" for all I care.
There you go, using those pesky words again.
[I do not wish sound facetious, but you really are leading with your chin, here.]
Which argument did I "dismiss" because of this "offending" word? Again, you forgot to say.
I'm sorry, but your sloppy approach to thought is preventing you from communicating your ideas to me.
[Hint at a cure: re-read Marx's comment above.]
Oddly enough, I get the same feeling about your posts.
I'm sorry, but I still fail to see what this has to do with anything I have posted here, or anywhere else for that matter.
Perhaps the words you used aren't 'fixed' enough?
Once more, I merely quote the classics and draw out their conclusions. It's not my view, but that of the classics. Of course, if you think I have misrepresented them, please show me where I have done this.
And who did all this 'explaining'? Certainly not Mabool or g_red, and you still refuse to tell us what you think philosophy is. Of course, I am happy to employ this word in the way it has been used since ancient Greek times. If you object, then that's your problem -- or it is until you tell us what this word 'really' means.
In fact, if you follow the link I posted earlier, you will see that I gave several different meanings of "objectivity".
But, did g_red complain about my inferences? No.
Did I say there was only one meaning? Again, no.
[Why do you persist in making stuff up?]
And, have you told us what this word 'really' means, or what you understand by it?
Once more: no.
But, I have already admitted that I use this word in two ways, and that there are other ways of interpreting it.
I have also posted this warning (at my site):
I have also suggested that any who do not like my use of "traditional philosophy" and/or "metaphysics" (but they are quite standard uses) substitute for it "necessary truths", or even "synthetic a priori theses".
So, if you don't mind me saying so, I think you should make sure of your facts before you start pointing fingers. [And if you don't know the facts, don't point.]
Well, unlike some who have posted in this thread, I do not accuse others of things they haven't done or said. [And, on the rare occasions that I do, I more often than not, apologise.]
Let me get this straight: unless I post here, in this thread, every single one of my beliefs, assertions, caveats, qualifications, claims and ideas (and let me point out at this juncture that the essays at my site now exceed 1.9 million words -- I do not think the mods here would appreciate me posting all that material in this thread!), then you can attribute to me anything you like (with no proof), and I just have to take it?
Forgive me then for objecting.
And, as you must know, if Wittgenstein is right about (traditional) philosophy, the discipline will cease to exist. But, even if this is to misrepresent him, that is certainly how I view things. Hence, even W's new form of 'philosophy' will cease to exist, one day. And the sooner the better.
Which is what you are indulging in with respect to this word. And there is no problem with that since the aim is to be clear. Of course, only the enemies of clarity will demur at this point.
Unfortunately, your posts (up to now) are not all that reassuring in this respect. [Especially since you use jargonised expressions like "axiologically" -- may I refer you once again to Marx's words, above.]
And what's your proof that this word is confusing me?
Well, around you, I have learnt to my cost to be "pedantic", thus copying your good self.
I'm sorry, I should have been even more pedantic and posted this:
I'm not the least bit interested in academic Marxist 'theory' -- as useless a discipline as one could wish to find -- only the theories constructed by active revolutionaries, like Marx, Engels, Lenin, Mao and Trotsky (etc.).
And I am still not sure how art, mathematics and architecture have distorted such work, whatever they might or might not have done to the ideas concocted by academics.
Ordinary language isn't.
Yes, so?
I agree, and I said so (with minor qualifications). What more do you want? Blood?
May I refer you again to Marx's words above?
Well, you are the one who quoted a French theorist who was banging on about logic, not me.
Er, yes, so?
I largely agree with this.
And yet, traditional philosophy is pure ideology.
I beg to differ.
That's why I was careful to use the phrase "Dialectical Marxism", which isn't "the most advanced conception of the world"; in fact, it would struggle to make the bottom of the reserve list of likely conceptions of the world.
And I agree with you about the political points you mention; but, the party had to sell such distortions to the cadres and they in turn to workers, and dialectics proved to be an ideal tool to this end -- since it can be made to say anything you like and its opposite.
Of course, politics takes precedence, but if you want to change course, and argue tomorrow the exact opposite of what you argued only yesterday, a theory that promotes contradiction is an ideal tool. And that is how dialectics was, and still is, used.
Of course, there are many different meanings of the word "theory", ranging from something completely formal (in mathematical logic or high energy physics), through systematic sets of theses aimed at revealing nature's secrets, but based on thought alone (in traditional philosophy), down to everyday explanation (such as, "I have a theory why the front door keeps sticking"). [This is not meant to be an exhaustive list!]
When I speak of 'philosophical theory', I mean the second of these. I am quite happy with scientific theory and everyday theories/explanations. But I resist the attempt to equate these with 'philosophical theory'.
Indeed, but that does not imply I have a theory of truth.
In fact, there can be no theory of truth. [I can attach a proof of this, if you want.]
Not anathema, just that the entire practice is little more than hot air.
So, how do you know I have a theory (in the sense I mentioned above)? If I'm oblivious of it, you must be too; in which case, you can't possibly know this, and hence can't prove it.
On the contrary, I can show that even if I, or anyone else, had a theory (in the sense I mentioned above), it would be non-sensical.
Oh dear, not again! How many more times do I have to tell you, I am merely working out what I took to be the implications of what g_red said.
These aren't my 'assumptions' but his.
I could insist this is your view, again (from earlier):
But, I won't since I do not want to put words in your mouth. Can you at least extend the same courtesy to me?
Well, that's unlikely now, because of this:
In which case, it would be OK for me to return the favour and put words in your mouth, eh?
So, when you said this:
You were agreeing with the suppression of workers control, eh?
Two can play at that game...
That is your view; g_red did not make this complaint. Had he/she done so, I'd have apologised and withdrawn what I had alleged.
Yes, so?
I used to receive infractions at RevLeft for de-railing threads, so you will understand my reluctance to wander off the subject.
And, I pointed out to him, and others, and you, that in this thread I am only interested in attacking classical DM, not a revisionist version, cobbled together on the hoof (that falls foul of Hume's criticisms of rationalist theories of causation, anyway). And the authorities I quoted were Hegel, Engels, Plekhanov, Lenin and Mao. If you don't regard them as authorities, many who post here do.
As I said, if you want to widen this debate, start a new thread. I will stick to the point in this one -- whatever you say.
Isn't it obvious? New topic -- new thread.
"The emancipation of the working class will be an act of the workers themselves."
As usual, Pannekoek settles the matter with one paragraph:
http://marxists.org/archive/pannekoe/ma ... m/ch01.htm
"Don't know why i'm still surprised with this shit anyway." - Loz
Soviet cogitations: 231
Defected to the U.S.S.R.: 08 Nov 2010, 22:13
Ideology: Trotskyism
I'm sorry, Mabool, but how does this solve anything? It seems to me that it just repeats all the usual mistakes, some of which I have exposed in this thread, others elsewhere.
For example, Pannekoek asserts that things change into their opposites, but we have already seen that this theory means that nothing could change, since in order to do so it has to 'struggle' with that opposite. But, if that is to happen, that opposite must already exist (otherwise there could be no struggle).
Call the original object or process, 'P', and its opposite, 'P*'. In order for P to change into P*, P must struggle with P*. But, P* already exists, so P can't change into it! On the other hand, if P* does not already exist, no struggle could take place, meaning that P can't change.
So, unless I have missed something, we are no further forward.
Perhaps you can enlighten me: what have I missed?
"The emancipation of the working class will be an act of the workers themselves."
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text:
HAMPSHIRE has 207 confirmed cases of coronavirus, according to the latest figures published last night.
The county still has the highest number of cases in the UK.
Lambeth has the second highest number of cases by authority with 188.
A total of 24 positive tests have been confirmed in Southampton.
Portsmouth has 29 cases.
The total number of cases in the UK is 8,077 with 422 deaths.

subset: commoncrawl


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New, never been removed from the box. The item "Sixties Go Go Cissy 21'' Madame Alexander Doll Ltd Ed 300 NRFB" is in sale since Friday, June 23, 2017. This item is in the category "Dolls & Bears\Dolls\By Brand, Company, Character\Madame Alexander\Modern (1970-Now)\Over 12 Inches".
The seller is "ger-dolls" and is located in Chatsworth, Georgia. This item can be shipped to United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, South africa, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, United arab emirates, Malaysia.


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Truthfulness: The Clearest and Noblest PathApril 13, 2016
I want to share with you this month from my recent studies on spiritual growth in the life of a believer. I pray that the insight I've gleaned from the Scriptures will not only bless you, but also establish you on a clear path of accelerated growth in this season of your walk with God.
As pastors of a large church in Moscow, Denise and I live for the vision God has placed within us to establish in believers the revelation of Christ in them, "the hope of glory," presenting everyone He has entrusted to our care "perfect in Christ Jesus" (see Colossians 1:27,28). We are committed to this process of seeing Christians "grow up into Him in all things" (see Ephesians 4:15).
But as a pastor and spiritual leader, I can tell you that the biggest marks of spiritual growth are not always what people think. In fact, one of the surest indicators of maturity in a believer's life is the ability to exemplify habitually the characteristic of truthfulness. Ephesians 4:15 specifically relates that a sign of this high level of spirituality I'm referring to is the ability to consistently "speak the truth in love."
The whole passage in Ephesians 4 on speaking truthfully teaches us that spiritual maturity is measured by how honestly we conduct ourselves in our relationships. Prophesying or giving a "word from the Lord" may sound spiritual — but true spirituality is measured in the way we connect with and relate to other people. The ability to be direct, honest, and loving is one of the greatest character traits we can attain to in life — and it is a trait that we must develop!
Just think how many of us were trained, even as children, to be politely dishonest. For example, when we received a gift we didn't like, many of us were taught to say, "It's just beautiful; I love it!" — when, in fact, we didn't think it was beautiful, and we didn't love it. Of course we should be grateful when someone takes the thought, time, and expense to give us a gift. And we certainly should express our sincere thanks. But to make so much of something we don't really like is just a small example of how dishonesty has been interwoven in the fabric of our lives.
Being direct and to the point is difficult for most people to do, and it is equally difficult for most people to receive. But giving and receiving truth in a manner consistent with God's character is an essential element of stability, growth, and effectiveness — both in an individual and in an organization.
As the leader of our ministry, I expect my team to be honest with me and to speak to me truthfully. Even if I don't always like what they have to say, their honesty guarantees a clear and truthful relationship between us. However, if someone on my staff were to tell me one thing and then change his tune and tell a fellow employee something entirely different, it would create distrust between that staff member and me. If that happened, I wouldn't know whether I could really count on that team member to be honest with me.
This is precisely what the Bible is talking about when it says that those chosen to be deacons cannot be "double-tongued" (see 1 Timothy 3:8). The Greek word for "double-tongued" is dilogos, and it means, two-worded. It presents the picture of someone who says one thing to one person about a situation, but then says something altogether different about it to someone else. This "double-tongued" individual is either inconsistent in what he tells people, or he is just simply dishonest.
Sometimes this characteristic of being "double-tongued," or two-worded, indicates that a person is a people-pleaser. He wants everyone to like him, so he agrees with whomever he is with at the moment. This person may be concerned that if he takes an opinion contrary to his immediate audience, he will lose favor or influence with them. So instead of speaking his true convictions in an attitude of love, he finds himself violating his conscience. Beyond just remaining silent if he doesn't agree with something others say, he actually verbalizes agreement with those in his presence, knowing that what he says is not really what he believes.
This trait of being double-tongued is a serious character flaw. And the Bible is very strong in telling us that a person who possesses this trait should not be used in leadership. A leader who tells the pastor, "I believe you're right" and then tells the church members, "I believe the pastor is missing it this time" is not being a blessing to the pastor. In the end, he creates confusion and suspicion.
It's a blessing to always know where I stand with a person and to never wonder if that individual really means what he or she says. When I can always count on a person to tell me exactly what he or she thinks, a foundation of trust can be established that is very important if we're going to build a long-term relationship in the ministry.
My team is very honest with me. Because they are honest with me — and I know they love me and have my best interests at heart — I trust them incredibly. I know I can depend on their straightforward, truthful responses. Denise and I are visionaries — we are tremendous "idea people"! But we need the perspective of others to help us see all the details that must accompany a vision. We need their honest input in our lives. That's why God sent us our team.
Please remember on this subject of truthfulness that we are called to speak the truth in love — not to "bludgeon" each other in the way we communicate what's on our minds! We must ask God to teach us how to present the truth in a manner that makes it easier to receive. In fact, one reason truth is rejected is the inappropriate way it is sometimes packaged. When truth comes bundled with harsh tones of judgment, criticism, and condemnation, it can cause the recipient to put up a wall of defense as a safeguard against the attack. But when truth comes wrapped up in patience, tenderness, and love, it is much easier to receive.
In my own experience, I've learned that the truth in itself isn't as hard to hear as the wrong way in which it is sometimes spoken. I think you know that cold water spitefully thrown in your face would not be a very enjoyable experience. In fact, it may be such a chilling encounter that you could become tempted to respond in kind and throw water right back!
Similarly, truth "thrown" at people with a hurtful, spiteful attitude is rarely truth that finds lodging in people's hearts and minds to effect godly freedom and spiritual change.
Let's look in greater detail at the manner in which we are to speak truthfully with each other.
When you are required to confront someone and speak the truth, remember the principle of "doing unto others as you would have them do unto you" (see Matthew 7:12). In other words, be mindful to speak the truth in love as you would want to have truth spoken in love unto you. Ask yourself this question: How would I want the truth spoken to me?
Would you want truth spoken to you brutally or harshly — or would you want truth spoken to you kindly and gently? If you're in a situation in which you must confront someone with the truth, imagine how you would respond to that same truth if it were being presented to you. Then try to picture what would help you receive it in the easiest way that would bring growth to your life and be a blessing. As you ponder these ideas, what you discover will create a path for you to follow to speak the truth in love into someone else's life. As you follow that path, you will usually end up treating that other person correctly — with dignity and respect — as you tell him or her what you perceive to be the truth.
One thing is very clear: The Bible commands us to put away lying, speaking "…every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another" (Ephesians 4:25). The word for "lying" comes from pseudos in Greek, and it means falsehood or to be dishonest or untruthful. But this word doesn't necessarily describe an outright lie. It could also mean not telling the whole truth.
Of course there are times — especially as a leader — when you should not divulge everything about a situation that you know. Certainly there is a time to speak and a time to keep quiet! But you usually know it if you're withholding critical information that shades the truth or paints a very different image of a situation than is really true. That kind of not telling the whole truth is a picture of pseudos, or "lying," that Paul admonished against in Ephesians 4:25.
When Paul commands us to "speak every man truth," the word "speak" is the present imperative in Greek. That means it points to a habitual action that is to characterize life. In other words, God's Spirit is exhorting us to develop the trait of always telling the truth — the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help us, God!
If you are in a position of authority in your family, ministry, or organization, you must set the example by being truthful with the people who live, serve, and work under you. When you are truthful, people will know you are being straight with them. Even if they don't like everything you say, they will know they can always depend on you to tell the truth when they need to hear it and not "fudge" about it. If you are truthful, you will set the standard for integrity, truthfulness, and trust among all the members of your team.
This doesn't mean that honesty will always be easy. Taking the path of truthfulness can be very difficult — however, it is always the clearest and most noble path to take. I believe you want that for your life and for the relationships you hold dear.
How can Denise and I and our team be praying for you this month? We count it one of our highest honors to join with you in faith to see God's best manifest in your life in abundance.
We really do love you and thank God for you!
We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus Christ,
Rick and Denise Renner
along with Paul, Philip, and Joel and their families


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LOS ANGELES (CBS) — They will literally work for food.
Not only that, they aren't noisy like lawnmowers, don't emit gas (well, the kind that pollutes anyway) and they don't take coffee breaks.
About 120 goats were hired Saturday to help clean up and beautify downtown. The goats took over, and ate their weight in gold, in an area near Angels Flight Railway.
This isn't the goats' first time at the rodeo (technically from 4th and Hill to Olive), and as effective as they are clearing the brush, it will surely not be their last.
According to Environmental Land Management, the four-legged weed whackers are employed when terrain is too steep or hilly for humans or too inconvenient or overrun with vegetation for a lawnmower.
Plus, they also say goats can eat about 15-percent of their body weight and spend most of the day eating…in other words, they're like teenagers, minus the attitude.
Not a baaaad idea.
Obviously, a 1000 years old tool (the goat eating grass) works nowadays. Why can't government go back to older policies that made this country (the most powerful country in the world) in less than 300 years?
Older policies that made our country the most powerful country in the world in less than 300 years. Hmm … let's see … I can think of two policies:
1. Kidnapping lots of Africans, squeezing them into boats, shipping them across the Atlantic, and making them work for free.
2. Massacring the Native Americans and forcing the survivors onto arid desert reservations.
Some policies are better left in the past.
U call this news?!
This has been used in other southland cities for some time. Let's hope some of these goats are not "kidnapped" for diner like has happened elsewhere.


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Do you utilize company cars, trucks, or vans in your business in Camano Island, Washington? If so, it's important to maintain your fleet vehicles' paint jobs. After all, your fleet is a visible representation of your business; ensuring it looks good can have a positive impact on how your customers perceive your company. Fading and chipped paint on your fleet vehicles is not flattering. Even if your current paint is acceptable, it might be worth opting for something that will market your products or services better. Here are some excellent reasons to schedule paint services at your local auto body shop on Camano Island.
Painting Your Fleet Vehicles Prevents Rusting
Rust is a vehicle's worst enemy. Older or poorly completed auto paint jobs can deteriorate. When this happens, your cars, trucks, or vans may be more prone to rust.
Painting Your Fleet Vehicles Draws Customer Attention
A certified auto body expert can provide auto painting services that will draw attention from current and potential customers. This can drastically increase your revenue potential.
Painting Your Fleet Vehicles Boosts Resale Value
Even if you don't plan to sell your fleet now, it's important to maintain its resale value. Auto painting services can make your vehicles look much more appealing to potential buyers.
Need Auto Paint Service for Your Fleet Vehicles on Camano Island?
Do you need auto paint service for your fleet of vehicles on Camano Island, Washington? Now that you're familiar with the benefits of repainting your cars and trucks, it's time to schedule an appointment at a local auto body shop. Contact WBL Automotive Collision Repair in Arlington for assistance today! Our team of highly-trained and experienced technicians has the knowledge, skills, and tools required to make your fleet vehicles look like they just rolled off the lot. You can also count on us for collision repair services; we regularly work on cars and trucks, RVs and trailers, and heavy equipment.
Auto Paint Experts in Camano Island
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Sónia Guadalupe
She is a social worker and holds a Degree from the Instituto Superior Social in Coimbra (1995). She has a Master's Degree in Family and Social Systems and her dissertation is entitled Singularidade das redes e redes da singularidade, Rede social pessoal e saúde mental ["The Singularity of networks and networks of singularity, Personal social networks and mental health"]. She holds a Doctorate in Mental Health from the Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar at the University of Porto with her dissertation entitled, A saúde mental e o apoio social na família do doente oncológico ["Mental health and social support in the cancer patient's family"].
She teaches at the Instituto Superior Miguel Torga in Coimbra in both the Bachelor's degree and Master's degree programmes in Social Work, and in the Clinic Psychology Master's degree programme specializing in the field of Family and Systemic Interventions. Amongst some of the classes she has taught are "Intervention in Families and Social Networks", "Systemics," and "Intervention in a Network and Multisystemic Networks". Her studies have been centred on themes related to social support networks in vulnerable populations.


text:
Download only
Download sample Movie z25_2 full Resolution
Time-lapse skies 1440x1152 movie clips in Quicktime format
you can use these hires movies to add rich content to your video and animation projects. These movieclips can easily be resized to smaller resolutions such as PAL, NTSC, SVCD or VCD.
- The movieclips may be used royalty free.
All graphic applications:
- Video editing, 3d, 2d, webdesign, simulations, movie CGI……..etc.
System Requirements
- Any PC supporting computer graphics
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Crimson Ryan wrote:ShOzO MiZuKi wrote:Coby wrote:ryuo he was a cool guy until last year. then he went crazy lol
Coby eh?
Fixed.ShOzO MiZuKi wrote:Yeah those two were my main concerns as well. I think Qwerty said to "get off your fat ass and get a job" (his way of being inspirational) or something like that and Ryudo said he was attacking his medical condition and banned him. It didn't quite make sense.
What I meant by unjustified. Martin was banned over complaining about signature sizes..
Sailors? wrote:Qwerty is Acen and Acen was logged on earlier, so I guess he's back in some form.
Spokane wrote:All hell is about to break loose.
ShOzO MiZuKi wrote:ys wrote:silent killer wrote:sooo....
Does this make me the oldest member here now?
Probably not. I'm a couple of years older than Bluecast Regarding the situation. My first thoughts were : again?
As I wrote in another topic : this place has had its share of power abuse and frankly, petty drama. And honestly, for some reason it's a little tiresome to see after all these years. Maybe it's just me but back then the community felt more as a whole. Sure there was some big drama with people leaving at one time but something feels different now. I don't know. Some kind of bitterness that I can't describe.
I think this place may finally be on the rise again! At least for a few more months.
Also could we maybe contact AxM and Jeff (even if people dont like him) and let them know that it's safe to come back?
Yama wrote: I'm simply going to do what is right. I'd rather a handful cry for a day or two and return to a properly balanced and cohesive website than a cesspool of filth, plain and simple. The redesign was a new take on things, but the heart still needed surgery. The surgery is complete. How do I know this? The entire community is fresh, newcomers and vets alike and everyone is on the same page. It is going to stay like this, for good. So enjoy. Less doubting and sulking, more posting.
Sailors? wrote:Haa, good to see you back.
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Skirts over trousers are having quite the moment at London Fashion Week - this morning's Mulberry show was the third time we'd clocked them on the catwalks in as many days (yesterday it was at Clements Ribeiro and Marques' Almeida).
Great selection of outerwear - strong and defiant sleeves that protruded in short puffs on tunic dresses (more trousers beneath), or coats of brown and green tweed plaid, straightened sheepskin at the collars and hair worn tucked in. Gloves ran all the way upthe arm and up into those shapely sleeves.
Autumnal florals and woodland creatures crept into prints to relay the brand's traditional British heritage but there was a distinctly sophisticated sensibility to this collection - oxblood reds, forest green, maroon.


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Relief for riot-hit businesses may be available in the form of deferred rent payments, insurance under the Riot (Damages) Act or cuts in business rates.
Relief for riot-hit businesses may be available in the form of deferred rent payments, insurance under the Riot (Damages) Act or cuts in business rates.
The government has also launched a website and helpline for firms seeking advice on compensation following last week's violence.
Affected businesses can visit www.direct.gov.uk/riotadvice for more details or call 0845 641 4925.
The Local Data Company estimates that 48,804 shops, pubs, restaurants and clubs have suffered directly or indirectly in the 28 town centres affected by the disorder. Of these, independent outlets were hit particularly hard.
To help small firms deal with the problems, the British Property Federation and law firm Hogan Lovells have issued a legally-drafted letter that allows landlords to defer rent from small firms affected by the riots, until they get back on their feet.
Ian Fletcher, director of policy at the BPF, said: "While some retailers will have the benefit of insurance to cover the riot damage last week, others do not or may find it takes time to bring a claim and more generally to restock their business, which could leave them with significant cash flow problems.
"Where possible landlords may wish to offer small or medium sized traders the opportunity to defer rental payments as they get back on their feet, and we hope this letter helps steer them through that process."
In addition, firms whose sites have suffered structural damage or who are located close to badly-damaged businesses, or who have to close for at lease one full day, may be entitled to a reduction in business rates. Those affected are advised to call their local Valuation Office for more details.


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BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Roads were slippery and many school systems had delayed openings Tuesday after a wintry mix of freezing rain and sleet moved across the region Monday.
Black ice coated some side streets, side walks and parking lots Tuesday morning.
A handful of Baltimore City schools did not open due to ongoing facility issues, but the rest of the district opened two hours late.
Related: Full List Of School Closings/Delays
The National Weather Service warned drivers to assume that anything wet may be ice.
"It's all black ice, you can't really see what's safe and what isn't," resident Annie Adoryan said. "It's pretty bad, it looks like they've got salt on streets but sidewalks are all frozen, side streets frozen as well."
"It's treacherous I have a 4 x 4 truck and I tried to come up the road and actually went backwards," one man said.
Follow @CBSBaltimore on Twitter and like WJZ-TV | CBS Baltimore on Facebook


text:
Our Order Form is regularly updated as our inventory changes. Please send order to email@example.com
Use the link below to download our wholesale order form. Note that each manufacture is separated by sheet and is accessible via the bottom of the page. We do our best to keep the form updated but feel free to write in special requests or items you do not see in the "order notes" area on the first sheet.


text:
Account 0Checkout $0
On January 11, Twin Cities based photographer Carla Alexandra Rodriguez opened her "Nothing Is Permanent / Everything Is Temporary" solo show here at our CO Exhibitions gallery. There, she shared a collection of her fine art pieces based on her tintype photography.
Part of her show focuses on photographs exploring Japanese rope art known as Shibari and themes of masculinity and dominance. We let our resident photography and screenprinting wizard Ben LaFond create screenprints of two of Carla's tintype photos from this series.
16 x 20"
2 color screenprint on French Grout Grey paper
signed + numbered by the artist
2 separate editions of 20 + 30 prints
Screenprinted by Ben LaFond


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When you start your songs the same way, you make it very likely that there will be an unpleasant sameness about them. Your aim as a songwriter should be to feel at ease with as many different processes as possible for starting songs.
Comfort with many different processes makes it more likely that your songs will sound refreshingly different. Just as taking a walk by starting in a new direction will mean that your entire walk will follow a different path, starting songs differently means that the end product will sound at least partly unique to the audience, and that's usually a good thing.
Do you find that writing a great melody is your biggest challenge? In great songs, it's not just about the tune — Melodies are great when they partner well with lyrics and chords. Learn more about that important partnership in "The Essential Secrets of Songwriting." $27, but get it at a huge discount when you buy the 10-eBook Bundle.
But what are the different ways you can start a song? Often, it simply requires that very first step to be unique, and then you've got the makings of a new pathway that sets itself apart from other possible ones.
Here's a list of ideas to try; you should attempt as many as possible. When it comes to songwriting processes, the more the merrier.
- Rhythm first: set up a drum loop as a foundation for chord/hook improvisation. This is a great way to begin a group improvisation, and it was a favourite process for later Genesis, according to bassist/guitarist Mike Rutherford.
- Melodic idea first. Play a few chords on guitar or keyboard to get your thinking locked into a key. Then, without playing chords, invent a 4- to 6-note or longer melodic idea. Now start to apply chords to this idea. You'll find that many ideas will work with very different progressions, and each change of progression changes the mood of the melodic idea. Listen to this fragment, and how its mood changes with each change of progression.
- Lyrics first. By developing a lyric first — or at least a good portion of the lyric — you'll find that the words suggest certain rhythms and certain melodic shapes. So after you've worked out a fair bit of the lyric, read it aloud, over and over again, experimenting with different ways to say the words. Once melodic ideas and rhythms coalesce, you'll find the rest of the song starts to come together fairly easily.
- Chords first. Loop a chord progression and experiment with melodic fragments that fit the chords. You can use this process to simply get the song started, but keep in mind that for each section of your song that uses a unique progression (verse, chorus, bridge, etc.), you can use this method as a starting point.
That's just four possible processes, but you'll find that you can develop other ones by combining ideas. For example, the rhythm-first process can be enhanced by chanting words that work with the rhythmic pattern you develop.
The point is that the more processes you can feel at ease with, the greater the chance you'll have of creating a song that's truly unique and fresh. And since improvisation is a powerful tool for popular songwriting, they'll all work well as part of a group songwriting collaboration.
Written by Gary Ewer. Follow Gary on Twitter.
If you like starting songs by working out a good chord progression, you need to get "Writing a Song From a Chord Progression." It shows you the strengths and pitfalls of this very common songwriting process.


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Aeroplan eStore Boxing Day Promotions Starting Now
Aeroplan is starting Boxing Day promotions early. From now until January 2, 2018, members can earn up to 7x the miles on select retailers (including: Michael Kors, Indigo, Under Armour, iTunes, Sephora, Nike) at the Aeroplan eStore. Costco.ca has its own 4x miles promotion between December 18, 2017 to December 28, 2017.
This may not be as good as the 10x promotion that we saw earlier in the year, but still good. Shopping portals are always an amazing way to earn more bonus miles for purchases that you were planning to make anyway.
Always double check the prices that you are about to pay. I would not buy items just for the sake of earning bonus miles. You still want to buy items within the target price that you had in mind. Here is a hyperlink to my most recent shopping tips. I will be updating those tips towards the end of the year again!
- Posted by Matt
- in Air Canada (Aeroplan), Online Shopping
- 0 comments


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OUM's real estate industry auditing and tax group has been providing services to clients for over 35 years. We provide a "one stop shop" service menu of accounting, tax, and consulting services to our clients which include land developers, commercial and residential developers (single and multi-family), home builders, commercial and residential property owners and managers, real estate investment funds, brokers, private REITs, contractors, architects and engineers. For decades, our real estate clients have turned to us for the resources and expertise that help them in all aspects of their companies' lifecycle.
Our real estate industry auditing and tax group understands the regulatory and business challenges facing your industry and is dedicated to staying ahead of the curve to help you navigate a changing market.
- Audit and attest services, including reviews and compilations of financial statements
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- Income tax provisions and analysis of uncertain tax positions
- Lease audits and CAM reviews
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- Operational reviews
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- Audits of 401K Plans


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Job Description:
Location: Chesterfield, MO, USA
Job Description – Parkway Swim Club Head Developmental Coach
We are looking to hire a qualified individual for the full-time position of Head Developmental Coach. This individual will work with our head age group coach and head coach in continued development of our age group program. This person will work specifically with the 12-under program. This position requires a candidate with strong administrative, communication and people skills.
Job Responsibilities
- Work under the direction of the head age group coach, leading the age group program (working specifically with the beginning age groups)
- Coach on deck, 5 evening practices, and Saturday morning during school year.
- Coach on deck, 2-3 middle of the day practices during the summer and 4-5 evening practices
- Coach on deck, 2-3 meets/month
- Perform administrative functions including, but not limited to, swim meet entries, parent and athlete meetings, tracking attendance, merchandising, meet management, newsletter/website/social media content, and managing team statistics
- Attend team functions and team-building activities.
Specific Group Responsibilities
- Directly coach the Red, White, and Blue beginning age groups in our age group program.
- Bridge communication between other age group coaches and help continue to develop a strong age group program.
Minimum Qualifications
- High School Diploma
- Current coaching membership in good standing with USA Swimming
- Ability to pass all necessary background checks
- Current Red Cross CPR/AED/First Aid/Lifeguard Certifications, Safety Training for Coaches
- Ability to perform water rescue
- Experience with Hy-Tek Team Manager and Meet Manager, Team Unify, and Microsoft Office and Excel
- Minimum 2-3 years prior coaching experience
- Experience working with swimmers of all ages and abilities
- Experience working effectively with swim parents & assistant coaches
- Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing
- Valid driver's license
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college/university
- ASCA Level 2 certification
Physical Characteristics & Work Environment
- Indoor pool, occasional outdoor pool, and open water work environment
- Regular exposure to fumes, odors, humidity, and heat
- Occasional exposure to cold and rainy environments
Physical Demands
- Ability to operate pool and instructional equipment
- Ability to effectively communicate with coaches, parents and swimmers
- Sitting and/or standing for extended periods of time
- Lifting, carrying, pushing, or pulling heavy objects as assigned
Application deadline will be June 21, 2019. We anticipate hiring by July 1st, to start when SCY season starts in mid-August. We will bring in qualified applicants as we receive resumes.
- This is a year-round, 40 hour full-time position. Pay will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.
- Employee is hired through the school district, and receive full benefits and retirement.
- Employee will receive comp time for swim meet weekends going over 40 hours per week.
- Coach apparel
- Reimbursement for education, certifications & meet expenses
How to Apply
- If you are interested in this position, please submit cover letter (one page) and resume to Jon David Williford, [email protected]. Please include in cover letter a little background about yourself and philosophy on coaching.
Contact Information
ISC - Parkway Swim Club
12657 Fee Fee Rd
St Louis, MO 63146
phone: 3144156926


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Happy Thursday everyone. Valentine's is just around the corner and I have a card for you with some of my favorite things from Paper Temptress.
Silver Sizzle Glossy card stock
DP – MME, Blush
Pearls – Pizzazz Aplenty
Image – Lady Gilli by our own Anary 🙂
Be sure to stop by Paper Temptress for February's specials.


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Filed under: Imperialism | Tags: China, Don Delillo, Imperialism, Media, Tibet, Uri Averney, White Noise
Uri Averney wrote an excellent article for Counterpunch.org that wonderfully articulates the difficulty I have with the global "Free Tibet!" campaign.
[W]hat is really bugging me is the hypocrisy of the world media. They storm and thunder about Tibet. In thousands of editorials and talk-shows they heap curses and invective on the evil China. It seems as if the Tibetans are the only people on earth whose right to independence is being denied by brutal force, that if only Beijing would take its dirty hands off the saffron-robed monks, everything would be alright in this, the best of all possible worlds.
Tibet offers an attractive combination of exoticism, morality and the plucky status of an underdog sparkplug to the world media. It's a narrative almost tailor-made for Western bourgeois liberalism: we convince ourselves that they want what we have, and it's our moral obligation to help them achieve it. Free Tibet! Free World!
Forget the fact that there are threatened peoples in our own country that want what we have. Hell, they'd settle for clean water. As Canadians, our first duty should be to ensure that we do not oppress people at home or abroad. Any pretension otherwise is moral blindness. As progressives and anti-imperialists, we should question any attempt to render China's sin bigger than our own. Or, failing that, why the mote of Tibet is bigger than the beam of East Congo or Chechnya.
With that in mind, it seems to me that what's really going on here is not that Tibet wants what we have, but that they have what we wish we had. Or rather, the Tibetan myth Western media has constructed—one based on peace, non-violence, abstinence and asceticism—purchases our largesse. As long as Tibet eschews consumerism and consumption, our destructive lifestyle can proceed apace. The irony is of course, that as we "free" such ethical impossibilities from themselves as reward for affirming our pretense, we threaten to eradicate the myths on which we rely. It's a dilemma Jack Gladney discovered almost a quarter century ago:
"You don't believe in heaven? A nun?"
"If you don't, why should I?"
"If you did, maybe I would."
"If I did, you would not have to."
"All the old muddles and quirks," I said. "Faith, religion, life everlasting. The great old human gullibilities. Are you saying you don't take them seriously? Your dedication is a pretense?"
"Our pretense is a dedication. Someone must appear to believe. Our lives are no less serious than if we professed real faith, real belief. As belief shrinks from the world, people find it necessary than ever that someone believe. Wild-eyed men in caves. Nuns in black. Monks who do not speak. We are left to believe. Fools, children. Those who have abandoned belief must still believe in us. They are sure that they are right not to believe bu they know belief must not fade completely. Hell is when no one believes. There must always be believers. Fools, idiots, those who hear voices, those who speak in tongues. We are your lunatics. We surrender our lives to make your nonbelief possible. You are sure that you are right but you don't want everyone to think as you do. There is no truth without fools. We are your fools, your madwomen, rising at dawn to pray, lighting candles, asking statues for good health, long life."
"You've had long life. Maybe it works."
She rattled out a laugh, showing teeth so old they were nearly transparent.
"Soon no more. You will lose your believers."
—Don Delillo, White Noise (1985)
h/t to unionist at babble
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At River Highlands, you have the opportunity to select your choice of floor plan styles and sizes to customize your or your loved one's assisted living or memory care lifestyle. Each of our senior apartments has been designed to provide security, comfort and convenience — delivering peace of mind to residents and their families.
From our luxurious senior apartments and life-enriching activities to our gracious team of professionals and delicious all-day dining, there's so much to share within the warm, welcoming community of River Highlands. Each floor plan is bolstered by the ease of maintenance-free living and the freedom of our first-class services and amenities, giving residents of our senior apartments more time to live life to the fullest. And, since holistic well-being is at the heart of our community, you'll discover a plethora of opportunities for an empowering, rejuvenating lifestyle right outside your door.
Distinctive choices for both assisted living and memory care
Regardless of where you or your loved one is at in the aging journey, River Highlands is committed to offering thoughtful, well-designed senior apartments for any lifestyle. From safety considerations and privacy to opportunities for fellowship and fun, our residences were built to anticipate and accommodate a variety of needs and desires.
Take a moment to view our floor plan options to find the best possible layout for your individual lifestyle. Click the links below for a sampling of the senior apartment floor plans we offer. Or contact us today to arrange for a personal visit and tour where you'll have a chance to explore our full selection of plans and available inventory. With the well-appointed, maintenance-free senior apartments at River Highlands, you'll find a warm, welcoming place to call home.
Note: Some of the floor plans are interactive and allow you to experiment with how certain furniture pieces will fit in your new home. Start by clicking the "How to" box for an easy-to-follow tutorial, then select any floor plan you like and "furnish" it however you wish. You can even print a copy of your chosen senior apartment floor plan to save as a reference.


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New 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt – Oak Lawn IL
New 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt – Incredible Design to Turn Heads in Oak Lawn, IL
The 2019 Ford Bullitt Mustang is a stylish, high performance, loud, perfect example of what an American Muscle car should be. It's not discrete with the unforgettable noise that the engine produces and should certainly be the top choice for any gear heads living in Oak Lawn, IL, you'll have a fierce deafening 5L V8 engine that packs over 450 horsepower. It has been just over 50 years since the first Mustang graced the world in the form of a Mustang GT Fastback. Now to celebrate the 50th anniversary this muscle car has been revived to satisfy those loyal gear heads and Ford Fans.
2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt Performance
When the 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt was brought out to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Steve McQueen movie you would expect an exceptional performance from the Bullitt and we're glad to say you won't be disappointed at all. The insanely powerful 5L V8 6 Speed Manual Engine provides both 450 horsepower and a deafening sound that is typical of what a premium American Muscle car should sound like. Despite having all this fierce power underneath the hood it is surprisingly fuel efficient with you being able to get around 23 miles per gallon in the city and around 28 if you're on the highway. Also, it has a range of driver modes including a specialized drag strip mode that squats the rear suspensions and prevents drive loss between gear shifts which makes it a fierce competitor on your local drag strip. If you're wanting a powerful American muscle car but also want to be heard and noticed whilst driving through Oak Lawn, IL, there is no better option than the 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt.
- 5L V8 6 Speed Manual Engine
- 450 horsepower
- 23.9 miles to the gallon
- Power-assisted steering
- Adaptive Cruise Control
- Emergency Brake Assist
- Independent Rear Suspension
2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt Technology
The 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt is packed with innovative technological features both for your own convenience and entertainment whilst driving through Oak Lawn, IL, and also to make sure you and your family are safe whilst driving the 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt. When it comes to the entertainment aspect of the technology it comes with the Ford SYNC3 system as standard which includes Android Auto and Apple Car Play allowing you to connect your smartphone too. You'll also find a 1000 watt 12 Speaker Audio System as standard from industry leading manufacturers Bang and Olufsen.
- Hill Start Assist
- Lane Departure Warning
- Pre-Collision Assistance
- Adaptive Cruise Control
- Ford SYNC3
- Android Auto & Apple Car Play
- B&O 12 speaker audio system
- Cap-less Refueling System
- Rear view camera
2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt Interior
The 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt certainly has tried to separate itself from the pack and make you feel like you're driving something special when you sit inside it. Both the passenger and driver's seats come in a sports style with recaro leather seats with green detailing. You'll also see an extension of this green detailing in the form of stitching that stretches across the instrument panel. First you'll notice that the gear stick has taken the form of a white cue ball. Both the driver and passenger seats also have heating built in so it's perfect to keep your nice and warm during the winter months.
- Recaro Leather Seats with Green detailing
- Ford SYNC 3 Navigation Pack
- Bang and Olufsen 1000watt 12 speaker Premium Audio System
- Green stitching on instrument panel and door matts
- Unique white cue ball gear knob
- Sports style front seats
- Sports style front seats
- Heated front seats for driver and passenger
2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt Safety Features
Despite the 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt offering an impressive and powerful performance with its engine Ford as always has ensured that the top priority during the design process of this commemorative edition is safety. New features that have been included this time round are things such as autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warnings along with lane keeping assist as well as adaptive cruise control all that comes standard with the vehicle. It also has ISOFIX attachment points in the rear seats for any kids you might have in the car so you can be assured your whole family is protected as you're driving through Oak Lawn, IL.
- Hill Start Assist
- Lane Departure Warning
- Pre Collision Assistance
- ISOFIX attachment points
- Dual airbags for driver and passenger
- Remote power central locking
- Locking wheel nuts
- Emergency Brake Assist
2019 Ford Mustang Trims
When it comes to the Ford Mustang there are a total of five trims with these being the Ford EcoBoost Fastback and Convertible, the GT Fastback and Convertible and finally the Bullitt, the one we are reviewing which has been designed to commemorate the 50 year anniversary to its predecessors feature in the Steve McQueen film.
- EcoBoost Fastback
- EcoBoost Convertible
- GT Fastback
- GT Convertible
- Bullitt
Why Buy From Bill Kay Ford Near Oak Lawn, IL?
As we are a one stop shop at Bill Kay Ford, we not only service your existing vehicles, provide manufacturer certified auto parts but we do offer financial assistance as well. We appreciate that not everyone living in and around Oak Lawn might have the budget up front to purchase the Ford Mustang Bullitt that's why we have a team of finance professionals to look at other ways to enable you to get behind the wheel of a 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt. This includes seeing if there are any applicable discounts or incentives we can apply to knock the price down or alternatively maybe looking at a finance or lease plan.
It is time to take a quick drive from Oak Lawn to our showroom at Bill Kay Ford and discuss your next vehicle purchase.New Mustang Inventory
Customer Reviews


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Following the news on the front page of the County Press last week that Wightlink may pull the Yarmouth-Lymington service, Island MP Andrew Turner has taken action by not only writing to DeFRA but also tabled questions in Parliament. Ed
Andrew Turner has written to Huw Irranca-Davies, a minister in the Dept of Food, Environment and Agriculture (DEFRA) seeking a firm undertaking from him that the needs of the Island will be taken into account in looking at the future of the Yarmouth to Lymington ferry service.
He has also tabled a series of Parliamentary Questions about the operation of the ferry service and written to the Lymington Harbour Commissioners asking them for any 'substantive reason' why the new ferries should not be brought into service. His actions follow speculation about the introduction of the new 'W' class ferries on the route.
Mr Turner said
"There is a perception by some residents in Lymington that the new ferries may cause difficulties for river users. However the ferries provide a 'lifeline' service for Islanders – that must come first. Many people rely on the ferries to access health services, education and employment as well as for social reasons and of course the tourist trade relies on them to bring over custom from the mainland. I have asked for an undertaking from the Minister that these factors will be properly taken into account when looking at how the new ferries can be introduced on the route quickly.
"I think it is time that the Lymington Harbour Authorities were asked to give proper reasons why they are seeking to hold up the introduction of the new ferries."
Thursday, 13th November, 2008 12:16pm
ShortURL: http://wig.ht/27VO


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During the long, dark days of the Thatcherite ascendancy Labour councillors would reassure each other that one day things would get better. As Kenneth Baker drove through his 1988 Education Reform Bill they wrung their hands and bemoaned the slow strangulation of local authorities.
A decade later and Lord Baker can be seen in a more benign light. Sure, he was tough on local authorities, but nothing like as tough as David Blunkett. Back in the Baker days the likes of Steven Byers, an up and coming Tyneside councillor and Blunkett, the former leader of Sheffield City Council, fulminated at the ignominy of the Tory assault on local democracy.
But times change and it was a different Blunkett who last year launched education action zones - the first stage in what could become the almost total emasculation of LEAs.
This January the Secretary of State spelled out Labour's attitude to town and county halls with a brutal frankness. LEAs deemed to be failing will be taken over by private companies or other more successful authorities.
The handing over, earlier this year, of Kings' Manor, a comprehensive in Guildford, Surrey, to a private company was, according to Tony Travers, the London School of Economics expert on local government, an act of epoch-making significance. It was the final taboo. No Conservative government has contemplated such a thing. But New Labour was quite relaxed about it. Almost anything could now happen. It is by no means certain LEAs will exist in 10 years' time.
LEAs have for almost a century overseen the massive growth from a system that provided little more than elementary education to one where schooling is compulsory to 16. During their golden age, in the 1950s and 60s, they controlled mini-empires providing everything from nursery provision through to adult education classes, offering courses as diverse as flower arranging and advanced engineering.
They presided over the expansion of advanced further education and were entrusted with the creation of the new polytechnics, thus playing a crucial role in the development of today's mass higher education system.
They held a stranglehold over all but education in the traditional universities. Two of the most important men (rarely were women involved) in any city were the chief education officer and the chairman of the education committee. Most parents would know the name of the CEO - certainly not the case today.
Change began in the 1970s and it was a Labour minister, Shirley Williams, who first challenged LEA autonomy. She placed much more emphasis on specific grants: money allocated by Whitehall to LEAs to be spent as Whitehall decreed. Previously, authorities had received a sum of cash every year to spend much as they liked.
This year more cash will be allocated as specific grant than at any time before, boosted by New Labour's ballooning Standards Fund (see stats, to come). While ministers are beginning to make good their promise to increase investment in education, they have seized on powers inherited from the Tories to pressurise local government into holding down overall spending. The result is that Whitehall has increased its stranglehold of council expenditure. Schools may benefit but local discretion - and social services budgets - have lost out.
There is scarcely an economist in the country who does not believe that within 10 years all education funding will be directly controlled from Whitehall. An ever-increasing proportion of funding will go direct to schools, the rest to "service providers" who may, or may not, be LEAs.
Faced with the prospect of extinction the LEAs are putting on a brave face. Graham Lane, chairman of the Local Government Association education committee, insists that authorities have come to terms with the new realities. He says it is a myth that they spend large sums on bureaucracy and points out that all councils are delegating 85 per cent, or more, of their budgets to schools.
To say that the Government is hostile to LEAs is not strictly true. There are those, most notably Tony Blair and the young men he has gathered around him in the No 10 Policy Unit, who would be more than happy if LEAs would just curl up and die. But others, notably Blunkett and John Prescott, the deputy Prime Minister, are happy for them to have a continuing role providing they can deliver the goods.
New Labour is about raising educational standards and it doesn't much care who handles this on the ground. This is arguably the most prescriptive government of the century (note last week's precise stipulation on the correct way to teach maths) and if private contractors can get better results then so be it; if LEAs can do as good a job then that's fine as well. They can compete with each other for the contracts.
The clearest indicator of what the future holds can be found daily in the pages of the Financial Times. UK quoted companies involved in education and training consistently outperform the FTSE All-Share index. Companies such as Nord Anglia Education and the Spring Group have done particularly well.
Twenty years ago teacher recruitment was the exclusive responsibility of LEAs. Now the largest teacher recruitment agency is the Spring Group, the company backed by Michael Milken, the convicted US junk bond trader who invested pound;109m in 1996 via his US company Knowledge Universe. Total turnover is in the region of pound;279m.
Nord Anglia, the first UK educational consultancy to be listed on the stock exchange, runs independent day schools, nurseries, language schools and has moved into another area once the preserve of LEAs - the careers service. It has a turnover of pound;48m and pre-tax profits of pound;2.7m.
Tony Travers believes that in the not too distant future the only services LEAs will be left with will be those no one else wants: possibly special needs and transport.
Does it matter who runs education providing the results are right? Mr Blair thinks not and many parents might well agree. Certainly if 3E's Ltd, the non-profit-making company linked to Kingshurst city technology college in Solihull, can turn round Kings' Manor and boost exam performance, there will be few complainants.
As Tony Travers, points out, though, there is another issue at stake. LEAs are elected, the boards of private companies are not. But does anyone care anymore about local democracy?
Well Tony Blair does. This is why he is so in favour of elected mayors. Electoral turn-out in municipal elections is shockingly low - in the worst cases (parts of Liverpool) it has been known to slump below 10 per cent. Nationally it remains well below 30 per cent. Blair believes that the introduction of personalities (mayors) will revitalise local democracy.
London will have an election next year and there is little doubt that other cities will follow suit. The elections will be fought on local issues and it is inconceivable that education will not figure prominently even in London where schools will not officially be part of the mayoral brief.
Outside London, the new breed of mayors could well use their executive powers to contract out most educational services to the private sector, confident that they will be highly efficient and able to provide a platform on which the mayor can seek re-election.
Alternatively a candidate might want to stress "local" control, might campaign for a specific Birmingham or Leeds approach to education, might promote the democratic credentials of an LEA as opposed to the private sector.
Whatever happens education, and its local control, could once again become a major political issue. Mayors elected on a large turnout will have the clout to stand up to Westminster. They will be under pressure to deliver on education and to do so will demand back some of the powers now resting with Whitehall. Democracy could yet be the saviour of the LEA.
CAROL ADAMS, Shropshire's chief education officer, has thought long and hard about the future of LEAs and, like almost everyone else, is confused.
"More and more is prescribed by central government and it's very difficult to know what the future holds. It is possible that we could end up with a completely free market, but if that happens what becomes of local democracy? And is there not a danger that schools could find themselves spending so much time deciding which provider to buy from that they neglect actual teaching?" she asks In 1998 Shropshire County Council was split into two with the creation of the new Telford and Wrekin Council. In a unique "joint agreement" initiative the by now much smaller Shropshire agreed to "sell" its new neighbour a number of services including advisory, music and library. In return it buys from Telford and Wrekin special needs provision and support. The deal is worth pound;10m per year.
Ms Adams admits it was, in part, a reflection of the changing political climate. "Increasingly LEAs are likely to buy in provision from the private sector and that is a route that we don't want to go down."
A report from management consultants, Windsor and Co, has praised the "value for money" service provided by the LEA. The report says: "The Shropshire advisory service has the least level of criticism that we have seen in any LEA over the past 10 years."
Ms Adams added: "We have learnt a great deal about operating in the new business environment. We have shown we can manage contracts and handle bids. It will be fascinating to see how we compare with private companies.
"The local government White Paper has made it clear that in future LEAs should concentrate on their 'strategic' role rather than their traditional one of service provision."
Christine Davies, Telford and Wrekin's corporate director for education and training, has no problem with this change.
"The role of an LEA is increasingly to be an advocate for children and other learners. They are central to our work. We are doing this in partnership with others, including Shropshire.
"But we are also happy to work with the private sector. We have an information technology network linking schools and libraries which we provide in partnership with a private company. And we are currently discussing with Microsoft and Channel 4 ways of working together on curriculum materials."