A fresh breeze in the labour movement in Iran

Apr 11th, 2005 | By Fariborz Pooya and Bahram Soroush

Fariborz Pooya: What’s the news in the labour movement in Iran?

Bahram Soroush: There are many strikes that are taking place. They follow the recent successful textile workers’ strike in the city of Sanandaj, western Iran, which we have talked about on the TV previously.

Fariborz Pooya: What were the demands of the strikers?

Bahram Soroush: They had a series of demands: reinstatement of six sacked workers; payment of overdue wages, improvement of health and safety, an end to contract work, and the revoking of the disciplinary rules. Those were the main issues around which the strike took place. An important point to bear in mind is that this was a long-running strike; it went on for 17 days. It … Read the rest



Many Chinese Say Textbooks Whitewash Occupation *

Apr 10th, 2005 | Filed by

Nanjing massacre of 250,000 called ‘incident.’… Read the rest



Anti-Japanese Protests Spread to South China *

Apr 10th, 2005 | Filed by

Japan’s disputes with China and South Korea rooted in differences over the past.… Read the rest



Toynbee Nails Papal Funeral Travesty *

Apr 10th, 2005 | Filed by

‘With its ban on condoms the church has caused the death of millions.’… Read the rest



Legislator and Philosopher Discuss Florida Bill *

Apr 10th, 2005 | Filed by

‘Dogmatic’ professors who don’t want to teach ID…… Read the rest



Time to Get Really Scared *

Apr 10th, 2005 | Filed by

When a Senator excuses murderous violence against judges as understandable reaction to their decisions.… Read the rest



One Thing to Learn

Apr 9th, 2005 11:03 pm | By

This is good fun – although a few of the answers will give people like Philip Blond fits. But that’s good, that will give him something to talk about next time he’s on the radio. No doubt producers are calling him all the time, now that he’s an expert on What’s Wrong With Science.

Anyway. Lots of good ones.

I would teach the world the importance of staying actively intellectually engaged throughout our lives, especially as we become elderly. There are good data now that point to the fact that continuing to challenge yourself late in life — taking up a new hobby, learning to play a musical instrument, doing crossword puzzles, etc — actually helps to maintain cognitive function,

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What’s Wrong With Florida House Bill 837 *

Apr 9th, 2005 | Filed by

Legislative analysts say bill would give students right to sue over anything presented in class.… Read the rest



Workers’ Liberty on Tariq Ramadan *

Apr 9th, 2005 | Filed by

40 reasons he is a strange ally for the left.… Read the rest



Cogito Ergo Bite Me *

Apr 9th, 2005 | Filed by

At UC Berkeley, philosophy is the thug gangsta of all majors.… Read the rest



What One Thing Should Everyone Learn About Science? *

Apr 9th, 2005 | Filed by

Uncertainty, natural selection, responsibility instead of prayer.… Read the rest



Japan Urged Calm in Book Protest *

Apr 9th, 2005 | Filed by

Ambassador said patriotic education in China may have caused some anti-Japanese feelings.… Read the rest



New History Textbook Prompts Rock-throwing *

Apr 9th, 2005 | Filed by

Truth in history does matter then…?… Read the rest



History Protests at Japanese Embassy in Beijing *

Apr 9th, 2005 | Filed by

Japan approved school books which China says gloss over Japanese atrocities. … Read the rest



The Nerve of Some Teachers

Apr 8th, 2005 7:32 pm | By

Here’s a very useful collection for you – links to news coverage of Florida State Representative Dennis Baxley’s proposed ‘Academic Freedom Bill of Rights.’ People like Baxley are a big help, you know? Any time I listen to Start the Week or Saturday Review and get a little cross or downcast or highstrung about the way everyone simply takes it for granted that all Americans are both stupid and insane – well all I have to do is think of people like Rep. Baxley and I realize why UK radio chatters might think that.

The Alligator gets in some good jabs.

At the Capitol, Baxley opened the council meeting by saying that personal criticism he received about the bill was

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Terry Eagleton on Literary Competition *

Apr 8th, 2005 | Filed by

Reviews Bourdieu-influenced portrait of literature as lethal combat.… Read the rest



Michael Walzer on the Danger of Military Metaphors *

Apr 8th, 2005 | Filed by

A ‘fighting faith’ is good for activists but not for armies.… Read the rest



Florida Academic ‘Freedom’ Bill Struggling *

Apr 8th, 2005 | Filed by

Professors actually sometimes disagree with students, even about evolution. Horrors.… Read the rest



Carlin Romano: Saul Bellow Was the Best *

Apr 8th, 2005 | Filed by

The novelist of record when it came to America’s peculiar high-low rap. … Read the rest



What History Students Read *

Apr 8th, 2005 | Filed by

Textbooks, mostly; then they take a test. Not good.… Read the rest