Creating the media for ourselves…

The aim of this is to share cool ideas for what to do, not the geekish how to do it stuff. Just so you know.

York IndyMedia, one of the websites I work with has just had a major overhaul, and I’m pretty pleased with what’s been achieved. Now the good people of York will get their locally-written news in a nicer, neater format. Its led to some new questions getting asked about how we take the website forward, and what the site is for…

Election time is here!

Yes, in just a few short weeks, a lot of us will (or should) be heading to the polls for a crucial round of elections.  Here’s some thoughts of mine for you to take, consider and probably discard, as you make up your own mind on who to vote for.  Yes, its that bit where I express preferences in polls I ought to have nothing to do with…

Monday Action: Oppose the BNP

(See also the Monday Action page)

Council elections will soon be upon us, and so its time to get active to prevent the BNP from taking more seats. Alarmingly, they’re standing for the first time in York, with 9 candidates. While its unlikely that they’ll be putting much effort into some of those 9, this means leafleting 35,000 houses. And thats just York…

The power of networking

My dissertation is taking up most of my time and I’m far too tired to write anything at length, but I thought I’d share some observations of social networking that I’ve made today. While my dissertation is quite heavily focused on the nature of networking (social and organisational rather than technological) between campaign groups and social movements and so forth, I’ve also found myself making mental notes on networking effects in society, especially that website.

Monday Action: On yer bike, its Critical Mass time!

See also the Monday Action page.

Its the time of the month when Critical Mass is upon us, and as the clocks changed yesterday, nows the best time to start taking part. What’s Critical Mass?

Critical Mass happens monthly in many cities around the world, when a group of people on bikes ride together through city streets highlighting the joys and worries of cycling, both as a leisure activity, a method of getting around and a way of combating Climate Change. Most rides lack a set route (though Leeds does) so whoever is at the front decides the direction at each traffic lights.

Monday Action: Remember the Iraq War

If you missed last week, see Monday Action for more.

Tomorrow it will be 4 years since the invasion of Iraq in 2003.  In that time, countless people have been killed: over 100 from the UK, over 3000 from the US, and over half a million Iraqi’s.  Now would be a good time to remind your MP that the pull-out strategy cannot be fast enough.

Tomorrow (Tuesday) night there will be a vigil in York, outside the Art Gallery, from 5 to 7pm.  All are welcome; there’ll be an open microphone rally and a die-in (wrap up warm, the pavement is freezing).  There may be other events happening near you.  At this stage in the conflict, it could easily be completely forgotten if we don’t make the effort to turn out and show that we haven’t forgotten.

Monday Action: Tell your MP to vote against Nuclear Weapons

See the explanation of ‘Monday Actions’.

On Wednesday, Parliament must decide whether to commit to a nuclear free future, or one where Britain builds new nuclear weapons, potentially triggering a new arms race. Britain is the first of several countries facing this dilemma due to the age of its weapons. There’s already been a resignation over the issue. Anyhow, I’m sure you’ve heard the arguments, here’s the action:

Go to www.writetothem.com and enter your post code, then write a brief note to whoever your MP turns out to be including some of the the following:

• Building new Nuclear Weapons will lead to a new arms race.
• That forcing other countries into such a race will adversely affect development and security worldwide.
• That these new weapons aren’t needed: this isn’t the cold war any longer.
• That it is hypocritical to tell other states to disarm and then go ahead with these plans.
• That one MP has resigned their government office already over this issue.
• That it is being pushed through parliament for all the wrong reasons.
• That the right thing to do, regardless of what their party demands, is to oppose Trident Replacement in Wednesday’s bill.

On Wednesday, there will be vigils taking place in many towns and cities, here’s two I know of:

• Bradford: War Memorial by Alhambra, 5-7pm
• York: Outside York Minster/St Michael-le-Belfrey, 5-6pm

Widening Cathedral usage

It being Sunday, I thought I’d write something church-y.  Sorry to any non-Christians reading this who are immediately turned off.

We’ve been discussing what Visions, an alt-worship church I attend when in York, should do when it is no longer forced to meet in the Minster due to building work at our usual venue.  Normally we’d be meeting in St Cuthbert’s Church, an ancient parish church in central York much better suited to our needs, and that’s where we’ll return fairly soon.  However, there’s some ideas floating around for continuing and deepening our connection to the Minster.  It looks like we’re heading towards a new venture, either monthly or bimonthly, where we’ll work with the Minster clergy to create a new project altogether.

A mine of ethical advice

Found this and this on the BBC website, apparently as part of their “ethical man” series on Newsnight.  Seemingly endless practical tips on how to save energy and money.  Some of the linked stories provide even more.  The key message that I’d like to pick out is the writers directness of opposition to air travel.  Newsnight featured someone from EasyJet fobbing off environmentalists a month or so back, so this is a welcome development.  Cars are also out (hiring one occasionally isn’t), but composting, thanks to York’s John Cossham, is now firmly on the list of things to do.