Blathering Videos

An exercise in face watching. A profile, maybe too much. Compare to Portrait at 60 short a year ago. Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

A few days spent in London with a view to enjoying the sculture collection in the town -- especially at the Victoria & Albert MuseumFormats available: Quicktime (.mov)Tags: london, sculpture The RatbagMedia Channel

Vigeland Sculpture Park is a part of Frogner Park, located in Oslo, Norway, 3 km northwest of the city centre. The park covers 80 acres (320,000 m2) and features 212 bronze and granite sculptures created by Gustav Vigeland. Vigeland personally sculpted every figure out of clay and individual craftsmen were contracted to fabricate the pieces into what they are today.Most of the statues depict people engaging in various typically human pursuits, such as running, wrestling, dancing, hugging, holding hands and so on. However, Vigeland occasionally included some statues that are more abstract, such as the Man attacked by Babies statue, which shows an adult male, fighting off a horde of tiny babies.Vigeland park is a well known picnic area, popular in the summer for sunbathing, games, and relaxation.I visited the park on a wonderful Spring evening in May 2009 and the park was full of picnickers frying sausages and drinking beer. Magic. Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)Tags: oslo, sculpture, vigeland, norway

Another country on our overseas trip.  Youc an do the tour in 5 minutes.Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)Tags: scotland, highlands

One week -- or 8 minutes -- in Barcelona as part of our trip to the capital of CataloniaFormats available: Quicktime (.mov)

BRISBANE: Fifteen hundred trade unionists and their supporters marched through the streets of Brisbane on July 3 to oppose the sell off of Queensland public assets. The protest had been called by the Electrical Trades Union and later was supported by the Queensland Council of Unions.Addressing the rally were speakers from the QCU, AFULE, ASU and the Rail Tram and Bus Union. Mick Carr from the Maritime Union of Australia told the rally that there was no upside for a one off fixing of the debt by selling off public assets. Peter Simpson , state secretary of the Electrical Trades Union, said that his union wont be putting one cent into the ALP coffers at the next election if this legislation is still on the books. He said it was time to put a line in the sand. David Matters from the Rail Tram and Bus Union told everyone that his union, with community support, had won their fight against the prisatisation of the Brisbane City Council bus service in the 1990s.To applause he said, that it was time to put Anna Bligh under the control of working people. But the surprize from among the speakers came from ALP state president and Australian Manufacturing Workers Union Secretary, Andrew Dettmar, who said that his union will not be supporting any politician at the next state election unless they make a no privatsation pledge. The rally was followed by a march to state parliament . Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Meeting organised by the Socialist Alliance to discuss a community response to the privatization of public assets by the Bligh state Labor government -- Brisbane, Qld Australia. Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

March 1st, 2009: A cruise on the Brisbane River to raise funds for Green Left Weekly.A very nice evening on the water, catching the cool breeze coming up the river from Moreton Bay. Along with the music and the hippity hop bopping, Palestinian mezze, Tamil food and sundries. Speeches from Dr Brian Senewiratne Performers: Phil Monsour, Surreal & GrassrootsFormats available: Quicktime (.mov)

One of the most prominent Murri campaigners in Brisbane, longtime social justice activist, Sam Watson, will contest Queensland Premier Anna Blighs seat of South Brisbane at the March 21 state election. Watson is running as the candidate for the Socialist Alliance. Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Mike Crook is the Socialist Alliance candidate for Sandgate at the upcoming Queensland state election on March 21st.You can read more about the campaign here on the Socialist Alliance website. A member of the ALP for 20 years, Mike recently joined the Socialist Alliance, having become increasingly disenchanted with the ALP's anti-worker, pro-corporate agenda. Mike recently participated in a brigade to Venezuela, and seeing participatory, grassroots democracy, was convinced that the future lies in mobilizing people for socialist change. Mike has been a steering committee member and activist on the Your Rights At Work campaign committee which was instrumental in kicking out the Howard government, and has campaigned tirelessly for industrial rights and shorter working hours. Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)