–A win for farmers.

A note from the editors of the MR Zine: “What is striking about Raúl Castro Ruz’s address on 26 July 2007 (an excerpt from which is reproduced below), on the occasion of Cuba’s National Day of Rebellion, is not his tribute to [the achievements of the revolution] but his candid assessment of the “errors which aggravate objective difficulties derived from external causes.” What “structural and conceptual changes” will be introduced to overcome them in “a very trying international economic situation”? And where will the changes take the revolution? Combined with “Cuba’s Self Criticism” by Fidel (also reproduced below), Raúl’s address is an essential reading for all peoples who cherish independence and are willing to fight for it “at the cost of any sacrifice.” — Ed.

“[T]he American death toll for July [was] at least 75, the lowest in eight months.”

“The U.S. invasion of Iraq virtually instructed Iran to develop a nuclear deterrent. Israeli military historian Martin van Creveld writes that after the U.S. invasion of Iraq, “had the Iranians not tried to build nuclear weapons, they would be crazy.” The message of the invasion, loud and clear, was that the U.S. will attack at will, as long as the target is defenseless. Now Iran is ringed by U.S. military forces in Afghanistan, Iraq, Turkey and the Persian Gulf and close by are nuclear-armed Pakistan and particularly Israel, the regional superpower, thanks to U.S. support.”

Also see: Rice: Iran ‘biggest threat to Mid-East’ | BBC

Despite six years of sustained growth, with unemployment averaging around 5 percent, the median U.S. worker is not faring well. Since 2001, middle-class Americans have seen their pay drop by 4 percent, although labor productivity went up by 15 percent during the same period.

Caterpillar Inc., the world’s largest maker of earthmoving equipment, said third-quarter profit rose less than analysts forecast and predicted sales will weaken next year, citing a slowdown in the U.S. economy. The stock had its biggest drop in 19 years in its heaviest trading volume ever. Caterpillar said net income rose 15 percent to $769 million, or $1.14 a share, from $667 million, or 94 cents, a year earlier. Sales gained 17 percent to $10.5 billion, the company said today in a statement. “People are a bit shocked by the miss,” said Steve Hoedt, an analyst at National City Corp. in Cleveland, which owns almost 500,000 Caterpillar shares. “The outlook going forward is a bit disturbing. The economy on a global basis is falling.”

Caterpillar is a bellwether of the U.S. economy because its sales span industries from mining to oil to construction, making orders dependent on both consumers and corporate spending. The U.S. economy slowed to a 2.6 percent rate of growth in the second quarter, and Caterpillar said today that third-quarter growth was even slower, possibly less than 2 percent.

“[M]ore than 3,700 Venezuelans who have been granted asylum in the United States since 1999 claiming political persecution.”

The “free” media has only ever reported on one case of political repression in post-coup Venezuela; it was in 2004 against Danilo Anderson. This is a deplorable tactic being used by the U.S.

“Two thousand Iraqis are fleeing their homes every day. It is the greatest mass exodus of people ever in the Middle East and dwarfs anything seen in Europe since the Second World War.”

“The 10,000 employees who are now being paid had been excluded from payments authorised by the new government established by Mr Abbas in the West Bank last month.”

Seems as though the region is going to remain destabilized for decades to come.

NPR’s coverage of this story reveals the impetus for this half-brained idea:

“[T]he deal will serve two purposes: shore up U.S. alliances in the Middle East and send a strong signal that Washington will act to strengthen regional players to meet Iran’s rising threat.”

“President Hugo Chavez … has boosted Venezuela’s public health system, bringing an estimated 20,000 Cuban doctors to staff new neighborhood clinics and training Venezuelan physicians to practice community health.”

“Inveval is legally constituted as a cooperative with 51% owned by the state and 49% owned by the workers, “real power lies with the workers assembly.” Rather than supervisors, the workers at Inveval elect, through a workers assembly, recallable ‘coordinators of production,’ for a period of one year.”

“Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967. It has settled about 430,000 people in the area, including Jerusalem, in contravention to international law.”

The West Bank is almost exactly the size of P.E.I. and has a population of 3 million people (including Israeli settlers).

“A two-day selloff on Wall Street has slashed nearly 540 points from the Dow-Jones Industrial Average and wiped out hundreds of billions in stock market value. The sharp decline, following so closely the breaking of the 14,000 mark by the Dow last week, underscores the increasing instability of the US and world financial system.”

More brutal attacks on workers in the Philippines. “[At] 8.30 p.m., nine men armed with knives and crow bars attacked the picket. [Again at] 3.30 a.m., around twenty hooded men armed with M-16 rifles arrived at the picket in three unmarked vehicles.”

I do not think that the answer of the Workers’ Assistance Centre (WAC) to pressure the Filipino Ambassador in France “to demand of the authorities that proper light be shed on these attacks” will solve this problem. The article itself maintains that “[e]verything seems to indicate that the Filipino public authorities [themselves] were involved in these assaults.”

Is it not clear that the workers need a self-defence committee?

The latest general strike in Israel resulted in a 5% pay increase for public service workers. “Israel has suffered three general strikes in eight months, paralysing the country.”

–The public must be made aware of this attack on Labour Studies. Only with the support of the academic community and all of Labour will this attack be countered.

Nothing other than unvarnished anti-unionism explains why the central administration would attack a highly successful, low budget, low profile program which is designed to serve the educational needs of the labour community. This antipathy runs so strongly that the central administration seems willing to court political meddling in the affairs of the University and a public battle which will besmirch the reputation of the University in labour circles for a generation in order to undermine a labour-friendly program. President Hubich is correct in concluding that Dean Isaac is not empowered to reach a settlement labour could accept. The problem is not at the operating unit level but in the central administration.

–Like Putin needs a reason to pump more money into his old company.

–Answer the call. Support the people of Oaxaca.

–The tag line is “Public Services are Cool”. Corny but correct. Defend the public service.

Our public services are the tools we have collectively given ourselves to achieve our common ideal – a fair, equitable, safe and prosperous society respectful of the environment where no one is left out.

–Members should find a representative to go.

–So is everyone else’s.

–US aid is a tool of imperialism. It has been since it started to flow.

–Unless it has oil or strategic significance, don’t expect the current government to do anything to help.

–Support the Friends of Rockwook Park.

–Expect to see your phone bill increase.

–May has got the point wrong. It is not if the site is contaminated now, it is the fact that the government sprayed the stuff on people without telling them that they were in harms way.

–Ah, the government is using the “we can’t help that we’re stupid” excuse. Seems like it is taking its lead from the US government. When it comes to rights, we do not have the right to be stupid.

–Outrageous. There is no academic freedom when this happens to even one person. The process that Ward Churchill was fired should shock and enrage all academics working around the world.

“Everything is politics, the freshly-graduated doctor told reporters, but if the United States would give young blacks from poor backgrounds the possibility to study in their own country, they wouldn’t have to come to Cuba.”

“The Republican leader in the House, John Boehner, said Democrats should stop playing politics, as no US military base abroad represented an “occupation” but was the product of an agreement with a host nation.”

Of course.

These 2,000 Iraqi’s wouldn’t be coming if their own society hadn’t been reduced to rubble. Perhaps the state of Michigan should talk to Syria, who have been taking in 2,000 Iraqi refugees a day.

–Monsanto against the farmer. The State has sided with the farmer for once.

–A graphical rundown of the anti-imperial actions (for the most part) in South and Central America.

–LaborFest is on its way in San Francisco.