First of all, sorry for the snippets and lack of blogging activity. It's been a busy time, made busier by being a grad student and not having a boss telling me what time to be at my desk, hence I've been procrastinating. At the end of the day, work is work: it's alienating whether the tools are a book or a switchboard, and the most obscure books on my shelf become suddenly fascinating when no one's forcing me to read them. I must learn to channel this energy into blogging.


I'll drink to that, comrade - Chileans celebrate Pinochet's death

Having said that, has anyone noticed there's lots to be cheerful about lately? Apart from global warming. First of all, Pinochet's dead. Yeah, it's too bad he wasn't pushed out of a helicopter like the socialists he murdered. And it's too late to attach electrodes to the ol' gonads (well, I suppose it's not too late, but him not feeling it would take away a lot of the satisfaction.) But still - one less dictator. Kissinger, start shaving, you're next.

Then, the pink tide has resumed in Latin America. Ecuador, Nicaragua and Venezuela have all elected leftist presidents. (Well, Nicaragua is debatable, but at least there's a historical legacy.) I find it interesting that, having failed with the Red Scare techniques (like the Right declaring the elections fraudulent before they even happen, or repeating the CIA-sponsored lie about press restrictions), the media is attacking Chavez from the left. He lets rich people get richer, and he doesn't redistribute land.


Two out of three ain't bad - Lebanese demonstrator celebrates Chavez, Nasrallah and Nasser

While I'm happy to see The Guardian infiltrated by Trotskyists, let's step back a moment. If Chavez actually started sharing the wealth, every government and news outlet would be screaming bloody murder. Nothing gets the bourgeois riled like threatening property rights. It's not that the press has found a sudden revolutionary spirit - they're simply finding new ways to attack.

I agree with the esteemed liberal critics: Chavez is not a Marxist. The revolution can't come from above; he can't usher in socialism by decree. However, what makes Chavez different is that he represents a mobilization from below. The popular assemblies and movements for workers' control are strong enough to provide his base. And those movements are spreading throughout Latin America, and reverberating around the world; as my Latin American building manager told me, "The Arab resistance, they're showing the way too." That's what gives me tremendous hope: this is a revolution from below the equator.


Star and tomato, interesting - Dutch Socialist Party members

And, in a sign that the depressive, Post-everything imperialist countries are learning from the Third World, Holland just gave the left-of-labour Socialist Party 25% of the vote. Running on a classic social democrat platform, the Socialist Party is drawing together social movements into a common front defending immigrants, labour and social services, among others.

The Historical Materialism conference is on now. Imperialism, value theory, globalization and good curries all in Central London. If anyone wants to take pity on a backcountry rube and tell me what a good time I'm missing, the comment box is open.

Finally, I've been catching up on Series 2 of Doctor Who and am well-chuffed. David Tennant is fine-jawed & more refined than Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper is luscious as always, and both characters have gained real emotional depth.


Dapper and diva - The Doctor and Rose

See? Reasons to be cheerful.