
Issue No 63		21 July 2000

LaborNET	Ask Neale	Tool of the Week

Trades Hall

Paul Howes' Week on the Web

Politicians finally getting IT, funky lounge sounds, the next big anti-globalisation protest and some very silly students playing pranks in an airport - they're all part of Paul's Week on the Web.

Virtual Carmen

The Federal ALP Member for Fremantle and former Premier of Western Australia The Hon. Dr. Carmen Lawrence MP has recently launched a revamped website located at http://www.carmenlawrence.com.au . Carmen has already been online for several years with a reasonably average website, which is pretty typical of what Pollies are churning out online, however I was pleasantly surprised when I checked out Carmens' new website. Not only is it attractive and easy to navigate but to my shock and horror it actually contains information ....... a rarity in Pollies websites.

Whilst looking at Carmen's site have a look at the site of the Independent NSW State Member for Bligh Clover Moore MP http://www.clovermoore.com . Clover is another rare Pollie who has also invested time and money in her site and has created an informative and interesting site which has obviously been designed to reflect her image and that of her inner city electorate.

Hopefully as more and more politicians are going online a few of them will check out Carmen and Clover's sites and realize that a website should be more than a Billboard in cyber-space but a place for their constituents interact with their local member.

Astro Tabasco

Funky Lounge Band Astro Tabasco has launched a new website at http://www.astrotabasco.com . Astro Tabasco who are regulars in the Sydney lounge seen are also prominent in their pro-Union stance and have featured in the recent union gigs fundraising for East Timor. They will be releasing their new CD at The Metro on Saturday July 29. The site was designed by a member of the band and is well designed and easy to navigate. It also has Real Player downloads of tracks from their new album "Espionage Atrois". A class act all round.

Agitate, Educate, Organise!

With the World Economic Forum (WEF) coming to Melbourne in September local Greens, Anarchists, Students, NGOs , some Unions and Trots in general have started to organise protests to create in their words "another Seattle" .... not an early 90's grunge scene but a repeat of the protests against the WTO that were held in Seattle last year.

The primary way they have been organising is through their website at http://www.s11.org (I really don't understand all these new names s11, m1, a18 ????). The site is a fantastic example of the ways the web can be utilised to organise events and to communicate between organisations. It has areas for different organisations within the movement to have their own section within the site (not unlike LaborNET). The site has been modeled on a site that the organisations in Seattle used to organise their protests http://www.indymedia.org . This site during the protests and riots had up to the minute coverage of what was happening in Seattle including Real Player Video downloads and Audio. Keep watching the s11 site no doubt in September there will be plenty to see.

Cheeky Bastards

A group of university students in the UK recently went to Heathrow Airport dressed as Airline representatives and requested Airport officials to announce over the PA for certain passengers to proceed to the gates for departure. So what's so noteworthy about that, I hear you say? Well, the names they had made up when spoken sound very similar to statements and an example is "Makollig Jezvahted and Levdroum DeBahzted" sounds like "My colleague just farted, and left the room, the bastard". The uni students launched a site at http://www.twilight3d.com/humour/temp/ with sound bytes of their work ..... very funny, well worth checking out.

If you have any sites you think Paul should review or any sites that should be linked to LaborNET email him at [email protected]

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Issue 63 contents

Interview: Paul Keating's Big Picture
The former Prime Minister is still painting on a broad canvass. He talks to Workers Online about the new economy, fair trade and political chi.

Unions: War in the West
Only six months after signing individual staff contracts, the gloss has worn off for some of BHP's Pilbara iron ore workers.

Environment: Farmers Fudge DNA Dangers
Farmers have missed the chance to have a meaningful debate into the use of genetically modified crops.

International: 'Dot Union' Proposal on the Table
ICANN, the global governing body of Internet domains, has released the following expression of interest in proposing a top-level domain for trade unions

Economics: Edge of the Abyss
Political economist Frank Stilwell argues that a constellation of events gives good reason to be worried about the Australian economy.

History: Taming the Tigers
Prominent labour historian, Dr Ming Chan, is visiting Australia to report on how workers are faring in the new Hong Kong.

Review: Music is Crap
It's already the second half of the first year in the new millenium. Who would have ever predicted a crisis in the popular music industry when we are at such an advanced stage ?

Satire: Last Kosovars Found Behind Couch
State Emergency Services personnel were called to a house in Brighton this morning, where the last five remaining Kosovar refugees have been found wedged behind a couch.

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» Third World Conditions For Rural Workers

» Downer's Fiji Muddle Deepens

» Hotel Worker Survey Questions Olympics Preparation

» BHP Holds Gun to Kembla's Head

» A Burning Issue as Joy Campaign Goes National

» Garbos Forced to Ditch Early Start

» Telstra - Making it Sleazier For You

» Inquiry Blows Lid on Long Distance Trucking

» Cab Company Highlights Labor Hire Quandry

» What Olympics Jobs? Asks the AWU

» Republican Elections Called for August

» STOP PRESS: Landmark Legal Ruling on Asbestos