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Salient. Victoria University of Wellington Students' Newspaper. Volume 31, Number 17. July 23, 1968

Left Out Side

page 12

Left Out Side

Most asked question around campus last week: What is Trotskyism? Understandable confusion about the Spartacists and their Roman limes hero and the dreaded Pabloites — where else but on the Left do we have such a plethora of romantic names. For the record, he was murdered by a Stalinist agent in 1940 by means of an ice pick axe embedded in the Great Man's head. The convicted killer was released last year and went home to Russia.

As for Trotskyism, the only solution is to read the man's writings, readily available courtesy of such bourgeois publishers as Allen and Unwin, Heinemann and the University of Michigan Press. Lord Thomson, would be resuscitator of our languid papers, has made the "History of the Russian Revolution" available in his Sphere paperback series.

Once emerged from a life-time of writing, you may well feel competent to impact a new brand of Trotskyism Redder than Red.

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If in doubt about depravation in NZ (see Rex Bcnson's Sydney letter elsewhere) rest assured that our own IPT (Ignorant Pack of Twits) is on the look our for trends which would lead to the apotheosis of the Nzrfu as a replacement for the national council of churches. With the hymn book banned what next? Liturgy and ritual, then the closing of the pubs for a permanent driven' strike.

* * *

Now that this column has a rival in the return of that great scribbler Pettipoint, it seems the appropriate to lunge into a side kick at the Papal edifice. Alun Owen, writer of "A Hard Day's Night" (to drop the right plug), wrote to the "New Statesman" recently requesting that as it is now confirmed that the bones of St. Peter are resting at the Vatican, would it be proper to ask whether the popular song (not included in the Rugby Hymn Book, I believe) Dem Bones, Dem Bones, Dem Dry Bones, raised to the status of Hymn.

* * *

This column occasionally touches on the movies. After all, in what other media can such mastery and mischief be found? Anyway, Hammer Films, who have churned out over a hundred horror movies of the Dracula's Daughter Meets Frankenstein's Ghost From Outer Space Type, have received the Queen's Award to Industry for Export. Modestly muttering on BBC TV next day, Big Bod from Hammer described how Britons have their Vampires tame— only the hammer raised over the stake—the Americans a little tougher—the hammer strikes the mallet — while the Japs (bless their little hearts) want to see the heart pierced and the victim jumping up to remove the stake. As they say in French, "Plusque...

* * *

Apart from bestiality being invoked in the beer market's "Lie Down With A Leopard", the current spam of politico bum fluffery may be the cause of the black velvets label transplant.