Caged Bird Club free graphic

Fountain Pen by Sav Kyriacou
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Woody Guthrie wrote a song called Pretty Boy Floyd about the famous American outlaw. It tells of how he got into a fight with a deputy sheriff, killed him and had to go on the run. It then depicts his generosity to the poor as a modern day Robin Hood. There was a line that always struck me relating to the bankers who drove families from their home:

You say that I'm an outlaw
You say that I'm a thief
Here's a Christmas dinner
For the families on relief.
Now as through this world I ramble
I see lots of funny men
Some will rob you with a Six gun
And some with a fountain pen.
But as through your life you travel
As through your life you roam
You won't never see an outlaw
Drive a family from their home.

Now, where have I heard that before?

A Tale of two cities in Yorkshire: Part 2 York

The night the Health and Social Care Bill actually passed through the House of Lords, I was in York. I couldn't believe that one of the main reasons I tolerate living 4000 miles away from most of my friends and family may be permanently altered.

A tale of two cities in Yorkshire: Part 1 Shipley

A long weekend visiting friends in Yorkshire was tarnished by one of the most unforgivable crimes committed by the Coalition government so far: the passage of the nearly universally derided Health and Social Care Bill. This bill ramps up the march toward privatization, dismantling a national health care system that is the envy of people around the world.

Seasons greetings from Pivo

See the red and green in there? That's as festive as I'm willing to get. Before any Scrooge accusations get thrown around though, this isn't just about a dislike of Christmas. I put a much larger version of this up on the 15th of December for Occupy Everywhere day (with five kids in a pyramid formation, the bottom row saying 'Occupy the walls').

More free graphics from the Caged Bird Club: 30th November.

A couple of new, free downloadable graphics to show your support for the public sector strike on Wednesday. Put them up in your windows, office, school or paste them up on the walls.

Bullseye by Lindsay Starbuck 

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I made "get the facts" prominent because the blatant lies being pumped out by the government and the media about "gold-plated" public sector pensions are pathetic. People have really bought them and, in turn, accepted the idea that there should be a race to the bottom in terms of workers' rights and benefits.

Venn diagram by Lindsay Starbuck

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James Venn invented these diagrams in 1880 to illustrate simple set relationships. A bit of old logic that still makes perfect sense.

If you don't work in the public sector you can still support the strike. Visit picket lines near your work. Bring picketers cups of tea to help them keep warm or go join them on your lunch break. Challenge your colleagues if they call public sector workers greedy. Remind them who is really greedy in our society (banks, corporations and our government full of millionaires).

Damn lies download

Damn Lies by Sav Kyriacou
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Statistics, in the form of graphs and pie charts, make up the word 'lies'.

This coalition government has been using false statistics at every turn to justify their policies. Andrew Lansley's NHS reforms are based on misleading and false evidence - lies.

The use of the futura typeface and the sparse nature of the design is a nod towards some of Peter Saville's early work on New Order record sleeves.

Another free graphic from the Caged Bird Club

(Boy) George by Lindsay Starbuck
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The UK government have made their choice. When George Osborne announced the budget this week, he revealed that there was room for maneuver. But instead of saving front line public sector jobs, libraries or children's services, they have opted to cut corporation tax and reduce the price of fuel.

It's the 80s again. The only thing we've learned from history is the answer to Boy George's question from 1982.

Free downloadable graphics from members of the Caged Bird Club

Inspired by the artists of Justseeds offering free downloadable graphics in support of the labour movement in Wisconsin, the Caged Bird Club has decided to offer some of our own in response to what people in the UK are currently facing. You can download high-resolution A3 size versions of each of these images and use them however you want. Please share and distribute widely.

Blind People Against the Cuts by Sav Kyriacou
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The Welfare Reform Bill is nothing but an exercise in reducing welfare payments to people with disabilities by 20%. Blind and partially sighted people will suffer like anyone else under the new proposals. A switch from Disability Living Allowance to a Personal Independence Payment will mean that many will lose any contribution towards the extra cost of living with sight loss, making them more isolated. Linking benefits to the consumer rather than retail price index will reduce the value of benefits enormously over time.

The idea came from illustrator Joe Magee, who about ten years ago was sacked by the Daily Telegraph when one of its readers pointed out that the braille symbols that he used in many of his illustrations had hidden messages, such as "this publication supports body fascism".

The braille on the poster says: "Fucked by Cameron and Clegg!"