the reasons I attend them they are generally successful, even though they seldom achieve their *stated* goals. I do not 'diss' your action - and as yet you have NOT acted, I challenge you to look back and see where I do this. Promising to complain from a safe zone will surely be fun. Protests are often fun - like going out and getting drunk can be fun, or going to watch football can be fun. Or dressing up as adults can be fun - (I prefer the latter - though with serious intent). Sitting on our arses and watching tv is problary as effective as protest (hey and Ive done my bit), however I do not advocate for myself a sitting on my/our arses stance. Sometimes we can forget to learn by experience, after all Ian you start your writing by reminding us '2 million against the war and it went ahead'. Actually the direct action (nonviolent of course) in some cases did more to stop bits of the war occurring, the planes transformed with hammers, the the sugar in the petrol tanks of vehicles that stoppped the planes flying etc this caused much delay. Condalesa Rice also welcomed your protests today when she said: "People have the right to protest. That's what democracy is all about," ( see http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/6\\... ) she said in Blackburn, with Straw at her side. Initiate transformation in little bits if necessary it all matters the crumbs of transformation are worth more than the