November 28, 2005
MULLAH
I've somehow managed to mullah my blog by deleting half my template late night blogging. That'll teach me.
November 27, 2005
100,000 Rings: In Remembrance of the Iraqi Civilian and Military Dead
Two women were arrested on Friday 25th November while holding a
bell-ringing ceremony outside Parliament as part of an international peace
event to mark the anniversary of the release of the Lancet study on 29th
October 2004 which estimated 100,000 people had died since the
beginning of the war in Iraq.
Anna-Linnéa, the other bell-ringer, said:"The fact that two women,
unarmed and totally open, accountable and nonviolent, get arrested for
ringing a bell in a remembrance ceremony outside Parliament proves how
much the authorities fear the truth. What we have to say is clearly
important since the government clamps down on us in this way."
The women were arrested for being 'participants in an unauthorised
demonstration'. The police were very reluctant to arrest and briefly
authorised the protest but then banned it again when the women refused to
give their details on the grounds that if the demonstration was now
'authorised' they should not be obliged to give their names.
The police also helpfully suggested that the two women join Brian Haw
on the opposite pavement as he is the only person exempt from the laws
ironically introduced to prevent his permanent anti-war display.
One policeman was heard saying 'I wish I could join you. I wish I
could do what you're doing. This is filthy. This is very hard for all of
us'.
The women were taken to Charing Cross police station but later
released without charges. As well as being reluctant to arrest, the Police
also seemed concerned at the possibility of two more people challenging
the new laws.
ww.iraqmortality.org
bell-ringing ceremony outside Parliament as part of an international peace
event to mark the anniversary of the release of the Lancet study on 29th
October 2004 which estimated 100,000 people had died since the
beginning of the war in Iraq.
Anna-Linnéa, the other bell-ringer, said:"The fact that two women,
unarmed and totally open, accountable and nonviolent, get arrested for
ringing a bell in a remembrance ceremony outside Parliament proves how
much the authorities fear the truth. What we have to say is clearly
important since the government clamps down on us in this way."
The women were arrested for being 'participants in an unauthorised
demonstration'. The police were very reluctant to arrest and briefly
authorised the protest but then banned it again when the women refused to
give their details on the grounds that if the demonstration was now
'authorised' they should not be obliged to give their names.
The police also helpfully suggested that the two women join Brian Haw
on the opposite pavement as he is the only person exempt from the laws
ironically introduced to prevent his permanent anti-war display.
One policeman was heard saying 'I wish I could join you. I wish I
could do what you're doing. This is filthy. This is very hard for all of
us'.
The women were taken to Charing Cross police station but later
released without charges. As well as being reluctant to arrest, the Police
also seemed concerned at the possibility of two more people challenging
the new laws.
ww.iraqmortality.org
November 25, 2005
WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE
I watched The End of Suburbia earlier and was suprised to find that it wasn't all doom and gloom. It was mostly though. For those of us who are fans of alternative energy it's quite sobering.
Wind power? Bio-Diesel? You're having a laugh!
Right at the end the participants suggested that if we lived more "locally" in connected communities, took the road system apart, developed rail on a massive scale and became much more involved in food production we might just have a chance. Maybe. If we were lucky. But probably not.
Wind power? Bio-Diesel? You're having a laugh!
Right at the end the participants suggested that if we lived more "locally" in connected communities, took the road system apart, developed rail on a massive scale and became much more involved in food production we might just have a chance. Maybe. If we were lucky. But probably not.
November 24, 2005
HAJJ IS BACK
A friend of a friend is Guy Smallman, one of the more successful professional photographers who is also on the protest "scene". In passing he looked at my Malung Movies and took a liking to Hajj (I used to smoke dope etc from Preachers of Hate) and asked if he could maybe take a photograph of him.
Although his views are as controversial as the rest of them, its hard not to like Hajj. Anyway this gave me a good excuse to ring him and catch up, as the last I heard he was on his way to Cyprus with no intention of coming back.
I eventually got through to find that he was not only back in the country, but he had also patched up his differences with Abu Abdullah. I knew that Hajj was the first to speak to Abdullah on his road to Islam and how much their falling out had hurt both of them. I passed on Guy's request. He said he would check with Abdullah and Jamal first.
Although it should make no difference to me if they get on or not, I am pleased that they are friends again. They stood either side of Hamza throughout the protest and I always thought of them as the "Asterix and Obelix" of British Fundamental Islam when this story still had a funny side, before 7/7.
Cycling through the rain this morning I actually bumped into Hajj in the street.
Apparently he had lasted 3 weeks in Cyprus. Although he loved it he thought that the property boom had turned his country into "holiday homes" and some of the younger members of his family weren't too impressed with Cyprus in general.
"I walk down the street and no one hassles me. I could die there." he said.
We spoke a little about last nights Channel4 documentary about the "extraordinary rendition" process. I missed it, Hajj said I could come round his place and watch it.
I asked after the state of Mr. Hamza.
"They put sugar in his food. He is diabetic. We wont see him out. This Tony Blair will have his way."
I told him that I was having a "last ditch attempt" at getting this story to British TV. I called Juniper, who Christine Phillip's from BBC London had recommended I try yesterday. (She made this about us a couple of years back when I was still living in squatsville)
Hajj didn't think much of my chances. We'll see.
I tried to be a bit upbeat about Mr. Hamza's chances. I have no idea what he has or hasn't done but to hear Hajj talk about him...
"You never know. Sometimes it seems to me that judges are the only effective opposition to government in this country..."
"Abdullah Faisal got 9 years. They said he was saying "Kill all the Jews." but he was talking about the Zionist enemy. He's not a bad man. Someone punched him once and he just looked at him. He's never been in a fight in his life."
Hajj told me before that Mr. Faisal used to teach at his house. He's a whole movie on his own. How did a Cypriot hippie end up in the company of the most extreme Islamic teachers in my country?
"That's still a sentence. 9 years and he's out." I was beginning to sound a bit lame.
Before I cycled off he told me that Faisal was applying for parole next year. I don't think he ever expects to see Mr. Hamza as a free man again. I can't really imagine it myself either.
Although his views are as controversial as the rest of them, its hard not to like Hajj. Anyway this gave me a good excuse to ring him and catch up, as the last I heard he was on his way to Cyprus with no intention of coming back.
I eventually got through to find that he was not only back in the country, but he had also patched up his differences with Abu Abdullah. I knew that Hajj was the first to speak to Abdullah on his road to Islam and how much their falling out had hurt both of them. I passed on Guy's request. He said he would check with Abdullah and Jamal first.
Although it should make no difference to me if they get on or not, I am pleased that they are friends again. They stood either side of Hamza throughout the protest and I always thought of them as the "Asterix and Obelix" of British Fundamental Islam when this story still had a funny side, before 7/7.
Cycling through the rain this morning I actually bumped into Hajj in the street.
Apparently he had lasted 3 weeks in Cyprus. Although he loved it he thought that the property boom had turned his country into "holiday homes" and some of the younger members of his family weren't too impressed with Cyprus in general.
"I walk down the street and no one hassles me. I could die there." he said.
We spoke a little about last nights Channel4 documentary about the "extraordinary rendition" process. I missed it, Hajj said I could come round his place and watch it.
I asked after the state of Mr. Hamza.
"They put sugar in his food. He is diabetic. We wont see him out. This Tony Blair will have his way."
I told him that I was having a "last ditch attempt" at getting this story to British TV. I called Juniper, who Christine Phillip's from BBC London had recommended I try yesterday. (She made this about us a couple of years back when I was still living in squatsville)
Hajj didn't think much of my chances. We'll see.
I tried to be a bit upbeat about Mr. Hamza's chances. I have no idea what he has or hasn't done but to hear Hajj talk about him...
"You never know. Sometimes it seems to me that judges are the only effective opposition to government in this country..."
"Abdullah Faisal got 9 years. They said he was saying "Kill all the Jews." but he was talking about the Zionist enemy. He's not a bad man. Someone punched him once and he just looked at him. He's never been in a fight in his life."
Hajj told me before that Mr. Faisal used to teach at his house. He's a whole movie on his own. How did a Cypriot hippie end up in the company of the most extreme Islamic teachers in my country?
"That's still a sentence. 9 years and he's out." I was beginning to sound a bit lame.
Before I cycled off he told me that Faisal was applying for parole next year. I don't think he ever expects to see Mr. Hamza as a free man again. I can't really imagine it myself either.
CAZALY
I think anyone with a slightly half-cocked grip on what passes for sanity in these strange times may have little alarm bells ringing in their head over this sad story.
I don't know the facts completely but the guy has no history of violence, he has a history of mental instability. It seems like the Police's interview techniques have convinced him that he has done it and then he's taken his own life.
Mr Harper said: "While his friends state that Richard Cazaly was a likeable man and that the attack would be out of character, we know he had become a long-term abuser of drugs.
After the attack, on 20 April, Cazaly told his girlfriend, Vanessa MacKenzie: "I know I didn't do it, but maybe there's a monster inside of me. How do you know there isn't a monster inside of me?"
I don't think that is a confession. I think that is someone who is already derranged who has been convinced that he's done it.
I wasn't at all suprised to read this in the Mirror this morning.
I wonder if there isn't a person who stabs people at random still wandering about somewhere.
I don't know the facts completely but the guy has no history of violence, he has a history of mental instability. It seems like the Police's interview techniques have convinced him that he has done it and then he's taken his own life.
Mr Harper said: "While his friends state that Richard Cazaly was a likeable man and that the attack would be out of character, we know he had become a long-term abuser of drugs.
After the attack, on 20 April, Cazaly told his girlfriend, Vanessa MacKenzie: "I know I didn't do it, but maybe there's a monster inside of me. How do you know there isn't a monster inside of me?"
I don't think that is a confession. I think that is someone who is already derranged who has been convinced that he's done it.
I wasn't at all suprised to read this in the Mirror this morning.
I wonder if there isn't a person who stabs people at random still wandering about somewhere.
November 22, 2005
CLICHE
Fucking hate cliche song lyrics. All this "Corners of my mind" shit. WHOSE fucking mind has corners in it? And all this "to the end of the line" bollox. WHAT end of WHAT line WHY?
Iraq: the Reckoning
Just watched this on Channel 4.
The guy reckons Muktadr Al Sadr is taking over from the US in Sadr city, implementing extreme Islamic law with US co operation. A US intelligence guy more or less admits this. He also goes to Basra where the same is happening. Girls who used to be able to wear jeans on the street under Saddam now cover up or loose their lives. The US are only fighting in a small area dominated by Sunni's some of whom are Al-Quaida.
He reckons the US and Brits have given up on the idea of representative democracy in Iraq, leaving the Militia's with the real power.
The guy reckons Muktadr Al Sadr is taking over from the US in Sadr city, implementing extreme Islamic law with US co operation. A US intelligence guy more or less admits this. He also goes to Basra where the same is happening. Girls who used to be able to wear jeans on the street under Saddam now cover up or loose their lives. The US are only fighting in a small area dominated by Sunni's some of whom are Al-Quaida.
He reckons the US and Brits have given up on the idea of representative democracy in Iraq, leaving the Militia's with the real power.
November 20, 2005
WHATS UP DOC?
Channel 4's 4doc's site is streaming probably my all time favourite documentary The Leader, his driver and the drivers wife by Nick Broomfield.
4Docs also hosts a film about the 491 Gallery in Leytonstone.
Before they found this place the original 491 posse asked if they could transform our squat in Hoxton into an art event. It was reeking and full of stinking junk at the time. I was outvoted and we turned them down.
4Docs also hosts a film about the 491 Gallery in Leytonstone.
Before they found this place the original 491 posse asked if they could transform our squat in Hoxton into an art event. It was reeking and full of stinking junk at the time. I was outvoted and we turned them down.
November 19, 2005
SCAG BLOGS
Ex-Millenial girl was just posting about a friend of hers flushing bags of scag down the toilet she was hurling into. People make an exagerated deal about scag in my opinion. I think inert substances people put into their systems using whatever needles/pipes/supositories/whatever are the same.
My golden rule about drugs: You ingest them. You go up. You come down. You buy some more.
My biggest drug problem: Getting hold of good ones at the right prices.
My second biggest: I've been bored shitless by all of them for ages and I can't stop doing them.
My third: I find it hard to turn down anything offered even if i know I'm not going to enjoy it (coke).
Now if I did scag everyday for a month I would expect to be addicted. A friend of mine a while back was going around threatening people with a baseball bat because he was taking coke everyday. Not a fucking suprise.
People who are addicted are usually stupid about the person/place/subject/thing they are addicted to. I was joking with Mike the other day about him not liking to share his scag. I used to squat with junkies. I could see their little minds ticking over, thinking up ingenious ways to get me to pay for theirs. I used to just score off of their dealers and do it on my own. Even doing this there is always so much tedious bullshit involved brushing with the basic greed and selfishness of junkie mentality I'm just not interested in.
I can't see the point in getting stupid about inert substances. Lawmakers and TV people get stupid enough about them without us that do them getting stupid as well.
When I lost a lover one time, I lost my job, my friends, my home and almost ended up on the street. No substance involved. Addiction changes your brain and behaviour. Its not drugs, its not women, its addiction and you.
Clicking through a link on Ex-Millenial girls blog I found 35 more blogs with people blathering on about scag. Fascinating, he says yawning. Got some foil, off for a toot. See if I can break the projectile vomiting record. Its all entertainment isn't it.
LATER: Feel shit now. Self loathing is the worst addiction I've ever had to deal with. Its harder to kick than any stupid powder and permeates all parts of my life. I'm a morbid bastard. If ever I die can you make sure they play "Changes" by Black Sabbath at my funeral.
Morbid fucker. Shut up. Go back to bed.
Scag is good no?
My golden rule about drugs: You ingest them. You go up. You come down. You buy some more.
My biggest drug problem: Getting hold of good ones at the right prices.
My second biggest: I've been bored shitless by all of them for ages and I can't stop doing them.
My third: I find it hard to turn down anything offered even if i know I'm not going to enjoy it (coke).
Now if I did scag everyday for a month I would expect to be addicted. A friend of mine a while back was going around threatening people with a baseball bat because he was taking coke everyday. Not a fucking suprise.
People who are addicted are usually stupid about the person/place/subject/thing they are addicted to. I was joking with Mike the other day about him not liking to share his scag. I used to squat with junkies. I could see their little minds ticking over, thinking up ingenious ways to get me to pay for theirs. I used to just score off of their dealers and do it on my own. Even doing this there is always so much tedious bullshit involved brushing with the basic greed and selfishness of junkie mentality I'm just not interested in.
I can't see the point in getting stupid about inert substances. Lawmakers and TV people get stupid enough about them without us that do them getting stupid as well.
When I lost a lover one time, I lost my job, my friends, my home and almost ended up on the street. No substance involved. Addiction changes your brain and behaviour. Its not drugs, its not women, its addiction and you.
Clicking through a link on Ex-Millenial girls blog I found 35 more blogs with people blathering on about scag. Fascinating, he says yawning. Got some foil, off for a toot. See if I can break the projectile vomiting record. Its all entertainment isn't it.
LATER: Feel shit now. Self loathing is the worst addiction I've ever had to deal with. Its harder to kick than any stupid powder and permeates all parts of my life. I'm a morbid bastard. If ever I die can you make sure they play "Changes" by Black Sabbath at my funeral.
Morbid fucker. Shut up. Go back to bed.
Scag is good no?
November 18, 2005
WOMEN BLOGS
I just realised the other day that my top three bloggers at the moment are women. Number 1 is Ex-Millenial girl. If you've never read her stuff before, go back in her archive and start from the beginning. It reads like a very good book. I'm sure it will be one day.
My number 2 blog, and where I spend most of my time in cyberspace is Rightwingsparkleland.
Since the start of the Iraq war I've been fascinated by the opportunity blogging gives me to tap into exactly what grass roots Republican's are thinking. In the hysteria around George Bush's reelection I was certain that he would win. The image of those towers was just too far imprinted onto the American brain.
I used to be an "Activist." So much "activism" involves talking hysteria and listening to hysteria and clapping hysterical people. I felt that as I knew Bush would win, there was no point in not addressing exactly what his supporters were thinking in hope of some inroad into a solution to this "War on terr-r" nightmare. You never know.
I've calmed down in the last year or so, but for ten years before that, give or take a year in India and Pakistan, my life consisted of breaking into empty houses to live in, taking lots of drugs and doing illegal warehouse parties/artshows. Grass roots Republicanism is a world away from my life, yet on the level field of blogworld we can communicate. 'Sparkle has recently, and rightly been recognised as a "women blogger of note" I find a lot of what people write over there a bit scary but if solutions are going to be found this thought process has to be addressed head on. Fucking about demonising people and feeling superior is not for me anymore.
My number 3 blog is Angry Black Bitch. Her style is fantastic. When I read her blog I feel like I am sitting on the carpet in front of her just listening.
So what can I say about women bloggers. Does anything link these three wildly different "women with the blog obsession?"
Don't know. I'm going to think about it. What do you think?
My number 2 blog, and where I spend most of my time in cyberspace is Rightwingsparkleland.
Since the start of the Iraq war I've been fascinated by the opportunity blogging gives me to tap into exactly what grass roots Republican's are thinking. In the hysteria around George Bush's reelection I was certain that he would win. The image of those towers was just too far imprinted onto the American brain.
I used to be an "Activist." So much "activism" involves talking hysteria and listening to hysteria and clapping hysterical people. I felt that as I knew Bush would win, there was no point in not addressing exactly what his supporters were thinking in hope of some inroad into a solution to this "War on terr-r" nightmare. You never know.
I've calmed down in the last year or so, but for ten years before that, give or take a year in India and Pakistan, my life consisted of breaking into empty houses to live in, taking lots of drugs and doing illegal warehouse parties/artshows. Grass roots Republicanism is a world away from my life, yet on the level field of blogworld we can communicate. 'Sparkle has recently, and rightly been recognised as a "women blogger of note" I find a lot of what people write over there a bit scary but if solutions are going to be found this thought process has to be addressed head on. Fucking about demonising people and feeling superior is not for me anymore.
My number 3 blog is Angry Black Bitch. Her style is fantastic. When I read her blog I feel like I am sitting on the carpet in front of her just listening.
So what can I say about women bloggers. Does anything link these three wildly different "women with the blog obsession?"
Don't know. I'm going to think about it. What do you think?
November 15, 2005
Debate
Its great to debate with Republicans. Thanks for visiting me. Anyone feels like joining in do click here.
I am concious that some things I write on Sparkles blog (where I've met all but two of the Republicans I've bloggrolled) are less than constructive sometimes.
I hope that one day we might all be involved in a solution which suits everybody. I will try to remember to participate with this in mind in future. Its very important.
I am concious that some things I write on Sparkles blog (where I've met all but two of the Republicans I've bloggrolled) are less than constructive sometimes.
I hope that one day we might all be involved in a solution which suits everybody. I will try to remember to participate with this in mind in future. Its very important.
NEW MOVIES!!!
OK, some of you have been waiting a long, long time for these for which I must apologize. First I would like to introduce a clip of the first movie I ever made, documenting London Schoolkids protesting the very start of the Iraq war.
Day-X here, article here
I was absolutely astounded by what kids did on their own. The whole experience set me on fire to start documenting "War on terror" related events in London. I was in Finsbury park within a week.
I'm going to put the full 36 minute version on DVD soon I hope.
secondly I'm pleased to have finally put together part 3 of my Finsbury park series
Infidels, Thrills and Spills
The second week after Abu Hamza's arrest the UBA were in Finsbury park protesting, a guy called Patrick Holland from IWC Media was with me to see if we couldn't secure Abu Abdullahs trust for a Channel 4 documentary.
This piece is in two parts. In the first I was pleased to capture the reality of the chasm between Barry, as a representative of "polite British society" and Abu Abdullah as a representative of British fundamental Islam. While Mr. Hamza was around, I never saw Barry ask him when things would be winding up. I know nothing of their prior communication.
Remember this was after over a year of the internal politics, personalities and workings of a British mosque taking place in the street with the Police actively participating by "mediating" media involvement with a religious service. I think this is historicaly unique and always felt that while open communication was happening in my country, I was safer. No doubt about it.
A lot of Muslim commentators were going on record saying that it showed Islam in a dissrespectful manner. I didn't see them there. I'm not a Muslim. I think what I saw predominately were a lot of Londoners. Conservative , maybe pious is the wrong word. Certainly humble but very, very London.
Anyway I also found myself right in the middle of what some newspapers said was "Rightwing extremists clashing with Hamza's supporters."
As you can see this is not true. I had one elbow holding one guy who admittedly wanted a scrap but a much bigger guy easily had hold of him from behind. I wish a Policeman had just shouted at him to be honest but you can see the surge forward. I wish the participants had an opportunity to continue what was becoming a very interesting discussion.
This sort of thing makes "My job" as I see it much easier. Filming two opposing view points trying to make sense of each other rather than supplying any "angle" of my own.
Due to something I said to the UBA in Finsbury park, by the time we all made it to the US embassy in part2 they seemed to think that I was the first facially pierced Islamic fundamentalist. We've sorted all that out since, and if you are here from the UBA, welcome. I know there are a few of you. Try not to crash my server.
I have had good comunication with the UBA since, sadly I have found no one willing to go on camera yet.
My Thanks to all involved.
Due to the Malung nature of all this I'm afraid you're probably going to need the transcripts. I hope my enthusiasm and approach outweigh my technical short comings. Mike and I both use the Matrox G450 dual head graphics card which is available second hand for next to nothing.
Two screens with our mouses running happily from one to the other is the most useful feature of computing I know. We can run the film on screen one and put up the transcript on the other. Unless you are running seriously advanced gaming software this card comes highly recommended. Neither of us could go back to a single screen computer. Anyway I'll stop geeking now.
Day-X here, article here
I was absolutely astounded by what kids did on their own. The whole experience set me on fire to start documenting "War on terror" related events in London. I was in Finsbury park within a week.
I'm going to put the full 36 minute version on DVD soon I hope.
secondly I'm pleased to have finally put together part 3 of my Finsbury park series
Infidels, Thrills and Spills
The second week after Abu Hamza's arrest the UBA were in Finsbury park protesting, a guy called Patrick Holland from IWC Media was with me to see if we couldn't secure Abu Abdullahs trust for a Channel 4 documentary.
This piece is in two parts. In the first I was pleased to capture the reality of the chasm between Barry, as a representative of "polite British society" and Abu Abdullah as a representative of British fundamental Islam. While Mr. Hamza was around, I never saw Barry ask him when things would be winding up. I know nothing of their prior communication.
Remember this was after over a year of the internal politics, personalities and workings of a British mosque taking place in the street with the Police actively participating by "mediating" media involvement with a religious service. I think this is historicaly unique and always felt that while open communication was happening in my country, I was safer. No doubt about it.
A lot of Muslim commentators were going on record saying that it showed Islam in a dissrespectful manner. I didn't see them there. I'm not a Muslim. I think what I saw predominately were a lot of Londoners. Conservative , maybe pious is the wrong word. Certainly humble but very, very London.
Anyway I also found myself right in the middle of what some newspapers said was "Rightwing extremists clashing with Hamza's supporters."
As you can see this is not true. I had one elbow holding one guy who admittedly wanted a scrap but a much bigger guy easily had hold of him from behind. I wish a Policeman had just shouted at him to be honest but you can see the surge forward. I wish the participants had an opportunity to continue what was becoming a very interesting discussion.
This sort of thing makes "My job" as I see it much easier. Filming two opposing view points trying to make sense of each other rather than supplying any "angle" of my own.
Due to something I said to the UBA in Finsbury park, by the time we all made it to the US embassy in part2 they seemed to think that I was the first facially pierced Islamic fundamentalist. We've sorted all that out since, and if you are here from the UBA, welcome. I know there are a few of you. Try not to crash my server.
I have had good comunication with the UBA since, sadly I have found no one willing to go on camera yet.
My Thanks to all involved.
Due to the Malung nature of all this I'm afraid you're probably going to need the transcripts. I hope my enthusiasm and approach outweigh my technical short comings. Mike and I both use the Matrox G450 dual head graphics card which is available second hand for next to nothing.
Two screens with our mouses running happily from one to the other is the most useful feature of computing I know. We can run the film on screen one and put up the transcript on the other. Unless you are running seriously advanced gaming software this card comes highly recommended. Neither of us could go back to a single screen computer. Anyway I'll stop geeking now.
November 13, 2005
TWO VIEWS OF A BUSH
I don't know if you caught George Bush's speech the other day, here are two opposing viewpoints from the states.
Firstly "for" we have Rightwingsparkles The President's Speech Today Rocked
and against we have Peace on that's I'm so sick of Bush which I found through Bold as Love's blog.
Firstly "for" we have Rightwingsparkles The President's Speech Today Rocked
and against we have Peace on that's I'm so sick of Bush which I found through Bold as Love's blog.
November 11, 2005
Apparently Fly Agaric Mushrooms are legal in this country, so here's a picture of half the haul. Unfortunately we lost a lot of them to maggots. I've eaten a couple of the others. Very mild but simmeringly loved up effect. Sort of a promise that a full-blown one would be amazing. Unless one of these little babies is a wolf in red and white spotted clothing I will have to wait till next season to find out.
November 10, 2005
RED GUARD YELLOW SUBMARINE
Posting this well late.
Anna Chen, a friend of socialistwanker from the start narates her new play Red Guard, Yellow Submarine tonight at 7.45 on BBCRadio 4. Also available online here for seven days.
Anna Chen, a friend of socialistwanker from the start narates her new play Red Guard, Yellow Submarine tonight at 7.45 on BBCRadio 4. Also available online here for seven days.
WOOF
Whilst taking on Big Dog (and every other US bloggers) attempts to link the current French Revolution to the concept of Islamic terror fate has taken this opportunity to highlight a comment from Big Dog I had missed about Rave legislation in the US.
Instapundit - far from a leftwing blogger - sums up what little can be found from reputable sources on the web: http://instapundit.com/archives/025089.php a link that you might want to follow would be to FoxNews http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,58663,00.html which criticizes law enforcement's attitude toward Raves.
cheers BigDog.
Instapundit - far from a leftwing blogger - sums up what little can be found from reputable sources on the web: http://instapundit.com/archives/025089.php a link that you might want to follow would be to FoxNews http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,58663,00.html which criticizes law enforcement's attitude toward Raves.
cheers BigDog.
THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
Ok, to counter Big Dogs arguments still further, the Sun, the most rightwing paper in Britain blamed the burning of France on lack of opportunities for people of colour, and racism from the Police in ghettoised communities and NOT Islamic terrorists. Its headline attacks the Conservative party leadership candidates for not supporting Blairs 90 day terror laws.
R+B tells of people wanting to deport young Africans born in France, he rightly asks, as they must be asking "Where to?"
I didn't realise till I looked at the Sun's map, quite how widespread this rioting is. I wonder if the balance has tipped in France?
R+B tells of people wanting to deport young Africans born in France, he rightly asks, as they must be asking "Where to?"
I didn't realise till I looked at the Sun's map, quite how widespread this rioting is. I wonder if the balance has tipped in France?
PULL THE RUG
OK a bit of bollo-ticks for you all.
I enjoy looking at Republican blogs on all issues "War on Terror" "Blame the rag heads etc." but when I see local politics debated I glaze over. I hope you all feel the same about this excursion.
I actually felt something turn on its head tonight in my country. The Conservative party aided a government defeat with a reasoned Liberal arguement.
The Conservative party. Remember Margaret Thatcher?
Unbelievable. They didn't do it for the right reasons of course. They did it because they knew that if they withdrew their pre-agreed support for Blair on terror related issues post 7/7 at this crucial time they could erode his personal power. They couldn't say that of course, so instead they made the argument. Calmly and rationaly I watched David Davis, Conservative party leadership candidate making more or less the same case as Diane Abbot on the issue of civil liberty. Absolutely ridiculous.
I enjoy looking at Republican blogs on all issues "War on Terror" "Blame the rag heads etc." but when I see local politics debated I glaze over. I hope you all feel the same about this excursion.
I actually felt something turn on its head tonight in my country. The Conservative party aided a government defeat with a reasoned Liberal arguement.
The Conservative party. Remember Margaret Thatcher?
Unbelievable. They didn't do it for the right reasons of course. They did it because they knew that if they withdrew their pre-agreed support for Blair on terror related issues post 7/7 at this crucial time they could erode his personal power. They couldn't say that of course, so instead they made the argument. Calmly and rationaly I watched David Davis, Conservative party leadership candidate making more or less the same case as Diane Abbot on the issue of civil liberty. Absolutely ridiculous.
November 09, 2005
IF THERE WAS A GOD
If a coupla my last blogs sounded anti-christian I hope this one makes up a bit.
We've been running a little film night once a week up the road in Camberwell. Last week we were lucky enough to have Sam Clements show his film The Student the nun and the Amazon.
In the summer of 2003 James Newton and Sam Clements headed to Brazil with a video camera, a map, and the idea to make a documentary. It was whilst filming in Southern Brazil that they heard about the extraordinary work of US missionary Sister Dorothy Stang, a nun with a price on her head. For over 20 years she had been fighting to preserve the Amazon rainforest, while helping peasant farmers live sustainably. Inspired by a mere five-minute call to Sister Dorothy, they set off on a 2500-mile journey to find her. Little did they know of the dangers ahead, or that Sister Dorothy would later be killed by hired gunmen.
If anything makes me anti-nationalist and pro-globalisation it is stories like this. When enough people feel like citizens of the planet rather than nation against pissy little nation, the Rainforest will be safe.
I also saw Liquid Crystal Vision. for the first time. This film does its best to document the emergence of a scene I was baptised with acid into 10 years ago and it doesn't do a bad job really. It was good to see who the people I used to see on the dancefloor actually were. A coherent political/spiritual "message" was a suprise too, along with quite rootsy British protest culture and great scenes from Burning Man.
Bigup to the originals like Raja Ram, Ollie Wisdom, Greg Sams, Alex Grey et all
We've been running a little film night once a week up the road in Camberwell. Last week we were lucky enough to have Sam Clements show his film The Student the nun and the Amazon.
In the summer of 2003 James Newton and Sam Clements headed to Brazil with a video camera, a map, and the idea to make a documentary. It was whilst filming in Southern Brazil that they heard about the extraordinary work of US missionary Sister Dorothy Stang, a nun with a price on her head. For over 20 years she had been fighting to preserve the Amazon rainforest, while helping peasant farmers live sustainably. Inspired by a mere five-minute call to Sister Dorothy, they set off on a 2500-mile journey to find her. Little did they know of the dangers ahead, or that Sister Dorothy would later be killed by hired gunmen.
If anything makes me anti-nationalist and pro-globalisation it is stories like this. When enough people feel like citizens of the planet rather than nation against pissy little nation, the Rainforest will be safe.
I also saw Liquid Crystal Vision. for the first time. This film does its best to document the emergence of a scene I was baptised with acid into 10 years ago and it doesn't do a bad job really. It was good to see who the people I used to see on the dancefloor actually were. A coherent political/spiritual "message" was a suprise too, along with quite rootsy British protest culture and great scenes from Burning Man.
Bigup to the originals like Raja Ram, Ollie Wisdom, Greg Sams, Alex Grey et all
November 08, 2005
PARIS BURNS
I've been away so I've missed most of the news about Paris. Big Dog has posted a blog quoting Republicans who are desperate to blame the rioting on Islamic Fundamentalism. Read it. Anyone who saw the BBC documentary about French schools banning the hijab would have seen this coming then. France is a very racist place.
Jon Snows snowmail:
The burning issues of France
===============================
Down and out in Paris and London. Well perhaps not - down in Paris,
feeling subjugated, despised and excluded, out in London in the sense that
ethnic minorities can move around with equanimity in their scarves or
other defining apparel largely without fear.
What is it about France that she is now facing nightly running battles
in the streets with people one of her ministers has described as
'scum'?
You now have a British society that with notorious exceptions has come
to terms with the ethnicities that have flowed into the country during
and post colonisation. The French appear to a large extent to have
tried and failed to make those same people model French citizens and, in
failure, have ghettoised many of them and left them feeling dispossessed.
Tonight almost inevitably the twelfth night of rioting and we ask why?
At seven.
Twelfth night of rioting
also Exlusive on the frontier of the US-Mexico drugs trade
Jon Snows snowmail:
The burning issues of France
===============================
Down and out in Paris and London. Well perhaps not - down in Paris,
feeling subjugated, despised and excluded, out in London in the sense that
ethnic minorities can move around with equanimity in their scarves or
other defining apparel largely without fear.
What is it about France that she is now facing nightly running battles
in the streets with people one of her ministers has described as
'scum'?
You now have a British society that with notorious exceptions has come
to terms with the ethnicities that have flowed into the country during
and post colonisation. The French appear to a large extent to have
tried and failed to make those same people model French citizens and, in
failure, have ghettoised many of them and left them feeling dispossessed.
Tonight almost inevitably the twelfth night of rioting and we ask why?
At seven.
Twelfth night of rioting
also Exlusive on the frontier of the US-Mexico drugs trade
More Kallash stories
If you scroll down a bit you'll find some earlier stories about my experiences in Pakistan with the Kallash tribe. I've fucked up the chronology a bit...
The morning after I arrived at the Kallash village another English guy I had met in Delhi on his way to Pakistan arrived. There was a Canadian girl there too. The sparseness of western tourists in Pakistan alleviated a little. On a patch of grass in front of my room a group of Pakistani Pentecostals were singing and praying with a group of bemused Kallash children.
I wandered down to find a doctor who was with the Christians immunizing kids. The preacher was working himself up. He had glazed eyes, a big moustache and an expensive looking brown leather jacket. He asked me if I was a Christian.
“No. I thought I'd come and learn what these guys beliefs are before trying to inflict them with mine. I think what you are doing is wrong.” I said happily.
“What is in your ears?” asked the preachers sour faced, fat wife.
“Yeah, bones.” I said.
“I think that is not nice. It is ugly.”
I didn't tell her what I thought of her relative beauty.
“Do you know what these people believe? When you've done this immunizing you are going to leave aren't you? You're not interested in these people at all are you?” I pressed.
“These people are very backward.” said the woman.
“Can I pray for you?” asked the preacher.
“Do what you like.” I said.
He prayed in my direction, very dramatically. Then he put his hands on me and started shouting. I realized what he was up to and loosened myself from his grip.
“This is not a devil it is ME!” I shouted, pointing at my face.
I got up and moved away. The preacher carried on praying whilst his wife told the gathered children to close their eyes.
I spoke to an older Kallashi.
“Do you believe all this?” I asked.
He pulled me to one side.
“People like this come here all the time. They think we are backward, but they give us medicine, and we listen to them talk about their religion. We are Kallash. We have our own religion. Pakistanis try to convert us to Islam or Christianity but our western visitors always take an interest in us how we are.”
I was pleased that the Kallash were in no way naive about their visitors. I was assured the next day Yoshi festival would start.
“Will there be dancing? I asked.
“Yes. For two days we dance in the fields then we dance in our meeting place in the next village.”
“Can I join in?”
“Of course you can.”
The morning after I arrived at the Kallash village another English guy I had met in Delhi on his way to Pakistan arrived. There was a Canadian girl there too. The sparseness of western tourists in Pakistan alleviated a little. On a patch of grass in front of my room a group of Pakistani Pentecostals were singing and praying with a group of bemused Kallash children.
I wandered down to find a doctor who was with the Christians immunizing kids. The preacher was working himself up. He had glazed eyes, a big moustache and an expensive looking brown leather jacket. He asked me if I was a Christian.
“No. I thought I'd come and learn what these guys beliefs are before trying to inflict them with mine. I think what you are doing is wrong.” I said happily.
“What is in your ears?” asked the preachers sour faced, fat wife.
“Yeah, bones.” I said.
“I think that is not nice. It is ugly.”
I didn't tell her what I thought of her relative beauty.
“Do you know what these people believe? When you've done this immunizing you are going to leave aren't you? You're not interested in these people at all are you?” I pressed.
“These people are very backward.” said the woman.
“Can I pray for you?” asked the preacher.
“Do what you like.” I said.
He prayed in my direction, very dramatically. Then he put his hands on me and started shouting. I realized what he was up to and loosened myself from his grip.
“This is not a devil it is ME!” I shouted, pointing at my face.
I got up and moved away. The preacher carried on praying whilst his wife told the gathered children to close their eyes.
I spoke to an older Kallashi.
“Do you believe all this?” I asked.
He pulled me to one side.
“People like this come here all the time. They think we are backward, but they give us medicine, and we listen to them talk about their religion. We are Kallash. We have our own religion. Pakistanis try to convert us to Islam or Christianity but our western visitors always take an interest in us how we are.”
I was pleased that the Kallash were in no way naive about their visitors. I was assured the next day Yoshi festival would start.
“Will there be dancing? I asked.
“Yes. For two days we dance in the fields then we dance in our meeting place in the next village.”
“Can I join in?”
“Of course you can.”
November 03, 2005
IMMIGRANT SONG
Not really against immigration myself. I think that would be like being against evolution. I am aware of what people say to me though. I'll relate a bit here. A friend of mine lives in a nice council flat in West London. She only got it in a council swap with a friend, otherwise she would have had to stay in a one bed council flat with her kid growing up. For someone like me to get a flat like this- forget it. For a couple now? maybe 20 years.
Three doors down from her have moved a whole family of Iraqi refugees. Downstairs have moved some relatives of theirs. I can understand why people would be angry about this. In more dangerous areas, like Glasgow people have really kick off.
For another impression of the situation now in London, the same friend has a son who is 16. He took the day off school recently. He wasn't supposed to. Only Muslim kids were allowed to- which emptied his school of all but a few pupils who would sit around and do nothing, or bully him. He's a little bit nerdy and all his schoolfriends are Muslim. Some cheeky secretary from the school rang up asking why he wasn't at school.
"He's become a Muslim." answered my friend.
"L--- is not a Muslim!" the woman replied.
"Well he's become one for the day..."
I'm on this subject after reading Boudica of Suburbia's post about Prussian Blue.
In the comments section I came across the first white supremacists blog I've ever seen. Check it out. Personally I'm not that into pasty faces. I don' really fancy white women. Is that racist? When I think of White Supremacists I always imagine an ugly, angry white man with an incredibly small penis, angry at the world in general and blacks in particular. Like this guy. Most normaly endowed white men can appreciate the beauty of women of colour, and the incredible beauty of those who are mixed can't they? I bet Hitler was disturbed every night with dreams of Eva shagging a 7 foot Masi warrior in full tribal dress.
Three doors down from her have moved a whole family of Iraqi refugees. Downstairs have moved some relatives of theirs. I can understand why people would be angry about this. In more dangerous areas, like Glasgow people have really kick off.
For another impression of the situation now in London, the same friend has a son who is 16. He took the day off school recently. He wasn't supposed to. Only Muslim kids were allowed to- which emptied his school of all but a few pupils who would sit around and do nothing, or bully him. He's a little bit nerdy and all his schoolfriends are Muslim. Some cheeky secretary from the school rang up asking why he wasn't at school.
"He's become a Muslim." answered my friend.
"L--- is not a Muslim!" the woman replied.
"Well he's become one for the day..."
I'm on this subject after reading Boudica of Suburbia's post about Prussian Blue.
In the comments section I came across the first white supremacists blog I've ever seen. Check it out. Personally I'm not that into pasty faces. I don' really fancy white women. Is that racist? When I think of White Supremacists I always imagine an ugly, angry white man with an incredibly small penis, angry at the world in general and blacks in particular. Like this guy. Most normaly endowed white men can appreciate the beauty of women of colour, and the incredible beauty of those who are mixed can't they? I bet Hitler was disturbed every night with dreams of Eva shagging a 7 foot Masi warrior in full tribal dress.
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