Here is an incredibly well researched article about US torture from an ex-soldier.
via harkonnen dog
May 31, 2005
GAY LINCOLN
No, this is not a cheap insult to the Americans who come this way...
When Abraham was in his twenties, a broke lawyer born in a log cabin, he met Speed, an 18-year old shopkeeper. Speed offered to share a room – and a bed – with Abe. This wasn’t uncommon in the 1830s, when only the rich could afford a bed of their own. But sharing would be a transitory, uncomfortable alliance for a few months – except with Abe and Joshua. They shared for four years, a fact that even a 1950s biographer noted “bordered on impropriety.”
Johann Hari
When Abraham was in his twenties, a broke lawyer born in a log cabin, he met Speed, an 18-year old shopkeeper. Speed offered to share a room – and a bed – with Abe. This wasn’t uncommon in the 1830s, when only the rich could afford a bed of their own. But sharing would be a transitory, uncomfortable alliance for a few months – except with Abe and Joshua. They shared for four years, a fact that even a 1950s biographer noted “bordered on impropriety.”
Johann Hari
May 30, 2005
Lest we forget...
20 year aniversary of the Battle of the Beanfield.
20 years ago I was 14, but I still knew which side of this I was on.
20 years ago I was 14, but I still knew which side of this I was on.
Holocaust Survivor leaves U.S.
"When a man who survived the fruits of fascism decides its time to leave THIS country because he's seeing the same patterns that led to the Holocaust and other Nazi horrors beginning to form here, it is time for us to recognize the underlying evil inherent in the actions of those who claim they work for all Americans, and for all mankind. And it is incumbent upon all Americans, Red and Blue, Republican and Democrat, to stop them."
here via rightwingsparkle
here via rightwingsparkle
PRESS RELEASE
“This Is Camp X-Ray” - The Movie.
Manchester Responds to Injustice with Art
“Sick to the back teeth with all this crap, we don’t just seek to
combat
this bombardment by producing ammunition of our own, but to attack
the system which propagates these messages through whatever
means necessary.” UHC Collective, 2003
This documentary film by Damien Mahoney adds to the debate
around the Guantanamo Bay detention centre and the US and UK’s
continued use of imprisonment without trial.
Jai Redman’s ‘This is Camp X-Ray’ installation became one of the
most critically acclaimed art events of 2003, receiving widespread
international press coverage. The controversial installation - a
meticulous working replica of the original American camp in Cuba:
stood for nine days in Hulme, an inner city suburb of Manchester, UK.
Featuring live prisoners and guards, it ran 24 hours a day and stuck
rigorously to the regime of the actual camp.
The film documents the installation and features in depth interviews
with individuals who took part as guards and prisoners. There is
reaction from local residents and passers by and the film concludes
with an emotional interview with the sisters of Jamal Al-Harith, a
Manchester resident who was released from Guantanamo Bay in
2004 after 3 years of imprisonment without charge.
Hard hitting, thought provoking and affecting, the film is a must-see
for those concerned about the West’s continued corrosion of civil
liberties and interested in the role art can play in political
activism.
“One of the most challenging and ambitious art events to have taken
place in recent times.” Manchester’s City Life magazine----------
UHC Collective
- radical art + design
www.uhc.org.uk
Manchester Responds to Injustice with Art
“Sick to the back teeth with all this crap, we don’t just seek to
combat
this bombardment by producing ammunition of our own, but to attack
the system which propagates these messages through whatever
means necessary.” UHC Collective, 2003
This documentary film by Damien Mahoney adds to the debate
around the Guantanamo Bay detention centre and the US and UK’s
continued use of imprisonment without trial.
Jai Redman’s ‘This is Camp X-Ray’ installation became one of the
most critically acclaimed art events of 2003, receiving widespread
international press coverage. The controversial installation - a
meticulous working replica of the original American camp in Cuba:
stood for nine days in Hulme, an inner city suburb of Manchester, UK.
Featuring live prisoners and guards, it ran 24 hours a day and stuck
rigorously to the regime of the actual camp.
The film documents the installation and features in depth interviews
with individuals who took part as guards and prisoners. There is
reaction from local residents and passers by and the film concludes
with an emotional interview with the sisters of Jamal Al-Harith, a
Manchester resident who was released from Guantanamo Bay in
2004 after 3 years of imprisonment without charge.
Hard hitting, thought provoking and affecting, the film is a must-see
for those concerned about the West’s continued corrosion of civil
liberties and interested in the role art can play in political
activism.
“One of the most challenging and ambitious art events to have taken
place in recent times.” Manchester’s City Life magazine----------
UHC Collective
- radical art + design
www.uhc.org.uk
May 29, 2005
Galloway and secret army of cabbies sieze control on Capitol Hill
"I've been in three taxi cabs since I've been here. All of them were driven by Muslims. All of them recognized me immediately. And all of them were huge supporters of everything I stand for."
article here thanks to omegaprojektet
article here thanks to omegaprojektet
err... SNOWBALL WARMING!
Businesses get together
======================
BP, BAA, HSBC - all big business names, have released a letter to try
to persuade Mr Blair into taking specific steps on global warming. Why?
and what are THEY doing to help? We've also seen a leaked draft of
climate change proposals for the G8 summit. We'll be examining it for what
it tells us about the government's expectations of what they might get
George Bush and the rest to agree to. Katie Razzall at 7.00.
sign up for snowmails
======================
BP, BAA, HSBC - all big business names, have released a letter to try
to persuade Mr Blair into taking specific steps on global warming. Why?
and what are THEY doing to help? We've also seen a leaked draft of
climate change proposals for the G8 summit. We'll be examining it for what
it tells us about the government's expectations of what they might get
George Bush and the rest to agree to. Katie Razzall at 7.00.
sign up for snowmails
May 26, 2005
UNBE-FUCKIN-LIEVABLE
this two hours ago:
Prisoner retracts Koran abuse accusation
this is what I filmed Martin Mubanga saying last friday.
here is Mrs Malkins view of all this.
Prisoner retracts Koran abuse accusation
this is what I filmed Martin Mubanga saying last friday.
here is Mrs Malkins view of all this.
SNOW ADVICE
from Channel 4 snowmails
The Attorney General speaks
============================
Lord Goldsmith has finally broken his silence over the legality of the war on Iraq for the first time since Channel 4 News forced its publication in the last week of the General election campaign. We have of course been seeking to speak to the Attorney General about his legal advice - day after day after day we have been requesting an interview with him. But day after day after day comes the response, no thanks.
Today though he has spoken - in an interview with the Daily Telegraph. And there's one thing he said there that caught my eye. Until today it's always been the Attorney General's position that what was set out in his Parliamentary answer on 17th may 2003 was a summary of his legal advice - indeed, the position was that the answer was the only summary of his legal advice. But hang on - today he tells the Telegraph it wasn't a summary at all. Just to be clear about this, here's the quotes:
On November 6th 3003 (Hansard) he says of that written answer: "This was a summary of the legal position… rather than a detailed consideration of the legal issues"
And today he tells the Daily Telegraph: "I never said it was a summary. But it was a correct statement of my conclusion".
The issue about whether this was or was not a summary of the legal advice goes to the very heart of Lord Goldmith's role in issuing an advice with which practically the entire UK legal establishment disagreed.
It goes to the heart of whether he changed his mind radically in the space of ten days for no apparent legal reason; and it goes to the heart of whether Downing Street leant on him to change his advice.
(Doubtless Lord Goldsmith will want to listen to the Telegraph's tape of his interview, as he did with his session for Lord Butler's inquiry when the confidential transcript appeared to show that his final legal advice had been put together by Mr Blair's political advisor Sally Morgan and his then sentencing minister, Lord Falconer. That was then rejected when the tape of his Butler interview was said to have been checked and found to have been transcribed in error. Incidentally we have requested Lord Butler's tape under the Freedom of Information Act.)
Britain's leading academic expert on UK governance, Professor Peter Hennesey, damned Lord Goldsmith for what he castigated as his weakness and failure of integrity. In the Telegraph interview Lord Goldsmith has clearly been stung by the criticism and clearly wants people to take his words at face value. As the quotes above show, we are in the position tonight of having him question the Parliamentary record of his own view on his legal advice.
Naturally we have asked him to talk to us and clarify matters.
He has declined.
sign up for snowmails
The Attorney General speaks
============================
Lord Goldsmith has finally broken his silence over the legality of the war on Iraq for the first time since Channel 4 News forced its publication in the last week of the General election campaign. We have of course been seeking to speak to the Attorney General about his legal advice - day after day after day we have been requesting an interview with him. But day after day after day comes the response, no thanks.
Today though he has spoken - in an interview with the Daily Telegraph. And there's one thing he said there that caught my eye. Until today it's always been the Attorney General's position that what was set out in his Parliamentary answer on 17th may 2003 was a summary of his legal advice - indeed, the position was that the answer was the only summary of his legal advice. But hang on - today he tells the Telegraph it wasn't a summary at all. Just to be clear about this, here's the quotes:
On November 6th 3003 (Hansard) he says of that written answer: "This was a summary of the legal position… rather than a detailed consideration of the legal issues"
And today he tells the Daily Telegraph: "I never said it was a summary. But it was a correct statement of my conclusion".
The issue about whether this was or was not a summary of the legal advice goes to the very heart of Lord Goldmith's role in issuing an advice with which practically the entire UK legal establishment disagreed.
It goes to the heart of whether he changed his mind radically in the space of ten days for no apparent legal reason; and it goes to the heart of whether Downing Street leant on him to change his advice.
(Doubtless Lord Goldsmith will want to listen to the Telegraph's tape of his interview, as he did with his session for Lord Butler's inquiry when the confidential transcript appeared to show that his final legal advice had been put together by Mr Blair's political advisor Sally Morgan and his then sentencing minister, Lord Falconer. That was then rejected when the tape of his Butler interview was said to have been checked and found to have been transcribed in error. Incidentally we have requested Lord Butler's tape under the Freedom of Information Act.)
Britain's leading academic expert on UK governance, Professor Peter Hennesey, damned Lord Goldsmith for what he castigated as his weakness and failure of integrity. In the Telegraph interview Lord Goldsmith has clearly been stung by the criticism and clearly wants people to take his words at face value. As the quotes above show, we are in the position tonight of having him question the Parliamentary record of his own view on his legal advice.
Naturally we have asked him to talk to us and clarify matters.
He has declined.
sign up for snowmails
THE SUN SLEEPING
I cant believe the Sun have missed this one.
waking up and switching the TV on, I saw an educational programme for kids which went straight for the jugular of the oil companies. Highly political stuff which is going to make activists out of the lot of them.
Hilarious.
waking up and switching the TV on, I saw an educational programme for kids which went straight for the jugular of the oil companies. Highly political stuff which is going to make activists out of the lot of them.
Hilarious.
May 22, 2005
"George Bush you will pay. Osama is on his way.
George Bush you will pay. Zarquarwi is on his way."
CNN San fransisco Chronicle The Mirror
BBC Down the toilet at newsweek
The man in the green sold books at Finsbury park mosque throughout the protest. He is a specialist in conspiracy theories. I have interviewed him on camera on many occasions. He is one of the few Muslims who have trusted me with their words.
"I don't believe Abu Hamza is innocent. I know he is innocent."
Very few police about standing well back. Here is one of the Muslims offering a group some rice and chicken.
One Policeman negotiated the whole protest with 2 or 3 community leaders. Religious protests are like no other. They brought hot food, which they shared with everyone. I ate mine talking to Martin Mubanga when most people had left. I told him I was a fan of his rapping. I knew that a lot of Muslims I had met in Finsbury park thought music to be haram and asked him about this. He said that he thought it was OK.
I saw a lot of people who are very used to me being around with a camera including the guy holding the burning cross. My feeling is that the supporters of shareeah, having been ousted from Finsbury park mosque have burried their differences somewhat with Mr. Bakri and the bethnal "anti-democracy" posse.
The feeling I get is that I am around a group of 18-40 year olds, mainly. They have grown up in London, mostly. They are very much like "street" londoners except that they dont drink. Except for spouses, men and women seem to live completely separate lives. I think a lot of them train together to defend themselves. I think they believe that the media is a vast conspiracy run by evil people who work for the devil.
Militant islam or armchair jihadis? That I cannot tell.
Evil people? I'm sorry, I'm completely underwhelmed... as I've said before, if this is the war on terror I want my money back. Ask the Police if they came across as evil.
martin mubanga
This is Martin Mubangas testimony as related to the muslims outside the US. Embassy on Friday.
“The first hunger strike…a direct result of the mistreatment of the Koran by American soldiers.
Brother Raoul from Tipton (released) told me he had put his Koran in a mask which was hanging at the side so that it was not on the floor of his cage. The soldier put the Koran on the floor. The brother told him to put it back, to which the soldier replied
“What, this thing?” and kicked it across the floor.
The brothers went on hunger strike as a direct result of this. Abdul Aziz (Kuwaiti) was on hunger strike for one year.”
Mubanga went on:
“When I was moved to camp delta charlie block, cell 33, Raoul from Tipton was in the next cage. 5-7 soldiers came in and searched the cage. Two held my hands on my head and turned me round. Brother Raoul saw a soldier pick up the Koran and throw it on the floor. He told the soldier “that is our Koran” and rebuked the soldier with harsh words.
The soldiers had heard that I was an extremely dangerous martial artist and wanted to start a fight with me. This was one of the methods they used. Throwing the Koran on the floor. My Koran. My cage.
This was in the first few months, but this activity continued and increased. A man called Shakhir organized the brothers to try and rectify the situation.
He requested General Miller to place a sign in each cage, notifying soldiers not to handle or touch the Koran. They used the excuse that as new soldiers turned up, they were unaware of the issues surrounding the Koran…We were not asking for a gymnasium or swimming pools…General Miller refused…so…brothers refused to comply with demands and requests…they would not come out of their cells for interrogation.
Many brothers were beaten as a result of this and were forced to go outside..they had their hair and beards shaved…I witnessed one man beaten…offering no resistance…he very nearly lost an eye..This was Samir, who used to work for al-Jazzera television.
I witnessed a man over 60 who was dragged out for participating in this protest over the treatment of the Koran.
This is not something new. It is old news. It is a shame that we have to wwait for a magazine which does not have our interests and the interests of the uma at heart to print and then retract this story.”
abu abdullah
This is the Abu Abdullah exposed! by the mirror newspaper here and exposed by me here.
More than Abu Hamza, Abdullah has always been the central focus of my filming for the last two years. This is what he had to say on friday.
I would rather hear the abomination of many nations than hear the Koran being kicked or flushed down the toilet…you people that…say you want peace…pushing Muslims over the edge…expect retaliation
expect retaliation
expect retaliation
Islam is a peaceful religion but when it is pushed… expect retaliation.
Mr. Bush… You and the Zionists who rule the world…want to irradicate Islam off the face of the earth.It will never happen. No matter how much you bomb…rape…kill…one day the shoe will be on the other foot and you will be asking for mercy and Allahs religion demands us to be merciful…
Accept Islam as your salvation because when isa isalam comes there won't be no jisha. You either embrace Islam or die by the sword…
You talk about democracy…you are the violators and we are come as cleasers to cleanse you…
You can never rid us of this doonya…only Allah can rid us of this doonya...democracy does not give us our rights…it is haram to vote for you kafirs that give paedophiles…murderers…homosexuals…lesbians their rights…the eating of the flesh of swine…you can never give us our rights…we will one day insh allah...give you your rights.
The day of judgement…when the salting will be made…Mr. Blair and Mr Bush and you taqadd…fidowns…pompeis…world leaders and nimrods…you to will meet your destruction.
How is it that two muslims…dispute on one issue…and one transgresses…instead of using akken..and going to the knowledable people for fatwa. Instead they go to the kuffar to imprison that Muslim.
The worst of muslims is better than the best of kaffir…even if you had a muslim that killed millions of people…that loves allah…and you compare him to mother terresa.
omar bakri
Having always been completely focused on events at finsbury park this was the first time I had seen Omar Bakri in action. Just like Hamza, he comes across as much more peaceful in the flesh than his headlines would suggest. If I closed my eyes and just listened to his accent, I would swear he was Jewish. I knew that the Finsbury park posse had diferences with Bakris lot, so I was suprised to see them united. This is what Omar Bakri had to say:
"The taqid has a…very sharp sword…it is called jihad.
The desecration is not started in guantanamo bay…it is started in the Saudi Arabia…the apostate regimes..they are the first to desecrate the book of allah…around the world.
I call on the muslims…unite together…the war against terrorism divides…makes some of you weak…they do not want to define terrorism…because they are the first terrorists.
We must unite…all of the muslims to believe in the book of allah and fight for it.
Dare you to touch the book of Allah. Dare you to attack the people…of Allah.
You see what happened in Holland…One man…he drew the satanic verses on the naked body…and it was enough to slaughter him in the middle of the day.
Don’t play with fire…the fire will bring nothing for you except fire…
We are not coming here today to fight anybody because if we come to fight…we do not bring with us our women."
I first met Adnan Saddiqi at a European Social Forum meeting a while back. An ex guantanamo detainee was speaking falteringly about his experiences from behind a screen on a stage in Camden town hall. Adnan and cagedprisoners.com had helped organize the event.
Adnan has always been encouraging me in my progress on this project. He has a great sense of humour and relaxed media savy.
"lawyers have documented all of the claims of those who have been released from Guantanamo... a canadian journalist who has been to Guantanamo Bay told me that it was inconcievable that the soldiers were not following orders. In the US Army there are standard operating procedures about buckling your shoes...It is unfair to use the lower soldiers as scapegoats...they have said themselves that they were only following orders...those higherup should be held responsible...The US government feels it is above the geneva convention."
May 21, 2005
GUARDIAN NEWS
Jurors who acquitted four Algerians in the so-called "ricin plot" trial that ended at the Old Bailey last month have expressed outrage at the news that the government is seeking to deport three of the accused to Algeria.
They have told the Guardian that they are very angry that their verdicts of not guilty appear to have been ignored, and fear that the men face torture or death if deported.
As country heads for disaster, Zimbabwe calls for return of white farmers
They have told the Guardian that they are very angry that their verdicts of not guilty appear to have been ignored, and fear that the men face torture or death if deported.
As country heads for disaster, Zimbabwe calls for return of white farmers
JOHN PEEL IS DEAD
From: postmaster@bbc.co.uk
To: dave@socialistwanker.com
Date: Sat, 21 May 2005 16:36:15 +0100
Subject: Delivery Status Notification (Failure)
This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification.
Delivery to the following recipients failed.
john.peel.01@bbc.co.uk
I don't know how this got into my inbox. John Peel died ages ago.
To: dave@socialistwanker.com
Date: Sat, 21 May 2005 16:36:15 +0100
Subject: Delivery Status Notification (Failure)
This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification.
Delivery to the following recipients failed.
john.peel.01@bbc.co.uk
I don't know how this got into my inbox. John Peel died ages ago.
COMING SOON...
Muslims protest at US embassy London. Flag burning, Calls for jihad, Martin Mubanga, ex-Guantanamo detaineee talks about ABUSE OF KORAN HE WITNESSED INSIDE
No time to do this justice at the moment, but Malung-TV-News version of events coming soon.
No time to do this justice at the moment, but Malung-TV-News version of events coming soon.
May 19, 2005
AHHH!!! JIHAAAADHIS!!!!
they believe everything that could be alleged about America - and more. They've spent so many years inhabiting a delusional mental landscape filled with conspiracy theories and paranoia that you could drill deep into their minds without ever touching reality...
The rioters are the real enemy, not Newsweek and not the American soldiers serving as prison guards...
a sermon delivered by Sheik Ibrahim Mudeiris, which ran last weekend on the Palestinian Authority's official TV station:
"The day will come when we will rule America. The day will come when we will rule Britain and the entire world - except for the Jews. The Jews will not enjoy a life of tranquillity under our rule because they are treacherous by nature, as they have been throughout history. The day will come when everything will be relieved of the Jews - even the stones and trees which were harmed by them. Listen to the Prophet Muhammad, who tells you about the evil end that awaits Jews. The stones and trees will want the Muslims to finish off every Jew."
These are the extremists, the real enemy. Let's keep our eye on the ball.
Jihadwatch
The rioters are the real enemy, not Newsweek and not the American soldiers serving as prison guards...
a sermon delivered by Sheik Ibrahim Mudeiris, which ran last weekend on the Palestinian Authority's official TV station:
"The day will come when we will rule America. The day will come when we will rule Britain and the entire world - except for the Jews. The Jews will not enjoy a life of tranquillity under our rule because they are treacherous by nature, as they have been throughout history. The day will come when everything will be relieved of the Jews - even the stones and trees which were harmed by them. Listen to the Prophet Muhammad, who tells you about the evil end that awaits Jews. The stones and trees will want the Muslims to finish off every Jew."
These are the extremists, the real enemy. Let's keep our eye on the ball.
Jihadwatch
May 17, 2005
SNOW SENATE
Hi there, a bit late today as it's so busy...
Strong denials from Respect MP Galloway
=======================================
Well George Galloway has done what was predicted. He's subjected a US
senate committee to a spectacle they may never experienced in their
political lives. Out on the front foot attacking on every quarter. Here's a
flavour:
"I have met Saddam Hussein exactly the same number of times as Donald
Rumsfeld met him. The difference is that Donald Rumsfeld met him to sell
him guns and to give him maps the better to target those guns."
No great light but much heat. It's the best kind of theatre and is a
real televisual spectacle, but there is no clear sense as to whether the
committee will now retract the allegations they made against Mr
Galloway, which he denied vigorously and in person this afternoon. Jonathan
Rugman at seven.
snowmails
Strong denials from Respect MP Galloway
=======================================
Well George Galloway has done what was predicted. He's subjected a US
senate committee to a spectacle they may never experienced in their
political lives. Out on the front foot attacking on every quarter. Here's a
flavour:
"I have met Saddam Hussein exactly the same number of times as Donald
Rumsfeld met him. The difference is that Donald Rumsfeld met him to sell
him guns and to give him maps the better to target those guns."
No great light but much heat. It's the best kind of theatre and is a
real televisual spectacle, but there is no clear sense as to whether the
committee will now retract the allegations they made against Mr
Galloway, which he denied vigorously and in person this afternoon. Jonathan
Rugman at seven.
snowmails
FIDEL GALLOWAY
Jesus I fuckin hate Galloway, but this is one of the best speeches I have ever heard in my life... Anyone who has seen Galloway speak knew that he was going to relish this opportunity. I didn't realise quite how much I would enjoy it too. I don't think he looked down to read notes once during the whole speech.
crooksandliars.com
crooksandliars.com
May 16, 2005
LET THEM EAT DOG SICK
This was from the mirror the other day. Nice to see someone keeping the pressure up after Jamie Olivers amazing series. Jamie didn't make any political stand over this, quite wisely, but the film he was inspired by certainly did. Its a symptom of capitalism innit?
One of my republican buddies is directing me towards some shit which crtisizes the effect of socialism on my countrymen. I dont see it. Put the health of our nations children out to competetive tender you get this. No suprise whatsoever.
The Mirror names and shames Rentokil-Initial(a pest control company) Sodexho alliance and Compass.
Doing the same thing with the railways produces this sort of thing. Again, no suprises. A friend of mines father was one of the career railwaymen who were sacked en masse and replaced with cheap unskilled labour.
The article says
"It is depressing to see a man like Orwell equating profit with exploitation"
So what the fuck is that on the kids plate?
Mike H got me into Barry Adamsons music a while ago. It is intense, dark and cinematic. I wondered what he looked like, apparently this is he.
Looking through the blurb about him I see that he was one of the original Bad Seeds which doesn't suprise me- I knew there would be someone with talent behind Nick Cave!
UGLY PEOPLE
Libertarians tend to be ugly because it’s an anti-majority philosophy. People who are attractive have an easy time going through life and derive far too many advantages from the status quo to ever question it. It’s only outsiders, who are usually ugly, who join up with fringe movements.
And Republican conventions are full of beautiful people?
from libertarian girl
And Republican conventions are full of beautiful people?
from libertarian girl
GUANTANAMO
ERIK SAAR: I volunteered to go to Guantanamo Bay because I believed in the mission, to be honest with you, ma'am. I went there enthusiastically to serve my country and hopefully to use my Arabic skills to contribute to the war on terrorism and to help. I believed I was going to sit face-to-face with those who perpetrated and were responsible for the events of September 11 and those who were -- or those who were planning future attacks against the United States.
An amazing tale from the frontline of the "War on Terror."
thanks to Omegaprojektet
An amazing tale from the frontline of the "War on Terror."
thanks to Omegaprojektet
May 13, 2005
BLOG BIRTHDAY
My blog is a year old today so I thought I'd celebrate a year of this strange obsession in true internet geekin style - with a badly put together photocollage!
from left to right:
THE DEEKSTER: a fellow disillusioned lefty who also wishes the world were a better place
Mr. Mike H. My blogging brother who I met in Rishikesh (India) when he was 19. It was he who introduced me to blogging- for what good it has done me!
BRAD: A Republican who I hope doesn't still think I want to kill everyone who gets in my way
THE SCRUTINATOR: A Republican who I have enjoyed the odd argument with, but who has also informed me of my own beliefs sometimes.
Ex-Millenial Girl: A real person who has gone through the service industry of the shit that happens to males who's life doesn't turn out like the fairy tale they were told when they grew up. She's survived and shes blogging about it!
Tequilas not for me:The first blogger I met. If I blogged as honestly as her about my life you'd all be in tears.
and, last but not least- the most famous blogger of the lot of us (if profile views are anything to go by)- MISSES RIGHTWINGSPARKLE: Clash on politics, but love the smile!
a virtual birthday party with all the characters I have met through blogging. great party no? an ex-enron employee, an ex-stripper and cat-nip grower, a fellow lefty and 3 republicans, (the dog at the back is a republican) I am supposed to be a technosquat anarchist film maker- what happened?
Happy birthday blog!
May 12, 2005
I THOUGHT THIS GUY WAS GOOD
There was a particularly nasty irony in Blunkett's decision to scramble to the popular press - on his first day back in power - with this announcement. There is a group of people in Britain who are indisputably riding a gravy train, bleeding money away from the Exchequer - fill in your own cliché here.
Who is this group? Certainly not the recipients of a paltry £55-a-week incapacity benefit. No, they are the super-rich operating within our borders, epitomised by the News of the World's owner, Rupert Murdoch. His company News International has paid no net corporation tax at all in this country for more than a decade, despite having profits topping £300m. That's nothing: not a penny.
read JohannHari.com
Who is this group? Certainly not the recipients of a paltry £55-a-week incapacity benefit. No, they are the super-rich operating within our borders, epitomised by the News of the World's owner, Rupert Murdoch. His company News International has paid no net corporation tax at all in this country for more than a decade, despite having profits topping £300m. That's nothing: not a penny.
read JohannHari.com
SNOW COMMENT
Galloway accused
===================
The new anti-war MP for Bow and Bethnal Green, George Galloway, is accused by a Senate investigating committee in America of being involved in the allocation for some 20m barrels of oil. Galloway strenuously denies the allegations.
Pressed by our correspondent, the chairman of the committee said that Galloway 'benefited from doing business with Saddam Hussein'. We are on the case, though the prime minister is not. When I asked him this morning, he seemed not to want to get involved. We have the latest at seven.
snowmails
Galloway is desperate to testify before the committee:
"Book the flights, let's go, let's give them both barrels...That's guns, not oil."
channel 4 news story here
Galloway to appear before committee in the states tuesday!
Putting his head in the lions mouth.
He's going to love this.
Now hes in power I am wondering how his constituents will react, and what he will actually do. Bethnal Green and Bow is a seriously kicking community in every way. If ever you are in London and have a chance to visit, do it. I spend a lot of time there.
===================
The new anti-war MP for Bow and Bethnal Green, George Galloway, is accused by a Senate investigating committee in America of being involved in the allocation for some 20m barrels of oil. Galloway strenuously denies the allegations.
Pressed by our correspondent, the chairman of the committee said that Galloway 'benefited from doing business with Saddam Hussein'. We are on the case, though the prime minister is not. When I asked him this morning, he seemed not to want to get involved. We have the latest at seven.
snowmails
Galloway is desperate to testify before the committee:
"Book the flights, let's go, let's give them both barrels...That's guns, not oil."
channel 4 news story here
Galloway to appear before committee in the states tuesday!
Putting his head in the lions mouth.
He's going to love this.
Now hes in power I am wondering how his constituents will react, and what he will actually do. Bethnal Green and Bow is a seriously kicking community in every way. If ever you are in London and have a chance to visit, do it. I spend a lot of time there.
May 11, 2005
I found this beautiful picture here. It looks like some mythical ninja warriors have had a fight in it. Apparently it was toppled by an earthquake.
May 10, 2005
No idea what she sings like but Joss Stone is a babe no? Can anyone tell me- Is she looking at me like she fancies me in this picture or is it my imagination?
Joss and Dave? Dave and Joss? Naaaah....
On the subject of nice birds Pamela Anderson is taking on KFC, narrating the kentucky fried cruelty movie. These scenes remind me of those in the film koyanasqatsi although the colonels beak chopper is MUCH worse...I hope he chokes on his finger lickin' fuckin' chickin!
Quite different to the last Pamela Anderson movie I downloaded anyway.
A LONG TIME AGO IN A GALAXY FAR FAR AWAY...
I had an interesting conversation with a friends son recently about these characters from the new Starwars movie.
"Look." he said. "She is good and he is bad."
"But how do you know that?" I answered. "Maybe he has just got a bad press. History is written by the victors. Maybe he is just misunderstood."
"No." the kid was adamant. "Its obvious. She is good and he is bad."
"Rubbish." I countered. "Look if you were in a scrap, or if someone was picking on you at school, you'd rather have him as a friend than her. She would start screaming or go crying to mummy because she is a spoilt brat. He would just lamp 'em for you. Job done.
I bet he would be more fun to play with than her too. You can tell by looking at her. That girl has got tantrum written all over her face. If you played with her she would be making up boring rules that you had to stick to or she'd sulk.
He'd be showing you all his nifty gadgets and blowing shit up everywhere. All your friends would want to join in and play with you."
"But he is bad and she is good." insisted the kid.
I hope the new starwars is good, but after the last two I'm not holding my breath. I am part of the "Star Wars" generation. May the force be with you motherfucker!
One plus for the new Star Wars- There are shit loads of Wookies in it! I always liked the wookie.
the official starwars site is here
a great spoof of the news starwars, episode 3: a lost hope is here
darth vaders blog, the darth side is here
death star here
storewars here
jedis they are not here
"Look." he said. "She is good and he is bad."
"But how do you know that?" I answered. "Maybe he has just got a bad press. History is written by the victors. Maybe he is just misunderstood."
"No." the kid was adamant. "Its obvious. She is good and he is bad."
"Rubbish." I countered. "Look if you were in a scrap, or if someone was picking on you at school, you'd rather have him as a friend than her. She would start screaming or go crying to mummy because she is a spoilt brat. He would just lamp 'em for you. Job done.
I bet he would be more fun to play with than her too. You can tell by looking at her. That girl has got tantrum written all over her face. If you played with her she would be making up boring rules that you had to stick to or she'd sulk.
He'd be showing you all his nifty gadgets and blowing shit up everywhere. All your friends would want to join in and play with you."
"But he is bad and she is good." insisted the kid.
I hope the new starwars is good, but after the last two I'm not holding my breath. I am part of the "Star Wars" generation. May the force be with you motherfucker!
One plus for the new Star Wars- There are shit loads of Wookies in it! I always liked the wookie.
the official starwars site is here
a great spoof of the news starwars, episode 3: a lost hope is here
darth vaders blog, the darth side is here
death star here
storewars here
jedis they are not here
TO BELIEVE IN
Its hard to hold to philosophies. I am sometimes jealous of my Islamic and Christian friends because of their certainty that what they believe is the truth. I haven't found a lot worth reading on the net recently but this stood out:
"If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their money, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them (around the banks), will deprive the people of their property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), US Founding Father
from Illuminati Conspiracy archive
As a statement of belief I found this interesting from the Rebel Clown Army
"If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their money, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them (around the banks), will deprive the people of their property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), US Founding Father
from Illuminati Conspiracy archive
As a statement of belief I found this interesting from the Rebel Clown Army
May 09, 2005
MORE GALLOWAY BASHING
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown in todays independent:
Once, not that long ago, equality activists like myself would have condemned what happened in east London last week as nothing but white bigotry crushing black hopes. Oona King - female, mixed race (black and Jewish), young, clever, destined to rise, lost her seat to a seedy and manipulative middle-aged, middle- class man, George Galloway.
Much as I hate to defend Mr.G Yasmin is a bit too gliterati these days herself to play the race card on and on all the time and Oooooona suffered because she blatantly refused to represent her constituents, which was what she was elected to do after all.
Galloway in the Guardian here
"As the sun came up over Brick Lane on Friday a new dawn had truly broken over the East End of London — and over British politics." says Mr. Galloway about his own victory...
Once, not that long ago, equality activists like myself would have condemned what happened in east London last week as nothing but white bigotry crushing black hopes. Oona King - female, mixed race (black and Jewish), young, clever, destined to rise, lost her seat to a seedy and manipulative middle-aged, middle- class man, George Galloway.
Much as I hate to defend Mr.G Yasmin is a bit too gliterati these days herself to play the race card on and on all the time and Oooooona suffered because she blatantly refused to represent her constituents, which was what she was elected to do after all.
Galloway in the Guardian here
"As the sun came up over Brick Lane on Friday a new dawn had truly broken over the East End of London — and over British politics." says Mr. Galloway about his own victory...
May 08, 2005
Found this here. The "Whole family on a moped" is one of my favourite memories of asia. The energy efficiency of the east puts us western fuel guzzlers to shame no?
May 07, 2005
SNOW RESPECT
On the road with Gorgeous George
======================================
The war was mentioned by 3% of opinion poll responders yet now we learn it was deeply embedded in so many ways. Nowhere more explicitly so than in the torrid campaign in Bethnall Green and Bow where the controversial 'Gorgeous' George Galloway swamped Labour's Blair loyalist Oona King. We have a wonderful film shot on Galloway's campaign that tells you
how this new outside, anti-war party did something that is almost
impossible in our system - Brreaking through to beat a conventional party.
snowmails
======================================
The war was mentioned by 3% of opinion poll responders yet now we learn it was deeply embedded in so many ways. Nowhere more explicitly so than in the torrid campaign in Bethnall Green and Bow where the controversial 'Gorgeous' George Galloway swamped Labour's Blair loyalist Oona King. We have a wonderful film shot on Galloway's campaign that tells you
how this new outside, anti-war party did something that is almost
impossible in our system - Brreaking through to beat a conventional party.
snowmails
AAHHHHH HE SIGHS
Ever since the evil Howard stepped up as leader I've felt as if things were rolling towards this moment. I was a bit worried talking to voter X about immigration (see FUCKING IMMIGRANTS 2) I had a little wobble when Blair published his legal advice, but here we are, able to heave a huge sigh of releif as the dark one slips off into the shadows.
It feels good.
He was actually coming across quite touchy feely during the whole campaign, not unlike an evil conservative bastard doing an impression of Tony Blair. He progressively used his hands more and more until just before the election in his live TV interview with Jon Snow the two of them looked like they had both learned sign language and were signing along for the hard of hearing as they argued. Now that would have been impressive. Goodbye Mr. Howard.
It feels good.
He was actually coming across quite touchy feely during the whole campaign, not unlike an evil conservative bastard doing an impression of Tony Blair. He progressively used his hands more and more until just before the election in his live TV interview with Jon Snow the two of them looked like they had both learned sign language and were signing along for the hard of hearing as they argued. Now that would have been impressive. Goodbye Mr. Howard.
May 06, 2005
A NEW DAY HAS DAWNED HAS IT NOT?
Bloody hell. They elected Galloway. And this was how they did it.
Err.. designed for non-English speakers innit?
You got to hand it to the SWP though. These guys have craved power for such a long time. Lets see what they do with it in Bethnal Green. If they can do anything to stop war I am up for it. Quite a result for such a new coalition.
It was certainly a live election on the streets of Bethnal Green last night with pubs full of switched on white people who either hadn't voted or voted lib-dem.
In the end the war definately did play an interesting part in the election and that is something to be pleased about.
Police were stationed outside each poling station. Pissed, cycling down brick lane with no lights the wrong way last night I asked two van loads of them to give me their assesment of the local Muslim threat.
"Very small and insignificant."
Forgot to ask the small group of bengalis wearing blue rosettes how the fuck they had managed to become tories.
Oh and mixmaster morris told me he'd voted Lib-Dem for the first time in his life.
George Galloway gave a speech like a tin pot dictator on TV about 4 am. I think he was declaring war on the local council and telling those who had run the election that they should hang their heads in shame.
Ooooona looked like she needed consoling. If she hadn't voted for the war she would probably have kept at least a thousand votes, her seat and possibly her conscience. I think the result can be read thus:
Her constituents believe she failed to represent their interests on an issue which mattered to them. I fucking hate Galloway but thats fair really isn't it.
May 04, 2005
MORE TORY WANKERS
This from Jon Snows snowmails
The Tories are naturally insisting that Michael Howard has not given up
hope of victory. Today he released a timetable for action - it includes
a promise to put "matron" in charge of hospital wards by June 6th.
----------------------- -------------
and who the FUCK put a whole tier of managment into the NHS who knew FUCK ALL about nursing? These wankers make me fucking sick. I don't like the Conservatives very much.
The Tories are naturally insisting that Michael Howard has not given up
hope of victory. Today he released a timetable for action - it includes
a promise to put "matron" in charge of hospital wards by June 6th.
----------------------- -------------
and who the FUCK put a whole tier of managment into the NHS who knew FUCK ALL about nursing? These wankers make me fucking sick. I don't like the Conservatives very much.
PAX IN BETHNAL GREEN
Turns out I wasn't the only blogger at the Bethnal Green "hustings" the other day. (see LIBERAL EXTREMISTS?) Salam Pax, possibly the most famous blogger in the world included his footage from the event in a very interesting piece he did for newsnight on the BBC last night.
This included him ambushing George Galloway and the "I salute your indefatigability Saddam Hussain" speech. Interestingly the piece also includes a discussion he had with one of the local fundamentalists who believes voting is forbidden by Islam (a core belief of Abu Hamza and co, although I gather there is no love lost between the two groups) I haven't met the Bethnal Green mob but this guy didn't seem to have an obvious problem with Salam, even though he is openly gay.
The BBC article also includes a videoclip of the Socialist Workers party, sorry Respect party manifesto launch presented by a certain John Rees (SWP)
I asked John Rees about Mr. Galloways indefatigable comments once. I had brought a copy of my film DAY-X for them to show at a meeting of the Stop the War Campaign.
"Why did George Galloway say to Saddam "I salute your indefatigability?""
no answer.
"And why is he using a word like in-de-fat-ig-a-ble (I counted the sylables on my fingers) with someone who doesn't speak English?"
again no answer.
"And what does the word indefatigable mean?"
again no answer, and my film was pulled. 600 anti war activists missed a chance to see what children did, and they didn't. It's much more important to talk about stopping a war than actually trying to do it though isn't it?
Here is what George Galloway has to say about the Iraqi elections courtesy of Eric the Unread.
This included him ambushing George Galloway and the "I salute your indefatigability Saddam Hussain" speech. Interestingly the piece also includes a discussion he had with one of the local fundamentalists who believes voting is forbidden by Islam (a core belief of Abu Hamza and co, although I gather there is no love lost between the two groups) I haven't met the Bethnal Green mob but this guy didn't seem to have an obvious problem with Salam, even though he is openly gay.
The BBC article also includes a videoclip of the Socialist Workers party, sorry Respect party manifesto launch presented by a certain John Rees (SWP)
I asked John Rees about Mr. Galloways indefatigable comments once. I had brought a copy of my film DAY-X for them to show at a meeting of the Stop the War Campaign.
"Why did George Galloway say to Saddam "I salute your indefatigability?""
no answer.
"And why is he using a word like in-de-fat-ig-a-ble (I counted the sylables on my fingers) with someone who doesn't speak English?"
again no answer.
"And what does the word indefatigable mean?"
again no answer, and my film was pulled. 600 anti war activists missed a chance to see what children did, and they didn't. It's much more important to talk about stopping a war than actually trying to do it though isn't it?
Here is what George Galloway has to say about the Iraqi elections courtesy of Eric the Unread.
May 03, 2005
HIT HIM WITH A PIECE OF WOOD
So to continue with my drug taking dilemmas, the weekend just gone I didn’t actually manage to get out of my head until Tuesday. Inspired by ex-millennial girls K-holing stories I scored some Ketamine to remind myself what I had become so obsessed about on my journeys through India.
My allergy to Saturday nights meant I missed fantastic parties here and here, but I didn’t care that much. Saturday parties are full of people who can’t settle. Wandering between rooms in packs working off their nervous energies by shouting at each other through doorways and screaming when they see someone they recognize. By Sunday morning people are into the groove, out of their heads and dancing. It’s a nice time for me to join in.
As I mentioned before, this Sunday I was looking forward to an outdoor Punjabi party. I loved the mix of Asian ritual music and ketamine in India, so I thought that hoofing a line in the beautiful grounds of my friend’s house, listening to similar music would bring back fond memories.
I’ve never had such a palava getting a line of powder to my nose in my life. First the argument was
“These are responsible people. There are kids here. They don’t want to see someone with their eyes rolling round etc.”
Fair comment. As the night drew on and families left I kept looking to my host.
“Cooking?” I asked. The K I had was in liquid form and so required evaporation.
My friend is a major cainer who doesn’t take much persuading. He is also a major piss-head, which meant that he got himself embroiled in an argument with his misses which he had too much alcohol in his system to let go of. His girlfriend, also my friend of 12 years instructed me not to give him any K.
“How about if he apologizes?” I suggested hopefully.
I didn’t get an answer but headed off to his kitchen where he was sulking. He saw me and started rubbing his hands in anticipation. I had to dampen his enthusiasm straight away.
“Not until you apologize to your misses. I told her you would apologize first.”
He started rilling up. “You want me to make an apology I don’t mean?”
“Yes. Of course I fucking do. You are boring everyone shitless. No one cares what you are arguing about. I just want to do a line of K.”
It was no use. We went back outside and he continued shouting at his girlfriend. There were only one of his sisters and his brother in law left. His brother in law is a largely built and friendly Sikh who was still cooking beautiful fiery kebabs on the barbie.
His girlfriend looked to me for support.
“Hit him with a piece of wood?” I suggested.
He calmed down for five seconds before shouting again. She actually apologized to him for whatever it was he was accusing her of.
“That’s not good enough. YOU have to apologize to HER.”
He carried on shouting whilst I wandered around his garden, very drunk looking for a piece of wood to hit him with. Eventually his lovely sister and her husband, after maning the flames for the whole event, had to drag their kids out of bed to drive the 100 miles back up to Birmingham because they couldn't handle it any more. I left in disgust, Ketamine still undone.
Yesterday, I went round to help clear up and finish the beer and he was still going on.
This morning, dragging him out of the setting we finally got to do the K.
I thought I sorted enough for us both to be wandering around a bit, interacting with the world around us. As it came on we laid down on a jetty of a pond near where I live.I don’t remember seeing my friend for a long while. Sometimes K just gets you. I’ve been trying to come to terms with the experience since, but its hard to describe the enormity of what I thought was happening.
I somehow felt connected to the Greenwich meridian as a force of power that politicians were usurping. Misses Rightwingsparkle turned up on my trip, and we were going to visit George Bush together to convince him that child sacrifice was no longer necessary and to look to his childhood for the root of his dilemmas. Everything was going to be OK in a deeply spiritual way for the whole planet.
I don’t know how to describe the rest of the trip. I felt like I was materialy and physically connected to everything, concepts and thoughts took on physical form. Every thought seemed to open a new scene. I must stress that this wasn't in a beautiful way that acid comes on sometimes, but a totally out of body, elsewhere experience. As I came down and recognized my friend, I pinched my face and couldn’t feel it. I was passing a substance through my system which shouldn’t be there.
When K doesn’t work I wonder what I see in it, but sometimes it just hits me over the head like a pan galactic gargle blaster. Like everything else I have ever done in my life combined in one hit.
This morning, I got knocked into next week, and as my friend said happily before he left
“You told me you’d hit me over the head with something this weekend!”
I think we were both laid out flat for about two hours. I'm not in an amazing hurry to repeat the experience.
My friend thought he had died. He also thought that if this was death, it wasn't that bad. He went home and apologized to his girlfriend, kissing her feet glad to be alive.
p.s. if you enjoyed this one I wrote more tales of K, niftily woven into personal tales of my experiences with fundamental Islam here
and here
I found another interesting K story which goes into a bit more detail than mine here
Dr. Lilly cures his migraines with Ketamine here
My allergy to Saturday nights meant I missed fantastic parties here and here, but I didn’t care that much. Saturday parties are full of people who can’t settle. Wandering between rooms in packs working off their nervous energies by shouting at each other through doorways and screaming when they see someone they recognize. By Sunday morning people are into the groove, out of their heads and dancing. It’s a nice time for me to join in.
As I mentioned before, this Sunday I was looking forward to an outdoor Punjabi party. I loved the mix of Asian ritual music and ketamine in India, so I thought that hoofing a line in the beautiful grounds of my friend’s house, listening to similar music would bring back fond memories.
I’ve never had such a palava getting a line of powder to my nose in my life. First the argument was
“These are responsible people. There are kids here. They don’t want to see someone with their eyes rolling round etc.”
Fair comment. As the night drew on and families left I kept looking to my host.
“Cooking?” I asked. The K I had was in liquid form and so required evaporation.
My friend is a major cainer who doesn’t take much persuading. He is also a major piss-head, which meant that he got himself embroiled in an argument with his misses which he had too much alcohol in his system to let go of. His girlfriend, also my friend of 12 years instructed me not to give him any K.
“How about if he apologizes?” I suggested hopefully.
I didn’t get an answer but headed off to his kitchen where he was sulking. He saw me and started rubbing his hands in anticipation. I had to dampen his enthusiasm straight away.
“Not until you apologize to your misses. I told her you would apologize first.”
He started rilling up. “You want me to make an apology I don’t mean?”
“Yes. Of course I fucking do. You are boring everyone shitless. No one cares what you are arguing about. I just want to do a line of K.”
It was no use. We went back outside and he continued shouting at his girlfriend. There were only one of his sisters and his brother in law left. His brother in law is a largely built and friendly Sikh who was still cooking beautiful fiery kebabs on the barbie.
His girlfriend looked to me for support.
“Hit him with a piece of wood?” I suggested.
He calmed down for five seconds before shouting again. She actually apologized to him for whatever it was he was accusing her of.
“That’s not good enough. YOU have to apologize to HER.”
He carried on shouting whilst I wandered around his garden, very drunk looking for a piece of wood to hit him with. Eventually his lovely sister and her husband, after maning the flames for the whole event, had to drag their kids out of bed to drive the 100 miles back up to Birmingham because they couldn't handle it any more. I left in disgust, Ketamine still undone.
Yesterday, I went round to help clear up and finish the beer and he was still going on.
This morning, dragging him out of the setting we finally got to do the K.
I thought I sorted enough for us both to be wandering around a bit, interacting with the world around us. As it came on we laid down on a jetty of a pond near where I live.I don’t remember seeing my friend for a long while. Sometimes K just gets you. I’ve been trying to come to terms with the experience since, but its hard to describe the enormity of what I thought was happening.
I somehow felt connected to the Greenwich meridian as a force of power that politicians were usurping. Misses Rightwingsparkle turned up on my trip, and we were going to visit George Bush together to convince him that child sacrifice was no longer necessary and to look to his childhood for the root of his dilemmas. Everything was going to be OK in a deeply spiritual way for the whole planet.
I don’t know how to describe the rest of the trip. I felt like I was materialy and physically connected to everything, concepts and thoughts took on physical form. Every thought seemed to open a new scene. I must stress that this wasn't in a beautiful way that acid comes on sometimes, but a totally out of body, elsewhere experience. As I came down and recognized my friend, I pinched my face and couldn’t feel it. I was passing a substance through my system which shouldn’t be there.
When K doesn’t work I wonder what I see in it, but sometimes it just hits me over the head like a pan galactic gargle blaster. Like everything else I have ever done in my life combined in one hit.
This morning, I got knocked into next week, and as my friend said happily before he left
“You told me you’d hit me over the head with something this weekend!”
I think we were both laid out flat for about two hours. I'm not in an amazing hurry to repeat the experience.
My friend thought he had died. He also thought that if this was death, it wasn't that bad. He went home and apologized to his girlfriend, kissing her feet glad to be alive.
p.s. if you enjoyed this one I wrote more tales of K, niftily woven into personal tales of my experiences with fundamental Islam here
and here
I found another interesting K story which goes into a bit more detail than mine here
Dr. Lilly cures his migraines with Ketamine here
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
Right now I am watching a documentary about whether or not Iran is developing nuclear weapons. Meanwhile:
Over the last few years I have become allergic to Saturday nights.
Why?
Drugs.
When a party is looming I get so nervous I start shaking and have to lay down. The idea of avoiding the drug rollercoaster is inconceivable. The idea of going on it gets scarier and scarier as I get older. The irresistible force of British tradition on a Saturday night fights with the immovable object which in this case is my body lying down in fear of the chemical journey ahead.
Its not that I don’t want to do drugs, I do. But over the years it has taken progressively more and more, and more dangerously perhaps, more outlandish cocktails to achieve the same effect. The price of not getting that effect is having a shit time on exctacy or a shit time on acid or a mixture of the two and whatever else doesn’t quite tip the scales towards that dancefloor “moment”
I think I am a fairly typical British person in this respect. The dancefloor is very much my constituency as far as politics is concerned.
Over the last few years I have become allergic to Saturday nights.
Why?
Drugs.
When a party is looming I get so nervous I start shaking and have to lay down. The idea of avoiding the drug rollercoaster is inconceivable. The idea of going on it gets scarier and scarier as I get older. The irresistible force of British tradition on a Saturday night fights with the immovable object which in this case is my body lying down in fear of the chemical journey ahead.
Its not that I don’t want to do drugs, I do. But over the years it has taken progressively more and more, and more dangerously perhaps, more outlandish cocktails to achieve the same effect. The price of not getting that effect is having a shit time on exctacy or a shit time on acid or a mixture of the two and whatever else doesn’t quite tip the scales towards that dancefloor “moment”
I think I am a fairly typical British person in this respect. The dancefloor is very much my constituency as far as politics is concerned.
May 02, 2005
MAYDAY
Looking through the articles on Indymedia it seems that those crazy anarchists invaded an east London supermarket and then had a scuffle with the Police in a nearby park. Sounds like fun.
I spent the day in a friends garden where he and his neighbours had set up a Punjabi party complete with live traditional Punjabi musicians. three quaters of the people there were indian and knew most of the songs. A relaxed insight into another peoples culture. Apparently the Punjabi singer had two wives. The music was great, the beer was flowing.
I spent the day in a friends garden where he and his neighbours had set up a Punjabi party complete with live traditional Punjabi musicians. three quaters of the people there were indian and knew most of the songs. A relaxed insight into another peoples culture. Apparently the Punjabi singer had two wives. The music was great, the beer was flowing.
May 01, 2005
TORY WANKERS
After my experiences with Galloway and Robin Cook I've ben checking through the internet looking for similar Conservative "hustings" to attend.
Look at this.
Tickets £6, tickets £12, tickets £15...I could go dancing all night and get out of my head for that.
Look at this.
Tickets £6, tickets £12, tickets £15...I could go dancing all night and get out of my head for that.
BLAIR
Seeing the headlines the other day, complete with close-ups of Mr. Blairs nervous face made me worry a bit about my "fuck the lot of them" political stance. I didn't agree with attacking Iraq. I don't know how someone in a suit can sit there knowing that he has helped unleash death on so many innocent strangers. But to me, Tony Blair is a political freak.
I don't like Blair.
To qualify that statement I have to put in what my ex-girlfriend says about me and Blair.
"You fuckin love him you do! He's your bestest buddy!"
The thing about Blair is that he communicates like no other Politician from left or right and he has always done so. He talks like you and I do. How much of this is stage managed?
No other Prime Minister has used the "masochism special" as a Political media technique. No other Prime Minister has used it to such effect. Every time Blair gets sticky about the war he's off down some backwater hicksville shopping centre getting slagged off to his face by intelligent young members of the public. And it works.
I don't like Blair, but the idea of him loosing to the evil Howard almost makes me want to register, run to the booth and vote for him. There you are. I've said it now.
Why?
Because if the Tory's had been in charge on Sept 11th war would be global, every Muslim I have been filming would have been locked up, guilty or not. I would probably have been locked up for doing what I am doing and this country would be a Police state now, rather than just heading in that direction. To me, the idea of another crisis with the evil Howard in charge does not bear thinking about.
I don't like Blair.
To qualify that statement I have to put in what my ex-girlfriend says about me and Blair.
"You fuckin love him you do! He's your bestest buddy!"
The thing about Blair is that he communicates like no other Politician from left or right and he has always done so. He talks like you and I do. How much of this is stage managed?
No other Prime Minister has used the "masochism special" as a Political media technique. No other Prime Minister has used it to such effect. Every time Blair gets sticky about the war he's off down some backwater hicksville shopping centre getting slagged off to his face by intelligent young members of the public. And it works.
I don't like Blair, but the idea of him loosing to the evil Howard almost makes me want to register, run to the booth and vote for him. There you are. I've said it now.
Why?
Because if the Tory's had been in charge on Sept 11th war would be global, every Muslim I have been filming would have been locked up, guilty or not. I would probably have been locked up for doing what I am doing and this country would be a Police state now, rather than just heading in that direction. To me, the idea of another crisis with the evil Howard in charge does not bear thinking about.
SNOWBLAIR
This is John Snows snowmail from thursday (malung tv news isn't so instant)
The war and the law: fallout
==================================
Crumbs... the full publication of the Attorney General's Legal Advice
on going to war on Iraq. Mr Blair yielded up a document he has sworn
again and again not to publish. He did so in the course of his news
conference this morning telling me he suspected we had it anyway.
I didn't reveal that I had nothing more after our three page scoop
yesterday but I did say 'shall I publish, or will you?'.
He offered to do so. I'm sorry I was unable to let you know on Snowmail
yesterday that we had this amazing break, but the risks involved in
publishing such sensitive material meant we had to play our cards rather
close to our chest.
Tonight we rake through the Attorney's advice, amazing stuff which
finds him moving from Britain’s long held legal view that as the UN set the
terms of the 1991 ceasefire on Iraq it was for the UN security council
to determine whether those terms had been breached.
The US argues - alone - that any country can determine whether there
has been a breach, he said on March 7th. Well guess what? That then
became the British Government's view! Lord Goldsmith is also candid about
the risk of prosecution of British forces at the international court -
adding 'cannot be certain they would not succeed.'
We've also been round the Cabinet asking ministers how they felt at not
being told about Lord Goldsmith's doubts when they considered his
advice on the eve of war. Gratifiying to hear Patricia Hewitt say at this
morning's news conference that the first time she saw the document was on
our website last night!
Read the full document at http://www.channel4.com/news/
The war and the law: fallout
==================================
Crumbs... the full publication of the Attorney General's Legal Advice
on going to war on Iraq. Mr Blair yielded up a document he has sworn
again and again not to publish. He did so in the course of his news
conference this morning telling me he suspected we had it anyway.
I didn't reveal that I had nothing more after our three page scoop
yesterday but I did say 'shall I publish, or will you?'.
He offered to do so. I'm sorry I was unable to let you know on Snowmail
yesterday that we had this amazing break, but the risks involved in
publishing such sensitive material meant we had to play our cards rather
close to our chest.
Tonight we rake through the Attorney's advice, amazing stuff which
finds him moving from Britain’s long held legal view that as the UN set the
terms of the 1991 ceasefire on Iraq it was for the UN security council
to determine whether those terms had been breached.
The US argues - alone - that any country can determine whether there
has been a breach, he said on March 7th. Well guess what? That then
became the British Government's view! Lord Goldsmith is also candid about
the risk of prosecution of British forces at the international court -
adding 'cannot be certain they would not succeed.'
We've also been round the Cabinet asking ministers how they felt at not
being told about Lord Goldsmith's doubts when they considered his
advice on the eve of war. Gratifiying to hear Patricia Hewitt say at this
morning's news conference that the first time she saw the document was on
our website last night!
Read the full document at http://www.channel4.com/news/
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