July 30, 2008
July 28, 2008
July 27, 2008
Revenge of Gujarat: Its Not a Movie.
excellent comment about this from Raul at Pickled Politics
...To those who accuse India of discrimination against muslims you have no idea about how the Indian state operates...
THE SUN OWE ME MONEY
Ha ha ha I can't fuckin believe it! Not only do The Sun steal the work of independent film makers off of youtube and pass it as their own, now they DELETE RASTAS FROM PHOTOS. Why is that then?
via Pickled Politics
via Pickled Politics
July 26, 2008
You weren't expecting that
The Star Bradley Whitford, Josh in The West Wing -" We've just lost eight years because we've had the worst President in history at the most delicate time in history."
OK. So the yanks are the bad guys, but we all knew that. The British who are the good guys do a deal with the Chinese who almost become the good guys until the evil yanks offer them a nuclear deal. The whole plot spins around the post Kyoto2 rave which everyone is at and in the end the world economy crashes. Unusually the darker skinned guy doesn't get it first. He doesn't even die, he drives off. Oh and there is a dancing bear.
For a more scientific review click here
OK. So the yanks are the bad guys, but we all knew that. The British who are the good guys do a deal with the Chinese who almost become the good guys until the evil yanks offer them a nuclear deal. The whole plot spins around the post Kyoto2 rave which everyone is at and in the end the world economy crashes. Unusually the darker skinned guy doesn't get it first. He doesn't even die, he drives off. Oh and there is a dancing bear.
For a more scientific review click here
July 25, 2008
I'LL HAVE A K PLEASE BOB
I just found a really good PDF about ketamine written by the government of all people. As usual with these things they are paying way over the odds for their drugs but they can afford it eh.
July 24, 2008
FIRE BURN DEM
Everyone should watch Burn up. Everyone who hasn't already that is. Its an "Eco-Thriller". Its hilarious.
Some reviews:
...To say Beaufoy’s characters are two-dimensional would be an insult to flat surfaces...
...It probably would be sensible to at least wait until I’d seen the second part before condemning Burn Up as an absolute stinker. But why wait...
...It wasn’t a bad attempt at taking on climate change in a dramatic made-for-TV format. The first turns at addressing a new social/political phenomena are always going to be a little cliched...
..I expect it’ll get so much sillier in the final episode. But the greenies won’t care anyway...
I found the whole thing fucking hilarious. I laughed all the way through. After these stupid luvie terr-ist fantasies (First episode of Bonekickers and Britz) we needed a global warming thriller! I read loads more reviews of this where people were complimenting the acting. Strange. It looked to me like everyone was acting with the script stuck up their ass sideways. Don't get me wrong, I agree completely with the sentiment- we've got photo-voltaics on the roof, Mescoli woodchip burners, I cycle everywhere- I don't even use the tube if I can help it, but this is just crap. Hilarious, but crap. Can't wait for episode two.
Some reviews:
...To say Beaufoy’s characters are two-dimensional would be an insult to flat surfaces...
...It probably would be sensible to at least wait until I’d seen the second part before condemning Burn Up as an absolute stinker. But why wait...
...It wasn’t a bad attempt at taking on climate change in a dramatic made-for-TV format. The first turns at addressing a new social/political phenomena are always going to be a little cliched...
..I expect it’ll get so much sillier in the final episode. But the greenies won’t care anyway...
I found the whole thing fucking hilarious. I laughed all the way through. After these stupid luvie terr-ist fantasies (First episode of Bonekickers and Britz) we needed a global warming thriller! I read loads more reviews of this where people were complimenting the acting. Strange. It looked to me like everyone was acting with the script stuck up their ass sideways. Don't get me wrong, I agree completely with the sentiment- we've got photo-voltaics on the roof, Mescoli woodchip burners, I cycle everywhere- I don't even use the tube if I can help it, but this is just crap. Hilarious, but crap. Can't wait for episode two.
July 23, 2008
July 22, 2008
July 20, 2008
HALT?
round and round and round we go...
Britain should stop extraditing prisoners to America following the CIA’s admission that it ‘tortured’ terror suspects, an influential group of MPs has demanded.
The move by the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee would prevent the extradition of hook-handed cleric Abu Hamza, who faces terror charges in the US, and Babar Ahmad, accused of fund-raising for the Taliban.
Ministers have previously been willing to take at face-value statements from President George Bush that the US does not resort to torture.
But the committee says this should no longer be the case after CIA admitted the ‘waterboarding’ of three detaineesJuly 19, 2008
July 17, 2008
July 16, 2008
TONIGHT
Online at the Frontline club A Fragile Soverignty
Chaired by Jon Snow (C4)
Patrick Cockburn (journalist and author)
Toby Dodge (QMU, London)
Major General John Batiste (via skype)
Yahia Said (Revenue Watch Institute and LSE)
Dr. Ali Al-Dabbagh (Iraqi government - via skype)
Chaired by Jon Snow (C4)
Patrick Cockburn (journalist and author)
Toby Dodge (QMU, London)
Major General John Batiste (via skype)
Yahia Said (Revenue Watch Institute and LSE)
Dr. Ali Al-Dabbagh (Iraqi government - via skype)
July 10, 2008
BONEKICKERS
OK, its got a christian cult based on the knights templar whose aim is to cleanse Britain of Muslims by the sword. This cult is led by a charismatic Christian. Its got a couple of brainwashed orphans, one of whom cuts a Muslim's head off with a sword. It ends with the discovery and subsequent burning of a hidden vault of crosses, supposed to include the cross of Jesus. The evil cult leader burns with the crosses. All of this and it still comes across as tepid. Is it me? Is this made by the same luvies who made Britz?
on the BBC iPlayer
UPDATE:
Some great blog reactions
Christianity-is-not-leftwing says
Extremist Christian sect beheads a Muslim? - Welcome to the weird and whimsical, wonderful world of 'Bonekickers' the BBC drama designed to make the unchurched believe - well - anything. And of course the scene is shown in graphic and sickening detail so that there can be no doubts about the subliminal message.
Chances of getting away with portraying this idea with religions reversed? - Approximately zero!
on the BBC iPlayer
UPDATE:
Some great blog reactions
Christianity-is-not-leftwing says
Extremist Christian sect beheads a Muslim? - Welcome to the weird and whimsical, wonderful world of 'Bonekickers' the BBC drama designed to make the unchurched believe - well - anything. And of course the scene is shown in graphic and sickening detail so that there can be no doubts about the subliminal message.
Chances of getting away with portraying this idea with religions reversed? - Approximately zero!
Bin Laden's deputy with bogroll
Abu Qatada, the man once described as Osama bin Laden's right hand man in Europe, was pictured out walking the streets on the third anniversary of the 7/7 terror bombings. He was carrying a lot of toilet rolls.
Marina Hynde in The Guardian says
...And so with Qatada. He was described breathlessly this week as "one of the world's most dangerous terrorists",
"Bin Laden's deputy in Europe", and even "Bin Laden's No 2". What a preposterous way to dignify this chap with the bumper pack of bog roll (the only clear link to a number two in the entire affair). It's the same witless flattery that led to Richard Reid being designated "the shoe bomber", as opposed to "that idiot who couldn't even set fire to his trainers"...
Marina Hynde in The Guardian says
...And so with Qatada. He was described breathlessly this week as "one of the world's most dangerous terrorists",
"Bin Laden's deputy in Europe", and even "Bin Laden's No 2". What a preposterous way to dignify this chap with the bumper pack of bog roll (the only clear link to a number two in the entire affair). It's the same witless flattery that led to Richard Reid being designated "the shoe bomber", as opposed to "that idiot who couldn't even set fire to his trainers"...
July 09, 2008
NICK YOUR KIDS
A blast from the past, an absolute classic from the hey day of proper TV documentary They Steal Children Don't They? has been brought up to date. This is an amazing film about gypsies, revealing the forgotten link between their language and languages from the Indian subcontinent as well as their ancient culture and craft. This is one of the best observational pieces I have ever seen.
On the BBC iPlayer here
On the BBC iPlayer here
Dispatches
Many Muslims who I have spoken to over the years hate Channel 4's Dispatches, I think they would be pleased though to see Peter Oborne's It shouldn't happen to a Muslim which is available on 4oD. Online debate here. Trevor Kavanagh who features in the doco responds in The Sun here
What interested me most was Peter Oborne's own attitude and where it came from as I had no idea he was a committed Christian, also of course the retiring top cop from 7/7 who had the controversial idea of talking to the fundamentalists which was my idea in 2003 and the original reason for this blog. The debate after is very interesting, with some comments highlighting verses in the Koran which terrorists and Islamophobes alike take out of context apparently.
What interested me most was Peter Oborne's own attitude and where it came from as I had no idea he was a committed Christian, also of course the retiring top cop from 7/7 who had the controversial idea of talking to the fundamentalists which was my idea in 2003 and the original reason for this blog. The debate after is very interesting, with some comments highlighting verses in the Koran which terrorists and Islamophobes alike take out of context apparently.
July 07, 2008
JIHAD ON WELFARE..
Preaching jihad on welfare
As Tory MP Patrick Mercer observed, “Yet again, terrorists are laughing at us and remaining in this country at the taxpayer’s expense….
also
ISLAMIC fanatic Abu Hamza was yesterday labelled Britain’s most expensive Muslim firebrand in a “rich list” of hate preachers.
As Tory MP Patrick Mercer observed, “Yet again, terrorists are laughing at us and remaining in this country at the taxpayer’s expense….
also
ISLAMIC fanatic Abu Hamza was yesterday labelled Britain’s most expensive Muslim firebrand in a “rich list” of hate preachers.
July 06, 2008
Jimbo
Not had any Jimbo for a while. Controversial views on the whereabouts of Bin Laden, even more controversial views about Mackintosh computers!
July 05, 2008
BORN, BREAD AND BUTTERED IN ENGLAND
Abu Bosher and Abu Saif had always thought they had a healthy relationship with the police, until their Stoke-on-Trent homes were raided on Tuesday...
...Mr Bosher added: "We disagree with the Government's foreign policy, and we will debate with people on that, but they are free to disagree with us. We don't want to force our views down anyone's throat.
"The police come to our stalls regularly and take away our leaflets. I'm sure every police officer in Stoke-on-Trent has one.
"Some of them know us by our first names, so we don't know why they've done this. We feel betrayed."...
also do check Peter Obornes article- Suspicion of the Muslim community has found its way into mainstream society – and nobody seems to care.
July 04, 2008
MAKE IT STOP!
Middle-of-the-road Mancunian miserablist David Gray has hit out at reports that his music has been used as an instrument of torture by US interrogators. The singer-songwriter's hit single Babylon is said to be the preferred choice of the US military in Iraq who play the track incessantly to detainees during interrogation sessions...
July 03, 2008
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