CLEGGMANIA

Odds currently 60 to 1

Read this before commiting

Can Nick Clegg win the election? (WSJ)

and an American with an Obama reference you might not have heard-

..The charismatic social democrat — who bears many remarkable similarities to candidate Barack Obama, including a connection to indicted Chicago real estate developer Tony Rezko...

This may also help-

We haven't got a fucking clue admit pollsters

..."We made have given the impression, through years of attempting to give exactly that impression, that we knew what were saying in terms of knowing how people are going to vote."

"It now transpires that you might just as well divide a field up into squares and see which one's got the most daisies in it. Actually, that's not such a bad idea."...

UPDATE: I don't know where I got those odds, looking around today the best odds I could get were 10-1 on a Liberal majority.

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The Southwark Mysteries

Went to see a live rehearsal of John Constables Southwark mysteries play at the Scoop on the Southbank on Saturday. I remember seeing a mysteries play on TV with Brian Glover playing God, it seems it is very important for mysteries plays to be made contemporary in some way and this one is a true post rave mysteries play.

I thought this was one of the most amazing plays I have ever seen. Being ex-christian the existential and spiritual drama really spoke to me as a thing of healing. Everyone was really well cast, especially Jesus and the Devil. Its a real shame the run at Southwark cathedral is sold out because heading down there afterwards with some of the cast it is obvious that it is going to be an epic, well done to all involved.

Southwark Mysteries blog here
Southwark Mysteries on Songs of Praise


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First Election Debate 2010

On ITV.com for another 29 days




I didn't watch it live, as I had things I was still doing at 8.30. I had watched the Chancellors debate earlier, where it became obvious to me that Vince Cable was the only one who knew what he was talking about. He could speak and challenge off the cuff, whereas the other two were blatantly coming out with falteringly rehearsed statements praying they would make sense when they came to the end.

Everyone seems to be agreed, with Tory complaints about Cables central position only serving to add to his percieved economically sound stature. With Nick Clegg's manifesto launch the previous day it was becoming glaringly obvious that theirs was the only manifesto with clear and costed policy of any kind and he had a real chance of doing well.

I watched the debate at about 11.30 with two girls in their late twenties who were registered to vote but weren't that interested in politics, an Italian guy who hasn't been here long and is improving his English before embarking on an MA in film, and a rather drunk harpist who fell asleep at the beginning. The rest of us really enjoyed the programme.

Straight away Clegg came out on fire. Cameron from the word go looked like he was shitting himself, Brown was looking like Alistair Campbell had sent him out with "Whatever you do don't try and smile" ringing in his ears.

Where Brown and Cameron were pitching themselves with tabloid arguments against each other, Clegg continually came back with clear, straight and costed policy. He was the only one who looked at the others while they spoke, and looked at them like his was listening, rather than trying to think what to say next.

Where Brown and Cameron both tried to refer to lame statistics they had learnt, and would veer away from the questions altogether to try and score cheap political points against each other Clegg was coming out with simple policy- tax relief for low earners, higher tax on the rich and on the banks who should pay us back for their bailouts. Cameron and Brown seeing each other as the main rival made it easier and easier for Clegg, positioned to the left, outside their petty looking squabbles.

"The more they attack each other, the more they sound the same".

Brown appeared desperate to ally himself with Clegg, to make him "his boy", which Clegg was having none of. With his uncomfortable politicians mannerisms Brown made himself comparable to Nixon. This should have been Camerons moment to play JFK, but he totally fluffed it with his Posh boy "Doing things proply" speeches.

"Who is this guy? He looks like he is made of plastic!" said our Italian. The girls also hated him.

Both Brown and Cameron fell into the self made trap of falling over themselves to try and butter the questioners up. When it came to questions about the armed forces this became insulting. The audience had obviously been instructed not to react but you could see the anger as it grew in the questioners eyes and almost hear the angry shouts in a million living rooms.

Again Clegg only spoke about policy, and a policy which for him is quite an exciting gamble. Scrap Trident, spend the money on the armed forces. Cameron alone tried to counter, trying to interest a 21st century electorate in nuclear terror, with Brown staying shtum. Will this work or is Clegg right? Has the world moved on?

The summing up was curious. I expected Clegg to say "My manifesto has clear and costed polices, these guys hasn't, vote for me."

Instead he, and both of the other candidates had obviously been coached that this was their moment to appeal to those who had been watching the whole way through but hadn't understood a word. All three delivered stupefiyingly dummed down speeches.

Both of the girls were totally raving about Clegg. They thought he was brilliant and said they would vote for him. We all thought Alistair Stewart was crap. One of the girls kept angrily pointing out how he was favouring Cameron. We had a quick look at the polls on the net which not surprisingly reflected pretty much everything we thought.

What next? I was vaguely aware of who Nick Clegg was yesterday. Today he is blatantly shinning boy in the way Blair was in 97. I reckon if the other two start trying to attack him they could even propel him into office.

Liberal Democrats surge after Nick Clegg's TV debate performance
David Cameron weakest, says body language expert
Eddie Izzard: David Cameron is 'slagging off Britain'
British election a 'three-horse race' after debate
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LEGAL HIGHS

...Scientists are taking a new look at hallucinogens, which became taboo among regulators after enthusiasts like Timothy Leary promoted them in the 1960s with the slogan “Turn on, tune in, drop out.” Now, using rigorous protocols and safeguards, scientists have won permission to study once again the drugs’ potential for treating mental problems and illuminating the nature of consciousness...

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MARLON KING

The Sun are reporting that disgraced former Wigan Athletic striker Marlon King has told fellow inmates that he has an offer from Chelsea that is just awaiting his signature on his release from prison.

King was jailed back at the back end of October for 18 months after he was found guilty of sexual assault and actual bodily harm to a 20 year old woman in a London night club.

The Sun is also reporting that the former Watford, Nottingham Forest and Gillingham player has changed his name to Abu Hamza and wants to convert to Islam and that he was also caught with cocaine in his cell a few weeks ago.

Sounds like one crazy dude, for the full article that`s in todays newspaper visit thesun.co.uk

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BLOG THAT

Brooker is great

...I don't want to get out of my head: that's where I live.

In summary: if I've learned anything, it's that I don't much care for mood-altering substances. But I'm not afraid of them either. With one exception...

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NICE ONE O

I'm very cynical these days, and not very left wing anymore but I am very pleased for Obama and the US this morning.

...Despite not going as far as many liberals had hoped, the bill will take the US close to universal healthcare coverage and Obama will have achieved the goal that eluded US presidents dating back to Theodore Roosevelt a century ago.

The reform, which will cost an estimated $940bn (£627bn) over 10 years, amounts to a massive change in US healthcare provision, expanding care to 32 million more people, predominantly the poorest, and giving the country 95% coverage...

More from Michael Moore

To My Fellow Citizens, the Republicans:

Thanks to last night's vote, that child of yours who has had asthma since birth will now be covered after suffering for her first nine years as an American child with a pre-existing condition.

Thanks to last night's vote, that 23-year-old of yours who will be hit one day by a drunk driver and spend six months recovering in the hospital will now not go bankrupt because you will be able to keep him on your insurance policy.

Thanks to last night's vote, after your cancer returns for the third time -- racking up another $200,000 in costs to keep you alive -- your insurance company will have to commit a criminal act if they even think of dropping you from their rolls.

Yes, my Republican friends, even though you have opposed this health care bill, we've made sure it is going to cover you, too, in your time of need...

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Muslim

Via pickled politics

I am not a big fan of this woman. She is a bit glitterati litterati for me, but this is worth reading.

...Readers know I am often critical of Muslim people and nations. Bad things that happen to us cannot all be attributed to "Islamophobia", a nebulous and imprecise concept that, like anti-Semitism, can be used to besmirch and sully and silence criticism.

But this week even I, even I, can see that for the British establishment Muslims are contemptible creatures, devalued humans. As I prayed before starting this column I felt tears stinging my eyes and my face was burning as if I had been slapped many times over. Do they expect me to turn the other cheek? Millions of other Muslims must have felt what I did. And some may well go on to do things they shouldn't. Their acts will intensify anti-Muslim prejudices and will be used to justify injustice. The cycle is vicious and unrelenting...

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WATCH IT

I was reading yesterday about movie yoga. You hear about all these quack therapies but movie yoga? It just takes the popcorn eh. Except that the guy who is expounding this philosophy is connected to Stanislav Grof, a guy I have always been interested in though I have yet to be reborn, or rebirthed. For those who don't know, Stanislav was one of the original LSD pioneers who came across rebirthing whilst looking for natural ways to maintain the high in real life, although I am sure that isn't how he would describe himself.

Talking movies, we were slagging off The Hurt Locker the other day, but obviously The Oscar judges weren't reading. I am pleased for the woman but on that list of ten I reckon District 9 was probably the best film in terms of original concept and delivery of concept, though I will have to watch them all whilst doing movie yoga to judge properly.

What else have I been watching? Oh yeah, Iron Maiden's Flight 666 documentary, which surprised me, having never been a big Maiden fan I didn't realise they would sound so smokin live. Also worth watching for Janick Gers ability to chuck his guitar the whole way round and carry on playing, and a tearful South American fan having a religious experience cos he caught a drum stick at the end of the show.

Docuementary wise I feel I must pwotest about Channel 4s Big Snake. I was arguing with someone on Facefuck who was saying travelling was the new collonialism. This sort of doco lends weight to his argument, which pisses me off frankly.

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CONSPIRACY OF HOPE

I am not big into the conspiracy theories these guys shout about but there is something quite wonderful about what they do

HAPPY HOLI

BLOODY HIPPIES

I love this story (cheers to Brian Visiondanz on facebook)

Did Woodstock hippies lead to US financial collapse?

Chicago – A new film is gaining traction among tea-party followers for suggesting that the collapse of the US financial system has roots dating back 40 years to the Summer of Love.

“Generation Zero,” a film set to premiere in March, examines what producer David Bossie says is a “historic perspective on a generational change” that led to the September 2008 bank collapse. Mr. Bossie says generational narcissism, as represented by the 1969 Woodstock Festival, is responsible for the excessive spending, mortgage crisis, and recklessness on Wall Street...

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The Immigrants Left

Evan Davies gets the local employers of Wisbech to try out British workers with predictable results

The Day The Immigrants Left

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Sweden

via Harrys Place

When she first arrived in Sweden after her rescue from a Nazi concentration camp, Judith Popinski was treated with great kindness.

She raised a family in the city of Malmo, and for the next six decades lived happily in her adopted homeland - until last year.

In 2009, a chapel serving the city's 700-strong Jewish community was set ablaze. Jewish cemeteries were repeatedly desecrated, worshippers were abused on their way home from prayer, and "Hitler" was mockingly chanted in the streets by masked men.

"I never thought I would see this hatred again in my lifetime, not in Sweden anyway," Mrs Popinski told The Sunday Telegraph.

"This new hatred comes from Muslim immigrants. The Jewish people are afraid now"...

..."It started during the Gaza war when Jewish demonstrators were attacked. It was a horrible feeling, being attacked in your own city. Just as bad was the realisation that we were not being protected by our own leaders."

Mr Eilenberg said he and his wife considered moving to Stockholm where Jews feel safer than in Malmo. "But we decided not to because in five years time I think it will be just as bad there," he said.

"This is happening all over Europe. I have cousins who are leaving their homes in Amsterdam and France for the same reason as me."

Malmo's Jews are not the only ones to suffer hate crimes.

At the city's Islamic Centre, the director Bejzat Becirov pointed out a bullet hole in the window behind the main reception desk.

Mr Becirov, who arrived in 1962 from the former Yugoslavia, said that windows were regularly smashed, pig's heads had been left outside the mosque, and outbuildings burnt down - probably the acts of Neo-Nazis who have also baited Jews in the past.

He said that the harassment of Jews by some young Muslims was "embarrassing" to his community. Many of them are unemployed and confined to life on bleak estates where the Scandinavian dream of prosperity and equality seemed far away.

For many of Malmo's white Swedish population, meanwhile, the racial problems are bewildering after years of liberal immigration policies.

"I first encountered race hatred when I was an au pair in England and I was shocked," said Mrs Popinski's friend Ulla-Lena Cavling, 72, a retired teacher.

"I thought 'this couldn't happen in Sweden'. Now I know otherwise."
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WHO?

I saw this poster a while back and thought it was great. I am not sure why Russia Today are promoting themselves so big in London but this image reminded me of what I used to see on protests, where some of the riot Police and some of the protesters exhibited the same mentality

EMBASSY OF TRANCE

I had to laugh when I read this-

Philadelphia-based architect Kieran Timberlake has won the battle to design the new US embassy in London - the largest American building in western Europe.The design beat off competition from four other practices, all-American, due to security concerns... The US government wants to build the £500m complex, 40-50,000 sq ft, 20 storeys high - on a five-acre site in Nine Elms in south London.

A site currently hosting the biggest Psytrance squat parties in London, where we played on New Years eve. We were all wondering why such a huge area was left vacant for such a long time.

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Some weird French stuff..

...France has created an intermingled culture, which is being forged on a daily basis between the native Gaul and the immigrant Arab and Berber. It revolves around two French obsessions: the bed and the dinner table. Your average young Muslim girl is interested in living and having children with a French gouer, a North-African colloquial term meaning “infidel”—i.e., non-Muslim. (Gouer is itself a corruption of the classical Arabic kuffar, used in immigrant slang to designate a French native. They are also known as fromage, or “cheese”—ironically the same synecdoche that was used in the neocon-coined “cheese-eating surrender monkeys.”) These women would loathe the very idea of an arranged marriage to a fellah (peasant) cousin from the far away bled (North Africa) with his unrefined manners and pedestrian French...

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TALES OF CASTRO

This is a bit of a "Story behind the song"

THE FOG OF WAR

Castro was in the bathroom, hiding from his wife and doing a line of heroin. I was on the phone to Nippon TV.

“Do you speak English?”

“Hai,” said a female voice.

That was what they all said. She was the third tier of secretary-receptionist and I had already been on the phone for twenty minutes. They all knew how to speak English, but then didn’t. “Well, ah… Could I speak to Mr Kurosawa, please? The international news editor?”

Some rapid-fire Japanese. Then: “Kurosawa-san? You like to speak to Mr Kurosawa-san?” The incredulity in her tone of voice conveyed the idea that Mr Kurosawa-san was an incredibly important man and one quite simply couldn’t call up like this out of the blue and expect to speak to him.

She put me through to a lady called Yui instead, and I started on the same story I had already told ABC, NBC, Sky, BBC, ABC (Australia), TVE, TV France, Doordarshan and God knows who else. Castro and I had been working the phone in shifts from his kitchen without stopping for 24 hours.

“I don’t know if you’ve heard, but the overall military commander of the Talibn was killed yesterday. We have a video interview, the first one he gave specifically directed at a Western audience. It was recorded 24 hours before he died. Might you be interested?”

The Japanese bought it, too.

A week earlier, I had dropped in on Castro because he had called me up, asking for a favour. I was sick, sick, sick. I hadn’t taken any heroin for two months..

(to read more)
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OSCAR

Saw The Hurt Locker with Mr Camel the other day. I thought it was OK, you know, I can see why people in America would think this was an important film. Mr Camel thought it was wubbish. We struggled to imagine which Oscars it should be nominated for. Best almost homosexual rough sex scene in a movie? Best performance by a jack-in-the-box? Best performance by Ministry in any soundtrack? Definately the last one anyway..

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