Excellent (or rather egg-cellent... sorry) demonstration of how groceries can be used to fight fascism in this BBC report. Back when I was more active on the protest scene I strongly espoused the use of eggs in anti-BNP demonstrations but was usually told by protest organisers that it would “undermine the dignity and validity of the movement”. Glad they seem to have changed their views on that.
A few things I take issue to that Griffin mentioned in the article:
He denied he had past links with Oswald Mosley, as the former fascist leader "was very hostile to the National Front from which I am from".
Fair point, although for the sake of journalistic accuracy it could have mentioned that although Mosley may have been “very hostile” to the National Front he did share with it the link of being “very hostile” to ethnic minorities, gay people, trade unionists, most sane people, etc..
He described protesters as an "organised mob that's backed by all three main parties to stop us getting our message across to the public".
Surely it’s fairly evident by this point in the political game that the three main parties couldn’t organise a piss up in a brewery, let alone a fully functioning mob.
Green Shoots
On an even more cheerful note, according to this article on The Guardian website the recession is now over.
Hurrah – let’s all sing a song...
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Blustering poppy-cock
The cock in question being floppy-fringed TV personality and “politician”, Boris Johnson.
With the inherently absurd nature of the running media holocaust that is the expenses scandal (claims for moat cleaning, dog-food, etc. as well as the more serious and widespread claiming of second homes expenses) it was inevitable that the inherently absurd Boris would have to figure somewhere.
So here we have it: as an MP he once tried to claim for a Remembrance Day poppy wreath. Hardly grand fraud but there’s something disturbingly mean about the whole thing. Although to his credit The Mail reports “he had 'happily' paid the cost out of his own pocket when he was denied the refund”.
That’s big of you, Boris.
“Greasy-haired twat”
No, not Boris, who looks like he probably has quite a good hair-care regime, but the words used to describe a rival by a council candidate in a leaflet.
It’s shocking that the normally fluffy and loveable Lib Dems should stoop to such extreme language. Apparently it was actually a “prank” that went wrong, which also suggests, somewhat disconcertingly, that people in local politics might have a sense of humour behind closed doors.
For all the public indignation I think that this world of increasingly personality based politics could do with more straight-talking. Certainly Ms Pascoe would make a much better leader than Nick Clegg, who some might say is a smarmy prat. Not I, obviously, as that could be libellous.
With the inherently absurd nature of the running media holocaust that is the expenses scandal (claims for moat cleaning, dog-food, etc. as well as the more serious and widespread claiming of second homes expenses) it was inevitable that the inherently absurd Boris would have to figure somewhere.
So here we have it: as an MP he once tried to claim for a Remembrance Day poppy wreath. Hardly grand fraud but there’s something disturbingly mean about the whole thing. Although to his credit The Mail reports “he had 'happily' paid the cost out of his own pocket when he was denied the refund”.
That’s big of you, Boris.
“Greasy-haired twat”
No, not Boris, who looks like he probably has quite a good hair-care regime, but the words used to describe a rival by a council candidate in a leaflet.
It’s shocking that the normally fluffy and loveable Lib Dems should stoop to such extreme language. Apparently it was actually a “prank” that went wrong, which also suggests, somewhat disconcertingly, that people in local politics might have a sense of humour behind closed doors.
For all the public indignation I think that this world of increasingly personality based politics could do with more straight-talking. Certainly Ms Pascoe would make a much better leader than Nick Clegg, who some might say is a smarmy prat. Not I, obviously, as that could be libellous.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Renegade Lama Drama
A quick scan over “most read” on The Grauniad website shows some interest in the story of Osel Hita Torres. At the age of 14 months he was identified as a reincarnated Buddhist spiritual leader by the Dalai Lama himself.
Now 24, he is, as Dale Fuchs writes at The Guardian, “more likely to quote Jimi Hendrix than Buddha” having turned his back on Buddhism, grown his hair long and become a film student in Madrid.
Talking to Spanish newspaper El Mundo he describes how he never saw a couple kiss until he was 18, was astonished the first time he went to a club and that the only film he was allowed to watch was The Golden Child starring Eddie Murphy. He’s described this as causing him to “suffer a great deal” which is understandable; although I do think that he’s overlooking a rather good turn from Charles Dance as the villain.
Anyway, fair play to the boy for moving on.
But more importantly growing web awareness does allow for great headlines like this one on thefirstpost.co.uk:
Reincarnated Lama goes off the rails
Okay, it’s not as factually accurate as The Guardian (“Boy chosen by Dalai Lama turns back on Buddhist order”) – you could hardly describe film studies as “going off the rails” – but it sounds funny.
It doesn’t take much to make me happy.
Now 24, he is, as Dale Fuchs writes at The Guardian, “more likely to quote Jimi Hendrix than Buddha” having turned his back on Buddhism, grown his hair long and become a film student in Madrid.
Talking to Spanish newspaper El Mundo he describes how he never saw a couple kiss until he was 18, was astonished the first time he went to a club and that the only film he was allowed to watch was The Golden Child starring Eddie Murphy. He’s described this as causing him to “suffer a great deal” which is understandable; although I do think that he’s overlooking a rather good turn from Charles Dance as the villain.
Anyway, fair play to the boy for moving on.
But more importantly growing web awareness does allow for great headlines like this one on thefirstpost.co.uk:
Reincarnated Lama goes off the rails
Okay, it’s not as factually accurate as The Guardian (“Boy chosen by Dalai Lama turns back on Buddhist order”) – you could hardly describe film studies as “going off the rails” – but it sounds funny.
It doesn’t take much to make me happy.
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