If you thought my thoughts were 'uncalled for' on my last posting check this out!Author Ian Sinclair had planned to unveil his new book Hackney, That Red Rose Empire at Hackney Library. But the talk was cancelled by Hackney Council on the grounds that Sinclair had been critical of the London Olympics.
Sick of the system
Feeling the squeeze
And this morning when I tried to cover the Power to the Pixel (loosely associated with the London Film Festival) my website was turned away in spite of my full Festival accreditation and in spite of favourable coverage of last year's event. It's billed as 'The Forum For Independents'. Could words like hypocrisy be loosely associated with such an event? The event's producer informed this morning that they had to be mindful of how the event was covered. Sounds just like Hollywood studio media relations talk to me. Are 'independents' now trying to control their 'images'? Why are the powering pixels afraid of Hollywood? The word Taliban springs to mind suddenly. Can't think why? Could the truth really be that they are just as interested in making money as the studios, albeit with their independent product? The word 'communism' suddenly springs to mind too. Dear oh dear oh dear. What a lot of leaks this morning.
Now let me find the The Sunday Times link to the 'cash for honour's Labour debacle to even up the odds for George Osbourne. Fair's fair.
Donorgate: 10 Labour bosses knew
However, does anyone remember a lead article in The Sunday Times Jan 15, 2006:
Revealed: cash for honours scandal">Revealed: cash for honours scandal
"Des Smith, a council member of the trust that helps recruit sponsors for academies, disclosed that if a donor gave sufficient money, he could be nominated for an OBE, CBE or even a knighthood." The Sunday Times Jan 15, 2006
And more 'whatever next' London news:
Sexual libertarians protest at a proposed law banning "extreme pornography"
Marc Evans’ In Prison My Whole Life (from last year's festival and released this week) documents the struggle of former Black panther and radical journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal arrested for the murder of a police officer in Philadelphia 25 years ago, sentenced to death and awaiting execution ever since. What interested Evans was “how Mumia’s voice, so resonant of the great speech-makers of the 60’s Civil Rights movement, fits into today’s post-modern, post 9/11 world and how counterculture America has changed...attempting to place Mumia within that radical American tradition of the dissenting voice [asking] ‘is anybody really listening anymore?’ Harrowing is Chomsky’s observation that while some stolen Watergate tapes became history, nobody speaks of the enormous covert government operation against campaigns such as Civil Rights and the Panthers.
[Addition] And what of Oliver Stone's W. ? (Not to be confused with a Danish film of the same title) Immediate thoughts after this morning's screening (Thurs)are very mixed. Stone's Nixon had Anthony Hopkins to delve deep into Nixon's psyche and was all the better for it. But that film's success was also due to Stone. W. has an amazing cast who all do admirably what is required. But is an audience let into this murky political world unenlightened by the continual spotlight? It reminded me of those die-hard Republicans who flew the flag from their porches, bibles in hand every day during the Iraq War, that is until their sons returned home in body bags. Then, and only then, did they began to question the 'truth' they saw daily on CNN. And Stone's new film will probably have that same effect for some Republicans and Democrats. But do we really get deep inside those caves and learn the difference between stalagmites and stalactites?
[addition] Oliver Stone interviewed by Andrew Marr on his Sunday TV show (transcript and full programme view)
And just found this on the web: Chris Marker: Cats Go Barack T-Shirt or this from The New Yorker
Imagine a handle-with-care-back-the front-upside down-right-side up T-Shirt from Jon Stewart and myself. My dose of Daily has been decreased due to crap TV reception and an increased dose of art-house movies.
And thanks to Alex Ross's New Yorker blog for this 'Sarah Palin sonata' excerpt.
London's woes seem so far away after seeing that don't they?
Passengers at risk from track design flaw
And do we believe these allegations?
Mohamed al Fayed denies child sex assault allegations
More palling into insignificance:
Minor delays are occurring due to an earlier signalling problem at Earls Court (not so minor if the trains are so crowded you can't get to work on time, and you don't particularly like your face up someone else's armpit.
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