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Thursday 20 November 2008
The Figure Project Updated
I'm pleased to say, after consulation with the mysterious guest blogger, that the Figure Project will indeed continue to its logical conclusion, and it's filled out significantly over the weekend.
If you're a regular reader, please take a minute to bring out your body parts, as Gert put it, and contribute to this composite MAWOL reader.
If you don't know what I'm talking about, the background is here, and you can launch the figure project to see progress so far.
Delayed Impact
I'm officially intrigued.
Over a month ago, while researching this column, I did a web search for any references to the disappearance of Hermelin Mavanga. At the time, Google offered one match (this one, in fact).
Today, wondering if there might have been any progress in his case, I ran the same search, with very different results. Eight separate sites, including mine, now mention him in some capacity. He disappeared in May of this year, and in the initial three months of his disappearance, he had generated precisely one internet reference, yet in month four, there are suddenly seven more. What's that all about?
Of course, I think the more recognition of his case the better, but I can't help thinking that this runs against the expected order of these things. So I'm intrigued.
Catching Up
Been doing a round of blogs and various other sites, so I thought I'd share a few bits and pieces:
Burnt Toast has both a new home and a new look, which is as good a reason as any to give it one of my occasional plugs.
Parallax View points us all at this amazing collection of 'antique' Kate Bush MP3s. Have I mentioned recently how incredible I've always thought the multi-talented Ms Bush is? Oh yes, I have, haven't I?
And Ain't It Cool News has seen the first new Buffy, and gives it five stars (Spoiler Warning).
Trying Something New
I haven't done a posting in this style before, so I thought it might be fun to give it a try:
Well, it's been a good week, though slightly different and less restful than I was hoping for. On Monday, after a frustrating day getting ready for a presentation for work (just one of those days where lots of little things kept going wrong), I did the presentation and then headed straight off to here to get on one of their trains to there. I was met by him, her, and Philippa, who had been down there since Friday, and taken to the place we were staying, which was the converted stables of a small farmhouse in the middle of here.
Apart from having to take part in a couple of conference calls following on from the presentation, I did manage to get a couple of relaxing days in, though not as much as I'd originally planned.
We did quite a bit of exploring. On Tuesday, we spent most of the day here, which is very nice, if a little twee in places. We took in a visit here while we were there, which is a stunning building, though smaller than I was expecting. In the evening, we watched a glorious sunset from here.
Wednesday was a horticultural day, split between here and here. I was expecting to be more interested in the latter, though it turned out to be the opposite way round. It's an amazing achievement, but I wasn't as bowled over as I was expecting to be. Exploring the former on a brilliantly sunny autumn morning, however, was really special, and highly recommended.
Thursday, apart from wasting half the day trying to get decent signal on my mobile so I could do that day's conference call, we mostly stayed fairly local. We walked across the causeway from here to here, which I'd never done before, and visited some local produce suppliers, including this place, which has a brilliant range of stuff, and is in the most amazing location, on a high clifftop, with a view along the clifs and coves, and across the huge bay to there. From there, we went for the one and only one of these I had all week, here (that site's got a holding page up at the moment, but you get the idea).
On Friday morning, after clearing out of the stable, we took a brief trip to here, via this, for a last-minute bit of exploration and to buy some of these, then we did a dash for the train back here.
And that was my few days off - we were really lucky with the weather - almost totally cloudless skies and warm sunshine are not my automatic expectation for the last week of September.
Home Again, Home Again
Well, I'm back, and I'll write up the trip in a few minutes. As The Figure Project got off to a slow start, I'll leave the links to it up in hopes that it can continue to grow, assuming the Guest Blogger is interested in continuing it - I'll check on Monday.
Thanks anyway for filling in - I do like the idea of getting this image together, so please do send in photos if you can.
figure project : arm
we now have an arm!
keep them coming in over the weekend and I'll update the figure on Monday.
figure project : addition 01
well, we have had our first contribution, thank you. it looks a bit odd on it own so I urge you to send in your photos and bring the figure to life. I mentioned yesterday that I would add animation or rollovers to parts of the figure; i think this is definitely required in the aim of adding movement to something that is quite static.
email your submissions now to guest@moreawayoflife.org
you can access the figure by clicking here
guest project
The idea of this project is to add something more colorful and graphical to MAWOL. It is an audience participation project that means if it does not suceed it is not my fault ;o) It could turn out very nicely or it could be rubbish.
The link below launches a window with an outline of a figure on it split into parts. The aim of the project is to invite people to submit photos of their corresponding body parts to make up the complete figure....
The inspiration is three-fold;
Firstly, to create a figure that is representative of the readers of MAWOL. How you appear is largely up to yourselves and your choice of submission*.
Secondly, from those drawings I used to do as a child where you folded a piece of paper into a concertina shape and each person drew a different part of the body which upon unfolding the paper was humorous.
Lastly, I have always been a fan of those David Hockney photo montages. This is a kind of bastardised multi-person version!
You can submit photos by emailing them to me at guest@moreawayoflife.org
*Submission Notes
If I am sent more than one photo of the same body part I may decide to use animated gifs or rollovers to scroll thru each one.
Any photos submitted will be used for this project only and then deleted.
The photos can be of any body part, clothed or not, which relates to the figure.
If you do not have a suitable graphics package and you wish me to crop a certain body part in your photo I can do this for you.
I will not use any parts of the photo you don't wish to appear.
I reserve the right to withold any photo from the figure that I deem unsuitable for whatever reason.
If you have any questions about the project please email me on the above address.
The project will run from now until the resident blogger decides they have had enough. I will endeavor to update the site each weekday evening, plus I will post a new entry when there is something new to see.
The Millennial Posting
Well, here it is - the last posting (by me) for five days. Two topics:
The German election - I've mentioned before that I'm an election junkie, and it's not just our own that I remain glued to. Yesterday's German vote was a bigger cliffhanger than the last US one, and I was extremely pleased to note that much of the credit for Gerhard Schroeder's recent revival of fortune is put down to his opposition to miltary action in Iraq. Still, it leaves him in control only by dint of his coalition with the Green party, and I'm equally pleased to see Greens in a position to wield influence.
And The Emmys - big shocks in the lead categories: Six Feet Under misses out on the major awards, and The West Wing grabs Best Drama for the third time. As I suggested might happen, Allison Janney won a third Best Actress award in a row, and John Spencer and Stockard Channing also got nods. I'm pleased about them all, but I'm stunned that Six Feet Under didn't do better.
I've averaged 1.88 postings per day over these first 1000, by the way.
Two Down, One To Go
I'm in the office at the moment, and on my way from the tube station, I passed a number of people heading for this Liberty And Livelihoods march that the Countryside Alliance have organised.
Incredibly, they were dressed in tweeds to a man (and the ones I saw were all men), and had their arms held exactly as if they had a shotgun in the crook. They were carrying banners with slogans like "Ban(g) Out Of Order" and "Call This A Minority At Your Peril" - which last seemed to carry with it the unstated continuation "....Because We'll Shoot You."
In my head, just reading the banners I couldn't hep but imagine a full-on huntin', shootin', fishin' voice - you know the one....
UPDATE - I forgot that the other banner that caught my eye was the one that said "Hunting=Natural Selection", which no matter how hard I try, I simply can't get my head round....
General Catch-Up
Stuff:
Dug had a nasty case of Spontaneous Vehicular Combustion the other evening, and in his efforts to find out if anyone else has experienced anything similar, I said I'd spread the word.
Stuart at Hydragenic posted his personal selection of timeless albums last week and invited others to do the same. I was going to take him up on it, but having assembled a list, it suddenly felt not-very-me to do a big posting about music. I will mention that I could easily have filled my list with Kate Bush albums, so much have I loved her music for so long, and so varied is her body of work. In the end I settled for Hounds Of Love, which I'm listening to at the moment - it's *so* good.
I've seen the alternative ending to 24 Season 1, by the way, you know, where you-know-who doesn't shoot you-know-who, and I can I just say, the version as transmitted is *way* stronger....
I found myself awake at insane o'clock this morning thinking about work. It's not unusual, so I'm not exactly surprised, but the conclusion I reached, which unfortunately I can't go into here, did surprise me in that "Well of course, that's the only possible thing to do - why have I even been wondering?" way that the bleedin' obvious sometimes does.
This posting will be the 998th on this blog, which means that probably tomorrow I'll be making my 1000th posting (note that the UIDs are slightly higher because of occasional double postings and tests of one thing or another). Which is a nice round number to leave things on.
No, not for good, but for a week while I go away. As I mentioned last week, as I'm going to be the closest to incommunicado that I'll have been in quite some considerable time, I'm taking a wee break. I've invited a guest blogger to step in and caretake from Monday to Friday (I'll be back on Friday night), and the interesting project is confirmed. It will very much involve audience participation, and so I hope everyone will join in and encourage each other to do so too (as there are clearly circles within circles of my readership). I shall be very interested in seeing the outcome on Friday.
In the meantime, I've been doing some flat-tidying in preparation for Louise Dillon-sitting while I'm away, and having been a bit hectic for the last few weeks, I haven't been keeping on top of things very well - hence, a bit of a duststorm that's triggered a huge sneezing fit that just won't stop. My nose is horribly raw from all the blowing. I think I need to get out in the fresh air for a bit.
Situation Vacant
So - does anyone know of an experienced PHP/MySQL developer with a slot in their work schedule for the next couple of months? If so, drop me a line - I might know of something they could do.
An Old Trick
There's a letter in this morning's Metro from one Anil Gupta, who opens by making the apparently reasonable point that; "If I moved to France, I would not start speaking French in my own home, so why does David Blunkett assert that Asian immigrants should speak English in their own homes?" So far, so reasonable, though there's a leap from the particular to the general that isn't strictly supportable, but we'll let it slide for the moment.
Things start to slip a little with the next sentence though: "However, if I wanted to make a living in a foreign country, learning the language would be a necessity." In fact, this is the point at which things start to go completely off the rails, because even if one did want to work in a foreign country and so learned the language, there's still no particular reason why one would want to speak it at home. In fact, if anything, hanging on to a native language outside of work would probably become more important.
But then - we come to the actual point that Anil wanted to make: "Therein lies the rub - the vast majority of immigrants in this country come to sponge off state benefits and have no need, let alone desire, to learn English. They provide no benefit to our economy and are a drain on our social security system." Ah - so this is the old trick of starting out making reasonable, almost logical points and then shifting in midstream and unmasking the reactionary agenda. Why on earth do people bother? It's not like anyone's going to read the email and think "Hmm, yes - that was a well-structured and reasonable argument. I've suddenly changed my mind and agree with everything said." The fallacies barely need highlighting, but 'the vast majority' and ''no need, let alone desire' both leap to the eye. As does the invisible line "I'm a reactionary git making sweeping generalisations to support an otherwise undefendable argument."
Ah - the spirit of Socratic debate, alive and well in SE8.
Unexpectedly Political
Among one subset of my friends and acquaintences, there is a group who are familiar with 'The Americans'. 'The Americans' encapsulates an extended family of people from the great state of Ohio who have been visiting these shores for rather more years than I've known the aforementioned subset. Every time they come over, it's in a different combination, but the one absolute constant is Gary, who acts as the focal point of the group.
They're here at the moment, and I just got back from meeting them for dinner at Chris's. Good evening - met some new members of the group, and had a few drinks over food with them. And then suddenly, out of nowhere, the conversation turned to politics, and I found myself in a debate about the positive things that the Labour government has done. Blair's speech at the TUC conference last week was the start of it all, because (courtesy of clever speech-writing), he turned the subject around from Iraq/war stuff at the outset to a review of all the positive things that wouldn't have happened without a Labour government (the minimum wage, etc). It was cunning work. I can't help pondering, however, how much more could have been achieved if they hadn't been so scared of failing to secure a second term and had actually dared to be radical. Or even if after they had the second term they had set out to be more than watered-down Tories. I think the phrase "the betrayal of socialism" may have been used....
The Road To...Tom Hanks' Next Oscar?
I've just heard the first wholly negative comments I've yet come across about Sam Mendes' The Road To Perdition, courtesy of a mysteriously-unidentified 'American critic in London' on BBC ONE's Breakfast News. For myself, I hope it does well, largely because the source material is so good and deserves to be brought to more people's attention. It is, however, one of those films that I've been put off from by means of its own trailer. All of that "Every father is a hero to his son" bollocks is a real turn off, both because, well, because it is such bollocks - countless fathers are total bastards to their sons - and also because it's delivered in such portentous tones that it feels like the film has already decided on its own immense 'significance'.
Plus it's got Tom Hanks in it - rarely a good sign in my book.
D'Oh!
In typical style, I completely forgot to mention that I'd put put reviews of both The Bourne Identity and The Importance Of Being Earnest in the Opinion section at the weekend....
Ahead Of The Emmys....
Well, after last weekend's 'Creative Arts' Emmys, the main event is coming up this week, and I just thought I'd take the opportunity of vague topicality to make a couple of West Wing observations.
For the last couple of years, The West Wing has pretty much had things all its own way at the Emmys, winning almost unheard-of numbers of 'The Television Oscars'. This year it faces its stiffest competition yet in Six Feet Under, which is already ahead of this year's pack both in nominations and actual awards from last weekend.
One of the awards that TWW has won for the last two years is Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series for Allison Janney. This year, for the same part, in the same series, by some byzantine convolution of the rules, she's up for Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series. And there's a pretty good chance that she'll win this year too, for a couple of reasons:
One is that the Six Feet Under vote will probably be split, as both Rachel Griffiths and Frances Conroy are nominated, and the other is that Aaron Sorkin created a phenomenal arc for her character, CJ, that ran through the latter half of the last season: Humour, romance, tragedy, this one had it all. A third reason, to be honest, is that she's far and away the best thing in The West Wing, and by any normal (pre-Six Feet Under) standards, that makes her by extension one of the best things on TV.
But - and there's always a but - I'd like to add my voice to those occasionally raised to protest the treatment of the women characters in The West Wing. In his book on the series, Inside Bartlett's White House, Keith Topping tracked down a critical analysis of the series by John Levesque of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, who noted that Sorkin "is not doing women any favors" both by the situations he creates for the women characters and also by the reactions of the men around them.
Increasingly, I agree. Alongside one of the examples he cites (two women sit on wet paint, and one of them subsequently has to appear on national television without her trousers. Hilarity ensues), I would add that for most of the first series CJ had a crush on a White House reporter, which led to her, among other things, almost leaking him a story, having her professionalism questioned by the men, developing a habit of dragging him into offices and stairwells apparently because she was unable to prevent herself wanting to kiss him, and generally acting like a lovesick schoolgirl, usually to provide comic relief. She's also the White House staffer who most frequently makes mistakes in her professional activities (that's a feeling I get, not a scientific count, but I've heard other people make the same observation - there's a letter in this week's Radio Times about it, actually).
This is all the more annoying, because in throwaway style, Sorkin regularly emphasises exactly how strong and capable CJ is - she created and ran the media strategy that got the White House out of a polling dive, she handles the Press Corps better than anyone else, even her theoretically intellectual superiors, she is more than able to handle any situation that comes along, but still and all, the primary recollection one is left with is of her sulking and getting huffy with crush/reporter Danny because he ran a story she didn't want him to.
Likewise, every other regularly-appearing woman is secondary to a man - *all* of the PAs are women, Stockard Channing is excellent as the First Lady, but is basically only rolled out when the programme needs a foil for the President, and Republican Ainsley served almost as much as comic relief as CJ, despite being able to debate rings round every man in the show. And Mandy, who vanished without explanation at the end of season one, was at one point described as "a major player in the Democratic Party", yet largely existed to quibble with ex-lover Josh and whine about not being taken seriously.
Don't get me wrong - underneath it all CJ is indeed that strong and capable character, and all of the other women, in different ways, are equally strong and equally capable. But the way they're used in the episodes, as John Levesque noted, does women no favours. Which is a pity, because with the *possible* exception of Six Feet Under, The West Wing remains the smartest, most intelligent, brilliantly-crafted drama series coming out of US TV. And with a bit more attention paid to its treatment of its women, it could be even better.
Random Linkage
Empire Magazine have produced an online guide to films adapted from comics which is mildly entertaining and appears to have been written by someone who's at least read the comics they're referencing. Inexplicably, it misses out next year's X2, but you can't have everything.
Concerned parents are finally coming together to encourage us all to Think Of The Children.
[Via Sore Eyes]
Gert points us all towards Green Fairy with the probably prophetic words: "a Damn fine blog guaranteed to piss you off at least once, but well worth a read"
"You can say many things about modern capitalism. One thing you can't do is say that it doesn't replace the jobs that it destroys." Unexpectedly, a comment from an article on the impact of personal computing on our lives.
And with only nine days to go to the start of Series Three of The League of Gentlemen:
we go behind the scenes in the village of Hadfield with BBC News Online.
Ripped From The Headlines....
Various stuff in today's news:
Christopher Reeve has some interesting points to make about the holding back of stem cell research and an ongoing blurring of the line between church and state in the US decision-making process.
The Brian Caddick case just won't go away - apparently prosecutors are still making their minds up on whether to prosecute him over alleged use of cannabis. You might think that someone so generally regarded as having done some real good would be given the benefit of the doubt in the face of spurious charges levelled by a malicious ex-partner....
And, oh dear, there's an expression about one's own petard that seems appropriate to the Iraq situation. The US and UK government warmongers have been trying so hard in the last week to convince us all that their motives in wanting a war are about Iraq flouting the United Nations authority, that Iraq's decision to allow weapons inspectors unrestricted access have left them somewhat out on a limb. Of course it's a tactical move on Iraq's part, but as long as the would-be aggressors keep pretending that their motivation is anything other than self-serving, they're going to open themselves up to every tactical move under the sun.
Clare Swires....
....Redux:
The latest "Inadvertently-sent email is propagated around the world" story.
[Via Metafilter]
Coming Out
Various blogs have touched upon the subject of coming out recently, several of whom are taking their starting point from Bart's recent experience of telling his parents that he's gay. They initially took it well, and then the reaction set in, and now he's dealing with the aftermath. I do feel for him - it's defintely one of the hardest things anyone can tell a parent. It's ridiculous that gay people still have to fear the reactions of their loved ones, and equally ridiculous that parents are so locked into societal norms and expectations that for many, a gay child ceases to be part of their family.
I certainly don't want to turn a reflection on his experience into one on my own, but the range of parental responses to that particular news is apparently infinite. My mother's reaction went the other way round. Initially I thought she was going to crash the car (general piece of advice - don't tell a parent this little tidbit while they're driving). When we got home and had something approaching a conversation on the subject, I got really angry, because her reactions were 100% selfish ("What have I done to deserve this?" "Why am I being punished like this?" "What will people say?" "Everyone's going to say it's my fault."). Then silence became the rule "You weren't thinking of telling [my brother] about this were you? Well don't." Eventually, months later. she came to something like acceptance, but she's never really been happy about it, and she never really will be.
Ah well, as the saying goes: "Families: Can't live with 'em; can't have 'em bumped off by hired assassins."
A Bit Of A Diggle
"Well, we were confronted with these asinine proclamations from on high, such as the directive that all characters on the cover had to be facing from left to right. Or was it right to left? I can't even remember. When I asked why, the publisher told me it was because he'd picked it up at some marketing seminar. He couldn't even give me a reason. Arsehole."
Andy Diggle, former editor of 2000AD, has some new comics coming out from Vertigo in the newar future, and this interview on Newsarama previews them, as well as getting the lowdown on his time as one of Tharg's droids.
What? Again? Already?
How can it possibly be London Fashion Week again already?
How often do these things come round? How often do people really need to see waif-thin models and men with no chest hair showing off how well they can walk in hopelessly impractical and immorally expensive outfits? How much more time and money can be wasted on fabulous ensembles in order to show off ever more ostentatiously the gaping void between the fashionistas and the people wearing blankets because, weirdly, they can't afford both a handful of food and 'jersey bustier dresses draped with bondage straps'?
What, in brief, is the point?
That Safe Pair Of Hands Again
Iain ("The Conservatives are a party of inclusion and tolerance") Duncan Smith thinks that Section 28 of The Local Goverment Act should be retained (watch out for the pop-under). Apparently it's all about protecting children from being influenced by adults. And therefore obviously not about helping gay kids achieve some small sense that they're not alone, nor freaks and monsters.
Tosser.
A Non-Day
Well, I actually slept a very large chunk of the day away - and clearly I needed it - I haven't been sleeping so well again lately, and there was a lot that needed processing in my head, judging by the entirely mental dreams I had.
Big night out last night - way too much drunk and not enough eaten, but there you go. There were photos taken, and I'll try to get some of them up tomorrow.
Been to see The Bourne Identity this evening - I'll Opinion that properly tomorrow too.
Otherwise - a non-day.
...And While I'm On The Subject:
The subject of going away for a few days that is; I've invited a guest blogger to caretake for me for the week, which will be an interesting experience, given that it's never happened before. My guest blogger will introduce her/himself to everyone at the start of that week to whatever degree they want, but I gather there's an interesting project lined up, from which I'm looking forward to seeing the outcome. Reader participation will be required, so I hope everyone will be happy to oblige.
Oh fer....
I'm sure this will be a familiar rant to far too many people, but anyway:
I'm going away for a few days in a couple of weeks time. I booked a rail ticket in advance in an effort to be organised and save some money. I made the return flexible, because there's a meeting that I'll probably have to cover for work at the end of the week.
Unfortunately, the meeting gets moved to the start of the week, and it's the outbound, not the return, that needs to be changed. And so began the saga that involved two railway stations and three telephone call centres, the phrase "it's nothing to do with us - that's a different rail operator", the news that I can't change the ticket, only cancel it and buy a replacement, but note; "It can take up to 28 days for the refund to go through, and that'll be less the £5 administration charge" and the small matter of the disparity between the price of the ticket I had, and that of the replacement.
I understand that if you buy in advance you give up flexibility for a reduced fare - I'm 100% on board with that principle. But I hadn't given up flexibility, and I hadn't got a reduced fare. And through the years of multi-operator madness, I've still never given up my halcyon view of a single rail company, operating an integrated rail network, where you can deal with any ticket enquiry at any ticket office.
A Safe Pair Of Hands
Back with the politics:
Iain Duncan Smith has been leader of the Conservative Party for a year. Doesn't time fly when you're utterly inconsequential? He's outlining five things which "blight life" in the UK. These are:
Child poverty
Failing schools
Substandard healthcare
Crime
Insecurity in old age.
All five of which are, or course, traditionally seen as much more likely to be improved when his party is in power.
Sorry, forgot the <sarcasm> tags there.
Reflecting On A Life
I'm heading towards the end of what's always a slightly crazy couple of weeks in each year. As well as half of my closest friends having birthdays, plus a wedding anniversary, the last few years there's also been the anniversary of a death to take in.
A few years back, someone who I'd known for all my life, one of my family's oldest friends, committed suicide. I don't know why - no one really does, not even the wife and daughter he left behind. I can't even pretend that I was really all that close to him, or that I'd seen him all that often in the years since I'd moved away from home - he was of my parents' generation; his wife, an old friend of my mother's. But when someone's been a fixture in your life for that long, close or not, their absence leaves a space. Thinking about him, as I always do at this time of year, is difficult, and creates ripples in one's consciousness that move outwards and touch on wider thoughts of mortality and loss.
I've known too many people who've died, many younger and all less willingly than him, but perhaps it was the manner of his death that made his absence seem so great.
So I'm just going to take this evening off from being political, or flippant, or anything but reflective. And see you tomorrow, being my usual self again.
So Tell Me Again, Why Are We Doing This?
I've been pondering this conflict with Iraq that we're clearly going to have shortly, and trying to work out exactly what is really supposed to be the reason for it. It's clearly nothing to do with the events of last year that I'm not mentioning, as no concrete link between those events and Iraq has ever been established. Indeed, in yesterday's Guardian, Hugo Young argued that an attack on Iraq is by definition a distraction from The War Against Terror that's supposed to be the all-consuming concern of all right-thinking nations ever since that day.
Likewise, the idea that Iraq poses a threat to global stability seems effectively demolished by the fact that most of the world seems quite specifically not to regard it as such. Are we somehow to assume that the other major European powers (to take local examples) have suddenly decided that they're not interested in their own security, and so can't be bothered to deal with a real and imminent threat? Somehow, I can't quite buy that. Likewise, most of Iraq's closest neighbours seem decidedly reticent to have anything done about this dangerous outlaw state sitting on their very doorstep.
The idea that the physical threat from Iraq's weapons needs to be dealt with seems more and more discredited with every independent report that says they probably don't have any, or at least if they do, no more so that they always have had, so why would they represent more of a threat now than last year or the year before. On top of which, the potential nuclear threat is offset by the sheer unlikelihood that the country will suddenly obtain fissionable material, and even if they did, that they would seriously think about using it, when the moment they did, the unified international response would effectively destroy Iraq both politically and probably geographically. If anything, the lack of fissionable material in Iraqi hands now is the strongest case to be made in support of shoring up the very anti-proliferation policies and treaties that the US, among others, has been so willing to disregard and undermine in recent years.
Mo Mowlam's view, as mentioned last week, is that it's all about destabilising the region in a way and at a time that guarantees a solid 'friendly' military force in the area who can step in under the guise of 'stabilising' and secure the Saudi oil fields, which, while fiendishly complex, is at least within the realms of possibility.
So it's not about global or even regional stability; it's not about disarming a heavily-armed aggressor; it's not about anti-terrorism; and it's at least not officially about oil. Which leaves two obvious options: One is that the US and UK governments have reason to believe that some specific and immediate threat to them is posed, and it's all about motivated self-interest; or second, that they just don't like unfriendly non-democratic countries (though note that friendly non-democratic countries - Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and China, for instance - are okay, so it's not about preserving democracy or national rights to self-determination). In either case, at least be up front and say so.
Bottom line, Saddam Hussein is a dictator who has threatened his neighbours and used genocidal methods to kill countless people in the past. But that's not the reason being given for wanting to attack and depose him at the moment. And with all the other 'acceptable' reasons discounted or discredited, whatever else remains, it certainly doesn't represent the political, strategic, or least of all the moral, high ground.
An All-New, All-Different 11th Of September
I'm getting very annoyed by the lazy thinking typified by the TV news' constant references to tomorrow as "the anniversary of September the 11th". With the obvious exception of the recently-mentioned 1752, there's been an anniversary of September the 11th every year for hundreds of years. Yes, I know they're using it to refer to the specific events of last year, but then why don't they say that? This kind of shorthand is too easy for the media, and just furthers the cause of soundbite journalism.
For reference, I won't be writing anything about the events of last year tomorrow, as I think I said everything I needed to at the time, and following my trip to New York earlier this year. I hope that the world at large is allowed to mark the occasion with some solemnity and dignity, and without anyone using the inevitable emotion of the day as a tool to promote any of the 'unfortunate' agendas around at the moment.
A Mini-Rant
Why is it always the little things that really annoy me?
There's a shared kitchen in the building where we have our office, and over the last month or so, things have been nicked from it stupidly often. I'm not talking about a bit of milk here, I'm talking about items of cutlery and crockery that I've washed and left to drain. It really winds me up. I've just stuck up a note asking for their return and an apology, neither of which I expect to be forthcoming.
All Downhill From Here
One of my fellow commuters this morning was a guy who looked about fourteen, and who was reading The Journals of Sylvia Plath, which I thought was an interesting (and pretty challenging) read for someone that age.
Then I noticed his wedding ring and the briefcase at his feet, and realised that he wasn't fourteen at all....
Lord I feel old now.
Happpy Birthday To Me....
So....I move another milestone closer to the grave.
I've been out for what was intended to be a swifty or two after work and which ended up being slightly more. Much deep and meaningful discussion was had in that way that pissed people have....
Good evening, one and all - this is something closer so completely pissed than I've ever allowed myself to be before online. But it's my birthday, so I think I'm allowed.
The team from work have bought me the most beautiful gift; a Keith Haring design pen which I'll treasure.
I had planned on blogging loads of stuff this evening. Maybe tomorrow - after all, this eveninig was supposed to be the quiet one.
Bite-Sized Catchup Blogging (Partial Reprise)
I hadn't caught up with everyone's blogs when I decided I'd caught up enough last night, so I missed that Gert has posted up an essay on the subject of Freedom, Liberties, and Rights, which coincidentally touches on several points that I've got in my head at the moment for a similar item of my own. Great minds seem to be somewhat in tune.
"...a story book ending..."
Nice to see Pete Sampras back on form - that was quite the win over Andre Agassi at the US Open. He's right - it would be an impressive, and fitting, note on which to close his career.
Bite-Sized Catchup Blogging #7
It's Cat Protection Week, and so I will, of course, be protecting Dillon from any and all adversities that might come her way. Though considering the damage she could do to an agressor just by sitting on it, I may be superfluous. The week is organised by the Cat Protection League, who do sterling work in rescuing and rehousing abandoned cats, though I could wish they did it in a slightly less condescending manner. A while before Dillon came our way, we were considering taking on one or two of their rescuees, and were more than a little put our by the patronising and insulting way we were dealt with by the two CPL representatives who came to the house to vet us (pun unavoidable). Seriously - he kept telling us the same bleeding obvious things while she looked like there was an unfortunate smell in the room. Best of luck with the recruitment campaign, guys.
Bite-Sized Catchup Blogging #6
This month's Gay Times has a short item in it about Blogging, and Gay Blogging in particular. It doesn't really say anything new, but it does raise the question of whether David at Swish Cottage (who gets yet another reference in the article) should now be officially regarded as the UK's best-known Gay Blogger.
Bite-Sized Catchup Blogging #5
This clearly brainstormed list raises some interesting points about sexism and men's role in combatting it. I'd have to say that the way it's presented is unfortunate ('demands'?), but nevertheless, some of the points are actually valid when taken out of this specific context and applied to the world at large.
Bite-Sized Catchup Blogging #4
Barnaby mentioned a story that had flown under my radar the other day, which involves a murder case and two related trials in Florida. It's mildly complicated, so I'm going to link to the Metafilter thread that discusses it, which opens with outline and links and then has not-a-bad (by recent Metafilter standards) discussion of the various issues raised.
Bite-Sized Catchup Blogging #3
I've been gratified by the response to my comics outreach programme of last week, especially as I was expecting a fairly resounding silence, but no - fully half of the eight items have been asked for, one of them twice. Of course, that means that half are still available. Which half? Ask me and find out....
Bite-Sized Catchup Blogging #2
There aren't many people whose demise I would actually rejoice, but equally, there are some people who I certainly wouldn't mourn. One who might fall into either group is Baroness Young, who went to her reward on Friday. Should the Baroness's own belief system happen by some strange quirk to turn out to reflect reality, it seems safe to surmise that that reward will involve pitchforks and quite a strong smell of sulphur.
The second of her obituaries in The Independent (written by The Reverend Joel Edwards) harps on her religious convictions, and makes the entirely inexplicable statement that she was "the Conservative equivalent of Barbara Castle". Now as well as inexplicable, I also find this rather offensive to the memory of Baroness Castle, as having read her obituaries quite extensively at the time of her death, including that in The Independent, I find myself unable to recall any reference to her having been a bigoted, intolerant old bitch.
Bite-Sized Catchup Blogging #1
Old friend Andrea, who I caught up with on Friday, recommended Alison Moyet's new album, Hometime, which I've been giving a go, and which I can pass on the recommendation for. It's got hints of things going all the way back to Alf, but also quite a new style. There are moments, especially in the title track, where her recent stint as a stage musical performer also seems to be influencing.
Heading Down Le Touquet Way
Well, apart from the fact that it rained in a way that would have had Noah checking out his stock of gopher wood, France was a lot of fun. Primarily a birthday trip for Alison and Philippa, though given it was Chris's birthday last week and is mine this week you could call it an all-round birthday event), some eating, some drinking, and some purchasing of good wine at stupidly cheap prices was done. Le Touquet was the scene of most of the above, which is a handy little spot that's close enough to the ferries to be easily reached, but not so equipped with 'Eastenders 24 Hour Booze Cash 'N' Carry'-style establishments that it's overrun with British day trippers. Good trip, and apart from getting drenched all day yesterday, everyone seemed to have a good time.
Anyway, various things to catch up on unrelated to the trip, so it's time for some bite-sized catchup blogging for the first time in a while.
Reunited
Following up on a posting from a week or two ago, I met my old schoolfriend Andrea for lunch today, and had a very good catch-up after eighteen years. Had I thought, I could have just taken a half day and not gone back to the office, but anyway. I have to say, there aren't that many people I was at school with that I'd rush to get back in touch with (though equally, not too many I'd actively dislike hearing from), but those I have re-established contact with, it's been a thoroughly positive experience. And as I mentioned this place to her - Hi Andrea :-)
Anyway - off to France tomorrow, so probably no update until Sunday. Have a good weekend.
Controversial Films And Cheap Stuff
Quick roundup:
Eleven short films 'reflecting on the attacks on the United States last year' received their premiere at the Venice Film Festival yesterday, and received a mixed response. I hope that I get a chance to see them - some of them sound very interesting indeed.
(Film Project Site)
And the Consumer's Association announced in the latest copy of Which? something that should be a surprise to no one - that you can buy a hell of a lot more than just booze and fags cheaper by crossing to mainland Europe. Any attempt to suggest that we don't live in a rip-off culture (like the attempts that government tries to make on a regular basis) becomes more laughable all the time. Over the years I've bought everything from cutlery to garden furniture to taps to household electrical appliances on the mainland, at what I can realistically call a fraction of the price I would have paid in Rip-off Britain. (And in the other direction, videos, DVDs and CDs in the US for similar discounts.)
Does anyone actually believe we're not being ripped-off just for living and shopping here?
I'm actually off to France tomorrow - though not on a shopping spree.
Invisibles
Dave has passed on a fiendishly difficult film quiz in which 30 stills from different films have had all the characters' skin edited out out and their clothes left in place. You have to name the film. It's a big file (1Mb), and I don't want to clog bandwidth unnecessarily, but if anyone wants it let me know. There's an online version that seems to have been running for a while.
So What's It All About, Then?
...And it is because I am sure that they fully understand the consequences of their actions, that I am most afraid. I am drawn to the conclusion that they must want to create such mayhem.
Saint Mo of Mowlam voices a concern that surely we've all had: It's impossible that the people lobbying for an attack on Iraq don't know how much worse they could make the entire world situation. It's impossible that they don't know the effect it could have on the pro-American governments in the region. So given their apparent determination to see it happen in spite of those things, what is their ulterior motive? Her suggestion seems all-too-believeable.
Psst. Wanna Try A Comic?
Reading recent posts and the Fantastic Four review I wrote at the weekend, you may already be aware that to mark the arrival of the new creative team, Marvel retailed issue #60 at nine cents. Part of their aim in doing so is for people to buy several issues and give them away to people who don't usually read comics in hopes that they might start.
I'm not doing this, because, while it's excellent Fantastic Four, it's not really the kind of thing that's going to do much but reinforce people's view that comics are about spandex-clad figures with superpowers.
However, I have decided to launch an outreach programme of sorts of my own.
I've pulled a number of items out of my collection that I think demonstrate creators doing something different in the medium, or that represent particular high points in recent comic history, or that are just fun. They're listed below. Anyone who would like to try one or other of them, let me know, and I'll arrange to get it to you. Note that this is a loan, not a give - I will want these items back. But I'm hoping that at least a couple of people might be impressed enough to want to pick them, or others like them, up for themselves. For this reason, by the way, I've confined this list to relatively recent products, to make it more likely that you could get them at a reasonable price.
The goodies (items marked * are reviewed in Opinion):
1) The Adventures of Barry Ween, Boy Genius (Trade Paperback). Judd Winnick has created one of the most memorable comic characters in a long time in Barry, whose intellect is as huge as his mouth is filthy. Greeting everything from interdimensional rips to unexpected dinosaurs with his trademark "Fuuuuuuck!", and accompanied by best friend, the genitally-fixated Jeremy, Barry's not quite like any other ten-year-old.
2) Lucifer (Individual comics). Featuring the ultimate anti-hero, yes, this is *that* Lucifer, in a comic that brings together everything from huge theological debate to political drama (and where it's the politics of Hell we're talking about, 'drama' is the word. Writer Mike Carey has rightly been praised and awarded for creating the most complex and challenging series for a very long time.
3) Planetary* (Trade Paperback). Three 'mystery archaeologists' who 'walk the world for strangeness', in a series that takes its cue from every fictional genre imaginable, and weaves them into a single narrative in which far more is going on than at first appears. Warren Ellis and John Cassaday pull it all together.
4) Slow News Day (Trade Paperback). Andi Watson (creator of Dumped*) tells the story of life on a provincial British newspaper in a straightforward, everyday way, and uses totally believeable characters to do so. One of those stories that, right at the end, turns out to be something different than you thought it was.
5) Alias* (Individual Comics). Private detectives in the Marvel Universe. Dark, intense, with a cracking line in cliffhangers, and a central protagonist that seems all-too-human.
6) The Authority (Trade Paperback). The birth of 'widescreen' superheroics - Warren Ellis (again) and Brian Hitch put together a team of heroes operating on a global scale "because there has to be someone left to save the world - and someone left to change it." Nothing you think you know about superheroics applies here.
7) Queen and Country (Trade Paperback). Greg Rucka's take on the British Secret Service is a warts-and-all look at the politics, the dramas, the relationships and the characters. This first collection tells the story of an assassination and its fall-out, and sets the scene for some cracking stories that follow,
8) Strangehaven* (Trade Paperback). Romance, intrigue, weirdness and much more besides in a Devon village that might not exist. Gary Spencer Millidge's unique creation is both a labour of love (self-published and meticulously detailed) and an exploration into territory somewhere betweeen The Prisoner and Sapphire and Steel.
And of course, if anybody wants to read that new Fantastic Four....
Just Wondering
Hypothetically, what would you do?:
You're working your way through a box full of stuff that you've recovered from the attic of the house you used to live in, sorting out what to junk. You find two rolls of exposed but undeveloped 35mm film. You have no idea what's on them, or when they were taken, but based on the vintage of the box they must be at least three years old. Do you:
a) Bin them,
b) Get them developed
c) Hang on to them, thinking that you'll get them developed the next time you take a finished film in?
Answers in the comments, please, and in this hypothetical scenario, issues of likely picture quality should be disregarded. Show your workings in the margin.
Now You See It.... (Reprise)
Having tweaked, I now seem to have a top navigation that works in the browsers and platforms it's supposed to. Thanks, marc for pointing out the glitch in the first place. If anyone else is having trouble, let me know.
No Appreciable Connections
Various bits and pieces I've picked up that I wanted to mention.
andersja's blog has a posting today on the subject of a teacher who risks being fired because she taught her class about The 'N' Word. No, not the one you're thinking of. There's some well-researched background info on the word itself and other instances of people getting into trouble for using it. (It's 'niggardly', by the way.)
Rob Lowe is apparently 'considering staying' on The West Wing.
As Tony Blair says that he's going to put up, rather than shut up, evidence that Iraq poses a threat, Hugo Young looks at some of the key points in the history of 'the special relationship' between the UK and the US, and some of its motivators.
Neat themed site at Medium Bold - The Evolution of Type
[Via somebody but I can't remember who, sorry.]
And elsewhere, closer to home, Dillon is succeeding in being too cute for words. Judge for yourself.
UPDATE: Two I forgot:
Shakespeare is ... the one author in the entire canon with whom you can muster a passing familiarity without even having to read any, just by being middle class. Zoe Williams dissects some of the trouble people are having with the Beckhams' choice of baby name.
And a Foodie Find: The Food Doctor do a range of 'grain'-type bars, which in the normal course of events I'd have no time for, but I tried the 'Cleanse' bar the other day;
(This bar made with oats, linseed, sunflower seeds, pineapple, banana and papaya, fortified with milk thistle is designed to help you detoxify by removing the toxins from your body.)
and while I have no idea if it actually does what it claims, it's a very tasty and usefully filling little number.
Hugo
Just before heading into work, I ought to mention that among the other winners, a very well-deserved Hugo Award went to Neil Gaiman for American Gods. We approve.
Best Laid Plans
I was going to be so busy this evening, and four hours of not being able to log on, courtesy of 'issues' with my ISP thoroughly thwarted that idea.
So instead, I'll just note that there's another new comic review in Opinion, and go have a mug of hot chocolate instead.
Try again tomorrow, I guess.
Oh Fer Fuck's Sake
See entries passim for what I'm likely to think of: "Abduction fear girl to be tagged".
[Passed on by Dave]
Insert Appaling "You've Gotta Have Faith" Pun Here
Big Buffy News (rumours, not definitive spoilers):
The rumours about Eliza Dushku's character Faith returning to Sunnydale are officially rumours no longer. The fabulous Ms D will be appearing in the final five episodes of Buffy Season 7, which may well be the final five episodes of Buffy of course.
She's apparently also scheduled for three episodes of Angel, and the still-very-much-rumour has her appearing in the wake of the return of Angelus, Angels 'bad' persona.
Now You See It....
Something wildy screwy has apparently been going on with the DHTML navigation at the top of the site pages recently - I think it was to do with a path change I made that some browsers had problems with. I *think* it's fixed now - it certainly seems okay on the browsers and platforms I have handy right now. If anyone has any trouble with it, can you let me know? Ta.
Last One Before Bed
I can't believe how busy I've been on here today considering how knackered I've felt - I didn't get to sleep until 5.30 this morning....
Anyway - I just wanted to point out that Dug has been singled out for special attention in the Guardian Weblog Guide. His site's 'whimsical', which is one of those words that I'd remain uncertain about if it was ever applied to me. Can I get your autograph Dug?
The Nine Cent Comic Has Landed
A while back I mentioned that Marvel Comics were going to promote author Mark Waid's arrival on The Fantastic Four with a nine-cent issue. It arrived in shops at the end of last week, and I've added a review of it in Opinion.
A Note On Leaning
Someone asked me the other day which way I leant, politically. This took me a bit aback, actually, given that the questioner was someone who's been reading this thing almost since it started. So of course it got me wondering along one of those 'do I not come across as myself?' lines that hits us all every now and again.
I think I come across as pretty much what I am - an extremely left-leaning liberal. Trawl the archives and you'll hit rants about sexism, racism, homophobia, capitalism, and imperialism. You'll find 'pro' stuff on equality of opportunity, ethical consumerism, environmentalism and campaigning journalism. You won't find much that could be called 'party' political, because I went through that phase a long time ago. I joined a party (guess) literally as soon as I was old enough to do so, and spent over ten years in activism at various levels. General disenchantment with the party system and the lack of support for any really radical thought in leadership drove me away, not any shift in my beliefs (unless it was a shift further away from the centre). Seeing what we've ended up with in government, I find myself all-too-unsurprised.
So I go my own way - I shop ethically, I rant here, I write slightly less rantingly elsewhere lately, I support the causes I choose, and I rather foolishly hold out an entirely un-me-like hope that one day we'll get leadership that puts its conscience, not its pocket or its popularity at the head of its priorities.
That's how I think I come across. Any radically-conflicting views in our studio audience?
"Season Of Mists And Mellow Fruitfulness"
Welcome to September. I've always liked September - and not just because it's got my birthday in it. I like autumn, the 'season' Keats described above, and here's where it starts.
It's a good example of all the messing around with our time-keeping systems we humans seem to like so much, too. As is apparent from its name, this ninth month was not always so. The Gregorian calendar places it ninth, but kept its 'seven'-derived name from back in the days of the Roman calendar, which began in March, just to sow confusion for everyone concerned. It was also in a September (1752, to be precise) that eleven days were taken out of the calendar to bring everything in line for Gregorian purposes.
It's always interested me how September somehow managed to get itself in a position of being the start of some cycles. Academic years, for instance, start this month, as does the American TV 'season', and it's when the Britsh parliament gets back into the swing after the long summer recess and conference season.
Famous people born in September include: Lily Tomlin, Ivan The Terrible, Edith Sitwell, Otis Redding, D.H. Lawrence, Agatha Christie, Lauren Bacall and H.G. Wells.
Historic events in Septembers over the centuries include the British Declaration of War against Germany (effectively a declaration of a new World War) in 1939, the Great Fire of London began in 1666, the first non-stop flight from Europe to the USA took place in 1930, the Bundestag returned to Berlin in 1999, the USA formally came into existence when the name was adopted in place of the United Colonies in 1776, New Zealand became the first country to allow women the right to vote in 1893, William of Normandy landed in Sussex, and began the Norman Conquest in 1066, and of course, in 2001, the World Trade Center in New York was destroyed and the Pentagon attacked.
W.H. Auden has, I think, the last word in September sentiments; as relevant now as to the events he reflected in writing them:
"I and the public know
What all schoolchildren learn,
Those to whom evil is done
Do evil in return."
September 1st 1939
Just Enough Energy To Link
Mike has a new look. Very classy. We approve.
And there's good news today over at blog v2.0.
Jon In 'Goes Out Clubbing' Shock!
I need to get out more - in various senses of the word 'out'. The last few times I've been to gay bars they've been in central London and the 'attitude' and the body fascism have been very much the order of the day.
Tonight I've been out for a drink somewhere out of the centre of town, and it's been a revelation. I've been out with men how were fit, men who were a bit out of shape, men who were a a bit chubby, and even men who were straightforwardly fat and didn't give a damn. Normal people, in short. Also, people who were just wearing regular clothes, not 'labels': I only saw one D&G muscle top all night, and I'm fairly sure that was being worn ironically.
To be truthful, I was a bit of a wallflower, and didn't really talk to anyone, but next time I go, I probably will.
The strangest thing is that, even in as flexible an environment as that, all the old insecurities suddenly took hold - was I dressed right? did I have the right 'look'? would guys still not make passes at guys who wear glasses? Strange that they're all still there under the surface after all these years.
With all that in my head it actually took me a while to realise something.
I had a really good time.