In a galaxy far, far away.
A princess called Diana died.
Was it:
a) The paparazzi's fault
b) The driver's fault
c) The British public's fault
d) Diana's fault
e) The car's fault
f) Everyone's fault
g) No one's fault
h) Is it helpful to blame people?
If you get really angry and blamey about something do you go to court or torch someone's house in a blamey mob.
Or do some people just cry.
Thursday 31 August 2017
Wednesday 30 August 2017
Tuesday 29 August 2017
"We'll save Australia...
...don't want to hurt no kangaroos."
Japan, long may the sun rise.
All credit to Tim Minchin and his team.
Friday 25 August 2017
Thursday 24 August 2017
The death of the court reporter
With local press funding disappearing at a rate of knots someone is fast disappearing alongside, the court reporter.
British courts are very different to American ones on one important point.
No recording devices are allowed inside.
Public justice
The OJ Simpson trial...
Couldn't have happened here in the same way.
This means the only way to find out quickly what has been going on in the courts is to actually read court reports.
Valuable work
There was a time when a court reporter was a major feature of most local papers.
Ensuring justice was seen to be done, one of the principles on which our system hangs.
Court reporters still exist, but are dwindling in number.
They do one of the journalistic jobs I most admire.
While on the box
As they are cut to beyond the bone I find myself looking at the Judge Rinder show in a different light.
Sure, the show is entertainment, it is not the justice system as such.
However, increasingly it is offering an open forum to prompt reflection of fairness and justice where we hear less and less of the story unfolding behind the court room doors.
It is not a substitute, but if this is the way we are headed, perhaps it's needed.
British courts are very different to American ones on one important point.
No recording devices are allowed inside.
Public justice
The OJ Simpson trial...
Couldn't have happened here in the same way.
This means the only way to find out quickly what has been going on in the courts is to actually read court reports.
Valuable work
There was a time when a court reporter was a major feature of most local papers.
Ensuring justice was seen to be done, one of the principles on which our system hangs.
Court reporters still exist, but are dwindling in number.
They do one of the journalistic jobs I most admire.
While on the box
As they are cut to beyond the bone I find myself looking at the Judge Rinder show in a different light.
Sure, the show is entertainment, it is not the justice system as such.
However, increasingly it is offering an open forum to prompt reflection of fairness and justice where we hear less and less of the story unfolding behind the court room doors.
It is not a substitute, but if this is the way we are headed, perhaps it's needed.
Wednesday 23 August 2017
iMom futures
A short sci-fi for modern times.
All credit for this work goes to Omeleto
This is not the most complex of offerings, but it's worth a watch.
If you enjoyed please remember it's media, also remind Donald Trump.
Tuesday 22 August 2017
Own goal
After trying to pull down an unwelcome statue in response to equally unwelcome real world events in Charlottesville now someone has been arrested for trying to blow it up.
Please remind me what it was the Taliban tried to blow up...
Meanwhile Trump has decided to about turn and send troops into Afghanistan.
Talk about offering an own goal America...
Please remind me what it was the Taliban tried to blow up...
Meanwhile Trump has decided to about turn and send troops into Afghanistan.
Talk about offering an own goal America...
Monday 21 August 2017
Perspective
Many of you will already know about the terrorist attack on La Rambla in Barcelona, the youngest of the victims was reported to be just eight.
Barcelona is a truly beautiful place with a welcoming spirit and a creative culture.
Why anyone would want to attack it indiscriminately is beyond me.
Strange contrast
Yet within days of this lectures are reaching me about increasing regulation of online bullying.
While I do not agree with all the online abuse that has become a larger and larger feature of our everyday reality.
I am cautious of an over reaction.
The suggestion was that online abuse would lead to a Charlottesville situation.
Scars
I realize mental abuse builds up in a person and can too be truly damaging.
Only, you can turn a computer off, you can ignore the comments, you can delete the e-mails.
I would rather focus still be focused on more traditional bullying, which leaves faces bruised and families missing a loved one.
Barcelona is a truly beautiful place with a welcoming spirit and a creative culture.
Why anyone would want to attack it indiscriminately is beyond me.
Strange contrast
Yet within days of this lectures are reaching me about increasing regulation of online bullying.
While I do not agree with all the online abuse that has become a larger and larger feature of our everyday reality.
I am cautious of an over reaction.
The suggestion was that online abuse would lead to a Charlottesville situation.
Scars
I realize mental abuse builds up in a person and can too be truly damaging.
Only, you can turn a computer off, you can ignore the comments, you can delete the e-mails.
I would rather focus still be focused on more traditional bullying, which leaves faces bruised and families missing a loved one.
Friday 18 August 2017
Erasing history
The events in Charlottesville have brought world attention to the far right in America.
Yet now there are reports of a statue being torn down in the area by anti-racists.
Leaving me absurdly siding with Donald Trump on this particular point.
By all means condemn what has happened in Charlottesville, call people to account.
Only don't just start tearing down all remenants of painful history.
There are statues of people everywhere who a modern generation may have cause to question.
One day a school kid may point up at one of those statues and ask you to explain it.
What are you going to say to one of those children in years to come?
Yes there was a statue, but we were angry and we tore it down because we don't like to remember any history we find difficult...
There are museums to the Nazi and Soviet eras, with good reason.
Yet now there are reports of a statue being torn down in the area by anti-racists.
Leaving me absurdly siding with Donald Trump on this particular point.
By all means condemn what has happened in Charlottesville, call people to account.
Only don't just start tearing down all remenants of painful history.
There are statues of people everywhere who a modern generation may have cause to question.
One day a school kid may point up at one of those statues and ask you to explain it.
What are you going to say to one of those children in years to come?
Yes there was a statue, but we were angry and we tore it down because we don't like to remember any history we find difficult...
There are museums to the Nazi and Soviet eras, with good reason.
Thursday 17 August 2017
Wednesday 16 August 2017
Big Ben's on strike
The final chimes of Big Ben ring out today, as the old London clock goes in for repair.
We can look forward to a surreal world of silence in the centre of town, as a clock not silent for 157 years ceases to chime.
Big Ben will be back after a very long illness due to end in 2021.
Meantime, as you were London.
We can look forward to a surreal world of silence in the centre of town, as a clock not silent for 157 years ceases to chime.
Big Ben will be back after a very long illness due to end in 2021.
Tuesday 15 August 2017
Independence Day
It may come as an antidote to the events in the states that today marks 70 years since Indian independence.
A curry to celebrate sounds like a good plan for your evening.
If you're in Glasgow they have an exhibition on.
A curry to celebrate sounds like a good plan for your evening.
If you're in Glasgow they have an exhibition on.
Monday 14 August 2017
Freedom as farce
It was with true sadness I heard of the incidents surrounding far right groups in the United States.
It is even more painful to see someone come out and try and defend the violence.
It is even more painful to see someone come out and try and defend the violence.
I have no rights to this content, all work credited to IBTimes
I can understand the anger causing a mob to descend on this man, but it puts any sense of political debate and progress into the most painful farce.
America, the land to present us figures like Martin Luther King, Aretha Franklin, Mark Twain, Louisa May Alcott and countless others seems to be descending into a kind of tragic fight where all lose.
I would urge you to look on the BBC website for a full report on these incidents.
Friday 11 August 2017
Don't ask!
There are a litiany of comedians and journalists at the moment making shows and documentaries around the theme of don't ask X this.
The X's involved are sometimes Vegans, Bisexuals, Black people, hispanics, I could go on.
Now while this may seem like a great idea for a skit or show exposing the ignorance of certain questions and statements, bizarrely I'm not sure it's so helpful.
Why?
Because it closes down the conversation.
Ok, you may have spared yourself the fifteenth question on this topic, a cringe worthy exchange or a downright insulting Trump style assault, but who was enlightened?
You get to walk away feeling certified in your knowledge of the area, but the person asking the question is left just as clueless as before.
If in all innocence someone is trying to understand you and asks you something a bit awkward, try to answer.
If it shows them up, makes them smile or leads to another question someone now knows a little bit more about how you or the people you like identify.
Better world, no?
The X's involved are sometimes Vegans, Bisexuals, Black people, hispanics, I could go on.
Now while this may seem like a great idea for a skit or show exposing the ignorance of certain questions and statements, bizarrely I'm not sure it's so helpful.
Why?
Because it closes down the conversation.
Ok, you may have spared yourself the fifteenth question on this topic, a cringe worthy exchange or a downright insulting Trump style assault, but who was enlightened?
You get to walk away feeling certified in your knowledge of the area, but the person asking the question is left just as clueless as before.
If in all innocence someone is trying to understand you and asks you something a bit awkward, try to answer.
If it shows them up, makes them smile or leads to another question someone now knows a little bit more about how you or the people you like identify.
Better world, no?
Wednesday 9 August 2017
Patient X
A spate of mental health stories have emerged in the last few days raising serious questions over how the system is managed in this country.
Investigations of deaths in care are being flanked by high ranking doctors lambasting the current care of suicidal patients.
Added to this Theresa May's promise she was going to funnel more money into the issue you have to question whether there are any clear answers.
In the wash of charities, public bodies and celebrities that tackle the issue a different message seems to emerge each time.
While an overarching focus about sharing and caring is perhaps welcome, it is hard to unpick whether any of these initiatives will have the affect they intend.
Investigations of deaths in care are being flanked by high ranking doctors lambasting the current care of suicidal patients.
Added to this Theresa May's promise she was going to funnel more money into the issue you have to question whether there are any clear answers.
In the wash of charities, public bodies and celebrities that tackle the issue a different message seems to emerge each time.
While an overarching focus about sharing and caring is perhaps welcome, it is hard to unpick whether any of these initiatives will have the affect they intend.
Monday 7 August 2017
Medicine Now!
Ever pondered those tablets in your hand?
The welcome collection hosts a permanent exhibition dealing with medicine through the ages.
If you're bored over the summer months and would like some cheap thought provoking fun this is worth a look.
The exhibition Medicine Now covers two floors and touches on ages of medicine from the mystic to the scientific.
You can cast your mind back to before the NHS and before quaint ideas like patient choice and even pain killers.
Worth a look.
You'll find some very cleverly inspired art too.
Exit via a tongue in cheek science shop for extra silly.
The welcome collection hosts a permanent exhibition dealing with medicine through the ages.
If you're bored over the summer months and would like some cheap thought provoking fun this is worth a look.
The exhibition Medicine Now covers two floors and touches on ages of medicine from the mystic to the scientific.
You can cast your mind back to before the NHS and before quaint ideas like patient choice and even pain killers.
Worth a look.
You'll find some very cleverly inspired art too.
Exit via a tongue in cheek science shop for extra silly.
Saturday 5 August 2017
Ahaad Alamoudi
Last Friday Ahaad Alamoudi exhibited her artwork at The Mosaic Rooms in West London, with the events at Grenfell Tower I was slow to collect my thoughts on the piece.
Alamoudi said the piece is inspired by a viral protest video that emerged several years ago examining the inequality between those in the Arab world.
Alamoudi had remade the video and paired it with many other renditions of the same song, looking at the Arab world through the lenses of those at the bottom.
Given what had just happened at Grenfell to the mind of a Londoner there was an added element to the piece as it was hosted so close to a disaster rocking one of the richest London boroughs.
The piece was continued downstairs with an emersive audio pairing and video.
However the most interesting piece was the video of the dancer overlaid with a song of looking up at the wealth of another.
A dancer was also a feature of the event, this self effacing man performed three times with an interpretative dance based on the minimal direction of Alamoudi.
His dancing was lovely and it was lovely to see something happy and vibrant added to what in essence was quite a sad reflection on the state of the world.
It will be interesting to see what Alamoudi presents next.
Alamoudi said the piece is inspired by a viral protest video that emerged several years ago examining the inequality between those in the Arab world.
Alamoudi had remade the video and paired it with many other renditions of the same song, looking at the Arab world through the lenses of those at the bottom.
Given what had just happened at Grenfell to the mind of a Londoner there was an added element to the piece as it was hosted so close to a disaster rocking one of the richest London boroughs.
The piece was continued downstairs with an emersive audio pairing and video.
However the most interesting piece was the video of the dancer overlaid with a song of looking up at the wealth of another.
A dancer was also a feature of the event, this self effacing man performed three times with an interpretative dance based on the minimal direction of Alamoudi.
His dancing was lovely and it was lovely to see something happy and vibrant added to what in essence was quite a sad reflection on the state of the world.
It will be interesting to see what Alamoudi presents next.
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