Monthly Archives: July 2010

Tropes

Posted on 31 July 2010 by Robert

The latest YouTube craze is to take a common film or TV cliché or plot device and splice them together.  Its a diverting way to highlight the many recurring scenes that we see in our media, the audio-visual grammar of … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Internet Philosophy | Leave a comment

The Bookseller of Kabul

Posted on 30 July 2010 by Robert

Dragging this sort of roman a clef into the court-room is a terrible precedent for free expression. Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Human Rights, Middle East, Political Correctness | 2 Comments

WOMAD and Multiculturalism

Posted on 29 July 2010 by Robert

One of the highlights of WOMAD last weekend was watching a comeback performance by the Afro-Celt Sound System, who rocked the tent on Sunday evening with a tight blend of two cultures. The undoubted crowd-pleaser was a three-way drum duel … Continue reading →

Posted in Diary, Multiculturalism, Music | 1 Comment

Mieville on Teleporting

Posted on 23 July 2010 by Robert

At the event on Tuesday night, I remarked that China Mieville and Cory Doctorow share an irritating trait, which is to lathe my own ideas into science fiction books, many years before I even have the thought for the first … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Science, Space Travel | 3 Comments

Nick Clegg: Accidentally-on-Purpose

Posted on 22 July 2010 by Robert

I wonder if his gaffes were as accidental as is being reported Continue reading →

Posted in Iraq, Liberal Democrats, Media | Leave a comment

Doctorow/Mieville

Posted on 22 July 2010 by Robert

Some photos from the event on Tuesday night Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Diary | Leave a comment

Trouble Looming over Burqa Ban

Posted on 14 July 2010 by Robert

So, French MPs have voted to ban the burka. We know where this story will go next.  Somewhere in France, a woman will engage in a piece of civil disobediance and enter a public space wearing her veil.  She will … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Rights, Multiculturalism | Leave a comment

Free Speech in Parliament Square

Posted on 13 July 2010 by Robert

If the authorities are genuinely concerned about hygeine then they should provide modest facilities for ablutions and waste disposal… thereby facilitating the protest, not hampering it. It would be unfair for residents of the City of Westminster, or Greater London, to foot the bill for this. Instead, UK taxpayers should pick up the tab. Continue reading →

Posted in Human Rights, London | 4 Comments

Press Release from the Democracy Camp

Posted on 13 July 2010 by Robert

Here’s a statement released by the folks from the Democracy Camp at Parliament Square. Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Leave a comment

Anti-Bribes

Posted on 1 July 2010 by Robert

The Afghani policeman paying ‘anti-bribes’ reminds me of the Indian Zero Rupee bank-note. Continue reading →

Posted in India, Law and Order | Leave a comment