Sunday, February 15, 2009

Weekending: shout outs

First of all a couple of events you might like to pop into your busy diary;

Sunday, March 1

Change: Yes we can't!
Comedy night with Peyvand Khorsandi and Hils Barker (right)
Fundraiser for Hands Off The People Of Iran (HOPI)

Venue: The Library Pub, Upper Street, London
Starts: 8:00pm. Cost: £8

Facebook event is here in case you want to invite your friends.
You can also download the flyer here.
Plus you can watch Peyvand's sister on the Late Show here. Very, very funny.

Saturday, 7th March

Campaign Against Climate Change Trade Union Conference
Venue: Franklin-Wilkins Building, King's College London, Stamford Street, London

Speakers include:Chris Baugh, Tony Kearns, Jean Lambert, Ian Lavery, Mark Lynas, John McClean, John McDonnell, Caroline Molloy, Ann Pettifor, Dave Prentis, Phil Thornhill and Matt Wrack.

Time: 11 am to 5 pm

Contact: climatetradeunion@googlemail.com
Facebook event is here.

To register simply send your name, address, phone number, email, union branch and £10 (£5 unwaged) to CCC, PO Box 417, Prestwich, Manchester M45 OAP. Cheques payable to Campaign against Climate Change.

This week's miscellaneous reading:
  • The English version of an article for a French peace organisation about the Europe Against US Missile Defence conference.
  • London Bishop attacked by police - what?
  • The Daily Mail thinks Greens are responsible for the Australian forest fires.
  • Torab Saleth on the Iranian Revolution in the Weekly Worker.
  • Peter Tatchell's take on the Iranian regime in Red Pepper.
  • I note a new Cambridge lefty blog The Third Estate, looks interesting.
  • I've also noticed Marcus Brigstocke's blog. He's a good bloke isn't he.
  • Spotted Cath Elliott's blog, well worth a look.
  • I have two contenders for letter of the week, both from Saturday's Guardian;
  • First (droll): Is this enormous oversized horse that is to be built in Kent an elaborate plot by the Greeks to invade us? Max Kenworthy London
  • Second (true): So Gordon Brown could only lose two bankers in two days. At this rate we'll never be rid of them. Roger Wells Stourbridge, West Midlands
If you have a contribution for next weekend's edition feel free to let me know.

Just to finish you off, here is Pete Postlewaite talking about his role in the new film "The Age of Stupid" can't wait!

4 comments:

Green Gordon said...

The problem wth Marky Marky is that for a laugh, he'll make fun of people he clearly agrees with in the same way that he will with people he doesn't. There's no satirical connection between the two, in the sense of pointing out stupidity and hypocrisy (which is what a satirist should do), but more lowest common denominator quick-but-not-witted news-quiz humour... On his "I've never seen star wars show" e introduced someone to vegetarian food by giving them a veggie sausage, a rice cake and a glass of soy milk... When he introduced someone to cocktails they got a bartender from the Grouch club in.... If he did a stand-up at conference I'm sure he's pitch entirely to us and be very well received. When he pitches to a bland Radio 4 audience, he goes for lazy populism...

I have just written too much on Marcus Brigstocke.

Jim Jepps said...

I think you're being unfair to him.

Firstly because he's more of a ranter than a bland one.

Secondly because he's just been to the antartic and seen for himself what is happening there and created a program on climate change and what a serious threat it is - so he is willing to stand by his principles.

If his day job sometimes means he has to play devil's advocate I think we have to accept that we all make those kinds of compromises - but he's clearly doing a lot of good work advocating around climate change at the moment not to Greens but to the wider population.

Green Gordon said...

Oh, I know about his antarctica trip (I've heard the material one live, and I think on two different radio shows) and I've no doubt he's a good guy, but the best ranters (Bill Hicks, for one, and Stuart Lee for another) seem to at least point their efforts in one direction... He's still got some work to do before he becomes the British Jon Stewart... I'm just sore about the veggie sausages.

Jim Jepps said...

"I'm just sore about the veggie sausages." lol - aren't we all

"He's still got some work to do before he becomes the British Jon Stewart" Jon Stewart is fantastic!

I think the main thing for me is I'm glad of all the allies I can get. If he's want to come out with "inconsistencies" then for me that's just the stuff of life.