Friday, June 29, 2007
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
I'm going on holiday tomorrow. By the time I get back Britain will be changed, changed utterly. I hope you can all prop up civilization without Mr. Blair.
|
|
Monday, June 25, 2007
Sunday, June 24, 2007
If I just had this T-shirt again, everything would be alright.
Everything would be just fine.
Of course Dunc: This is England .
|
Monday, June 11, 2007
I did an exam this morning; it went fine. On my way home I listened to the Beatles. I don't do that very often, but it seemed appropriate - the melancholy back-when-the-world-was-young feel, and the clean lines of songs it seems I've known my whole life make for a good head-clearer. They might not be your thing, but you have to admit they had something. Also, it felt healthy to remind myself that however smug I felt about finishing a course, by my age Paul McCartney had done with the Beatles, and still had Live and Let Die to come.
Which brings me to David Beckham (all roads lead there). I get the same melancholy optimism looking at photos of him from the late '90s. He's McCartney's double: the girls' favourite, not as cool as overrated colleagues, and criticised for doing the thing he's good at extremely well indeed.
This season started with a group of egos forgetting they need to work together to work at all: Let it Be. It ends with everyone remembering what they saw in their hero in the first place, as he calmly plays not as well as before, but well enough to provoke nostalgia: the closing medley of Abbey Road (Ruud Van Nistelroy as George Harrison, if you like). That album ends well, and the Beatles didn't overstay their welcome. To America, David, and Wings!
Now, is there any beer in the house?
|
Which brings me to David Beckham (all roads lead there). I get the same melancholy optimism looking at photos of him from the late '90s. He's McCartney's double: the girls' favourite, not as cool as overrated colleagues, and criticised for doing the thing he's good at extremely well indeed.
This season started with a group of egos forgetting they need to work together to work at all: Let it Be. It ends with everyone remembering what they saw in their hero in the first place, as he calmly plays not as well as before, but well enough to provoke nostalgia: the closing medley of Abbey Road (Ruud Van Nistelroy as George Harrison, if you like). That album ends well, and the Beatles didn't overstay their welcome. To America, David, and Wings!
Now, is there any beer in the house?
|
Friday, June 08, 2007
Big Brother Race Row: All I’m going to say on the issue
I think we could all agree that Emily did not mean what she said in a racist way, that it was more a posh child trying to be cool with someone older and more impressive. Fine. Nevertheless, she had to go; not as a punishment, but due to the format of the show.
In the first Big Brother the contestants could say and do anything they liked (other than cheating), as the producers were invisible: stick some people in a house, don’t let them leave, see what happens. The turning point came with Big Brother 3 and the divided rich/poor house. The production of the show now became as visible as any housemate, and actively tried to bring discord. Endemol had to pay a price for forcing entertainment by taking responsibility for the consequences. The show had never been pure - purity could only come from constant streaming on the internet with viewers able to choose which cameras they watched – but once producer meddling became obvious, their editing came under more scrutiny.
The brouhaha over Celebrity Big Brother this year was not so much about the racism, it was about how Endemol responded to it; and if they are responsible for the behaviour of the contestants, they are responsible for the racism. It is no longer possible to cite the “court of public opinion” argument: the trials are compromised. Endemol will be judged on their housemates, yet for anyone to watch it they need the opinionated and idiotic. The show will eventually be destroyed by its internal contradictions. Like capitalism.
|
I think we could all agree that Emily did not mean what she said in a racist way, that it was more a posh child trying to be cool with someone older and more impressive. Fine. Nevertheless, she had to go; not as a punishment, but due to the format of the show.
In the first Big Brother the contestants could say and do anything they liked (other than cheating), as the producers were invisible: stick some people in a house, don’t let them leave, see what happens. The turning point came with Big Brother 3 and the divided rich/poor house. The production of the show now became as visible as any housemate, and actively tried to bring discord. Endemol had to pay a price for forcing entertainment by taking responsibility for the consequences. The show had never been pure - purity could only come from constant streaming on the internet with viewers able to choose which cameras they watched – but once producer meddling became obvious, their editing came under more scrutiny.
The brouhaha over Celebrity Big Brother this year was not so much about the racism, it was about how Endemol responded to it; and if they are responsible for the behaviour of the contestants, they are responsible for the racism. It is no longer possible to cite the “court of public opinion” argument: the trials are compromised. Endemol will be judged on their housemates, yet for anyone to watch it they need the opinionated and idiotic. The show will eventually be destroyed by its internal contradictions. Like capitalism.
|
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Tales from the Notepad:
Jon spelt with an "h" affected?
Profound sadness of Hugh Grant in Bridget Jones: Age of Reason. He's been in dozens of films, but the opportunity cost: those parts he could have played but didn't. And all those potential 30-something middle class English male roles left unplayed; poignancy of passing time on the lightly comedic romantic lead.
|
Jon spelt with an "h" affected?
Profound sadness of Hugh Grant in Bridget Jones: Age of Reason. He's been in dozens of films, but the opportunity cost: those parts he could have played but didn't. And all those potential 30-something middle class English male roles left unplayed; poignancy of passing time on the lightly comedic romantic lead.
|
I've focus-grouped this already, but thought I'd throw it open. What do we think about men adding an "x" (or multiple, "xxx") to their texts/emails to female friends?
I disapprove of it.
As flirting it's cack-handed.
As friendliness it's obsequious.
Don't do it unless you "x" your male friends too.
UPDATE: Comment from a girl (imagine!) would be welcome on this issue.
Comment from girls welcome on every issue, of course.
|
I disapprove of it.
As flirting it's cack-handed.
As friendliness it's obsequious.
Don't do it unless you "x" your male friends too.
UPDATE: Comment from a girl (imagine!) would be welcome on this issue.
Comment from girls welcome on every issue, of course.
|
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
"London Olympics diverts public money goes from one sinecure to another", or words to that effect, from the Guardian.
"Given that I find it impossible to get my work staged in any major theatre in the UK"
You want to put some songs in, mate.
NB I'm good friends with the writer's son. Nevertheless, he's wrong.
|
"Given that I find it impossible to get my work staged in any major theatre in the UK"
You want to put some songs in, mate.
NB I'm good friends with the writer's son. Nevertheless, he's wrong.
|
Friday, June 01, 2007
