14 Mar 2011
A Discussion of Lent at the Idler Academy
A time for self-denial? Yes. But also a time of self-strength suggests John Mitchinson.
14 Mar 2011
Iran Now Says it Won't Do What Everyone Kind Of Wished it Would
Still getting used to the ins and outs of what a “threat” is, Iran now says it will now attend 2012 Olympics even if the Jew loving logo hasn’t been changed.
14 Mar 2011
Meet Jet, Your 2011 Crufts Champion!
The Flatcoated Retriever couldn’t be more thrilled to take home the giant trophy, ribbon, and prominently placed knock-off-iPad looking thing (for dogs?)
14 Mar 2011
Five imperishable truths about modern life learned in an afternoon at Westfield
We hold these truths to be self-evident. We saw them in Shepherd’s Bush.
Choice is paralysing
It’s lunctime. No problem, I’m in Westfield, I’ll buy myself some food. After all, it’s abundantly stocked. But hmm what do I fancy? Don’t really want to sit down or pay too much money. Hmm. Probably a sandwich then. Don’t really fancy any in particular, probably just have ham. Hmm. Pret do ham sandwiches, so do Eat, so do M&S…which is nearest? Which is cheapest? Which is nicest? Why can’t I make a simple decision?! Am I even hungry? Fuck it, just go to Burger King. Damn you, saturation brand penetration. Damn you to hell.
Westfield is one of the few public places in London it’s still possible to nap
Sometimes, when you’re far from home, sweet Morpheus begins his beguiling lullaby and you feel yourself gagging for a quick nap. If it’s summer and the ground is dry, you can usually find an obliging spot of parkland. If the weather is inclement, you’re condemned to a depressing trudge across the city into the arms of you’re own sofa. Westfield is one of the rare places which a.) has comfortable public furniture, and b.) is a large enough monument to faceless anonymity that no one minds if you nod off right in the middle of it.
Prams are evolving
They get bigger and more elaborate every season. In the future, when every labour saving device is a robot, it’s a safe bet that the pram robots will be the first ones to throw off their shackles and enslave us all. And I for one will welcome our new pram overlords.
Waitrose is amazing
Say what you like, but have you seen the vegetable selection? Mmmmm…fresh romanesco…
Escalators are ridiculous
Humans, you’re so lazy you invented a device that removes the necessity of walking. Hang your heads in shame.
14 Mar 2011
London agenda for Monday 14 March
1. Look at teeny, tiny people at Slinkachu’s Concrete Ocean [Le Cool]
2. Listen to Chris Steele Perkins talking about his experience as an award-winning artist and photojournalist [Run Riot]
3. Walk by the Quaggy floodplain in Sutcliffe Park [Tired of London]
14 Mar 2011
Ken vs Boris: a bloody and dishonest horror show
In recent weeks both the main candidates for London Mayor have undergone interviews with Tim Donovan on the BBC’s London edition of the Politics Show.
Boris Johnson was up first for what was his only formal encounter with Donovan since his election almost three years ago.
The reasons for that have been well documented elsewhere and the result of their meeting was something of a cautious encounter, with Donovan understandably pulling his punches.
Compare that with yesterday’s far more aggressive interview with Ken Livingstone, where the challenger is barely able to develop a point before Donovan rushes in:
The reasons for the contrast between the two interviews is obvious. With the incumbent Mayor extremely reluctant to ever appear on the show, Donovan couldn’t afford to put him off returning.
Similarly with Ken’s long record behind him and need to get heard, Donovan could afford to be far more combative.
However, despite the difference in technique, both encounters revealed candidates struggling to square their rhetoric with the reality of what the situation will be in 2012.
First up we had Boris promising to protect police numbers, despite the fact that government cuts means that he will have to cut them if he is re-elected for a second term.
That he is able for the time being to maintain a similar level of officers to 2008 is dependant solely on a planned pre-election raid of reserves built up by the Fire Authority.
As Donovan points out in the interview, “this is money that you can’t use again,” and once it is used Boris will be left with exactly the kind of post-election “black hole” he accused Ken of leaving him in 2008.
Similarly Ken yesterday promised not to raise fares above the level of inflation if re-elected.
He also promised to freeze the Mayoral share of the council tax precept for another four years, something that even Boris hasn’t yet promised.
And yet without higher taxes or fares, Ken could not explain how he would pay for the investment in transport or policing that he is promising.
With reduced central government funding the majority of the Mayor’s budget, it is only through fares, charges and taxes that the Mayor can hope to balance the budget.
So if Livingstone is promising to freeze fares and taxes, he will either have to reduce spending on policing and transport (despite promising to do the opposite) or he needs to find another form of revenue.
And given Livingstone’s record, the obvious source of that revenue would be a big increase in the scale or range of congestion charging.
Now with congestion and fares the main cause of dissatisfaction amongst Londoners, this could prove to be a sensible policy platform.
But if Ken has any hope of winning that argument then he needs to be honest about what needs to be done well in advance.
And no amount of rhetoric about “fighting against the cuts” will square that equation by itself.
Because the reality is that whoever is elected in 2012, they are going to face a disinterested government, a creaking transport network and a police force set to decline.
These are unpalatable truths that neither candidate, yet seems willing to face up to.
Instead we look set for a campaign that concentrates instead on exactly the kind of bitter and off-putting personal attacks that made the 2008 campaign the horror show it turned out to be.
And with both candidates getting their show on the road a year early, the sequel is likely to be even bloodier than the show that preceded it.
14 Mar 2011
We Have Everything (Blue Hawaii Buh Buh Remix) by Young Galaxy
Montreal’s Young Galaxy has just released a second remix EP. The We Have Everything EP features five re-mixes of We Have Everything, a track from recent third LP Shapeshifting. Check out the Blue Hawaii Buh Buh mix below. Both We Have… and previous EP Cover Your Tracks are available for free, via Paper Bag Records.
11 Mar 2011
Government Now Supplying Poundland’s Employees?
The bargain shop denies using volunteers to stock its shelves, but admits to using people on unpaid mandatory work experience placements who would otherwise lose their benefits. See the difference?
11 Mar 2011
Norwegian Wood
Anh Hung Tran’s adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s 1987 novel, Norwegian Wood, is one of those films that leaves you seeking out the source material. Perhaps that isn’t even a bad thing.
11 Mar 2011
Snipe Highlights
Some popular articles from past years
- Random Interview: Eileen Conn, co-ordinator of Peckham Vision
- An interview with Desiree Akhavan
- Summer Camp: Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days
- Nice map of London's fruit trees shows you where to pick free food
- 9 poems about London: one for each of your moods
- Diary of the shy Londoner
- The best church names in London, and where they come from
- Peter Bayley has worked for 50 years as a cinema projectionist in East Finchley
- Punk brewery just as sexist and homophobic as the industry they rail against
- Number of people using Thames cable car plunges
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