I remember Zoolander. I remember sitting in the Odeon Cinema near the central library (the cinema is long gone) and howling with laughter - properly howling we were - with my friend Matt. At the climax (spoilers) the baddie, Murgato (Will Ferrell) is exasperated with the cluelessness of Derek Zoolander, male model and, well, moron.... Continue Reading →
Three words wot I did not know – congé, prescind and staiths
I am an old fart, and relatively literate. But there are always new words, even when I no longer subscribe to the London Review of Books... And the latest three are... congé an unceremonious dismissal or rejection of someone."she gives him his congé, and at the same time avows her real love for him" prescind... Continue Reading →
Debate speech: XR has done more harm than good
Here's the text I prepared and delivered for what was, in the end, a deeply unsatisfactory debate held recently. I am Dr Marc Hudson. Speaking as editor of Manchester Climate Monthly, I put the case “that Extinction Rebellion has done more harm than good to the movement towards climate action.” I will stick to XR... Continue Reading →
Of abuse, derailing, and a fundamental lack of intellectual courage and perhaps capacity…
Rule of thumb - If someone commenting on your blog post starts with an attack on you (as opposed to your arguments), then you’ve hit a nerve and - whether they know it or not, whether they can even admit it to themselves or anyone else when it is pointed out - they are trying... Continue Reading →
Getting lost: Turnbull, Flannery, #auspol and #climate – precisely no belling of the cats
This afternoon, with 2300 other punters, I watched a Get Up (1) webinar/discussion between Tim "The Weathermakers" Flannery and Malcolm "I will not lead a party that is not as committed to climate change as I am" Turnbull. Below are some random thoughts/not rising to the level of theses (though I will say that these... Continue Reading →
The Age of Consequences – of lies, comforting myths and what is (still) to be done
"We" are in the early years of the age of consequences now. Other species have been living with the consequences of our depravity for hella long time. Our own species has been pretty grotesque to its own members for millennia, with that getting dialled up to eleven after European "explorers" and adventurers took their guns,... Continue Reading →
Eight top tips for how to destroy your group’s morale
State budgets are going to take a massive hit thanks to Covid. Education? Kids can watch youtube, that'll do! Health budgets? It starts with one nurse between two, it ends up suicide pills a la On The Beach. With regards to what used to be called, unironically “Public Safety” well, while there’ll always be money... Continue Reading →
Guest post: In (partial) defence of Extinction Rebellion
A few days ago I published something under the title "XR- useful, useless or worse than useless?" Given that I wrote it, there were of course no tpyos, no sweeping generalisations and no inflammatory denunciations whatsoever.Someone I know slightly kindly wrote an email, and I encouraged them to turn it into a longer comment. Originally... Continue Reading →
XR- useful, useless, worse than useless?
So there is a debate coming up - "this house believes that XR has done more harm than good for the movement towards climate action." An organisation I am part of has been invited to participate, and I may or may not be speaking on its behalf. That's the impetus for putting fingers to keyboard... Continue Reading →
Any other kicks to the nuts, 2020? In the next 8 weeks? Asking for a friend…
3 billion animals killed in the Australian fires. Economic and psychological devastation from Covid lockdowns Trump-ism stronger (whether he wins or loses this election - the closeness of it means whatever happens, more bad shit happens.) Climate "action" (always a feeble joke) even more stalled. The ex-participants in so-called "social movements" having learnt that "activism"... Continue Reading →
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