make lies sound truthful and murder respectable

Have you seen the video footage of US soldiers shooting and killing unarmed civilians in a Baghdad suburb? Then a van comes and two unarmed men try to take away a wounded man (who turned out to be a driver working for Reuters news agency), and the US soldiers (after getting permission from their boss) shoot and kill them too.
The soldiers talk like people playing a video game.
There is a short article on Salon about it which I wanted to link to here because it talks about how the event itself isn't rare - it's the fact that we can watch it on video, online. This made me think of Ian Tomlinson again. Is there any point being able to film these crimes and post them for millions to see online if it doesn't seem to change anything? I think there is. Let's see.

Don't time fly

One of my happy childhood memories is walking round the mini-market near the holiday house my grandad owned in Sutton-on-Sea, on the Northeast coast. This would be the summer of 1983, I think, when I was nine. I would later build a sand boat on the shore and then frantically bail water out of it as the tide came in, imagining I was actually at sea. But for now I was looking at frozen food and sweets and comics, and the shop stereo was playing Baby Jane, the Rod Stewart single that was Number 1 that July. I was very happy.

(This exact happiness resurfaces fairly regularly. Last week they played the Pointer Sisters in the pound shop near my house in London as I compared translucent plastic storage boxes, and I felt a proper sense of well-being. Six or seven years ago in New York, three friends and I walked round a Japanese mini-market next door to City Lights bookshop. I bought various delights including Japanese toothpaste in a silver tube with neon writing. They were playing Rozalla's Everybody's Free (To Feel Good) and I almost levitated.)

I love Baby Jane. I love Rod Stewart. I love his voice, I love his face, I love his long and varied career (lots of which I haven't heard yet). I love him and Ronnie Lane singing Maybe I'm Amazed. And I love this clip. There are so many reasons to love it, but let's not ignore the outfit or the woman on the balcony just because we are deeply wowed by Rod and his voice.

One day Rod will do a duet with Bonnie Tyler, and beautiful raspy worlds will collide.

Ian Tomlinson

I went to the memorial service for Ian Tomlinson this morning, which was a very simple affair on the patch of pavement near Threadneedle Street where he died a year ago today.

Tomlinson was hit from behind by a police officer during the G20 protests. (He was not actually a protester. He had been selling newspapers nearby; he was trying to walk home but the police had blocked his way as they were 'kettling' people, ie blocking off the ends of certain streets.) There is footage of what happened here and here. It is upsetting to watch, and it feels slightly intrusive, but I think it's important to see what happened.

The police initially said that Tomlinson had died from natural causes, and that the protesters had "pelted" them with bottles while they were trying to help Tomlinson. Both these statements were shown to be false. The police had lied.

There were about 100 people at the one minute's silence this morning. A lot of photographers were there too; I hope that the family were aware of all the people standing in silent support and protest, and not just aware of the cameras pointed at them.

We pay the police to protect us. I don't think this was an example of one violent policeman among a force of good and decent police. I think it's an indication of something more disturbing: the police - and specifically the TSG, which is the branch of police brought in to 'control' public protest - now see us as the enemy. We are the people they are supposed to serve, but they're bullying us. And if they keep getting away with it, they'll keep doing it.

It's a year since Ian Tomlinson died; the officer who attacked him needs to be charged with manslaughter. Can you imagine what would happen if there was a video of you or me beating someone to the ground, someone who died - with head injuries - shortly afterwards? We'd be in jail by now. Why is it different when it's a policeman? Slow motion justice is the same as injustice, and is the same as a cover-up. It stinks.

The loss of a loved one is hideous enough without having lawyers and the media and politicians and shifty police to add to your pain. I hope the family are able to keep as strong and as dignified as they've been so far, and that they get to find out what truth and justice actually feel like.

‘Welcome to the club of states who don't turn their back on the sick and the poor.’

I must now eat my hat as I never thought I’d say this but thank god for President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Whist delivering a speech at the prestigious Columbia University in New York a few days ago, the visiting French President let it rip.

"Welcome to the club of states who don't turn their back on the sick and the poor," Sarkozy said, referring to the US health care bill signed by President Barack Obama last week.

From the European perspective, he said, "when we look at the American debate on reforming health care, it's difficult to believe".

"The very fact that there should have been such a violent debate simply on the fact that the poorest of Americans should not be left out in the streets without a cent to look after them... is something astonishing to us."

He added after a huge applause: "If you come to France and something happens to you, you won't be asked for your credit card before you're rushed to the hospital."

Hear hear!

Rolling Down The Hills

Glass Candy are a dream, a big fluffy disco electro infused dream with bubbles.

I first came across Glass Candy whilst watching the Charles Bronson film way back. I then heard their song, 'Digital Versicolor' in the film and had to find out who made it. Seeing as the film soundtrack relied heavily on classical music, once I goggled the soundtrack and saw a group called Glass Candy, I knew it was them.

Ida No and Johnny Jewel make up Glass Candy, they formed in 1996 in the cultural hub town of Portland, Oregon. Ida who is, unbelievably forty, sings and Johnny is the Producer/Drummer. They have released a good 7 albums including EP's and LP's. Their new song, 'Feeling Without Touching' is a disco groover reliant heavily on synch beats. Older songs such as 'Sugar and Whitebread' move away from there usual electronic up beat tunes to a chilled dreamy vibe worthy of the most music muso ears.

Due to me discovering them whilst they launched the album B/E/A/T/B/O/X via record label, Italians Do It Better, I am obviously going to say it is my favourite album and it is! Their Kraftwerk cover of 'Computer Love' is addictive and even better than the original. All hail Kraftwork....Ok. The opener of 'Candy Castles' oozes coolness and the sexy beat in 'Digital Versicolour' make them amazing, glittery and exciting.

Playing live is another story, Ida brings the tunes to life in a unique way, not only by her doing yoga on stage as she gets ready to perform but also in her African inspired dance moves which entrance the audience.

Glass Candy are constantly touring and visit only London within the UK on the 8th of May. Their most recent album, Deep Gems was out in 2008 and one is due out this year… Fingers crossed!

Fav: Beatific

Stereolabia

Yesterday I read Paul Morley's Observer article about jazz and Polar Bear (pretty ace) and Brad Meldau (also ace apparently, I haven't checked yet).

In the article Morley refers to a band called Ovary Lodge - something I noted with happiness, not because I'm familiar with them but because I enjoy any reference to the female productive organs in popular (or, in this case, leftfield) culture.

So, what other bands could we add to this list? Help please. I'll start you off with a few:

The Slits
The Muff Medways
Bush
Stereolabia
Popol Vulva
Fallopian Out Boy
Uterusty Egan
Boyz II Menstruation

What I have learned from wine tasting...

The more wine you drink..the less you can score efficiently. Also, conversation is imperative. If conversation is saturated and continually falsified by opinions that do not match your own, then the wine tastes a little more sour. If conversation takes a turn for the worse, then it becomes dry. In certain circles this dryness is dourly referred to as 'Gandhi's flip-flop,' a term I do not condone. The red wine later in the evening, followed the white, and the red was wonderful but I can't very well discern one from the other. All Chilean red wine is excellent and bodacious. I also learned about the welting of shoes. I'd rather sleep than go into that one though.