RSS FeedFuture
By Rich | May 17, 2008
If we can only act in the present moment, how can we affect the future?
Learn now.
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Topics: Rants | No Comments »
Jeff Innocent and Wil Hodgson - Weds 21st
By Rich | May 16, 2008
Two great comics peforming full hour shows in a lovely little Birmingham central theatre with cabaret style seating above a beautiful pub.
Jeff Innocent has been a top class headliner on the UK circuit well over a decade. This larger than life son of an East End villain was a Carnaby Street window dresser and Jamaican style DJ in the 70s before turning to academia and journalism and finally comedy. He will be using material from his recent Edinburgh show “Eco-Worrier” and is a truly fine entertainer and great stage presence.
“It should be made law that every British Citizen must go and see Jeff Innocent. He’s that funny.” Evening Standard
Wil Hodgson is a unique comic voice. Cutting a striking figure (think pink/punk) with a relentless and mesmeric delivery, Hodgson made his name on the UK circuit holding forth on topics close to his heart such as big women, care bears, the anti-fascist movement and the perils of growing up in Chippenham.
He won the Perrier Newcomer Award at his first Edinburgh Fesival and the show he will be performing on Wednesday - “Straight Outta Chippenham” was a big hit at last years Fest earning a rare Five Stars from Chortle.
Book online now with Birmingham Box Office or call the Old Joint Stock Theatre direct on 0121 200 0946. Show starts 8pm, £10/£7.
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Topics: Birmingham, Stand Up Comedy | No Comments »
Cannabis Reclassified?
By Rich | May 14, 2008
British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has gone on record saying she wants to reverse the recent classification of Cannabis to a Grade C drug, putting it back up to Grade B instead.
This means that the maximum prison sentence for possessing this naturally occuring plant rises from two years to five years and anyone caught selling it could go away for up to fourteen years or face an unlimited fine.
This is in direct contravention of the findings of a Gordon Brown commissioned Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs’ review which recommends keeping Cannabis at C and suggested only a “probable, but weak, causal link between psychotic illness, including schizophrenia, and cannabis use”.
We all agree that any drug (including strong cannabis) should be kept away from children, but by continually criminalising it we are simply ensuring that the traffic remins underground and uncontrollable.
The truly amazing thing about this is that Smith herself has admitted smoking marijuana whilst a student! So my message to her is clear - you get yourself locked up for five years in jail, then come back and we’ll see how draconian you are feeling then.
Meanwhile, I write this blog entry from South Australia. In this State the possession of cannabis is treated with nothing more than an “on the spot” style fine which does not constitute a criminal record - a humane and sensible way of gently discouraging its use without criminalising huge swathes of society in the process.
I’ll be back in the UK soon to see if Smith’s move is approved by Parliament and if it actually stops anyone from smoking the stuff - and to see if any of my friends have been locked away.
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Topics: Thoughts | No Comments »
Live Brum
By Rich | May 13, 2008
I’ve long felt that Birmingham sorely needs a really effective resource providing information on whats going on in the entertainment/arts scene and recently a number of websites have cropped up that seek to offer one.
My good friend Josh Hart - himself previously an active promoter on the scene as one of the guys behind the long running comedy show The GAG Club - and more recently one of the founders of the very successful web agency Made Media - has set himsef to the task and come up with something that looks like the leading contender.
Live Brum offers a very attractive and engaging design with all the info you need delivered via category, date or venue not to mention RSS feeds, comments and even some code so bloggers can easily advertise events on their own site.
It looks to me like a significant step towards developing a really engaged and aware audience for all kinds of events in a city which has a great deal going on, but an as yet somewhat disparate entertainment scene.
Rich
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Topics: Birmingham | No Comments »
Stop!
By Rich | May 8, 2008
If youre constantly manifesting your behaviour - how do you ever hope to change it?
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Topics: Rants | No Comments »
Perfection
By Rich | May 7, 2008
Perfection is a state of mind, not a level of organisation.
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Topics: Rants | No Comments »
Pro-jX
By Rich | May 6, 2008
Great poem from Lyndall - heres a taster, but read the full (on) rant here.
the War on Terror (is it not just with ourselves?)
the War on Drugs,
addiction.
off ya face, outa space.
binge drinking, what were we thinking?
NHS, Medicare, medicate.
numb this, numb that: Glaxo Smith & Klein.
test this, test that: GM.
animal experimentation, wrong direction.
UN, Big Ben,
smack, crack, tax.
over crowded prison cells.
Police State, don’t be late.
get up, get a job, get off!
bar this, bar that, barcode.
if they get your DNA runaway!
paedos, Speedos,
crime, grime, dope, Pope.
religion for the minion minded.
isn’t it time we banned the death penalty?
and the arms trade.
trade this, trade that, trade your fuckin soul.
hoodies don’t kill, guns do…
Topics: Poems | No Comments »
Mooncup
By Rich | May 6, 2008
My partner Lyndall is a keen one for womans issues and the environment, so she’s excited to have a found a product that is great for women, cost saving and good for the environment. The Mooncup is a healthy alternative to tampons, is by all accounts comfortable and easy to use and can be used for years, so imagine the amount of towels and tampons you will be saving from landfil sites.
Anyway, if that sounds of interest please visit the site via the link down the right hand side of Lyndall lovely new blog and whilst youre there, stop by and read her great poem.
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Topics: Thoughts | No Comments »
Write
By Rich | May 4, 2008
Sing when you feel like singing.
Dance when you feel like dancing.
Write when you have something to say.
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Topics: Rants | No Comments »
Change
By Rich | May 1, 2008
When I think about it, theres a virtually endless supply of things that I would like to see changed in the world. But when it comes down to it, I know my sphere of influence is actually pretty small.
But things dont occur in a vacuum, they arise in dependence on what predates and surrounds them. And so I know that if I continue to create the conditions for better things to arise in the future, then they will.
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Topics: Rants | No Comments »