May 2008 Archives
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On Saturday, 24th May the climax to this year's Eurovision Song Contest took place in the Serbian capital, Belgrade. 43 countries had entered the song competition, which included for the first time - two Semi-finals. The outcome of the contest, brought much success to Russia and much disappointment to the United Kingdom.
Immediately, following the results of the contest. The British media attached the contest for becoming politically motivated after former Eastern Bloc countries had handed Russia their first victory in the 53 year history of the competition. Heart-throb, Dima Bilan (who also finished runner-up in 2006), became the 2008 winner with, "Believe" after many Eastern European countries awarded him maximum 12 points. In second place, was the Ukraine's, Ani Lorak, while the UK's, Andy Abraham scored only 14 points to finish in last place.
Should, Britain quit the Eurovision Song contest ? Many show-business figures support this including Terry Wogan, who has covered the contest for the BBC since the mid 70s. The telly legend has even hinted that he might quit his role as commentator. It remains to be seen, if Wogan has covered his last Eurovision. Nevertheless, I feel that the UK will continue participating in the contest, because it still remains popular with British viewers, despite it's poor showing in recent years.
Overall, this year's contest attracted many musical styles and tastes. There was the usual mix of pop, dance, ballads, heavy metal, soft rock and novelty numbers. Latvia, entered singing pirates, Azerbaijan had an angel/demon act, Finland once again provided a rock group (which reminded me of Lordi, but this time without the monster costumes), while Bosnia submitted a bizarre brother and sister act, which included a washing line!! Ireland, meanwhile had entered Dustin the turkey - a popular television puppet. Dustin, had featured in the first Semi-Final, with " Irlande douze pointe" but finished in 15th place - therefore not qualifying for the Final.
Lets hope next year (with the backing of good songwriters and producers) that the UK and Ireland can enter good quality songs that both nations can be proud of and try to capture those years, when they ruled Eurovision.
THE
DARK DAYS of winter are behind us and nature is awakening. Hawthorn bushes and
whin is in flower all over the place. The hawthorn is also known as The May
Tree or 'The May'. The expression my old granny always came out with at this
time of year, “Cast not a clout 'till May is out" doesn’t mean keep your woollies on until the end of the
month of May but until the May tree or hawthorn comes 'out' in flower. Good news.
It’s out, so let’s enjoy a bit of decent weather.
May Day has been celebrated in our country for thousands of
years. This is no foreign imposition but a firm part of our cultural heritage. Towns
and villages all over these islands still have their Maypoles and still elect
their Kings and
How come, then that May Day has
become associated with trade unions and the wider labour movement? From the industrial revolution of the early nineteenth
century, tens of thousands of countryfolk moved from their villages and rural
towns to the large cities where they found work in the mills. This work was
long, hard and exhausting. It was common to work anything from twelve to
sixteen hours a day. Workers began to realise that they were enslaved to the
machines of their 'masters'. These exploited workers began to combine to seek
better wages and conditions. The most notable demand was for an eight-hour
working day; summed up in the slogan “8 hours labour. 8 hours recreation. 8
hours rest”. This demand was first put forward in the British colony of
American workers passed a resolution in 1884
which asserted that “eight
hours shall constitute a legal day's work from and after May 1, 1886 and that
we recommend to labor organizations throughout this district that they so
direct their laws as to conform to this resolution.” The reaction
from the authorities was heavy-handed and violent. This violent reaction
galvanised the American labour unions and encouraged workers in
Some unscrupulous employers are still all too
willing and able to cheat workers of the fruit of their labours. The 'long
hours culture' pressurises many workers into putting in many hours of unpaid
overtime. In the interests of bigger profit margins, these greedy employers are
willing to employ cheap non-unionised migrant or close down factories and
plants in this country and set up shop abroad in the
May Day should
still be important to British workers in 2008 even though the battle for a
better work-life balance as epitomised in the 8-8-8 slogan was won over a
century ago. However, new battle lines are forming as workers find their pay
and working conditions eroded under renewed, relentless pressure. .
Fleming's centenary is marked by an exhibition in the Imperial War Museum in London. The cedar desk Fleming used at Goldeneye – his home in Jamaica - to write his books is part of the exhibition. Ian Fleming iwrote Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, Moonraker, Diamonds Are Forever, From Russia with Love, Dr. No, Goldfinger, For your Eyes Only, Thunderball, The Spy Who Loved Me, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, You Only Live Twice, The Man With The Golden Gun, Octopussy and The Living Daylights.
He is also the author of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – the children’s story about the vintage flying car.
Fleming's birthday marked the official publication of Devil May Care, the next Bond novel, written by Sebastian Faulks. Faulks, author of the wonderful Great War novel, Birdsong, was authorised by Fleming's estate to write a new Bond book. On the official centenary website, he wrote: "In his house in Jamaica, Ian Fleming used to write a thousand words in the morning, then go snorkelling, have a cocktail, lunch on the terrace, more diving, another thousand words in late afternoon, then more martinis and glamorous women. In my house in London, I followed this routine exactly, apart from the cocktails, the lunch and the snorkelling."
Given the success of Charlie Higson's Young Bond novels, it's quite likely that Faulks' book will do well.
Since the publication of Casino Royale in 1953, over 100 million Bond novels have been sold. This year, to mark Fleming’s centenary, Penguin is publishing new hardback editions of the 14 books.
During the Second World War, Fleming 13 In 1939 he was recruited as personal assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence. In Room 39 of the Admiralty he gained a fair deal of his inspiration for the characters and incidents in the Bond novels. He remained in this post throughout the war where he reached the rank of Commander. His fictional spy was officially 'Commander James Bond'.
Fleming lived long enough to see the first two Bond films after he sold the film rights in 1961 to all his Bond novels to Harry Saltzman, who co-produced the first Bond film Dr No with Cubby Broccoli. He initially suggested Noël Coward for the role of Dr No. He met Sean Connery for lunch, but initially wondered whether “this overgrown stuntman”, was suited to the role. His first choice was Roger Moore. He was assured by women that Connery had the right stuff. As much of Dr No was filmed near his home in Jamaica, he visited the set just as Ursula Andress emerged from the lagoon. He was yelled at by the filmmakers and had to dive out of camera shot.
Most people today only know Bond through the films. Fans are divided over who makes the best film Bond. My money is on Sean Connery, although I do like the latest incarnation of the character; Daniel Craig. In my view, Roger Moore's version – especially the woeful version of Moonraker – was the low point of the Bond series.
It's interesting to see how the films have developed after the end of the Cold War in ways probably unimagined by Ian Fleming. Bond started off fighting villains like Dr No and his nemesis, Ernst Blofeld. He regularly ran up against SPECTRE and SMERSH. I always liked Blofeld as anyone who keeps a white Persian cat can't be all bad. Donald Sinden played him with suitable understated menace. Lately, he's been up against international media tycoons, renegade former colleagues and the North Koreans.
A century after his creator's birth, James Bond is still a literary and film crowd-pleaser. I'm sure that Fleming would have approved.
Princess (2006)
Certificate: 18
Tartan DVD. RRP £19.99
Director: Anders Morgenthaler
Writers: Mette Heeno, Anders Morgenthaler
Check out a trailer for Princess on http://tinyurl.com/6xjndb
Although this is mostly an animated film – a cartoon – its creator, Danish director Anders Morgenthaler says, “Princess is not for kids. It’s not nice. It’s tough and incredibly depressing. I’m enormously proud of it already." He’s right. This is not a Disney confection. It is tough. It’s bloody. It’s violent and disturbing in the digital era when pornography seems about to go mainstream.
When Christina, formerly the famous porn star "The Princess", dies of a drug overdose; her brother returns from overseas missionary work to look after his five-year-old niece, Mia. Since Christina’s early death, the little girl has been living in a brothel looked after by the seedy Madam, Karen and anyone else who took any interest in her. As her next of kin, August decides to take her home and bring her up himself.
A clergyman, August feels some guilt for the life his sister led as he had not been there when she needed him. He sees that Mia has acquired some bruises and has been psychologically damaged. There are also hints that she may have been abused sexually by her mother’s ‘nice’ friend, Charlie.
August decides to take on the porn industry that used and abused his tragic sister. He demands that the distributors cease from circulating Princess videos and DVDs or he will take steps to sort things out himself. They ignore the grieving pastor’s demands. August’s combination of rage, righteous indignation and muscular Christianity leads him to conduct a bloody crusade against Charlie’s porn empire: anyone who exploited his dead sister - and by extension Mia – will suffer the painful consequences.
You can argue whether or not August was right to bring a five-year-old with him on his bloody killing spree and whether religiously motivated vigilantes are justified in their violence against those who exploit others for gain. Still, I defy you not to identify with this troubled pastor in his battle against the merchants of sleaze.
