• The tyranny of the practical mind…

    The tyranny of the practical mind…

    “For these people, the concrete has become an asylum, a hideout, salvation. Cedar- well, that’s something concrete; so is asphalt. You can speak out about the concrete and express yourself as freely as you like.  The great thing about the concrete is that it has restricted armed frontiers with warning bells.   When a mind immersed…

  • Reclaiming the local…

    (thanks to the NY Times) If your local newspaper shuts down, what will take the place of its coverage? Perhaps a package of information about your neighborhood, or even your block, assembled by a computer.   Minh Uong/The New York Times A number of Web start-up companies are creating so-called hyperlocal news sites that let…

  • ||| Decadent Action Manifesto |||

    (from that wonderful crew RTMark) After meeting Iain Sinclair, the author of ‘Hackney that Rose-Red Empire’ at a reading in a book shop in Brick Lane the other day, It rekindled my fledgling interest in Psychogeography. Some years back, I used to be a flaneur (if one can admit to being such a thing). And…

  • The Hazard of Conformity…

    Conformity and obedience aren’t necessarily bad things. All social systems require a certain amount of conformity to function. Driving on the left-hand side of the road or the voting systems require a high degree of ‘conformity’ so as to allow these systems to function for all. However, conformity without critique or ‘passive conformity’ is extraordinarily…

  • (Guardian) How G20 Ian Tomlinson footage spread shock around world

    (Guardian) How G20 Ian Tomlinson footage spread shock around world

    Here is some interesting media analysis from the Guardian newspaper relating to the use of amateur footage during the recent G20 protest. Increasingly, the democratic power game is being fought out in the media and I am surprised the police didn’t realise this and moderate their tactics accordingly. For a broader analysis of contemporary new…

  • 8) Morning coffee with Craig: the G20, the economy, and protest

    OK, I have started my ‘morning coffee with Craig’ series again. Similar format and similar theme to the previous ones, but I promise something fresher soon. Here I talk about ‘globalism’ and the recent protests during the G20 meeting here in London. It is similar to another video diary; number 4 in this series when…