purplemass.com

Here is a linkwith the flyer and that memorable (;)) set from our Fortress gathering. Just press Tracklist!

Pretty amazing 3-D drawings on street pavements.

Powerpoint file

Today I found myself reading The Analects of Confucius.

Also – Wikipedia catalogue of Chinese proverbs. I like this one, among others. Not only for the meaning but the visual symetry.

Some reading today found me some interesting info on Mr Litvinenko, Putin, and freedom of the press in Russia.

“There’s something very un-English about murderers who dispatch their victims too flamboyantly.” A rather portentous Times article from May 2005 about Litvinenko, and the events that led up to his seeking asylum in the UK. The article also links to various sources for further information.

An interesting and somewhat disturbing article on Putin, the Russian Media, Litvinenko, and the recently assasinated journalist Anna Politkovskaya.

Explosions in apartment blocks in September 1999 – two in Moscow and two in Volgodonsk – killed nearly 300 people and prompted Russia to sent its troops to Chechnya. The FSB claimed the blasts were the work of Achimez Gochiyayev, who had ties with the Chechen leader Khattab. In July 2002 photos of the pair together were released by the FSB as proof of a conspiracy. The pictures appeared a day after a dissident FSB agent, Alexander Litvinenko, presented evidence which he said proved Mr Gochiyayev’s innocence. He claimed instead that the FSB was behind the blasts.

In full: Litvinenko statement. Alexander Litvinenko’s deathbed statement, 21 November 2006.

It’ll be very interesting to see how this all pans out, or whether it just gets swept under the carpet. And how long do you think it’ll take for the movie to appear?

(and, in other news: Russia’s state-owned Gazprom is bidding for Centrica, formally known as British Gas…)

But wait there’s more: Al-Ahram Weekly think piece from April 2000 following Putin’s election. Love the photo. Nice smile…

Bears and Vodaka don’t mix

Music video by “Cornelius”

As some of you know, I’ve just been to New Zealand (where I grew up) and Australia for a holiday.

One of the things (other than catching up with family and friends) that I was particularly looking forward too was some decent fucking Fish and Chips (Fush n Chups).

Herewith my first meal back in the the “mother country”.

F.V.C. Fresh Ltd, “The home of fresh fish”
531 Sandringham Road

Chips: $1.50
Oysters: $1.00
Scallops: $1.50
Snapper $4.00 (not in shot)

If you find yourself in the area I thoroughly recommend them without qualification. Especially on Halloween when the local children provide a free in-store fireworks display.

(xe.com)

Coworkers use blundering used car salesman as air rifle target, ashtray…

It’s true, Honest…

“The celebrated Canadian photographer who specializes in large-scale studies of industrial vistas“

Here’s some more of his Ship-Breaking photography.

A good account of US-Iran recent relations