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Monthly Archives: November 2011
Dazed and Confused: Making It Up As We Go Along
Somerset House is looking as beautiful as it always does at this time of year. Its regal Christmas tree, surrounded by deliciously tasteful decorations, makes for a thrilling sight, and its ice rink has become a seasonalStrandlandmark. Its allure has … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Culture, Free Speech, Journalism
Tagged Dazed and Confused, Jefferson Hack, Kate Moss, Rankin, Somerset House, The Hunger
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Night of the Imprisoned Writer
The Day of the Imprisoned Writer falls on the 15 November, and this year English PEN marked its thirtieth year by hosting a performance evening entitled ‘Night of the Imprisoned Writer’. The event, which was organised in conjunction with ice&fire … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Event, Free Speech
Tagged Day of the Imprisoned Writer, English PEN, free speech
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Cab travel: Privacy no longer an option
As the Leveson inquiry into phone hacking opened in London, Oxford city council was launching its own attack on individual privacy. The council has announced its plans to fit Oxford’s 662 taxis with microphones and CCTV cameras, as a condition of their licensing … Continue reading
Engagement and Endurance: Kyrgyzstan’s Election 2011
When mass protests erupted across the Middle East this year the West watched in amazement. It was easy to forget that the same thing had happened in Kyrgyzstan a year earlier. In April 2010 the people of Kyrgyzstan ousted former … Continue reading
Posted in Free Speech, Journalism, Politics
Tagged Almazbek Atambayev, Arab Spring, election, free speech, Kyrgyzstan, press freedom, Uzbekistan
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Finding chivalry with the Forces
I was saddened to read Michelle Dockery’s statement that the art of chivalry has been lost, “because it’s not the culture any more.” Whilst this may be true for many groups in society, this mindset has not been extinguished completely. … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged armed forces, British legion, chivalry, poppy, RAF, remembrance day
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Honduras cracks down on police corruption
Corruption and organised crime have swept like a plague through Mexico and Central America, threatening to bring governments to their knees. There has been little hope of improvement in the region, and the atmosphere has been one of impunity and … Continue reading
Posted in Politics
Tagged Central America, corruption, crime, Honduras, Mexico, police, politics
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Gerhard Richter: Panorama
Tate Modern took on an exceptionally ambitious project in creating their exhibition of Gerhard Richter’s work. Richter’s career is notable both for its duration and its diversity, both of which were beautifully conveyed. There is something irresistibly fascinating about this … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Culture
Tagged 9/11, Baader-Meinhof Group, East Germany, Gerhard Richter, Nazi, Panorama, Red Army Faction, Tate Modern, West Germany
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Free speech and French satire
November has traditionally been a time for remembrance – in the Christian calendar the month begins with All Saints’ Day (1 November) and All Souls’ Day (2 November). The significance of these dates seems to have declined in modern Britain, … Continue reading
Posted in Free Speech, Journalism
Tagged Charlie Hebdo, France, free speech, Islamism, press freedom
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Laura Charlotte 