The Boys Next Door, Nick Cave, Tracy Pew, Phill Calvert, Mick Harvey and Rowland S. Howard in footage shot at the Tiger Lounge, Swineburne College and Preston Institute of Technology, 1977-78.
This is a mixed bag of raw video that captures the pure punk energy of a group of teenage badasses that would eventually evolve into The Birthday Party, Bad Seeds and beyond…
There’s a belligerent little watermark that pops up now and then, but it doesn’t stick around for very long.
This is going to be the greatest presidential election cycle in American history, I just know it:
In light of Marcus Bachmann’s spike in popularity on gay and gay-friendly blogs across the U.S., internet dating megasite Gaydar.net is offering the the husband of Tea Party presidential candidate Michele Bachmann (R-MN) a complimentary lifetime membership. As a rep at Gaydar HQ explains, “Marcus Bachmann is popping up on everyone else’s gaydar, we figure he might want to be on the real Gaydar! With over six million members, we like to think Gaydar is the picture of inclusivity–from swarthy barbarians to piggy politicos–all are welcome!”
The demise of the News of the World, the paper at the center of the UK’s ‘phone hacking scandal, has less to do with guilt, remorse or even people power, and everything to do Rupert Murdoch’s desire for power - no matter the cost.
Tonight Murdoch’s son, James announced the end of the 168-year-old tabloid, claiming it had been “sullied by behaviour that was wrong” and that “wrongdoers turned a good newsroom bad”.
He went on to say:
“Indeed, if recent allegations are true, it was inhuman and has no place in our company.
“The News Of The World is in the business of holding others to account. But it failed when it came to itself.”
James Murdoch also echoed his father in giving his full support to the former NOTW editor, Rebekah Brooks, saying:
“She has a good standard of ethics and her leadership is the right thing for the company.”
Brooks was editor at the time when it is alleged a private detective, employed by the paper, hacked into the voice mail messages of the murdered teenager, Milly Dowler.
Brooks stated earlier this week that it was
“inconceivable that I knew or worse, sanctioned these appalling allegations.”
In light of this week’s revelations, what is truly inconceivable is the fact Brooks has not either
a) resigned
or
b) been sacked.
If she did not know that a private detective had been employed to hack ‘phones, then she failed in her role as editor, and should be sacked.
If she did know about it, then she should resign.
Whichever way you look at it, Brooks has to go.
Instead the Murdochs have pulled together and sacrificed a best-selling tabloid to defend Ms. Brooks.
The question is: Why?
Tonight, it was also announced that another former editor, Andy Coulson, who resigned in 2007 over the NOTW ‘phone-hacking, will be arrested by the police tomorrow.
Why protect Brooks and not Coulson?
What is disturbing about the whole NOTW ‘phone hacking scandal is the glimpse it gives of Rupert Murdoch’s power.
Since the days of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, politicians have courted Murdoch as an ally to win power.
Tony Blair met with him regularly and was a guest at a major News International party in Australia prior to Labour’s victorious election in 1997. Gordon Brown went on pilgrimage once a year to Sun Valley, to court Murdoch. Now David Cameron continues this tradition of fore-lock tugging.
This may seem like something political leaders have to do, but it takes on greater significance in light of the admission of criminal activity by Brooks during a government enquiry, eight years ago.
It is a criminal offense to pay the British Police for information.
When questioned at a Select Committee hearing in March 2003, Brooks admitted to paying police for information.
“We have paid the police for information in the past.”
When asked if she would do so in the future, she replied:
“Depends.”
Rebekah Brooks admits paying the police for information - a criminal offense - in March 2003
If it was known back in 2003 that Brooks and the News of the World had committed a criminal offense then why wasn’t she prosecuted?
Are Britain’s politicians too frightened, too cowed, by Murdoch and his tabloid press? And if they are, why? What imaginary power does he hold over them?
And what power does Rebekah Brooks hold over Rupert Murdoch?
The question is: Who benefits by Murdoch sacrificing the News of the World? Does it make easier for Murdoch to now own BSkyB? Does it mean News International won’t have to pay out large sums to victims of ‘phone-hacking if there is no longer a News of the World?
Who benefits?
What David Cameron must do now is initiate a judge led enquiry in to the News of the World, Brooks, Coulson and Murdoch, as the police, in light of their involvement, cannot be trusted to investigate this thoroughly.
Cameron also has to stop Murdoch’s plans to take over BSkyB.
Both are a small step towards severing Murdoch’s influence over parliament.
To stop Murdoch’s plans to take over BSkyB sign the petition here.
Bristol Palin, 20, the CEO of BSMP, a lobbying, public relations and political consulting services firm, discusses her memoirs, Not Afraid of Life: My Journey So Far on CBN.
What has Bristol Palin done in her life except get pregnant, go on Dancing With the Stars and have some ill-advised plastic surgery? Seems like that would merit more a magazine article than an entire book...
And who would buy Not Afraid of Life: My Journey So Far and actually READ it? Someone who “reads” and who is literate, isn’t going to give a rat’s ass about a book by a 20-year-old idiot. No wonder the publishing industry is in the doldrums: They’re publishing books specifically targeted to PEOPLE WHO DO NOT READ. That seems like a good idea.
Then again, what do I know?
“How do you explain the viciousness and the bias of the liberal media against you and your family?
Um, how’s about ‘cos they’re pathologically shameless snowbilly grifters transparently desperate for the public’s attention and being able to “capitalize” on their rapidly ending moment in the sun?
The more pertinent question to ask is why the rightwing media builds up someone like Bristol Palin in the first place? She’s an odd role model for the Christian Broadcasting Network to push, that’s for sure. This interview is ridiculous, especially towards the end. That interviewer is a real pro, too. She acts like she can’t believe she’s in the presence of such an important celebrity. Then again, in the world of CBN, Bristol Palin kinda IS a big celebrity. This video says so much about America, don’t you think?
My comrades at Dangerous Minds will probably have a shit fit at my posting another mashup, but this one was too damn cool to pass up. And I like anything that involves epic emoter, the queen of mean, Glenn Danzig.
DJ Schmolli mixes Rihanna with Danzig and Billy Idol for the “ultimate evil summer hit.”
I think it’s hilarious. Mucho macho meets a sweet reggaefied rhythm track and suddenly the boys don’t look so tough.
With the entire world talking about Rupert Murdoch today—even Fox News got around to mentioning the News of the World phone-hacking scandal three days after everyone else covered it—BBC documentarian Adam Curtis had a dig through the Beeb’s archive to see what lurked there that might shed some new light on Murdoch’s career. He found some real gems:
Following the principle that you should know your enemy, the BBC has assiduously recorded the relentless rise of Rupert Murdoch and his assault on the old “decadent” elites of Britain.
And I thought it would be interesting to put up some of the high points.
It is also a good way to examine how far his populist rhetoric is genuine, and how far its is a smokescreen to disguise the interests of another elite.
Curtis has posted eight video clips of varying length and they are absolutely fascinating. I’ve not seen much footage of Murdoch in his 30s and 40s and 50s and some of it is revelatory, especially hearing Murdoch describe himself as some sort of moralist or populist crusader in the Panorama episode titled “Who’s Afraid of Rupert Murdoch?” It’s interesting to hear how he felt about himself when he was younger. I can’t embed the clips, but I highly recommend taking a look if you have any interest in Murdoch.
More on Murdoch from Curtis:
The British establishment decided Murdoch was not a gentleman. And then he did something much worse. He announced he was going to publish the memoirs of Christine Keeler in the News of the World. Keeler was a “model” whose liaison with a government minister John Profumo in 1963 had ruined Harold MacMillan’s government.
But since then Profumo had redeemed himself in the eyes of the establishment by going off to work for a charity in the east end of London. So when the News of the World published the sordid details of the affair, the whole of London society was scandalised. Murdoch was unearthing a scandal that should have been dead and buried, and destroying one of their own.
And, they said, he was doing it with the sole interest of lining his own pocket. Murdoch was seen as sleazy and destructive.
And this is where his monstrous image began. The man who had first taught Murdoch journalism on the Daily Express in the 1950s summed it up:
“The trouble is - Rupert was regarded as the Supreme Satan”
It’s worth noting that when you consider the general fear and mistrust of Murdoch that has clearly been on display since the late 1960s, he’s got a gazillion times more power, money and influence now. If these observations were true about him then, they are far truer today, that’s for sure
Here are a few newly restored self-portraits of Socialist playwright and author, George Bernard Shaw. Over 20,000 photographs and objects have been recently restored by the National Trust and will go on exhibit at Lacock Abbey from now until December 11, 2011.
The San Francisco Police Department announced today that the Picasso drawing that was stolen on Tuesday from the Weinstein Gallery on Geary St. had been recovered in Napa. The suspect was identified as Mark Lugo from Hoboken, NJ, who is now being held on counts of Grand Theft, possession of stolen property and narcotics charges. Lugo flew into the Bay area on Monday, stole the drawing on Tuesday and was caught on Wednesday.
A security camera at a bar down the street from the gallery named Lefty O’Doul’s caught him walking out of the Weinstein Gallery at the time of the theft with the $200,0000 Picasso, titled “Tete de Femme” and drawn in 1965, under his arm before jumping into a cab. Lugo’s bail has been set at $5 million.
This genius redubbing of Darth Vader’s voice with that of camp British comic actor Kenneth Williams is “fantabulosa”!
Williams, for readers who have never heard of him, was best known for his roles in the “Carry On” films, the radio series Round the Horn and for being one of the first actors to play pretty obviously gay characters in UK popular culture. He was also known for his razor-sharp wit and was a popular talkshow guest of 70s/80s UK TV. You could, I suppose, consider him to be the British “Paul Lynde” in many respects.
