Poets & Folkies By The Score

Everyone loves lists, don't they? Here's a couple, though not definitive.

A list of English-speaking poets, and links to their books:
http://www.booksmusicfilmstv.com/Poetry/EnglishSpeakingPoets.htm

A list of hundreds of folk artists, and links to their music:
http://booksmusicfilmstv.com/Music/FolkMusicIndex.htm

George W. Bush - Comic Genius

This previously appeared on my MyWasteOfSpace page:
http://www.myspace.com/stickybanananana

It can be argued that the American President has produced more (unintentioned) laughs than any other comic in the 21st Century. But, even before he became President, Dubya was making 'em roll in the aisles. Here's some classics from his pre-President days.

"We have a firm commitment to NATO, we are a part of NATO. We have a firm commitment to Europe. We are a part of Europe."
"A low voter turnout is an indication of fewer people gong to the polls."
"It's time for the human race to enter the solar system."
"One word sums up, probably, the responsibility of any Governor, and that one word is 'to be prepared'."
"It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it."
"People that are really weird can get into sensitive positions and have a tremendous impact on history."

So many more, but I've only got so many hours in any given day.

Save The Amur Leopard - Press Release

Field survey data estimates that there are fewer than 50 Amur Leopards left in the wild, making the Amur Leopard one of the world's most endangered cats.

Donations
You can now make donations to the Amur Leopard Conservation Support Programme.
http://www.amur-leopard.org/donate.htm

Get the T Shirt!
Show your support for the Amur leopard wearing the new Amur Leopard Conservation T Shirt - available now from the Feline Conservation Center (FCC). All proceeds go support Amur leopard conservation
http://www.cathouse-fcc.org/amurtshirt.html

Dennis Weaver - Eco Warrior

The late Dennis Weaver was famous as the TV cop McCloud, but he was ahead of his time with his compassion for all living things, as he reveals here:

Dennis Weaver's Personal Thoughts - from his own website
http://www.dennisweaver.com/personalthoughts.html
Dennis Weaver Website
http://www.dennisweaver.com/
...And My Dennis Weaver Obituary
http://www.booksmusicfilmstv.com/TVStars/DennisWeaver.htm

Cardinal Cox Film Reviews at booksmusicfilmstv.com

Peterborough writer and poet Cardinal Cox has written quite a few film reviews for booksmusicfilmstv.com, including the following

The Assassination Of Richard Nixon
Good Night And Good Luck
Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room
Offside
The Wind That Shakes The Barley

Car mad California - unlikely champions of the environment

A group with a purpose...

California regulators approved rules Thursday (Jan. 24, 2007) banning power companies from buying electricity from high-polluting sources, including most out-of-state coal-burning plants. The rules are aimed at reducing emissions of heat-trapping gases linked to global warming.

"It represents a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to address the challenge of climate change," said Michael Peevey, president of the California Public Utilities Commission.

The commission voted 4-0 to prohibit utilities and other energy providers from entering into long-term contracts with sources that emit more carbon dioxide than a modern natural gas plant. The new standard is aimed at encouraging investment in cleaner energy sources such as wind and solar, while discouraging the use of coal and other high-polluting fuels. Coal is cheap and plentiful but releases high levels of carbon dioxide, a gas blamed for trapping heat in the Earth's atmosphere and raising temperatures worldwide.

Last year Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a landmark global warming bill into law that required the commission to adopt emissions standards for utilities. The Global Warming Solutions Act , a law created under Assembly Bill 32, requires the state to cut greenhouse gas pollution 25 percent by 2020. Earlier this month, the governor signed an executive order, known as the Low Carbon Fuel Standard, requiring fuel suppliers to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emissions in transportation vehicles by at least 10 percent by the year 2020. Administration officials estimate the move will save 3.2 billion gallons of gasoline a year, and drive investments in alternative and renewable fuel technology into the state. Officials say they are targeting fuel because transportation contributes to 41 percent of the state's greenhouse gas emissions.

California is making good environmental decisions and other state need to follow their lead and adopt similar rules. To reduce manmade global warming, the culprit for our climate change crises, we need to drastically reduce greenhouse gasses. Limiting carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles and dirty coal power is a step in our fight to save the planet. Hopefully it will also stimulate renewable fuel alternatives providing cleaner green power, such as wind and solar energy sources.

You can join this fight by writing media outlets and your state and Federal elected officials. Tell them to follow California's lead and adopt similar environmental laws. Use the following website to contact your elected leadership right now: http://www.congress.org.

It's time to wake up and do something about the Climate Change Crises happening as you read this… Start living your life with PURPOSE - People United Rightly Protecting Our Sacred Earth… Begin with signing our petition to Congress making "Climate Change, Global Warming and Saving the Planet" this country's top priority:

Global Warming Petition (http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/890510358)
To find out more about PURPOSE and to learn more how you can help save the planet, visit any or all of these websites:

PURPOSE Website (http://FreedomExpress.net/PURPOSE)
PURPOSE on MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/committedpurpose)
PURPOSE MySpace Group (http://groups.myspace.com/LiveWithPURPOSE)
PURPOSE Discussion Group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CommittedPURPOSE/)
Earth Warrior living with PURPOSE (http://360.yahoo.com/committedpurpose)
Books and DVDs for PURPOSE (http://astore.amazon.com/freedomexpres-20)
PURPOSE Gift Shop (http://www.cafepress.com/freedomexpress/2008299)

Tony Banks RIP

Tony Banks was a British politician who was one of the leading lights in getting fox hunting, stag hunting, and hare coursing banned in the UK. Tony died suddenly over the weekend while holidaying in Florida.

In an age of careerist politicitans, he was from the old school of politicians who actually believed in things, and said things which didn't particularly help his career - i.e. being opposed to the war in Iraq and the invasion of Afghanistan.

Memories of George Best - at Luton and Dunstable

George Best was a boyhood hero of mine. Yes, I got angry with him over some of his behaviour, but I loved him all the same - and there's very few famous people I can say that about.

Most football crazy young boys (or girl in one of my ex's case) of my, now mid-40s, generation wanted to play like George, and look like George - even if we didn't support Manchester United.

I saw him play in a friendly for Manchester United at my club, Luton Town, in 1971, and he put in one of the best two or three performances I have ever seen, and it was just a friendly. I saw him play for Dunstable Town in 1974, and remember having to back away, with a friend of mine, Colin McCaig, as George needed room to take a corner. I remember feeling a mixture of sadness that this wasn't the stage he deserved, and delight at seeing him at least playing again. The opponents that day were a hotchpotch Manchester United side. They went 2-0 up, but eventually Dunstable won 3-2. Jeff Astle was also in the Dunstable side that day, and they were managed by Barry Fry. So, all very surreal, which was the story of George's life.

The last time I saw him play was a couple of years later, when George was in that star-studded Fulham side of the mid-'70s, which included two of the very few players who had a similar charisma and talent to George - Bobby Moore and Rodney Marsh. Fulham were at Luton, and won 2-0, and there was a famous photograph of young Luton starlet Ricky Hill dribbling past George, who ended up on his backside. Almost an analogy of where George's career was at. I should have seen George at Craven Cottage, playing for Fulham at home to Luton in the return fixture, but Bestie didn't show. By this time it wasn't unexpected. People excuse geniuses, because they are different. Genius is a curse and a blessing. A curse for those close to George, but a blessing for the rest of us.

Live 8 Blog (late!) U2, Who, Pink Floyd, R.E.M., Macca, Robbie, Kaiser Chiefs

Worrying about our missing cat, Suki, meant I was never going to enjoy Live 8 as much as Live Aid.

Live 8 was good. Not as good as Live Aid, as not such a good line-up, but that's not what it's about really. Madonna upset a lot of people (my Mother included) with her puerile swearing, and the cruel pheasant shooter also, according to the tabloids, upset Pink Floyd, because she overran her rehearsal time, and they ended up having little time to rehearse. I switched off when she was on, but wasn't disappointed with any of the acts I wanted to see. Though the BBC cutting into REM in full flow, with a meaningless interview, was a major cock-up. U2 were hot - sort of a given. Worked well with Macca. Thought Pete Townshend's guitar playing was blindingly good. Hope I have that much verve at his age. McCartney's still in good voice, and Pink Floyd were very accomplished considering their lack of rehearsing. Wish Kaiser Chiefs had been on the London bill. My favourite band at the moment (though I forget their name sometimes!). Just something about them. Their music and dress sense is a successful amalgam I think. Robbie Williams probably stole the show. I quite like him, but not to the extent I've bought any of his stuff, but he's a great showman.

Paul McCartney Live 8 Review Pink Floyd Live 8 Review REM Live 8 Review U2 Live 8 Review The Who Live 8 Review

Troubled Times

Haven't felt like blogging for a time. Felt kind of crushed by personal concerns, and things going on in the world - London bombings, hurricanes Katrina and Stan, Asian earthquake, and, yesterday, the 2,000th American to die in Iraq. Well, it's nice to know we're safe in the hands of those good ol' Christians Bush and Blair. And you wonder why religion is dying in the Western world?...

Hay Fever Blues

Pulled up some grass last Thursday, and saw the pollen floating towards me, so I knew I was in trouble. If you suffer from hay fever always keep those shades on.

Doctor Who - Blog

So, we come up to the final episode of this relaunched institution of a series. Overall, I think it's been good.

Christopher Ecccleston has had his critics as the Doctor, but I think, in his role, he's combined wit and intellect, with humour and compassion. Billie Piper has been a bit of a revelation as Rose, and has proved she's more than just an adolescent boy's pin-up.

The Daleks, naturally, and the Slitheen have been the best monsters of the series. The special effects have mostly been good, and there's been a fine array of guest stars, including Simon Callow, Zoe Wannamaker, and Richard Wilson. Some of the stories could have been stronger, though. The World War Two two-parter didn't do it for me.

But, though it's gotten more cruder, with fart jokes and mild swearing, it looks like the series is in safe hands.

Links

• booksmusicfilmstv.com Homepage


• Green Vibrations Animal Welfare & Environmental Group


• The Hunger Site - click to give people food


• Click to help the Rainforests

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Pink Floyd reform for LIVE 8

Roger Waters reckons many people will be cynical about their reasons

for reforming, but I'm not. The Floyd have always done things they

wanted to, and I haven't always agreed with some of those things...

This time I'm all for it. Forget your differences and help a great cause -

it's a good reason for reforming.

http://www.live8live.com

Pink Floyd LIVE 8 review by Paul Rance

http://www.booksmusicfilmstv.com/Music/PinkFloydLive8.htm

 

Leslie Nielsen, Wrongfully Accused, 1998 - Funniest Film Joke...Ever?!

Only caught the last 40 minutes of this film, with Leslie Nielsen in typical 'Airplane'/'Naked Gun' form...He sees 'Login' and 'Password' on a computer screen, so, to sign in, he types in 'Login' and 'Password'!!!!
Wrongfully Accused DVD available at Amazon.com

Damon Albarn questions LIVE 8

Britpop's most-respected spokesperson (for me, anyway) has criticised the lack of black acts at LIVE 8. He's right, of course. The concerts are a good thing, but there's not enough black and ethnic artists at the London gig, and, with Africa in mind, that seems strange. Maybe it's something to do with timing, and some acts having other engagements. The whole thing has been put together very quickly, hopefully not too quickly.
http://www.live8live.com/

Spiritual People?

We don't live in very 'spiritual times', but what is a spiritual person anyway? Someone who believes in God, but is actually unkind to people and animals? Someone who talks about being spiritual, but is emotionally cold to other people's problems? The only spirituality that really counts is kindness, and trying to make the world a better place.

H.F.E. - Honours For Egomaniacs

That time of the year again, when you get all those previously anti-establishment types falling over each other scrambling to pick up their MBEs, CBEs, and OBEs. The 'BE' in these awards stands for British Empire...Delusion is a wonderful thing.

Anne Bancroft - more than just Mrs. Robinson

Anne Bancroft, who died recently of cancer, aged 73, got a little fed-up with being mainly remembered as Mrs. Robinson, the seducer of a startled Dustin Hoffman in 'The Graduate', and immortalised by the Simon & Garfunkel song.

Ms. Bancroft won the Oscar for Best Actress in 1962, playing Helen Keller's teacher in 'The Miracle Worker'. She was Oscar nominated on four other occassions - for 'The Graduate', 'The Pumpkin Eater', 'The Turning Point', and 'Agnes Of God'. Gifted, sexy, and attractive, Ms. Bancroft was an inspiration to her zany genius of a husband, Mel Brooks. Indeed inspiring him to put his hit musical, 'The Producers', on the stage - for real!

Read my film reviews and actor/actress bios here.

Jeff & Tim Buckley

Jeff Buckley is recognised by many as a major talent, but his dad Tim wasn't bad either. Listening to Tim's soap opera of a song, 'Sweet Surrender', from his 'Greetings From L.A.' album, on a balmy evening last night, it says (if any song can) all you need to know about the twists and turns of love.

My Jeff Buckley brief bio and stuff
http://www.booksmusicfilmstv.com/Music/JeffBuckley.htm
Tim Buckley CDs
http://www.booksmusicfilmstv.com/TimBuckleyCDs.htm

Big Brother - Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Caught 'em sleeping last night. Make it stop....