Nobody gets out.

[alexsarll]

Pubbing to mark a rare London appearance by rentaghost31, I find myself once more randomly in the same pub as Seeing Scarlet, who are clearly my Pub Stalkers. A fun evening, with a special mention for kiss_me_quick who had clearly drunk all the booze in the entire world before she even arrived.

publicansdecoy directed my attention to this petition in support of free speech, inspired by the c*rt**n row. I've signed it, of course, though I doubt it'll do the least bit of good - none of the good guys are making credible threats of violence, after all. And thinking about all the petitions I've signed over the years, I can't remember a single one which has succeeded. Tuition fees, the Arthur Simpson Library, ID cards, Routemasters, Gillespie Road, opposition to various Midlands building projects...lost causes, every one.

The man who raped his drunk underage stepdaughter while she was dying almost sounds like a hypothetical, doesn't it? An example constructed such that even Mail readers would be obliged to admit that, regardless of whether she was wearing a short skirt, his behaviour was definitely wrong. Alas, it was not. The human race there, marvellous.*

A new ad at Victoria claims that 98% of Londoners who move to Milton Keynes prefer it. Well, that's as maybe, but they moved to Milton Keynes, and as such their opinions are of no interest to me. Although that said, I shall myself be deserting the Smoke for the weekend, so do take care of it, won't you?

*This being the internet, it can pay to make sure - that last sentence was uttered with bitter, leaden irony, OK?

Comments

[angelv.livejournal.com]

RE: petitions - did you ever sign the one to get the proper crossings installed on the Stroud Green Road/Tollington Park crossroads? That worked!

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

You know, I think I did! Hurrah, I'm not totally doomed. Though frankly they need an upgrade, so that all cars going through the red get disintegrated instantly...

[angelv.livejournal.com]

You're never happy unless you're carpet bombing proles, Sarll.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Oh, I think I'd be happy in a world where there were no proles left to bomb, you know.

[darkmarcpi.livejournal.com]

I can't think of that nasty story without being reminded of the Derek and Clive sketch wherein Peter Cook, after running down an old lady, decides, "naturally", to rape her. (There's a particularly D&C twisted brutality in that story, combined with a Cook-esque element of surreal preposterousness to it, all of which made me smirk, which is probably rather wrong of me).

[publicansdecoy.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, The march is more important and more likely to have an effect than the petition.

-x-

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Yeah, because the anti-war one was such a resounding success, wasn't it?

I've only ever been on one march. I suppose that was better than the petitions in that, while it failed, at least there was ice cream afterwards.

[beingjdc.livejournal.com]

The man who raped his drunk underage stepdaughter while she was dying almost sounds like a hypothetical, doesn't it?

It's a hypothetical that gets more than nine years, in my book.

Milton Keynes is pretty cool, in a lot of ways.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

No, I can understand that. Whereas this story is more like one of Dud's D&C contributions - vile without being the least bit funny.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

You know, I was so busy being appalled at him that I hadn't even noticed that. You're right, that's absurdly low.

[publicansdecoy.livejournal.com]

Apathy is a self-fulfilling prophecy. This march isn't going to change the world, but it at least sends a message that there are people who don't accept the Jack "iron balls" Straw type of appeasement.

-x-

[carsmilesteve.livejournal.com]

not that i'm assuming this march is being organised by the usual suspects, but:

Let's have fun
This is also a celebration of freedom and free expression, so let's enjoy it. Jugglers, clowns, unicyclists will be very welcome. It's a serious event, but let's make it a party too.

unless it's a trick, round up all the unicyclists, jugglers and clowns at once, put them in a field and REEDUCATE THEM.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but based on recent evidence, nor is action - and apathy's so much less work!

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

As illiberal policies go, that wouldn't be a bad one.

[kiss-me-quick.livejournal.com]

Yes everyone going through a red light should die. Maybe.

[publicansdecoy.livejournal.com]

Huh?

The march is being organised by relative unknowns, as far as I can tell. http://freebornjohn.blogspot.com/ is the blog of one of the organisers. There might be stuff on there you disagree with, but that's precisely the point - disagreement without threats of violence is what the march is about.

-x-

[publicansdecoy.livejournal.com]

Action might work, it might not. Apathy never will though. Step away from the red Krytponite.

-x-

[perfectlyvague.livejournal.com]

Yes but a new underclass would sink down and take their place.

[my-name-is-anna.livejournal.com]

How horrible.

Where are you going for your weekend away, Barry?

ps: don't worry, I won't follow you there and go through your bins or anything stalky like that!

[perfectlyvague.livejournal.com]

Yes one nearly killed me by overtaking a bus on a red light a couple of weeks back. I only just still have a nose. He only just has his rear windscreen from the obscenities I screamed at it.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Cor, that Churchill quote was ACE right up until he was nice about christianity - where in fact he should have been saying that christianity used to be as bad until its teeth were pulled.

[carsmilesteve.livejournal.com]

oh come on, it's a march in central london. whether it's actually organised by the trots is immaterial, they'll be there and be the most vocal part of the crowd.

[pippaalice.livejournal.com]

Isn't it some form of manslaughter or something (I don't think it can be counted as murder since he didn't actually cause the accident) as well as the rape?

But basically urgh. :(

[perfectlyvague.livejournal.com]

Now come on, you cite that 'First they came for the...' poem at least 5 times a year.

I'm fed up of how apathetic I am.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Pessimist!