Penwing's Journal

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Yeah, believe it or not I am still alive. Not a lot has been happening though so this is another of those summary posts. Sorry.

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I read this 14(?) years ago for school and loved it. I recently bought and re-read it and it was still able to give me shivers.

*** WARNING *** Here be spoilers ***

Just a number and three little words were enough to make me shiver on the train this morning - "8. You may lie". The fact that Lowry managed to build up a world enough to make that have such a high hitting line without ever mentioning the idea of lying is testament to how well this book works.

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The other side of politics I've been discussing tonight (see last entry)was The Equality Bill and the Tories. A brief discussion with @lawandsexuality through the medium of Facebook comments about where the Tories would likely go with Equality.

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I really shouldn't discuss politics late at night. I always end up with ideas running through my head that stop me from sleeping. Still this is what my blog is for, surely 8-).

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Earlier this week I tweeted about the "Enjoy England" advert which suggested an enjoyable way of spending an hour was to take a train journey. My tweet was "Enjoy England are seriously suggesting a train ride as a way to enjoy England...there's a group that's never been on a train...". Friends tried to suggest there are some nice scenic routes out there, and there are, but our train system is in such a shambles I wouldn't call using the service enjoyable.

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Warrington, where I live, is split into two parliamentary constituencies the boundary being, pretty much, the Mersey. They are represented by "the Helens" - Jones for the North and Southworth for the South. Apparently there's going to be some major work on redirecting the Mersey as we will be switching Helens at the next election. Both Helens are in fairly safe seats - I normally get no election publicity except from the very fringe parties.

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Remember me talking about how we are excluded from harassment protection in certain circumstances in the new Equality Bill? Lynne Featherstone asked Ben Summerskill of Stonewall - the representative organisation for UK "gay men and lesbians" - about this. His response:

I can certainly say on the issue of harassment we are not convinced that there is a need for protection in this area.

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In the UK we have a limited number of groups fighting for Queer (or LGB(T)) rights. Stonewall (who I have publicly distanced myself from) play a very safe and cosy game but attract a lot of criticism from Queer activists. NUS LGBT Campaign and individual Student Union LGBT groups are student specific. Schools Out is teaching specific. Trade Unions are specific to their members. Queer Youth Network is youth orientated. There's something missing. Something for the activist who isn't young, isn't in a trade union or a students' union.

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As a result of last minute change of plans, I was able to attend Sunday's Pride is a Protest and Queer Cafe meeting. Finishing the minutes is next on my todo list but I wanted to offer some personal comments first.

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Yes, yes, the election results were announced on Sunday and today is Tuesday... my weekend has been a little busy and tiring.

For those that don't know (/me peers around) the BNP got the last MEP seat in the Northwest region and also got a seat in Yorkshire and the Humber region. In the Northwest it is their party leader Nick Griffin who will be going claiming to represent me.

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Last night I got my birthday present off Jim The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun. Poetry, and lots of introductory/explanatory text. I normally struggle to enjoy poetry unless it's performed, although I'm actually kinda looking forward to reading it. I really ought to read more about old Norse mythology, maybe then I'd understand American Gods a bit better (seriously, I completely missed that Low Key was meant to be Loki... but that was stupidity rather than ignorance).

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I just got back from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club at my local Borders. This month we've been reading Dark Space by Marianne de Pierres. Of the five of us there this month, we were unanimous. This exchange opened the discussion:

"Not got a lot to say about this"
"Is it four letters and start with 'c'?"
"No, starts with 's' and has 4 letters"

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21st May, lying in bed, listening to the radio. I hear music and think "this sounds like Patrick Wolf, but not something I know", checking the radio display (thank you DAB) I saw it was indeed Patrick Wolf. Then Gideon Coe announced it was off Patrick's new album. "New album? Could there be a new tour? Google, help me!"

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Over the past few weeks there's been a lot of talk of MPs' expenses and just how they're being abused. There's a lovely graphic in Guido's post here showing MPs' salary and expenses compared to average salaries.

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TransLondon have announced that it will not be participating in London Pride this year. They cite three reasons:

• The apparent lack of seriousness with which Pride dealt with last year's "Toiletgate"
• The lack of consultation with the community
• The stereotyping/parodying of Transfolk

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The Tory leader writing in The Guardian? Have we entered a strange new reality? No, I think Cameron is so confident that the country is ready to ditch Labour that he's trying can embrace the left leaning Guardian crowd with his call for parliamentary reform.

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Went to see Coraline yesterday (not in 3D). It was alright, but not great. It looked good. The whole Doll thing was a nice idea. I felt tense in the right places. But somehow, all the way through I was thinking "Mirrormask did it better".

And that's the problem. The film may have looked good, but I prefer the look of Mirrormask; in fact, I preferred everything about Mirrormask.

It also felt a little... lost. So much felt British, from the downstairs actresses to the uniforms - which were being sold on President's Day.

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So, I have this week off work. I have (some) money left, but can't spend it as my Birthday is on Wednesday so going out and buying any of the things I would like would be risky. Things like:

• Pride and Predjudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Graham-Smith
• The City and the City by China Mieville
• The Wire S4 or 5
• Southpark S3+
• Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist
• Otto; or Up With Dead People
• Preacher (except Until The End Of The World)

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So, today we had three announcements: Michael Martin will resign as speaker (and stand down as MP triggering a by-election), Douglas Hogg (he of moat dredging fame) will not be re-standing as an MP and Gordon Brown has decided that MPs who broke the rules (which I believe we'll find to be virtually no-one except perhaps the phantom mortgage claimers) will not be allowed to re-stand as Labour MPs. So, we got some scalps. Are we all warm and content now? FUCK NO!

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I'm thinking of organising a trip to Bletchley Park and the National Computing Museum. Well, when I say "organise" I mean "co-ordinate a time when I and other mates can go". And when I say "mates" I mean real life friends, twitter folks, nevernetters etc.

So, If you want to come, twitter me - @penwing - or comment here with any Saturdays in late June or July you can come.

So, any takers?

Alex
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