We are developing the social individualist meta-context for the future. From the very serious to the extremely frivolous... lets see what is on the mind of the Samizdata people.
Samizdata, derived from Samizdat /n. - a system of clandestine publication of banned literature in the USSR [Russ.,= self-publishing house]
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Simon Davies of Privacy International organised an event this evening here in London in order to honour George Orwell and hoist a drink or three to one of England’s greatest writers on the occasion of his birthday.
Now I know a lot of you have read Orwell’s sundry works… 1984… Animal Farm… etc… but how many of you have drunk a ‘Black and Tan’ at Orwell’s favorite pub, the Newman Arms on 23 Rathbone Street…
…followed by walk to the Elysee Restaurant, around the corner at 13 Percy Street, which was one of Orwell’s favorite eating places? The default dish here has to be Moussaka, as Orwell ate it on nearly every occasion that he visited this place.
A splendid evening was had by Gabriel Syme and myself (the wicked and iniquitous Johnathan Pearce was a no-show) amidst an impressive collection of privacy and civil liberties activists from across a .. ahem… wide range of the political spectrum.
An update regarding tonight’s ‘Undercurrents debate’ on BBC Radio 3 Night Waves, 9:30 pm UK time (also via Internet).
The topic is:
Is Democracy Dead – superceded by the power of the markets and the media?
Participating will be George Monbiot, John Lloyd, John Kay and me.
Tomorrow night my disembodied voice shall be appearing on BBC Radio 3, on the programme Night Waves at 9:30 pm UK time (also via Internet).
Along with George Monbiot, John Lloyd, the eminent journalist and former editor of New Stateman, and possibly one other person, we shall be discussing democracy, globalization and politics.
I have just got back to London after spending the night in more northern parts, where I gave a talk about blogs and blogging at Liverpool’s rather swanky new downtown FACT (Film, Art & Creative Technology) centre.
Many people are looking for the FACTs about blogging in Liverpool
It is good to proselytize the joys of blogging to a wider audience. Although though the audience was rather technology savvy, blogging was a completely concept to many of the people there. Also interesting was to see a couple people in the media lounge where I turned up to give my talk reading Salam Pax’s blog.
On a day in which an article in The Times notes the power of blogging to scare the living daylights out of some sections of the established media and quotes blogger Mickey Kaus, it is interesting to see our blogger-in-arms in Iraq helping to raise the profile of blogging generally in places like Liverpool.
I even managed to meet a new potential client for my latest business endeavor, a blogging consultancy that will show companies how blogs can greatly assist their businesses. Together with two fellow Samizdatistas David Carr and Adriana Cronin, who was the one who thought up and elaborated the idea, we have started a new venture called the Big Blog Company.
Blogs are increasingly starting to enter the public consciousness … we are spreading like a virus but are much more fun that SARS 
Is this the first ‘blogger-marriage’, I wonder?
Regardless of whether it is or not, many congratulations to Andrew Dodge and Sasha Castel who are now Mr. and Mrs. Castel-Dodge.
Having managed to wangle a couple of front-row seats, my fellow reviewer Perry de Havilland and I made our way eagerly to Central London to witness the latest production of Lefties Labour’s Lost presented by the Stop The War Theatre Company.
I always enjoy open-air theatre, especially when it’s high farce. But, from the opening curtain, I had the uncomfortable feeling that this effort was not going to live up to my expectations.
I was impressed by the large, ensemble cast made up of a motley collection of old communists, new communists, greens, Islamists, socialists, peaceniks, beatniks, trade unionists, padres, cadres and a troupe of folk dancers from Somerset. As the drama unfolded, I thought I recognised some of the faces in the Chorus and, indeed, upon checking my notes, I was pleased to be able to confirm that much of the cast had been recruited from the highly successful ‘Anti-Globalisation World Tour’.
Doubtless bonded by that experience, the director must have hoped that this cameraderie would add an extra dynamism to this production but, if that was the intention, then I regret to report that it was not achieved. The cast ambled through their paces determinedly but without much in the way of conviction leaving the audience with a sense of spectacle but nothing memorable.
The script was a total let-down. Directors of future productions should take note that drearily familiar lines such ‘No war for oil’ and ‘Drop Bush not bombs’ have to be delivered with pep and brio in order to have any impact at all. As it was, the cast opted for mere dismal repetition. This will not do. I was left with the impression that, perhaps, the best of their energies had been left in rehearsal.
Kudos must be accorded to the costume designer for splendid authenticity. Everywhere we looked there were muddy browns, washed-out blacks, dull greens and quite the most dizzying array of woolly caps imaginable. Many of the costumes were so profoundly soiled that , I do declare, they stood up and marched about on their own. An eye for this kind of detail is always appreciated.
Alas, it was not enough to rescue the piece which from terminal mediocrity. A flat and pedestrian rendition from an institutional cast lacked the oh-so important quality of spine-tingling zest necessary to truly move an audience. The kindest thing I can say about the direction is that is was formulaic; utterly devoid of anything approaching a radical innovation.
By the interval, both Mr.de Havilland and I were hard put to stay awake and, indeed, we both slipped out quietly before the final curtain.
Notwithstanding the plethora of pre-publicity, this performance fails to live up to its billing. There is some sound, surprisingly little fury and, in the final analysis, it signified nothing. I predict a short run.
NASA has set up this FTP site here for the public to use to upload photos, videos and documentary commentary of found debris. It may be the first use of the Net to assist in disaster evidence collection on such a massive scale.
REMEMBER not to touch anything. And FORGET about trying to profit from this tragedy.
I want to know what happened to ‘going overland to India’ to seek spiritual fulfilment and alternative lifestyles? Perhaps the Indians have decided to put a stop to all that. Can’t say as I blame them.
However, that means that the Anti-Everything Brigade has been unleashed in droves all over the rest of the planet like deranged locusts. The Swarm du jour has now descended upon Porto Alegre in Brazil where this hotch-potch of losers, whiners, nutjobs and assorted marxoids, and which now dubs itself the (snigger) ‘World Social Forum’ is in a gigantic snit about not being taken seriously.
Mercifully, they are not taken seriously. Except by the BBC (sorry, the ‘World Media Forum’) which has published a glowing full-page tribute:
“As soon as you arrive your senses are overloaded with colourful causes and campaigns all competing for attention.”
Especially your sense of smell.
“It does not aim to promote one view but celebrate diversity.”
Great can we come along to sing the praises of capitalism, then?
“If the businessmen and political heavyweights from Davos were transported to Porto Alegre – slogan “another world is possible” – they really would believe they were on a different planet.”
Yup.
“Where else would a gay rights march be followed moments afterwards by a pro-Palestinian protest?”
Not in Palestine that’s for sure.
“Or landless people’s movements from Latin American, Asia and Africa be able to sit round a table and compare notes?”
Landless but not flightless apparently. Exactly where do these starving peons get their travel money? And precisely what ‘notes’ do they compare?
“Hey, Miguel, do you have any land”?
“No”
“Neither do I. Okay, meeting adjourned.”
“Of course, conflict and disagreement are inevitable but that is half the fun.”
What’s the other half of the fun?
“On the first day of the Forum the people took to the streets for an anti-war march.
As Brazilian government ministers walked with protesters there was an air of great hope spreading to campaigners from all across the globe.”
Another feature of the reporting of all these events is this kind of semi-messianic euphoria. They’re forever telling the world how excited and happy they are. Is it jet-lag, I wonder?
Another Brian, the Rev. Brian Chapin, calls this collection of 174 newspaper front pages from 26 countries around the world “the coolest thing I’ve ever seen on the internet”. That may be an exaggeration, but it is a nice thing to be able to see.
You can’t actually read the text on these front pages, although of course you can read the headlines. The images aren’t detailed enough for that. But you can go from each front page to the website of each newspaper featured.
I’m not sure if the front pages that appear are updated each day. I’m guessing yes. Perhaps a commenter can clarify.
STOP PRESS: I went back, when checking that the link worked, and yes it is today’s front pages. The clue was in the title of the webpage, which, I now note, is: “Today’s Front Pages.” We Samizdatistas don’t miss a thing, do we? (Don’t answer that.)
In response to rioting by Muslims in Nigeria which has left over a 100 people dead, the organisers of Miss World have hastily arranged for the whole competition to be moved to Britain.
Rumour has it that the international beauty pageant will resume in Finsbury Park
LIBERTY 2002: the European conference of The Libertarian International and Libertarian Alliance
Saturday 9 November – Sunday 10 November, 2002
10.00am-6.00pm
The National Liberal Club
Whitehall Place
London
SW1A 2HE
England
Speakers:
- Professor Norman Barry – Business ethics and regulation: A libertarian view
- Stefan Blankertz – Nature or Nurture: A libertarian perspective on the Debate on Intelligence
- Professor John Burton – Why libertarianism is losing out
- Dr. Eamon Butler – ‘Third Way’ interventionism in the UK and its lessons
- Professor Antony Flew – A critique of welfare rights
- Alan Forester – Why libertarians should take children seriously
- Professor Terence Kealey – Science is not a public good – and requires no public support
- Sarah Lawrence – The semblance of consent: how tyrants use the illusion of freedom
- Professor Tibor Machan – Are political principles stable?
- Richard Miniter – The reality of the Middle East and libertarian policy dilemmas
- Dr. Ken Minogue – The chameleon servility and its contemporary camouflage
- Robin Ramsay – In defence of paranoia: myths and realities of “conspiracy theory”
- Francois-Rene Rideau – Government as the rule of “Black Magic”: On Human Sacrifice and Other Modern Superstitions
- Panel Discussion: Libertarian Iinternational and Libertarian Alliance Representatives – Liberty and Strategy in International Context, Chaired by Hubert Jongen, Chairman of The Libertarian International.
- Panel Discussion: Mark Littlewood, Dr. Sean Gabb & Dr. Chris R. Tame – The Destruction of Civil Liberties in the UK and its lessons
The £75 conference fee covers conference attendance, morning and afternoon tea and coffee, and the closing Banquet (but not accommodation – see below for a suggestion on this).
Are you going to attend the LIBERTY 2002 conference? Several members of the Samizdata Team will be there, so ask around and I am sure you will be able to find us. → Continue reading: More on the LIBERTY 2002 Conference
Paul Marks laments the timing and cost of upcoming events
The Mont Pelerin Society is holding its conference in London next week. Rumour has it that the price of actually attending the conference is quite absurd (over eight hundred pounds) [Editor: fortunately the Liberty 2002 Conference is only a mere £75].
However, there are fringe meetings and I have asked, and been allowed, to attend two of them (the panel discussion on the future of freedom at the Institute of Economic Affairs at 18:30 on Monday and the debate on a good and free society between Roger Scruton and Stephen Davis at the Travellers Club, 106 Pall Mall at 18:00 Tuesday).
Contrary to what is sometimes said there are still people in the Conservative party who are interested in liberty – but many Conservative activist types will be down on the south coast (perhaps listening to John Redwood and Co, at a Selsdon Group fringe meeting, explaining why Conservatives should “Stand up for Capitalism”).
To have the Mont Pelerin Society conference clashing with the Conservative Party conference is unfortunate.
Paul Marks
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Who Are We? The Samizdata people are a bunch of sinister and heavily armed globalist illuminati who seek to infect the entire world with the values of personal liberty and several property. Amongst our many crimes is a sense of humour and the intermittent use of British spelling.
We are also a varied group made up of social individualists, classical liberals, whigs, libertarians, extropians, futurists, ‘Porcupines’, Karl Popper fetishists, recovering neo-conservatives, crazed Ayn Rand worshipers, over-caffeinated Virginia Postrel devotees, witty Frédéric Bastiat wannabes, cypherpunks, minarchists, kritarchists and wild-eyed anarcho-capitalists from Britain, North America, Australia and Europe.
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