I watched a bit of tv last night (first time for a while). It was interesting to see the latest evolution of 'dancing instead of fighting' from The States. Clowning and Krumpin'. I gotta say it isn't as exciting or as magical as BreakDancing was when it first hit, as that was such an exciting mixture of the stuff I was into myself (acrobatic tumbling, mime, stage fighting, slapstick, etc). This was more frenzied, more angry. But, OK, that's probably the way that it is - it's an expression of just how bad it can get down there amongst the oppressed. Fascinating stuff though.

Then there was yet another episode of Channel 5's Psychic Secrets Revealed (which the Guardian, tellingly, described as revealing 'the disappointing trickery behind more allegedly psychic feats'. Alistair Cook (one of the Monkey Magic crew) does convincing demos, and then exposes the method. Of course, most people are true believers...they wanna believe, or, as one of the Barnum statements they used in the Tarot reading said "you are sceptical about psychic matters, but like to keep an open mind". The bunch of people who had readings were all told exactly the same script, and afterwards they each assessed the accuracy of the 'reading' as between 80% and 99% accurate. Sad, huh?

It's also amusing to me to see how 'sad old git stuff' like clowning in fright wigs and makeup (Tommy the Clown and his social work in the Hood), or conjuring, are 'cool' again - when they have been so essentially naff for so many years. What goes round comes round.

Anyway - for those not in the UK, this is the Friday night schedule for the winter. A new series of Ab Fab, and although it is a little tired, I still love the female cast and the self mockery and savagery (and, of course, I have a thing for Joanna Lumley).

And then (treats) we got a new series of Have I Got News for You - with more rudeness and intelligence. Not a bad evening.

Don't you love Doonesbury huh? don't ya?

This was an archive link to his take on Blogs, last October 21 and following days...it's worth clicking through the calendar days, if only to find out the real identity of Jenny McTagarty Girl Pirate "the blogger's blogger" - and where she is writing from...................

It's a great archive to explore (maybe in your lunch hour......)

Oh, and talking of money (as I was before - or BELOW, in this context) don't forget to put Buy Nothing Day in your diary for November 28th.

Of course, I know I can't really change any people, not even close friends, who have accepted the whole idea of getting through lives they don't really enjoy by giving themselves 'treats' the whole time...

But I have a soft spot for alternatives which may (still) carry us into the future.

The Sixties was only a seedbed, just a mere glimpse - and a lot of forces have worked on trashing the dreams that started back there - they have worked on making them unfashionable, or silly, they have done character assassination on individuals and groups - but they can't keep the dream away.

As Bucky Fuller pointed out, you can't rush the acceptance of new ideas, but you can't stop them when their time has come, either. So at least go and have a look at some of the ideas on the Adbusters site - LETS schemes, alternative economies for local communities, etc.

Enjoy! And don't take offence, don't take it too personally - we are all walking wounded under State Capitalism...

In my endless quest to try things out, I have now finally gone into the market place again. Although I love markets (started out street performing in Mexico in the markets and town squares) I have never been much good at buuying and selling THINGS.

I just don't understand 'value' and 'worth' and haggling and all that stuff.

"WAS £99, now only £50" surely means "We originally asked a silly price, but now we are getting realistic, if we want to get rid of the thing".

"Worth £100 but we are selling it for £50" is surely meaningless, as it can only be worth what someone is willing to pay for it at the time. There is no permanent 'value' on anything - that's the same illusion that money is real wealth, when it appears to me to be simply a measurement of wealth - and I would never try to hoard inches or degrees Centrigrade.

You can see why me and Capitalism never got on, and why I have never had more than the cash in my pocket....If you charge interest you'll get inflation, surely it's obvious (sigh).

Anyway, back then I could only offer services (amusement or hard work) in the market place, but not things. I tended to trade those or give them away, rather than have to carry them around.

So it's a big adventure for me to take my last film memento and stick it on eBay. Everything else got given, loaned, traded, or abandoned, lost or destroyed along the way. It's just that I wanted to try eBay (having read the book) and was stumped for something odd enough to offer up.

So - tonight I put up my original Labyrinth script, just to see how this stuff works. I'll be quite happy if I don't sell it, but I didn't put a high hold price on it. If it doesn't get bid up to the price of a trip to Barcelona then I hope someone who loves it gets it.

Whatever.

I still have a pile of call sheets and shooting schedules, photos from the set and other stuff to wade through for the memories....all fascinating stuff. To me.

I just came across some photos I took of Pete with his fire whip (I kid you not).

It may be that this year's little adventure is over now. I don't have any other conventions lined up, and I certainly don't go out looking.

It was fun to come across these photos of us all hanging around in Charleroi with Mark Dermul - who came to save us from a fête worse than death (OK, OK, just a rather quiet morning).

It's only a joke, Aurélien, honestly! I am not sure that puns translate very well.....

And if you want to really freak yourself out, try this

But don't blame me if you don't know what to do after......

Microsofties can try Alt+F4

or Ctrl+Alt+Del and kill the sesssion....

Don't say you weren't warned.... Just don't push the button!

You'll need Flash and Stereo to enjoy this one

Honestly, a lot of people like this joke

Or this more library orientated one

I can't remember if I showed you the end of Internet before....

Having my day off today (I'll work Saturday, instead). I am not fully recovered from that cold. I enjoyed watching Lovejoy on morning tv (I have a soft spot for the lovable rogue) but I am appalled at all the daytime tv offers of money.

I seriously do think we need to reword these ads. I mean:

"Worried about your financial situation? Let us sort it out" means "Why not borrow MORE, and get DEEPER in debt!" Of course the monthly payouts will be less, because they will go on for a lot more months (or years). I can't believe I am the only one who hears stuff this way.

I am not completely shocked, of course. Growing up in the 50s I heard people talk about Christianity as though they really believed that stuff (not just as though they were too scared to criticize their own culture, or disagree with their parents). I just couldn't believe that people could 'compartmentalize' like that. I am not talking about just ignorant people - but college professors, and such. You can't be the Prime Minister or the President of the USA without spouting this guff (oh, sorry, without claiming to believe the embedded religion of the culture).

I also understood how people can turn a deaf ear to their internal common sense, because I was a vegetarian when that was an extremely odd thing to be - and got used to hearing all the imaginary defences that people invented for persisting in cultural patterns. At least (now) meat-eaters sound sheepish (sorry!) when they discuss the issue - they tend to sound like smokers - they either say 'I know I ought to give it up' or they defiantly say ' I don't care about my health, I LIKE it'.

Personally I don't care. I was never a 'moral' vegetarian judging others - I am a veggie the way rabbits are - I never even thought about it - I never resisted temptation, or gave anything up - I just am that way by nature.

Similarly - when I stopped believing in Tooth Fairies and Santa Claus I assumed that everyone else would also 'grow up' and put Jesus where he belongs in the fairy tales of our childhood - so I find it strange that grown-ups hang onto their 'teddy bear/security blanket' like that.

And so back to money. 1% of the population of the planet owns most of it. The rest is usury. If money is lent at interest, then inflation is inevitable. If you can borrow against all future earnings you don't have to be paid properly. You can sell all your future earnings for a roof over your head, and return to slavery voluntarlly.

It's amazing. People still fall for that old Three Card Trick. Well, I am skint, and I never have any property to speak of, but I don't owe my future to anyone, and I am still in a position to make a sudden change if the impulse strikes me (I am no more insecure now than I ever was).

Incoherent jottings, I know, but it's not the Third World who is failing to pay their debt, its the USA and the UK - two wealthy countries living well beyond their means almost entirely on borrowed money and assets. We ought to be ashamed - especially as we are not just surviving, but becoming obese with over-consumption, and restless for more and more and more - holidays, treats, presents, toys - more, and more and more.

OK, I'll shut up now. I'd better clean my 8' x 10' room....

I keep forgetting how bad my layout is, and how many things get lost. One day I'll really think about being an Information Architect, and redesign this site. It just grew, you see.

I had completely forgotten this page of links, compiled one wet Sunday - great stuff for magicians and jugglers.

I really enjoyed my Maybe Logic DVD of Robert Anton Wilson's life. I recommend this DVD (I got an early release, but the standard edition is now available) and there is an interview with the film maker here, if you have no idea what I am talking about.

I don't get to The States much, so I am not likely to be able to go to a screening, or help out, but these are the current dates, from their newsletter:

"Nov. 1-3 Clinton Street Theater - Portland, OR
Nov. 15 Van East Cinema - Vancouver, B.C.
- after-party will follow the Vancouver show
Nov. 17-18 Van Duzer Theatre at HSU - Arcata, CA
- Q&A w/ filmmakers on the 18th on HSU campus

From the newsletter:

"We need some assistance spreading fliers
around the above towns as well as any other
pirate or legitimate promo contributions. So,
if you would like to help, or have a media
connection or two, please contact us [contact@maybelogic.com]
and we'll get you the promo materials and a
couple tickets to the show. If you live near
these cities, tell every critter you know!"

The circus's one night show was absolutely great!

It was a tribute for ten years of Splott State Community Circus, and there was a mixture of performers - amateur and professional. There were also some of the crew from more recent incarnations of NoFit State. I enjoyed it all (it's always a good sign when I stop taking notes and pretending to be a 'circus critic') - and then went to a very late night party.

I am so hungover today that I can't tell that I have got a cold. I am not sure if that is a good thing or not - that's like hitting your thumb with a hammer to stop you noticing the toothache (or something).

I am enjoying mingling with the magic gang again. I am getting to do research for people (given that my own knowledge is scattered and unsystematic, but wider than many people's) and that inevitably involves spending money, too....hey ho.

I really like the mental exercise of 'thinking like a conjuror', and if I actually put some practice in I might still have a way of making a living when I am forcibly retired without a pension....stranger things have happened (to me).

Well, I gave up, and didn't go to work. Two days. I feel terrible.

However - I noticed a fair few visitors today (See the Stats at the bottom of the Home Page) - so that's good news.

Hi everyone!

And I may have heard word of a few more Star Wars call sheets to add to the few I have. Only as photocopies, of course, but the information really helps pull together the memories of those faraway days....more on this later maybe.

I am now seriously considering putting my 'Labyrinth' material up on eBay. I've given away or lost all my other film souvenirs, without ever checking whether they really are as valuable to collectors out there as the rumours have it.

I guess this is my last chance to try and find out (and if it's not great, well, someone who wants it will get it. If the bidding goes up and up, well I can kick myself about all those bits and pieces (crew shirts, belt buckles, small props, name tags, call sheets, scripts, etc) which I have spread around so casually.

It was the travelling life, you see. If you don't have a basement or a loft, and you have to carry everything (not even pile it into a car) when you move - you tend to give stuff away. It's lighter that way.

Hey ho.

Oh no! Julie has been quite ill the last few days with a 'bug' (flu or whatever) which I didn't get, but now I seem to have all the first round of symptoms, so if I go downhill rapidly I may have to take a day or two off work, and I'll probably neglect my blog/email/website.

Nothing personal - I am just a bad invalid - but once I do give up I let go completely.

I grew up with 'the show must go on' (the old theatre rule) and moved into the circus (if you're not dead you can do your act) so I do tend to battle on, but that does have to be balanced by how sensible it is to go into work and infect everyone else....

How popular would a children's entertainer be if they pop in to do a school show and leave their snuffle behind? Of course, the library is a perfect breeding ground - it's a sick building anyway, and is a refuge for a lot of people - including the old the sick and the lame and loads of kids, too....so if the city has got something, we get exposed to it.

I'll get off now - it's not a pretty sight, watching a grown man feel sorry for himself.

Dull reading for others, I guess. Sorry about that, but I do notes to myself, and that's at least part of what this blog is for.

I was amused to visit the Blue Harvest site again. Back in 99 I wandered on to the Net for the first time...no idea how browsers worked, etc. Now I work on computers, and have done other online interviews, gone to conventions organised by email, and all in 3-4 years.

Here's my first ever posting to a guest book:

Fri Feb 5 22:31:37 1999 Toby Philpott (Host: miranda-51.cableol.net)

I just stumbled into cyberspace this week, and like most people I began by looking for friends and myself... Back in 1982 I operated the left hand, head body and tongue of Jabba in 'Return' (then known as Blue Harvest, or occasionally 'Revenge of The Jedi' (as I am sure you all know better than me...) Many years have passed since that six week's work, and I get no repeat fees, just reflected glory. Hello to you all anyway, and especially to anyone else who worked on that particular set. Be Seeing You.

PS: the contrary view

In case anyone thinks I am preaching Omega at you - don't forget all the previous discussion which reckoned that unsaturated vegetable oils were bad for you.

Go read Raymond Peat, for instance.

We are extremely complex creatures, it is an extremely complex environment, and everything is changing all the time.

All generalizations are dangerous (even this one)

I do wish people would start treating us as intelligent, and not do all public health information in Black and White forms of Good and Bad for you.

Giving things up, Having to include this.

What we need these days is a little more of the 'fuzzy logic' approach...let's talk about both Use and Abuse of substances. Get into the grey areas.

Whatever happened to moderation, and 'A little of what you fancy does you good'?

Everyone knows you can OD on anything from chocolate to water, from alcohol to computers, from jogging to sleeping - so give us a break guys - leave out the moral lecture!

Further research needed: referring to the item below (time goes backwards in here) I should point out that Omega 3 is also linked by some research to being good for Depression, hyperactivity, allergies, heart disease, Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis and cancer, etc.

Check it out.

The (allegedly ideal) Mediterranean diet for omnivores includes plenty of fish, and relatively little meat. There is certainly some kind of link with regular fish eating and getting enough of these important fatty acids.

Personally, I prefer being a guinea pig for the plant-based forms. I am fairly erratic in my consumption of them, but I try to keep it up when I can.

On the national tv test for 'intelligence' (whatever that is) I scored higher than the people in the studio, and one point higher than the best on-line participant. I am not bragging, just saying what happened. So I don't think I am seriously lacking in these particular nutrients (although good genes help with some of this stuff - and the ability to synthesise some of the things you need).

I didn't watch the programme in the mayhem of realtime, but video'd it. I still did the test fairly, though - no rewinding, or pausing. I don't care what it means, I just enjoyed the mental exercise. I don't want to join MENSA (even if I could pass their more rigorous tests. But I think I have a grasp on what intelligence might mean (and it's not all blessings, being the one-eyed man in the kingdom of the blind). And I agree with Julie when she points out the cultural bias in IQ tests - especially when I was a child and the 11+ test in the UK was loaded towards boys.

Still, this was a generic test, with a large sample base.

Anyway...

When I think about intelligence I know what I mean, but it's hard to define. I feel like St Augustine "I know what time is until you ask me to define it." [paraphrase, preceding research and correction].

Still, I empathise with the idea that the planet is smart (Gaia), and that the universe is smart (not The Great Designer - noun - but smarts in action - evolution and other emergent phenomena - verbs).

And I know I could still work on my 'emotional intelligence'. There's always more work to be done in the world of Lifelong Learning.

Stupid, however, we can easily do without.