Monthly Archives: August 2012

Making a killing in business – (book reviews)

The Axe by Donald Westlake 1997, 339 pages and Killer Instinct</strong by Joseph Finder 2006 466 pages The late Donald Westlake wrote under several pseudonyms (including as Richard Stark, when writing about his clever and charismatic criminal “Parker”). “The Axe” … Continue reading

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As a white m/c male, I am beginning to tire of race, class and gender-baiting

I have privilege, I have entitlement. I do not deny either. I used that privilege a few weekends ago when an avuncularitis-ing muppet chose not to have a co-facilitator in a room of 30 people, even though he is – … Continue reading

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Book Review: How to change your life in 7 steps

How to change your life in 7 steps John Bird and Lena Semaan Vermilion 84 pages This short book is by John Bird (the founder of the Big Issue) and a barely-credited ghost-writer. It’s quite good (better than it looked … Continue reading

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Film Review: Until the End of the World

Avoid this dreadful film. I saw it in San Francisco in February 1992*. I didn’t like it then. I thought it was muddled, pretentious, portentous and at least forty minutes too long (151 minutes? Really?)  UPDATE: HOLY FUCKING SHIT- there … Continue reading

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Book Review: Local Deities by Agnes Bushell

Local Deities by Agnes Bushell Williamantic, Connecticut: Curbstone Press 1990 Until a couple of weeks ago if you’d asked me about great and essential novels about activism, I’d have said that I knew of only two that convey the costs … Continue reading

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At my funeral – a couple of songs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oy_vey One Two

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Death to Hans Christian Anderson!! Of Emperors and Rosa Parks

That shitty story “The Emperor’s New Clothes” has a lot to answer for. You really think all the courtiers would just admit they had been muppets because some little kid yelled out the truth? Oh Puh-lease.  First the little brat … Continue reading

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Walking while black

I am white, male, clearly middle-class, no tattoos or piercings, very tall and wide (as in, people tend to leave me alone). Although I have been physically assaulted (Paris, 2001), and on the receiving end of verbal abuse, it’s been … Continue reading

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Motivating individuals and organisations…

So, how do you motivate individuals? And how do you get (social) innovation going? It’s something I have a live interest, at the moment at least. According to Dan Pink (“Drive”), motivation comes down to autonomy, mastery and purpose. According … Continue reading

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Twenty rules of activism

Darryl’s 20 Rules of Activism (a work in progress) by Darryl Cherney, ensopro@asis.com   1. Never turn down help or money 2. Write it down 3. Trust the locals 4. Don’t believe your own bullshit 5. Speak in plain language … Continue reading

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