Just to ensure Exeter doesn’t enjoy all the short film glory, the very exciting Openreel is reely (he, he) taking off in Plymouth.
The next even is Monday, Cuba, North Hill, Plymouth at 6pm.
Go along, write a review and send it to us.
Posted by Cptn
March 31st, 2006
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Devon short film is in for an amazing week, in a fortnight.
There’s the 10xTen (ten by ten, 10×10 - you get the drift) film show at the Picture House at 8pm on Tuesday, April 11. And two days later there’s the wonderful Creative Collective at the Phoenix. Each one will be a unique experience. Go to both, be inspired, make your next film, submit your next film.
Both of these events are an opportunity to see unique films that you probably won’t be able to watch again and almost definitly won’t be on tele. So get down there and show your support for the creative talent that is rife within South Devon.
A review would be nice - as would putting the films online, now there’s a novel idea. . .
Posted by Cptn
March 30th, 2006
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We should celebrate South Devon building firm Midas Homes. Hurrah! It’s won plaudits and awards for its eco homes in South Molton (North Devon, boo). And we at the People’s Republic of South Devon want to know more - we’ve even asked for an interview, only to hear stony-clad silence.
But what we would ask, as we celebrate the eco achievements, is are any of the eco strategies being employed in the other developments that are going on? Shouldn’t all homes have an eco-responsibility? Is there a danger that ‘affordable housing’ becomes synonymous with ghetto?
Houses make up 50 per cent of carbon emissions, don’t you know. And eco homes would make such a difference to attaining those notional targets that keep on being missed. So why not a push for more of them in the number of houses that we’re told must be built. And isn’t it good old John Prescott who’s telling us to build houses when once he was telling us all to have an ’integrated’ approach to transport. Politicians, don’t you just love ‘em? Wait, maybe I was hasty, I may need to reconsider my position.
A politician closer to South Devon, young Younger-Ross (Lib Dem, Teignbridge) is pushing his party’s green credentials in the face of everyone else being so rubbish. Kudos to you and your kind, Richard, but would you really inhibit economic growth for environmental gains? So how many of those new Midas homes are carrying through on the eco ethos?
Posted by Cptn
March 29th, 2006
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Johnny Ball is a strong supporter of nuclear energy. And why not? He knows about science him - he did, after all, present a science programme on kids’ tele in the 80s.
But for me, he will always be remembered as popping up in a porn film someone had taped (I didn’t approve and wasn’t watching, of course). 70s wall paper and groaning noises turned into Johnny explaining the benefits of flourescent tubing - it was the most erotic bit. (Someone had pressed the wrong button and started taping over the film - probably their mom had walked in with a cup of apocryphal tea.)
Think of the tubing Johnny! Don’t chase the power, conserve the power - let the power come to you.
Alas the Ball boy has forsaken renewables in the same way most of the European leaders have. Nuclear is the preferred option, it seems, for the future of power provision in the western world. Finland leads the way, apparently. Nuclear is clean, we are told.
But don’t be downhearted, Devon is top in the poorly-performing South West for renewable schemes - according to Regen, the South West Renewable Energy Agency. Devon also has the highest number of renewable heat schemes (120), and is second in the region of installed electricity capacity coming from renewables - 25 MW (I don’t know how much of the total that is).
The Regen press release kindly goes on to say that ‘If we take the example of Devon, the county already has enough renewable energy schemes either currently in planning or at the appeal stage to achieve its own county target of 151 MW of installed renewable electricity capacity by 2010.’
‘Matthew Spencer, Chief Executive of Regen SW, said: ‘New renewable energy schemes continue to be installed in the South West but planning practice means that progress is painfully slow. Some councils are in danger of being complacent about renewable energy generation in the face of rising gas and oil prices and the increasing threat of climate change.
‘The choices councillors face at planning committee are not easy, but they have a duty to reflect the urgent need to generate more green energy in their decisions. The good news is that many counties still have the ability to meet their targets with the schemes that are in the planning pipeline.’
Good news indeed Matthew, but how many of them are in South Devon, and why the penchant for wind? We know that South West MEP and sitter on the energy committee Giles Chichester is dead against wind (because of the inherent inefficiencies), and what about all the other good renewable stuff that’s going on? And talking of wind, how’s the wind trial in Teignbridge going - was that all down to the planners too?
Jonny Ball has a lot to answer for - now turn that light tube on and get to bed!
Posted by C’ptn
March 28th, 2006
A380 evacuation! Have they given up on the transport links to South Devon? No. It was some big plane that’s called the A380. Next there’ll be a plane called the Kingskerswell Bypass, but I suppose, like the Spruce Goose it’ll never be built. Either way the carbon count is going up and up and up. Carbon emission targets, anyone? Intergrated transport policy? Sorry, more non-flyers.
Posted by Cptn
March 27th, 2006
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These days, the Muslim hijab headscarf is as common a sight in UK playgrounds as gangs of crazed happy slappers filming themselves giving fat kids dead legs.
So it was no surprise when word reached the People’s Republic that a school uniform manufacturer is gearing up to mass produce the garments, branding them specifically for individual schools.
Price & Buckland’s hijab will be available in a choice of colours, with each able to carry a school’s logo or emblem screen printed onto the garment.
Look out for our spanking new range of PRSD-branded hijabs coming soon - of course, when we say ‘hijabs’, we mean T-shirts, and when we say ‘coming soon’, we mean ‘when we get round to it’.
Posted by Thin White Duke
March 26th, 2006
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According to a story in the Evening Herald last week, the former commanding officer of Devonport warship HMS Ocean has revealed plans to introduce drama-based training in a bid to change attitudes to homosexuality in the services.
Second Sea Lord Vice-Admiral Adrian Johns apparently told a national snoozepaper the scheme would stop homophobia within the navy and could involve men ‘acting gay’ to help homophobic sailors understand homosexuality.
Speaking at a conference on gays in the workplace, Vice-Adml Johns said the Royal Navy’s mission is to break down barriers of prejudice.
Prejudice like thinking there’s a stereotypical way of acting gay, for instance?
Still, we salute the sentiment. A vast behind! Or something!
Posted by Thin White Duke
March 25th, 2006
We’ve all been there, trying to hold together our split plastic bags and punching in our pin number, while the checkout girl self-consciously hides her eyes with her fat little fingers.
For most people, using chip and pin is a simple and quick way of paying for their shopping - but not everyone has ‘bought into’ (ho ho) this brave new world.
Help the Aged has apparently heard tales from across our grim and unpleasant land of older people being left baffled and angry by the process.
In some cases, they’ve even been refused their Spam and custard creams because they couldn’t remember their pin number.
It appears that in the dash to ensure that everyone switches to pin numbers, many banks have under-promoted the fact that ‘traditional’ chip and signature cards can still be applied for and used in shops. Whoops.
So Help the Aged is encouraging readers of the People’s Republic who feel they need the alternative to contact their card provider and demand a chip and signature card instead.
That’s because nobody should ever have to suffer the indignity of going without Spam and custard creams simply because they cannot remember their pin number. And so say all of us.
Posted by Thin White Duke
March 24th, 2006
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Just in case Shadrak and Obendigo fancied getting it on after being turned on reading rude grafitti, some kind soul has penned a warning about oral sex.
See Stranger and stranger dangers
March 23rd, 2006
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Remember, remember the gift you should send her, shampoos, potions and pots.
Oh what a hero Anita Rodick was, protected by the face mask of creams without cruelty she united us all in our attempts at guilt-free pampering. And every Christmas, birthday etc we marched for the well packaged presents safe in the knowledge our purchases were changing the world.
But the cracks were forming even before Cosmetics To Go stopped going and Lush became luscious.
Shops should be scared of shoppers, not the other way round.
Posted by Cptn
March 22nd, 2006
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Welcome to the People's Republic of South Devon. Your subscription will begin with the next newsletter. Keep up to date by visiting the blog regularly and make sure your voice is heard. Many thanks, The People's Republic of South Devon.
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Dear Citizen,
Welcome to the People's Republic of South Devon. Your subscription will begin with the next newsletter. Keep up to date by visiting the blog regularly and make sure your voice is heard. Many thanks, The People's Republic of South Devon.
To adjust the text size of this site please click the icons below.