Archive for November, 2006
Honey, leave the lantern on for me
Don’t you just love it when a community comes together? That’s exactly what that little town in the Teign Valley, Chudleigh, has been doing, and what’s more surprising is that it’s all been to do with Christmas.
The whole town, from seven to 70, have been getting together to make willow lanterns for the festive season. These guys even have a parade. There are instructions too for anyone else who wants to join in. Just pop along to the studio of Ian and Barbara Steele at 31 Fore Street, Chudleigh to join in. Call Barbara on 01626 852 191 for more details.
Posted by Cptn
November 30th, 2006
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House calls
Good health and qualifications should be on the top of the wish-list for 110,000 children in the South West who are homeless or in bad housing. Shelter has launched its Against the Odds study, which reveals the impact the ‘housing divide’ has on kids.
It’s all pretty sobering stuff, especially when you consider the vast house-building programme which is set to take place in the South West. The housing charity has asked Gordon Brown to fund 2,670 extra social homes in the region every year to combat the housing issue and the subsequent problems of health and education those in poor accommodation suffer.
To get his attention, the charity is today unveiling a 30-metre interactive wall of shame on London’s South Bank and inviting the public to sign a brick to show their support for the protest against bad housing. It will become a red wall of hope, people.
If you can’t make it to the wall in person, you can ‘stick it to bad housing’ online.
Posted by Cptn
November 29th, 2006
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First amont equals
How’d have thought there was an Equality South West website, let alone that loads of people seem to be looking at it, and it’s won the prestigious web Clarion Award (given to organisations that recognise social responsibility and make positive contributions to society).
Have a look at the support on offer and the issues being discussed. You never know, you might learn something, even if it’s just about yourself.
Posted by Cptn
November 28th, 2006
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No energy
Whoop di do, local councils are signing up to a declaration on Climate Change and Global Warming. And the South West Climate Change Impacts Partnership (SWCCIP) is holding two seminars in Bristol about the problems facing us all. They didn’t want to travel any further because the acronym needed its own ticket.
Thank goodness for the Bovey Tracey Climate Change group, which is planing to create its own assesment of energy usage and prompt people to take part in its weight watchers facility to find out how much energy you actually use.
Some things you shouldn’t leave to chance or government agencies.
Posted by Cptn
November 27th, 2006
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Neighbour hood watch
So, hoodies then - watch out for them, they’re dangerous.
These days, there’s usually the word ‘hoodie’ printed somewhere on the front page of the Herald, Herald Express or Western Morning News; and for what reason I ask? The hoodie is the latest branding given to any youth that’s up to no good and happens to be wearing a hooded sweatshirt of some description.
Has this country gone barking mad? I’m not sure that these hoodies would react any differently if they were wearing a tuxedo and top hat. Cobblers I say; wearing sensible trousers won’t stop these grotty little oiks from stealing your car. Or your watch. Or your cat.
I doubt that hoodies go through their wardrobe to pick out an appropriate top for criminal activity - “damn, it really doesn’t go well with this knife… maybe I should go with the blue one?”.
Plymouth’s Herald recently reported that one of the men involved in a gunpoint attack in Plymouth was wearing a ‘grey hoodie’. Seriously if a man walks into your establishment wearing a hoodie and wielding a bloody gun the last thing you should do is comment on his dress sense. There are plenty of ways to dress a turd but it’ll still be the same piece of turd whichever way you look at it.
About fifteen years ago the media preyed on the likes of sports brands like Nike and Reebok, suggesting that you were endangering yourself merely by wearing expensive trainers - just asking for some hooligan to give you a wedgy and make off with them. Hoo-hah!
Blame the music, films and video games, or even blame the parents (if you must); but to blame it on a hoodie is ridiculous. The hoodie epidemic is clearly spiralling out of control, but here at the PRSD we’ll endeavour to keep you up to date with all the latest outbreaks of hoodies so you can avoid any contamination.
Sticks and stones may break my bones but wearing a hoodie is more effective and scares the living bejesus out of honest citizens. So remember kids just say NO! Oh, and don’t wear hoodies. Maybe opt for a blazer or even a packamac; they combine fashion and function. How wizard!
Gen. ‘Buck’ Turgidson
November 26th, 2006
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SAY HULLO TO:
WHO ARE: Lamby (guitar/vocals), Brown Scotch (guitar/E-bow), Tron (sound manipulation), David St James (bass) and Session (drums)
PEDDLING: Goat-voiced kook-rock
FROM THEIR BASE IN: Plymouth
THEY SAY: “We came out in a city with about as much culture as a toilet, because of this any band who’s a bit different are either called ‘pretentious’ or sound like bands with obvious similarities. No-one reads between the lines or takes things for what they are. If you can’t pin it down, it’s nonsense.”
WE SAY: With nods to Mars Volta, 36 Crazyfists, SOAD and Mr Bungle, Doxa
just about manage to temper their self-consciously wacky lyrics with some fantastic choons.
RANDOM LYRIC: “If I could kill my father, then I’m sure I would. If I could fuck my mother, then I’m sure I would. If I can kill Regina Spektor, we’ll be safe.”
NEED TO KNOW: They list their influences as altered contexts, energy, experience, expression, community, casualties and quotations. Oh, and their MySpace site features lotsa pictures of them with their tops off. Steady, girls!
DOWNLOAD: Bull In A China Shop, If You Don’t Get This
Send your Something For The Weekend suggestions to
November 25th, 2006
Follow the main cinema links for dates, times and matinee screenings.
Follow the title links for movie details, friendship and maybe more.
PLYMOUTH ARTS CENTRE
Volver (15) Lust in La Mancha with the PRSD’s favourite director Pedro Almodovar. Oh, and don’t forget to pronounce it ‘boll-bear’ or Captn will be forced to snort at your extreme ignorance.
Eros (15) Wong Kar Wai, Steven Soderbergh and Michaelangelo Antonioni don their dirty macs (that’s not dirt - it’s spunk!) for this erotic anthology.
TAVISTOCK WHARF
The Devil Wears Prada (PG) Wholesome family flick which boasts the heartwarming message: ‘if your clothes are shit - you’re shit’. Shoulda worn her PRSD T-shirt!
DARTINGTON ARTS/THE BARN
The Devil Wears Prada (PG) See above for a more ‘in-depth’ analysis.
Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait (PG) Arty thing about a famous footballer running around and spitting and stuff.
EXETER PICTUREHOUSE
Casino Royale (12A) Featuring Daniel Craig getting whacked repeatedly in the bollocks by a sadistic torturer with a bit of rope. Another one for all the family then.
The Queen (12A) Helen Mirren manages to keep her clothes on, you say? Give the lady a Bafta!
Romanzo Criminale (15) Sprawling Italian epic about three criminals who start a ruthless drugs organisation. What, like Boots?!
Brothers Of The Head (18) Conjoined twins become a rock’n'roll sensation in this faux documentary - yknow, a bit like Right Said Fred.
Posted by Thin White Duke
November 24th, 2006
Ruby tunes
Talk of shoes? What’s going on? Has the Melting Pot gone mad? Not on your nelly. You should have seen the shoes, now you can hear the sounds. Supenik and Civilian in voice on the sofa and on stage, such as it is. And this is just the start, served up soon will be the review and then the pics, courtesy of Stitch magazine’s trigger finger Della Bomb. Just click where it says download.
Posted by Cptn
November 23rd, 2006
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How could we fail to like the work of Kate Marshall? The favourite colour is red, for goodness sake! But if you want a deeper perspective, go see her work in her first solo exhibition at the Eyestorm Gallery in Exeter from November 24.
We’re sure that some people might be taken in by the hauntingly ghostlike images that seem to pop out of the canvas like hasty seraphim, or are bold and provocative lascivious women who contort with each other and perhaps for us, but we here at the People’s Republic are made of sterner stuff - give us the enigmatic smile and we’ll really charcoal your canvas.
Catch up with the Dartmouth artists
November 22nd, 2006
Sense’s working overtime
The National Autistic Society is bringing its Make School Make Sense campaign to the People’s Republic with an event at Exeter’s West of England School and College, on Thursday, November 23.
The shindig will proffer some practical advice on working with children with the disability – and it’s about time too. There are an estimated 2,355 individuals with autism (including Asperger syndrome) between the ages of 0-19 in Devon.
The NAS Advocacy for Education Service takes around 1,800 calls a year about problems with education – the vast majority of which are parents fighting to get the right support for their autistic child.
NAS research reveals that over 40 per cent of children with autism have been bullied at school and over 50 per cent are not in the kind of school their parents believe would best support them.
In addition, reports show that over 25 per cent of children with autism have been excluded, usually due to a lack of understanding and awareness on the part
of the school.
For more information about Make School Make Sense, see the NAS website.
Posted by Thin White Duke
November 22nd, 2006
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