Birthdays and the Battle of Cable Street

It was J's birthday yesterday, i'd like to say that she is catching me up in the age stakes but until I develop a time machine it aint happening. Damn you all and the laws of physics.

Anyhows, J is bearing up under the ageing process and seems resigned to having to put up with me for the rest of life - apparently they were tears/sobs of joy. Her birthday celebration/present comes this weekend and will invlove a gallop anlong the beach.

What I hadn't realised was that J shared her birthday with the 70th anniversary of the
Battle of Cable Street. This is when a coalition of Jewish, Irish and Socialists battled the police to prevent a march of the British Union of Facists through the East End of London.

While this has always been one of the iconic moments within leftist and liberal groups it has made almost no impact within main stream society. This year seems a bit different. 70 apears to be when a contentious contemporary events become historical. As such they can be handled through the 'heritage' perspective. Main stream society can now review the events with most of the political sting removed.

I'm just hoping that i don't have to wait that long until J has the perspective about me not getting her a card for her birthday morning.

Children of Men

When I hear good things about a film I'm always wary about going to see it. Too often I'm disappointed. With Children of Men its a different story. I'd like to sit here and rave about how great it was and to give you a blow by blow critic of the fim in a effort to make you go and see, but I can't.

Anything I wrote would not do this film justice. It was fantastic. Imagine somwhere between the beach scene in Private Ryan, the camera work of 28 Days Later and the most potent images from the News for the past 6 years. Condense that into 109 mins with a simple story line with very understated acting and you have Children of Men.

You should see this film.