Splashdance

Some of the gliding moves appear to defy gravity and also to defy friction. I seriously thought it was camera trickery at the beginning. There are moves where one guy appears to glide along on tiptoe, more deceiving to the eye than the famous moonwalk. I know they won't want to hear this word but it is in fact ballet.

Jacintha

Where the bees are

Globe thistle with four bees

Photo by Anne Mullane copyright © 2010

Flowers of July in west London

Blooming in west London this month, from top right, clockwise: Papaver Somniferum, Cistus, Oriental Poppy, Iris (yellow), Iris (mauve).

Photos by Anne Mullane copyright © 2010

Bounds Green

Photo by Lynsey Rose copyright © 2010

R.I.P. Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins

Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins - 'snooker is like a drug' (Telegraph, February 2010)

We all loved him, crazy mad Irishman that he was. He brought the family together, the Ma would love him too and everyone had to watch together. We were willing those erratic lunges of his to find their mark long after the boring players had got him where they wanted him. Yes, he was crazy but what is not to be crazy about, after all? The video above is a very nice memento of him, an interview where he points out that he is still ranked in the rankings though he hasn't played for 12 to 16 years. Still thinking he could beat the others but not being "healthy enough, as yet."

Ossian

Harlesden Road, Wednesday evening

Clegg "only shoots self in foot, not Cameron"

Coalition in confusion as deputy prime minister pronounces invasion 'illegal' at dispatch box (Guardian)

The Deputy PM of the UK, standing in for the Prime Minister, twice pronounced the Iraq war illegal at Prime Minister's questions today. The constitutional convention of "cabinet responsibility" is now in disarray as they say he was speaking as leader of the Liberal Democrat party and not as Deputy PM. Problem: the government he is supposedly near the top of (actually he's only a messenger boy) does not admit the war was illegal.

Corporal Clegg also took the opportunity to stick his foot even further down his own throat by coming back unbidden and "clarifying" declaring an absolute date for pullout from Afghanistan. Yes, pull out a.s.a.p. but keep the other side guessing to avoid a more deadly military situation. Different matter if it was happening this year but he has cast his idiotic pall over the next five years. Straw tried to do Clegg a favour by inserting the word "conditional" in his summary of Clegg's answer about the withdrawal but wee Cleggy was too thick to take the hint and came back full of the hubris of a junior clerk who has just been promoted to line manager.

At least it means Labour now has the left field to itself, since it must be safe to assume that the LibDem's are toast. Straw hammered on and on about the cancelled grant to Sheffield Forgemasters versus the half billion married tax allowance that Clegg had derided before the election. I couldn't work out why Straw was so hot on it till I remembered Clegg's constituency is in Sheffield and it is fairly marginal.

Who shall we choose to slay them - Ed Miliband, no?

Malachy

Silvery evening

Sub-contracting brutality to children

Revealed: brutal guide to punishing jailed youths

Instructions to staff warn that the techniques risk giving children a "fracture to the skull" and "temporary or permanent blindness caused by rupture to eyeball or detached retina".

The guidance, designed to cope with unruly children, also acknowledges that the measures could cause asphyxia. One passage, explaining how to administer a head-hold on children, adds that "if breathing is compromised the situation ceases to be a restraint and becomes a medical emergency". (Society | The Observer)

The war between humanity and inhumanity is so finely balanced in the UK that at any moment our humanist defences against the brutal vicious and "privatised" horde could collapse, initiating an era of unbridled mayhem and carnage.

Feargal

Ana & Jorge

Very agreeable. Ana Carolina's voice must be one in a hundred million. Seu Jorge's is marvellous too. It's a Damien Rice song "The Blower's Daughter" translated into Portuguese but I doubt they called it that again.

Culture, Kultur or Cultúr?

Belfast burning

"Next, I'd be saying how disgawsted ay awm with the oitrayt vayilence n thawggery awn display" (Lenin's Tomb)

A handy pull-out-and-keep guide to the festivities of the Glorious Twelfth.

Willesden by night

Expand Brondesbury into Willesden?

Palestinian homes bulldozed as Israeli freeze on demolitions appears to end

Settlements on land occupied by Israel in 1967 are illegal under international law. "The rule of thumb in this part of the world is that in the run-up to US elections Israel has a free hand," said Jeff Halper, of the International Committee against House Demolitions. "Israel is taking advantage of that." (World news | The Guardian)

Brent Council please note: Why not demolish some of the crappy houses in Willesden so we can make Brondesbury a bit bigger and posher? I'm sure some of them were built without planning permission centuries ago.

Feargal

Harlesden Road, east

If you think you have problems...

Wouldn't normally show this for fear of creating a freakshow but in this case it may save a few kids from eating disorders and other problems. Maybe if they see this, they will catch some of this guy's positivity.

Herald hack extraordinaire

Museum of Illusions

We're big enough to applaud when some of our staff get websites of their own, so reluctant congratulations to Steve on his quaint wee home page.

And on and on

And on

Writer of "The Architects" at London Lit. Festival

Wena Poon | Southbank Centre

Monday, July 12th, 7 pm. "One of Asia's new literary stars, Wena Poon performs from Alex y Robert, a witty novel about the American granddaughter of a famous Spanish bullfighter who returns to Spain to become a matador. Winner of the 2010 Willesden Prize in England, twice longlisted for the Frank O'Connor Award in Ireland, Poon has been lauded by critics for her acute observations of transnational culture."

Moderated by broadcaster and Guardian critic Bidisha. £7 or see link for concessions.

Legendary troubadour on top form

* The video has been pulled due to a copyright claim by Sony

This is cheering, nice to see him having a bit of fun. The audience is really into it, especially when he does the harmonica parts. "High Water" Bob Dylan live at Hop Farm, Kent, July 2010

Jacintha

Real photography

iWITNESS - TomStoddart

"Don't feel sorry when you look at these pictures—feel angry [...]"

Sky fox

Onion Mbeke

Carey but no beach tar

Apart from being a classic, the original version of this is a reminder that "beach tar" is not a new phenomenon. However, in this performance at our local community hall (Wembley Arena) in 1983, Joni changes the line "My fingernails are filthy, I got beach tar on my feet" (for perhaps understandable reasons) to "Maybe it's been too long a time since I've been scrambling in the street". Even Marge nods.

Jacintha

Gold bulla from c. 900 BC found in Down

BBC iPlayer - Northern Ireland's El Dorado: 04/07/2010

The actual report starts about 4 minutes into this radio clip. As well as the fascination with the object, the excitement of people about it is interesting. It's from Radio Foyle.

Summer music

Earl Klugh's beautiful guitar style, unmistakeable. He doesn't play the instrument, he listens to it and coaxes flowers of sound to life in the air, like a good listener who draws fascinating stories from a shy companion. In this video it's a semi-acoustic Spanish/classical guitar with nylon strings.

Respect Festival today 1 to 8 pm

Respect Festival:

This year at Respect...

Our annual festival returns to Roundwood Park on July 4. Promising to be bigger and better the ever the event will feature live music, dance, theatre and martial arts from across the world. Below is a guide to some of the day's events

On the Respect Stage MUSKAAN perform their bollywood wheelchair dance and  Active Aspirations emcee Trix, winner of Brent's Got Talent and fellow emcee Cortex spit some lyrics.  Indian dance group Dancing Nikita Company and Reggae band, The Ruff Cutt, close the proceedings.

At the Arena, Drama Workhouse present Theatre Combat providing inside tips on stage fighting. Brent Youth Circus Company will perform their Heroes and Heroines piece with Albert and Friends Instant Circus hosting a circus workshop.

To launch Brent Dance Month (BDM) there will be a day of dance workshops and performances at the Momentum tent meaning you get a sneak preview of the BDM July program. You won't want to miss the Hypnotik Intergenerational Dance Piece, a fusion of ballroom and hip hop featuring young males and 65 plus  ladies.

For the first time in Respect's history there will be a free 80s Roller Disco for you to show your moves off. Or relax and take in the sights of Roundwood Park with a free horse and carriage ride from The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment.

Think you know your partner inside out? Well put it to the test and enter the Mr and Mrs Quiz. If you fancy learning a new skill, why not try out henna tattooing or demonstrations from the Stonebridge Boxing Club?

There will be loads to do for the little ones with their very own Giraffes Can't Dance tent. This will feature face painting, story telling, mask making and much more.

• View the 2010 Respect Festival programme (.pdf, 1270Kb)

New song by Leonard Cohen