Classy (stream of consciousness)

Been following some interesting blogs on the subject of class recently:

Here's a delightful example of class prejudice defying logic in academia.

(Publishing is often deliciously exclusive to the posh - so many internships are where one is expected to work for busfare for the privilege of the foot in the door and learning how to use a photocopier - two guesses as to who can and can't afford to do that...)

The always interesting k-punk on 'chavscum'. (for the most interesting part scroll down to July 8th where he quotes Fred Jameson: it is not 'particularly surprising that the system should have a vested interest in distorting the categories whereby we think class and in foregrounding gender and race, which are far more amenable to liberal ideal solutions (in other words, solutions that satisfy the demands of ideology, it being understood that in concrete social life the problems remain equally intractable).')

I have a vague plan to start a blog documenting all the now-fashionable ways in which working class people are mocked and sneered at in popular culture - Little Britain, Harry Enfield, Al Murray, etc. Guardian has done some interesting pieces on this which i now can't find except this.

in your

see comments for a transcription of our recent email debate on facebook for rowan to catch up on and join in (edited down a bit to protect the innocent). Tell us why it's a good thing, rowan! Also note recent guardian article from Jack Schofield which puts james's ciabatta/pastie distinction into an economic context.

James: Apparently, everyone's doing this kind of stuff on facebook these days. What's your thinking on such things....?

Will it blend?

Probably a bit late on this one, but in case you haven't seen it: here's what everyone should do to an iPhone.

Keeping up the "Oi, Gore: No!" campaign from the previous post, what I now want to know is:

Madonna. Will it blend?
The Live Earth gig at Wembley: Will it blend?
My carbon footprint: Will it blend?

Or, closer to my heart than all of the above:

The shameful 'Ratners on Eastlands' monstrosity that is a Man City owned by an [allegedly..] tax-dodging member of the global super-rich (who really wanted Liverpool) and managed by the most hated man in British football: Will it blend?

I would have tested it on my City scarf, but its been in the bin since last week and smells dodgier than than City's new accounts book ...

"Private jets for climate change!"

Continuing the er...musical theme, this weekend sees the start of Al Gore's gigs to fight global warming...and the quote comes from Muse, who rightfully get the credit for the scathing concert tagline.
Live Earth can't attract large audiences without big names, but big names tend to equal affluent lifestyles, huge properties and Lear jets, not bicycles, biodiesel cars and small, environmentally friendly housing...The supreme irony of course is that the headline act on Saturday is Madge, the self-proclaimed Material Girl herself, who is reported to have a fleet of cars, including a fuel-slurping Range Rover, as well as properties in the UK and the US.
"Private jets for climate change!" agrees bendythree.
Baloney.

Goodbye George

As m'learned friends are knee-deep in writing their books at the moment, there has been a considerable absence of new posts on the blog, because I am certainly nowhere as prolific, but I thought a post should go up to mark Thursday's passing of George Melly. Born in Liverpool, and fond of jazz and surrealism, he was a big fan of Bessie Smith apparently. Did a track with the Stranglers called 'Old Codger' in 1978 too.