WPIX Yule Log: The Fall - No Xmas for John Quays

Thanx Michael - you & Anne have a good one!

Smoking # 41

Exile's film of the year: In The Loop

And if you haven't fugn watched 'The Thick Of It' what are you still doing fugn standing there?

Banned - GBL and other 'legal highs' (UK governments Xmas present to you!)

A range of former so called ‘legal highs’ including GBL, BZP and man-made chemicals sprayed on herbal smoking products such as ‘Spice’ are now illegal, Home Secretary Alan Johnson announced today.

As part of the government’s commitment to tackle the emerging threat of so called ‘legal highs’, the substances now banned under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 include: 

- Chemical solvent GBL (Gamma-Butyrolactone) and a similar chemical – which are converted into GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate) in the body and often used as ‘club drugs’ – are now controlled as Class C drugs when intended for human consumption;

- Synthetic cannabinoids – man-made chemicals sprayed on herbal smoking products such as ‘Spice’, which act on the body in a similar way to cannabis but can be far more potent, are now controlled as Class B drugs alongside cannabis; and

- BZP (Benzylpiperazine) and related piperazines, which are stimulants, similar to amphetamine, are now controlled as Class C drugs.

Home Secretary Alan Johnson said:

"We are cracking down on so called ‘legal highs’ which are an emerging threat, particularly to young people. That is why we are making a range of these substances illegal from today with ground- breaking legislation which will also ban their related compounds.

"We are sending out a clear message to anyone who is thinking about experimenting with them, particularly over the festive period, that not only are they putting themselves in danger they will also be breaking the law."

Tim Hollis, Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) lead on drugs, said:

"Police are all too well aware of the harms caused in local communities, particularly to young people, by these drugs and we support the decision taken by the Home Office to clearly spell this out.

"Enforcement will be proportionate and will focus particular attention on those who traffic in drugs and put people at harm. Practical advice has already been circulated to forces to support them in this respect. We want people to enjoy the festive season without exposing themselves to unnecessary risk by taking what are potentially dangerous substances."

The government continues to raise awareness of the dangers of psychoactive substances via the FRANK campaign.

In addition, 15 anabolic steroids, testosterone-like products often used by sports people and increasingly being used by the general public for their growth promoting properties, are to be controlled as Class C drugs, alongside two growth promoters.

The control of these substances follows advice from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD). Following receipt of their advice and after consulting with industry on those substances which have legitimate use, the government announced its intention to bring these substances under control using the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The ACMD continue to look at the use of so called ‘legal highs’ as a priority and will report back to the government on the cathinones in 2010.

@'Home Office'

Exile's gig of the year: Nick Cave's ATP festival at Mount Buller

A brilliant weekend, just a real pity it is not on again next year, tho' they would have found it hard to top the bill of this year.
My award for gig of the decade goes to Mark Lanegan at Cherry Bar...a night that will remain with me for lots of reasons!

Exile's album of 2009: Brock Van Wey aka Bvdub - White Clouds Drift On And On

HERE

So much great music this year, never let anyone tell you that music is dead or boring or not as good as it used to be.

Honourable mentions go to Moderat/Volcano Choir/ Sunn O)))/Animal Collective/Flaming Lips' 'Embryonic' & Monolake/The Bug/King Midas Sound and everything else that was related to the label of the year, Kode9's 'Hyperdub', but this was the album that gotta hold of me the most this year...works on so many levels.

If you haven't heard it well give yourself a treat (it is hexmass after all!)

US balloon boy parents are given jail sentences

A US man who triggered a major alert by falsely claiming his son was adrift in a helium balloon has been sentenced to 90 days in jail - and his wife to 20.

Richard Heene, 48, and his 45-year-old wife Mayumi said in October their son had been carried off by the balloon.

Six-year-old Falcon Heene was finally found hiding at home.

In court in Colorado, Heene appeared to fight back tears as he apologised to rescue workers and the community, saying he was "very, very sorry".

The judge also ordered four years of supervised probation for the couple and banned them from receiving any form of financial benefit from the case.

Heene and his wife Mayumi had pleaded guilty to charges that they carried out the balloon stunt to promote a reality TV show.

The prosecutor had argued the couple should face time in jail to act as a deterrent to others who may be considering mounting similar stunts for financial gain and publicity.

Prosecutors had asked for a jail sentence to deter others

He said Heene had "wasted a lot of man power and a lot of money in wanting to get himself some publicity".

He argued that the couple had acted not on the behest of any TV companies, but that "they came up with it all on their own, not necessarily just to get a TV show but at least to put their name out there again and maybe in hopes that somebody would pick them up".

"For that," he said, "they do need to be punished".

Richard Heene will be allowed to serve 60 days of his 90-day sentence on release, allowing him to work as a construction contractor during the day, while spending the night in jail.

He will start his sentence on 11 January 2010.

Mayumi Heene will begin her sentence after her husband's to ensure their children are still cared for.

She will be allowed to report to jail on two days a week, return home at night, and serve the sentence through jail-supervised community service.

The judge also ruled that her husband must serve 100 hours of community service and write a letter of apology to the community and public service agencies which helped search for his son.

The couple have already been ordered to pay $42,000 (£26,000) in restitution for the emergency services' rescue efforts.

@'BBC'

RePost: Exile's worst album of 2009

I can't stand 'Sgt. Peppers'. Don't understand why it is often (still) voted the best album of all time. Twee sentimentality, cod mysticism, music hall numbers and Ringo Starr. Jesus, I would have left home too.
So now the Easy Star All Stars (after full reggae versions of 'Dark Side of the Moon' and 'OK Computer') have turned to this. Despite the calibre of some of the artists involved: Michael Rose, The Mighty Diamonds, Luciano, Max Romeo etc. this is just a complete aural abortion. And why do I find it hard to picture any of the artists rolling up a large number and settling down to listen to Sgt. Peppers at the end of a hard day in the studio?

So this begs the question who is this designed for? Blokes in their sixties who still think that punk was the end of good music or young college kids just discovering the joys of dope and how well reggae and it go together. There is some great reggae music out there but this is certainly not an example of it.

As for the Easy Star All Stars, 'Dub Side of the Moon' sort of worked and I am afraid I am not a fan of the original version of that either. It always struck me as the perfect album for the time as stereo moved into more and more homes. I feel that the Floyd worked more on the FX and stereo separation than the words and tunes of the songs, which I was under the impression had been more important until then.

'Radiodread', sort of OK. White guys with dreads who go to college probably like it much more than me!

The Easy Star All Stars are playing at the Corner Hotel in Melbourne on April 11. I won't be there.

HA!

My album(s) of the decade

So much great music in the past decade but I cannot choose between these two so both are #1!

Just the right amound of pop and noise!

Paul Kelly makes the rounds of the blogs...The Interpretator, The Daily Dish

See

HERE

Banksy says: (December 2009)

Just up from where I worked at Dingwalls in Camden.

More

HERE

Mousavi fired as head of Arts Institution

Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi has been fired as head of the Arts Institution.

The Council for Cultural Revolution, a high-ranking body chaired by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, dismissed him on Tuesday night, state media said.

Mr Mousavi had run the institution, affiliated to the president's office, since its inception 11 years ago.

In recent days, hardliners have urged Iran's judiciary to put Mr Mousavi on trial for instigating unrest.

Mr Mousavi came second in the June election, and anger at the result saw mass protests in Tehran and other cities that led to thousands of arrests and some deaths.

Mr Mousavi has said the poll, that returned President Ahmadinejad to power, was fraudulent.

'Plainclothes men'

News of Mr Mousavi's sacking comes a day after his car was reportedly attacked as he travelled back to Tehran from the holy city of Qom, where he had joined tens of thousands for the funeral of a dissident cleric, Grand Ayatollah Hoseyn Ali Montazeri.

An earlier report suggested that the Arts Institution job was Mr Mousavi's only public post, but he also remains on the Expediency Council.This is seen a key body within the Iranian politics and at times a forum for reconciling legislation when debate in the legislature becomes deadlocked.
@'BBC'

Iranian Cleric’s Office Reportedly Attacked

According to an Iranian opposition Web site, members of the Basij militia, which supports Iran’s government, attacked the office of a senior reformist cleric in Iran’s holy city of Qum on Tuesday, one day after a funeral for another dissident cleric there turned into an opposition protest.

Citing a report on the Web site Norooz News, Reuters and AFP said that militia members broke the windows of Grand Ayatollah Youssef Sanei’s office and beat up some of his associates.

Two days after June’s disputed presidential election, another opposition Web site, Peykeiran, reported that Ayatollah Sanei had issued a religious edict proclaiming that Mr. Ahmedinejad was “not the president” of Iran and that “it is forbidden to cooperate with his government.”

Following the death of Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri this week, Ayatollah Sanei is the most senior cleric among Iran’s reformers. During Monday’s funeral for Ayatollah Montazeri, Reuters reported that some mourners carried photographs of Ayatollah Sanei, who was among the mourners.

The Norooz News report also said that the attackers posted photographs of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, in the reformist cleric’s office. According to Norooz, police officers stopped supporters of Ayatollah Sanei from defending the office...

@'The Lede'