Category: Uncategorized
Lucid, ambitious, and provocative
Indian historian, 1990 Kerala-born, Manu Pillai’s Gods, Guns and Missionaries is a survey of four centuries of Hinduism’s interaction with other faiths to explore the myths of true Hinduism. When European missionaries arrived in India in the sixteenth century, they entered a world both fascinating and bewildering. Hinduism, as they saw it, was a pagan mess: a worship of devils and monsters by a people who burned woman alive, performed outlandish rites and fed children to crocodiles. But it quickly became clear that Hindu “idolatry” was far more layered and complex than European stereotypes allowed, surprisingly even sharing certain impulses … Continue reading Lucid, ambitious, and provocative
Our Lives
The Rest of Our Lives is the compelling depiction of life at a crossroads is a male counterpart to Miranda July’ All Fours. What’s left when your kids grow up and leave home? When Tom Layward’s wife had an affair he resolved to leave her as soon as his youngest daughter turned eighteen. Twelve years later while driving her to Pittsburgh to start university, he remembers his pact. He also on the run from his own health issues, and the fact that he’s been put on leave at work after students complaints about the politics of his law class- something … Continue reading Our Lives
Moving from the world of atoms to bits
Former Portuguese politician turned author, Bruno Maçäes, claims world politics has changed, as geopolitics is no longer simply a contest to control territory. In this age of advanced technology, it has become a contest to create the territory. Great powers seek to build a world for other states to inhabit, while keeping the ability to change the rules or the state of the world when necessary. The book aims to introduce a radically new theory of world politics and technology wars between China and the United States, the pandemic, the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and the energy … Continue reading Moving from the world of atoms to bits
Raindance Festival 2025: The Academy
Raindance Festival 2025, The Academy at the Vue, The Academy, written and produced by Camilla Guttner, is a semi-autographical love letter, told through the eyes of young eager and tenacious art student Jojo played by Maja Bons, who “discovers the microcosm of an art academy”. She navigates her probationary year at the elite Munich Academy of Fine Arts, the film exploring constellations of artists, anxieties and pedagogies that she encounters constantly. Jojo is forced to confront challenging obstacles, she is forced to watch the rapid decline of her grandmother’s health, and she is unabatingly critiqued by her eccentric professor – Guttner … Continue reading Raindance Festival 2025: The Academy
Raindance Festival: The Lost Episode
Raindance – Vue Cinema, Lower Regent Street, London – up to andincluding June 27 – 33 rd Film Festival. “The Lost Episode”. Canadian film.82 Mins.“Assembled by XPU$HER and made available through the Black-TorrentRelease Group, The Lost Episode offers traumatic and disturbing films taken atan incident of a police ride-along on Halloween night 2004. Officers PaulMassaro and Terrence Williams drive around the quiet streets of Franklin, andthings are not as they should be!The Lost Episode presents supposedly raw 2004 footage from a police realityshow’s ill-fated Halloween night patrol with two unsuspecting officers. Initialcalls are regular urban disturbances, captured in the era’s distinct, … Continue reading Raindance Festival: The Lost Episode
How digital crowding erodes empathy, triggers aggression and distort our perceptions
From the telegraph and telephone in the 1800s to the internet and social media in our own day, the public has welcomed new communication systems. Whenever people gain more power to share information, the assumption goes, society prospers. Superbloom tells a different story. As communication become more mechanised and efficient, it breeds confusion more than understanding, strife more than harmony. Media technologies all too often bring out the worst in us. Nicholas Carr, reorients the conversation around modern communication, challenging some of our most cherished beliefs about self-expression, free speech, and media democratisation. He reveals how messaging apps strip nuance … Continue reading How digital crowding erodes empathy, triggers aggression and distort our perceptions
Raindance festival London: The Palestine Comedy Club
THE PALESTINE COMEDY CLUB – RAINDANCE 33 RD LONDON FILMFESTIVAL VUE CINEMA LOWER REGENT STREET 18-27 JUNE 2025 Charlotte Knowles is the Producer of this meaningful film and her sisterLibby edited it. Charlotte has worked in Hebron, Palestine and she hasmade seven films in all. One of the comedy club – Aliabdallah who is alsothe Director, has an account called regashots – he could not come toRaindance due to visa restrictions. There is much coverage of theproblems encountered by the club in travelling around and checkpointswhich they must pass through to continue their shows. Referred to as“unbelievable logistical feats” the … Continue reading Raindance festival London: The Palestine Comedy Club
England chase down 371 to beat India by 5 wickets
First Rothesay Test, Headingly (Day 5 of five) India 1st Innings 471 ao off 113 ov, Gill 147 off 227, 19 fours, 1 six, Pant 134 off 178, 12 fours, 6 sixes, Jaiswal 101 off 159, 16 fours, 1 six, Stokes 4-66, Tongue 4-86 England 1st Innings 465 ao off 100.4 ov Pope 106 off 137, 14 fours, Brook 99 off 112, 11 fours, 2 sixes, Duckett 62 off 94, 9 fours, Bumrah 5-84, Krishna 3-64, Siraj 1-107. India 2nd Innings 364 ao off 96 ov, Rahul 137 off 247, 18 fours, Pant 118 off 140, 15 fours, 3 sixes, Sai Sudharsan 30 … Continue reading England chase down 371 to beat India by 5 wickets
Aviation Industry: Safety Denial, secret deals
Former British Airways Captain Tristan Loraine reveals the inside story behind what the aviation industry really knows about the air quality you breathe in flight. His investigation spanning over 20 years revealing the aircraft design flaw, that allows the breathing air to become contaminated with a complex mixture of over 200 toxic chemicals including TCP that manufacturers warn you should not breathe when heated, known to aerospace industry since the 1950s. He uncovers the health and flight safety consequences of exposure to contaminated air inside airborne aircraft, the risk it poses to crews and the innocent travelling public and reveals … Continue reading Aviation Industry: Safety Denial, secret deals
The neptune Herald 