vote for greenbelt... again...
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Following on from 'this post', Greenbelt has made it to the final round of voting in the UK Festival Awards in the following two categories...Best Family Festival
Best Toilets (!)
The good news is that you can vote for a second time now the shortlist is published, but voting closes on 20th October so you'd better be quick. Click here to vote...
P.S. yes, that is me in the photo scratching (but definitely NOT picking) my nose!
Labels: Greenbelt
open letter to mark brewer...
Monday, October 13, 2008
This morning the following letter was emailed to Mark Brewer on behalf of the members of the 'We support Dave Walker' Facebook group. It seems like a fair letter to me, so come on Mr Brewer... please make your response. If you're not aware of Dave Walker's case, Matt Wardman has blogged a useful introductory guide 'here'.
Dear Mr. Brewer
We are writing on behalf of 498 supporters of cartoonist and blogger Dave Walker, a group which includes bishops, national journalists in the UK and US, lawyers, clergy, and concerned members of the public.
We would like to ask you please to contact Dave Walker and withdraw the demands made in the 'Cease and Desist' letter which you sent him in July. Your letter, as far as we know, instructed Dave to remove all his posts about the recent history of SPCK bookshops or face action for libel. With the pressures of the impending Lambeth conference, and a very short deadline given by yourself, Dave complied. He commented at the time: “I have therefore removed all of the SPCK/SSG posts on this blog, as, although I believe I have not done anything wrong I do not have the money to face a legal battle. The removal of these posts is in no way an admission of guilt.”
Many of us have read the posts concerned, and are surprised, to say the least, that they could be called libelous. Indeed, the first three posts make no mention at all of yourself, the Society of St. Stephen the Great, or anyone associated with you. The 4th post reports your takeover of the bookshops with the comment “this is splendid news.” Another post is a simple link to your SSG video on YouTube. Other items include verbatim reports of your own statements, and in the simple post on the death of Steve Jeynes, dozens of people used the comments to expressed their grief and condolences to Steve’s family.
Dave is a reasonable man, and if all critics were as fair as he is the world would be a better place. If you were able to reconsider, and point out specific statements and claims you were unhappy with, we are sure Dave would be happy to correct them where appropriate. This is the normal process of debate on the internet, and in real life, and follows the strong tradition of free speech for which our countries stand and are rightly proud.
So this is a polite request from all of us: please contact Dave Walker, advise him that your ‘cease and desist’ communication no longer stands, and let him report freely.
Yours sincerely
8 signatories representing the ‘We Support Dave Walker’ group
Dear Mr. Brewer
We are writing on behalf of 498 supporters of cartoonist and blogger Dave Walker, a group which includes bishops, national journalists in the UK and US, lawyers, clergy, and concerned members of the public.
We would like to ask you please to contact Dave Walker and withdraw the demands made in the 'Cease and Desist' letter which you sent him in July. Your letter, as far as we know, instructed Dave to remove all his posts about the recent history of SPCK bookshops or face action for libel. With the pressures of the impending Lambeth conference, and a very short deadline given by yourself, Dave complied. He commented at the time: “I have therefore removed all of the SPCK/SSG posts on this blog, as, although I believe I have not done anything wrong I do not have the money to face a legal battle. The removal of these posts is in no way an admission of guilt.”
Many of us have read the posts concerned, and are surprised, to say the least, that they could be called libelous. Indeed, the first three posts make no mention at all of yourself, the Society of St. Stephen the Great, or anyone associated with you. The 4th post reports your takeover of the bookshops with the comment “this is splendid news.” Another post is a simple link to your SSG video on YouTube. Other items include verbatim reports of your own statements, and in the simple post on the death of Steve Jeynes, dozens of people used the comments to expressed their grief and condolences to Steve’s family.
Dave is a reasonable man, and if all critics were as fair as he is the world would be a better place. If you were able to reconsider, and point out specific statements and claims you were unhappy with, we are sure Dave would be happy to correct them where appropriate. This is the normal process of debate on the internet, and in real life, and follows the strong tradition of free speech for which our countries stand and are rightly proud.
So this is a polite request from all of us: please contact Dave Walker, advise him that your ‘cease and desist’ communication no longer stands, and let him report freely.
Yours sincerely
8 signatories representing the ‘We Support Dave Walker’ group
which are you?...
Thursday, October 09, 2008
brilliant...
Thursday, October 02, 2008
mankind is no island...
This short film by Jason van Genderen, shot entirely on a cell phone, has just won the 2008 Tropfest short film award. It is well worth the three and a half minutes to watch it - profound, moving and inspirational, a deserved winner (not that I know much about making short films!)...
hat tip... Matt Stone
hat tip... Matt Stone
Labels: art
vote for greenbelt...
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Greenbelt Festival is up for several award categories in the UK Festival Awards 2008, including...- Best Medium Festival
- Best Line-up
- Family Festival Award
- Grass Roots Festival Award
- Best Toilets
You can vote 'here' until 20th October; though each category is narrowed to a short list of ten on 13th October so vote early to ensure that Greenbelt stays in the race! There is more info on the Greenbelt website.
Cast your vote and get word about Greenbelt out there!
Labels: Greenbelt
I'm Malcolm Chamberlain
from Liverpool, United Kingdom
. I'm married with two young children and, in addition to Liverpool, have lived in Leicester (for the first 18 years of my life), York, Peshawar (Pakistan), Oxford and Walsall. I've been actively involved in the emerging church since 2001, as a founding member of Dream in Liverpool City, and coordinator of the Dream network. I'm currently engaged in research into emerging missional communities, and work as a parish priest and pioneer minister.
