Almost forgot about all these photos, a few more days worth to come. These were from Diamond Harbour & the way back to Wellington on April 28th…
Sculpture by Alison Erickson
Autumnal Sean
Cafe dart board, Lyttelton
Dave riding a giant mouse
Seth Frightening was supposed to be supporting Portland’s “Peace poet and activist” David Rovics in Wellington next Thursday (ed. Monday!), however David has been denied access to the country for failing to get a work visa before entry… Already he has released a song about it! (above)
NB: The show will be going ahead with guests singing David’s songs in his absence.
D.R: “Nobody tours New Zealand to make money, as far as I know. The people there who make the laws issuing work permits seem to know this – a work permit for New Zealand is free. The only charge involved is the permission you need to get from the musician’s union. Which, last time I got one, was also free – they waived it since they heard I was singing at a labor rally in Dunedin.”
… “Do you have a work permit?” She obviously also knew the answer to this question – she’s an immigration agent, for Pete’s sake. “No,” I replied, “I was hoping I could get one when I arrived. I was under the impression it was a formality that could easily be taken care of when I got there.”
“Which is true. Although I sure was wishing I had taken care of this formality a long time before. Which is what I had done before my three previous tours of Aotearoa, aka New Zealand. The problem is, unless you live near a city with a New Zealand consulate in it, which I don’t, you have to mail your passport in to their embassy in Washington, DC, and be without a passport for several weeks, which is a logistical challenge for someone who tours as much as me. ”
Read the full rant on David’s blog > here
I know Sonorous Circle was originally just about music and artistic endeavours, but you’ll notice more current events sneeking in as we try to encourage awareness of critical historical events occurring in the world around us…
Images from Al Jazeera
‘Security forces have moved in on two Cairo protest camps set up by supporters of Egypt’s ousted president Mohamed Morsi, launching a crackdown that quickly turned into a bloodbath‘ – Al Jazeera
The death toll is currently at 525.
The interim prime minister, Hazem Beblawi, said the crackdown was essential to create stability, and praised security forces for what he characterised as maximum restraint – while the vice-president, Mohamed ElBaradei, appointed last month in an attempt to give the new military regime a respectable face, resigned in protest at the events.’ – The Guardian
‘The White House said “the world is watching”… But there was still no sign that the US was prepared to characterise Morsi’s removal by the army as a coup – which would trigger an automatic congressional ban on $1.3bn in annual aid to the powerful Egyptian military.’ – The Guardian
Unsure what it’s all about? Here it is in brief: Egypt timeline: from revolution to the current crisis
New Zealand Prime Minister, John Key, gave some interesting answers to Rebecca Wright of Campbell Live when she questioned him at the National Party Conference this past weekend in regards to the GCSB Ammendment Bill…!!
Rebecca Wright: “We are doing a state of the nation this week with regards to the GCSB Bill..”
John Key: “My advice is switch to the snapper quota and more people will watch Campbell Live, but it’s up to you.”
RW: “Well, how do you think that Kiwi’s feel about the bill?”
JK: “I think they’re much more interested in the snapper quota.”
RW: “But I’m not talking about the snapper quota, I’m talking about the GCSB Bill. How do you think they feel about the GCSB Bill?”
JK: “I think they’re much more interested in the snapper quota.”
RW: “Why?”
JK: “Because they like catching fish.”
He then goes on to say many are confused from hearing experts oppose the bill.
Thanks to Campbell Live who are not taking the Prime Minister’s assumption as truth. They are actually travelling the length of the country interviewing people about the bill, and surprise, surprise, average New Zealander’s DO care! Add them to the voices of the Human Rights Commission and the NZ Law Society…
Related link: Previous SC post on the GCSB bill
Hear our inspiring friend, Ben Knight (of Loomio & The All Seeing Hand), talk about ‘How technology can enable everyday democracy’:
www.loomio.org
ted.com for more Ted Talks
Just a wee plug for our good friend Theo Taylor whose debut feature film ‘Scenes In My Head’ is showing at the New Zealand International Film Festival this year! Go check it out and support a talented local dude-extraordinaire!
At the Film Archive in Wellington:
Sunday August 04 – 6:45pm
Monday August 05 – 6:15pm
Click here for info & tickets.
“When your mate has relationship problems, is it a good idea to bring your girlfriend along to help cheer him up? In Theo Taylor’s perceptive lo-fi feature we out with such a trio over a weekend spent at Lake Tarawera.
Hadley, the mate, is in the throes of a breakup. Chris has joined him at his parents’ well-appointed lakeside house, bringing along girlfriend Lucy to provide moral support. But all Hadley wants to do is party, and he’s come very well provisioned. When Lucy gets delightedly trashed on night one, the drug-averse Chris begins to have second thoughts. Hadley’s determination to (a) stay high and (b) provide water skiing lessons on the freezing lake sends Chris’ ill-concealed need for control into further convolutions.
Citing Casavettes and Kelly Reichardt as inspirations, Taylor has involved his actors in developing the characters. The verisimilitude is flawless. Employing a vérité-style camera that privileges Chris’ point of view, he measures out the shifting dynamics amongst the three in telling stretches of real time. Taylor has a sharp eye for the inner tussle too. Everything about this picture of a tricky weekend in nature’s playground bespeaks unfortunate experience, wryly distilled.”
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