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Zizek masterclass Day Four

So the final day came along. I had an interesting chat with a couple of students. One was complaining about how Zizek said nothing new and went on about irrelevent debates, and was totally inaccurate. Then he proceeded to get his recording equipment out. Why? So he can waste his time twice over? They both

Zizek masterclass Day Three

Just a brief preface in response to a question I was asked recently. Why am I so interested in the ideas of this atheist? Is it just because he returns to Christianity and sees some value in it to be plundered, like when new technology allows us to reopen a spent mine-shaft? Partly; I actually

Zizek masterclass Day Two

Today was more difficult; Hegel, with whom I am not familiar. It was very stimulating. I was particularly interested in  the idea that you can’t say an idea got distorted in the execution. The idea is precisely how good it turns out to be in execution; in its distorted state. So if there is something

Zizek masterclass Day One

Kerry, David and myself enrolled on the Zizek masterclass at Birkbeck these next four days, a slightly nervous experience for myself, not because of anyone present; just the experience of being in a higher education institution again. It was a good lecture; as expected oblique. It was on the emancipatory core of Christianity, but where

Radio for?

Yesterday I was angered by the morning news on Radio 4. They were reporting this item about a man who had apparently confessed to masterminding terrorist activities like the twin towers, and also ones that never happened, like killing the Pope or blasting Big Ben. But then, almost as an afterthought or a formality “your

The Cardboard Box

We just had the pleasure of hosting Eddie and Wedgie’s lecture on the Cardboard Box. They presented us with a talk in the style of a box, with a number of amusing practical demonstrations. Eddie rendered a bottle unrecognisable by placing it under a teatowel, a much simpler process than wrapping up the Reichstag.  

At the Library

Today was world book day; I found this out by being in the Barbican Library engaging in a bit of fine-avoidance. The man serving me at the desk was dressed in a red sequin dress, with a black bob and a feather boa. “Nice dress” I said. “Thank you.” Book scanned. “It’s world book day

Two Thumbs Up!

First thumb: We have spent months monkeying about with UV lamps trying to develop silkscreens to not much joy. I could do A3 well with a face-tanner {why tan the face alone? I’ve been studying the tanned amongst us to see if it is common to have a brown face and blue arms. ‘I can’t come

Kurt Cobain 40 today

Today would have been Kurt Cobain’s 40th. I wondered if there would be much in the news. Grunge was the first scene I was into, I was 12! So I felt the urge to mark it somehow.