Letter to Chris Mole MP RE: Ian Tomlinson

Below is a letter I have just sent to my MP, Chris Mole via writetothem.com about the police assault on Ian Tomlinson. It is a reworking in part of this letter from the guardian website with my own added anger. Feel free to use either but please write to your MP so that this can not be covered up.

Dear Chris Mole,

I am sure by now you will have seen the shocking video of a police officer attacking an innocent bystander – Ian Tomlinson – who happened to be walking past one of the many G20 demonstrations.

He suffered a baton attack from behind by a police officer and after striking his head on the floor he later died.

The police are unapologetic about his death, describing their actions as 'maintaining order' on Radio 4 today.

After seeing the video this seems hard to swallow. It makes it reasonably clear that he was not presenting a threat to anyone, nor was he causing trouble.

The police officers involved and the way the matter has been handled so far have shown a disregard for the law and for common decency, which erodes the publics confidence in the police as a whole.

This matter has also made clear to me and many others that the recent Counter Terrorism Act 2008 which restricts the photographing or filming of amongst others police officers is entirely ridiculous and yet another needless clamp down on the civil liberties of the people by this government (Along with the entirely useless, and as the economic crisis continues, immorally expensive ID card scheme). If the police had realised this incident was filmed could they have used this law to confiscate the footage? If so its repeal should be immediate.

Please – I urge you to raise this matter in the House of Commons and put pressure on the police to ensure that justice prevails.


Yours sincerely,

Chris Plowman

Results vs Predictions

Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Mickey Rourke - THE WRESTLER
Wrong - Sean Penn won

Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Heath Ledger - THE DARK KNIGHT
Correct

Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Kate Winslet - THE READER
Correct

Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Penélope Cruz - VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
(Although it should be Marisa Tomei - THE WRESTLER)
Correct

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
WALL-E
Correct

Achievement in Art Direction
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Correct

Achievement in Cinematography
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
Correct

Achievement in Costume Design
THE DUCHESS
Correct

Achievement in Directing
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
Correct

Best Documentary Feature
MAN ON WIRE
Correct

Achievement in Film Editing
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
Correct

Achievement in Makeup
HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY
Wrong - Benjamin Button won

Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score)
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
Correct

Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song)
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE - "Jai Ho"
Correct

Best Motion Picture of the Year
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
Correct

Achievement in Sound Editing
THE DARK KNIGHT
Correct

Achievement in Sound Mixing
WALL-E
Wrong - Slumdog Millionaire won

Achievement in Visual Effects
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Correct

Adapted Screenplay
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
Correct

Original Screenplay
IN BRUGES
Wrong - Milk won

Well I wouldn't have won any money but 16/20 isn't bad

My oscar predictions

As I have not been able to find an online bookmakers who will let me do a accumulator on the oscars tonight I thought I'd put down my predictions for tonight. There's a few categories missing because I haven't seen the films competing.

Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Mickey Rourke - THE WRESTLER

Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Heath Ledger - THE DARK KNIGHT

Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Kate Winslet - THE READER

Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Penélope Cruz - VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
(Although it should be Marisa Tomei - THE WRESTLER)

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
WALL-E

Achievement in Art Direction
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

Achievement in Cinematography
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

Achievement in Costume Design
THE DUCHESS

Achievement in Directing
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

Best Documentary Feature
MAN ON WIRE

Achievement in Film Editing
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

Achievement in Makeup
HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY

Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score)
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song)
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE - "Jai Ho"

Best Motion Picture of the Year
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

Achievement in Sound Editing
THE DARK KNIGHT

Achievement in Sound Mixing
WALL-E

Achievement in Visual Effects
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

Adapted Screenplay
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

Original Screenplay
IN BRUGES

£3 of free mp3s from amazon

Just a quick heads up. On xmas day and boxing day Amazon will be giving away £3 of mp3s to every customer. At current prices this will buy you albums from Elbow, Santogold, Fleet Foxes and others. Simply enter FREEMP3S at the checkout.

Details here

the carbon atlas

interesting work from the guardian detailing the amount of carbon emitted per country

my five favourite albums of the year

Here is, in my humble opinion the best albums of the last year in not particular order. (Films to follow)

Anathallo - Canopy Glow

Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs

Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid

Foals - Antidotes

Kings of Leon - Only By The Night

Mogwai - The Hawk Is Howling

Portishead - Third

The Raconteurs - Consolers Of The Lonely

Sigur Ros - með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust

Frank Turner - Love Ire & Song

this is where we live

This Is Where We Live from 4th Estate on Vimeo.