Two of the most compelling films in our cinemas at the moment are set against the backdrop of disasters – one that never happened exactly 50 years ago, and a hypothetical one about which we can’t be too sure. The first, Rosa and Ginger, tells the story of two British teenagers at the time of… Continue reading
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Down to street level to find the future for politics? New movie Grassroots reopens the debate.
I have been to see the film Grassroots, directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal based on the book Zioncheck for President by Phil Campbell. It’s the story of Grant Cogswell, a naive environmental zealot in Seattle who campaigns to extend a short stretch of monorail throughout the city. In 2001 he runs against the incumbent local councillor… Continue reading →
Zero carbon driving comes to the UK
The big solar energy news this week came from California, where Tesla announced a relay of solar charging stations for its electric cars throughout the state, with the promise of rapid expansion next year. The stations should be in Europe before too long. Elon Musk, co-founder of Tesla Motors, sent a powerful and persuasive message… Continue reading →
Should the Paralympic flame be lit at Stoke Mandeville for every games?
The case for choosing Stoke Mandeville in Aylesbury as the place to light the Paralympic flame every four years. What do the following locations have to do with the Paralympic tradition? Parliament House, Canberra. The Hephaestus Temple in Athens. And the Temple of Heaven, Beijing. All of them suitably solemn and dignified locations, I’m sure,… Continue reading →
McDonald’s Filet-o-Fish: could it win an Olympic gold for sustainablity?
What did the joyous, good-natured Olympic torch-bearing carnival that passed through my local town of Aylesbury this week have to do with saving the planet, or even little parts of it? I counted a dozen police motorcyclists, half as many police cars, official torch support vehicles and a convoy of big promotional sponsors’ trucks. And… Continue reading →
So wise, so young – Gareth Jones, Journalist.
My father gave me my name in honour, and memory, of the great Welsh journalist Gareth Jones, who was murdered one day short of his 30th birthday by bandits in China in 1935. I’ve written a monograph – click here – which briefly outlines his life and describes a flight he took with the electioneering Hitler… Continue reading →