Politicophilately for beginners.

[zotz]

There's an interesting snippet in the paper today about an Italian stamp being issued bearing the face of Luigi Calabresi, a policeman assassinated in 1972. So far, so good - a memorial to a murdered official is unsurprising - but the story's better than that. Three years earlier the anarchist railway worker Pino Pinelli had fallen to his death from Calabresi's office window, inspiring Dario Fo's comic masterpiece Accidental death of an anarchist, which is set in a police station just after a similar incident. Pinelli was being questioned about a bombing immediately before his departure from the building, and the suspicion was that it hadn't been as accidental as Calabresi maintained.

It would seem odd for most governments to issue a stamp commemorating as controversial a figure, but Sylvio's not really known for his tactful approach. The bombing that Pinelli was being questioned about, incidentally, was eventually found to have been planted by an extreme-right group rather than anarchists - he wasn't involved. Calabresi's death was pinned on three leftists. Apparently their conviction is controversial also, but a leftwing motivation for that killing seems likely.

If you havent seen the play, then you're missing something good. I've seen it twice on stage and once on television (an excellent version that I've never noticed being repeated - I've no idea why). It's a stunning, wickedly funny and at times brutal satire with obvious relevance to dubious interrogation practices today. One of the stage versions I saw had Craig Ferguson giving a very memorable performance as the Maniac (who impersonates an investigating magistrate) , at one point climbing the lighting rig to berate the audience from above.

Yesterday I got a big fat A4 envelope in the work post. My boss brought it through and asked nervously if there was anything we needed to talk about. I said I thought it was to do with the Genetics Society thing on Saturday that I won't shut up about, and it was insofar as it was loads of brochures about Edinburgh Uni's conference facilities (presumably in case I feel the need to organise one sometime). It hadn't really occurred to me that he might be particularly worried by the prospect of me leaving.

Six magpies by the road on the way in this morning. Two pairs making aggressive swoops at each other, and a third pair flying past overhead, blissfully uninvolved. Is that Gold or is that Joy, Joy, Joy? Are any of you experts on such things?

I've just had another mail, saying that ABI BigDye v3.1 kits (warning - 400k PDF) are available for only 400 quid, which is presumably quite a way down on when we started using them two or three years ago. That's quite a lot for something like a millilitre of actual go juice. And we used to get through it like water. By the time I left, the Sanger was doing between three and four million reactions a month. Seeing something like that brings a lot back. Happy days, in some ways. Not enough ways, though.

Comments

[sushidog.livejournal.com]

*heh* perhaps now would be a good time to request information from the HR departments of various places to be sent to you at work, and then mention within your boss's hearing that you wish you were getting paid more/had more interesting things to do?

[zotz]

I've told him to his face that I'm after more interesting stuff to do. He's working on it. Seriously. He's a good bloke.

[grendelis.livejournal.com]

But would he seriously think you'd get (other job) stuff sent to your work address???? That would beat even Berlusconi for tactless ;)

[zotz]

It would. But you never can tell what people will do, or perhaps I could have applied to someone who accidentally sent it to my work address instead of my home. It's plausible enough for it to have occurred to him, at least.

[inulro.livejournal.com]

I've done it before, but as I was on temporary contract at the time, it was justified. Plus I opened all the post.

[gingiber.livejournal.com]

I am sure I went to 2 version of acidental death of an anachist at the festival a good few years ago. Both of which were great. Was I with you. I seem to remeber it was but my memory is so bad.

I forget more each day.

[zotz]

The one with Ferguson was at the Assembly Rooms. The other one was down Broughton Street somewhere, and was a very physical student production. Both very good, yes.

[gingiber.livejournal.com]

Inddedy. I need to go see more theatre during the festival. Mind you I think they were particularly fine.

[zotz]

They were. And more theatre definitely sounds good.

[gingiber.livejournal.com]

Its a very vauge plan. Maybe we should combine it with that dada site Adele was talking about.

[zotz]

It's a possibility.

[gingiber.livejournal.com]

Oh you found it. Great. Are you going to sign up?

[zotz]

There doesn't seem like much obvious downside. I haven't checked their privacy policy, though.

[scy11a.livejournal.com]

From the RSPB: Non-breeding birds will gather together in flocks., so I guess that with spring in the air, it's gotta be joy, joy, joy. Sorry if that disappoints you (but I'm sure the breeding picas aren't too miserable!)

You got anywhere to stay in April between gigs? You're welcome to ours - although there will be three of us by then so no guarantees on whether you'd be able to sleep....

[zotz]

I just went to the shop and saw another one. Either that's some sorrow to go with the joy, or to go with the gold (in which case presumably I'm a long-lost heir to the Getty fortune).

It'd be great to see you all while I'm down, yes, but I guess I'll be staying with my sister for most of the time

Magpies...

[shaunotd.livejournal.com]

In the version I know it's either Hell or a whole bucket of Mirth:

1 Sorrow
2 Mirth
3 Wedding
4 Birth
5 Heaven
6 Hell
7 The Devil, his ain sel'

[inulro.livejournal.com]

It hadn't really occurred to me that he might be particularly worried by the prospect of me leaving.

I'm pretty sure that although I'm obviously miserable in my job, it hasn't occurred to anybody that I might ever leave.

[sleepycinderell.livejournal.com]

Yo Graham,

I am trying to get Ximena's postal address as I lost my address book in the last housemove. Can you email me her latest address?

Ta muchly
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