Ian Bunn | Political & Popular Culture Arts

Karl Pilkington the 40 year old English television personality, social commentator and  actor having gained prominence with Ricky Gervais has been interviewed for The sun Newspaper in an article titled “I feel guilty about taking the role from a proper actor”. When asked “How did Ricky persuade you to appear in Derek?” Pilkington responds “He did what he always does – he got me on set by talking about the catering! My girlfriend was away and I don’t like cooking. So he said to me: “Do you want to be in this?” I replied: “Are pork chops on the menu?” He said: “Yes” and I was there in ten minutes.” The interview continues “Did you have any qualms about acting?” responding “Yes. I’m not an actor, but I didn’t want to let my friend down. I still feel guilty about taking the role from a proper actor. There’s an actor bloke I used to see down the butcher’s. I told Ricky: “He’d be brilliant as Dougie.” Ricky said: “No, it’s you. Just do it.” I suppose I just can’t get over how lucky I’ve been. I’ve got no training, but Ricky has handed me this wonderful opportunity.” How did Ricky describe Dougie’s character to you? “He just did a doodle of a little round bald head and a pair of glasses, and then he said to me: “That’s what we’re looking for!”  What was Ricky like as a director? “I have nothing to compare him to, really. So I can’t say something like: “He’s a little bit different from Spielberg.” He might be the worst director in the world for all I know, but it seems to work.  …We’re always very honest with each other. There’s no pretending. It is true that certain things that annoy him do annoy me too…”

Inspired by The Sun ow.ly/hLQZ7 Image source Rick Walker ow.ly/hLQKf

Morphing into a dangerous real-estate bubble (May 30th 2012)

Mike Davis the 65 year old American Creative writer, social commentator and political activist has published an article on Toms Dispatch questioning if China now props up the world, the question is: For how much longer? Davis states, ”Officially, the People’s Republic of China is in the midst of an epochal transition from an export-based to a consumer-based economy. …Unfortunately for the Chinese, and possibly the world, that country’s planned consumer boom is quickly morphing into a dangerous real-estate bubble. …now every city with more than one million inhabitants (at least 160 at last count) aspires to brand itself with a Rem Koolhaas skyscraper or a destination mega-mall.  The result has been an orgy of over-construction. …In effect, a shadow banking system has arisen with big banks moving loans off their balance sheets into phony trust companies and thus evading official caps on total lending. …If China has a hard landing, it will also break the bones of leading suppliers like Brazil, Indonesia, and Australia.  Japan, already mired in recession after triple mega-disasters, is acutely sensitive to further shocks from its principal markets.  And the Arab Spring may turn to winter if new governments cannot grow employment or contain the inflation of food prices.”

Inspired by Toms Dispatch ow.ly/b7tb0 image source michaelmoore.com ow.ly/b7tOg