Archive for November, 2007

Mancy Arms Fair!

Friday, November 16th, 2007
The University of Manchester invests over half a million squid in the trading of arms… as clowns we found this highly silly and particularly baffling. So, with decapitated arms, saucepans and bicycle horns a-go-go-yo, a 12-strong gaggle marched noisily along the Oxford road in Manchester towards the university’s post-graduate open day.
Having successfully stumbled upon the main hall we started an arms trade of our own, tempting people to swap their arms for a share in BAE… a share in the shape of a dollar bill with the freshly printed face of our Vice Chancellor Alan Gilbert on. Who could refuse? Having never expected to find so much sillyness in one room, we were informed that there was a very serious talk about to start in the room next door. Wonderful! So we took our weapons of mass disruption and started trying to spread some joy into the lives of these serious folk. But alas! In the state of denial as most serious people are, they did not want cheering up. Boo-hiss! We were told we lacked r-e-s-p-e-c-t… so broke into an appropriate and respectful rendition of Aretha Franklin’s boogie-woogie. But apparently this wasn’t what they were after either. “All we want is peas” chirruped one hungry clown, but they didn’t seem to have any. So having made at least one suited-but-not-big-booted chap shake with happiness and joy we decided to totter back home. Job well done! Leftleg Nicnoc

FOSSIL FOOLS DAY, April 1st 2008

Monday, November 26th, 2007

Pull a prank that packs a punch. Roll up, roll up! The climate circus is in town. Climate change threatens our very survival, but the fools at the head of the fossil fuel empire continue to plunder the earth, with governments the willing court jesters at their side. They would have us believe that we can escape climate change with techno-fixes, market mechanisms and offset schemes – all technocratic acrobatics that distract us from the truth: the only real solution to climate change is to keep fossil fuels in the ground. For over a century the fossil fuel industry has been fooling with our lives. From extraction to combustion they have poisoned our air, polluted our water and ruined our climate. On April 1st, 2008, we’re going to turn the tables and show them who the real fools are. Find a local fossil fool – the coal-mining clown, the offset contortionist, the aviator tripping on the high wire, the supermarket food mile freak show, the oily strong man, or any other fool that deserves your attention – and join with thousands around the world in taking one step closer to dismantling the fossil fuel industry. On Fossil Fools Day, bring the spirit of carnival and mischief to the fight for climate justice.

www.fossilfoolsday.org.uk 

www.risingtide.org.uk