MetaFilter posts tagged with London and uk

"More than one American has offered to buy up our Tower and erect it on Palm Beach as a bungalow!"

fearfulsymmetry — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:16:06 -0800

The Open Road London pioneering colour footage from 1927 (SLYT)

Airstrip One

plexi — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 11:55:10 -0800

London police are now deleting tourists' photos because "photographing anything to do with transport is strictly forbidden."

I have nothing to declare except my prejudice.

goodnewsfortheinsane — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 17:22:08 -0800

"Let them arrest me". Vehemently anti-Islamic Dutch MP Geert Wilders was scheduled to travel to London tomorrow to attend a screening of his controversial short film Fitna (wiki, mefi). Yesterday however, the UK's Home Secretary notified Wilders that his presence in the UK would pose a "serious threat to [...] public security" (PDF), presumably intending to refuse his entry into UK. Wilders plans to board the flight anyway, daring British authorities to arrest him. Not that he's sitting so comfy at home either, however: Wilders faces prosecution in the Netherlands for hate speech and inciting discrimination. The decision to bar the self-styled "freedom fighter" from entering Britain has met with widespread criticism from the Dutch cabinet -- which by the way is completely made up of Wilders' political opponents -- and fellow MPs. The Dutch Foreign Minister has phoned the UK Foreign Secretary and stated he was "deeply upset and disappointed" by the decision. British papers join the chorus of condemnation.

Death of the bookshop

fearfulsymmetry — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 05:26:17 -0800

London's Charing Cross Road was once a renowned as destination for bibliophiles. However this has changed as a number of bookshops have closed, the crime specialist Murder One being the latest. The Guardian looks how the street has changed between 1940 and now (flash). Meanwhile it's civil war in Hay on Wye...

A survey of London's remaining professional darkrooms

nthdegx — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 08:05:05 -0800

A survey of London's remaining professional darkrooms

Wait - there was life before motorways?

HaloMan — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 07:31:24 -0800

A less glamorous anniversary passed with little fanfare yesterday: 50 years since the opening of the first stretch of the humble British motorway, the 8-mile two-lane Preston Bypass, which now forms part of the M6. The occasion was celebrated by the official opening of an 5.8 mile M6 extension, closing the "Cumberland Gap", allowing commuters to make the entire 400 mile journey between Glasgow and London by motorway. The total length of motorways in the UK totals around 2200 miles.

Holmes' and Watson's World

digaman — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:01:27 -0800

One minute and four seconds in London, 1904. Birkbeck College professor Ian Christie rediscovered this footage in an archive in Canberra, shot for a travelogue by film pioneer Charles Urban.

mass transit

plexi — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 05:34:06 -0800

“There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.”

The Atheist Bus Campaign rolls out today in London.

Coming soon to an episode of Primeval

Artw — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 23:41:22 -0800

According to new fossil evidence 50 million years ago the skies above London were ruled by a relative of the goose, the size of a light aircraft, with toothy crocodile-likejaws. Or as The Sun puts it... DON'T RUCK WITH THIS DUCK!

he could bear to wait no longer

ZachsMind — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 22:09:05 -0800

Last Year I Killed A Man , by Vaughan Thomas. Published Saturday July 19, 2008 by The Guardian.

Well, it is what they're there for...

Helga-woo — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:29:07 -0800

Bandstand Busking have decided to put liven up the underused bandstands of London by, well, you know, putting bands on in them. As an added bonus here's some pictures of vintage bandstands.

My Bloody Valentine recently completed a staggering series of concerts at London's legendary Roundhouse venue in Camden.

Mintyblonde — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:53:38 -0800

My Bloody Valentine recently completed a staggering series of concerts at London's legendary Roundhouse venue in Camden. The band are an influential UK band that operated in the late 80's and early 90's as trailblazers of the Indie Shoegazing scene. Only releasing two well acclaimed albums, they were allegedly responsible for the bankruptcy of Creation Records although that is now under dispute. The gigs were well received, and yours truly was fortunate enough to catch them on the last date. The final track was outstanding. And painful. For me, here is their best (and yes most famous but still....) track.

HM The Queen v Associated Forces of Xenu

East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 — Wed, 21 May 2008 07:12:49 -0800

A 15-year-old in London is being prosecuted for holding a sign calling Scientology a "cult", during a peaceful demonstration (0:55-1:40). The teenager refused to back down, quoting a 1984 high court ruling from Mr Justice Latey, in which he described the Church of Scientology as a "cult" ... The City of London police came under fire two years ago when it emerged that more than 20 officers, ranging from constable to chief superintendent, had accepted gifts worth thousands of pounds from the Church of Scientology. The City of London Chief Superintendent, Kevin Hurley, praised Scientology for "raising the spiritual wealth of society" during the opening of its headquarters in 2006. Last year a video praising Scientology emerged featuring Ken Stewart, another of the City of London's chief superintendents via

“I went into teaching full of belief and idealism... After five years I realised that there was no place for idealism in teaching"

fearfulsymmetry — Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:40 -0800

George Plemper's extensive photographic record of south London working-class life from the 70s and early 80s, in particular children at Riverside school Thamesmead, was left hidden away in carrier bags for three decades. Now he's put it on Flicker

We're all blue from projection tubes

whir — Mon, 12 May 2008 21:53:47 -0800

UK band The Get Out Clause made their newest video by performing in front of 80 of London's approximately 13 million CCTV cameras, and then requesting the footage via the Data Protection Act. The footage was then edited together into this music video. This technique was apparently prefigured by Irish band The Frames, who used a single camera in a post office to make a £2 video. via.

Angel Of The South

fearfulsymmetry — Wed, 07 May 2008 15:02:33 -0800

Ebbsfleet? Never heard of it? Not even the new international railway station? A 50m sculpture is hoping to change that... the five short-listed designs have been revealed today.

Boris Johnson for mayor?

bwerdmuller — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 08:18:32 -0800

Stop Boris Johnson ? Boris Johnson is the Conservative candidate for the Mayor of London this May, running against Ken Livingstone. The public generally know him for his apparently likeable bumbling persona, for example on Have I Got News For You, but there is another side ...

"He'd zap the programme off and holler/ 'Go and read some Emile Zola."

fearfulsymmetry — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 03:41:03 -0800

Boris Johnson, poet.

Boris Johnson's Mayoral application form

nthdegx — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 09:02:46 -0800

Examples of challenges faced: "Negotiating Hyde Park corner by bicycle. Outcome: survival." This and more from Boris Johnson's London Mayoral candidacy application [PDF] to the Conservative Party. thelondonpaper is not impressed that he submitted a handwritten form.

Bojo fo' Lo' M'o'

nthdegx — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 13:46:58 -0800

"Even the greatest cities have further greatness in them. I will stand for a greater London and for putting the smile back on London's face." Boris Johnson announces his candidacy for Mayor of London, though he is yet to be endorsed by the Conservative Party. Though decidedly right wing in his views (this clip, perhaps more than any other summarises his view on Europe, for example) his very English brand of buffoonery lends him unique appeal (though not universally).

Too Much Panic In This Town: London Underground Drivers play Spielberg

nthdegx — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 17:49:07 -0800

Some commuters are nervous about London Underground drivers filming journeys on their camera phones and posting them on YouTube. YouTube links all. BBC Story.

a dark wind blows

Flashman — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 11:29:48 -0800

The car is on fire, and there's no driver at the wheel

The Future: Apparently It's Much More 80s Than You Anticipated

East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 12:15:20 -0800

The British Olympic Committee unveiled the logo and branding for London 2012 today, at a cost of £400,000 (USD796,000). Reaction has been swift - a petition to change the logo or go back to the old one has already reached 10,000 signatures.

davebones' London protest videos

nthdegx — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 06:12:23 -0800

Youtube user davebones goes to London demos, protests and gatherings. His videos demonstrate the complexity of issues, calling into question the credibility of television news which tends to portray the same events in black and white terms. While his blog sets a clear agenda, his commentary-free videos are accessible to people regardless of their viewpoint.

Whooooooooooo-Tube

greycap — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 15:03:48 -0800

Ghosts of the London Underground - a documentary. More here.