Monthly Archives: February 2012

Stop! Look! Listen! a weekly selection of some of my favourite films/books/people…

Posted on February 25, 2012 by lipstick socialist

Watch… Army of Crime (2009)  French film about the Resistance. Directed and co-scripted by Robert Guédiguian,  son of a German mother and an Armenian father,  who is best known for his leftwing movies about working-class life in the Marseilles area.  … Continue reading →

Posted in films, human rights, Irish second generation, labour history, music, novels | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Labour takes a bath…..!

Posted on February 22, 2012 by lipstick socialist

Margaret Thatcher said there was no such thing as society. After the August 2011 riots David Cameron said “he wants to mend our broken society”. But as the public sector cuts start affecting people at a grassroots level, it has … Continue reading →

Posted in anti-cuts, women | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Stop! Look! Listen! a weekly selection of some of my favourite films/books/people…

Posted on February 17, 2012 by lipstick socialist

Watch… Testament of Youth.  The autobiography  of Vera Brittain, who grew up in pre-war  Buxton.  It’s a reminder of the restrictiveness of women’s lives in that period. Her parents did not see any point to her going to University,  but … Continue reading →

Posted in biography, drama, labour history, music, novels, Socialism, TV drama, women | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book review: This Slavery by Ethel Carnie Holdsworth

Posted on February 14, 2012 by lipstick socialist

This Slavery by  Ethel Carnie Holdsworth (Trent Editions, 2011)  ISBN 9781842331415 The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist is  often lauded by trade union leaders as the book of choice for their members, though I am not sure how many of them have … Continue reading →

Posted in biography, book review, labour history, novels, poetry, Socialism, trade unions, women | 4 Comments

Stop! Look! Listen! a weekly selection of some of my favourite films/books/people…

Posted on February 9, 2012 by lipstick socialist

Watch… The film  Frida (2002). A fictionalised account of the life of Mexican artist and political activist  Frida Kahlo (1907-54).  Her pictures tell the story of her life.  Crippled in an accident as a young woman  she portrayed this experience … Continue reading →

Posted in films, Irish second generation, labour history, music, novels, radio drama, Socialism, trade unions, women | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ice and fire

Posted on February 8, 2012 by lipstick socialist

What do you do on a Saturday? Last week as I trudged through the snow in central Manchester  I watched other people sat in bars and cafes with their friends laughing, bumped into people with bags of shopping and wondered … Continue reading →

Posted in anti-cuts, Manchester, Socialism, trade unions | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Stop! Look! Listen! a weekly selection of some of my favourite films/books/people…

Posted on February 5, 2012 by lipstick socialist

Watch….. Saturday Night Fever is my favourite film. Set in Brooklyn it’s the story of many young working class people across the world, music and dancing being the passport from a boring life. In the late 70’s me and my … Continue reading →

Posted in biography, Communism, education, films, labour history, Manchester, music, poetry, Socialism, women | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Women making a difference!

Posted on February 1, 2012 by lipstick socialist

. The film “Made In Dagenham” is one of the few images out in the public arena of what it means to be a woman trade unionist and to be involved in an industrial dispute. It is still rare to … Continue reading →

Posted in trade unions, women | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments