Philosophy in the Pub

Lots of philosophy is pondered in the pub, this SE1 group just a bit more official...

"What is Happiness?The topic is ‘What is happiness?'Will the upcoming holiday season make you happy? Why or why not? What makes a person happy - material success, achievement of goals, stability and an absence of suffering?I want to look at what different philosophers have said about happiness, from Aristotle to the rather austere Germans to thinkers like Bertrand Russell and John Stuart Mill. Can we make ourselves happy, and is happiness a goal worthing striving to achieve?I will ask for a donation of £3.50 towards expenses, and those who are on lower incomes can pay what they are able. The Rose and Crown, 47 Colombo Street, nearest tube, Southwark. "

The Future for Brockley?

Come & have your say on Brockley Common, Brockley Max, the market & Brockley Cross development
Brockley Cross Action Group’s AGM at John Stainer Primary School, Mantle Road, Brockley, SE4
Thursday 1st December, 7.30 pm - 9.15 pm.
Entertainment by The Strawberry Thieves Choir

Brockley Cross Action Group, PO Box 47615, London SE4 1RT.
Registered charity 1111176

Tramp along to Walworth's new film club...

This is from Andy Worthington....

Film-maker Neil Goodwin ('Operation Solstice') is launching a new film club, The Little Tramp' (named after one of Walworth's most famous sons) at the Pullens Centre, 184 Crampton St, SE17, every Tuesday evening from November22nd. 7.30pm start, £3.50/£2 concs.

First up (Nov 22) is 'Normal', Jane Anderson's affecting portrayal of gender dilemmas starring the excellent Tom Wilkinson and Jessica Lange.

Nov 29: Bill Hicks' 'Relentless' and Bob Fosse's 'Lenny', starring Dustin Hoffman as Lenny Bruce.

Dec 6: 'Shadows', the John Cassavetes classic.

For further info call Neil on: 07930 255233.

The Cuttings Nature Reserve: New Cross

I've just heard that The Cuttings Nature Reserve, Vesta Road, New Cross / Brockley has been proposed as a site for development by a 'neighbour' of the reserve.

This is a green site alive with flors and fauna and I have had many happy hours working there. This is to be opposed from the start (before we have to get the monkey wrenches out) and Rob Whittle, volunteer co-ordinator of the reserve, suggests this:

This is precisely the type of insidious threat that all too familiar to urbangreen spaces and now it has come to ours. The good news is that here issomething we can do about it but it needs doing urgently.

You can voice your disapproval by emailing: planning@lewisham.gov.uk and telling them what you think - it doesn't need to be long.

Alternatively you can write to them at the listed address on page 1 of thePDF by completing the form and posting it.

THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT WE HAVE TO DO THIS BY MONDAY! If you have already responded then many thanks.

Art stuff

At the always wonderful Dog and Bell pub,at the moment there's a wonderful exhibit of artworks by Dawn Fincham- huge blocks of wax in icecream colours, with eerie embedded photographs and text- very appealing.

More esoteric perhaps is a forthcoming exhibition at The Art House, 140 Lewisham Way- TIME TRAVELLER, promising a retrospective installation of 50 years of Fred Aylward. Close examination of the postcard advertising the event reveals a negative picture of a bald bespectacled man with a spirit level, for yes, some 20 years ago Fred Aylward was "Les" in Vic Reeves' Big Night Out. (but to be fair has done an awful lot of stuff since)
The exhibition runs from 1st to 18th of December.

The Wolfgang Bopp presents:

Velofax, The Mules and tired irie plus Wolf Gang DJs playing out twisted rock n roll, retro grooves and bleak disco on Thursday 17th November from 8.00pm – 12.15am at The Montague Arms. Nearest Tube: New Cross Gate, Nearest BR: Queens Rd, Peckham

Price: £2/£1nus before 9, £3/£2nus after.

If You Go Down to the Woods Today...

It's SELFS time again

14th November: Steve Wilson - The Kibbo Kift.

Long before the emergence of Wicca in the 1950s, Britain's first modern pagan revival was spearheaded by "Kibbo Kift - The Woodcraft Kindred". This group mixed Saxon heathenry with a desire to transform the entire world by developing a group of people who had experienced the whole of human culture by starting at hunter-gatherer level. The parent group - The Boy Scouts - were not amused! Learn abut the group that spawned The Woodcraft Folk and their occult sister group The Order of Woodcraft Chivalry at SELFS..........

SELFS is a monthly meeting / moot in Greenwich, south east London, which has a different speaker and Q&A each month (except December). The regulars, who're made up of pagans, forteans, folklorists and many others, are a friendly, open-minded and intelligent bunch.

SELFS meets every second Monday of the month upstairs at The Spanish Galleon, 48 Greenwich Church Street, SE10 9BL. Talks start at 8.00pm and costs £2.50 / £1.50 concessions (except December which is free).

Greenwich Mainline & DLR: Turn left from the main exit, walk about 5-10 minutes, the Galleon is on your right, at the cross-roads.

Cutty Sark DLR: Turn left from the station, right when you get to the road, the Spanish Galleon is across the road. Buses: 177, 180, 188, 199, 286, 386.

Calling All Bands, Artist and the like

Artful was October, now Deptford X is now on us in November...

Order out of chaos, or not
We will be in residence at Open Arts Platform as part of Deptford X, every weekend throughout November. We hope to have a series of guests dropping buy to add their input to the project as well as a few experiments of our own.

If you want to drop by with an instrument, gadget, gizmo, or just yourself, feel free, and visit the above web page to add yourself to the list!
OAP
The Old Seager Gallery
6a Holland House
Brookmill rd
London
SE8 4JT
Every Saturday and Sunday in November (5,6,12,13,19,20,26,27)
12 - 6pm

Her Noise

Went along to the opening party last night for Her Noise at the South London Gallery in Camberwell. Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth) and Jenny Hoyston (Erase Errata) did short performances but due to the queue/crowd madness I missed them. I did get to have a lie down on Kaffe Matthews’ Sonic Bed (which is just that) and browse through the archive of records and zines - all the Riot Grrl and related classics present and correct, including L7, Huggy Bear and Le Tigre. As well as the exhibition of interactive sound installations, there are various interesting events coming up, including a gig on 19th November with ex-members of The Raincoats and Bikini Kill, and a weekly Saturday afternoon ‘We’re alive, let’s meet’ get together to share music and experiences, and produce a zine.

Mucky Needles

Sickidlehappy, gig organisers of some note, are putting their best punk rock friends The Dirty Pins on at Goldsmiths Student Union (Dixon Road, off New Cross Road) this Thursday: the 3rd of November. It's something called 'Livewire', nearest tube is, of course New Cross andNew Cross Gate. 8pm - 12am. On stage at 11pm. No cost mentioned and there's a cheap bar.

Artful

So that was Artful. How was it for you?