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GOB ALMIGHTY

l, as a televrsion vrewei‘. find it offensive that music promoter and FactOI judge Louis Walsh is allowed to he on the air. It is had enough that we must put tip with people with only a modicum of talent (Colin and .Justin. Handy Andy. Dr Ra], Trevor McDonald) hut why must TV stoop to letting on this odious little man with no purpose hut to annoy? It seems that his ioh entails listening to hland Irish pop. then getting an innocent wannahe to repeat the same drivel. He even had the audacity to tease us by ‘rtuittrng' for a day. Oh. what a day that was! But alas. I-otiis came hack. offering us tip more hland claptrap. My only wish is that Louis" hands realise that the tp they prohahly make on every alhum compared with the 8‘?) that he makes isn't a fair deal: then hopefully Girls Aloud will stampede him with their incredihly high heels.

Lee Jones

By email

ART IS OUR RIGHT

I am writing to add our voice to those urging the Scottish

E xecutive to take the core message and vision of the Cultural Corriirrissron's report namely that the henefrts the arts hring to indiVidual and national life far outweigh their cost with the seriousness they merit. If a hetter. enriching and fairer society. ahle to meet the multiple demands of our rapidly changing world is to he secured. investment in the arts must he escalated.

VAGA. hacked hy creative and cultural organisations and professionals from across the UK. is currently leading the REAL ISI- your right to art campaign. REAL ISE has at its

The List,

heart the insistence that everyone has their right to participate in culture. as enshrined in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948.

As a signatory to the declaration. the British Government. including the Scottish Executive. has a duty to make this aspiration a forceful reality and. in doing so. significantly increase the gualrty of everyone's lives. Hilary Gresty Director VAGA. Visual Arts and Galleries Association. ‘.'/\.'.'\.'.'.\.'aga.co.uk

WOBBLY DIALOGUE Hoi/yoaks is a very successful shc and surely its producers can afford to hire some of the hest people in the husiness. Why then does the use of sporadic and annoying experimental camera work which occurs on a daily hasis appear to have heen carried out and directed hy a team of ever changing graduates from the local film studies course? One answer to this question may he that these seguences are an attempt to draw attention away from the dialogue which usually revolves around played out stereotypes of student life and involves people making statements for the henefit of the audience instead of actually talking to each other. Fionntainn O’Hagan Edinhurgh

THE LIST THAT MISSED

Andrew Borthwick's revrew of the Dickres in Edinhurgh states 'underground music survrves hecause there are those willing to make the sacrifices for it'. Pity then that he fails to mention the two Edinhurgh hands that we support. Both

14 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1TE

or The List at the CCA

350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3JD or email editor@list.co.uk

Oi Polloi and the Gut Gohlins are well into their second decade. remaining true to their 'underground' roots. Both are also hetter than ever. It's all very well to pay Il[)-S(}t‘\/IC(} to this ‘underground scene' hut how ahout helping it out from time to time? It's hands like these that REALLY keep it going. And no. I'm not in either hand (and hy looking at them. thank God for thatli.

Michael Geggus

to make shopping at hest unpleasant and difficult to do. This is had news for disahled peeple and had news for retailers who are losing out on customers —- the spending power of disahled people in Scotland is potentially 5‘8 hrIIron. Many of the issues highlighted hy the mystery shoppers are not iiisurmountahle and could he dealt wrth effectwely through some consideration hy local

Edinhurgh authorities. retailers and other shoppers. SHOP AHOY And it is not only disahled

A mystery shopper survey by Capahility Scotland has shown that many disahled people continue to find it difficult to get around Scotland's town and city centres. The higgest

people who would henefit: making our town and city centres more accessihle would make shopping in them a much more attractive prospect for everyone.

Kate Higgins

Head of campaigns and

harriers appear to he uneven pavements. hollards and commtinications. Capahrlity Scotland

advertising hoards in the

street. These issues comhine

GOD IS IN THE DETAILS

I don't understand the irritation of people at the film version of The Lion. the Witch and the l/‘r/ardro/Je and its unashamed Christian suhtext.

Clearly ir'tcredulous at the idea of herng suI')jecte(I to (Zlirrst at Christmas. people seemed terrified that two hours spent in a darkened cinema would hrainwash whole future generations into evangelical Christianity.

But the film doesn't have to mean what they tor even CS Lewrst would want it to mean. We. the watchers. make meaning out of the flickering lights on the screen; we tell the film what it's ahout. not the other way round.

Evangelists seem to know this and I say Just this once let's follow their lead. After all. if they can turn March of the Penguins into proof of the existence of God. surely we can make an Ice Queen. two heavers and a talking lion into anything we please. Andy Field By email

THE LETTER OF THE ISSUE WILL RECEIVE TWO BOTTLES OF GRAHAM'S

THE TAWNY

firmware/raw Gl't‘rv‘tttrits.

iIZT41"i’l(illl'w‘iif, 'ITIH' Iti‘v‘r'H‘y‘I

What YOU King Kong Cameo. Edinburgh. Fri 16 Dec

-~ ~ Wendy

2 THE LIST 5, 1'» Jan your;

Sales adwser

The best part was the relationship between Anne and Kong. Naomi Watts's performance was fab. She was so still at some points but she was emoting it with her eyes.

Tom

Unemployed

In the beginning I wondered whether they were going to give Kong some pathos and empathy, but they really (lid in the end. Amazing.

Victoria

Photc)gra;.).he.r

It had one of the host action fight scenes of all time -— wrth King Kong and the Tyrannosaurus Rex. That was one of the best action scenes I've seen in ages.

GLASGOW AND EDINBURGH

EVENTS GUIDE

CONTRIBUTORS Publisher & General Editor Room Hodge

EDITORIAL

Editor tuck Bar's.

Deputy Editor 8' an Sc'taldsor: Assistant Editors

‘-'dtk Robertson. Daa‘ Dar- Subeditor Ashley Danes Research Manager JUIIC‘ Graham

Research Henry Northmoic :l'lm. Rock 8 Jam. Rachael Street IIIIC'dIi'C. Dance. Art. Cernodv 8 Sportr. Monro Bruce iArOtind tour~ CIassrcaI, FolkS KIiIS'

SALES & MARKETING Advertising Sales Manager Rachel Shields

Senior Media Sales Executives

Carol Fcrotrson

Brigid Kennedy

Media Sales Executive RICIIIE‘ Meldruni

Media Sales Support Sharon Stephen Promotions Manager Short Fire-rs Promotions Assistant Comma Beard Circulation Manager \eil Earnshar. Circulation Executive Keith Ben/re

Special Projects Amanda IvIUITQdII

PRODUCTION Art Director

Krista Robertson Production Manager Slfi‘On Armin Designer l llC‘.' Rooms Production Assistant Russell Stec-dman

ADMINISTRATION Accounts Manager Georgette Rc-nrack Accounts Assistant Manager Donna Taylor

Reception

trace; Fisher

Edinburgh Office Manager Katie Scott

Glasgow Office Manager Katharine Haslett

SECTION EDITORS Around Town Moran Bruce Books Brian Donaldson Clubs Henry Northirtorc (with Sandra Marion- Comedy Brian Donaidson Comics Paul Cale

Dance Kort. Act-2r

Eat 8 Drink Barri. Shc-ll)‘. Film Paul {‘valo

Gay ROIT-lf‘. loo

Kids Kelly Ap!c-r

Music Mark Rotrortson

until" llt‘iittai‘. C’tai'rtc-is :;!I()l l.‘a"‘ horin. ‘.‘att‘i-§soi‘ irona Shepherd»

News Allan RdeCIIiI‘C'

Play Henri. ’lorthntoro mith Iain Dd‘.’|(ISOIIl

Shop Kati. l.chtrIat' Television B'ian Dooaidso". Theatre Stec Cramer Travel Rachael Street Visual Art Alexander Kennedy