PeaceJam (hearts) the BBC; and other odds and ends

What is it with the arrangement between PeaceJam and the BBC? As Westword pointed out in its July 6 article,

The BBC will send a crew here next month to start preparing for the events at DU September 15-17. The BBC is dedicating all of September to "Peacemakers," kicking off the month with one-minute spots that PeaceJam has already produced out of its office in Arvada, using video of the Nobels that Suvanjieff and Engle have collected at PeaceJam events around the world. Those spots have already been sent to the BBC, and "they say they're 'fab,'" Engle reports. During the PeaceJam anniversary weekend, BBC World will show a PeaceJam documentary -- even as it films seven different programs featuring the Nobels: two episodes of World Debate and five of Hard Talk, its top-rated show. That's on top of regular coverage on BBC World News (which airs in Denver on Channel 12), on the BBC radio network (the largest in the world) and on the BBC website. And that's just the start: BBC World has also commissioned a thirteen-part series based on PeaceJam that will debut next September, with plans in the works for a companion book, a DVD and international sales. Says Suvanjieff, "This really launches it to an entire global platform."

A global platform--financed, no doubt, by the (around) $220 yearly license fee the Beeb collects from every television-owning household in Britain. I can't wait to tattle about this at Biased BBC. The commenters there love "Al-Beeb" almost as much as they love peace at any price. They're sure to be totally supportive of the BBC's many projects with PeaceJam.

Interesting facts and figures

The Rocky yesterday: "However, hot political issues such as the war in Iraq and the ongoing massacres in Darfur, Sudan, will be avoided as peace goals, the laureates have already indicated to the Peace Jam founders."

Human Rights Watch has its own international film festival. Looks like a barrel of laughs.

The Drunkablog has often considered doing a weekly or even daily post on "Why Mahatma Gandhi was bad for the world." And no, he wouldn't mention Gandhi's penchant for giving enemas to, and receiving enemas from, teenage girls.

Notwithstanding the enema fetish, it's sad to see Gandhi forced to gaze benevolently on Cindy Sheehan's Gold Star Families for Peace website.

Best (i.e., lamest) quote from the back cover of the PeaceJam book: "'Young, cool, and edgy--you go, PeaceJam!'--Andrei Codrescu, National Public Radio."

Update: Here's the Rocky's PeaceJam slideshow, day 1.

Update II: East High student and Peacejammer Rose Green blogs about the first afternoon:

The afternoon workshop I participated in was tree-planting. We went to Sun Valley (around 10th and Federal) [That's very close to our neighborhood. I feel sprinkled with stardust--ed.] and planted 100 trees. It was so fun! Sometimes when you do grassroots activism, you don’t notice your impact growing and stretching beyond your original effort. But when you plant trees, the roots and leaves are right in front of you. I helped plant three trees. We named them Lucy, Morris, and Chi-Chi.

Back from Sun Valley and after a quick dinner from the local pizza joint, the concert began. It started with a thoughtful, empowering performance by Beth Nielsen Chapman (happy 50th!). Desmond Tutu surprised us with a dance and an exclamation of “You are cooooool cats! Aand you’re going to change the world!” Next Freak Street Project hyped it up with great beats and lots of energy.

Then several other bands played. Rose has pictures. Be sure to scan Saturday's schedule, too.