FlyPosters - Get a bloody grip ye shower of nimbys!

Fly Postering a criminal activity? Or simply an integral part of cultural life in Edinburgh? Lets look at a couple of figures from the Edinburgh Evening News today. (http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/topstories/Fly-boys-sick-of-getting.3814689.jp) Edinburgh Council claims that they spent £250,000 on tackling graffiti & fly postering every year. However they do not say how much is spent on tackling fly postering. The 2 are quite separate issues. My 1st thought was that it is right to spend money on removing graffiti. But then again after some thought I realised that I would want to see a clearer definition of what constitutes graffiti and what constitutes street art. I believe that the graffiti stencils that we see all over Edinburgh largely constitute art. I really think they generally add to an area and help give it a bit of character. Think Banksy sort of things, even if it is just advertising a club. The graffiti that should be removed is the sort of meaningless tags you see scrawled on walls with marker pens that signify some ned's name or a gang or group of fitba casuals (if u live in edinburgh, or ever venture down Leith then you know exactly what I mean). If and when these folk get caught, and i accept its rarely, they should be made to remove their handiwork by themselves at their own cost. If they can afford to buy the pens or paint they can afford the materials to remove it. Purchased through the authorities of course as we wouldn't want them buying stuff they can buzz afterwards.
Back to the more important issue of the fly posters. Now these are all advertising gigs, club nights or other cultural events. Edinburgh is a city which would not survive economically if it were not for its cultural aspect. There is an acceptance of these adverts during the festival, but it would sadden me greatly (but not surprise me) if many in Edinburgh believe that Edinburgh culture is the festival and nothing more. A great many of the nights out I've had over the years have been a result of spotting a fly poster and attending the advertised event. Its the only way I know when the classic Madchester nights are on in The Liquid Rooms. Yet , and heres that long awaited second figure, fly posters can receive fines up £1000. A bloody grand for trying to expand the city's cultural horizons. I bet there would be less complaints and no fines if the adverts were for ballet or opera. But they largely advertise events for the club nights and gigs. The development of contemporary music relies on fly posters. But many in this city, and indeed the country, are so ignorant and anal that they would quite happily smother the embers. There was never a great in the arts that wasn't a maverick, a radge or who didn't sparkle in their youth. People who are revered like gods in "polite society" are often reviled and put down in their own time. But thats all just a long winded way of saying that fly posters are essential to allow the growth of contemporary arts. They are not an eyesore, and generally only ever cover disused shops or buildings. So whats the bloody problem? To paraphrase Pink Floyd "Council, leave the kids along!"

PS. As you will see in the link there is a petition backing the fly posterers so when i find a link i'll post it here. Otherwise if you find it before me then pls add as a comment.

Julio E

Introduction

Evening folks. I'll start this post by giving you a wee idea of the sort of things I'll be talking about here. I live in the beautiful metropolis that is the Paris of the North, Edinburgh. Now despite this being a quite outstanding place to live it does have many, many problems. Of which I'll bitch about frequently. I really thought I was going to see major changes here when the Labour Party were ditched from the council chambers. Oh how wrong I was. If anyone can show me any real differences between the current and the previous administration then please let me know. By the way I am a member of a political party but I will not reveal which as I intend to attack them all here when necessary. I do support Scottish Independence, but do not read anything into that. I am a man who has pissed of members of all parties and his own over the years! Quite proud of that if I do say so myself. ;)
I am a deeply moral man, however those morals do not always tie in with society's norms. But hey, its not my fault if the masses perception of risk is totally skewed. The sort of people who speed on our roads and put the lives of us all in danger, but who will then call the police because they smell some weed smoke in their close can go fuck themselves! Who are the people really putting lives at risk? It ain't the stoner lying on his couch thats for sure!
Get a good job, settle down, go to the gym twice a week, have kids, wave bye bye to your life. Screw that, screw societal norms. I live life by MY morals because experience has taught me that that is the way to survive. Having said all that, I do try to be nice to most folk, and would only knowingly screw other people over if they have wronged me first. Oh aye, and i'm a stickler for etiquette and manners. Its the only way that we can all live side by side. Once you realise that most people are total fannies and you learn how to deal with that, you do so by sticking to good E & M.
To sum up, I'll spend my time talking about mainly Edinburgh and Scottish news. However if anything else catches my eye then you'll know all about it. Tomorrow night I'll probably be talking about the Death Penalty and why I'm against it, however Labour are wallowing in sleaze and filth so I guess we'll just have to see the papers in the morn.
Signing Off
Julio E