Thursday, November 09, 2006

Manhattan Gold

Paul's spitting feathers about the news but that might be to do with the fact that, as a loyal Tribunite, he's experienced more financial calamities than a Leeds Utd fan. However, I can only see the funny side to the news that as the surviving relative of Alfred and Tekla Hess, the chair of the Communist Party of Britain, Anita Halpin, has netted $38 million from the sale of Ernst Ludwig Kirchner's 1913 painting Berlin Street Scene at yesterday's Christie's auction in New York.

The short term news is that this target will probably be met sooner than usual; 'Robbie Rix' will make some barbed comment about the windfall in the next Weekly Worker when s/he is doing their financial appeal next week; and the North Korean embassy will be on the phone saying that the Korean Workers Party would like to send a delegation to Ruskin House in Croydon, rather than the past practice of the CPB sending fraternal delegations to North Korea.

Long term? Labour Party Treasurer, Jack Dromey, will be testing the auto-labourism of the CPB, by asking Anita for a donation to the fighting fund for the next General Election; the leadership of the SWP will think it's a tremendous idea for the CPB to reverse its previous decision not to join Respect, with Chris Bambery penning an 'Open Letter'; and the Morning Star . . . the Morning Star . . . will continue to be the Morning Star. In depth with TUC news, advertising CPB/Morning Star jumble sales at the Marchmont Community Centre in Camden and that one copy remaining unsold at newsagents around the country.

That wailing noise you can hear in the background? That'll be Reidski coming to terms with the fact that he can't find his old membership card.

2 comments:

Reidski said...

I fucked that one right up - wonder if she'll remember I bought her a pint once (or twice). And, now that I'm on the subject, that I used to put her husband's ineligible articles on Formula One racing (yes, weird, I know) into English??

That was so weird to hear Nicky Campbell talk about that one as I awoke at 6.20am this morning!

figurepornography said...

Bloody funny article, this!!!!

Wonder what Ms. Halpin will do with all that money, after all???

Don't know so much about British politics and its financial doin's, but, if the latter's anything as expensive as the US's, $38 million won't go all that far.

Still, it's a bit more than I imagine the CPGB is used to, that's for sure.

Loved the bit 'bout the DPRK Embassy sendin' someone 'round to Croydon House to hit 'em up for funds.

Makes me think of the old Monty Python sketch featuring Michael Palin and Terry Jones as a pair of Mafiosi trying to extort money from a hapless British Army colonel played by Graham Chapman, only with a Lefty twist("Nice Party, you've got here. Be a shame if somethin' were to happen to it."(DPRK Represenative picks up a bust of Lenin and tosses it to the floor, shattering it)).

Thanks for the chuckle, Darren, and be seeing you.