Iranian Intellectuals

Perfect Blue (Japanese: パーフェクトブルー, Hepburn: Pāfekuto Burū) is a 1997 Japanese animated psychological thriller film directed by Satoshi Kon. It is loosely based on the novel Perfect Blue: Complete Metamorphosis (パーフェクトブルー：完全変態, Pāfekuto Burū: Kanzen Hentai) by Yoshikazu Takeuchi, with a screenplay by Sadayuki Murai. Featuring the voices of Junko Iwao, Rica Matsumoto, Shiho Niiyama, Masaaki Okura, Shinpachi Tsuji and Emiko Furukawa, the plot follows a member of a Japanese idol group who retires from music to pursue an acting career. As she becomes a victim of stalking by her obsessive fan, gruesome murders take place, and she begins losing her grip on reality. The film deals with the blurring of the line between fantasy and reality, a commonly found theme in Kon's other works, such as Millennium Actress (2001), Paranoia Agent (2004), and Paprika (2006). The film garnered critical acclaim and is now regarded as a masterpiece of animation and one of the best anime films of all time. Please note we will not be showing the film at the meeting. Make sure you watch the film before you attend and then come and join in with the conversation. It’s just a discussion. It’s not a screening. We will be meeting in The Ludski Bar in the Rio Cinema. [https://www.riocinema.org.uk/your-visit/](https://www.riocinema.org.uk/your-visit/) You are welcome to bring outside food in with you but please buy your drinks from inside the cinema. Thank you. ... To join the All Out of Bubblegum Film Club WhatsApp Group please click here: [https://chat.whatsapp.com/J2to1MBd4Ct7kQTFFVnyML](https://chat.whatsapp.com/J2to1MBd4Ct7kQTFFVnyML) (in order to stop spam bots this will take you to a Waiting Room. Once in please write your name and we will join you to the main chat). Meetup charges subscription fees. If you would like to make a donation please click here: [https://paypal.me/philosophycollective](https://paypal.me/philosophycollective) You can also find the All Out of Bubblegum Film Club here: [https://www.meetup.com/alloutofbubblegumfilmclub/](https://www.meetup.com/alloutofbubblegumfilmclub/) We hope to see you soon.

**!!! NEW YEAR NEW FORMAT !!!** ***We've changed things up a bit to promote a more focused discussion around the events topic, so its worth stopping by if you haven't been in a while*** 🙌 Join Pintonomics for our 6th meetup to discuss how economics impacts our daily lives – and to see what happens when you mix monetary policy with a good pint (or sprite!) This months topic is the **Job Guarantee**, where we explore: * What is a Job Guarantee? * How will it operate? * How can it act as a counter-inflationary stabiliser? * How might it influence wages and conditions across the wider labour market? If you get the chance, check out this video introducing the policy paper for a **counter-inflationary job guarantee for the United Kingdom**: https://vimeo.com/1167469015/b4a45764ac?fl=pl&fe=vl Which was developed by MMT UK: https://mmtuk.org/ And the policy paper can be downloaded here: https://mmtuk.org/job-guarantee We'll be in the Sekforde from 6.30pm but there's no strict start time so drop by what ever time you can make it 🙌

**New members of all ages always welcome!** The Cheese and the Worms is an incisive study of popular culture in the sixteenth century as seen through the eyes of one man, the miller known as Menocchio, who was accused of heresy during the Inquisition and sentenced to death. Carlo Ginzburg uses the trial records to illustrate the religious and social conflicts of the society Menocchio lived in. For a common miller, Menocchio was surprisingly literate. In his trial testimony he made references to more than a dozen books, including the Bible, Boccaccio's Decameron, Mandeville's Travels, and a "mysterious" book that may have been the Koran. And what he read he recast in terms familiar to him, as in his own version of the creation: "All was chaos, that is earth, air, water, and fire were mixed together; and of that bulk a mass formed-just as cheese is made out of milk-and worms appeared in it, and these were the angels." Ginzburg's influential book has been widely regarded as an early example of the analytic, case-oriented approach known as microhistory. In a thoughtful new preface, Ginzburg offers his own corollary to Menocchio's story as he considers the discrepancy between the intentions of the writer and what gets written. The Italian miller's story and Ginzburg's work continue to resonate with modern readers because they focus on how oral and written culture are inextricably linked. Menocchio's 500-year-old challenge to authority remains evocative and vital today.

**MEMBERS ONLY.** Before signing up please make sure that you speak to the organiser about how to become a member/member details or for a trial session. And just to repeat this session is for training and games not just games only. Every Tuesday 6.45PM till 9.55PM. There will be 3 courts for Training and games. For any queries or for details to sign up for membership please don't hesitate to contact us. All levels are welcome. PARKING: Parking is available and Free onsite. PAYMENT: We are accepting bank transfer rather than cash payments. In 2 days in advance to confirm your attendance. Any NO SHOWS or cancellations on the day will incur a charge as it could stop other players from playing. Bank details: Name: The Badminton Collective Ltd Sort Code: 60-83-71 Account Number:69874292 Reference must be your Full Name to match you to the list of attendees. £15 for training and Games. IMPORTANT NOTES: Other Information: There is now a water fountain but it's outside so please bring a bottle and fill up before we get straight into the session. The Badminton Collective and Royal Docks Academy are not responsible for any injuries or loss of items.

**\*\*\*To register for this event and secure your place you must register at the following Mindstone Link: [https://community.mindstone.com/events](https://community.mindstone.com/events) \*\*\*** ## About this event Welcome to the most electrifying and ground-breaking AI meetup in London! Join us once a month as we delve into the world of artificial intelligence, explore its cutting-edge practical applications, and marvel at the astonishing projects that are shaping our future. # Agenda 6:00 pm Open Doors 6:30 pm Introduction 6:35 pm How To Build Better Products Using AI 6:55 pm How To Be More Productive Using AI (Non-engineers) 6:15 pm How The World Is Different With This Technology In It 7:35 pm 1 hour of food, drinks, and networking # Why you should attend? 1\. Get up close and personal with the AI projects that are redefining the boundaries of technology and human potential\. 2\. Learn from the brightest minds in the field and gain valuable insights into the ever\-evolving AI landscape\. 3\. Unleash your curiosity\, fuel your creativity\, and expand your network as you connect with fellow AI aficionados and pioneers\. Don't miss out on this extraordinary opportunity to witness the AI revolution in action. It's time to embark on a thrilling journey into the future and discover the endless possibilities that lie within the realm of artificial intelligence. Reserve your spot today for the ultimate AI experience! 💡✨🌐 This event is organised by RecWorks and Mindstone on behalf of the London AI Community **\*\*\*To register for this event and secure your place you must register at the following Mindstone Link: [https://community.mindstone.com/events](https://community.mindstone.com/events) \*\*\***

I am excited to announce the launch of a series of healthy Persian cooking classes with Zohal. With her background as a street-food trader, she has developed a deep passion for sharing the joy of food. We will be hosting accessible yet delicious cooking workshops in her kitchen. During the class, participants will have the opportunity to cook alongside her and share tips. At the end of the session, guests will be served a delicious meal with tea and refreshments, allowing everyone to relax and socialise. Dish 1: Mirza Ghasemi is a delicious dish made primarily with eggplants, tomatoes, and eggs. Dish 2: Sabzi Ghormeh, a traditional Persian herb stew with 500g of lamb or beef. Dish 3: Lobia Plov (steamed Rice with Broad Beans) with julienned carrots, garlic, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, vegetable oil. Refreshment Karak chai Herbal drink Saffron Tea Cookies Zohal has a Persian cat at home, so please bear this in mind if you have a cat allergy. Also, alcohol will not be available. Each dish will be shared in groups of three. A £25 contribution paid in advance to my bank account is requested to cover food and drink. Please contact me for the bank details. Depending on numbers, Zohal will host the class either at Mama Bistro (Bounds Green) or her home in Sheperd’s Bush. Zohal’s Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/zohal.kitchen](https://www.instagram.com/zohal.kitchen)? Are you interested in reading fiction and non-fiction in French Spanish, and English? -[www.meetup.com/gaia-books](www.meetup.com/gaia-books) -[www.meetup.com/gaia-libros](www.meetup.com/gaia-libros) -[www.meetup.com/gaia-livres](www.meetup.com/gaia-livres) -Instagram: @persian_culture* -Persian Culture Whatsapp group: [https://chat.whatsapp.com/EZk35ZbJZ6W6wwyHyuxoS2](https://chat.whatsapp.com/EZk35ZbJZ6W6wwyHyuxoS2)

📚 Reading of Colour – Book Club Meetup Join us for this month’s Reading of Colour, a book club dedicated to exploring stories from different cultures and celebrating the diversity of voices in literature. Each month we read a book by an author from a different background and come together to share perspectives, insights, and thoughtful discussion. This month we will be reading The Enlightenment of the Greengage tree by Shokoofeh Azar is a magical realist novel about a family fleeing persecution after the Iranian Revolution and trying to rebuild their lives in a remote Iranian village, narrated by the ghost of a young girl. Whether you’ve finished the book or are still making your way through it, everyone is welcome to join the conversation. Come along to share your thoughts, hear new perspectives, and enjoy a friendly discussion with fellow readers. 📖 All are welcome—bring your curiosity and love of books!📕 We will be having drinks afterwards at a near by pub, come along 🌸

***"In this complex and terrible development which has carried the epoch of class struggles toward new conditions, the proletariat of the industrial countries has completely lost the affirmation of its autonomous perspective and also, in the last analysis, its illusions, but not its being. It has not been suppressed. It remains irreducibly in existence within the intensified alienation of modern capitalism[.]"*** **\- Guy Debord\, *The Society of the Spectacle*** Welcome back readers! By popular request, we're bringing back (for a new generation of LMRG readers) an old favourite: the always-relevant Guy Debord and his masterful *Society of the Spectacle*. This is meeting two, where we'll be reading the fourth, fifth and sixth chapters. Find the classic text here: https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/debord/society.htm Or an alternative, possibly more readable translation here: [https://files.libcom.org/files/The%20Society%20of%20the%20Spectacle%20Annotated%20Edition.pdf](https://files.libcom.org/files/The%20Society%20of%20the%20Spectacle%20Annotated%20Edition.pdf) Often maligned as theorymaxxed nonsense but little-read, this slim volume is certainly dense with ideas - all of which carry as much relevance today as those half-forgotten postwar years when the Situationist International made its mark on the world, if not more. With the rise of the Internet and social media, the decline of literacy and the closing of the mass mind, the endless doom-loop of doomscrolling and bed-rotting, increasingly performative protest, the commodification of everything, the Epstein-approved culture war, and the theatre of spectacular cruelty that is imperialist colonial policy from Gaza to Venezuela, we really are living an age where everything that was once directly participated in has passed into representation. Every hand-grip one searches for to get some kind of grasp on the world seems to be a mirage; "participation" in anything, from politics to culture, has been reduced to fandom - limited to nothing more than expressing approval or disapproval through totally mediated social media platforms. Above it all stands an utterly corrupt, irresponsible elite class more and more transparent in how it relishes in conspiratorial play, power-games with unlimited stakes for us and no consequences for them. Such a world where power wears a shit-eating grin and keeps us off our balance by endlessly[ "flooding the zone"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flood_the_zone) (in Steve Bannon's terms) with distractions so intricate they short-circuit the collective brain is exactly what Debord not only predicted but described in frightening detail, with more than a little bit of humour. So let's dig in and find out: just what can we do to unplug from the spectacle? Is the spectacle even un-plug-from-able? Debord haters, cope and seethe: as a much more orthodox Marxist than he ever gets credit for, there really are some strategies in here. We just need to be creative. Take care and happy reading!

We will begin with a talk giving some background to the School of Sufi Teaching and our meditation practices. We will then sit together in meditation. Following this there will be an opportunity ask questions arising from your experience during the meditation. Please arrive at 7.00pm so as to benefit from the short introductory talk. Meditation will commence at 7.30pm . The session should be completed by 9.00 pm. The meditation will start promptly at 7.30 pm when the front door will be closed so as to ensure an undisturbed period of solitude. Location of Meeting **Entry is via the side door which is located in the side road between our building and the pub.** **Follow the plant containers.** 253 Globe Road London E2 0JD https://goo.gl/maps/6Ng5rhHKsLXe16jz6 Nearest Underground Station is Bethnal Green For individuals interested in learning more about Sufism, our practices and their transformational role on the individual we recommend reading **Click here** [http://www.amazon.co.uk/Turning-toward-Heart-Awakening-Contemporary/dp/1887752463](http://www.amazon.co.uk/Turning-toward-Heart-Awakening-Contemporary/dp/1887752463) **Turning Toward the Heart: - Awakening to the Sufi Way** **Forty Questions and Answers**

Welcome, readers! Our April read is **_Martyr!_ by Kaveh Akbar.** The story follows a young Iranian American poet grappling with grief, addiction, and the aching question of what makes a life meaningful. Drawn into an unexpected friendship with a terminally ill artist, he begins to confront faith, love, and the seduction of self-destruction. Lyrical, darkly funny, and emotionally piercing, the novel wrestles with beauty and despair in equal measure. It’s a story about longing—to be seen, to be forgiven, and to matter. Looking forward to discussing with everyone! We will meet at Zaftig Brewing Co in their event room in the back. We are welcome to bring in our own food, but **drinks must be purchased at the bar.** Happy reading! 📖

Main Library, Meeting Room 2B Join us for a welcoming evening of reflection, gentle music, and meaningful conversation. We’ll begin with a short grounding moment, followed by a brief reading from spiritual or philosophical traditions, and an open reflection circle where participants can share (or simply listen). Libera Animae is an interfaith community focused on inner growth, creativity, and authentic connection. All backgrounds are welcome.

Let’s meet, wander the exhibits and open galleries, and enjoy an evening out in the Franklinton Arts District. (Nearby pay parking is available in the garage on McDowell, right around the corner from One Line Coffee, and, past it along the curb as McDowell dead ends.)

Walk for Children - 2026 Save Soil Walkathon in Columbus 🌍 Over 52% of the world soil is degraded and scientists warn we may have only a few decades of fertile soil left. As Sadhguru shares, soil is a living system—and when it degrades, our food, health, and future are at risk. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyT-6qiubd0 🚶‍♂️🌎This Earth Day, Join the Walk for Children-2026 SaveSoil 5K Walkathon here in Columbus and help raise awareness about soil for the future of our children! Every step you take helps: ✔️ 1. Raise awareness in your communities about protecting and restoring soil. ✔️ 2. Supports sustainable food systems. ✔️ 3. Helps secure our children’s future. 📅 Date: April 26, 2026 📍 Location: Scioto Audubon Metro Park Check-in address 400 W Whittier St, Columbus, OH 43215 ⏰ Time: 8:30 a.m. check-in event starts at 9:30 a.m. 👉 Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/walk-for-children-2026-save-soil-walkathon-in-columbus-registration-1986596534713?aff=oddtdtcreator 👉🏼Free and Open to All. Share this message and bring your neighbours, friends & family along to celebrate our planet! Let’s make it happen!

ASH is Atheists, Skeptics and Humanists of First Unitarian Universalists of Columbus Ohio TBD Snacks are usually available, and you are welcome to bringing something to share!

Let’s meet Saturday morning for coffee and a treat. La Chatelaine French Bakery & Bistro in Worthington, Ohio, is a family-owned, authentic French restaurant and bakery located at 627 High St. Established in 1992, it offers scratch-made French pastries, breads, and classic bistro dining for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a rustic, Parisian-style setting.

Let's catch up and have a relaxed chat, including chat about the book Disability Visibility. This collection of essays is available at the library. You'll be invited to share the essay that you related to the most, and the essay that did the most to grow your awareness of something new. It's OK if you don't read the whole book!