The Soup Spoon

X Factor Live Shows Week 5

2011-11-10T21:51:00.001Z

It's the halfway point of the live shows and, by now, we should be settling in. Every week, things should be getting more predictable and the results should be expected. And yet, this has been probably the most turbulent week (or two) in X Factor history.

Following on from the renaming of Little Mix, the resignation of a band member from The Risk and the immediate replacement of him, the absence of judge and Girls mentor, Kelly, and then the shock loss of Sophie Habibis (all in week's blog), this week we had a double elimination that continued to reinforce the fact that no-one is safe, and then the shock exit of Frankie Cocozza from the show. But more on that later. First, a run down of this week's performances.

This week, I was most saddened to say goodbye to Johnny. I find him entertaining and his charm and joy is infectious. However, he's not quite X Factor material so it was inevitable that he would leave sooner or later. Not only was he first to perform this week, and therefore vulnerable for that reason, I felt his performance was weaker than in past weeks. The staging was great and he looked fantastic on stage, and ever more comfortable when performing, but the first of the two songs in his mash-up didn't really work for me. You Spin Me Round was much better and it was a shame that he didn't just do this and skip Hung Up. As for Kitty this week, I also felt her performance fell a little flat. There is nothing better than a nice bit of Madonna, but Kitty murdered Like a Prayer. She doesn't have the best voice in the world, in particular her vibrato (the pleasant wobbly sound, for the uninitiated) is very forced and fast. It's distracting and I would much rather she just sang a clean note than force a vibrato. I also hated the staging. It annoys me a little that Kitty feels the need to prance around in her underwear every week. Having said that, she is a good commercial act, so the decision to keep her in over Johnny, was the right one. Part of me would rather have seen Johnny stay though.

Moving on to Kelly's lovely Girls, Janet was second in the line-up and committed the ultimate sin of performing - she forgot the words! Having said that, I strongly disagree with the feedback from the judges. I really enjoyed her performance. It was an excellent song choice that suited her quirky voice. I also loved the styling this week, with the softer make-up and hair. There's only one thing about Janet that continues to irritate me (and others that I know of) and it's her general attitude. She always seems miserable and the comment on the show about not wanting to dance because it detracts from the music is just pompous nonsense. I just wish she'd have a bit of fun for a change, because I want to have fun when I watch her. As for Misha B, now there's a girl who knows how to have fun on stage, and I always enjoy her performances. She did one of my favourite songs too - Proud Mary - and did a big song the justice it deserved. Win or not, Misha B is going to be an X Factor success story.

The other casualty in this week's double elimination was The Risk. After the last minute changes of the previous week, they were probably under the most pressure to bring it to the stage this week. The sad thing is that they did bring it. But unfortunately as successful as Night to Remember was as a performance, it just wasn't memorable. I had to go back and watch it YouTube to remind myself what they sung and it was only watching it back that I realised just how good it was. What a shame. But at this stage, every act has to do their best to stand out against the competition, because not doing so will cost you your place on the show, as it did for The Risk. The other remaining group in the contest, Little Mix, had a tough song, and if I'm honest, the vocal wasn't that great this week, it certainly wasn't as good as The Risk, so perhaps it's a bit unfair that they stayed and the boys went. However, I can't help but like them and, unlike The Risk, their performance was memorable. I do think they have a long way to go, I they want to survive future votes. Their harmonies are weak and when they sing in unison it's even worse because the sound is muddled and clashy (probably because they are not actually in unison, are supposed to be in harmony and there are harmonies on the backing). I love my Little Mix girls, but it's time for them to up their game.

Finally, the Boys - my favourite category! Craig Colton was a revelation this week. This should have been a weak theme for him, having stuck to ballads (and quite rightly, with that type of song being his strength), but the song really suited his voice and he looked so comfortable on stage, like he was having so much fun, it was infectious. I genuinely enjoyed the performance. It's getting to the stage where I can't wait to see what he pulls out of his bag of tricks next, and where I can't separate him an Marcus - surely they must both be headed for the Final. Speaking of Marcus, he was, as usual, superb this week. This is a guy I can get exited about. He's got a great voice, he'll have a go at anything and always puts in 100%. He's fun to watch, and really enjoys being on stage. Plus, he's really cute, although that is by no means the be-all of his charms. Once again, I can't wait to see what he will do next. Rather than Misha B, surely both Craig and Marcus are headed for great careers whether they win the competition or not.

As for Frankie (who gets a paragraph all of his own), what a naughty boy and what a vile performance. The least deserving of his place in terms of his vocal ability, I am glad that he's gone from the show, although I wish it had been by public vote and not because of his behaviour. I understand why Gary chose Frankie to go into the show, and I understand why he was still there, but his performance on Saturday was terrible. He was shouting rather than singing and was just walking around the stage rather than performing. The rumours that he was high at the time are hardly surprising. As for his behaviour, I hope that he will have learned from the experience. Considering the thousands of people that applied for X Factor, and the many hundreds of very talented people who weren't successful, rightly or wrongly, I can't help but feel that Frankie should have been more appreciative of the opportunity.

Thankfully, we have a chance to give one of the four acts that went out in Week 1 the opportunity to come back and be part of the X Factor again. Voting is open now and will close on Saturday during the live show (12th November some time after 8.15pm). You can vote for lovely Essex lasses, 2 Shoes (0901 616 1301), rock chick, Amelia Lily (0901 616 1302), curly-haired cutie, James Michael (0901 616 1303) or hunky hero, Jonjo Kerr (0901 616 1304). For more details and for call costs, click here. I'll be hoping that either 2 Shoes or Amelia Lily come back. I'd definitely like to see more of either of them.

Inevitably, there have been some people saying that the show should bring back Johnny, The Risk, or one of the other previously departed acts. However, it would be difficult to justify that to Ofcom, to whom ITV are accountable for their public telephone voting. The public have already voted against the acts that have gone in the past. I'm not sure what Ofcom rules are about it, but I'd bet it would be a headache for the broadcaster. In addition, some of the evicted performers have already made other commitments - Sophie Habibis, only one week out of the show, has been out and about quite a lot already, and will be at Birchwood Shopping Centre next Thursday (17th November) evening to sing and switch on the Christmas lights. Therefore, this lifeline to the initial four acts that were evicted seems like a good halfway house and I will welcome their return. I hope that whoever returns will be able to make something of this second chance.

NaBloPoMo Day 31 - Last One

2011-10-31T22:35:00.001Z

First... Happy Halloween... second... it's the last blog of NaBloPoMo 2011 and boy am I proud of my achievement. 31 straight days of blogging... and I even managed an extra one in there to boot. Hopefully this will set me up for my next challenge: NanoWrimo.

Yes, indeedy. Don't be expecting much in the way of blogs in November (although I still intend to do a weekly X Factor blog, and probably a Young Apprentice blog) because I will be slaving away over a hot keyboard, pull in together 50,000 words from the ether to form a - hopefully - cohesive novel. I already have my idea all planned out so, along with the daly blog in October, I feel quite well prepared, which is an improvement on last year when, at this stage, I didn't even have a title, never mind a clear idea about what I was writing or where it was going. C'est la vie.

So, wish me luck for November's challenge and thank you for indulging my random ramblings in October. It was fun (and surprisingly easy) to blog every day and I look forward to doing it again next year. And in the meantime if you hav enjoyed my NaBloPoMo, please makes sure to pay periodic visits to my homepage, or you can follow me on twitter.

NaBloPoMo Day 30 - X Factor Live Shows Week 4

2011-10-30T22:32:00.001Z

What a shocker! But that's the way of this show; sometimes contestants that have the potential to go all the way end up in the bottom two, and unfortunately, who stays and goes all depends on who they are up against in the showdown.

So let's start with the Girls category. It's a testament to the fact that Kelly is actively mentoring her acts, that her absence this week, showed in their performances. It's important to say that there really wasn't a bad performance this week, from any of the acts, but there are always weaker performances and Sophie was, for me, probably the weakest of the night. She didn't really do anything wrong, but it was a terrible song choice - many people have tried, and failed, to up date it but it doesn't seem to work without that old fashioned, Nancy Sinatra type of vocal. That mistake left Sophie exposed, and her song for survival wasn't very impressive either. Although I did love her man-chair. Where can I get one? Ahem... I also thought Janet was quite weak. I love the Miss Havisham vibe that the production team put into the staging and I appreciate what she tried to do with song. It was suitably atmospheric, particularly on the flattening of certain notes, but some songs shouldn't be messed with. I can't help but reflect, as well, that Janet needs to smile more. I understand how much pressure she's under and she's obviously had some personal distress as well, but performing is about putting on a show as much as it is about plugging into your emotions (and those of others) and she's such a talented and beautiful girl, it's a shame to see her constantly solemn. Finally, Misha B. The one act from the Girls category that I didn't expect to see in the bottom two. I always love her performances and this week was no different. I love how adventurous she is with the staging and costuming and I think she has an amazing voice. Having said that, I think this week was her worst performance so far. That isn't to say it was bad: it wasn't. I honestly think the only reason she made the bottom two was because of the little disruptive rap bit in the middle of her song. It was unnecessary and didn't really work for me. I can imagine others being really annoyed by it and in such a close competition, that's a dangerous thing to do.

Moving on, one of the acts that I did half-expect to see in the bottom two was The Risk. Opening the show is always difficult and always a disadvantage, because everyone else is compared to you. It is therefore vital to put in a performance that will blow everyone else out of the water. I didn't think The Risk's performance measured up to the task. Having said that, it's hard to put together a show-stopping performance in 24 hours, which is basically all they had left after Ashley's shock departure, and Ashford's return. Turning to Tulisa's other group, Rhythmix... I mean Little Mix, I really did enjoy their performance and I'm pleased that the name change didn't damage them this week. I thought their interpretation of Alien was excellent and the staging was stunning. As much as I have enjoyed their previous shows, it was nice to see something more grown-up from them this week.

So who was strongest this week? That's always a tough call and the competition is impossibly close this year, but I agree with Gary that the performance of the night was Craig Colton. It was a stunning version of Set Fire to the Rain and the energy he put in stamped his identity on a song that is already quite iconic. The staging, once again, was brilliant and made it a memorable performance. As far as the rest of the Boys category goes, I also loved Marcus. He's very natural on the stage - an art which eludes me and which I am very jealous of - and he had a great voice. I really enjoyed his interpretation of Superstitious and, if it had been my choice, that's what I would've liked to see opening the show. It actually got me grooving in my seat. Frankie was, once again, the weakest of the three boys. Having said that, I did enjoy his performance and it was a good song choice for him because it hides the weaknesses in his voice. He's not quite my cup of tea, though, and I would honestly have preferred to say goodbye to him than lose Sophie.

In the fourth and final category, the Overs, I much preferred Johnny's performance from last week, but the song choice this week really did show off his voice. I adore him and think he has great appeal. He'll get a career out of this, but he's not really X Factor and I fear that it is only a matter of time before he falls by the wayside. Until then, I'll continue to enjoy his performances and his infectious smile. Last of all, Kitty continues to trouble me. She is gradually winning me over with her performances and this week was no different. It was a great interpretation of Sweet Dreams that made it really contemporary. I think the less she tries to impress with her off-stage persona, and the harder she tries on the stage, the more successful she will be on the show. For the first time, I can see her lasting, but her position is still precarious.

So overall, I would personally have liked to see Frankie Cocozza go this week, if only for the fact that his general laddishness doesn't appeal to me and I think he's a terrible role model. (I sound so old!) I didn't surprise me that Sophie was in the bottom two, but I didn't think she deserved to go and Misha B shouldn't have been in the bottom two at all. I still think Misha B is a winner. I haven't really seen anyone surpass her yet, but Craig, Marcus, Janet and Kitty are all serious contenders.

NaBloPoMo Day 29 - Another day, another chance to sing

2011-10-29T23:49:00.002+01:00

This will probably be a fairly quick one, mainly because I need to get out with the dog and I want to finish watching X-Factor but I really wanted to mention a cool (in more ways than one) thing that I did today.

Today, England played Wales in the Rugby League Four Nations competition at the Leigh Sports Village. I, along with a bunch of my fellow Sing Live members were fortunate and honoured to have the chance to sing the national anthems on the pitch before the start of the match.

It was an early start, to get up, dog walked, both of us fed and watered, showered (that's me, not the dog), dressed and out the door to get to Pennington Flash before 9.30am. Arrival at the car park set the pattern for the day: standing around in the cold. We had a very successful rehearsal in the stadium - although the groundsman gave strict orders to stay off the pitch - and considering that it was the first chance we had to try the two anthems with the band and with each other, I think that on its own was an achievement. After some car moving and lunch, we had a blessedly warm practice in the dressing room and then lined up to go out on the pitch for the performance. Unfortunately the lining up was outside and it hadn't warmed up much since the morning, and then even when we got out on the pitch we were waiting for around twenty minutes before the actual singing. By the time we'd finished, I had cramp in one foot and in my hand but it was a great experience and I would do it again a million times... in fact I am doing it again in November in Hull for Wales v Australia.

Sure, there were a few issues surrounding car parking and I had to move my car a total of three times, and there really was a lot of standing around in the cold, but that can hardly be helped. Overall, it was a generally well organised day and we were provided with a really nice lunch and the people who looked after us we great and made sure we had everything we needed.The Welsh National Anthem is a beautiful melody and I thoroughly enjoyed learning and singing it. Although I think I'm going to have to find a harmony for the next time we do it because it's ridiculously high. And despite what people say, I think God Save the Queen is a stirring anthem and it's a pleasure to sing. The soloist was a lovely young singer named Megan Armstrong, who (I'm told) is the brother of a young rugby star. She was fantastic and has a stunning and powerful soprano voice and she looked amazing in a black sparkly number for the performance. And all of this was possible with Sing Live.

I know I've beaten this drum before, but I really do think that Sing Live is the best opportunity for ordinary people like me, who can hit a note, but have a thoroughly ordinary voice, to sing in brilliant venues and at big events like this. As my husband said earlier, this is the second time I have been on TV in just over a year. Short of getting on one of the talent contests (not going to happen!) how else would I get that chance?

NaBloPoMo Day 28 - Group Therapy

2011-10-28T23:37:00.000+01:00

It's all gone on in the X Factor house this week. At least for Tulisa's groups it has; it seems rather than going from strength to strength they are going from trauma to trauma.

Earlier this week, Stephen Fry tweeted a link to an open to Simon Cowell and his multi-million pound show from the organisers of a charity. The charity in question was called Rhythmix and works with young people in the South East of England. Their aim is to develop the kids' personal and social skills while encouraging creativity. They have reportedly worked with 40,000 young people in the twelve years since they were formed. When the X Factor four-piece girl group formed, they chose their name without knowing about the charity. When the Syco - Simon Cowell's production company - tried to trademark the name, the charity took action so they could continue to use their existing name. When the girls found out about it, they decided to change their name and this evening announced that, from this weekend, they will be known under the new name 'Little Mix'.

However, that's not the end of the changes. This evening, on twitter, The X Factor announced that four-piece boyband, The Risk, have lost one of their members. Ashley Baptiste, aged 22, said on twitter "I love The Risk to the core. I just know that I am not at the right place to commit fully." Rumour has it that Ashley still wants a solo career and was concerned about committing to the band, only to leave. Ashley has also struggled with illness during the live shows and last week appeared despite suffering from Laryngitis and Glandular Fever in the run up to the show. Rather than continue as a trio, the boys have petitioned X Factor hopeful, Ashford Campbell, who sang in the first and second live shows with rival group, Nu Vibe, to take Ashley's place.

It seems the Girls category is not short of their own problems this week as category mentor, Kelly Rowland has fallen ill during a trip to Los Angeles earlier in the week. A statement read "Kelly is devastated she won't be here for this weekend's show. She is extremely ill with a viral throat infection and her doctors aren't permitting her to fly." However, rumours abound that Kelly is considering quitting the show following accusations from Tulisa in last week's live show that one of Kelly's star acts, Misha B, had been bullying some of the other contestants.

Regardless of whether there is any truth to the rumours, the question is, how will this week's X Factor roller-coaster affect Little Mix, The Risk and three girls, Misha B, Janet Devlin and Sophie Habibis? Such upsets, if playing on the contestants' minds, could affect their performances, and The Risk in particular, face the challenge of bringing a new member up to speed in very short shrift. No wonder Gary is feeling confident for this week. And of course, the earlier controversy over fourth judge, Louis Walsh, is now forgotten. How convenient.

NaBloPoMo Day 27 - Sing Live

2011-10-27T23:57:00.000+01:00

I had two options for tonight's blog post. The only thing that prevented me from writing about Manchester City Council's proposals to close facilities at Heaton Park was the fact that I did a political post last night and I am trying hard to keep my blog more lighthearted during NaBloPoMo. Instead, I want to tell you all about one of my passions...

I joined Sing Live in 2009 to perform a concert of Big Band music. It actually seems like it's been much longer than two and a half years because I feel like it has been a long (although incredibly fun) journey between then and now. After that first concert I was privileged to join the company for the 10th Anniversary concert at the Royal Albert Hall, followed by Movie Musicals in February last year, the Beatles Story in June the same year, and then Magical Musicals in June this year. Last summer I also performed with Sing Live on the channel 5 TV show, Don't Stop Believing. Looking back, it's no wonder that it feels like more than a couple of years!

In case you haven't come across Sing Live before now, it is a company aimed at sharing the joy of singing with everyone. The founding principle is 'ordinary people doing extraordinary things in exciting places' and when I think, not just about the venues that I've performed in, but also the ones I haven't been able to join for (Disney World in Florida, Venice, Cruises and even The Vatican) that guiding idea is certainly coming true. Almost everyone I know within Sing Live is an amateur. We are literally ordinary people - very few are exceptionally talented, including me - but we get to sing in amazing places. And it isn't as if we're bad - we are skilled, disciplined and Sing Live concerts are always of the highest possible standard. There are no auditions to join, which means that whether you sing in public or just in the shower, you can participate, and the group environment is a great place to sing while feeling supported and safe.

When I think about my journey with Sing Live, that's exactly what I needed, especially at the beginning. I used to sing when I was in school, but hadn't done any singing (other than along with the car stereo) for well over 10 years. I have no illusions about my ability but I really felt, despite getting a lot out of singing, that I couldn't sing. I felt very out of practice and very unsure of myself. Over the course of the past couple of years, I have got back into the groove and grown in confidence. I've even tried out for solos, and recently started personal singing tuition to help me improve further. And all of that is down to the friendly, nurturing environment that Sing Live provides.

Our next concert starts rehearsing in early November and we will continue through until early February, when we perform at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester. If you are a frustrated (or not so frustrated) singer, come along to one of our preview nights next Wednesday or Thursday. If you don't want to sing, why not come to our concert. Even if you don't live in the Manchester area, Sing Live operates across the UK and also in Florida. More details available from the Sing Live website.

NaBloPoMo Day 26 - When does unfair become fair?

2011-10-26T23:58:00.003+01:00

On a day when British Prime Minister, David Cameron, should have is attention firmly squared upon the Eurozone crisis, a leaked report by Conservative donor, Adrian Beecroft, suggests that the government should repeal legislation that protects workers against unfair dismissal. The report, commissioned by David Cameron, suggests that employment law is holding back economic growth and that in order to encourage business, the laws should be scrapped. In the report, Beecroft says:

"Many regulations conceived in an era of full employment are designed to make employment more attractive to potential employees, That was addressing yesterday's problem. In today's era of a lack of jobs those regulations simply exacerbate the national problem of high unemployment." (Huffingtonpost.co.uk)

I fail to see how keeping someone in a job (whether they are lazy or otherwise) contributes to a problem of high unemployment.

Unemployment law in the UK is very detailed and sometimes complex, but if it is, that is because it has been honed to achieve the best balance between the employer and the employee. Having said that, the dismissal process is relatively straightforward, particularly for unproductive workers. How difficult is it to understand and implement a policy that is as simple as verbal warning, writing warning, final writing warning, out?

In my experience, all too often, unproductive workers are the result of the mismanagement of the employer. I have witnessed first hand an employee that literally sat with his feet up on the desk and got away with it over and over because the manager failed to follow the correct procedure for dismissal. Why did this happen? It wasn't because the law was ineffective, it was because the manager didn't want to deal with the problem and, when threatened by the employee (with an employment tribunal), didn't understand the process and the law enough to be confident to proceed.

While the employee must take responsibility for their own actions (or inaction), the employer must take responsibility for addressing those problems. Individuals must be given a fair opportunity to reverse the negative behavior and improve their performance. Existing laws ensure that all employees receive due process when being dismissed and that they have a right of appeal. Even with laws as they are now, anyone can be sacked for any reason; it's just a matter of cost!

I have also witnessed first hand someone being summarily dismissed because the manager wanted to replace them with a friend, so it's not as if unfair dismissal doesn't still happen, even with the laws in place.

If there was ever any doubt that the Tories have changed for the better, this report removes it in one fell swoop. They are the party of the rich and the party of business and they have once again demonstrated how, despite a young, fresh image, and a selection of moderate policies, the party is the same old wolf wearing the same old sheep-skin rug and hoping no-one will notice. But we have noticed.

I understand the motivation and I even understand the principles on which Conservative policies are founded - small government, less tax etc. But the problem with small government (ie. repealing laws and removing government and civil justice responsibility) is that it is always the guy at the bottom of the ladder that suffers. After all, shit falls downwards.

Beecroft goes on to say in the report that:

"The downside of the proposal is that some people would be dismissed simply because their employer did not like them," and adds "While this is sad I believe it is a price worth paying for all the benefits that would result from change." (Huffingtonpost.co.uk)

The unjust sacking of even one hard-working individual is a price that I am simply unwilling to pay. Mainly because that person could, one-day, be me. We need more job security in a recession, not less and I'm pretty sure if Beecroft or David Cameron had normal jobs, this idea would never have been thought of, never mind actually making it to consideration. .

NaBloPoMo Day 25 - Young Apprentice

2011-10-25T22:56:00.000+01:00

I'm a little behind with my blogs now - yesterday was X Factor, which should have been Saturday or Sunday, and today I'm going to write about something that was on TV yesterday - Young Apprentice.

Last year was the first time the BBC had tried the teen version of one of their most popular reality TV shows, The Apprentice. Then it was called 'Junior Apprentice', but the premise this year remains the same; take collection of precocious 16 and 17 year olds and put them through their paces on a range of tasks designed to test their teamwork, management and business skills. Each week, one of the hopefuls is 'fired' and sent packing. Up for grabs to the last one standing is a fund that will be invested in the winner's education and business.

Watching these kids, two things fascinate me. First, most of them have an entrepreneurial spirit and as a result have already started their own business despite being barely out of school. Most adults three times their age haven't achieved that. There's some definite educational high achievers too, with one lad this year achieving the joint highest result in his year in GCSE Economics in Northern Ireland. All of them have impressive CVs but the thing that really amuses me is that they are all clones of their adult counterparts.

Is it that the kids are particularly mature and that is reflected in their antics, or is it that the adults have never grown up and are still behaving like teenagers. In both shows there is bickering in abundance, plenty of tantrums and the biggest egos imaginable.

The first episode was excellent, with it being all too obvious which candidates were out of their depth. I'm already looking forward to the next one.

NaBloPoMo Day 24 - X Factor Live Shows Week 3

2011-10-24T23:44:00.001+01:00

What a week on X Factor. It is rare indeed that I don't watch the Saturday night show and have an act (or sometimes several) that I either think will go, or wish would go, particularly this early on. I felt that everyone put in a good performance and as a result, the show was a pleasure to watch. Here's a few thoughts on the four categories and this week's result.

The Boys category took the lead into the show this week with a tremendous opening from hairdresser, Marcus Collins. His vocal could have been stronger but I felt his performance was well rounded and, as always, his fantastic personality shone through. Frankie Cocozza was much better this week - wooing the ladies and getting rat-arsed obviously works for him. (Hrrrmmmm!) Frankie has the weakest voice of all the contestants (including many of those that have already gone) but his strength is his stage presence and 'cheeky lad' character. As long as he and Gary continue to play up to that he will be alright. Craig disappeared into the background a little this week and I felt he was somewhat at risk. He has a great voice and a lovely personality (he comes across as being very personable on Twitter - @CraigColtonUK) and when he has the right song he can really emote, but I can't help but feel that Rock Week isn't his gig.

The Girls category put in another solid performance this week. Janet brought a slightly insipid version of Sweet Child of Mine, but I can't fault her vocal. She was lacking a little bit of sparkle, but in the grand scheme of things she was still a joy to watch. Sophie is emerging as a potential dark horse now. She is starting to show a bit more of her gutsy personality, which is a pleasure to see. Her verson of Living on a Prayer was probably the best version of it, bar the original; I've heard it sung a lot of different ways, and I've head it murdered a lot of different ways, but Sophie's version was excellent. Of course (and this is the only sad thing) is that both Janet and Sophie, no matter how talented, pale in comparison to Misha B. The girl is a great character, a great performer, has a great look and a great brand. She's hard working, dedicated and has a genuine feel for 'the biz'. It's a sign of her threat to the other categories and contestants when Tulisa and Louis feel the need to character assassinate her, live on stage. More on that in a moment.

I felt that the weakest category overall this week was the Groups, although this was due in part to Tulisa not understanding the challenge (Has she never watched this show before????) and, certainly for The Risk, a weakened team through illness. I have enjoyed both groups in previous weeks but I thought that this week was Rhythmix's weakest performance vocally, but their song was rubbish and the vocal arrangement was a train wreck. Tulisa had better up her game next week if she doesn't want to lose her girls. The Risk were the beet of the two groups and the arrangement for Crazy was actually really quite inventive, although it lends itself to a four-part better than the Push It Mash-up that the girls had.

Finally, the Over 25s were super this week. Like Kelly, I think of Johnny as my guilty pleasure. I loved his performance this week (although it got a bit slap-dash at the end) and the styling this week was brilliant. The thing that really entertains me though is the banter with Gary. Long may it continue! Sami, I fear, was let down by her mentor. Why is it that Louis can't see past the cruise-ship/lounge singer styling and song choice. Sami has a belting voice and deserved a better shot than Louis was able to give her. I am disappointed that she suffered as a result. As for Kitty, my personal opinion of her hasn't changed. But like her or loathe her, she can sing and she can perform. I hate to say it, but I felt this week was her strongest performance to date and it put her right up there with the best acts on the night. I predict, however, that the public will not warm to her and she will fnd herself in the bottom two again. If she comes up against a more commercial and popular act, she will be out.

So, overall, an entertaining showcase of genuine talent. I found it hard to pick the loser this week and I was sad that it was Sami, particularly since I feel that she was not given the best chance of success because of her mentor. On that note, Louis is in hot water at the moment because of his accusation of bullying against Misha B, and rightly so. It was a terrible thing to say, especially for the sake of gaining an advantage over your competition. The press (and the public) are beying for blood and I tend to agree; Louis is past his sell-by date (it's nothing to do with his age, it's to do with his ability to mentor and judge the competition) and I would like to see him replaced. Rumours circulate that Simon Cowell could be returning, but I feel that would be a mistake. I would like to see a younger artist take Louis's place however my feeling is that it's not going to happen. We'll wait and see.

NaBloPoMo Day 23 - Occupy X

2011-10-23T23:21:00.001+01:00

Normally I would do some sort of X Factor blog (since I didn't do it last night) but today there is a bigger and much more inspiring story.

Today Libya celebrated its liberation from Gaddafi's dictatorship. It is a nation that has suffered under a brutal tyranny designed to entrench the leadership, and a people that for too long have been denied freedom. But today Libya is a nation that looks forward to the future and the hope of democracy. While the people remember their dead and the wounded recover, they are hopeful for better things; for simple things like the freedom to choose their leaders and freedom from the threat of death for descension. I celebrate the liberation of Libya and I celebrate the sacrifice that her people made to rebel against the rule of a corrupt man and his family.

How sad and how shameful that the Occupy protests that are taking place in London and cities in America should compare themselves with Libya and the Arab Spring.

I defend the right to protest and I applaud organisers of the OccupyLSX protest for how peaceful it has been. In recent years too many peaceful demonstrations have turned violent so it is a relief to see a well organised protest that is not aggressive in any way. However, I do take issue with this protest on a number of counts, the biggest of which is the association with the struggle of other nations where liberty and freedom are just words in a dictionary. If they think their campaign has any similarities with that of the Arab Spring, they need a wake-up call. Perhaps they should go a volunteer in Libya to get a taste of what revolution is really like.

These protests are Anti-Capitalist, Anti-Establishment, and Nihilistic. They offer no solution, no programme or suggestion for reform and many of the interviews that I have seen have revealed protestors views and reasons for joining in to be naive at best. It saddens me that these people can't see how fortunate they are. Here's a crazy idea, guys, why don't you get involved in politics - become a Local Councillor or an MP - and try to change society for the better? Or is that too much like hard work?

NaBloPoMo Day 22 - The Black Lion

2011-10-22T22:40:00.001+01:00

So, NaBloPoMo day 21... that's three weeks... only another week and a bit and it'll be Nanowrimo and I'll really have my work cut out for me!

Before I get into tonight's blog proper, a quick mention for my colleague and friend, Liz Kirk, who is 26 today. Happy Birthday, Road Safety Princess.

Another landmark event that happened today was me reading my local paper. It doesn't happen often; mostly when I have time (rare) and hubby hasn't already eaten it (even more rare). There was one story in particular that caught my attention. It was a little story written by my favourite journalist, Pamela Welsh, and it was about a local pub.

The Black Lion on Chapel Street in Salford closed last year. The ailing venue was bought by a local film company, FutureArtists, and re-opened at the end of September. The new owners invested £4,000 to revamp the pub and have not only breathed new life into a local watering hole, they have als created a venue fo local performers, artists and musicians. Work from local artists will be exhibited in the bar while upstairs will be transformed into a cinema, which will open next month, to show the films of FutureArtists and other local film-makers.

This is fantastic news. What an innovative idea to benefit the community and independent businesses, performers and artists. Well done to FutureArtists and to the pub landlord, Barry Phillips. I hope that this is a successful venture. Hubby and I will certainly be supporting it and I hope that others will do the same.

You can see what's on at the FutureArtists website.

NaBloPoMo Day 21 - Corrie

2011-10-21T23:41:00.001+01:00

I admit it. I watch a lot of television. In fact, I would wager that I watch too much television. But it has been said (by Liz at work) "Do you watch any TV?" mainly because I don't watch soaps. It's a fact that the TV that I choose to watch, althoughly hugely popular, has more of a niche appeal that the stuff that most of my colleagues are in to.

However, tonight, while sharing a take out with my 'sistah from another mistah', I watched Coronation Street and actually really enjoyed it.

I don't really know why I never bothered with Corrie. Eastenders is too depressing, Hollyoaks is too young and pretty, Emerdale is too... well let's put it this way, I have concerns for the wellbeing of the sheep. But Corrie is friendly, it's neighbourly (being set in Salford, where I live) and it's familiar. My Nanna used to watch it religiously and the theme tune is something I grew up with that still creates a little warm feeling when I hear it. So many great actors and actresses have come through the show, including the wonderful Betty Driver, who passed away last weekend.

Of course, the acting is a little ropey in places and the dialogue is somewhat tedius at times, but it has emotion and, more importantly, a sense of humour.

It was pleasant entertainment and, while I don't think I am going to start watching it regularly, like my Nanna used to, I was impressed by how comfortable it was to watch and surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I may have to start paying a little bit more attention.

NaBloPoMo Day 20 - Top Tens

2011-10-20T23:57:00.001+01:00

It's one of those things that we all do - say that such and such is in our top ten favourite whatevers - but I for one have never actually articulated any top ten list at all. We were talking about it at work this morning, so I thought (as I need to throw together a super-fast blog tonight because I have bee otherwise engaged) that I would have a bash at articulating my top ten favourite movies.

These are in no particular order, mainly because I could't possibly put them in any actual order. They are the films that I can watch over and over until my eyes bleed and still come back looking for more

1 - "NASA, you have a problem..." My first selection is Armageddon. I could be in this film, I've watched it that many times. I love the emotional roller coaster (the script takes you very quickly from high to low and back to high again, which makes it a lot of fun to watch) and I love the characters. It's filled with great action and special effects but it has a heart. Plus it's cheesy as hell (all those American flags in the backgrounds) and has some of the most memorable dialogue ever: "This is one order you shouldn't follow and you f**king know it!".

2 - I love cars and this next movie does a lot of the same things for me as Armageddon. It's Gone in Sixty Seconds (the remake). This is also a film with compelling charaters, plenty of heart and some really memorable dialogue. Plus it has some beautiful cars in it.

3 - "Give me a ping, Vasili. One ping only." Who would not include The Hunt for Red October? It's a riveting film that still keeps me glued to my seat despite having seen it hundreds of times. None of the other Jack Ryan films have ever come close to getting into my Top Ten but this one's been here since forever.

4 - My nod to Jane Austen in my Top Ten is Sense and Sensibility (with Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson). Sense and Sensibility is my favourite Jane Austen story, although I have enjoyed most of the ones I've read. I went to see this at the cinema and I was impressed as much by the acting and the script as by the camera work, which is just pure artistry.

5 - Dirty Dancing. There's isn't a woman alive in the UK (of my sort of age at least) that wouldn't include this in her Top Ten. For girls my age, it's the original love story and it has a brilliant soundtrack. This film still has the ability to make me cry like a little girl at the end when Baby does the lift.

6 - I was going to include a chick-flick here (because there are so many that I love) but eventually had to surrender to the call of Walt Disney. My all time favourite Disney movie is Beauty and the Beast. It was the one that really introduced me to Disney movies, because I hadn't been that bothered about them before that. I have some special memories that I associate with this too, so into the Top Ten it goes.

7 - It's time to incude some of the movies I love from my childhood. I was divided between including Home Alone, Tron and WarGames. I have eventually had to go for Home Alone because it's the quintessential Christmas movie for me and it just isn't Christmas without it. (Incidentally, I have never seen any of the sequels to Home Alone. And I never will!)

8 - Star Trek (the new one with Chris Pine and Zach Quinto). What a stunning interpretation of a classic sci-fi series. Despite having new acors, new effects, new writers an people working behind the scneses that hadn't previously been involved with the original series, the movie captured the essence of the series and the characters and it did so with a feather-light touch.

9 - I really wanted to include a past Star Trek movie to balance the inclusion of the contemporary one, but I just don't have the space for it because I have to include American Beauty. I have loved this film from the first time I saw it and I can still watch it now and be as enchanted by it as I was then. I don't think it will ever drop off my Top Ten because it is still as fresh and compelling for me now as it was twelve years ago.

10 - Finally, a truly modern classic, Inception. I don't know how it must feel to create something this good on your first time out. How the hell do you top something like this? Christopher Nolan created something so awesome and unique, he could retire now and still be proud of his accomplishments.

What are you favourite flicks and why? Do they touch you, inspire you, or do that remind you of something or someone special?

NaBloPoMo Day 19 - To eBook or not to eBook

2011-10-19T23:51:00.001+01:00

Day 19 already. Nearly three weeks. Very exciting. However, for the first time since the beginning of NaBloPoMo, I found myself at a bit of a loss on what to write about, so I sought inspiration on the NaBloPoMo website in the list of prompts. I had to go back to July or August but it was the first one that captured my imagination.

Paper books or eBooks?

There is no doubt that the Sony Reader, the Kindle, the iPad and the various other tablet and e-reader devices are clever pieces of kit - I have written every one of this months blog posts on my iPad and use it for all my notes, outlines and writing. But there's something about a book.

In the same way that physically writing is different from typing, reading on a screen is a different experience to reading an actual book. There's something about holding a book, feeling it's weight and size, the smell of the pages and that sound as you turn a page; it's all part of the experience of reading. A book is warm and friendly and there's nothing quite like a dog-eared copy that has been read over and over, where you can see in every crease and worn edge, how much the reader has appreciated it. An e-reader is cold, mechanical and emotionless and can never tell it's own story the way a physical book can. A book is a doorway to another world, an e-reader is a tool to be used.

You might think this is odd coming from someone who is a self-confessed iFan, but writing is a different process for me than reading and therefore the way that I choose to engage with that process is different. Reading is all about enjoyment for me. When I read I like to become absorbed. I don't analyse, I don't examine and I don't question, I simply let the prose lead me and I obediently follow. When I'm writing, it's work. It's work I enjoy, but it's work. My mind is busy, looking for opportunities to explore, sewing seeds and weaving threads together. When I write, I'm in the driver's seat. It's a more analytical process and a more active one. As a writer, there are occasions when I want to be free of my digital chains, and that's when I put pen to paper in a leather journal I keep for the purpose. In it you will find ideas, random thoughts, snippets of songs, poetry and prose that catch my attention, and general ramblings.

For me, both reading and writing are quite romantic and artsy, but where reading is an entirely romantic experience, writing has a second facet which I think of as 'productive writing'. There's a place for e-readers; it's easier to take a loaded iPad on a two week holiday rather than a stack of 7 novels, and I acknowledge that some people will not romanticise reading as I do, but there will always be books in my house, and I will always prefer to read a printed novel over a digital copy.

NaBloPoMo Day 18 - The Secret Circle

2011-10-18T23:55:00.001+01:00

I'm not usually a soap opera or teenage drama fan. I give things like Hollyoaks a wide berth and generally avoid anything in which the key characters are likely to be students at a school. But every now and again something comes along that is worth dipping a toe in the water.

The Secret Circle follows the misadventures of a group of six teenagers. However, in true dramatic fashion, these are no ordinary, angsty, acne riddled teenagers; these six kids are witches.

Following the death of her mother, gorgeous supermodel teenager number 1 (henceforth referred to as 'Cassie') is orphaned and moves in with her grandmother. At her new school, in the small town of Chance Harbour, she encounters a clutch of bad-eggs who, it turns out aren't all bad, but are witches and revel that she also has the power to make stuff explode, set fires and make it rain (or not), both in the traditional direction and also the opposite one. The kids are struggling to expand and control their abilities while Cassie struggles to come to terms with what she has learned about herself and her family. Meanwhile, some adult witches, that have had their power stripped away by the previous generation following a horrific accident, are scheming to get their powers back, and it involves Cassie and the Circle.

I didn't watch the series right away but I'd seen the ads and it look interesting so I recorded it and watched the first three episodes virtually back to back. The Secret Circle is everything a drama aimed at teenagers and young adults should be - there's the angst, the struggle to find oneself, the effort to be independent, the self discovery, and of course, deserving of as much ridicule as one can possibly muster, everyone is skinny and attractive and the teenagers all look about 20 years old. However, all of the typical themes and plot points are very carefully and cleverly woven in with the magical elements to make the situation seem both extraordinary and entirely normal at the same time and, in that respect, it reminds me very much of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

The characters are interesting and satisfyingly flawed, which makes them accessible to the audience. They are thrown together and made to rely on each other despite not really liking each other, which has introduced plenty of conflict; even by episode three, there are already two love triangles established, which is impressive considering the relatively small cast. The back story is intriguing, mainly because it is only really hinted at beyond establishing the key facts, but this aone gives plenty of scope for development and exploration. There is certainly plenty of potential. My hope is that the writing is able to find the right groove for such complex cocktail. Of the first three episodes, the second was probably the weakest, as Cassie spent two thirds of it running out rooms and away from people. So far the writing hasn't quite managed to find that groove, but it isn't far off.

Admittedly, this will not be a show that will have wide appeal (and that may cost it in the long run), but if you enjoyed Buffy the Vampire Slayer, this will probably be right up your street.

NaBloPoMo Day 17 - Dan Wheldon

2011-10-17T22:09:00.001+01:00

Yesterday evening, Dan Wheldon, along with 33 other drivers, were preparing for the Las Vegas Indycar 300 - the season finale. In the very early hours of this morning I heard the news that a crash involving almost half those drivers had resulted in the death of Wheldon.

The accident began when the cars of Wade Cunningham and JR Hildebrand made contact with each other in the middle of the pack. The initial crash left a field of debris and pall of smoke that obscured the view of passing drivers. As they tried to negotiate the initial accident site, other cars made contact, exacerbating the problem. Dan Wheldon, traveling at an estimated 200 mph, hit the car of Paul Tracy and went airborne. Wheldon's car hit the catch fence at the edge of the track and the roll hood, designed to protect the driver, was sheared off. Despite being airlifted to hospital, the sad news that he had passed away came a couple of hours later.

I have seen the footage of the accident replayed on the news today and the accident can only be described as chaos. As a long-standing fan of Formula 1, however, something stood out for me and that was how, in the blink of an eye, such a relatively minor incident snowballed into something horrific. Compare this with some of Formula 1's most serious accidents of the past few years - the accident involving Sergio Perez at the Monaco Grand Prix this year, springs immediately to mind - and what strikes you is how much safer Formula 1 is.

In the 61 year history of Formula 1 there have been only 47 driver fatalities, with 15 of those in the first decade, only two fatalities in the last twenty years and a total of 6 fatalities behind the wheel in the latter half of the sport. The last driver fatality in Formula 1 was the great Ayrton Senna at the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994. Roland Ratzenberger also died that weekend during qualifying; it was only his third F1 race. In response to those deaths, Formula 1 worked to ensure that similar accidents would not result in fatalities in the future.

The Indycar Racing League has only been in formal existence since the mid-nineties, with a six year hiatus in between, yet there have been four fatalities with three of them since the sport restarted ten years ago. Crashes in Indycar are more frequent and more violent, and, while no-one wants to witness the death of a driver, there is a school of thought that suggests it is the spectacular crashes that blood-thirsty audiences come to see. There may be some truth to this, but that shouldn't make it acceptable.

Of course, the comparison between F1 and Indycar is somewhat spurious. Indycar is a sport in its relative infancy, enjoying only a few years of active racing to develop technology and improve safety. But it is a sport that, like F1 before it, must learn from its past. Already the critics of the sport are calling for a ban for being 'too dangerous'. I will never be a supporter of a ban on Indycar, or any other motorsport, however, the sport has a duty to make itself safer.

Improving driver safety doesn't necessarily mean eliminating accidents (although reducing speeds and making cars more stable at high speed would probably be a part of it). When you look at this particular accident there are two things that would have made it both less serious and more survivable. The initial contact caused both debris and smoke - a deadly combination to vehicles traveling at speed. Had there been less debris, perhaps there would have been fewer cars involved and had there been less (or no) smoke, perhaps Paul Tracy would not have had to slow or if he had, perhaps Wheldon might have seen him slowing and avoided the impact. F1 cars are now designed to sustain damage to certain areas while cocooning and protecting the driver. Similar developments to Indycar could have prevented much of the debris and also limited fire and therefore smoke, and I am convinced that the roll hood of an F1 car would never be damaged like that of Wheldon's car, and this alone might have been enough to save his life.

While researching this blog post, I came across a quote that really puts the attitude of Indycar into the spotlight. Prior to the start of the race, Dan Wheldon signed a multi-year deal to replace Danica Patrick driving for Andretti Autosport, as she makes the move to Nascar. Following the accident, Michael Andretti said, "But it's part of our sport. He knew the risks; we all know the risks when we get in the car. It probably touches me a little more because of everything that was going on. It's a terrible thing, but unfortunately in our sport we've had a lot of days like these. They suck, but that's the way it is."

It's absolutely right that the drivers know and accept the risks of motorsport when they get in the car - the same is true for all branches of motorsport - but that doesn't make fatalities any less tragic or any more acceptable and it worries me that American motorsport seems to accept fatal accidents as an inevitability.

Dan Wheldon died aged just 33. In a motorsport career spanning ten years, he celebrated 16 victories and a further 27 podium finishes. He won the Indycar championship in 2005 driving for Andretti Autosport, and achieved two highly coveted Indianapolis 500 wins, including the 2011 race. Before today, few Brits will have known his name, but he was born in Emberton in Buckinghamshire. He lived in Britain for over twenty years, before moving to the States in 1999 to pursue a professional motorsport career. It was only a matter of finance that saw him cross the Atlantic; in slightly different circumstances, he could have been competing alongside Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton. He is survived by his wife, Susie, and two sons, Sebastian and Oliver. My thoughts and sympathies are with his family and friends today and it is my hope that his death will eventually be the catalyst that improves the safety of his sport. But for now, lets celebrate a bright career and a life spent doing what he loved. Whether you agree with my thoughts or not, one thing is certain: Dan Wheldon would not wish this accident to be the used to call for a ban.

NaBloPoMo Day 16 - Open Mic Night

2011-10-16T23:29:00.001+01:00

Tonight I had the privilege to watch and here some of Greater Manchester's (and some from further afield) best performers.

I was there supporting my friend, Kirsty, who is a superb performer with a belting voice (you can see another of her competition-winning performances here). Tonight she gave a flawless rendition of "On My Own" from Les Miserables, which is one of my favourite songs. She looked fabulous too, in a stunning electric blue dress.

Most of the performers tonight were very impressive but two (apart from Kirsty, of course) stood out from the rest. Eli Cripps, a young woman with a lovely tone in her voice, gave a great performance that struck a fine balance between attitude and cocky. It was lively and fun and very enjoyable. The other notable performance of the night was from a group of three young lads; Hip Hop Disciples. They were by far the best performers of that particular genre and really deserve some recognition.

Sadly, Kirsty didn't quite make the cut tonight, but it is certainly not a negative reflection on her talent or skill as a performer. Well done to her on a great performance and to those who were successful.

This is my first encounter with the Open Mic UK competition and it is worthy of support, offering help and exposure to performers across the UK. For more information, visit the website: www.openmicuk.co.uk

NaBloPoMo Day 15 - X Factor Live Shows Week 2

2011-10-15T23:47:00.001+01:00

It was a great show tonight and I had that rare pleasure of watching live - ordinarily I record it and watch it back the next day to spare hubby the 'pain' of having to sit through it but there was nothing else on so I won... DEFAULT DEFAULT DEFAULT!

I think tonight's show demonstrated just how strong the field is this year. In past years there has always been a mish-mash of talent when it comes to the first couple of live shows, mostly, I think, due to the pressure. This year, however, there is plenty of talent on display and it is actually very refreshing.

The Groups opened the show this week with one of the weakest performances of the night from boy-band, Nu Vibe. Louis nick-named them No Vibe, which, despite their decidedly average performance, is a bit unfair. They were much improved on the previous week and it was easy to see why they had got through. However, it was just an average performance when taken in context and opening the show is always the worst slot, so I fear they will be in the bottom two, and will probably be going home tomorrow night. Of the other two groups, The Risk put in another solid performance, although the start of their number was a little dodgy. I wasn't sure whether it was the vocal or that the sound balance was off. But even so, it was a good performance. Rhythmix were the stand-out act in the group category for me. These four girls look great, sound great and do something a little bit different from the usual girl-band type of stuff. They feel fresh and new without being weird. They're comfortable on stage and so that makes them easy to watch. For the first time ever, I have voted in the first show and I voted for these girls. I'd like to think that's a sign that they are something special.

I think the Girls category was probably the strongest overall tonight. Misha B is a genuine pop-star. She has the look, the personality and above all the voice to be something really special but she is humble with it. It's like she knows she's good, but that she relies on the goodwill of others to carry her, and she's OK with that. Janet Devlin put in another lovely performance tonight too. She has a beautiful voice that is unique, which makes her ideal as a recording artist. She was a little downbeat in her performance, and her personality didn't come through, but I think that's to be expected due to the bereavement. What a little trooper. Finally, Sophie Habibis is the big question mark for me. When I hear her sing, I think she could be the dark horse and sneak up on this contest. Normally, this would be the kind of contestant that lingers in the background for a few weeks and then suddenly shines and goes on to be very successful. However, I wonder how much time she has. The competition is tough this year.

The Boys category also had some highs and lows for me. Lets talk about Frankie Cocozza. I completely understand why he's there, and I do agree that he deserves it because he knows how to put on a good show. But the song choice this week left him completely exposed. He was uncomfortable (probably due to the late change) and although it was a song that suited his vocal, it's also one that is impossible for him to hide in. The weaknesses in his voice were all too obvious and I wonder if he will survive. Both Marcus and Craig put in great performances tonight. They are strong contenders and I hope they both stay for a few more weeks at least.

Finally, the Over 25s category. This is still a category that is suffering rather than benefiting from Louis's guidance. Sami was first up with her stunning diva voice, but the song was hopeless. The problem with a song as iconic as 'I Will Always Love You' is that it is impossible to make it sound anything other than a cover of Whitney and it's so rooted in pop-culture that it shows it's age. Of course, Sami nailed it and made it appear effortless, so that should see her through but I hope that Louis starts listening to some contemporary music to find her something better for next week. Johnny is my guilty pleasure in this contest. Far from being the light entertainment like Jedward were, he has talent and he puts on a show. He didn't get great comments and I know he has his haters, but I love him to bits. Now... Kitty... her performance tonight was flawless. She took another old and iconic song but did make it a bit different and I thought her stage presentation was brilliant. Having said that, I find her so utterly fake that I can't believe her or her performance. I find her cocky and arrogant, and I actually wouldn't mind that (because the world is full of cocky an arrogant people and she has incredible talent, so would perhaps, be justified in her cockiness and arrogance) but she tries to hide it. She stands on the stage trembling and meekly thanking the judges for their comments, but it's a lie. You can see it in her eyes.

So, my prediction for the bottom two is Nu Vibe for sure and maybe Kitty, just because the public aren't warming to her. It should probably be Nu Vibe and Frankie Cocozza, but I can't see that happening. Marcus could be at risk, because I'm not are how strong his following is. I would be genuinely surprised if it was anyone else in the bottom two. I think Nu Vibe are going home tomorrow night. I still think Misha B could win this year. In the meantime, I will be looking forward to more from the girls and from Rhythmix in particular.

NaBloPoMo Day 14 - I Spy

2011-10-14T21:32:00.001+01:00

This evening, still feeling pretty terrible, I indulged in Sky 1's Comedy Friday. They aired a new TV show titled 'Spy'.

The show tells the story of Tim (Darren Boyd - The Green Wing) who is a bit of a bungling idiot. He's been working at the same dead-end job for seven years until he suddenly decides to quit, in order to win the respect of his son. He goes to a recruitment day for a civil service data processing job and is accidentally recruited as a spy working for MI5.

It's not a bad little sit-com. It certainly has some potential. The character of Tim is fairly charming and his situation has plenty of potential laughs. The MI5 recruiter als has a lot of promise. Played by the wonderful Robert Lindsay, who is evey bit a proper actor having fun in the role. However, Tim's son Marcus is truly terrible. It seems that the writers may have been aiming for the precocious child intelligence that has made BBCs 'Outnumbered' such a success. I'm not sure whether it's the writing, or whether actor Jude Wright has just failed to achieve the innocence of his Outnumbered contemporaries, but the character is, for me at least, a complete failure, so much so that I am unsure whether to stick with it for the remaining five episodes.

NaBloPoMo Day 13 - Is There a Doctor in the House?

2011-10-13T23:10:00.001+01:00

I have a few TV series that are true favourites. I love good drama and compelling characters. I like my dialogue clever and fast-paced, so my all time favourite show is The West Wing. My second favourite show is House.

Years ago, when I was writing fan-fiction in college, hubby - who wasn't hubby then - dreamed up a character that was instantly a favourite. He was a dysfunctional doctor with an alcohol problem and a terrible bedside manner but skilled and talented in his work. When House hit our screens it was like seeing that character brought to life in front of my eyes.

As time has passed, the series has achieved some highs and some lows. Last season plodded a bit, but the show has never shied away from tackling difficult and complex subjects including suicide, mental illness, drug abuse, medical ethics and the fine (and sometimes not so fine) line between right and wrong.

It has a great cast, great scripts and great stories. I highly recommend it (start with the early episodes/seasons) and you'll probably be addicted before long.

NaBloPoMo Day 12 - Alexi Murdoch

2011-10-12T23:59:00.001+01:00

His music is generally unappreciated but it is his album, Time Without Consequence, is the last thing I listen to at night and the first music I listen to in the morning. It's a relaxed, laid back style of music, but for all its gentleness, is no less complex than any other great music.

Time Without Comsequence is a delicate mix of guitar, piano/keyboard, and drum work with meaningful lyrics and a simple vocal that is complimentary to the music. It has modern folk vibe, a little like Newton Faulkner in some respects, although more heartfelt with less sass.

My favourite track on the album is Breathe, which curiously enough, just started playing as I typed this. It's charming and lyrical with a catchy chorus that I find utterly irresistible.

I first came across the album through Prison Break - I forget which season - when the track 'Home' was used in a suicide scene. It's a strange combination, but one that genuinely works to give the scene the impact that it deserved. Tracks from the album were also used on the soundtrack to the movie 'Away We Go' starring Maya Rudolph (Bridesmaids) and directed by Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Revolutionary Road) and while I don't much care for the movie because I find it a little aimless in terms of the plot, Alexi Murdoch's music is the perfect partner to the movie's best scenes.

Alexi Murdoch was born in London and raised in Scotland. He now lives in New York and has a small house on the west coast of Scotland. The irony is, despite the fact that he is a UK born artist that still bases himself here at least some of the time, when I bought the CD album for my Dad, I had to import it from the US. He is, however, available on iTunes, so why not check him out.

NaBloPoMo Day 11 - Queasy

2011-10-11T23:02:00.001+01:00

There are few things worse than feeling queasy. Knowing that you are going to be physically sick but feeling it anyway. Trying to get on and do things when you feel like that, lying on the sofa feeling sorry for yourself while thinking of all the things you need to do. Ugh!

The problem is that you are not quite ill enough to stop you doing anything, but you feel too sick to do much. The result is that you only do what you absolutely have to and feel guilty about everything else.

At least I have movies to take my mind off it.

Scott Pilgrim tonight, followed by Gone in 60 Seconds. I've only seen Scott Pilgrim once before but it's a fast favourite with me. I love its character and style. It's a comic book brought to life that doesn't fall back on the usual comic book style. It's an individual and, I suspect, one of those things that is lightning in a bottle; I'm certain that others will try to copy or recreate it without success.

As for Gone in 60 Seconds, I have seen it so many times that I could be in it. I'm a big fan of Jerry Bruckheimer, whose Producer credits also include dozens of great movies like Top Gun, Con Air and Armageddon. Like those other flicks, Gone in 60 Seconds is fast-paced, action-packed fun with a good story and superb performances. It's hard to believe that it's already an eleven year old movie. May it still be such a good watch in another couple of decades.

So, as the film is just getting to the good bit, I will doze off and leave you with these two movie recommendations. If you haven't checked them out already, do!

NaBloPoMo Day 10 - X Factor Live Show Week 1

2011-10-10T22:51:00.001+01:00

If there is any doubt, I love X Factor. It's one of the few talent show / reality show type of programme that I watch, yet I have stuck with it since the second year. Religiously.

I really enjoyed the shows this weekend. Despite initial concerns, I love the new judges; they each have a refreshing air of honesty about them and it's nice to see evidence in the VTs of them actually mentoring their acts. However, I wish they'd binned Louis Walsh as well. The only thing he adds to the show is his hackneyed catchphrase book ("You belong on that stage"... "You could win the X Factor"... "You look like a popstar") and a catalogue of dated music; sometimes he even manages to make his acts dated when doing current stuff. I really don't know how he does it.

The field is also strong this year with several potential winners. It is, of course, always hard to tell how things will play out with so much depending on what happens in the press and whether there are any shocks in the public vote, but even at this stage, I think we're looking at a winner in the girls category. All four performers were excellent on Saturday night and I'm sure it was a tough decision for Kelly. Despite a stunning vocal, I expected her to send home Sophie Habibis - as the least distinctive of the four Girls, I fearthat she will fall foul of the public vote sooner rather than later - but I can't say that I'm disappointed that she stayed. It was a shame to reject Amelia Lily, who opened the show with a strong performance, but at 16 and with her talent, she should have plenty of opportunities ahead of her. In the Girls category, Misha B was the stand-out performance for me. And it's rare for me to enjoy a cover of an iconic song like Rolling in the Deep.

I was unsurprised at the result in the Boys and the Over 25s category. In the Boys category, while James Michael had more potential, he bottled it on the night and put in a weak performance. It was a bad call to start with a Beatles song on opening night and when compared with good performances from Frankie Cocozza (even though that breathy thing was really irritating), Marcus Collins and a stand-out effort from Craig Coltan, it was inevitable that James would be the one to fall.

The Over 25s category is the weakest this year (and indeed, it's the weakest Overs category I've seen for several years). Sami Brooks has a great vocal but I can't see her competing for long. Kitty Brucknell is a great entertainer but the public don't like her. She will inevitably be in the bottom two for week after week and constantly get saved before the judges finally let her go. Until then she will be the contestant that everyone loves to hate. Johnny Robinson is adorable and I'm so glad he's made the cut. His performance on Saturday was very average but he's such a character and a pleasure to see. Although I genuinely liked Jonjo Kerr, I felt that his performance was boring and lacked sparkle. He wasn't ready for the live shows and it was right that he should go.

My big disappointment in the result came from the Groups category. I rath enjoyed The Risk and Rhythmix. Although I don't find them all that distinctive in the wider market place they have talent and are appealing acts. The other two groups stood out in the category for me: Nu Vibe for all the wrong reasons and 2 Shoes for all the right reasons. I thought Nu Vibe were terrible and by far the weakest performance of the whole night, while I love the fun and cheeky character of the 2 Shoes girls. I enjoyed the performance, even if the song sounded a little odd without the other 3 parts that it was originally written for, so I was very disappointed that they were the ones that went home and not Nu Vibe. I can only assume that the pregnancy was an issue for the show and hope that the girls will be back next year

So overall, a great start to this year's live shows. My early (and I emphasise that this is EARLY) prediction is a winner from the Girls. At this stage, my Monopoly money is on Misha B with Frankie Cocozza the runner up. But it could all change and I can't wait for next week.

TV Review: Terra Nova "Genesis Part 1 & 2"

2011-10-10T09:00:00.000+01:00

With the Steven Spielberg name attached along with some fairly serious acting talent, dinosaurs, time travel and rumours of a budget numbering in the millions per episode, Terra Nova seems like it might be the next big thing. It promised so much, yet series opener "Genesis" delivered so little.

The episode opens with a CGI ariel sweep across a smog-filled dystopian cityscape as the audience is introduced to the swiss-family Shannon: dad, Jim (Life on Mars actor, Jason O'Mara), mum, Elisabeth (Shelley Conn), and their three children, Josh, Maddy and Zoe. However, the happy family is quickly torn apart in an altercation with the authorities; Zoe, the youngest Shannon sibling, is 'illegal' according to a limit on the number of children per family. Two years later, Jim is in prison and the family faces permanent separation as Elisabeth has been recruited to join Terra Nova - a colony living 85 billion years in the past. Not only must she leave her husband but also her illegal youngest child. Some mild action ensues and ultimately the family is reunited in the past.

The idyllic Terra Nova colony is run by Commander Nathaniel Taylor (Stephen Lang - Conan the Barbarian (2011), Avatar) who welcomes the newcomers with a stirring speech. The family starts to settle into their new life consisting of light, space and wholesome hard work. But paradise is not as perfect as it seems, with dangers and mysteries lurking in the jungle.

Like a new-born Bambi struggling to find his feet, Terra Nova stumbles clumsily to establish the characters and the rules of the fictional world they inhabit. The imprisonment of Jim and the resulting jail-break is tagged on simply to make the family's transit to the past more dramatic, yet an exploration of how the family might feel conflicted about going back in time is almost completely ignored, with only a fleeting goodbye between the eldest son, Josh, and his girlfriend to hint that it is anything other than an easy decision. As a result, "Genesis Part 1" falls flat and seems like an uncessary afterthought that represents opportunities missed in the rush to get to 'the dinosaur bit'.

"Genesis Part 2" is somewhat more successful, hinting at possible future plot developments and introducing 'The Sixers', a band of rebels who were once part of the Terra Nova colony, that have struck out on their own. There is a suggestion too, that Commander Taylor knows more than he is revealing and that there is a wider mystery to be solved. "Part 2" also introduces some potentially intriguing characters, including the leader of The Sixers, Mira (Christine Adams - The Whole Truth, TRON: Legacy), and Skye, a young independant loner who lost her family to illness after coming to Terra Nova. To its detriment, however, the second episode continues some of the awkward storytelling of the first, as the audience is subjected to a chain of trite scenes, including the 'stroppy teen' scene and the 'feeding the Brachiosaur' scene. These meaningless, off-the-shelf storytelling modules occupy screentime that would have been better spent giving explanations for some of the characters' actions: even by the end of the second episode, it's unclear why a Jim and Elisabeth Shannon, a respected police officer and successful doctor, would break the law and have their third child. My only hope is that this, and other unanswered questions, might be explored in later episodes.

There are also a few wider problems that go beyond plot and characterisation. Unfortunately, Jurassic Park is so ingrained into pop-culture that it dominates the sub-genre. As a result, it's difficult to watch Terra Nova without expecting Jeff Goldblum to coming running out of the tree line with a flare in his hand. In addition, while Stephen Lang is an accomplished actor, in the same way that the ghost of Jurassic Park is ever-present, so the spectre of his character in Avatar hangs over Lang's performance. The character is, in many respects, very different - Taylor is less brutal and more developed than Avatar's Colonel Quaritch - but it is hard not to see the latter in Terra Nova. Similarly unsettling is the casting of Jason O'Mara as Jim Shannon. His face is now so closely associated with the failed US version of Life on Mars, that it's Sam Tyler on the screen instead of Jim Shannon. Only time will tell if Terra Nova is able to step beyond the shadow of it's bigger Jurassic brother, and if Lang and O'Mara are able to shake off their past performances to make their roles distinctive.

In one final disappointment, while the creatures of Terra Nova are brought to life using superb computer imagery this quality of CGI is strangely lacking in other areas; one particular scene used some of the worst green-screen effects of recent years and at times the experience was like watching a computer game rather than a big-budget TV show. Indeed, some of the CGI has more in common with Stargate SG:1 episodes from the late nineties, than with the bang-up-to-date effects used for the dinosaurs.

So all in all, a rather disappointing first outing for Terra Nova. However, none of its problems are insurmountible and it shows signs that it can improve. The concern is that if Bambi doesn't find his feet quick enough, he will face the axe. TV execs are reknowned for their lack of patience, which is particularly worrying if rumours about the amount of money being plowed into Terra Nova's production are accurate.

Terra Nova is currently being aired in the UK on Sky1 and Sky1HD on Mondays at 8pm

NaBloPoMo Day 9 - Singing

2011-10-09T23:36:00.001+01:00

Regular readers may have picked up on the fact that not much actually happens in my life. It's mostly the same sort of thing every day, which leads me to comment on the weather or the news. But today I actually have something to blog about. Today I had my first singing lesson.

I have mentioned before that I've been performing with Sing Live for a couple of years now. This does cost a fair bit but I love it and can't imagine ever wanting to give it up. I have met so many lovely people through Sing Live; every one is very friendly and supportive and I always look forward to rehearsals as much as the actual performances, which are always thrilling. There are plenty of choirs and singing groups out there but Sing Live is the only way (for an ordinary person anyway) to get to sing in some of the best venues. I have performed at the Royal Albert Hall and others have sung all over the world, from Disneyland in Florida, to The Vatican.

However, as much as I love singing with the choir I think I've developed as far as I can in the group environment. I have loads of confidence when I'm singing with others, but when you're solo there's nowhere to hide and I'm my own worst critic. I'm a complete sod for always pushing and striving to be better; some people might say that's a good thing but it can be a failing... perfectionist might be a good word to describe me. So, when my birthday rolled around, I decided to ask for money towards some private lessons.

It's taken me the best part of 3 months to find someone that I got a good enough vibe from to actually take the leap and go for an initial session and I was not disappointed. I'm not going to go into too much detail because my iPad battery is dying, but the tutor, Jamie, reassured me and made me feel comfortable and relaxed, even though singing on my own usually terrifies me. We did some warm-ups then some vocal exercises and finished with some Adele (one of my favourite artists).

As well as doing the private lessons, Jamie also works with a couple of other performing arts coaches to form the Rhapsody Academy, which offers singing, dancing and acting classes for kids and teenagers. They are based at Rivington Park School near Horwich, Bolton and offer a range of courses. You can get more info here.

Despite my crippling nerves, I love singing and performing. It's is a great confidence builder (especially choral singing - safety in numbers and all that) and it's good for you too. Not only can singing (done properly) be quite physical, it can help you expand your lung capacity and boosts seratonin levels, which combats depression. In other words, it's good for your health and it makes you happy. I am a firm believer in the ethos that everyone can sing, it's just a case of some people finding it easier than others to pitch a note. So if you like to sing in the shower or you sing along with the radio in the car, maybe it's time to try something like Sing Live. Or if your kids are into the music, maybe give something like Rhapsody a try. There really isn't much to lose but so much to gain and so far, I haven't regretted getting involved.

NaBloPoMo Day 8 - Rain Rain Go Away

2011-10-08T23:38:00.001+01:00

Having a dog is great. When I was growing up my Mum always said no when I asked to have a dog. She was quite right when she said that she'd end up looking after him or her because what child has the attention span to want to get up early and go to bed late so that the dog can be walked three times a day? When we did eventually get a dog she was like my best friend and then when I had to leave home and leave her behind (and of course when she eventually passed away) I missed her terribly. It took years before hubby and I felt that we could justify having a dog ourselves. Both working full time, we have always been conscious that a dog would be shut in alone for most of the day, but then Steve started working shifts so the dog is rarely home alone.

When we got Dexter I felt like a hole in my life had been filled. I was always meant to have a dog (I guess that's the very definition of a dog person) so having him around has genuinely been fullfilling. There are days though when I could wish for things to be a little bit different.

I would never regret getting our boy and I wouldn't want to give him up, but getting up early every morning can sometimes be a bit of a drag. It's also an inconvenience when you're ill and still have to take the dog out for walks, even though you feel like collapsing when you walk from the bedroom to the bathroom and back again. And you really notice the weather when you have a dog.

It has rained non-stop today, varying from light drizzle to rain to heavy downpour. So far today I have got wet once and soaked twice and this weatheris set to continue for several more days. Even Dexter doesn't like the rain. But unfortunately for me, he likes his walks more so off out we must go, weather be damned. So for now I will suck it up and quietly chant (while getting wet AGAIN) "rain rain go away, come again some other day".

NaBloPoMo Day 7 - Open University

2011-10-07T23:38:00.001+01:00

Day 7 already and still going strong. I am very proud of myself. :-)

Today I'd like to dedicate my blog to some wonderful and helpful people that I encountered. You see, last night I received one of the regular email newsletters from the Open University. I have been studying with them since 2002 (yep... Almost a decade) and working towards a degree in Literature. I have only one course left to do.

The email that I received last night had a section about next year's course fees, which increase from £700 for a 60 point course, to £2,500. Why the price hike? It's all due to changes to the way that universities are funded. When the changes come in next September, the Open University stands to lose £90m in funding from the government. In place of the funding, they have had to increase their fees. However, unlike the current fee and loans system, from next September, part-time students will be eligible for a student loan to cover the course fees.

Of course, even the lower fee is quite an item, so money being tight I chose to postpone my final course until next year... Until I got that email I mentioned. Panic! You see, I started a degree in 1997, which I had to abandon for personal reasons so I was unsure whether I would be eligible for a loan to cover the fees for next year. At the same time, registration for my final course for this year's intake had closed, so I was facing a fee I believed I couldn't possibly pay next year on the one hand, and a course I couldn't get on to for this year on the other. Talk about being between a rock and a hard place.

The good news is that it was all stress for nothing. Raj at Student Finance for England assures me that I am eligible for the loan for next year. So hooray! However is also spoke with Lynn and Elaine at the OU, both of whom were very helpful indeed. As it happens, had I needed to, they would have placed me on the intake for this year. All three folks offered me reassurance and excellent customer service, for which I am very grateful.

So after all that, am I against the tuition fee changes? No. I believe in a free education system but that's not possible at the momeny. However, the changes will make higher education much more accessible to those from lower income backgrounds and it is fairer because those who graduate and end up earning more will pay back more while those who earn less will pay less. At the end of the day, whether you come from privilege or from a council estate is irrelevant; where you end up is what will matter. It's not a perfect system but it's an improvement.

NaBloPoMo Day 6 - Sent From My iPhone

2011-10-06T23:14:00.001+01:00

There were a number of different topics that I considered writing about today, but all that fell by the way when I saw the news.

Steve Jobs died today.

Sometimes a technology comes along that really does change lives. Medical advances like MRI machines and pacemakers literally save lives, while other advances change the way we think or the way we use something. Apple and the technologies the company has developed in recent years have done just that.

In the same way that Sky+ changed the way I use TV, the iPhone changed the way I use my phone. I remember the days when I used to schedule study time around what I wanted to watch on TV and these days I very rarely watch anything at the point of broadcast, and I remember the days when my mobile phone was for making and receiving calls. These days all my TV viewing gets recorded to the Sky+ and I'm more likely to use my phone to check Twitter or my email than to make a call. My iPhone keeps me informed and keeps me connected to friends and family across the UK and all around the world. My iPhone is my camera, my music player and the whole internet in my pocket. It's communication, it's entertainment and it's knowledge in the palm of your hand and the technology that has come after it (namely the iPad) is just as impressive - this blog post is written on an iPad.

These are amazing tools that set make accessing the Internet and media easier and they are tools that set us free from the office. And they as beautiful as they are versatile.

Some people will play down Apple's contribution and Steve Jobs' role in it but make no mistake, while these great products are the result of great software and great design that is developed by many many skilled and talented people, but Jobs brought that talent together and inspired the company that facilitated that development. You may not be a fan of Apple and you may not use any Apple products but look around, look at the technology you do use: would your MP3 player exist without the iPod, would your Android phone exist without the iPhone, would tablets have had the resurgence they have experienced without the iPad? For the past decade, Apple has been leading the way and every one else has been playing catch up.

So I feel perfectly justified in saying the Steve Jobs was a genius and a visionary and that his death is a loss to the world of technology. This is a sad day for those of us that appreciate Apple products and so, in tribute, I say this:

Sent from my iPhone.

NaBloPoMo Day 5 - A Blog For Readers

2011-10-05T23:09:00.001+01:00

Just a short blog post today as I need to try and get some sleep. I considered posting about this particular subject yesterday but it was just trumped by the story about the pub because I love an underdog and because it was topical. Today, I'd like to recommend a favourite blog.

http://blatantbiblioholic.wordpress.com/

The blogger is a friend of mine that I met through a mutual interest in singing and performing. Kirsty and I are both members of Sing Live North West and although we've both been members for a couple of years now, it was only last summer that I got to know Kirsty a little better. Her passion for books is unrivalled amongst my friends as she seems to consume (and buy) book after book. This shows in her blog.

Over the past few weeks, Kirsty has been working through 'Boof's 40 Day Book Challenge', making daily reading recommendations based on different prompts and themes. I've already added several titles to my own reading list and have found following the challenge to be light and interesting. If you have a few moments to spare, why not check out the latest recommendation: "A favourite book recommended by a book blogger". I guarantee that you'll want to read more.

NaBloPoMo Day 4 - The Little Pub That Could

2011-10-04T23:53:00.000+01:00

In the news today is the story of pub landlady, Karen Murphy, who took on football's English Premier League and broadcaster, BSkyB, in the High Court. Karen Murphy had used a Greek TV broadcast to show Premier League football matches on the TV in her Red White and Blue pub in Portsmouth, at a cost of £118 per month instead of the usual £480 fee payable to Sky. When she was prosecuted for breaching Copyright rules, she had to pay £8,000 in fines, but she took her case to the High Court. Today comes the news that the European Court of Justice, to which the case had been referred for guidance, has said that national laws that prohibit the import, sale or use of foreign decoder cards and equipment are contrary to the free European market. It's not quite a victory, as the High Court will now have to review the case and make a final decision, but it's a big step. But what does this ruling mean for broadcasters?

Sky, ESPN and the Premier League stand to lose out on a proportion of their income from the sport of football if the High Court upholds ECJ guidance, as there is the potential that many private individuals as well as venues like pubs might make a move to a cheaper foreign subscription service. At the very least, the ruling could have an impact on how the broadcast rights for Premier League football are sold in the EU, but there is a wider implication for other types of broadcast and to film distribution as well, where rights are sold on a country by country basis.

There is, however, a potential grace for broadcasters in that ultimately the High Court might only apply the ruling to sport and even then, with certain caveats. In the details of the ruling, the ECJ said that copyright rules did not apply to football matches as live sport is not consider "works" requiring copyright protection. It seems, however, that any on screen graphics and pre-recorded content are included in copyright rules and as such, pubs may still need to have permission (through the use of an authorised broadcaster) in order to show matches including this kind of content.

Either way, it is certainly an interesting development that could change the face of broadcasting live sport, and possibly other content too. And at the end of the day, I wonder who will remember that the changes are the result of one woman's fight against these huge organisations, and that it all started in the Red White and Blue pub in Portsmouth?

NaBloPoMo Day 3 - Disco Dog

2011-10-03T23:10:00.001+01:00

We've had our new best friend, Dexter, since January. The nights were long and dark and cold then, often calling for a fleece jacket, scarf, gloves and a warm coat over all that to fend off the chill. But back then, having only just brought Dexter home from the shelter, we were wary about letting him off the lead and waited several weeks before doing so. By then the nights were a little shorter so we weren't always out in the pitch black but even then we both realised we would probably need some form of light come this autumn and winter.

Sure enough, as the days grew shorter and the nights drew in, I treated us to a nice little wind-up torch from Amazon Marketplace. It's lightweight and handy for finding the gum gum (a sort of rubber stick, which is Dexi's favourite toy) and we never have to worry about the battery running down. However, we still sometimes struggle to find our mostly black dog in the dark. Every now and again he will jog on ahead and disappear completely into the night, only to be (occasionally) located as two glowing green marbles off in the distance, reflected in the light of the torch. He doesn't usually go too far and is nearly always waiting patiently for us to catch up but it's nice to know where he is.

This afternoon, I struck upon the perfect solution. The local pound shop sells everything from sweets and crisps to bleach and all for a pound (or more). I was in there picking up some curtain rings for Mum and scouting for a combination padlock for hubby's first foray in the gym for almost half decade. The shop has a small cycling section, mostly consisting of seat pads, puncture repair kits and reflectors, but today they had little flashing LED lights on elastic and sold in packs of two. At a quid I figured it was worth a try.

Success!

Even in the darkest bits of the park we can still locate our boy by his little blinking red light. Instead of looking for the torch reflecting off his eyes we can now see him straight away, no matter which direction he's decided to randomly run off in. Its also much harder for him to dummy us into looking for the gum gum that he's already found, retrieved and run off with. Although the red does make him seem rather demonic, at times it's like something from the Mothman Propechies, score one for the home team!

NaBloPoMo Day 2 - The Blackadder Five

2011-10-02T23:46:00.001+01:00

Surely, every Brit over the age of about 20, thinks fondly upon the various incarnations of the BBC comedy series, Blackadder. It was a series that lasted only four years (a blip when you consider the long run of some other shows) and made only around 24 episodes, yet it's influence extends far and wide; even friends in Europe and the States have seen and fallen in love with it.

For those of you that are not familiar with the show, each season was set in a different historic period, reincarnating the same characters in slightly different guises. The first season, "The Black Adder", was set at the end of the Medieval period. The second season, "Blackadder II", was set during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The third season, "Blackadder The Third", was set during the Regency period. And the final, and most accomplished season, "Blackadder Goes Forth", was set during the first world war. Each outing followed the misadventures of Edmund Blackadder, whose personal fortune waned as his wit and intelligence increased through history. He was always accompanied by his loveable, yet dimwitted man-servant/crony, Baldrick, whose lack of personal hygiene was commensurate with his lack of intelligence. Plaguing our leading man was usually a person of elevated but undeserved rank or position. Hugh Laurie's Prince Regent was particularly memorable to me, as was Miranda Richardson's Queen Elizabeth I (fondly referred to as Queenie), who had a propensity to strop like a five year old at the drop of a hat.

It is somewhat difficult to explain the charm of these characters or the spell that the series cast, but charming and spellbinding it was, as well as being somehow quintessentially British. It was as thought provoking as it was side-splittingly funny and the final episode of the final series stills calls forth a tear with its poignancy.

So why write about this now? Well, if Internet rumour is to be believed (and it often isn't) a fifth season may be on the way. Rowan Atkinson himself has been reported to have said that "Generally speaking, Blackadder seemed to work best when there was a sort of claustrophobic world and a hierarchy. So if you can think of any situations in which they are dominant – then I think there is a possibility of a fifth series." (Mail Online, 1st October 2011)

So as I head off to bed tonight, I am hoping that this particular Internet rumour might pan out and we might be rewarded with a fifth series set sometime between the end of the first world war and the present day (or even the future?) Personally, I could see Blackadder stalking London's streets in the 80s, but there is so much fun to be had with the past. Rumour has it that Tony Robinson would like to make "The Blackadder Five" set in the 60s and following the misfortunes of a five piece rock band of the same name. Presumably Blackadder would be the unfortunate frontman of the group while Robinson's 'Bald Rick' would be the unhygienic and slow-witted drummer.

In any event, I think it might be time to get out the Blackadder DVD boxset and get watching again.

NaBloPoMo Day 1 - Inspiration

2011-10-01T23:45:00.000+01:00

Inspiration is a funny old thing. It can come from the most unlikely (or indeed, the most likely) of places. Sometimes it even seems like inspiration is ganging up on you; different sources of inspiration banding together to corner you until you submit. As is the case in this instance.

For a while now, I have been following the escapades of Erica Lucke Dean, a wonderful up-and-coming chick-lit writer from Atlanta, who posts a daily blog. To my shame, I am a little bit behind and need to catch up on the last week or so, but her posts almost always amuse me, make me think, or make me smile and it is with a measure of jealousy that I view her blogging regularity. I find it a challenge to remember to brush my teeth every day, so writing a blog every day is an achievement I have often felt envious of.

My Dad, of course, is a huge inspiration in so many aspects of my life, but recent contact with an old school friend has reunited him with his muse and for the first time since my brother died, the creative juices are flowing. My parents have been on holiday for the last couple of weeks in Vietnam (a part of the world that I would love to visit) and every day he has made time to write a thousand or so words of his 'Vietnam Diary', which he emailed to me whenever he had reliable Internet access. I have particularly enjoyed joining them for the ups (27th floor of the Royal Orchid Sheraton Towers in Bangkok) and downs (Dad falling off a bike in Saigon, or Mum nealy ending up in the Mekong) of their voyage, but the real gem has been reading the final few days in the 'Mancheater Diary' when I get to see my life and surroundings through another's eyes.

Finally, I have mentioned before about the friend of at least ten years that I have not yet met. Aaron DeLay is a Denver resident that I met digitally when he joined my role-playing / PBeM / writing group years ago. Although the group has long since disbanded, I have kept in touch with a fair few of the members, including Aaron. He is a young stroke survivor, talented writer and keen photographer. And it was he that added that final level of inspiration to join NaBloPoMo (interNational Blog Posting Month) for October.

So here endeth the first post. I wil TRY to get into a good habit, even if it is just for October, and do justice to the various writers that have inspired me over the last few weeks.

Ten Years On

2011-09-11T23:04:00.000+01:00

Ten years ago today I was on holiday with my husband. We were broke so we'd got a cheapo deal to Tunisia. The hotel was basic, the food was dire, but it was our first anniversary on the 16th so we wanted to do something special to commemorate it. We had only been there a day or two when, passing through the TV area, a gathered crowd caught our attention. We stopped and joined their number just as the second plane hit the world trade centre.

I will never forget that day. I cannot forget the moment that I recognised the structural damage and stresses on the Twin Towers and muttered those immortal words: "Those buildings are going to come down." It has left me with a strange sort of guilt that I can't quite explain and it's a guilt that still makes my blood run a little cold. Even now, ten years later, whenever I see footage of the attack, or even just see images of the Towers in movies and on TV, I am transported back to that day and it still causes a lump to rise in my throat and a tear to form in my eye. I feel that same sense of powerlessness and there's a weight that rests on my heart for the thousands of people who lost their lives, and the families that had to carry on without them.

After we returned home from that holiday, I remember writing about the tragedy. I wrote about how it made me feel and about my hopes for the future. Everyone was already saying that this event was a game changer; I hoped that would be the case. I hoped that the scale of the tragedy would make terrorism (on any level) so unthinkable, that innocents would never again have to die in the name of a cause they were not connected to. I also hoped that the reaction of the Western World would be mighty and that it would be etched in the memories of foreign nations forever so they would know not to mess with us again. But I desperately wanted it to be the right response, one that was reasonable and measured and one that punished those responsible rather than the innocent.

What we hope for so rarely comes to fruition.

But there's still time.

As we look back and remember where we were and how we felt and as we remember the innocents that died, and the wider impact of those deaths, lets not forget the time between now and then, the good that has come out of 9/11, and also the evil. As we remember the 2,977 victims of that day, we should also remember the thousands that have lost their lives or suffered injury since then as a result of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Let us also think of the terrible things that happen every day, from events that have a national impact like the 7/7 bombings or the recent riots, to the things that you don't always hear about like robberies, assaults and rapes. For the sake of the victims of 9/11, let us take our anger, our outrage and our fear and turn it into something more productive. Let's live our lives in a way that makes our world a better place; the only way that will happen is if we choose to be compassionate, considerate and thoughtful towards each other.

The Expendables: Junk Food for a Saturday Night

2011-09-01T15:41:00.000+01:00

Saturday nights are made for movies, but not just any old movies; Saturday nights are made for big hairy exploding movies filled with testosterone and car chases and gun fights and gorgeous, improbably clothed women (and equally gorgeous and improbably clothed men). Saturday night movies should be the equivalent of McDonald's: lacking in substance and a little bit bad for you but delicious nonetheless. The Expendables was a movie we never quite got around to seeing at the box office, but the trailer promised everything you might expect from a Saturday night 'junk-food' type movie. So last weekend, we settled down to watch.
What a colossal disappointment.

When writer, David Callaham, sat down with Sylvester Stallone to write about The Expendables - a team of daring do-gooder mercenaries - cast by a veritable galaxy of heavyweight action stars, it must have sounded like a great proposition; it certainly sounded like it to me. Alongside Sly, the movie cast includes Bruce Willis, Dolph Lundgren, Mickey Rourke, the Governator, kung-fu-king (yep, that's right) Jet Li and Brit favourite Jason Statham. With that much muscle, grit and man-stink about, how could it fail to please?

Unfortunately it is all too obvious what this film is all about, and it isn't the expulsion of a corrupt general and sadistic drug lord from a small island community. It pains me to say it, but this movie is nothing more than a vehicle for a bunch of aging superheroes, coming to the end of their careers and desperate to be a big box office draw once again. Characters are incidental and the plot is staler than week old bread. It seems that Callaham and Stallone failed to realise that no matter how ear-throbbing and eye-popping the explosions or how convoluted and well choreographed the fight scenes might be, they are a poor substitute for well developed and well written characters and drama.

When I think of the best action movies ever made, I think of films like Armageddon, Terminator 2, Die Hard, Mission Impossible, Top Gun, Indiana Jones and Speed. It's by no-means an exhaustive list. What these titles have in common are compelling characters and genuine conflict. I can easily believe that Sarah Conner and John McClane live beyond the confines of the Terminator and Die Hard movies, but I can barely remember the names of the characters in The Expendables, never mind believe they are bigger than the scenes they're in. The drama is equally contrived and the result is that it is disconnected from the characters rather than driven by them.

And they're making a sequel.

I can only hope that The Expendables 2 burns in development hell forever or that it finds itself a more skilled writer. Ken Kaufman, co-writer on Space Cowboys, is currently associated with the project, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this will be one of those rare occasions when a sequel improves upon the original. It can't be much worse.

The Expendables is out on DVD and Blu-ray now and The Expendables 2 is currently in pre-production, with an anticipated box office release date in late summer 2012.

Tweet Me Right

2011-08-12T22:58:00.000+01:00

In typical knee-jerk fashion yesterday, David Cameron made the suggestion that BBM (Blackberry Messenger) and 'other social media' could, in future, be turned off in the event that services were being used to harm. Twitter is my drug of choice and I have given much thought to its role (and the role of similar instant messaging services) in the riots.

I acknowledge the role that it played in escalating the violence and focusing trouble. Throughout Tuesday there were mad rumours circulating. Some people claimed things were happening when they weren't and others said there was trouble in places where there was none. Social media undoubtedly made it easier for people who were up for it to know where to go thereby swelling the numbers of rioters, and social media also allowed the criminal element to communicate and organise. If Twitter, BBM and Facebook hadn't existed, would the riots have happened? Surely the answer is yes. Riots happened in the past, long before the invention of mobile phones, never mind internet and social media. If social media had not been available, the rioters would still have communicated, but it would have been word of mouth and by telephone, text message or email.

Furthermore, if it's important to recognise the role of social media in instigating and escalating the riots, it is also important to recognise the positive role it has played. For me, Twitter was something of a double-edged sword. On one hand it allowed me to keep up to date with what was going on but on the other hand knowing what was going on was frightening. I have wondered several times if I would have been better off without Twitter that night; if I hadn't seen the news and didn't monitor Twitter I would probably have been completely unaware of the scale of the violence. I follow a lot of local journalists and broadcasters on Twitter so I was getting a lot of updates and while the flow of information reassured me, it also worried me. On balance, however, I would much rather have information and be able to make a choice, than be cut off. In all likelihood, on Tuesday night, even without Twitter to keep me informed, I would still have been aware of what was going on and I can only imagine how much more terrifying that night would have been without a steady stream of updates.

In addition, we should also recognise how useful social media has been in the aftermath of the riots. The public clean up effort was organised almost entirely on social media. Over the past week, hundreds of people have turned up, broom and bin-bag in hand, to reclaim their media from the hoodlums and show how much they care about their cities. Let's also not forget how social media is now being use to catch the perpetrators. Greater Manchester Police have a constantly updated Flikr stream with photos of people wanted in connection with the riots and have actually been able to catch and charge people because of the information they have published on social media. Even Blackberry Messenger, which is an encrypted service, is considering handing-over details of those that have used the service to incite, organise or boast about rioting and looting. If social media had not been available during the riots, think of the wealth of evidence that would be lost to the police.

I do understand the argument that says shutting down social media would have made the task of containing and policing the situation much easier but it's a mistake to think that should take priority over the good that can come from social media and, I suspect, is a reaction based on a lack of understanding and perhaps even fear of something which is perceived by some as the province of youth. The fact is that millions of people of all ages use social media to communicate, debate and keep in touch. It is a tool and nothing more: A brick can be a lethal weapon but it doesn't stop us from building houses. Let us also be reminded about free speech. I for one do not want to start down the road that allows my government to control what I say, even via one forum. Who's to say that some time in the future a government wouldn't use these powers to stop a legitimate protest, or similar, because they simply didn't like it.

What we need now, instead of rash conclusions is a measured analysis. We need cool heads and clear thought and time to digest what has happened and we need to make sure that the steps we take now move us in the right direction, not towards a future more ominous than the present. If social media poses a problem to policing public order offenses, new tactics and new ideas are required, rather than the technological equivalent of a rubber bullet.

The Riots: A Resident's Perspective

2011-08-11T23:10:00.000+01:00

I'm always in a hurry to get home - to see Hubby, to let the dog out, to eat, to sleep, to pee - but on Tuesday evening I came home from work in rather more of a hurry than usual. I had learned via Twitter and a text message from Hubby that it was 'kicking off at the precinct'. As far as I was concerned, the sooner I got home, the better.

Coming off the M602, I could see a mass of people gathered on Cross Lane next to RRG Toyota and my heart jumped into my throat. I have never seen that many people gathered for such a negative reason. Usually when you see a big group of people hanging about it's for a concert or some other similar event. The atmosphere is usually uplifting and positive as those gathered look forward to their dose of excitement or entertainment or pleasure. Coming off the motorway that day was a completely different atmosphere.

I have lived in Salford for almost five years. During that time I have got to know the area and the people really well and have never felt uncomfortable or uneasy walking the streets where I live, even at night on my own. On Tuesday I wasn't even walking; I was in my car and still felt unsettled.

As I turned off Albion Way onto Liverpool Street I locked my car doors and prayed that the lights at Cross Lane, where the crowd was gathered, would be on green. They were. And as I made my way down Liverpool Street towards home, although there were more people than usual milling about, there were thankfully no other signs of trouble.

Throughout the afternoon and into the evening, we watched the TV news and monitored developments on Twitter. Salford precinct is only about half a mile from our house and there are plenty of shops and off-licences nearer than that, so we were rightly concerned. As matters got more out of hand it was easy to imagine rioters and looters driven away from the precinct by the police, only to spill out into residential streets to regroup. This was a pattern we'd seen in London on Monday night and a pattern which had resulted in homes being ransacked and torched, either deliberately or by accident.

We were prepared for trouble, half expecting a brick come through the window, or to hear our car windows being smashed. I spoke to my Mum, who lives in Scotland and had seen the precinct on the news. I told her we were fine and that the trouble was nowhere near us. I reassured her and made a few jokes even though I felt no reassurance myself; it had occurred to me that if someone decided to torch one or both of our cars we would be trapped, as the fire would block our escape route and would likely spread to the building very quickly. Afterwards I packed a bag with a change of clothes and a few of our most precious possessions that couldn't be replaced, which made me feel a bit better, and when I went to bed, the baseball bat came with me.

As it happens, we saw no trouble on our street at all. There were gangs of young lads moving about for most of the night and we could hear banging and general disturbance in the distance, but the next morning I actually felt a little embarrassed at how alarmed I'd been the night before. I took a quick drive around before I set off for work and saw a lot of damage, but nothing too extreme and the worst of it had already been cleared up.

I look back at it all now and I can be more objective. At the time everything appeared much worse than it actually was, but that's not to play down the seriousness of the situation or how it made me feel. In an article on Salford Online, Rev Hayley Matthews, the Chaplain at MediaCityUK, said this:

"as the drinking (‘free beer!’ (stolen from the aforementioned Bargain Booze)) got underway, cars screeched into the area that clearly were the organised element of the criminal culture... I watched teenagers loot an electrical good sole trader’s shop. Don’t get me wrong when I say this, but if they’d nicked the TVs and laptops I could almost understand it, but they simply brought them outside and smashed them to bits in the street. Young girls on alcopops ‘dared’ each other to go and nick something. Lads tried to break onto Lidl and set fire to it, and mothers sent small children in to fill shopping bags with food and beer because they are too young to be arrested.Suddenly a mass exodus: the precint had been compromised and there were shouts of ‘iPhones! Xboxes! Everything! You can get whatever you want!’ Hoodies went up and scarfs went over faces, in they went and more ‘respectable’ cars started arriving to collect the goods. Youths started arriving with hammers and the women and girls backed off. What appalled me most were the amount of families, and I mean kids in the back seat, involved in all of this. Like some kind of surreal supermarket sweep, winner takes all, what a larrrff! Children hung out of their car windows video-ing it all on their mobiles."

Now, looking back the whole situation makes me angry. I detest how that night made me feel. I resent that these people made me feel unsafe in my own home and that they have had their fun at the expense of my community, particularly as it becomes apparent that the perpetrators were by and large from outside the area. If I'm honest, part of me wants to take the baseball bat and wrap it around a few heads to see if I can knock sense into them. I am furious and I am outraged. I'm also worried because I don't know how to fix this and no-one else seems to know either.

In the short term, charging and prosecuting as many of offenders as possible will help to deter others but it doesn't deal with the underlying problem. These were ordinary people: someone's child, someone's mother or father, someone's brother or sister. They get up each day and carry on as normal, playing with their mates, having a pint in the local pub or going to school or work. What happened to make ordinary folk sink to such detestable behaviour?

If you were able to line up all the rioters across the whole country and ask each of them why they did it, you would get a hundred different excuses. We've all seen the news; we all know what people (rioters, observers, victims, police, Councillors and MPs) are saying and everyone seems to have a different opinion. Everything from bankers to Twitter, from police being too heavy-handed, to police being too soft, from the government cuts, to racism, is being blamed. What that says to me is that this is a riot with no Cause, a view that is further reinforced by the indiscriminate nature of the violence: A small business was just as likely a target as a major chain and a bank was no more likely to be hit than a supermarket or a post office. Businesses, offices, shops and even homes were all fair-game and the police only came under attack when they turned up to disperse the vandals and thieves. There's no ideology here except for a greed for material wealth and a lust for violence.

To my mind, the riots are a symptom of a society too rooted in consumerism, too hung up on ownership and too selfish to appreciate how well-off and lucky we all are. As individuals are charged, we can see few distinct patterns emerging; people who are middle class and relatively well off have been just as involved as council tenants who survive on benefits and the unemployed stand side-by-side with the employed in the dock. It's not about poverty (you cannot make this claim when you're on TV wearing designer gear and carrying a Blackberry and be taken seriously) or cuts. There is a deep seated attitude that has infected some individuals and sections of society. It's an attitude that wants whatever it can get for free and that says it's right if I want to do it and can get away with it and only feels remorse at getting caught. To highlight this, I use the example of the lads Hubby and I caught trying to smash a bus-shelter a couple of weeks ago, long before the riots. He picked up a concrete block and was about to use it on the shelter for no other reason than he felt like it.

We raise our children to think and behave like us, to share our beliefs and ideologies. Society moves and changes incredibly slowly and attempts to deliberately shape it have been known to back fire horribly. So how can we fix it? I don't know. I don't have an answer. And that terrifies me almost as much as the riot itself.

For now, you can make the world a better place by helping to identify those responsible. GMP have photos of their 'most wanted' here. Shop a Moron now!

One Pill. Anything's Possible.

2011-08-03T14:37:00.000+01:00

I imagine that most people have a DVD collection similar to mine. It's a right mixture; literally next to each other on the shelf, you will find a critically acclaimed movie, like Million Dollar Baby, beside something fun and frivolous, like Minority Report. One thing is certain, though; whether it's an Oscar winner or a summer blockbuster, every DVD has earned its place on my shelf. Limitless is no different.

Hidden somewhere between stock characters that have been dusted off, given a new set of clothes and a change of name and sent on their merry way, and a camera technique that is all too reminiscent of 2002 David Fincher pic, Panic Room, you will find an entertaining and endearing heart and a premise that is intellectually intriguing. Russian gangsters, the smarmy ex-brother-in-law drug dealer (who steps right out of the 80's complete with sharp suit and minimalist bachelor pad) and the girlfriend may be unconvincing on screen but Bradley Cooper, as the lead, Eddie Morra, is charasmatic and engaging (and easy on the eye!) while Robert De Niro puts in a highly satisfying performance as the enigmatic villain. And while the digitally tinkered-with zooming camera work may be sickeningly familiar, it also serves as a stomach-churning reminder of how unbalanced and unhinged Eddie Morra's life is becoming. However, the most enchanting element of the movie, is the premise itself. The idea that taking a simple pill will allow you to unlock your full potential; that a pill can fix your life, is enchanting and I dare say there isn't a writer alive who wouldn't long for Eddie Morra's miracle drug to help them finish (or even start!) their magnum opus. But, no matter how bewitching the concept might be, there is a moral message to this movie too, and it is delivered gently with a pleasantly light touch; so light that it might be easy to miss.

Morra's use of the drug, NZT, is all too reasonable in the film. Eddie starts using on the basis that it's a one-time thing that can't possibly make his life any worse. It makes him feel good, makes him successful, so he understandably wants more. But then the side-effects start, but too late he finds that he's no longer taking it because he wants to, but because he needs to. It's a fascinating take on drug use in everyday life, whether that's medicinal drugs (I recently went on holiday and left my prescription drugs at home. By the end of the week I was feeling very unwell!) or whether it's tobacco, alcohol, cannabis or something stronger. It teaches us that it's all too easy - a series of small steps - to start down a road that leads to dependency and it can sometimes get you mixed up in things you would normally not get mixed up in.

It's far from perfection, but Limitless is a movie that has a lot going for it. Ultimately, it manages to entertain and provoke me in equal measure. That's why it will find a home in my DVD collection and why I'll also be reading the book, The Dark Fields by Alan Glyn, on which the film is based.

Limitless is released in the UK on DVD and Blu-ray on 1st August

Salford's Finest

2011-04-15T23:59:00.000+01:00

Let no-one tell you that community policing doesn't work and certainly don't let them suggest that policing is broken. The law may be an ass but the boys and girls in blue (although these days they actually wear black and white with some fluorescent high-vis yellow for good measure) are doing a mighty fine job with very little thanks!

It's a sad truth that the fine weather has brought out the rowdy element in my local neighbourhood. Several days and nights in recent weeks we have been plagued by the throaty roar of off-road bikes and quad bikes, either racing up and down our streets or racing around our local park. This activity is an irritation (the noise echoes around terraced streets like a banshee wail) but it is also reckless and dangerous. These bikes are not road legal, which means they are not insured. If one of them hits your car or some other property, the repair cost will be left up to you, not the irresponsible individual that caused the damage. As they are designed for off-road use they often have non-standard tyres that are not necessarily suitable for use on a road surface and they invariably have no mirrors or headlights. At night, in the park, the bikes are impossible to see, and the riders themselves can't see anything either, which makes their behaviour all the more frightening.

During the course of the past couple of weeks, we have always made a point to report activity like this to the police using the Police Non-Emergency telephone number. We don't expect that anyone will be caught - I admit that it would be almost sheer luck if a vehicle was in the area at the time and able to stop the rider and seize the bike - but it identifies the problems and lets the police know where the issues are happening. With this information in hand the police can direct their resources more effectively and maybe the next time there will be a vehicle in the area.

As if proof were ever needed that this principle works, while I was out tonight, I met some of out community police officers in the park. In response to the problems of the last few weeks, they have been able to send a couple of bobbies on bicycles up to the park, acting as a deterrent and improving the likelihood of catching someone in the act. When I met them, they were chatting to a group of older teenagers who sometimes use the park to hangout. No-one was doing anything wrong on this occasion, but it's great to see action being taken.

So, the moral of the story: if you have problems in your area that requires police assistance, you need to let them know about it. The best way to do that is to call the Police Non-Emergency number, which is 0161 872 5050 (at least it is for Salford!) or go to community committee meetings, where there will usually be an officer or two in attendance. Our police service is an asset and I'd like to thank our local policing team for all their efforts to date.

Burka Ban

2011-04-11T14:50:00.000+01:00

Courtesy BBC.co.uk

It began with the smallest of steps: the banning of the Hijab head scarf in French schools in September 2004. Today, the French Government introduces another law that curtails individual and religious freedom. From today, it is illegal for a woman to wear a veil covering her face in France. A woman's choice over what she can wear, both as an individual and as a Muslim. A woman seen wearing a veil will face a fine and may be subject to an investigation.

Representatives of the French Government have said that the new law has been introduced to protect minorities. Sihem Habchi, a Muslim woman that has worked on introducing the ban has been reported to say "Five years ago hardly anyone wore the Niqab [full length garment that conceals everything except the eyes]. In another five years we will be like England where there are neighbourhoods and ghettos full of women wearing them." To me, this statement seems to reveal an underlying fear that women who choose to wear the veil are creating a problem for all Muslims. This kind of irrationality should never been translated into law. The French Government says that the veil relegates wearers to an inferior status. However, I argue that inferiority is not a matter of what a woman choose to wear, it is a matter of how other people choose to treat her. When I see a woman in the street that is wearing a Burka or Niqab I do not view her with fear and do not feel that I am better than her. I see a woman demonstrating a commitment to her religious beliefs. I see a woman that is proud to be a Muslim and proud of that part of her culture.

In my eyes there is little difference between wearing a Niqab and wearing a cross or wearing Jewish yamaka. By identifying yourself with one of these symbols, you open yourself to the possibility of criticism, victimisation and attack. By identifying yourself as different you risk attracting the scorn of others, but are you at fault for wearing the garment? No!

By introducing this law, the French hope to engineer a more equal society but what is more important; an 'equal' society where equality means everyone must dress and act the same way, or an inclusive and free society where people can dress as they please and observe their religion as they see fit. One of these two societies reminds me an awful lot of a certain novel by George Orwell.

Media Responsibility

2011-01-31T11:44:00.000Z

This morning I read on twitter that a local journalist, for whom I have the greatest respect, has written an article concerning local authority budget cuts. In particular, this article encourages "the people of Greater Manchester to stand up against unfair spending cuts" by adding to a petition to central government - by purchasing the paper and filling out a coupon on the front.

The Manchester Evening News article claims that spending cuts are unfair because some local authorities will suffer higher percentage cuts to central government funding than others (reported to be 21% for Manchester City Council, 19.6% for Salford City Council vs a UK average of 15.2%). Whether you agree with cuts, or the general thrust of the article is very much up to you. My personal view is that this is a half-truth being pushed by Labour-led councils to make the public take a more lenient view their of their irrational spending decisions (£170m on a town hall extension, Manchester, or £700,000 on moving two cranes, Salford). The facts, as I understand them, are that the government has cut many of the grants upon which some councils are very much more reliant than others, while some of the direct funding (for example, to schools) has increased. This fact, it seems, will be somewhat off-set by additional government funding to the tune of £85m that will be used to help the poorest areas. However, whether or not any of this funding will end up in Greater Manchester, or the wider North West, is unclear. Therefore, I approach the government line and claims published in the paper with hesitation in equal measure.

My greatest concern is that I do not believe that a newspaper is the place for a party-political campaign and, for the second time in two weeks, I am bitterly disappointed by the standard of reporting.

Freedom of speech (and by cursor, freedom of the press) is not a license to say or print whatever an individual or group sees fit. Copyright and libel are the two most obvious manifestations of this fact, but there is, I feel, an unwritten responsibility or standard to which the media should hold themselves. The media has an incredibly powerful influence, particularly in modern society, and as Spiderman's uncle Ben says: 'With great power comes great responsibility.'

The job of the media is not to campaign. The job of the media is to inform. It is right that outlets like the Manchester Evening News should question and probe and criticise authority - both local and national - but they must do so in a fair and balanced way. When they fail to do so they sell-out and are willingly surrendering their right to press freedom. And for what? A cynical attempt to sell more papers! It honestly disgusts me how unbalanced modern media has become and how low the standard of reporting has fallen across the media spectrum. I hasten to add that I have often felt that local reporting and the BBC is the last bastion of honest reporting, which is perhaps, why I feel so strongly about this now as it seems to me that even my local press cannot resist the tidal wave of social irresponsibility that is plaguing us at the moment.

I can't change the minds of those responsible for the likes of the Daily Mail or Fox/Sky News who have long since whored their industrial freedoms in the name of turning of a profit, but I hope that this at least might influence those on the frontline and encourage them to hold themselves to a higher standard.

Oldham East and Saddleworth

2011-01-16T10:59:00.000Z

Politics can be frustrating, particularly as you become more directly involved. It is true in life, but particularly true in politics, that everyone has their own agenda: Your opponents want to win, the media wants to sell their product (and advertising time/space) and commentators and pundits want to be heard. This fact means that getting a message across can be a challenge at the best of times. Actions and statements are twisted, misrepresented or misinterpreted and it can be difficult to get the truth across. Add to that a lazy electorate (not everyone, of course, but enough people) who don't make an effort to cut through all the rubbish to form a fully informed opinion and you've got one hell of a frustrating melting pot.

Of course, that challenge is all part of the fun!

On Thursday, the voters of Oldham East and Saddleworth went to the polls in the first parliamentary by-election since the general election last year. The profile of this event was further increased after the winner last May, Phil Woolas, was found to have deliberately misled the electorate in his campaign literature. It was touted as everything from a test of coalition cohesion, to a measure of Ed Milliband's leadership. Some individuals and news organisations are already trying to draw sweeping conclusions for future elections based on this result but while there is an element of truth to the rhetoric, the reality is that the election is only a snap-shot of one constituency based on the very specific conditions of this election alone and therefore, what it tells us about any future election is very limited. Based purely on the outcome with no supporting canvass or polling data, even what it tells us about the views of the electorate in OES are limited!

The outcome was as follows:

Debbie Abrahams (Lab) 14,718 (42.14%, +10.27%)
Elwyn Watkins (LD) 11,160 (31.95%, +0.32%)
Kashif Ali (C) 4,481 (12.83%, -13.62%)
Paul Nuttall (UKIP) 2,029 (5.81%, +1.95%)
Derek Adams (BNP) 1,560 (4.47%, -1.25%)
Peter Allen (Green) 530 (1.52%)
The Flying Brick (Loony) 145 (0.42%)
Stephen Morris (Eng Dem) 144 (0.41%)
Loz Kaye (Pirate) 96 (0.27%)
David Bishop (Bus-Pass Elvis) 67 (0.19%)

Comparing these figures to those of the May election, Debbie Abrahams, the Labour candidate, was the only candidate to increase the actual number of votes (slightly) and also increase her vote share. Elwyn Watkins dropped almost 3,000 votes for the Liberal Democrats but increased his vote share slightly, while Conservative, Kashif Ali, dropped a substantial 7,200 votes and lost a significant share of the votes.

Some have been quick to suggest that those who voted Conservative last year, voted Labour instead. I personally find it unlikely that Conservative voters shifted directly to Labour, which makes me wonder if the reality is that Elwyn lost some of support to Labour but gained support from people who previously voted Conservative. However, I find even this possibility a stretch. Those Conservative supporters who are most likely to be disillusioned at the moment are the hard right as their party has had to take a more central position in order to compromise with the Lib Dems. It's conceivable that there was a tactical vote - that Conservative voters recognised that their best chance to have a coalition MP was to vote Lib Dem - but I doubt this factor has influenced the voters enough to cause Ali to lose over 7,000 votes.

Another common perception is that this result represents a swing from Lib Dem to Labour. This is certainly more plausible as, for some time, the Liberal Democrat party has been a protest vote for disaffected Labour and Tory supporters. However, like all political parties, Lib Dems lean left or right. Left-leaning Lib Dems, and ex-Labour supporters will surely be irate about the coalition and the tuition fees debacle has upset many voters. Having said that, I wonder how much influence these two factors have had on the result. Right-leaning Lib Dems and moderates will almost certainly be supportive of the party's achievements in government and even those who previously voted Lib Dem, having switched support from Labour, might be completely disillusioned, rather than switch support back, particularly in the light of Phil Woolas' shame.

Therefore, it is my belief that ultimately the vote in Oldham East and Saddleworth hasn't changed that much. Although I am certain that some people have voted differently to how they voted in the general election, I believe that the most significant factor that has influenced this election is the turnout. I believe Labour successfully located and mobilised their vote (picking up some ex-Lib Dem votes along the way) while a large proportion of Conservative voters stayed home. The Lib Dem vote is, unfortunately, renowned as being somewhat unstable (some might say 'fickle') and it would seem enough voters either stayed at home or shifted their vote Labour's way, to result in a Labour win.

If that's the case, what does it mean for the Council elections later this year? Is this a good result for us local Lib Dems, or a bad one? Firstly, it seems to suggest that not much has changed in real terms. Where Labour are strongest, elections might be theirs to lose and the win in OES (particularly if it is reinforced with more by-election victories) might make Labour complacent. In areas where the party takes their electorate for granted, there could be some shocks but I'm not going to hold my breath. Ed Miliband's leadership is very weak, but fortunately for the Labour party, it is easier to be in opposition than in government because you only have to tell people what they want to hear and, I fear, that's exactly what Miliband is doing. The challenge for Lib Dems everywhere will likely be twofold: one, to convince those who voted Lib Dem in the past to continue to do so, and two, to find that support and transfer it to the ballot box. But then again, hasn't that always been the case?

Regardless of what the OES result means (or not), I'd like to extend my congratulations to the Lib Dem team out there for a well-fought campaign. It is deeply disappointing that Elwyn Watkins didn't win - he deserved it after the dirty campaign Labour ran last May and, judging by his tenacity and determination to see the right thing done, he would've made a great MP. Next time, maybe.

The VAT Rise ate my Chicken

2011-01-13T14:29:00.000Z

Tuesday night... community committee meeting spent on a school bench... one of those things sadistic PE teachers turn upside down and make you balance on... sat in a draft and facing the same old brick wall known as a lack of common sense. Needless to say, when the meeting eventually finished and we were about to head home, KFC was pretty spectacularly appealing, especially as neither Steve nor I had eaten before heading out. So off we puttered down to the local KFC and asked for a £9.99 Bargain Bucket.

It wasn't immediately obvious what the chap the otherside of the window was trying to say but we eventually figured out that he was reminding us about the VAT increase. The £9.99 Bargain Bucket is no longer the £9.99 Bargain Bucket it is now the 8 Piece Bucket. Fair enough... but £10.99? Really? Four times the actual VAT increase? What a cheek! Are they really that desperate to have products that end in 99p?

So, while the likes of the furniture and kitchen places, where a 2.5% increase is rather more of an item, offer to pay the VAT for you, KFC whacks a whopping 10% on the price.

At least they had the decency to throw in a selection of sauces for free. :o)

Trust Me, I'm a Doctor

2011-01-07T12:29:00.000Z

I love Christmas and New Year. After years of working shifts and therefore having to work at some point over the festive period, I now have the pleasure of having Christmas and New Year as a proper holiday. It hearkens back to my school days when Christmas holidays were second only to eight weeks off in the summer; when all that time off was taken for granted and unappreciated.

This year it was Steve that had to work at Christmas, so we decided to take a week off at New Year, when he had a few days off, and head north to visit my parents in the chilly Highlands.

It has, of course, been pretty cold everywhere over the last couple of months but up here there isn't as much snow as there is ice and it was the ice on which Mum came a cropper. Having awoken in the early hours, and having watched BBC Stargazing Live on Monday night, Mum went outside in the middle of the night for a cigarette and was looking up instead of where she was putting her feet. Unfortunately she found a patch of the remaining slippery-stuff and ended up flat on her back with a fractured leg.

A phone call to 999 at 3am and a short wait later and the ambulance crew was on site. George and Gail were superb. They were efficient and sensitive. The immediate care Mum received was excellent. Dad and I followed the ambulance up to Inverness. We arrived in a busy Emergency Department at Raigmore hospital and settled in for a long wait to hear anything. However, despite being clearly very busy, the nursing staff were excellent. They allowed us to join Mum very quickly and kept us informed throughout the wait. They were efficient, promptly sending Mum for an x-ray so that she could be properly assessed as soon as the doctor was available. It was a long wait but I was impressed by the emergency care that Mum received. The staff made her comfortable and they were very attentive. The second visit to the hospital to have the temporary heavy cast removed and replaced with the permanent light-weight cast was equally well handled. The doctor was lovely and the nursing staff in the plaster room were also fanstastic. I was surprised how quickly we were in and out and read rather less of my book than I expected!

This is the first time I have really appreciated the sharp end of British healthcare and I cannot fault the Ambulance Service or the various people - paramedics, doctors and nurses - that have looked after Mum during the last few days. They have all been very understanding, sensitive, attentive and have delivered the highest standard of care I could hope for. How disappointing then when Mum got a call from a GP this morning to be told "a broken leg is not a reason for a medical certificate"!

I can appreciate that there are situations in which people can continue to work with a broken leg. Although I would probably struggle to get to work with a broken leg, I would be able to work from home and, on days when I did have suitable transport, I'd also be able to work in the office: I have a desk-job and my office has disabled access, including a lift. However, Mum is an Community Care worker. Her job entails assessing clients' needs and delivering and installing equipment to help them at home. The community that she covers stretches from Dalwhinnie in the South as far as Nairn in the North. This is an area approximately 65 miles in length. She spends much of her time on the road, traveling between clients and needs to be able to carry and install, often bulky, equipment. Additionally, she is not even be able to go into her office just to sit at her desk as it is up a flight of stairs with no lift. There is simply no way that she can work with a plaster cast from her knee to her toes.

Despite explaining this to the doctor on the phone, the doctor insisted that Mum cannot have a medical certificate. It is clear to me that this is a case of a doctor who thinks they know better than the patient. I'm sure this doctor has had many cases where an otherwise fit and healthy individual, who is perfectly capable of working comes begging for a medical certificate for a broken leg, so perhaps I shouldn't be shocked or disappointed. Perhaps this doctor delivers otherwise excellent medical care and advice. I don't know as I have never met her. Worryingly, neither has my Mum! Either way, what horrifies me is not necessarily the initial judgement, it's the fact that she refused to listen to reason. She completely ignored Mum's protestations and didn't even entertain the possibility of carrying out any further investigations. I wonder if she even considered that Mum is 64 years old and it is difficult enough for her to get along at home let alone at work. to me, this represents everything that is wrong with British healthcare. What a shame that it comes on the back of an experience that represents everything that is right with it.

I truly troubles me that while hospital care seems to have maintained a relatively good standard of patient service, GP care has waned. I know of so many instances where people I know, friends and family etc., have received a poor service from a GP. The days when your GP knew you and your medical history intimately, when you trusted his or her judgment and they understood you are long gone. Huge medical practices deal with huge areas and masses of patients. It is often difficult to get an appointment and even when you do there is often an impression that they can't get you out of the door quick enough. There has been so much focus on hospital care, waiting lists and MRSA that I wonder if everyday care has been forgotten in the shuffle, leaving GPs feeling pressured and dumped-on. I believe that it is high-time that this was investigated and action taken to address these problems.

A Fee Too Far?

2010-12-09T16:44:00.000Z

Students protest in London (BBC News)

I feel fortunate that I am not an MP today, and even more fortunate that, way-back-when actually governing seemed like a distant pipe-dream, I didn't sign any sort of pledge to abolish tuition fees. I'm sure it seemed like a good idea at the time but some Liberal Democrats are learning the hard way that photo opportunities (like the tutition fee pledge) sometimes come back to haunt you. Today, our nation's Liberal Democrat parliamentary representatives will face one of the most politically challenging decisions of their careers when they face a vote on proposed changes to higher education funding.

Under the new scheme, the cap on tuition fees would be increased to £9,000 per year (up from around £3,200). This is to offset changes under the deficit reduction plan that will see cuts of at least 40% to university funding. Essentially, the weight of responsibility for university funding will be shifted from the taxpayer to the graduate. While this might seem frightening (particularly when you consider a typical degree will take three years, incurring up to £27,000 of debt for the graduate before they have even taken a job), plans have been put in place to try and alleviate the burden. First and foremost, under the proposed scheme, students will not have to pay anything up front, thereby maintaining the accessibility of university education. Secondly, no graduate will pay a penny until they are earning £21,000 per annum (with this threshold increasing annually according to the rate of inflation). Once graduates do start paying back their fees, they will pay only 9% per month. While this might seem alot, it ensures that higher earners will pay more back, and will pay more quickly than those on lower incomes. Finally, the debt will be written off after 30 years so no-one will be lumbered with the burden indefinitely.

Happily, having never made any election promise pertaining to tutition fees, I feel secure in stating for posterity that I am in favour of the new proposals and that, if I were an MP today, I would vote accordingly. While I baulk at the thought of students accumulating debt to the tune of almost thirty grand, I acknowledge that present circumstances prohibit even the status quo, never mind abolishing fees altogether. Present circumstances include the fact that we are in coalition and must compromise with our Conservative colleagues, allowing them to meet some of their election pledges at the same time as meeting some of our own. We have, and will continue to achieve some of our manifesto policies, but abolishing tuition fees was never going to be possible in a coalition, either with the Conservatives or with Labour. Furthermore, the previous government has left the country with a much greater deficit than even the most pessimistic estimates predicted. As a result, cuts have had to be deeper and more immediate than we believed was the case during the election period. (Welcome to the world of Labour lies.) Either way, the simple truth at the end of the day is that there are more important spending priorities, including health and schools, than ensuring a free university education for anyone that wants it. I would, of course, prefer not to increase tuition fees at all and would love to be in a position to guarantee free higher education to all but, facing budget cuts, universities have to be allowed to charge students higher fees. If they are not allowed to do so, it will not be a reduced uptake for students from poorer backgrounds that we face, or a generation of students in a debt crisis; it will be a generation of students fighting for a greatly reduced number of university places and this benefits no-one.

In addition, there is the greater debate of whether it is right for the taxpayer to fully fund higher education. I have found very few people that believe the taxpayer should shoulder the burden alone, but most of the people I have discussed it with are cautious about increasing fees to the proposed £9k. It seems therefore that the problem is not the fees themselves but the number. £9,000 is still a lot of money to most people, especially multiplied three times. Generally, however, I have found a lot of support for the new proposals, especially when people come to understand that those who earn less will pay less. Most people seem convinced that higher education should not be pervue of the taxpayer.

This debate fundamentally differs in England than in Scotland where there is a cultural tradition of free education. I know my Dad is very much against tuition fees, but I haven't discussed with enough Scots to get a reasonable grasp of public feeling north of the border.

Either way, the choice in government today is simple: increase the cap on tuition fees and ensure funding security for universities, or maintain the status quo on tuition fees and doom thousands of youngsters to a future where there is no university place for them at all. There is no question of whether we should abolish tuition fees or not, because it is not achievable in coalition. Faced with these choices, I believe the proposals are progressive and I therefore support them. I believe that students will be better off in the long-run and that the policy has greatly benefitted from the influence of the Liberal Democrats in government. Without this influence, the cap would probably have been lifted altogether and I doubt that any of the measures to ensure accessibility for students from poorer backgrounds would have been part of the policy.

Of course, if I were an MP today, I may well have got there by signing a pledge or campaigning on the principle of abolishing tuition fees, in which case my views are quite different. For those who have made promises, particularly by signing pledges, the situation is very much more complex. It is clear that some MPs will feel bound to vote against the proposals, regardless of any merits. I personally feel that an MP's duty is first, to their constituents and second to the government as a whole. MP's are there to represent the people that elected them so if a candidate stated that they would oppose any increase in tuition fees, in simple terms, they risk betraying their electorate if they vote in favour of the proposals. There is a question about whether this individual policy was crucial in each individual campaign and how many constituents realistically support the abolition of tuition fees, as politics is anything but simple, so it will therefore be a matter of conscience for some Liberal Democrat MPs and I leave it to them to determine how best to represent their constituency. However, I would personally discourage abstention as 'the cowards way out'.

My final concern is how the Liberal Democrat party will be perceived after this crucial vote. In coalition with the Conservatives, I always feared that we would come off worse. It is harder for our credibility to survive compromise with the defense "it would've been worse without us" than it is for the Conservatives, who will convince right wing supporters that their more moderate policies are all our doing. I would like to think that four years down the line people will be better off and recognise our influence in bringing that prosperity. It is particularly difficult to think positively in a firestorm of negative media coverage and also difficult to think positively when the future of the nation is hurling missiles and injuring police in violent protests. How representative of voter feeling these protests are remains to be seen. After all, Labour promised not to introduce tuition fees and did, and pledged not to increase them and did, and they survived in government for over a decade. I think as long as we can maintain our identity as Liberal Democrats and ride out media interest without being seen to be weak, we will get-by.

Rural Unemployment

2010-10-12T21:36:00.000+01:00

I worked from home today so I had the pleasure of the BBC News channel this morning while I was logging on. There were several interesting reports - student fees and benefits were the hot news of the morning - but the one that really caught my attention was a report that said unemployment in rural areas was lower by percentage than in urban areas. The BBC went on to report about two young people from rural communities, one apprenticing as a butcher and a young woman learning a trade as a stone mason. It was a very interesting report but sadly, very poorly reported and sorely under-researched.

I spent my adolescence in a rural Scottish community so I know too well the choices and issues that people living in rural communities face. I therefore wasn't surprised by the statistic and can immediately think of some reasons for it that the BBC didn't even mention.

Firstly, populations in rural communities tend to be quite static, occasionally increasing or declining, but not usually by too much. Planning constraints and green belt often limit the number of homes that can be built which limits the potential for growth. This in turn has the additional effect of inflating house prices as demand (by wealthy investors looking for holiday homes or second homes) outstrips supply.

Employment and education also tend to control the population. Back when I was approaching the end of my school days, if you were good at exams, you were encouraged to go to university (if you weren't the careers advisors made other suggestions, including the armed forces, college in Inverness 40 miles away, apprenticeships or work.) and going to university meant moving out and moving away. Dundee is the nearest city to Strathspey, where I grew up, and is around 90 miles distant; Aberdeen and Edinburgh are just over 100 miles away and Glasgow is about 125 miles away. As a school leaver in the Highlands with decent exam results, moving away was a virtual certainty. However, because of the type of employment available in the area, staying away was an almost equal certainty.

While there are plenty of employment opportunities in rural communities, they can also be quite limited and often unstable and this keeps young people away. In Strathspey, many of the employment opportunities are based on the tourist industry, which is highly seasonal and horribly unstable. There are plenty of positions in hotels and bars, in retail and in sports and leisure but this type of work is notorious for being there one minute and gone the next. Tourism is dependent upon so many factors: Lots of cheap overseas deals is death to the British tourism industry; something like a Foot and Mouth outbreak keeps visitors away in their droves; even the wrong sort of weather (a warm winter or a wet summer) might result in a massive drop in visitor numbers and global terrorism keeps foreign visitors away too. It's also ironic that the recession is doing wonders for our tourist industry: When the nation is prosperous, British tourism suffers as people are able to spend more money on overseas holidays to exotic destinations. Rural communities do present other opportunities; in farming, land management, environment, education, social care and local government, but such positions are far less abundant

In addition, when you live in the middle of nowhere, the cost of living is also higher. In a city, if you can't get work, you get rid of your car and you shop in Aldi instead of Sainsbury's. When you live in a rural community, you need a car because there is limited or no bus service. (Where I lived, the Doctor was in the next town, 3 miles away, as was my school and the chemist.) In a rural community it also costs more to run your car. In a city you have a choice of any number of petrol stations to fuel up (I have 6 choices within a 5 minute drive of my house or place of work) but in a rural community, there might only be one within a 30 minutes drive. A captive audience means a higher price. And forget going to Aldi for your shopping; if you're lucky you might have a supermarket in your town, but you might equally be reliant on a supermarket quite some distance away, or on smaller shops with higher prices.

Don't get me wrong, rural life is wonderful. Living in a rural community is an enriching experience and if I felt it was a viable option, I would have moved back years ago. The air is cleaner, locally produced food is better, the pace of life is more relaxed and the view is magnificent, but make no mistake, rural life is also bloody hard. For more than a decade I watched my parents working hard to make their business - a gift shop and cafe - work through years of tough conditions. It was graft. Every single day. And decisions had to be made with the business and their survival in mind. (I got married in September because that was the best month dictated by the requirements of the business.) It doesn't surprise me that unemployment is higher in the urban areas than in rural communities because, in a rural community, if you lose your job or it disappears because of a bad season, the choice is to get something else, quickly, or leave for a place with more opportunities. When you also consider that young people, who tend to move away from rural communities to take up study after school, are the worst affected by unemployment, and the statistics mentioned by the BBC begin to make more and more sense.

What Else Are They Hiding?

2010-10-10T23:32:00.000+01:00

Back in 2007 it became all too apparent that for years, banks around the globe had been trading irresponsibly. In the space of a year, something in the region of thirty global banking organisations went from operating normally to teetering on the brink of oblivion. The consequences of this fall from grace are well documented and continue to be felt by ordinary people all around the world as unemployment, higher taxation and low interest rates begin to erode the money in our pockets.

The warning signs of the crisis were there to be seen, if you chose to look hard enough, but you didn't have to be Vince Cable to see them. There were plenty of symptoms of the ongoing corruption that anyone could spot.

As early as 2006, thousands of people were successfully reclaiming bank charges by arguing that they were unlawful penalties. These were the charges levied by banks for each bounced direct debit, bounced cheque or for each transaction that exceeded an overdraft limit. Charges were, at that time, typically around £30 or £35 each, and it was not unusual for a bank to make multiple charges for a single infringement, for a bank to charge against transactions that they were able to block, or to refuse a transaction for less than £30 only to then levy a charge of £35. They were sneaky and underhanded practices that punished those most in need of help, like people on low incomes and individuals suffering temporary financial problems beyond their control. Banks justified their practices using a number of excuses, and defended them in court by claiming that the charges recovered additional administration costs. At one stage extra admin costs for these functions were estimated to be somewhere between zero and £6 per transaction. Most banks continue to charge over £10 per fee, and many continue to charge almost double that.

In addition, there are thousands of PPI (Payment Protection Insurance) policies may have been mis-sold. Payment Protection Insurance covers the policy holder in the event of redundancy or illness. However, many of the policies have been taken out without the borrower's knowledge or consent, have been sold when not needed, or been sold where the policy didn't apply so that the borrower could not actually make a claim.

There have also been multiple complaints about other products being 'sold' without the borrower or account holder's knowledge. Most banks now have privilege accounts that include extras, such as holiday insurance, mobile phone insurance, breakdown cover and more. For these so-called services, the banks charge anywhere from £10 to £20 per month, adding up to somewhere between £120 and £240 per year. If you don't take a holiday abroad, don't have a mobile phone (or have home contents insurance that already covers your mobile phone), don't drive a car or pay separately for breakdown cover, this is money. It is better in your account than in your bank's pocket. Even if you do take advantage of one or two of these add-ons, you are still probably paying well over the odds for the product.

Today I read that the British Bankers Association is seeking a judicial review of new rules that are due to come into force on the 1st of December designed to prevent these kinds of practices and to ensure those that have been mis-sold PPI receive refunds. The BBA's reasoning for seeking a judicial review is that they believe the new rules are illegal. It seems the actual reason for the review is that the banks are concerned that they could be forced to refund billions in mis-sold PPI policies, but worse, that this could then set a precedent that would open the doors to refunds for other mis-sold products. It makes me wonder what else the banks have swept under the rug that might be a liability for them.

The fact is that practices that have been employed by most, if not all of Britain's banks, have left them horribly exposed to liability and litigation. These practices may not have been systemic, but the were certainly endemic. They were callous, ruthless, devious practices that were possibly encouraged and, when complaints started to roll in, were certainly ignored. The banks made a mint off unsuspecting customers and in many cases refused to issue refunds when they were caught out. This is a mess that is of the banks' own making. It's time they accepted the legacy that they have made for themselves. An apology for their collective arrogance wouldn't go a-miss either.

Making Your Mind Up

2010-10-06T15:20:00.000+01:00

If you watched X-Factor at the weekend, you will probably number among the thousands (if not millions!) of people that were outraged that contestant Gamu Nhengu wasn't chosen to go through to the live finals. The question is, how far do you take it?

There's a lot being written at the moment about the decisions made on the Sunday night show. Firstly, I'm reasonably happy with the judges' choices in all three categories. There are some contestants I would have put through - Diva Fever were so much more interesting than 1 Direction - and some I would not. But ultimately, I feel the quality is quite high so it's hard for me to be too angry. However, I was just as disappointed as the rest of the nation to find Gamu cast out of the show.

Not only is Gamu stand-out talented but she also had a unique sound and image, unlike a couple of the other girls. Although I liked all the girls, personally, I would have put Gamu through in place of Katie Waissel. Of all the girls, Katie was the only one who completely buckled under the pressure. Cher Lloyd also failed to perform, but had serious tonsilitis and should not have been singing or even speaking. She tried and in doing so put her voice at risk of damage. I believe that shows enough committment to warrant her place in the final. Katie's performance, however, came on the back of a poor first audition and left me with concerns about her stability as a contestant and her ability to perform on the live show week after week. Gamu had no such problem and showed maturity and poise; traits that she has demonstrated consistently throughout the process thus far.

Having said that, over the last couple of days I have been pretty horrified to hear and read about the outlandish reaction of some viewers of the show. When I heard people had actually complained to ITV and to Broadcasting Standards, I thought it a sad reflection on the attitude of people to the business of entertainment. Boys and girls: It may come as a surprise to you, but X-Factor is a business! When I read online that the show's producers were working with the police to investigate death threats against Cheryl Cole, I was horrified!

Those who make and are involved in the show have no committment to you other than to provide a product that appeals to enough people to make it commercially viable. They don't owe you anything and - at this stage - their choices are their own and don't need to be justified to you, the audience. Get over it! Grow up! Put it in perspective: In a couple of years' time, the name Gamu Nhengu will be all but forgotten. (Unless, of course, she's returns for a second crack at it - which I hope she will.)

Obviously this sort of backlash is unfounded and, quite frankly, ridiculous. What further annoys me is the public response to the revelation that Gamu and her family have been instructed to leave the country or risk deportation. I have read all sorts of bizarre comments from 'it's terrible that Gamu lost out because she doesn't have a visa' to 'why let Gamu's mother claim benefits when she's not entitled to them' to outright 'let them stay' (for no reason other than liking Gamu). There is a propensity in this country, although we are not alone in the tendancy, to blame everything on immigration or immigrants: People who can't get a job often sit back and blame it on foreigners 'taking our jobs'; problems with the NHS get blamed on immigrants coming for free health care and stretching the system; sometimes people even try to pin social problems like bringe drinking or yob culture on 'foreign influences'. When I then find the general public advocating a softening of the rules for special cases, I find myself intensely frustrated. The Home Office is apparently 'damned if they do and damned if they don't'

I feel bad that Gamu and her family may be forced to return to Zimbabwe. It's one of the few places in the world that I really wouldn't want to live. However, a visa was granted based upon certain conditions and rules. If you break the rules you lose the visa. It's not complicated and it shouldn't be complicated. Gamu's mother took money from the state that she wasn't entitled to. I'm sad that she hasn't got a more stable country to return to, and that her children, who have made lives for themselves here will have to leave it behind, but that is where my sympathy ends.

So, am I disappointed that Gamu isn't going to be in the live shows? Sure am! Will I avoid watching or avoid supporting other contestants because of it? Sure won't! At the end of the day, I watch X-Factor to be entertained and I will continue to watch up to the point it is no longer doing so.

Fame Without Heart

2010-10-03T20:16:00.000+01:00

I love movies. In all shapes and sizes. These days I don't get to the cinema for the latest releases very often, but I watch movies on Sky and I have a Lovefilm account to boot. It takes me a while, but I usually get around to seeing everything I want, sooner or later.

I remember when the Fame remake was out at the cinema last year. I wanted to see it with my mate, Claire. I always loved the original, including it's classic '80s theme tune and, as girls, this sort of girlie movie is right up our street. Unfortunately, we never quite got around to seeing it so I was pleased when I noticed it was on Sky this afternoon.

It wasn't well received last year. Film critics and movie goers seemed to agree that it was a poor remake. But, being stubborn, I generally like to make my own decisions. I wasn't expecting much and 'not much' is precisely what Fame delivered.

It's a broad retelling of the classic movie. The structure of the plot and the various situations that are employed are similar, but for some odd and unexplained reason, all the character names have been changed. It is by no means identical to its predecessor but the bones of the original story are still there.

Although the bulk of the cast are little-known actors, (most of the actors playing the students had only done TV bit parts or uncredited work before) the makers did managed to secure some serious experience and talent. Kelsey Grammer, Bebe Neuwirth and Charles Dutton are all superb in their roles. Charles Dutton in particular is charming as the acting coach, Mr Dowd. Despite their lack of previous experience, there are some other surprisingly impressive performances too. Kay Panabaker (currently starring in superhero drama, No Ordinary Family) is beautiful and vulnerable as Jenny Garrison and Collins Pennie does a nice job with tough, yet sensitive, Malik Washburn. All the actors are clearly talented; dancing, singing and playing their way through Fame with conviction.

Director, Kevin Tancharoen, has experience directing musically themed TV shows and documentaries and his experience is shown in the visual and musical styling of the movie. Fame is visually appealing: There are some spectacular scenes, like the school 'CarnEvil' (I'm guessing this was supposed to be a Halloween Party) and the end of school show. And, as one might expect for a film about a performing arts school, it is musically interesting too, although the soundtrack is unlikely to appeal to someone who doesn't like hip-hop.

So why doesn't it work?

The problem with the 2009 version of Fame is all too obvious (and all too common). The weakness is not in the acting, the directing or the sound. The blame for this movie abomination lies firmly with the writer. Perhaps Allison Burnett has tried too hard to maintain the structure of the original, or perhaps it's because the characters aren't her own (new names, same stereotypes). Or perhaps the screenplay falls foul of the performing arts, collapsing under the weight of the visual and musical style. Either way, the retelling of this classic drama is undramatic and soulless. Sure, the actors do a good job with what they have been given, but tragically, what they've been given is one-dimensional and uninspiring. The acting performances are individually pleasing, but the characters are shallow and move around the flat world in near isolation. They don't grow or develop and crucial moments, like Kevin's near suicide, don't have any lasting affect.

When I think back to the 1980 original, I think of memorable characters on a journey of self-discovery, facing personal and professional challenges. It's a story that has heart; the one thing that the 2009 remake completely lacks. What a waste.

Dreamscape

2010-09-25T23:38:00.000+01:00

When I was about 14 or 15 years old, I had an idea (which I called 'Dreamscape') about a story that blurred the lines between reality and dreams. Regretfully, I never put in the time and effort to develop the idea into anything more than that one line concept. If I had developed it, and by some miracle a Hollywood studio had decided to turn into a movie, I fancy that my one simple concept would have become Inception.

It took four attempts before I finally got to see the movie. The first time, I discovered I had an intolerance to milk by eating some ice-cream and then throwing it back up in the cinema! Naturally that meant I didn't even get to see the trailers, never mind the film. The second time I set out to see it, hubby remembered that Man U were playing so, of course, we had to turn back. The third time, we got stuck in football traffic and would have missed about 20 minutes at the start of the film. So it was fourth time lucky and the movie was well worth the wait.

Although I'm sure there are people that were confused by Inception, the plot is satisfyingly complex without being utterly confounding. I found the dream sharing idea fascinating and I loved the way that each of the layers of the dream communicated with the next so that sound and sensation trickled down through the dream world.

I also found the characters truly endearing. They all had a function. None of them were there for the sake of padding the cast or making a lofty point, and each one was unique within the story. Ellen Page was the stand-out performance for me. She's a pretty girl and a talented actress. She handled her role in Juno with such a lightness of touch, I was curious to find out what she could do with a big-budget sci-fi action thriller, especially playing across from much older actors (leading lad, Leo is more than a decade older.) Her character was strong, ballsy and intelligent - everything a female lead should be - and it is a testament to her skills that she didn't just do a good job; there was great on-screen chemistry between her character, Ariadne, and Leo's character, Cobb. Even DiCaprio, who has only really played two characters in his entire career, was enjoyable to watch and Tom Hardy plays a marvelous scoundrel.

However, the greatest flourish of this movie was in the visual, which brings a whole new meaning to the phrase 'world-building'. The world in which Inception functions is both beautiful and mind-bending. It's a world where gravity and concrete are flexible and mirrors become reality.

If I have any gripes with this movie, and I hasten to add that this is just being picky, it's the fourth layer of the dream. The limbo layer. It's a concept that doesn't quite hold up for me. I can accept it. It doesn't spoil the flow of the film. But I know that if I let me brain go and really think about it, I could find a dozen problems with it. I'm also annoyed that Cobb's dead wife, played by Marion Cotillard, was named 'Mal' rather than 'Mol'. I had assumed that 'Mol' was short for Molly, which made sense. Mal, however, is a stupid name.

Nevertheless, this is, quite possibly, the best film I've seen in a decade. It is as visually ground-breaking and conceptually revolutionary as The Matrix was and, to Chris Nolan's credit, it is much more accessible: Friends who don't normally make a fuss over the sci-fi genre loved this movie and it's appeal is proven by the fact it was a trending topic on Twitter for months. This is definitely one to add to the blu-ray collection. It will be stunning in hi-def!

It's a Dog's Life

2010-09-18T17:27:00.000+01:00

Like any other person heading off on holiday, I pack my holiday essentials: sun cream, toothbrush and books, Books BOOKS. This June was no different. One of the books I decided to take was Marley and Me by John Grogan. I saw the film a little while ago and thoroughly enjoyed the tortuous tale of a young family and their maniacal mutt. And the book was a marvelous read and I highly recommend it, whether you have seen the film or not.

When I was little - I mean really little - I always wanted a dog and was not allowed to have one. My parents were justifiably concerned that being a child, I would not take good care of a dog and the responsibility would therefore be left to them... or rather Mum! Mum finally yielded following a break-in and we went to a local family that had just had a litter of Border Collie pups.

It was my brother, David, that picked out our treasured family pet. She was originally called 'Dotty' but Mum insisted that she was not going to walk around the village calling "Dotty... Dotty... Come here Dotty!" so we quickly renamed her 'Brèagha', Gaelic for beautiful. Although the name was apt (she was a beautiful dog all her life), Dotty was perhaps just as apt because she was a complete nutcase! She hated men and barked non-stop at any man (other than David, Dad or my husband, Steve) who entered the house. She had a penchant for digging, which manifested initially in uprooted rose bushes or holes under the fence (despite the gate being wide open all the time) and later in a six foot hole at the side of the house, which Dad discovered only when my parents eventually moved. She used to sit on your shoulder (was she a dog or a parrot?) and watch TV. She was particularly fond of Star Trek The Next Generation and used to sit a foot away from the TV and tilt her head from side to side. She loved yoghurt pots, even when they was no yoghurt in them; plant pots, without the plants; and plastic lids, which she could destroy within 24 hours. She wouldn't eat unless you tried to take her food away and loved nothing more than a good game of 'My Bone'. She chased sheep, rabbits, birds, cats, people and even cars; one time she did actually catch a rabbit... and then promptly let it go because she didn't know what to do with it. Her answer to grooming was to swim in a river, in the sea or any other body of water, as long as it wasn't clean. She hated the bath and the brush in equal measure. She used to run in fear of Dad's hiccups but couldn't love enough when you came home after being away - even if 'away' was five minutes to nip round the corner to the shop. She was my best friend as I grew up and the day she had to be put to sleep (due to cancer that had spread in her hind quarters) was no less heartbreaking than the day my brother died because she was just as much a part of our family.

The wonderful thing is, reading Marley and Me and chatting to a colleague at work who has just got a new pup, my experience of having a dog, and the love that I and my whole family felt, is not unique. John Grogan suggests that you can learn a lot from a dog and asks how many people in the world can make you feel so loved. What is also incredible is the connection that you can feel to other dog owners. You share a great common ground and together you laugh at your pets' follies, despair at their lunacies and you share joy and pain at their lives and deaths. A dog might bring noise, chores and fur in abundance to your home, but he or she brings so much more. I miss my dog and if it wasn't for the fact I work 5 days a week, I would have another in a heartbeat.

15 Minutes of Fame

2010-09-18T17:11:00.000+01:00

Hrrmm, 29th of June. That was the last time I posted. Two and a half months... before I know where I am it will be 2011! The reason for my long blogging absence? Don't Stop Believing!

I have posted about Sing Live a couple of times before. I started singing with the Sing Live North West choir last April and have since sung with them three times at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester and I have also sung at the fabulous Royal Albert Hall in London. Every time I perform the experience gets better, so much so that I constantly ask myself how each performance can be topped. But somehow, it always is. This summer has been no different.

I think it was back in April when a group of singers from Sing Live Merseyside, Sing Live North West and Sing Live North East gathered in a car park in Gosforth (because we couldn't get into the Civic Centre that had been booked for the occasion) to audition for a new TV show to be broadcast on Five. None of us really expected to get through, but we got the 'call' at the end of June, inviting us to perform on and spent July preparing for our fifteen minutes of fame.

I often wondered about the experiences of TV show contestants, like those on X-Factor. In interviews, they all seem to spout wonderful things about how close they are as a group, and how much they enjoy the experience. I used to suspect that it was bluster. Exaggeration. Turns out, it's not.

Performing with Sing Live on Don't Stop Believing is probably the single coolest and most exciting experiences of my life so far. There are something in the region of 4,000 Sing Live members spread across 11 companies in the UK and USA but the eighty-five of us that performed live on TV are part of an exclusive club. We are ambassadors for the company we love, and for the 4,000 members who weren't able to sing with us. We did get to know each other really well, having spent days at a time together, and while there were occasional upsets, everyone was very supportive of each other. It was a privilege and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for which I will be perpetually grateful.

It's impossible to fully explain what it felt like to be part of the experience. Many people have asked if I was nervous - no I really wasn't, I was excited. Standing on the stage, head down, waiting for the music to start, was incredible. Thinking of the millions of people watching at home, including friends and family that were probably just as excited as me, and probably more nervous, was empowering. And if I thought there was a buzz before we went on stage, it was nothing compared to the buzz coming off stage after performing. The atmosphere was exhilarating. I felt a bond with the rest of the group that I have never felt before, and I would gladly give my right arm to do it again. Although I don't think that would make for good choreography.

If you would like to see how I spent my summer, you can watch the show in full by clicking here, or you can watch our main performance and the judges comments by clicking here. I hope you enjoy it. It's also worth saying that we're not a special group of Sing Live members that are better than others; we're not all amazing performers. We are ordinary people.

Anyone can join Sing Live and there are no auditions to sing with us. If you would like to be part of one of our performances, there is nothing stopping you. :o)

Salford's Got Talent

2010-06-29T15:26:00.000+01:00

I'm not a regular attendee of the Langworthy Community Forum, which meets every other month. It's usually quite well attended but is also usually on a night when I'm off doing something else! However, this month, I happened to be free so went along with hubby. I'm so glad I did.

At the end of the meeting, in the small upstairs room of the St Luke's parish hall, we had the pleasure of a performance by four very talented Salford superstars-to-be. The performers - three singers and a dancer - were all supported by the Salford Foundation, which helps children and young people in Salford to pursue personal development opportunities that would otherwise not be available to them because of family or financial constraints. Their talent was amazing. The singers all had beautiful voices and transformed from nervous kids to true performers in the blink of an eye. The dancer showed wonderful energy and character, although I wonder how many of the people at the forum really 'get' street dance! However, one young girl in particular, Megan, really stood out as being very special. She sang a Carrie Underwood song called 'Temporary Home' that literally moved me to tears. Performance isn't just about raw talent, it's about engaging the audience and drawing them in. As a singer myself, I feel I can say that performance is just as much about emotion, expression and acting, as it is about the voice and despite her young age, Megan was able to pour so much emotion into her song, it was truly remarkable.

All four kids gave wonderful and surprisingly mature performances that were throughly enjoyed by everyone in the room. They will all be appearing in the show Ollie wiva Twist on August 25th at the Lowry Theatre. Tickets are only £6 via the Lowry website, or £5 from the box office.

Proceeds from the show will be donated to the Salford Foundation Trust and the Salford Lads Club. If you can make it, I highly recommend coming along. Not only will you be supporting all the young people involved in the show, you will also be supporting two very worthwhile youth organisations and, I'm certain, you'll get an evening of great entertainment too.

Our House

2010-05-15T23:50:00.000+01:00

Moving on with the many things I wanted to blog about during the election campaign, I want to talk about housing. It's a significant issue in Salford. We have a multitude of different types of housing, from high-rise to bungalows and from tiny shoe-box studios to huge detached mansions. We also have a big social housing deficit with, at the last count, almost 20,000 people on the council waiting list. Yet at the same time, hundreds of potential homes are boarded up, lie empty for one reason or another, or have been demolished in the name of regeneration. However, rather than cover one of Salford's big issues, I want to spend some time considering the bricks and mortar itself.

Before the industrial revolution, this area, which is now part of the city of Salford, was a township known as Pendleton. It included a vast swathe of open space interspersed with a few large houses, such as Chaseley House (now flats). Buile Hill Park and Seedley Park at the top of our road were once much larger parklands and Salford was then a humble market town to the east. The industrial revolution brought railways. With the railways came the mills and with the mills came jobs. Jobs meant more people and people needed houses.

At one time, the most common type of housing in Salford was the two-up-two-down red-brick terrace. Indeed, much of Salford, including where I live, is still characterised by geometrically arranged streets marched on either side by rows of orange-brown buildings. These Victorian constructions - a then modern take on the Regency town-houses of the upper classes - are solidly built and have stood for a hundred years. They offer generous accommodation, even with the later additions of indoor plumbing, central heating and fitted kitchens. High ceilings and large windows make rooms feel big, bright and airy. But these wonderful homes are a bit of a dying breed. There are still plenty of them but far less than 10 years ago or 10 years before that. Perhaps it is the lack of outside space - terraced houses have enclosed yards but no gardens. They are houses designed and built to make maximum use of the available space. They are the high-rises of the past, built horizontally across an industrial landscape, instead of vertically into the sky. This is the landscape of LS Lowry.

The next round of housing at greatest evidence in this area is the product of the great depression of the 1930s. Faced with a massive recession as a result of the 1929 Wall Street Crash in America, the UK government pumped money into the economy by building millions of new homes. 30's homes are mostly semi-detached. Unlike their terraced brothers, they have outdoor space to spare. Gardens front and back show a developing aspirational society. Homes were not just places to eat and sleep in between work, they became the castles of the working class. However, like the housing of the past, they are homogeneous. In between the columns of Victorian and Edwardian terraces, you will find rows of cloned 1930s semis squatting in little patches of green.

There is a third housing presence in this part of the city that dominates in a different way to the rest. The 60s and 70s brought the replacement of so-called slum housing. Vast tracts of terraced housing were demolished, either during World War II as a result of The Blitz, or in the late 50s and early 60s in the name of modernisation. Replacing them were the great towering high-rises of the late 60s and early 70s, augmented with larger low-rise accommodation. The high-rises offered a vision of apartment living with all the amenities of modern life. The maximised accommodation in the minimum of space and created communities in the sky. In some parts of the country, and indeed, in some of the high-rises in this city, the slums of the past may have been cleared but the modernisation of the 60s turned out to be the slums of the future. I have been in many of the high-rises in this area and they are generally well-maintained and attractive places to live. Some places, like Thorn Court, are genuine communities. But not all 60s domiciles are so pleasant.

Certain parts of our area are made up of the 60s version of the Victorian terrace. Set at odd angles to each other and built in quadrangles or walks without vehicle access, these areas area difficult to police, so are favourite escape routes for criminals. Although they make good sound homes, they are often unattractive externally. On approach you are never quite sure whether it's the front of the house or the back you're looking at, giving them a somewhat schizophrenic appearance.

Nevertheless, Salford has some great housing stock and it's been great to get out and have a really good explore of my area. Like it or love it, leafletting is the best way to get to know the place you live in. The fingerprint of the city's history can be seen in it's housing and when you look back to the past you can see the same steps being taken and the same mistakes being made time and again. Regeneration and modernisation marches on and poorly maintained or poorly planned housing of yesterday is demolished to make way for the demands of today. Here in Langworthy, housing is coming full-circle. The lost terraces of the past have been replaced with modern equivalents to one degree or another. It's fascinating to look around and imagine the cityscape of the past and what might come along in the future.

Letterboxes

2010-05-09T12:12:00.000+01:00

It would be a strange circumstance indeed that would see me become Prime Minister tomorrow, or indeed ever. But should that strange circumstance occur, my number one priority would not be the economy, schools or the NHS. It wouldn't even be electoral reform. It would be letterboxes!

Over the last 7 days I must have walked 50 miles and posted thousands of letters and leaflets through the doors of my neighbours. It has given me a new appreciation of the plight of the neighbourhood post-person. It has also given me a nice set of nicks, bruises and scars on the back of my hands and on my knuckles.

So, as your new Prime Minister, here are the new rules that will be introduced as of June 1st (see... I'm fair... I'm giving you some time to sort out your letterbox!)

1. All letterboxes must be in the middle of the door. No more letterboxes at the bottom of the door. How more posties don't throw their backs out or get assaulted by their bags as they bend down to access such letterboxes, I will never know.

2. All letterboxes must lift up rather than push in. Push in letterboxes are usually so stiff that you can barely move your fingers by the time your done. They also have a nasty habit of taking your fingers off. There is many a campaigner out there that is missing the end of a finger, or a whole finger, or even a hand!

3. There must be no sharp edges on any part of the letterbox. Brushes on the inside of letterboxes are increasingly popular - they are a good thing because they stop drafts and in these eco-conscientious times, who doesn't want to stop a draft? The side effect is that you usually have to shove your whole hand into the letterbox to get the letter or leaflet in. Sharp internal edges have drawn blood more times than I can count and have left me with many a battle scar.

4. On the subject of anti-draft brushes, can we have nice soft ones, please. Soft ones are nice on our weary little fingers. We don't like the kind that feels like scraping your hands on sandpaper.

5. Brushes make internal flaps unnecessary and it's hardly fair that you get to try and sever our fingers twice in one go.

6. Narrow letterboxes are forbidden. Only children can effectively use these letterboxes and we do not condone child labour.

7. All letterboxes must be hung horizontally. Vertical letterboxes are hopeless - especially the ones that are hinged at the top. Although side hinged ones are almost as bad.

8. In houses where there are dogs, a cage must be provided, either for the dog or for the letterbox. A third opportunity for finger severance in the form of a dog (or dogs) lying in wait on the other side of a door, is most definitely not acceptable.

9. As an alternative to the above, an outside box for post can be provided. And if you want to put it on your fence or gate to avoid the trek up (or down) a hill that's like the north face of the Eiger, that would be most welcome. There will be tax breaks for homes with long or steep paths that use this type of post receptacle.

10. A letter box must be provided. What's the deal with houses and flats with no letterbox? I can understand the attraction - no pizza leaflets, take-away menus and election stuff - but how the heck do you normally get your post? You are strange people!

11. Everyone must test their own letterbox several times to ensure full compliance with the above. Trust me, it will give you a whole new appreciation of the trouble this small, rectangular orifice causes.

Now aren't you glad you ended up with the present no-man's-land of politics, instead of me? :o)

The Fear

2010-05-08T22:34:00.000+01:00

The election is over... sort of. After all, no party has really 'won' yet and, for the campaigner on the ground, there is still all the tidying up, thank you letters and the campaign autopsy to do before we can really say that the election is over. But for now, there is a little time to recover from our 'war wounds' (aching feet, lack of sleep and 'letter-box knuckle') and chance to reflect. Election week was so busy I didn't have time to post all the things I wanted to. So I will be catching up.

Last year, Lily Allen released the single 'The Fear', with the chorus...

I don't know what's right and what's real anymore
I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore
And when do you think it will all become clear?
'Cos I'm being taken over by the fear

Wise words indeed. It's almost as if it was written about the election as the various parties vied for votes and power and tried (perhaps in vain) to use the black cloak of fear to confuse the electorate into supporting them.

Early on, Labour came under heavy criticism for sending postcards to cancer patients. Not only did the party make rather dubious use of NHS patient information in order to do so, they attempted to scare said cancer patients into supporting them by claiming that the Conservative party would cut cancer treatment and put lives at risk. It was a desperate tactic that backfired horribly. Rather than garnering support, it put people off the party. Far from being scared of a Tory government, it seemed the majority response was horror at the blatant attempt at manipulation that was just about as subtle as a brick and the general misuse of patient information.

The Conservatives tried a similar, albeit slightly less brick-like tactic. Feeling their divine right to power slipping through their tightly clenched fingers, the Tories tried to scare the electorate into avoiding a hung parliament. It'll be bad for the economy, the stock markets won't like it, it'll be all shady back-room deals... they failed to mention any of the nations where minority governments, coalitions and hung parliaments are run-of-the-mill. The SNP minority government in Scotland has managed to do just fine for its people. Fortunately, it seems that people were just as unconvinced by this tactic. The electorate didn't like to be 'told' how to vote and returned a hung parliament anyway. Take that, David Cameron!

The British National Party are of course the party of fear. They play on the general fear that surrounds immigration, 'foreign' cultures and some religions. Less than a week before the election, some of our neighbours received a mocked up letter and other material purporting to be from a Muslim organisation. I will not perpetuate the lies, but the stunt was designed to instill fear of the Muslim community. Thankfully, people here saw straight through it. Many of the mailings were handed to the police. Most were simply discarded. I am proud to say that the BNP vote collapsed.

So generally it seems that people do not allow themselves to be taken in by such tactics, but having said that, there was a large proportion of voters that remained undecided right up to the last minute and I wonder if these sort of tactics might have had something to do with it. 'Spin' is one thing - the presentation of information in a positive or negative way - but some of the strategies and tactics that have been employed have gone far beyond mere spin. It's tough enough picking a party or candidate to support without the media and the opposition making matters more complicated with fear, half-truths and sometimes even lies. Perhaps rules are needed? But then again, rules are made to be broken.

Style v Substance

2010-05-03T00:22:00.003+01:00

There is little doubt, in this election, that celebrity is playing an important role. Until the first televised leaders debate, the Lib-Dems were very much the third party and no-one realistically expected a strong showing. But the debates have changed that. Here was a platform on which the Liberal Democrats were entirely equal to their opponents and here was a platform on which two young, charismatic men competed with an older, less attractive, and perhaps more typical, politician, for public affection. In a society that is increasingly driven by celebrity and media attention (Princess Diana, Jade Goody, Susan Boyle, Brangelina, Katie Price and Peter Andre, Heather Mills and Macca, etc, etc) Gordon Brown was perhaps always doomed to failure.

Of course, the outcome of the election hasn't yet been decided - we'll have to wait until Thursday for that - but this raises interesting questions about the influence of celebrity and media in modern politics. It is a concern for me that voters might be swayed either by the image a candidate projects in the media, the attention they get in the spotlight, or by the celebrities that support them, rather than by their policies. This set me thinking about another aspect of celebrity politics: Is it wrong for celebrities to endorse parties or candidates?

My head says, no (after all, celebrities are voters too and they have a right to support whomever they wish, just like the rest of us) but something in me finds this whole area of politics a little distasteful.

Early on in this election campaign Sir Michael Caine was seen doing the rounds with David Cameron
in support of Conservative proposals for a National Citizenship Service for 16 year olds. The Labour party have the support of comedian Eddie Izzard, who has been out on the campaign trail; and actor, David Tennant. Both have been seen in recent election broadcasts. The local Labour party has been at it too. They have the support of local artist and LS Lowry protege, Harold Riley, who, this year, signed the nomination papers for Hazel Blears. As for us, who have we managed to call out in support of the Lib Dems? We have presenter, Floella Benjamin; actor, Colin Firth; and Harry Potter (well, Daniel Radcliffe - sadly there will be no 'accio Lib-Dem Voters' for us). Even the BNP have tried to associate themselves with one of the most recognisable British Politicians ever, and wheeled out the corpse of Sir Winston Churchill for a controversial guest spot on the front of one of their leaflets. Bah!

Of course, as much as we'd like to think this is all part of some wider media furore surrounding this particular election, or perhaps a side effect of having live, televised leaders debates for the first time in UK history, having a celebrity or two stepping out in support of your politics is nothing new. There are few Scottish voters that will forget Sean Connery's stirring party political broadcasts in support of the SNP. And does anyone remember John Cleese's 1992 Lib-Dem broadcast? No, I thought not, but it did happen! This is nothing new. In fact, over the pond, the celebrity campaign has been used to great effect for quite some time. During Barack Obama's campaign, he had the support of high profile celebrities such as Madonna, Oprah Winfrey and Scarlett Johansson and USA Today traces celebrity endorsement as far back as...

"nearly a century ago. According to journalist Ronald Brownstein's account of the connection between Hollywood's glitter and Washington's power, the first formal endorsement of a presidential candidate by a major show-business figure came in 1920, when Al Jolson organized a group of Broadway celebrities on behalf of Republican Warren Harding's presidential campaign. Four years later, Jolson publicly backed Harding's successor, Calvin Coolidge. But it was not until the 1930s, when Franklin D. Roosevelt captured the loyalty of scores of actors and actresses — including a later president, Ronald Reagan — that endorsement of presidential candidates by performers became commonplace."

Mind you, in the same article USA Today also discusses how celebrity endorsements can sometimes backfire, as happened in the 2004 John Kerry campaign when Whoopi Goldberg made an inappropriate joke at George W Bush's expense.

"Candidates have often found out the hard way that stars are a bit like uranium: precious, but radioactive."

But I'm still not convinced that it's right. There's something about the parading of music, TV, movie or other cultural icons in politics that I find uncomfortable. The implication is something like, 'look, your favourite celebrity votes for us - so you should too'. It leaves a somewhat sour taste.

However, the attraction of the celebrity endorsement isn't only in the potential to draw votes, it's also in the draw of the media. Dragging out your highest profile celeb to shake some hands or make a statement at a press conference is a virtual guarantee of coverage in the media. In a society that hungers for star gossip, what a celebrity is up to at any given time sells papers and boosts ratings, so of course the media will sit up and pay attention. Perhaps the real impact at the end of the day is negligible compared with the potential positive benefits, because the difficulty for any candidate, whether in a local or parliamentary election, is getting your name and face out there, and the attention of the media is an exceptionally powerful tool that can be used to do just that. In truth, if we had a local celebrity willing to publicly back our parliamentary or local candidates in this election, I wouldn't hesitate to use him or her, if only to get us some extra media attention. I suspect I might not sleep very well, having done so, but I don't think I could pass-up the opportunity.

So perhaps celebrity and politics can happily sit together on the same park bench. Perhaps it is wrong of me to think that voters are so easily swayed or so shallow... or perhaps not? But spare a thought this bank holiday for the accidental celebrity in this election. I am, of course, speaking of Mrs Gillian Duffy, who found herself thrust into the media spotlight while out buying a loaf of bread. The 'bigoted woman', as Gordon Brown so unwittingly dubbed her, is now somewhat of a local heroine for confronting the Prime Minister on the campaign messages that were important to her. What a shame, however, that it wasn't her earnest and heartfelt challenge that earned her the attention of the TV camera's winking eye, but the far more sensational and far less inspiring gaff made by Gordon Brown - a weary man in a moment of weakness.

"Style over substance" is a phrase that has been used many times over the past few weeks and one which summarises this post most succinctly. If Mrs Duffy is anything to go by, perhaps substance is winning after all... although it's a disappointment that she has been so disillusioned by Gordon Brown's behaviour that she is saying that she will not vote for anyone. Ultimately, as long as most people vote for the candidate or party that most closely represents their views, no matter what role media and celebrity played in that decision, I'll be happy because democracy will be the outright winner.

Does Politics Have the X-Factor?

2010-04-16T18:23:00.001+01:00

Last Sunday I spent two thirds of my day hanging around in the cold at Old Trafford waiting for my one and a half minutes in front of an X-Factor judge. Yes, I succumbed to the temptation of bright lights, fame, fortune... not quite! I auditioned, safe in the knowledge that I am neither a good enough, nor bad enough singer to get beyond stage one, so it was never about any of that stuff! My interest was purely one of experience and exploration. I took it as an opportunity to get some audition practice for the one that really matters - for a Sing Live Beatles solo audition, which will be next weekend! It was an interesting experience. I had some fun and it has ended up being a surprising confidence booster, so I'm glad I did it.

While standing there waiting in the longest queue I've ever stood in, it occurred to me that if people paid as much attention to politics as they do to X-Factor, Britain's Got (So-called) Talent and Big Brother, British politics would be much better off. Mind you, the thought of Gordon Brown singing and dancing on a Saturday night for votes kinda makes me want to vomit! But seriously, millions of people that won't vote for free in an election will actually spend money to vote for contestants on these shows - and it's not just sixteen year old girls either! How many people talk about X-Factor on a Monday morning, compared with how many people talk about local or national government (except to have a moan)? It seems that people are quick to complain and slow to act.

I think one of the main problems is a lack of understanding. I have lost count of the number of times recently when I have had to explain the concept of two elections on the same day and I constantly find myself explaining the importance of local elections to people who only vote in parliamentary elections. So many people seem to think that when they vote they are doing so to elect the Prime Minister. They don't realise they are actually electing the individual that will represent them in Parliament and that the Prime Minister is never actually elected (except as the MP for his or her own constituency). With so little understanding of how our system of government works and why it has been set up that way, it's no wonder people think their vote doesn't matter.

So, what's the answer? Do we need to change the way things work? Well, yes, sort of. I support Lib Dem electoral reform policy in full. However, I do not believe it will promote understanding (who here knows how proportional representation works?) and consequently I believe it is unlikely to improve voter turnout or encourage people to engage in politics. Instead, there are three things I would personally like to see introduced.

First, I would like to see politics and citizenship taught in school. Obviously, party policy must be kept out of the classroom but that isn't what I'm talking about here. Our kids should be taught about national and local government, how it works, why it's important to vote and what the affect of non-voting might be. This is a factual subject that can and should be taught. I believe that understanding will promote engagement.

The second thing I would like to see introduced is compulsory voting. There are many that disagree with me, including my poor husband who gets bullied over the subject at regular intervals. There is a general concern that compulsory voting is like putting a gun to person's head, but if an individual doesn't want to vote for any of the candidates they still have the right to not vote by removing or spoiling their ballot paper. In recent years, so many people have said to me that they don't vote in order to 'send a message'. Indeed, in the Irwell Riverside by-election last year, voter apathy was particularly high as many electors stayed home in the wake of the expenses scandal. But staying home doesn't send a message, it just makes you seem lazy. If the vote was compulsory, by removing or spoiling the ballot you would be sending a much clearer message. There is a risk that compulsory voting would mean people would make an uninformed and random choice, but I believe that having to make a choice (whether that be to vote for a candidate or to not complete the vote) would encourage people to make themselves more aware of their options. Understanding does not fall in fairy dust (or volcanic ash!) from the sky; it is something which you must seek out and choose to accept. When you are 'forced' to make a choice (for example, from a restaurant menu) do you just pick something without knowing what it is or do you ask (the waiter) for information or a recommendation?

Finally, I would lower the voting age to sixteen. I was initially against this when it was put to me (how can a sixteen year old make an informed decision about something a thirty year old can't?) but on reflection, if politics was taught in school, I see no reason why not. At the age of sixteen an individual can serve in the armed forces, can get married, can work (and consequently pay taxes) and can leave home. If you are considered responsible enough to make these decisions about your life and future, you should be responsible enough to make a choice about your government representative. Furthermore, politics is just as relevant to young people as it is to adults and if you speak to young people, you can see that kids as young as thirteen or fourteen are already becoming aware of community, society and government. They know what they want and need in their community - just ask them; they have some great ideas. Sixteen year olds are becoming increasingly accustomed to voting, whether it is for their favourite Big Brother contestant or the best singer or group on X-Factor. Rather than look down my nose at that, I'd prefer to use it! Get people to start voting young and they will continue to do so as they get older.

Voter turnout has been slipping for years. I believe that fostering understanding of the electoral system and local and national government is the key to improving it. Alternatively, we can get rid of candidates and just have people vote for their favourite party by calling an 0901 number or texting at 25p per message... I am, of course, joking about this last part! :o)

Who's Fault is it Anyway?

2010-04-13T00:00:00.001+01:00

No campaigning for me yesterday. I had other things to do (more on that subject later). However, I was out on Saturday afternoon posting letters around our ward. It was a gorgeous, warm, sunny day, which meant that a lot of folks were out and about or sitting in their gardens. The sounds of the Grand National rolled out of open doors and windows and kids were kicking footballs in the streets. On days like that it's a great opportunity to catch views and responses because, for once, people are not locked away indoors!

A couple of things were clear. Firstly, the level of awareness of the pending election is very high, which is great because I've campaigned in by-elections when no-one even knew there was an election due. Mind you... you would have to be living under a rock to not know about this one! The second thing that's clear is that there exists a group of people who insist on blaming it all on the immigrants... whatever 'it' is!

People are entitled to their opinion but this is something that thoroughly irritates me. It is a position that shows an utter lack of insight and a determination to bury one's head most firmly in the sand. There is no denying that immigration is an important issue; an incoming population can have both positive and negative effects on a society, but it is somewhat ridiculous to blame all society's problems on immigration - as some people seem so bent on doing.

Sometimes, immigration is undoubtedly a good thing. It allows us to employ the best and brightest and specialists in their chosen field. We should also welcome overseas students who come here to learn, because as well as skills and knowledge, they also gain an understanding of our society and culture. Many industries also rely on overseas workers for seasonal work like fruit picking, because it's something British workers are rarely willing to do. This is very good for business and for the economy. However, immigration can simultaneously lead to a number of problems, not least a loss of identity.

The human being is a social creature. We identify ourselves by groups that we belong to or are excluded from. How often have you asked someone where they were born or what they do for a living? How old are you? Are you a cat or a dog person? What's your favourite colour? Wheelchair-bound people are constantly and frustratingly defined by the fact that they can't walk rather than by their views or experiences; it isn't that unusual to hear people talk about 'seeing beyond the chair'. We seek out people who are like us, with whom we have a common ground, because it makes us feel comfortable and safe; we like to belong. Mass immigration, I believe, scares people because it threatens that feeling of safety and belonging. It threatens identity. This is particularly true because minority populations also want to belong so they often seek each other out too. Minority communities thrive within larger towns and cities. Is there a Jewish quarter in your town? Does your city have a 'China Town'? In the case of religious beliefs, there is the additional consideration that communities spring up in places where there is a church, temple or mosque, simply because it's convenient for the population that worships there. (It's really no different from someone moving to be nearer work, or a family moving to be near a good school.) The unfortunate side-effect of this is that 'native' people begin to feel like the minority, even when they aren't. Additional problems arise when the national sense of identity begins to erode too.

The British are a nation battered by negative phrases like 'Broken Britain', 'Yob Culture' and 'Brits Abroad'. We are losing what it means to be British and more specifically what it means to be English. The Scottish, Irish and Welsh are fortunate to each have clear national and cultural identities. They are nations within a nation that each have a proud heritage and cultural quirks that the majority both acknowledge and, in many cases, adopt. They are people that are proud of who they are. But what of the English? Bangers and mash and fish and chips have given way to Chinese Take-out and Curry Mile. Tea and Crumpets has lost out to Starbucks and Costa-lotta Coffee. Not that those things really matter - I love take out and curry and drink tea or coffee depending on my mood - but when people don't understand what makes them culturally unique, they are even more inclined to feel threatened by other groups. When you feel like you have nothing in common with your neighbour who looks like you, talks like you, has a similar upbringing, family and social status to you, of course you will be concerned by the fifteen people in the next street who - to you - all seem to be alike. It's because you feel alone.

Of course, none of this is the fault of immigration but people who are not like us are an easy target. It takes so much less energy to point the finger at someone with brown skin or a different accent than it does to acknowledge and understand the real sources of society's problems. The person who lives down the street popping out one kid after the next so they can live at home on benefits is more guilty of draining the welfare state than an immigrant who is entitled to no benefits at all, and the young men who ride around my area on uninsured bikes making a racket and putting the lives of others at risk are not from overseas but from right here, in Salford.

My point is simply that society is far more complex than the 'blame it on the immigrants' attitude permits. There a thousand nuances to consider and immigration is only one facet of this little gem. There are sixty-one million people in the UK each with his or her own combination of problems, perspectives and circumstances, and I promise you that 'the immigrants' remain the minority by quite some margin. So don't come bleating to me about immigration. At least not until you have taken a long hard look at the issue you're complaining about. Understanding is the key - and not just understanding of the person who is different from you, but understanding of yourself and why you feel the way you feel.

It's All About the Money

2010-04-09T08:22:00.006+01:00

The General Election is finally upon us but judging by the media, anyone would think that campaigning only started this week. The truth of the matter is that many activists, like myself, have been campaigning since before Christmas. Across the country, evenings have been spent in meetings or at home preparing leaflets, envelopes or the letters to go in them. Weekends have been spent meeting the public in the street, or posting leaflets through doors. However, now the real work begins.

Over the next few weeks I hope to try and blog regularly to give an impression of what it's like, as an activist, campaigning for local and national elections. I hope that you'll get some opinion, some insight and a feel for our constituency. I will try not to make it too dry. ;o)

So, the beginning of 'day four'. Where are we at?

Last night a group of us headed down to Salford Arts Theatre for a local 'Question Time' style debate. On the panel was the sitting Labour MP, Hazel Blears, Conservative candidate, Matthew Sephton, Liberal Democrat front-runner, Norman Owen, local journalist, Pamela Welsh and local TUC secretary, Alex Halligan.

There is a lot of ill feeling in our constituency (Salford and Eccles) towards the Labour party and Hazel Blears. During the summer of last year, it transpired that Hazel Blears had 'flipped' her home in order to avoid paying £13,000 in tax. She was far from the worst offender but has come out of this side of last year's expenses scandal very poorly. At the time, she showed up on TV waving a cheque, which she said would pay back the tax she had avoided. The reality of the publicity stunt was that the cheque was meaningless. Had she sent it to the Inland Revenue, they would not have had a mechanism to accept it. In addition, £13,000, the amount which seemed so insignificant to Hazel, is close to what many people in Salford get paid in a year. Thus, she came across as arrogant and effectively set herself apart from her voters. The only worse response would have been to stick two fingers up at the public on live TV. She followed this up by stabbing her party leader in the back and consequently losing her cabinet position. She saw an opportunity to progress her career and it back-fired. Needless to say, she is not a popular woman.

The event itself was very worthwhile and aside from a group of hecklers, served to genuinely engage the public. I think it was clear by the end of the meeting, that Hazel had done little to change the minds of those present, which is good news for our campaign! The event also served to confirm my worst fears about Labour and TUC politics.

Frankly, I have never seen so much ass-kissing in public. Throughout the event, the TUC panelist sucked up to Hazel at every opportunity. And the same was true in the opposite direction. There is a lot of back scratching going on and it couldn't have been more clear that the two organisations are in bed with each other if their representatives had stripped off right then and there! The TUC donates a significant amount of money to the Labour party, which in turn gives them a lot of power. I'm not saying the TUC dictates Labour party policy necessarily, but I do believe the Labour party is afraid of pissing off the unions for fear their funding will dry-up. Whether intentional or not, this will ultimately influence the behaviour of the party. At this point, you might be wondering what's wrong with that? Well, put simply, it's a conflict of interest. How can a government act in the interests of the nation when they are worried about their funding?

This is not a problem that is unique to British politics. It is a topic that featured in American politics time and again. Allowing unlimited donations to political parties and candidates means that it becomes possible to 'buy an election'. No-one really likes to admit it, but people are generally more impressed by a glossy full colour leaflet than by something produced in black and white on a Risograph, regardless of content. In also means that you can put more feet on the ground, stage more events and sometimes enables you to be more visible. Big money allows parties to campaign more aggressively over a much greater area and makes it more difficult for independents and smaller parties to compete. It's unfair and, in my opinion, undemocratic.

I think Lib-Dem policy puts it best:

"Politics should be a battle of ideas, not marketing budgets. No-one should be able to buy influence or buy an election. We will take big money out of politics by capping donations and spending throughout the electoral cycle."

Snow Business

2010-01-09T13:10:00.007Z

Sub-zero Britain

After a chilly and snowy build up to the Christmas period, the weather has continued to bite. Here in Salford we had a six inch fall overnight on Monday night and daily sub-zero temperatures mean that is still lying now, five days later. The amount of snow combined with low temperatures are virtually unprecedented and conditions are causing chaos across the UK. I am fortunate that I am able to work from home, but millions of others have had to stay off work because they can't get there safely, or because their kids are home and they have no childcare. Yesterday was the first we had been out in the car since Monday and the short drive to the supermarket was easily the most terrifying drive of my life. Many roads have not been gritted or cleared of snow. Only the very busiest of routes around our area are completely clear and that is mainly due to the volume of traffic.

Snow in Salford - 4 days after initial fall

Of course, there are many other countries cope annually with conditions similar to, or worse than this. Consider the nations that sit much further north than us, like Scandinavia and Alaska. Even in Scotland, six inches of snow doesn't present too much of an issue. So why is the snow presenting so much of a problem for us now?

Firstly, the reality is that for the most part, England doesn't have to deal with this kind of weather on a prolonged basis. The usual snow fall here is a light dusting that melts quickly. This means that most councils don't have the infrastructure to cope with the conditions. It's a problem of resources, not a problem of will. Therefore unfair to compare Salford with Stockholm or even Strathspey! Of course, this lack of experience results in another problem: what few resources are available have not been used to their best effect.

Around our area tonnes of grit has been dumped on main roads over the past week and none has been used on any side road. In addition, it seems that the grit has been spread on top of lying snow - basically that the snow has not been cleared first. What happens in this situation is that snow turns to very slippery slush. This will be cleared by moving traffic. However, in a lot of cases, because side roads are not safely passable and because there is a lot of lying snow (and then slush), the traffic simply isn't enough to clear the road. Gritting on top of lying snow is therefore a false economy. The snow must be ploughed first for the grit to have the best effect - namely preventing the formation of ice. In addition, I think that it is reasonable to expect the majority of side roads to be ploughed, even if they can't be gritted. Clearing the roads of snow will make conditions easier to cope with and will therefore enable more traffic to get onto the main roads. The policy of only treating / dealing with main roads and ignoring everything else is bizarre and always be doomed to fail in these conditions.

Having said this, I do not blame my local council, or indeed any other local council. Decisions about where and when to grit and how to manage winter resources are being made by people who have little knowledge and experience of these specific conditions. If I were to point the finger at anyone, it would be squarely in the direction of central government. It has been clear since Tuesday that this situation has the scale of a national crisis; it is certainly of much greater significance than the so-called flu-pandemic, yet, the 'big freeze' has prompted very little public response. In my opinion, central government should have had plans in place to deal with disruption on this kind of national scale and should have begun issuing advice to councils and residents before the snow even fell. Had a few simple steps been taken in the early stages of this 'crisis', I suspect that large scale and ongoing disruption could have been more easily avoided. Local roads would certainly have been much safer!

Snow in the Highlands of Scotland.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-03T23:17:00.005Z

It is just a few days into 2010. What remains of Christmas and the holiday period is quickly waning; the turkey has been eaten (or frozen) and soon even the deccies will be coming down leaving nothing to cheer the cold January nights. Still, at least the nights are getting shorter.

Tomorrow the daily grind will recommence so before I pack away the ghost of Christmas past into its cardboard boxes and plastic crate, in true New Year stylee, I'll take a moment to reflect on 2009 and make promises to myself for 2010.

So, what of 2009? My first intention for 2009 was to blog more. I think it's fair to say, without risk of disagreement, that this is one resolution successfully achieved with 48 posts against 6 from the previous year! However, they say promises are made to be broken, and my intention to lose weight and be more active fell decidedly flat! Sing Live has robbed a little bit of my time and there's the OU degree, which is in its penultimate year, so it can be tough to keep up with all the comings and goings of life and still find time for being active. Losing weight, it appears, is always going to be a battle for me. Maybe 2010 will bring a bit more success in these areas!

And so to the New Year. I'm already trying to avoid thinking about all the things I have on my plate but there a hand full of things I particularly want to achieve. I intend to try and keep up the blogging - lets aim for at least 50 blog posts in 2010! My OU course this year is creative writing, so I should be writing everyday anyway. Most of this will be in my notebook / journal because I love the feeling of writing by hand, but if I can get into a good writing habit offline, it should reinforce my blogging habits! Next on my list of priorities is to get better at looking after my money. Thanks to my marvelous Mum, who has paid for carpets for our house (we have never had carpets since moving into this house three years ago!) the last of the major spending on our home is pretty much done. This should make money a bit easier, but it is time to start paying off the credit card and doing some saving as well. It would be nice to have a little pot of Christmas money for next year so that gifts don't end up coming out of two months salary, which is always a bit crippling! Of course, having not achieved it in 2009, I am also aiming to be more active and to lose some weight in 2010. I'd like to lose a stone (that's only 1lb every four weeks so it's not beyond the realms of possibility!) and I want to use the Wii to be more active. I'll aim to use it once a week to begin with but really I want to be on it everyday that I can find the time. Finally, my softer goals. I want to visit my friends Mel and Sven in Belgium at least once this year. It would also be great to visit Anders and Jennifer in Sweden, and I'd love to see Mieke from the Netherlands this year too. I would also like to get deltafleet.com back up on the net and finish the deltafleet story, so look out for that too.

So there we go... no small feet to achieve all of that, but hopefully some, if not most of my goals can be reached. But as I said before, promises are made to be broken! ;o)

Time Flies...

2009-11-07T10:46:00.010Z

Boy and how... September and October seem to have passed by at light-speed. Already it is a week into November, Christmas is on it's way and I have barely even started the shopping. (Normally at this point, all but a handful of pressies have been bought.) I am not very organised!

So why have two months been and gone without me even noticing? I have been busy busy busy!

September:
The month started off with a well deserved holiday. It's been the best part of twenty years since I last visited the Costa Brava. It was cheap and cheerful so off we trotted. I have to admit that I had hoped to rekindle something of my childhood wonder on this trip but I was initially disappointed. Short of gouging out my adult eyes and reinserting my eyes from twenty years ago, I don't think I could ever have overlooked the tired and tawdry surroundings, the graffiti scrawl and the general sense of decay. The hotel was very nice, but not without its problems - mainly location and some very thin walls that meant the light switch next door would woke us up a few times. Also, due to the crap exchange rate between the pound and the euro, it was expensive to eat and drink - both in the hotel and beyond - but we did manage to do a brilliant bargain day trip to Barcelona. We got a return ticket on the train that included a ticket for one of the open-top bus tours around the city at half the cost of any of the organised trips and the best thing was that we got to do what we wanted, when we wanted and for as long as we wanted. My impressions of the region didn't much change over the course of the week, but fortunately we still had a fantastic time. It was definitely worth it.

A few days after we got back from Spain, it was Last Night of the Proms time again - already so soon! We went up to Buille Hill Park at the top of our road for one of the Proms in the Park performances. We were treated to some fabulous musical fayre from the BBC Philharmonic, Juliette Pochin, Jon Christos and headliner, Chris de Burgh. As well as Last Night classics like Jerusalem and Pomp and Circumstance, the show included a bit of Gershwin, Pirates of the Caribbean and a stunning performance of Habanera.

The following weekend was busy in the extreme. The last big rehearsal for our concert at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday followed a singing workshop in Huddersfield on Saturday. The workshop covered a number of subjects and was led by Kevin Miles and Dirk Donahue, both of whom work for Disney in Florida. Kevin is the current captain of barbershop group, the Dapper Dans, and Dirk is the current captain of Disney's Voices of Liberty. Both fellas were really fun and fascinated by the fact that us brits pronounce all the lyrics correctly. :o) To finish off the day, the group had the chance to sing with an original Disney recording of God Help the Outcasts.

The last weekend in September was the big show - a Sing Live performance at the Royal Albert Hall! This concert was special for several reasons. First, the venue. The Royal Albert Hall opened in 1871 and has hosted the world's most notable performers. Every major soloist and orchestra has performed at the Hall, including modern greats like Pavarotti, The Beatles and Frank Sinatra, the Hall also welcomed classical greats like Rachmaninov and Verdi to the stage. Secondly, this concert was the crowning glory to a year long celebration of a decade of Sing Live. It was clear that this was an emotional experience for Sing Live founders, John Morris and Linda Metcalfe. Our Musical Director, Steven Roberts, was also thrilled to be conducting over 600 voices at the Royal Albert Hall. It was a long, tough weekend, starting on Saturday morning with drive down to London followed immediately by a full afternoon rehearsing - with all 630 performers for the very first time! Sunday was just as hard work, with a second full afternoon rehearsing, this time at the Hall itself. We barely had an hour to break before we lined up for the performance. But all the hard work was entirely worth it. I still can't express how amazing the whole experience was and I would do it all again in heartbeat!

This week we have just started rehearsing for the next major performance at the Bridgewater Hall. The programme will include lots of amazing Disney music, plus musical classics like 'Anything You Can Do' from Annie Get Your Gun. I can't wait!

Exams exams exams

2009-08-29T18:02:00.004+01:00

It's exam results time again and, while some teenagers will inevitably celebrate results that reach or go beyond their expectations, others will be wondering 'what next'. I received my Open University result a couple of weeks ago, achieveing a very satisfactory grade 2 pass with 77%. This keeps me on track for an upper second class honours degree or... if I can get a distinction in my final year, I might even manage a first class.

When I was a 'proper' student, back in the late nineties, I was miserable. I'm not fond of students in general so I hated being one myself. I didn't enjoy the lifestyle or the atmosphere and, at the time, didn't really 'get' the whole study thing. The great thing about the OU is that I can study whatever I want. I've chosen a named degree that has certain requirements, rather than the Open degree, which can be made up of almost any subjects you want. However, even on a named degree there is still loads of fleixibility, which has allowed me to tailor my study to my own interests. I can also study when I want - I do most of my work at the weekend rather than during the week, while other people have more time in the week while kids are at school etc. Plus I can continue to work full time throughout my degree. I have a greater sense of personal achievement from study with the OU than I ever found at college or uni because I've done it on my own.

And so, to those teenagers wondering what next after getting their results, I say this: Don't forget the OU. Take time, think about what you enjoy, get a job or go travelling, discover yourself and when you're done and you understand more about the world and your place in it, if it's the path you want to walk, the OU will be there waiting for you. 'Bad' exam results are not the end of the world. It's much more important to enjoy and experience life than it is sit in a classroom (or lecture hall) for the next three years.

The Open University celebrates it's 40th anniversary this year. What follows is a poem written by Matt Harvey, to commemorate the occasion. I don't know about anyone else, but this sums up my feelings perfectly.

OU, we owe you
everybody wants to know you
even those who used to doubt you
can’t speak well enough about you
they say: your founders were fearless
your students are tireless
your tutors are peerless
your media wireless

you’re the College of the Air
your reception’s everywhere

a twinkle in J C Stobart’s eye
that Michael Young could not let lie
that Jennie Lee tenaciously
made manifest reality
they’d an inkling lower income
doesn’t lead to slower thinking
so now some of us are inching
by degrees towards degrees

the never-quite-made-it or told-they-were stupid
the started-but-faded or sidetracked-by-cupid
the just-need-encouragement, gluttons-for-nourishment
the people whose talent was far too well-hidden
the told-that-we-couldn’t-or-shouldn’t-so-didn’t
the course-interrupted, the quite-frankly-corrupted
deep knowledge questers, bereft empty-nesters,
bright-eyed early-risers, complete self-surprisers

…who now all have fuller foreheads
a more complex frontal cortex

for nourishing our neurons
OU, we owe you

in time that’s borrowed, bought and stolen
schedules staggered, bent and swollen
time that’s snatched & time that’s smuggled
every minute of it juggled
we give up bingo, daytime telly
computer games and social drinking
to read Bronte Proust and Shelley
stay at home and do binge-thinking
every sacrifice worth making
now we’re swapping sleep for waking
waking up to our potential
to explore worlds once forbidden us
– it’s why on the residential
things can get a bit libidinous –

for being so inspiring
that you get our neurons firing
and spontaneously re-wiring
OU, we owe you

the wide-eyed wonder-graduate
the famished hunger-graduate…
jotting reading and absorbing
finding empty hours and tables
sending subtle signs to strangers
‘don’t disturb me I am dangerous
I have got a little learning…’

…and it’s not just about earning
though yes, we’re more employable
but when we go out on the pull
we talk a better class of bull
and if we’re not successful
we are much more philosophical

for nourishing our neurons
buffing up our self-assurance
and for being so inspiring
that you get our neurons firing
and spontaneously re-wiring
OU, we owe you

and OU here’s hoping
you always stay Open
for your enterprise is noble
and expanded frontal lobal
may your outreach programme snowball
from Chernobyl down to Yeovil
from Shanghai to Sampford Peverell
may your future now be global
and may some of your post-graduates
win prizes that are Nobel
if a university could get an honorary degree
you wouldn’t get one
– you’d get several

OU, BSc, BA Hons, Phd
we raise a half-full glass to you
from every social class to you
say ‘may the gods look after you’
and
OU, we owe you

Caster Semenya - All Woman?

2009-08-25T12:26:00.006+01:00

When an 18 year old girl runs to a stunning victory in an athletics competition, one would expect testing for performance enhancing drugs, but it isn't often that you see the individuals sex being called into question.

Last week, Caster Semenya, a South African runner aged just 18 years old, won gold in the women's 800m in Berlin with a time of 1:55.45. Even before she ran in the final, questions were already being raised about her gender due to her broad, muscular physique.

In general, I agree with IAAF spokesman, Nick Davies, who said "There is a need to make sure the rules are followed". However, this gender test seems grossly unfair to me. It is true that she whooped the rest of the finalists in the event, beating the reigning champion, Janeth Jepkosqei Busienei, by nearly two and a half seconds, but the South African is still two seconds off the world record, which has remained unbeaten since 1983. It's not been made clear where the accusation, or suspicion has come from, but it is based entirely on Semenya's appearance. As far as I can see she is a typical female athlete: toned, muscular with very little bust. The only difference between Semenya and her rivals is the fact that she has slightly broader shoulders and short hair.

It's sad that even now, when women have much greatly equality than we have had previously, that women still have to conform to a set of physical expectations and rules. I wonder, if Caster had grown her hair long prior to this competition, would the same accusation have been made? Perhaps next time she runs, she should wear a skirt and high heels just to be on the safe side?

28 Mathematicians Later

2009-08-17T23:09:00.006+01:00

I've seen Shaun of the Dead. I've enjoyed Shaun of the Dead. I especially liked the moment when Sky News anchor Jeremy Thompson is seen giving advice on how to deal with the Zombie plague. Little did I realise that surreal experience would come true... sort of.

This afternoon, Sky News reported that a group of Canadian egg-heads has created a mathematical model for surviving a Zombie attack. Yes, you read that right, someone has actually seriously considered the possibility of there being an outbreak of 'Zombieism'! The study was published in a book titled "Infectious Disease Modelling Research Progress" and concludes that eradication is the only strategy that will ensure the survival of civilisation.

It seems that Sky News got this from Wired, where the story can be viewed in full, here. Whatever the source, it seems that even mathematicians let their imaginations get the better of them sometimes. Personally, I'm going to blame a combination of beer and '28 Days Later' while chuckling at the background footage for the report. I assume it was a group of hapless Sky News employees that were roped in to take a star turn in front of the camera.

Sing Live!

2009-08-15T23:13:00.011+01:00

Blog posts have been a bit thin on the ground recently. A busy work schedule will do that to you because there's nothing worse than coming home after ten hours at a computer to sit in front of another computer! So, here I am, wondering what to write about. There's a few things in the news right now that interest me - or irriatate me - but nothing seemed to flow right. Then it occurred to me that I've done some pretty cool stuff recently and not mentioned any of it!

Think back seven weeks (has it really been that long?!?!) what were you doing? I was busy making final preparations to perform at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester: hair, make-up, dress, shoes, hair again, organising water bottles and snacks, more hair faffing... The day mostly involved a lot of hanging around and waiting. Mostly due to the fact that half the band got 'lost' on their way to the Hall. Eventually, however, we had enough brass to get started on the technical call - our first rehearsal with the incredible National Festival Orchestra Big Band. I have been to 'The Bridge' a couple of times with my folks. We heard the BBC Phil performing Beethoven's choral symphony in December last year and then Greig's piano concert and Fingal's Cave (one of my most favourite pieces of orchestral music) earlier this year. But I was totally unprepared to step out onto the choir circle for the first time. Looking out over the empty auditorium from the 'other side' was amazing, nevermind when the band struck up and everyone started to sing. That single moment was almost better than the performance itself. Especially since the second time I stepped out on the choir circle I felt my stomach physically lurch as the empty seats were suddenly filled with bums and eager faces were staring back at us all. Not to mention my looney mates in the back row waving like nutters! Fortunately, any nervousness was relatively short lived. In fact most of the show is a bit of a blur. I remember it being very hot - this was right in the middle of the heat wave - and I remember my feet hurting... a lot! But the whole experience was awesome.

So awesome, in fact, that on July 26th I did it all again on the Bandstand in Kensington Gardens!

We did a selection of music from the Bridgewater Hall and this time around it wasn't just people from Greater Manchester, but we were joined by fellow choir members from Merseyside and the North East. It was a long day and we spent most of it on a very uncomfortable coach, interspersed with walking. We had a bit of time in London before the performance so Steve and I went for a wander around Harrods, which is only a 20 minute walk to Kensington Gardens. Needless to say, we didn't buy anything, but if it was possible to get a mortgage on a £135,000 set of speakers we would have! Steinway apear to make some stunning audio systems as well as stunning pianos! If anything, I enjoyed the performance at Kensington Gardens even more than the Bridgewater hall, simply because I was much more relaxed and we could see the enjoyment on the faces of our audience. But this show was special to me as well, because the 26th of July would have been my brother's birthday. He brought music to my life as I was growing up because he had an infectious passion for it. Plus his stereo, TV and keyboard were always turned up full blast so the house constantly shook. When he died our house became oddly silent. This concert on his birthday was a great way for me to celebrate and remember his life.

One other cool thing about the trip to London was seeing the Royal Albert Hall in the 'flesh'. The R.A.H. looks out over Kensington Gardens and it's the venue for my next performance, which will be on September 27th, and will be hosted by Judith Chalmers. The choir will consist of around 800 people from the UK and America and we'll be performing songs from the musicals of the stage and silver screen. I can't wait! Tomorrow we're having a big rehearsal in Halifax, so it will be an early start for me.

So as you can see, I have been bitten by some sort of crazy singing bug. But what makes all this possible is the fantastic group of people behind Sing Live. The company motto is "Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things In Exciting Places". I am just about as ordinary as anyone else and I'll soon be singing at the Royal Albert Hall. If that doesn't fulfill their motto I'm not sure what will... maybe St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican next year!

Harry Potter and the Half Baked Plot

2009-07-20T09:57:00.004+01:00

It's been a right busy few weeks - at home and at work (although mostly at work, which leads to 45 hour working weeks, which leads to less time at home, which leads to busy-ness at home!) - but this weekend we managed to shoehorn in a trip to the cinema.

I was really looking forward to the latest installment of HP. Half Blood Prince is not my favourite book, but it's one of those key plot points in the series. The death of Dumbledore signals the arrival of adulthood for Harry, Ron and Hermione and ends with a real atmosphere of change. Up to this point, it has been Dumbledore calling the shots and protecting the children of Hogwarts (although they don't always make it easy for him!) but in the last book, Harry, Ron and Hermione are very much on their own, making their own choices without Dumbledore's guiding hand. It's a real moment of sadness and loss for both Dumbledore and for Hogwarts and the childhood innocence and safety that it represents.

Unfortunately, although I thought the movie handled Dumbledore's death really well (I felt all that pain and sadness that I expected) and the movie was filled with humour as well as emotion, it really left me wanting. Despite enjoying the film, I was left with an uncomfortable pang of disappointment that has taken me all weekend to figure out. My ongoing theory is that if you have read the book, you will not enjoy this film as much as you have the others. The reason for this is that there are certain elements missing that have damaged the plot just enough that any ordinary cinema-goer will not notice, but a HP fan most certainly will. The book spent a good deal of time brooding over the identity of the Half Blood Prince, while the film barely touched on it. The book also had a much more exciting climax with a big battle at the end, in which all the students and teachers of Hogwarts became involved. Perhaps the intention was to cut this out and make Dumbledore's demise more dramatic. If that was the case, it failed miserably because it achieved the opposite. Instead of added drama, Dumbledore's death felt far too easy and far too small for such a significant character.

Something I am glad of is that the movie didn't lose the developing relationships between Ron and Hermione and between Harry and Ginny. This was really handled exceptionally well to the point that these relationships are much more vivid than I remember them from the book. There was some real fun in this movie, some real sensitivity and a lot of great scenes and fantastic effects. But the missing elements will be felt much more keenly in this episode of the series than in any previous one. I may need to see it again to really appreciate how good it is and definitely think a re-reading of the book is in order!

BNP Legal Injunction

2009-06-23T13:08:00.002+01:00

It has been announced this afternoon that the BNP faces a legal injunction over its membership and employment policies. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has received numerous complaints from the public and believes that the party's policy of excluding non-white people from membership (and employment) is in breach of the Race Relations Act. The Commission has written to party leader, and recently elected M.E.P., Nick Griffin, issuing an ultimatum that demands changes to these policies by 20th July or else the BNP will face a legal injunction that will force them to adopt inclusive policies.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission is charged by law with protecting the British public from discrimination as well as enforcing equality and human rights law in the UK. The Race Relations Act legislates against discrimination on racial grounds, which it defines as 'colour, race, nationality or ethnic or national origins'.

The BNP repeatedly claim that they are not a racist organisation and that they seek to champion Britain and the British people. However, their membership rules are clearly racially discriminatory and, because Britain is a multi-cultural society that incorporates people of differing ethnic ancestry, by excluding non-whites from membership, the BNP actively excludes British people from membership: people that have not only been born British, but whose parents, grandparents and sometimes even great-grandparents have also been born British.

Order! Order!

2009-06-23T12:19:00.003+01:00

So, yesterday, Parliament chose a new Speaker of the House. John Bercow was elected yesterday by democratic process and already some of his peers are throwing their toys out of the pram and whispering about a challenge. Don't they get it? The public aren't interested in their bitching and whining! This guy was elected by them just as they were elected by the public. They have to respect the democratic process or risk looking like stirrers, at best, or at worst, like spoiled children!

The fact is that Mr Bercow was elected because he appeals to members from across the political spectrum. Such a person is exactly the right choice for the Speaker of the House, who must be able to set aside political allegiance. Congratulations to Mr Bercow. I wish him a successful tenure as the Speaker.

Photo credit: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

Big Mac, Large Fries and a dip in the harbour for Ronald

2009-06-18T13:06:00.003+01:00

Shore leave hijinks in Chile resulted in a hefty fine for two Royal Navy sailors when they took the concept of a takeaway 'Big Mac' a little too literally. The pair absconded from a local McDonald's restaurant in the Chilean port of Valparaiso with a life size Ronald McDonald statue. The 'McThieves' were ordered to pay £350 damages by the Valparaiso court while poor Ronald ended up face down in the harbour. The two men have formerly apologised to McDonald's while a BBC source in Chile (is that a Chile Source?) emphasised the good humour of the locals, saying that "Most Chileans have laughed at the pair's antics."

Seeing Stars

2009-06-17T11:53:00.008+01:00

Belgian teenager, Kimberley Vlaeminck, is in the news today after having a tattoo featuring 56 stars... on her face! The eighteen year old claims that she requested just three stars and fell asleep during the process, only to wake up when the tattooist had moved onto one of the stars on her nose. According to The Sun Online, the tattoo artist, Rouslan Toumaniantz, has defended his work, stating that Kimberley was awake throughout and checked his progress several times. It seems that there was only an issue when Kimberley's Dad found out. Kimberley claims that she is now so ashamed of her appearance that she can't bring herself to look in the mirror and is suing that tattooist for compensation to cover the cost of laser treatment to remove the stars.

When I heard about this story on Sky News this morning a few thoughts occurred. Firstly, while I understand her desire to get a tattoo, I'm not sure why she would have one on her face. I assume that at the age of eighteen it's down to youthful exuberance and a lack of foresight of how this might impact on her future potential. Like it or not, people make judgements based on appearance. Having a tattoo on your face is a very strong and essentially permanent statement that many people will judge negatively. Indeed, many employers ask that tattoos be hidden from sight: an impossibility for Kimberley. Basically, this was a daft thing to do, whether it was three stars or 56!

I'm also not convinced about the truth of her story, although I'm very open to being proven wrong. If Kimberley is telling the truth, I wonder what motive the tattooist had for doing it. He must've known that his reputation, and consequently his business, would be at risk, so why would he continue without her consent. For the sake of art? I understand that there are many tattooists that consider themselves artists using the human body as their canvas. However, I find it unlikely in this case as the tattoo is relatively plain. Also, Kimberley's reaction doesn't quite add up: if you were the victim of such an action, how would you react? I doubt you would happily leave the shop and go home quietly! My reaction would have been to call my parents there and then... maybe even get the police involved. A far more likely scenario is that Kimberley entered into this lunacy voluntarily and then told a porky pie to deflect her Dad's anger. If that's true, I hope she comes forward before Mr Toumaniantz's business is irreparably damaged: costing someone their livelihood so that you can avoid punishment is mean and immoral.

However, as I said, I am open to the possibility that Kimberley is being truthful and I hope that I'm able to keep track of the case as it develops. The most interesting aspect of this story will be how it comes to be resolved. I wonder what a court will make of it? In the meantime I'm sure there will be some further debate on tattoos in general as increasing numbers of people - including women - have a procedure that some people believe is a disfigurement. Personally I think Kimberley's tattoo looks really cool - but I would never in a million years have had it done myself and believe that if she did want something so extreme she should have thought long and hard about it!

Photo credit: thesun.co.uk

Over the Hill

2009-06-16T22:00:00.002+01:00

I'm not getting older... at least not for another couple of weeks! Instead, I sat my Open University exam this morning. After three hours of none stop writing that is akin to torture, it's all over - at least for another year. I think I managed to pull a reasonable result out of the exam. I felt confident of the material that I covered and managed to write cohesive arguments in the alloted time. 70% in the exam would get me a grade 2 pass, which would be acceptable. I would be a bit disappointed in myself with a lower result in either the exam or the overall grade. A grade two pass would keep me on track for an upper second-class honours degree... if by some miracle I can get a distinction in my remaining two course, I might even fluke a first class honours! But that's still a long way off... 2011 at least!

Wise Words

2009-06-08T23:00:00.004+01:00

A political analysis of the council and European elections is well overdue. But before I move on to that (probably tomorrow) I wanted to quote some wise words from an US valedictorian, Jem Lugo, who was prevented from sharing the following speech with her graduating class due to a short-sighted principle. I found this story on Peter David's blog (please check out some of his other posts as he often has something interesting to say and usually expresses it in a very witty manner!)

QUOTE:

Springstead High School’s class of 2009. Look around you. This is it.

No more essays, no more FCAT, no more required reading. We survived 13 grueling years of school, all for this moment, where we get to wear gowns that kind of remind me of a silk version of a Snuggie, and these hats that make every single one of us look absolutely ridiculous. Hate to break it to you, but no one looks good in these hats. Even you, Ben Noury.

So, I was stuck with this arduous task of extra writing to create this speech, and I decided to make this different. I’m not gonna get up here and start spouting these crazy incomprehensible seven syllable words I probably can’t even pronounce. Why would I want to do that? Last time I checked, we’re done with school. We don’t want to THINK anymore. I would never, ever put you all through that pain. Another thing, nobody in speeches ever tells you what you actually need to know in life. They stand up here and gush about these lofty, inspirational concepts that are supposed to make you feel all warm and gooey inside. You know, I could stand up here and tell you all that I have a dream for this class, that among us are future doctors, lawyers, maybe even the next president, and you guys need to go out there and seize the day! Carpe diem! But really, what good would that do you? How much help will my words be when you wake up tomorrow, and realize that it truly is over? The babied path that’s been set out for you since you were born has ended. You’ve left the womb, the cord’s been cut, congratulations, welcome to your life. Your choices actually matter now, and your future is finally in your own hands. Sure, telling you to seize the day sounds impressive, but how are you going to know how to seize it?

Instead, I’m going to remind you of some basic concepts you can actually apply to your life. Crazy, right?

First off, get money. You can’t do anything without money. Do something with your life where you’re able to have a steady, reliable, source of income. Gamers, I’m sorry, but farming for gold in World of Warcraft is not considered a RELIABLE, or socially-acceptable source of income.

Second, after you have your money, be sure to pay your taxes. I hear the IRS can get pretty nasty with tax avoiders.

Also, don’t get arrested. Sure, the jail lifestyle might seem like a luxury nowadays, but in 20 years, when you’re going for that top-notch CEO position, that misdemeanor you got for stealing a street sign with your friends might just come back and bite you in the butt.

Moreover, take some time in your life to stand up for something. Whether it’s a stance for pro-choice, religious debate, vegetarianism, or even something as simple as cleaner bathrooms, just make sure your voice is heard. It feels good to stick it to The Man every once in awhile.

And though you will be earning your steady income with your job, make sure not to waste your entire life working. You’re making this money for a reason. Use it to have some fun. Go out and party. Use all of your vacation days. Use it to travel. Explore the world. Free yourself from the monotony of the workforce. I promise you, having fun will keep you sane.

Be sure to have that one person or thing that makes you smile whenever you see it. I’m not going to put on an act and tell you you’re future’s going to be peachy. No, life is gonna suck sometimes. Believe me, you’re gonna need that one thing in your life that can always brighten your day, whether it’s a significant other, a dog, a lava lamp, or the blankie you’ve had since you were a baby. Hey, whatever it takes to smile.

A few other basics to remember. Always say please and thank you; it’s always appreciated. Wash your hands when you leave the bathroom; you’d be surprised how many people don’t. Listen to your gut instinct and your conscience. When there’s a choice between the little angel on one side, and the little devil on the other, please listen to the angel. Respect your elders, because one day, you’ll be old too. Plus, they might leave you something in their will. Don’t treat Spelling and Grammar check as a God. It definitely misses things. If you ever achieve any sort of fame or acclaim in your life, don’t mess it up. Think Michael Phelps and Britney Spears. And if your mother would not approve of your actions, then you probably shouldn’t be doing it. Don’t believe everything you hear or read, and definitely don’t click on every link someone sends you. Some of us have learned that the hard way. Countless times, I’ve been duped into clicking links that sent me to the music video of “Never Gonna Give You Up.” I’m not sure if I’ll ever properly get that song out of my head.

But, the most important thing that I can tell you tonight is to remember where you came from. You were an eagle once. We’ve been through four long years here. Some of us have loved it, some of us have hated it, but we all had to endure it, and for all of us, it’s finally over. What’s Springstead going to be like without us? The academic world is going to be missing some of its top performers, and the sports are going to be hurting without some of their best players. Mr. Pennington is not going to know what to do without his core group of seniors that are graduating. No one’s going to be rampaging through the hallways, brandishing signs with their name. Frankly, Springstead’s going to be a lonely place without us. We’ve survived a lot. Making it out of Spring Hill alive is a feat in itself. Some of us even resorted to hanging out at a busy intersection to pass the time. We’ve gone from going to see A Christmas Carol every year with our elementary school, admiring over the actors, to actually being an actor in the production of A Christmas Carol, being the ones asked for their autograph by the younger kids. We’ve gone from getting our star pulled for bad behavior, to being relocated to STAR for bad behavior. From girls wearing bell bottom jeans to guys wearing girl’s jeans. From listening to N’Sync and the Backstreet Boys, to listening to Lil’ Wayne and Flo’Rida. From wasting all of our time creating a Neopet, to wasting all of our time talking to people on Myspace and Facebook. From collecting and playing Pokemon, to, well, collecting and playing Pokemon. Some things never die. Unfortunately for us, it looks as if High School Musical and Hannah Montana will never die either. You either love it, or you hate, but either way, we survived it.

Four years ago, we showed up for high school, short and innocent, totally baffled by why there were classrooms with the same numbers, and amazed that the water fountains were gold. Then in our junior year, after we had become more knowledgeable and grown taller (well, some of us), those numbers we came to learn so well were completely rearranged, forcing us to be just as lost as the incoming freshmen. The construction period was intense. We were squeezed through tiny aisles created by temporary walls, never making it to class on time. The outdoor lunch tables that some had religiously sat at were removed, and we were relocated to a grander, spacious cafeteria with plasma TV screens that never played anything but ESPN. Those of us lucky enough to get a lunch leave pass during our junior year had no idea that we’d be the last class to have that privilege. Sure enough, everyday you could find at least fifteen people meeting up at PJ’s for lunch. Oh, and you can’t forget the new parking lot rules, that you were trapped in the parking lot until all of the buses left, for fear of being hit by a parked school bus. We all know the countless deaths caused by those kinds of accidents, God rest their souls.

When it all comes down to it, we’re made for bigger things than this. We’re going to get out of here, and we’re going to live our lives, no doubt about that. Just remember to keep in touch. You’ll regret it if you don’t. As I said, there are hard times ahead. There are times where you’ll just sit there and think to yourself, “Man, I lost the game.” Times like that when you’re going to need a friend. Don’t throw away the friendships you’ve made here. One of these people might be able to get you a job someday, or might be able to lend you a helping hand. Life is all about connections.

Now I’ve been talking long enough. We’re all dying to just get this over with. So I’m going to resort to a cliché ending, and quote one of the most influential men of all time, Freddie Mercury. “Just gotta get out, just gotta get right out of here.” Congratulations class of 2009, we did it!

Dig Out Your Soul

2009-06-06T22:00:00.003+01:00

More than six months ago I managed to get four tickets for myself and some friends to see Oasis in Heaton Park. We went on Thursday night and, despite a few problems, had a great time!

Firstly, the music was fantastic. Oasis are very much on form. They played some of their best hits and sounded better than any recording. They were funny and really connected with the crowd to create a really good atmosphere. Their warm-ups were good too. On Thursday we missed out on The Enemy due to illness in the band, but we had the Reverand and the Makers instead, which was an excellent treat. Anyone who isn't familiar with their music should check out 'Heavyweight Champion of the World' or 'He Said He Loved Me' which are both excellent examples of their unique music and witty lyrical style. Kasabian were also excellent. I'm not a fan so hardly knew any of their tracks but I enjoyed their performance very much and will certainly check out their music.

Couple of problems though. The first, a few people will already be aware of, which was a series of power outtages that interrupted the performance twice. The concert had an 11pm curfew which they breached by over 30 minutes. It wasn't too much of a problem for those of us there that didn't have a bus to catch, but for the residents - most of whom are elderly - it must have been a hell. It surely didn't help that the general behaviour of some of the attendees of the concert was pretty poor. Despite police notices that searches for drugs and weapons would be carried out, there was a lot of 'soft' drugs being used and my group also saw two people snorting coke. There were a lot of people at the concert that also managed to get blind drunk. All this means more noise and disruption for residents as people were leaving the gig. It's a real shame because this can only jeopardise any future similar events at the park, which bring millions into the local economy of Manchester and Bury.

There was also a second problem, for which only the event organisers can be held accountable. The way that a municipal park works as a concert venue is as follows: the stage is erected and an area around it is then fenced off. The park remains open to the public but the concert 'arena' can only be accessed by ticket holders. For these concerts the event organisers have sold 70,000 tickets for each of the the three nights. However, the area that's been fenced off is far too small to comfortably accomodate this volume of people. The Milton Keynes Bowl has recently had its capacity increased from 65,000 to 75,000 and is much larger than the area designated for this concert. Take That at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground has sold 50,000 per night. Although the area in Heaton Park is larger than the cricket ground, it's not that much bigger. In the Heaton Park arena there are no designated walkways around the food or drink stands which inevitably means that people resulting in a lot of pushing and shoving and an almost constant crush. I'd be interested to know how decisions were made about the number of available tickets!

So overall, great music, but some disappointing aspects to this concert. I can't wait to find out what my sister in law makes of it - it's her birthday today and she is attending the concert tonight with her partner and my nephew!

"My Vote Doesn't Count": Bollocks!

2009-06-04T10:13:00.004+01:00

Today is polling day in local elections all around the UK and in European Parliamentary elections across Europe. If you choose not to go to the polls your vote definitely doesn't count. If you want to make yourself heard in a crowded room all you have to do is open your mouth and speak: so get up and speak already! Mark your ballot any way you choose (because even a spoiled ballot is louder than silence) but for goodness sake, vote!

What Hazel Did Next

2009-06-03T11:46:00.005+01:00

Hazel: picking up the pieces of her political career. (photo credit: dailymail.co.uk)

Hazel Blears has resigned from the cabinet. Unfortunately, the residents of Salford are still stuck with her. She claims that she is 'returning to her roots' out of a desire to renew her personal committment to the people of Salford. Rubbish! She's jumped before she was pushed in the impending cabinet reshuffle. The timing of her announcement and that fact that it has come from her and not Number 10 suggests that she is playing a rather skilful political game. Allow me to elaborate.

Hazel must've realised well before now that her position on the cabinet was under threat and she must, by now, also realise that her popularity in Salford is ebbing away. In the last election in 2005, Hazel won with over 50% of the vote. However, the Lib Dems' candidate, Norman Owen, has been making up ground on her with every passing election. Now that Labour is polling lower than the Lib Dems nationally, she must anticipate that the Lib Dems will be nipping at her heels - especially in the event of a snap election! With all this in mind, I believe she has taken the decision to resign in order to distance herself from an obviously failing government with the hope that it will stall her similarly failing popularity here in Salford. She has nothing to lose and everything to gain. If Gordon Brown is deposed (as the media seems is certain will happen very soon after the European Elections) taking an anti-Brown stance now will increase her chances of being re-selected in a new Labour cabinet. Particularly if she can does manage to boost her popularity. If she is not re-selected for the cabinet, it still isn't a disaster for her: You can bet she will come out fighting to keep her parliamentary seat. She's a smooth talker and an experienced politician - she knows the words that will sooth and charm you and she'll tell you whatever you want to hear to try and sway your support to her.

Don't be fooled: this resignation is more about her political career than the people of Salford!

The fact is that Labour (and the Conservatives) and so completely out of touch with the public that they wouldn't know honesty if it crept up and gave them a big sloppy kiss! Nationally, Labour got it wrong on expenses, they got it wrong on Gurkhas, they got it wrong on fuel duty and locally they got it 110% wrong on the congestion charge, ice rink, propaganda wagon etc etc etc. The Conservatives are no better choice - they only know how to oppose and have no new ideas of their own (no good ones anyway). A vote for Labour or a vote for the Tories is a vote for the status quo. Vote Lib Dem if you want change for the better!

Sam Puttick

2009-06-02T22:46:00.006+01:00

How much tragedy can one family bear? Clearly, only so much.

After just eighteen months of a normal healthy life, Sam Puttick was seriously injured in a near fatal car accident. He spent nine months in hospital before he was able to return home but would, sadly, be paralysed from the neck down for the rest of his life, requiring 24 hour care. His parents, Neil and Kazumi, spent every moment from then on doing everything they could to give Sam the very best life they could. On Friday 29th May 2009, Sam Puttick, aged just five years old, died from Meningitis at his home in Wiltshire. Shortly thereafter, striken with grief and unable to face a world without their little boy, Sam's Mum and Dad made the 140 mile trip to Beachy Head where they threw themselves off a 400ft cliff with the body of their beloved son in a backpack.

When I was nineteen my brother, David, died very suddenly. He was born with Spinabifida and Hydrocephalus. He was paralysed from the waist down and suffered brain damage as a result of the excess fluid on his brain. My Mum and Dad did their very best to give him a superior quality of life, nurturing his incredible gifts and overcoming his disability one day at a time. He was a wonderful person: musically talented, happy, funny, loving (and perhaps just a little too overprotective of his 'baby' sister!) My childhood is defined by hundreds of wonderful memories of the best family life anyone could hope for. My life since he passed away has been redefined by those same memories and by the gaping hole that his absence leaves in its wake.

For our family, life went on: Mum and Dad have literally travelled around the world (they are touring India at the moment) and we have continued to share many happy memories. But when one person is at the heart of your entire life and the centre of your whole world, it can be unbearable to think of anything beyond the immense weight of your sorrow. In just five short years Neil and Kazumi Puttick enjoyed the joy of raising a child. They almost lost their son to an accident, were given a second chance which they grabbed with both hands, only to then lose him again a few years later. Clearly, this was more tragedy than they were able to face.

This post is dedicated to all the very special people that make life worth experiencing - no matter how long or short that experience, or their contribution to it, is.

David, you made my life richer and happier than it could have ever been without you. I miss you every day. Your girl forever. xxx

Take Back Power

2009-05-31T23:49:00.003+01:00

Any regular readers might note that I have resisted the urge to weigh-in on MP's Expenses. There are a couple of reasons for this. Firstly, I'm not sure that there is anything further to add to the debate and secondly when it's all you hear on the news and read in the paper this sort of thing very quickly becomes quite boring. However, there is one point I feel really needs to be made.

Over the last few weeks it has been made clear to the public that a number of MPs have been on the make, exploiting the expenses system to work to their benefit. Some MPs have treated their allowances like a target to be reached, claiming tens of thousands of pounds of money from UK plc. The minimum that an MP will receive as an annual salary is over £64,000. They will earn even more than this if they are on a committee or if they have a seat on the cabinet. Expenses are then paid on top of all this which means that an MP can earn very much more than their basic salary while average earnings in the UK are less than £25,000. With a high proportion of people earning very much less than this it's no wonder that the public are so infuriated

However, it is also important to remember that out of 646 MPs in UK Parliament, the Telegraph have named only 169 (which includes some MPs that no longer hold a seat in Parliament). This means that there are still well over 400 MPs that have not been singled out - probably because any expenses claims that they have made are entirely appropriate and unremarkable. It is also worth remembering that of the 169 named MPs, very few have actually broken the expenses rules. I'm not saying that it's morally acceptable but I am saying that it is understandable. Don't agree? Let me put it to you like this:

You start working for a new company and are told that you can claim expenses for certain items that enable you to do your job - fuel and stationary perhaps. To begin with you claim only for those items that you purchase that are related to you carrying out your duties until... one day, chatting with a couple of your colleagues they point out all the things that you can claim for, and indeed, lots of other employees already claim for. So your choice is this: do you continue to claim only expenses relating to your job or do you start to claim everything you can? Some paper here, staples there, a bit more fuel that you actually used for work... it's not right and I'm certainly not condoning it, but it happens and thousands of people do it and get away with it.

Of course, they aren't claiming £30,000 for gardening with £1600 of that for a 'duck island'!

Essentially, the point I'm making here is that people can be relied on to behave like people, not angels. At the end of the day, many people enter politics on a truly alturistic basis. They want to make a difference and they want that difference to be positive. However, we can only rely on people to behave like people and people lie, they steal, they cheat and they look after number 1. We can't count on anyone (including ourselves) to be whiter than white but that's what rules and laws are made for; to discourage us from doing things we ought not to. The same goes for the government. There are more than a hundred MPs that have made ridiculous expenses claims, but they have been able to do so because the rules are not good enough and they have been able to get away with it because the oversight is not tough enough.

That's why I am supporting the Liberal Democrat Take Back Power campaign. The people of the UK need a government that works for us, not for the financial gain of its members. We need proper oversight and we need proper representation. Labour have proposed no serious changes to the rules - they would like the status quo to remain so that they can keep their fingers firmly in the cookie jar. The Conservatives have proposed only the very weakest of reforms that will make no real difference to the people of this country.

The Liberal Democrats' Take Back Power campaign aims to reform the expenses system in full, ensure the public have the right to sack any MP that has been suspended for misconduct, reform the outdated House of Lords, reform party funding so that the government can't be 'bought' through party donations, introduce fixed term Parliaments, reform the electoral system so that each vote really does count and change procedure to reduce executive power. More detailed information can be found at http://www.takebackpower.org/.

It is important that we take the opportunity NOW to press for true electoral reform rather than letting the government get away with a continued abuse of power. Therefore, I urge everyone to take a stand and sign the online petition. It's time to make our voice heard.

Bank Holidays Are Made for Moby

2009-05-25T13:28:00.003+01:00

Ever have one of those perfect moments where you think 'yeah, that's what it's all about'?

It's bank holiday Monday, the sun is shining and it's almost uncomfortably warm (for once). There are kids walking down the street with footballs and riding bikes, families heading out for the afternoon and hardly any cars about. I've just finished a long, hard slog on my last Open University assignment for this year (only two weeks late... oops!) and Moby is playing on iTunes. But not just any Moby, the original and best album: Play; the one from which every track has been used either in a movie, a TV series or an advertisement. Yes, this album is just that good. The music from The Beach came from this album and so did that awesome track that plays at the end of the Bourne movies.
So apart from the bloke over the road that is rather noisely jet-washing the patio furniture and their kids' outdoor toys, it was one of those perfect moments. But we'll forgive him for his ceaseless whirring and spraying noises for now because we're in a really good mood.

A Reversal of 200 Years of 'Progress'

2009-05-22T21:58:00.013+01:00

It's been a busy couple of weeks with a number of highs and not-so-highs.

Of the highs, the rehearsals for the Sing Live concert at the end of June are coming along nicely. Even the stress of a horrific day this Wednesday, when a simple airport pickup turned into a three hour nightmare, was very quickly eased by a few bars of 'It Had to be You'. My piano lessons are coming along similarly well - although I wish it was as easy to make my fingers move as fast as my mouth! Finally, Charly, survived a full service with no problems - what a relief!

In the not-so-highs category the top of the tree has to be the Irwell Riverside by-election. In case anyone has missed it, husband Steve was selected as the Lib Dem candidate. You can catch up on the events of the campaign on his own blog.

Being involved in his campaign - including helping to develop (or rather hone) the content of his leaflets and then 'on the frontline' posting those leaflets through the doors of the ward - has been a great experience. Watching the opening of the postal ballots was fascinating (I finally understand the need for all the bits of paper and those multi-coloured envelopes) while actually being able to attend the count in the evening was truly unique: not only because the media were circling like vultures awaiting the inevitable arrival of local political pariah, Hazel Blears, but also because so few 'ordinary' people get to see democracy up close and personal like this. In the end Steve came second behind the Labour candidate, Matt Mold.

All in all, it was a pretty positive result for the Lib Dems. This ward has traditionally been a Labour stronghold - last year they took a 51% share of the vote - so we were really taking the fight to them on their own territory. Steve attracted 18% of the vote (a reduction of only 1%) while the Conservatives and Labour lost out by 4% and 13% respectively. The recent Expenses Scandal has clearly taken its toll. It isn't just Labour that is paying the political price for the government's failure to set its house in order: every one of the major parties lost ground to the fringe parties (The Greens, UKIP and BNP all fielded candidates). Although we obviously hoped for better, given the circumstances losing only 1% share is an achievement.

So clearly I'm not disappointed with the result for the Lib Dems, so why am I not happy? There are two elements of the result that are extremely disappointing: The BNP and the voter turnout.

Until this by-election I have had few encounters with the BNP. I've been aware of them, of course, and will freely admit that I have always held a pretty low opinion of them as a political entity. However, it is not until I actually came face to face with them that I realised just how vile, deceitful and disrespectful they really are. Without going into a raft of detail (which would take me all day to catalogue) I was astonished by the sheer volume of lies and half-truths that they spouted in their propaganda and online on their own websites and particularly on those of others. Worryingly, they also showed absolutely no respect for democracy, even going as far as to suggest that some people should not be allowed to vote. If it's possible, they showed even less respect for the voting public talking openly in a highly derogatory manner referring to the voters as 'stupid', 'thick' or 'sheep' just because they didn't vote BNP. Finally, (and I speak from personal experience) they are downright nasty. Ignoring the disgusting abuse that their cohorts posted in comments on many local blogs, their behaviour at the evening count was akin to the level of school playground bullies. They were both puerile and venomous to other people present at the count as well as the returning officer. It is not just me that has noticed: Leader of the local Labour party, John Merry, has commented on Steve Cooke's blog.

However what disappoints me is not the BNP members or the party as a whole - I would expect little else from an organisation that has its roots firmly embedded in the fascist British National Front - it's the fact that the people of Salford appear to be falling for their rubbish. I don't mind if you choose to vote BNP as long as you understand who and what you are voting for (that is your choice and your right!) but I'm concerned that many voters may not be looking beyond the glossy surface of the BNPs leaflets or beyond their diverting but deceptive propaganda stunts. For goodness sake, if you are considering voting BNP in any election, please please please, make sure you are fully informed. A simple search in google or on reputable websites such as the BBC should reveal why so many people are set against their organisation.

However, no matter what my personal feelings about the BNP (or the mafia that they sent to the count) happen to be, the far greater disappointment in this by-election was the turnout. Only 17.5% of those people who are registered to vote in Irwell Riverside actually went to the trouble of doing so - that's less than 1 in 7 people! As a result, a little over 600 people chose the councillor for a ward of more than 9000 registered voters: that's less than 7% of people in the ward choosing who dictates the policies that directly influence the lives of everyone else. This kind of apathy means that decisions are made by a tiny minority of voters and it also opens the door to the fringe parties making extremely limited public support seem much greater than it actually is. This is not democracy! I'm sure that there are many people who didn't vote that would say 'my vote doesn't count' or 'I don't know who to vote for' or 'nothing will change so what's the point' or any number of similar excuses but the fact is by choosing to not vote you willingly reverse almost 200 years of progress.

Less than two centuries ago only 1 in 7 men could vote. Just 125 years ago less than half of all men could vote and women didn't have any voting rights at all. It wasn't until 1918 - less than a century ago - that any woman could vote in this country and it was only 81 years ago that we achieved universal suffrage. Two world wars were fought to maintain our sovereignty and democracy. Even now there are thousands of British troops protecting our democratic rights against terrorists who would like to see their religious and political views forced upon us, and all around the world their are millions of people that still have either no voting rights or can't vote freely.

Therefore, to those residents of Irwell Riverside who did not vote in this election my question is this: what response could you possibly give me that would justify allowing less than 7% of your community to make this choice for all of you?