To any climate change/green/global warming enthusiasts - as temperatures fall as low as minus 13 in some places, explain to me how our planet is supposedly warming up!
It never ceases to amuse me how a dusting of snow seems to instantly throw everything into chaos until everything subsides and we return to the mundanity of a wet, grey and chilly winter. Lord help us if this country experiences the kind of snow they get in North America on a yearly basis.
Where are these green do-gooders now? Frozen to their eco friendly hand-woven wicker chairs? They probably havn't put their heating on because that affects the planet too. These are supposedly clever people who would rather freeze to save the planet. In my book there's nothing clever about that!
What next? Are they going to campaign that as a result of global WARMING our winters are getting COLDER? Im convinced that these people have nothing better to do but just stir up trouble. They can freeze in their eco-friendly homes. I'm going to enjoy my Christmas with the heating on full blast. I'm NOT going to recycle and I'm going to leave ALL the lights on! Bah humbug!
Monday 21 December 2009
Sunday 20 December 2009
The death of common sense
It's a sad fact of football these days that referees seem no longer to be human beings with feelings and common sense but robots designed to carry out the will of the do-good blazers in charge of football.
My rant for the moment surrounds the issue of players being booked for celebrating. I was reminded of this issue's irksome tendencies when Simon Church was booked then subsequently sent off for scoring Reading's equaliser against Bristol City with the last kick of the game.
I had a heated argument last week with my housemate after watching Younes Kaboul collect a second yellow card for celebrating a last minute equaliser at Sunderland. My housemate defended the referee claiming that the players know the rules therefore shouldn't do it.
An utterly ridiculous and misguided opinion in my view. In the situation that Kaboul was in, scoring an injury-time equaliser away from home to salvage a point for your side that currently sit bottom of the league then you are PERFECTLY within your rights to celebrate. I defy any football fan to restrain himself, put up his hand, say "yep, well done lads" and trot back to the halfway line rather than immerse himself in the madness of scoring a last minute equaliser.
I'm all in favour of consistency but why can't they apply the rules with a bit of common sense. Mike Dean used his oak-aged noggin today and chose not to book Alessandro Diamanti when he put West Ham ahead against Chelsea. Top marks in my view. If he had acted as Adebayor had done against Arsenal then fair enough: book him. But to celebrate in front of your own fans after putting them ahead against the league leaders who also happen to be fierce local rivals then let them enjoy the moment.
With the game slowly becoming a non-contact sport, let's hope the do-gooders don't win this round.
My rant for the moment surrounds the issue of players being booked for celebrating. I was reminded of this issue's irksome tendencies when Simon Church was booked then subsequently sent off for scoring Reading's equaliser against Bristol City with the last kick of the game.
I had a heated argument last week with my housemate after watching Younes Kaboul collect a second yellow card for celebrating a last minute equaliser at Sunderland. My housemate defended the referee claiming that the players know the rules therefore shouldn't do it.
An utterly ridiculous and misguided opinion in my view. In the situation that Kaboul was in, scoring an injury-time equaliser away from home to salvage a point for your side that currently sit bottom of the league then you are PERFECTLY within your rights to celebrate. I defy any football fan to restrain himself, put up his hand, say "yep, well done lads" and trot back to the halfway line rather than immerse himself in the madness of scoring a last minute equaliser.
I'm all in favour of consistency but why can't they apply the rules with a bit of common sense. Mike Dean used his oak-aged noggin today and chose not to book Alessandro Diamanti when he put West Ham ahead against Chelsea. Top marks in my view. If he had acted as Adebayor had done against Arsenal then fair enough: book him. But to celebrate in front of your own fans after putting them ahead against the league leaders who also happen to be fierce local rivals then let them enjoy the moment.
With the game slowly becoming a non-contact sport, let's hope the do-gooders don't win this round.
Saturday 19 December 2009
History and Context of Journaliam
After Thursday's exam, I was reminded of my neglect for keeping up my blog on the HCJ lectures.
Firstly, it has been the most fascinating compliment to the hustle and bustle of WINOL: it's been good to sit down in a proper, intelectual environment.
Looking back on the course, I have been most fascinated by Orwell's 1984. It's incredible how Orwell managed to see things from outside the box, as it were. The scary thing is that we don't actually KNOW how much our government hides from us. Clearly the obvious points to make surround the Ministry of Defence/War and other examples of NewSpeak.
I know from personal experience how manipulation of language has had a devastating impact. In Soviet Poland, many old Polish folk songs were altered to remove any anti-Soviet sentiments within them. Now, the only versions of these songs that exist are those that were doctored by the communists.
Anyway enough about Soviet Poland. The funniest version of Orwellian deception that I can recall was in the lead-up to the latest Gulf War. In an interview with John Humphries on Radio 4's Today programme, Jack Straw went back on a statement he had made earlier in the interview. He was so adamant that he hadn't said anything that Humphries was left laughing at him!
Over the coming days I will be reviewing the HCJ lectures with a blog on each of the key topic areas so watch out for them!
Firstly, it has been the most fascinating compliment to the hustle and bustle of WINOL: it's been good to sit down in a proper, intelectual environment.
Looking back on the course, I have been most fascinated by Orwell's 1984. It's incredible how Orwell managed to see things from outside the box, as it were. The scary thing is that we don't actually KNOW how much our government hides from us. Clearly the obvious points to make surround the Ministry of Defence/War and other examples of NewSpeak.
I know from personal experience how manipulation of language has had a devastating impact. In Soviet Poland, many old Polish folk songs were altered to remove any anti-Soviet sentiments within them. Now, the only versions of these songs that exist are those that were doctored by the communists.
Anyway enough about Soviet Poland. The funniest version of Orwellian deception that I can recall was in the lead-up to the latest Gulf War. In an interview with John Humphries on Radio 4's Today programme, Jack Straw went back on a statement he had made earlier in the interview. He was so adamant that he hadn't said anything that Humphries was left laughing at him!
Over the coming days I will be reviewing the HCJ lectures with a blog on each of the key topic areas so watch out for them!
Football merry-go-round
Firstly here is my latest match report from Swindon Town's victory over Brighton and Hove Albion this afternoon. The day that I'll always remember as the day when I nearly got frostbite it was THAT cold!!
http://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10341~47780,00.html
In the time that it took me to walk to my car from the ground, Mark Hughes was no longer manager of Manchester City. Surprised? Not really. Kevin Keegan put it best on ESPN just now when he said that the statement drawn up by the board read just like someone released by a business rather than from a football club.
I think therein lies the problem. The new owners have made it perfectly clear that they demand instant success. Will Roberto Mancini deliver? We shall have to wait and see. Personally the man's record reads a hat-trick of Serie A titles with Internazionale. Yes, but remember that one of those titles was handed to Inter in the wake of the betting scandal surrounding Juventus after the 2006 World Cup. The other two were won because Juve were still in the second division and no-one else really challenged them.
Having been in the job for five minutes it seems as if the jury is already out on Mancini. Unfair seeing as the man probably hasn't even set foot in Manchester yet! One thing is certain: with the big four looking to be creaking at the moment, there may be an opening for another team to take the initiative. Tottenham and Aston Villa look suitably poised. Will Manchester City?
http://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10341~47780,00.html
In the time that it took me to walk to my car from the ground, Mark Hughes was no longer manager of Manchester City. Surprised? Not really. Kevin Keegan put it best on ESPN just now when he said that the statement drawn up by the board read just like someone released by a business rather than from a football club.
I think therein lies the problem. The new owners have made it perfectly clear that they demand instant success. Will Roberto Mancini deliver? We shall have to wait and see. Personally the man's record reads a hat-trick of Serie A titles with Internazionale. Yes, but remember that one of those titles was handed to Inter in the wake of the betting scandal surrounding Juventus after the 2006 World Cup. The other two were won because Juve were still in the second division and no-one else really challenged them.
Having been in the job for five minutes it seems as if the jury is already out on Mancini. Unfair seeing as the man probably hasn't even set foot in Manchester yet! One thing is certain: with the big four looking to be creaking at the moment, there may be an opening for another team to take the initiative. Tottenham and Aston Villa look suitably poised. Will Manchester City?
Thursday 17 December 2009
WINOL end of run
Well after 6 weeks it's hard to imagine that WINOL's first official run has come to a rather circus-like conclusion.
It was always going to be ambitious to create a "best of" style review but I'd like to say that from the point of view of the sports desk, it was rather fun being part of something other than a serious news bulletin.
Technical and content issues aside, I am extremely proud of the progress that we have all shown on the project so far and look forward to continuing the work in the new decade. A big thank you to EVERYONE who had any involvement whatsoever with WINOL - you've made Journalism at Winchester a much happier place to work for me!
It was always going to be ambitious to create a "best of" style review but I'd like to say that from the point of view of the sports desk, it was rather fun being part of something other than a serious news bulletin.
Technical and content issues aside, I am extremely proud of the progress that we have all shown on the project so far and look forward to continuing the work in the new decade. A big thank you to EVERYONE who had any involvement whatsoever with WINOL - you've made Journalism at Winchester a much happier place to work for me!
Tuesday 15 December 2009
"Where were you when you were s**t?"
Flicking through today's Sun (15/12), my eye was drawn to an article by Ian Wright.
He talks about a gentleman that used to sit near him when he watched his son Shaun play for Chelsea. "Win, lose or draw, he would always complain", Wright said. As a supporter who has grown up watching lower league football and (unsurprisingly) seen finishing just outside the play-off places as an achievement, it's a topic rather close to my heart.
It's perfectly normal and natural for people to follow successful sides but over the last 5 years, the way Chelsea's database has swelled is quite remarkable. I always question whether people who support the supposed "big four" are doing so for the right reasons. Fair enough if you've done so from an early age: I grew up watching the likes of Eric Cantona and the great United team of the mid-1990s. It was the done thing to support Manchester United at the time (I still have United shirts from circa. 1996/97). However, growing up in a town with a football league team, my dad took me to watch my first game in January 1996 around my 7th birthday. Hull City were the visitors to the County Ground and Swindon ran out 3-1 winners.
From that moment onwards I was hooked. Any sympathies I had with higher profile teams dissipated and I was left watching third division football. Thankfully at the end of 95/96 Swindon were promoted to the old Nationwide league Division One.
Over the years I've had plenty of experience of 'glory supporters' - The best example I had was when I questioned a Chelsea fan's longevity of support. He claimed he'd been at the FA Cup final in 1997. He then preceded to claim that Chelsea beat Liverpool 1-0 in that final... Enough said really.
The worrying trend is that more and more of these so called plastic football fans are emerging from the woodwork. In my opinion, for the worst.
Saturday 12 December 2009
In the news...
Seeing as I have been plying my trade as it were on the sports desk of WINOL, how about a sports update for a change. With a break from working at Swindon Town this weekend, I can now look forward to England's test series that starts in South Africa on Wednesday!
But first, I wouldn't be much of a journalist without commenting on Tiger Woods. It's bizarre how one train crash on the tracks of life can be so blown out of all proportion. The fact that he had to publicly come out and apologise is an example of how bad tabloid media have become. So what if he's in the public eye, no-one's perfect! Gagging orders and public statements along with allegations of extra-marital affairs is quite a large mountain to make out of the molehill of a car crash.
Why are people getting so het up about it all? Have people conveniently forgotten that golfers have just begun a winter break from playing, therefore may be involved in everyday occurrences such as car crashes. Besides, being a golfer must be pretty monotonous, who would blame him for wanting to crash a car...
But first, I wouldn't be much of a journalist without commenting on Tiger Woods. It's bizarre how one train crash on the tracks of life can be so blown out of all proportion. The fact that he had to publicly come out and apologise is an example of how bad tabloid media have become. So what if he's in the public eye, no-one's perfect! Gagging orders and public statements along with allegations of extra-marital affairs is quite a large mountain to make out of the molehill of a car crash.
Why are people getting so het up about it all? Have people conveniently forgotten that golfers have just begun a winter break from playing, therefore may be involved in everyday occurrences such as car crashes. Besides, being a golfer must be pretty monotonous, who would blame him for wanting to crash a car...
WINOL week 6
Firstly I'd like to congratulate every single person involved in WINOL's first ever live run. You've all done such a fantastic job on the bulletin and the site. Let's hope we can replicate the same standard when the 3rd years leave us in the new year.
From the outset the sports department were sorted. Everything filmed and edited by Tuesday morning was exactly the position we wanted to be in. This week was the first edition in which I felt we actually wrote to our strongest pictures. The dancing puns and and references were not only a pleasure to write but seemed to be enjoyed by all when the bulletin actually went live!
The most satisfying element of the whole operation was the fact that we managed to do a thorough run-through before recording the live bulletin. I'm sure everyone would agree that it made a hell of difference to be able to do a full practise run.
All-in-all, after feeling so down in the dumps last week, we turned things around, bounced back (can't be bothered to put any more cliches in!) and produced something of which we can all be proud.
From the outset the sports department were sorted. Everything filmed and edited by Tuesday morning was exactly the position we wanted to be in. This week was the first edition in which I felt we actually wrote to our strongest pictures. The dancing puns and and references were not only a pleasure to write but seemed to be enjoyed by all when the bulletin actually went live!
The most satisfying element of the whole operation was the fact that we managed to do a thorough run-through before recording the live bulletin. I'm sure everyone would agree that it made a hell of difference to be able to do a full practise run.
All-in-all, after feeling so down in the dumps last week, we turned things around, bounced back (can't be bothered to put any more cliches in!) and produced something of which we can all be proud.
Monday 7 December 2009
WINOL week five
It all seemed to go pear-shaped this week. Why? It's hard to say.
From the start of the week it seemed a pretty routine run-through. Even on Wednesday there was a relaxed atmosphere around the newsroom. Perhaps this was what caused everything to go awry.
From the outset I have to say that it was the technology in the studio that let us down. I'm going to make no secret of the fact that system used for playing packages needs to be seriously reconsidered because pieces are coming out on black holes, they're cutting out halfway through, something needs to be done.
On a personal note, very happy with my performance. Let's hope my presenting streak continues!
Latest Swindon Town match report
Read my latest report on the official club website -
http://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10341~48560,00.html
Monday 30 November 2009
The second Scottish enlightenment?
With the Scottish Government publishing its white paper on constitutional reform, it now seems that a referendum on independence is now inevitable.
Prime Minister Alex Salmond proclaims that Scotland cannot reach its full economic potential unless it is independent. On the face of it, this seems like a pretty bold thing to say. However, before analysing the merits of this claim, is it purely a coincidence that this comes amid a 'revival' of Scottish culture?
Recently there has been an increased interest in Scottish culture and traditions. Whilst most people would cringe at the stereotypes of whisky, shortbread and haggis, it appears that descendants of immigrants to America and Canada feel a certain nostalgia for the icons of their ancestors' homeland. Even their new-found love for Scotland could support a drive for independence.
Economically, it seems as tall order to survive as a nation the size of Scotland. Having said that, if countries like Luxembourg and Andorra can survive then why shouldn't the Scots have a go?
On a sporting level, the Scots have always had independence. Any Scotland football fan worth his salt will gladly tell of victories over England at Wembley, perhaps most famously in 1967. Even in rugby, the Scots are fiercely proud of their sporting independence. In nearly every mainstream sport (with the exception of athletic/olympic sports) every home nation has independence from the union.
The minority SNP aims to devolve powers almost wholly to HolyRood with just matters of defence and foreign affairs still residing at Westminster. With various political commentators urging the Scots to drop the idea of a referendum on something so critical during this recession period, my bet is that they will do the exact opposite. With many disillusioned with the current Labour government, the advantage already lies with those who are pro-independence.
Scotland has long craved for a split from the UK. Who knows, in the current climate, they might just get their wish.
WINOL week four
Another successful week for the WINOL team. As well as reporting much more hard-hitting news, the presentation of the whole outfit has a wholly more professional look.
People are now coming to news conferences with stories already filmed and ready to go which gives the editors a much richer pool of news stories to choose from. As a result, the news content this week sounded and looked far more like a regional news programme than any of the previous editions.
The one problem that I think holds back the project a little is the time it takes to upload the bulletin onto the internet. Clearly this is something that can't be helped; the internet is a fickle mistress and if she's not in the mood...
From a personal perspective another fairly solid week. It has been tremendous fun so far being involved in the sports planning and presenting. Despite that, I am starting to warm to the idea of installing a second earpiece kit in the studio due to the fact that after every VT, it seems as if I'm on screen looking like a goldfish while I wait for confirmation that I am on air.
Andy Steggall was a fantastic help for the sports team. Having been quite conservative in our script writing, it was quite refreshing to be told that we can really let ourselves go and have some fun with our scripts. All of this means that I'm relishing this week's edition!
Wednesday 25 November 2009
Latest Match Report
After a cold yet exhilerating game of football (even by Third Division standards!) here is my match report.
http://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10341~48471,00.html
As an aside, I'm very envious of the first years. Why? Because with Chris and Brian now recording podcasts for them to download they can now listen to the content of the HCJ lectures without actually turning up! Tsk the young-uns these days....they seem to have everything delivered on a plate to them....
http://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10341~48471,00.html
As an aside, I'm very envious of the first years. Why? Because with Chris and Brian now recording podcasts for them to download they can now listen to the content of the HCJ lectures without actually turning up! Tsk the young-uns these days....they seem to have everything delivered on a plate to them....
Monday 23 November 2009
WINOL week three...and it's live!
Our first live edition of WINOL felt and looked a lot more professional that the previous two editions. Clearly there are some production issues to be sorted out. As the content improves week-by-week, we can now start turning our attentions to more studio-based problems such as the set, lighting and the autocue!
Having said that, the standard of content and output that we are producing has vastly improved from the basic bulletins I saw from last year's year three students. Having the guest editors in so far has been (personally) a tremendous help. Drawing on their advice has been crucial in setting a benchmark for us all to strive for.
From a personal perspective, another good week in the presenter's chair especially as I had to deal with the autocue not keeping up with me again! Thankfully I managed to cover it well but perhaps a little more rehearsal time next week perhaps....?
It looks as if we're all settling in to our roles nicely and that can only mean one thing: improved content and a much more professional look and feel to the output.
Saturday 14 November 2009
WINOL Week Two and Steinbeck
With the second WINOL dummy run now behind us, I think it's fairly safe to say that we are slowly beginning to gel as a news team. Speaking purely for the sports team, we're starting to think over a week ahead in terms of news which is fantastic if something falls through we can always slot something else in.
From a personal perspective, another week in which I would (on a scale of 1-10, 10 being highest) rate News Production, Enjoyment and Knowledge Gained with a big, fat 10. I've most certainly been bitten by the telly bug ever since I presented the sport last week! Although there was a slight mishap with the autocue, I got through it with a minimum of fuss; a huge confidence boost. Definately better on the timings this week too, bring on the live edition next week I say!
Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath was the topic for Thursday's lecture. Having read another classic of his Of Mice And Men, it's easy to see how Steinbeck was pilloried for his ellusions to socialism (or more correctly communism, when the time period is taken into context; McCarthyism, Red Tide etc.). At the heart of his writing is the temptation and seduction of pastures new for people who literally had nothing.
The crux that underpins the entire novel is, I think, a reference to a method of achieving pure socialism. If everyone has nothing then are people made more aware of collective values and conciousness? Is this then where we see true humanity?
The style of writing is also important with Steinbeck: the way his books are so simply and accessibly written, with all the lyricism and poetic elements of novel-writing stripped away to reveal an almost raw depiction of what life is like for immigrants (wow, A-Level English Literature came in handy for something!).
Immigration has become a hot topic in recent weeks with the ultimately pointless appearance of a certain someone on a certain flagship BBC debate programme. As an immigrant (of sorts) myself it always makes me laugh how people with clearly foreign surnames claim they want to kick out anyone who is not a native. A "native"? In this country? Invaded by Romans, Normans, Vikings and Saxons (not in that order I hasten to add I do know my history!) then surely anyone who is Italian, French, German or Scandinavian has claim to being a native Briton!
With the recent influx of Eastern Europeans into the country they seem to be getting the brunt of the anti-immigration flak. My story is a little bit different to those who either come to work or merely to sponge off the soft-touch UK benefits system. Having been forced from their homes by the Soviets both sets of my grandparents' families were taken to Siberia. They then came to Africa with the Free Polish Second Corps through India then Asia Minor and then down to Rhodesia and Tanganiyka. When the war ended, they were told they could return to Poland if they wished or go and start a new life in another country. With the new communist government in place my families chose to come to the UK like many others did but for those who returned to Poland, they were quickly seen as being a potential problem to the newly installed government and were either executed or exiled.
As a result, any factually correct Polish history and culture was doctored to suit the Soviets which has a knock on effect today, where most (not all but certainly a lot) of Poles coming to the UK today have either a warped view of their own history or don't know anything at all. My grandparents knew that this was happening - people in Soviet Poland were actively taught in schools that the millions of Poles like my family in the UK, the US, Australia and beyond were traitors. Therefore I, like many of my contemporaries, have been brought up with this history in an attempt to stop the truth being erased from history altogether.
Not a lot of people know that.
From a personal perspective, another week in which I would (on a scale of 1-10, 10 being highest) rate News Production, Enjoyment and Knowledge Gained with a big, fat 10. I've most certainly been bitten by the telly bug ever since I presented the sport last week! Although there was a slight mishap with the autocue, I got through it with a minimum of fuss; a huge confidence boost. Definately better on the timings this week too, bring on the live edition next week I say!
Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath was the topic for Thursday's lecture. Having read another classic of his Of Mice And Men, it's easy to see how Steinbeck was pilloried for his ellusions to socialism (or more correctly communism, when the time period is taken into context; McCarthyism, Red Tide etc.). At the heart of his writing is the temptation and seduction of pastures new for people who literally had nothing.
The crux that underpins the entire novel is, I think, a reference to a method of achieving pure socialism. If everyone has nothing then are people made more aware of collective values and conciousness? Is this then where we see true humanity?
The style of writing is also important with Steinbeck: the way his books are so simply and accessibly written, with all the lyricism and poetic elements of novel-writing stripped away to reveal an almost raw depiction of what life is like for immigrants (wow, A-Level English Literature came in handy for something!).
Immigration has become a hot topic in recent weeks with the ultimately pointless appearance of a certain someone on a certain flagship BBC debate programme. As an immigrant (of sorts) myself it always makes me laugh how people with clearly foreign surnames claim they want to kick out anyone who is not a native. A "native"? In this country? Invaded by Romans, Normans, Vikings and Saxons (not in that order I hasten to add I do know my history!) then surely anyone who is Italian, French, German or Scandinavian has claim to being a native Briton!
With the recent influx of Eastern Europeans into the country they seem to be getting the brunt of the anti-immigration flak. My story is a little bit different to those who either come to work or merely to sponge off the soft-touch UK benefits system. Having been forced from their homes by the Soviets both sets of my grandparents' families were taken to Siberia. They then came to Africa with the Free Polish Second Corps through India then Asia Minor and then down to Rhodesia and Tanganiyka. When the war ended, they were told they could return to Poland if they wished or go and start a new life in another country. With the new communist government in place my families chose to come to the UK like many others did but for those who returned to Poland, they were quickly seen as being a potential problem to the newly installed government and were either executed or exiled.
As a result, any factually correct Polish history and culture was doctored to suit the Soviets which has a knock on effect today, where most (not all but certainly a lot) of Poles coming to the UK today have either a warped view of their own history or don't know anything at all. My grandparents knew that this was happening - people in Soviet Poland were actively taught in schools that the millions of Poles like my family in the UK, the US, Australia and beyond were traitors. Therefore I, like many of my contemporaries, have been brought up with this history in an attempt to stop the truth being erased from history altogether.
Not a lot of people know that.
Monday 9 November 2009
WINOL week one
One week down on WINOL, six to go. Exhausting but fantastic fun at the same time not only because I got to present the sport but also because for the first time, we are all coming together as a news team finding, shooting, editing and producing news.
On a side note, here is my report from Swindon Town's sleep-inducing cup tie against Woking on Saturday.
Citizen Kane is indeed a cultural watershed. In filmography terms it is incredible to imagine how certain scenes were filmed. The one that sticks in my mind is when the camera shows an exterior shot of a club where Kane's washed-up-singer of a second wife is headlining. The camera pans up and goes through the sign and drops down through the skylight. In modern terms, a fairly routine establishing shot but how they managed in the thirties with huge cameras and fairly limited movement is breathtaking.
Chris's allusion to the character of Kane being central in the creation of Mr Burns in The Simpsons was very interesting. Having known of that before watching the film, it was easy to pick out certain characteristics that both of them share: The miser sitting in his cavernous mansion with all his money completely isolated from society, the megalomaniacal passion for control. When Kane bought every journalist from The Chronicle to come and work for his paper is reminiscent of the move pulled by Monty Burns when he replaced his workforce's softball team with retired baseball professionals!
As a spectacle I thoroughly enjoyed it. Admittedly I'd have to watch it again and perhaps even a third time in order to fully appreciate the numerous cultural references.
Tuesday 3 November 2009
Eurosceptics
It has been a while since my last post however, no excuses for not blogging! Even though our new WINOL project has been both entertaining and exhausting, blogging should be as staple as breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Last Thursday's lecture has enlightened my thinking on the tabloid press. It is so hard to imagine in this age of hi-tech and fantastic technological advances how radical the introduction of a picture-based newspaper would have been all those years ago. What is also striking is how quickly one man can change the entire face of a medium in one fell swoop. I'm sure Northcliffe and Swaffer et al. would be slightly perturbed by the way Rupert Murdoch has expanded the red-top empire. Or would they? The initial mandate of the first tabloids was to make news accessible to the most simple of people, primarily using captioned photos to tell their story. In a more roundabout way, the red-tops of today perform the same function. With up-to-the-minute news and comment on the latest X-Factor show or the latest football or celebrity rumours as an example.
In the news, David Cameron is sweating after the Czech Republic threatens to test his policy on the Lisbon Treaty. Having been deemed constitutional by the Czech parliament, President Vaclav Klaus is expected to become the final EU leader to sign the Treaty enabling it to pass into law. This has now caused Mr Cameron to backtrack on his "cast iron guarantee" to hold a referendum on any EU treaty".
I shall never understand the mind of a politician as long as I live. Is this not proof that the three main political parties are all the same? Just plumping for the middle ground to please everyone? In this sort of situation, if Cameron were to be elected Prime Minister, then he MUST hold a referendum on something as major as handing more power to Europe! It's mind-boggling how he could possibly renege on a deal to hold a referendum on a decision that would affect everyone's lives in some way, shape or form.
As know Eurosceptic Klaus is expected to sign anytime soon, is this a sign of the political future? Everyone being overwhelmed by the EU? Barry Legg, the former Conservative Chief Executive sums it up in a sentence: "How can David Cameron claim he'll fight to repatriate powers from Brussels when he won't fight to implement his own words?"
Modern politics in a nutshell I think...
Sunday 25 October 2009
Freud: madman
Throughout my studies, I always perceived Freud as a simple, humble individual; the Godfather of Psychology if you will. Judging by photographs of the man and his advances in the field of psychology, it always seemed to me that he was the exact stereotype of a psychologist: an ageing doctor wearing a brown 3-piece suit or perhaps just a simple tweed jacket sitting cross-legged in a high-backed leather armchair listening to the ailments of his clients whilst stroking his beard and peering understandingly through a pair of round spectacles resting precariously on the edge of his nose, punctuating every answer he hears with a low, acknowledging grunt.
Having only really known the basics of the man and his work, it is like leaping into the abyss reading more and more into his theories. In short, the man either had an awful lot of time on his hands or he is, in fact, completely and utterly bonkers.
The concept of the id and the subconcious is a key idea in trying to understand Freud although I rather get the impression that he has taken this too far. If we literally did what we want and when we want then where would our society be? To suggest that every male would like to kill his father and sleep with his mother (Oedipus complex) is frankly beyond the realms of imagination. For someone who doesn't really approve of women, Freud seems to be really obsessed with sex and sexuality/sexual liberalism.
Modernism of course wouldn't be complete without a touch of Wagner to accompany our Nietzsche and co. I can recall a line from the recent Tom Cruise film "Valkyrie", a motion picture based on the true story of Klaus Von Stauffenberg and his secret plot to kill Hitler and overthrow the Nazis. In his first meeting with Hitler, Von Stauffenberg presents him with a file to sign marked "Valkyrie". Hitler signs then says: "I see you know your Wagner, Colonel. One cannot understand National Socialism if one does not understand Wagner". What a line! The ring cycle is a fantastic arrangement of music, one of course, that must be played tremendously loud in order to feel the full effect. The famous Liebestode scene in Tristan and Isolde is just a fanstastic concept. Imagine the last thing you ever do is have a screaming orgasm: at least when you went you'd go with a smile on your face.
Just a final point, having seen "Abigail's Party" it is one of the most cringeworthy examples of drama that I have ever witnessed. Ok, I can understand that when it was filmed it was a massive break with tradition but purely from an entertainment point of view, I can honestly say that watching something as odd as that is not my cup of tea!
Having only really known the basics of the man and his work, it is like leaping into the abyss reading more and more into his theories. In short, the man either had an awful lot of time on his hands or he is, in fact, completely and utterly bonkers.
The concept of the id and the subconcious is a key idea in trying to understand Freud although I rather get the impression that he has taken this too far. If we literally did what we want and when we want then where would our society be? To suggest that every male would like to kill his father and sleep with his mother (Oedipus complex) is frankly beyond the realms of imagination. For someone who doesn't really approve of women, Freud seems to be really obsessed with sex and sexuality/sexual liberalism.
Modernism of course wouldn't be complete without a touch of Wagner to accompany our Nietzsche and co. I can recall a line from the recent Tom Cruise film "Valkyrie", a motion picture based on the true story of Klaus Von Stauffenberg and his secret plot to kill Hitler and overthrow the Nazis. In his first meeting with Hitler, Von Stauffenberg presents him with a file to sign marked "Valkyrie". Hitler signs then says: "I see you know your Wagner, Colonel. One cannot understand National Socialism if one does not understand Wagner". What a line! The ring cycle is a fantastic arrangement of music, one of course, that must be played tremendously loud in order to feel the full effect. The famous Liebestode scene in Tristan and Isolde is just a fanstastic concept. Imagine the last thing you ever do is have a screaming orgasm: at least when you went you'd go with a smile on your face.
Just a final point, having seen "Abigail's Party" it is one of the most cringeworthy examples of drama that I have ever witnessed. Ok, I can understand that when it was filmed it was a massive break with tradition but purely from an entertainment point of view, I can honestly say that watching something as odd as that is not my cup of tea!
Thursday 22 October 2009
The Day Democracy Nearly Died...
It's funny how one man can cause so much uproar and violence courtesy of a one hour television appearance. I would like to categorically state now that I am not a racist and in no way support the British National Party or any of its associates.
Nick Griffin's appearance on Question Time had been building to a climax that errupted in a cataclysmic anti-BNP rant on the BBC's flagship political debate programme. This is a subject that has irked me for some time hence why I am devoting another blog to it. The man may be deluded and may have some atrocious policies but it is his right in a democratic country to air his views in a public forum. Is it going too far to say that the BBC have today saved democracy in Britain?
I sometimes wonder about the severity of the stranglehold that Political Correctness has over every aspect of society in Great Britain when the idiots in our so-called government can wage an illegal war in the Middle East in the name of democracy yet do not want to allow the leader of a party with two elected MEPs to contribute to a political debate. In fact, "debate" is hardly what I would call Thursday's programme. Mr Griffin was invited on the programme in the interest of impartiality however, the so called 'debate' turned into one massive demonisation of the man and his party.
When will these tree-hugging, Sun-reading, ignoramuses learn that his appearance would have done nothing at all to increase BNP support. However, the way he has been hounded and not even allowed to answer questions due to interruptions may work in Mr Griffin's favour. He may be a manipulative man but the points he made about Iraq were spot on in my view. He said: "We should have stayed out of Iraq and we must let the middle eastern countries deal with their own affairs", or words to that effect. I agree with him. Does that make me a racist? Does that mean I automatically support the BNP? No of course not but to the idiots in the "anti-fascist league", I'll bet I'm right up there next to Hitler and Satan himself.
How can Jack Straw talk of the BNP having "no moral compass"? Of course, how silly of me: lying to Parliament and the British public is fine isn't it Mr Straw. All this coming from the man who cowered and "wriggled out" of John Humphries's questioning on the 'sexed-up dossier' whilst appearing on the Today programme. What a joke.
I only hope there is time for the idiots who jump on the bandwagon to realise that there is a democratic right of free speech on this fair and sceptred isle. Listening to a text read out by Jeremy Vine on his lunchtime Radio 2 show today made me realise a great irony in all this. The text went something like this: "A lot of people who are protesting against Nick Griffin's appearance need to remember one crucial point. They protest now but down the pub, they, along with every other working man will be spouting this same sort of BNP material"
He's probably right.
Nick Griffin's appearance on Question Time had been building to a climax that errupted in a cataclysmic anti-BNP rant on the BBC's flagship political debate programme. This is a subject that has irked me for some time hence why I am devoting another blog to it. The man may be deluded and may have some atrocious policies but it is his right in a democratic country to air his views in a public forum. Is it going too far to say that the BBC have today saved democracy in Britain?
I sometimes wonder about the severity of the stranglehold that Political Correctness has over every aspect of society in Great Britain when the idiots in our so-called government can wage an illegal war in the Middle East in the name of democracy yet do not want to allow the leader of a party with two elected MEPs to contribute to a political debate. In fact, "debate" is hardly what I would call Thursday's programme. Mr Griffin was invited on the programme in the interest of impartiality however, the so called 'debate' turned into one massive demonisation of the man and his party.
When will these tree-hugging, Sun-reading, ignoramuses learn that his appearance would have done nothing at all to increase BNP support. However, the way he has been hounded and not even allowed to answer questions due to interruptions may work in Mr Griffin's favour. He may be a manipulative man but the points he made about Iraq were spot on in my view. He said: "We should have stayed out of Iraq and we must let the middle eastern countries deal with their own affairs", or words to that effect. I agree with him. Does that make me a racist? Does that mean I automatically support the BNP? No of course not but to the idiots in the "anti-fascist league", I'll bet I'm right up there next to Hitler and Satan himself.
How can Jack Straw talk of the BNP having "no moral compass"? Of course, how silly of me: lying to Parliament and the British public is fine isn't it Mr Straw. All this coming from the man who cowered and "wriggled out" of John Humphries's questioning on the 'sexed-up dossier' whilst appearing on the Today programme. What a joke.
I only hope there is time for the idiots who jump on the bandwagon to realise that there is a democratic right of free speech on this fair and sceptred isle. Listening to a text read out by Jeremy Vine on his lunchtime Radio 2 show today made me realise a great irony in all this. The text went something like this: "A lot of people who are protesting against Nick Griffin's appearance need to remember one crucial point. They protest now but down the pub, they, along with every other working man will be spouting this same sort of BNP material"
He's probably right.
Monday 19 October 2009
Threats from the right?
With a weekend of fantastic, entertaining sporting action behind us, we can always count on Monday mornings to bring us back down to earth with a bump.
Congratulations to Jenson Button for finally securing the World Drivers' Championship with a superb drive at Interlagos yesterday evening. It seems as if the Brawn GP cars have set a standard that every other constructor will be striving for next year, which can only mean another season of mouthwatering Formula 1.
Staying with the sporting thread, you can now read my match report from Saturday's League One encounter between Swindon Town and Hartlepool United.
http:/www.swindontownfc.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0, ,10341~47765,00.html
In the news, the BBC may face legal action over including the BNP's "man we all love to hate", Nick Griffin on the corporation's flagship debate programme Question Time, due to be broadcast on Thursday. Welsh secretary Peter Hain has written to the BBC warning them that the BNP are, at present, and unlawful body following the recent court decision regarding its membership and has called the decision to include Mr Griffin "unreasonable, irrational and unlawful".
The BBC have responded by saying that "if there was an election tommorow, then the BNP would be allowed to stand as candidates. Our audiences and the electorate will be able to make up their own minds about the different policies offered by elected politicians"
WELL DONE BBC! Who does Mr Hain think he is telling the BBC who they should and should not have on their programmes? Is he one of many people now jumping on the anti-BNP bandwagon who all of a sudden see them as a threat because they won an almighty TWO seats at the recent EU elections? Is he scared that Mr Griffin will cut off Wales from the UK if he came to power? I thought the Welsh wanted independence?
I think I can speak for anyone vaguely interested in news and/or current affairs when I say that I cannot wait for Thursday's Question Time when Mr Griffin is going to get pounded on all sides by everyone from the bearded lefties to lettuce-hugging Greens to the blazered public schoolboys of the Conservative party.
In my eyes, it seems that Mr Hain is unaware (as most of the Labour Party seems to be unaware of everything at the moment) that the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a democracy. I'm going to set the record straight now - as a young Briton of Polish extraction why would I want the BNP in power? I'm not a fascist and I'm not a racist but does no-one else find this little tussle between the BNP and everyone else really fascinating? Listening to these guys talk endlessly about their policies and the uproar that it seems to cause in a society so cocooned in beurocracy and red tape that one can't even call a spade, a spade anymore.
Put it this way, at least they have a clear manifesto unlike the three main parties that seem to have taken to the "Tony Blair" way of doing things and just changing the odd policy here and there to make it look like a brand new toy.
James Joyce's Ullyses broke the mould in English literature and brought us into the Modernism era. Are right or left wing parties like the BNP going to break the mould in politics?
Please comment with your thoughts
Congratulations to Jenson Button for finally securing the World Drivers' Championship with a superb drive at Interlagos yesterday evening. It seems as if the Brawn GP cars have set a standard that every other constructor will be striving for next year, which can only mean another season of mouthwatering Formula 1.
Staying with the sporting thread, you can now read my match report from Saturday's League One encounter between Swindon Town and Hartlepool United.
http:/www.swindontownfc.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0, ,10341~47765,00.html
In the news, the BBC may face legal action over including the BNP's "man we all love to hate", Nick Griffin on the corporation's flagship debate programme Question Time, due to be broadcast on Thursday. Welsh secretary Peter Hain has written to the BBC warning them that the BNP are, at present, and unlawful body following the recent court decision regarding its membership and has called the decision to include Mr Griffin "unreasonable, irrational and unlawful".
The BBC have responded by saying that "if there was an election tommorow, then the BNP would be allowed to stand as candidates. Our audiences and the electorate will be able to make up their own minds about the different policies offered by elected politicians"
WELL DONE BBC! Who does Mr Hain think he is telling the BBC who they should and should not have on their programmes? Is he one of many people now jumping on the anti-BNP bandwagon who all of a sudden see them as a threat because they won an almighty TWO seats at the recent EU elections? Is he scared that Mr Griffin will cut off Wales from the UK if he came to power? I thought the Welsh wanted independence?
I think I can speak for anyone vaguely interested in news and/or current affairs when I say that I cannot wait for Thursday's Question Time when Mr Griffin is going to get pounded on all sides by everyone from the bearded lefties to lettuce-hugging Greens to the blazered public schoolboys of the Conservative party.
In my eyes, it seems that Mr Hain is unaware (as most of the Labour Party seems to be unaware of everything at the moment) that the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a democracy. I'm going to set the record straight now - as a young Briton of Polish extraction why would I want the BNP in power? I'm not a fascist and I'm not a racist but does no-one else find this little tussle between the BNP and everyone else really fascinating? Listening to these guys talk endlessly about their policies and the uproar that it seems to cause in a society so cocooned in beurocracy and red tape that one can't even call a spade, a spade anymore.
Put it this way, at least they have a clear manifesto unlike the three main parties that seem to have taken to the "Tony Blair" way of doing things and just changing the odd policy here and there to make it look like a brand new toy.
James Joyce's Ullyses broke the mould in English literature and brought us into the Modernism era. Are right or left wing parties like the BNP going to break the mould in politics?
Please comment with your thoughts
Wednesday 14 October 2009
The end of the world as we know it?
So MPs are fighting back in the "war against expenses" and the world is effectively about to end after Lord Mandelson's claims that the strike by Postal workers will be suicide for Britain and the chief of Tesco's criticisms of young people in this country being "unfit for work". So just another normal day at the office then.
I've found that people are very quick to jump on the bandwagon when it comes to the expenses scandal. Including myself in this, I've realised that most people are terribly mis-informed. Today's Times (14/10) led with the story that MPs will appeal against the retrospective regulations put in place by the man leading the inquiry, Sir Thomas Legg. One of the MPs quoted in the article claimed that she had been asked to provide mortgage payment receipts from the period 04/05, the year before she had been elected. I completely agree that MPs should repay the needless spending of public money but when people like Julia Goldsworthy have to pay back money that they hadn't received then that really is too far.
Last night's ITV evening news said that the shadow cabinet has to collectively pay back £18,000 whereas the figures for the actual Cabinet are unknown but they are expected to be "much lower". Really? Does that not seem a little fishy? The actual Cabinet is going to be expected to pay LESS than the shadow Cabinet? I find that very hard to believe.
So the end of the world is nigh. Our young people cannot read and write and the Post Office strike will cripple this country. The teaching of basic numeracy and literacy skills is severely lacking in schools according to Tesco chief Sir Terry Leahy resulting in employers having to fill the gap in knowledge. Is it hardly surprising that this country is going down the pan? British students not wanting to learn and conversely, foreign students coming in with bright eyes and bushy tails just itching to get learning are keeping the educations figures at a normal level. It worries me when people cannot tell the difference between "there" and "their"!
On a lighter note, Glaswegian translators have been advertised for at a translation company. Terrific! Former Lord Provost of Glasgow Alex Mosson laughed at the advertisement claiming that on his travels worldwide no-one failed to understand him. Sorry Alex, couldn't quite understand you there could you repeat that....
Monday 12 October 2009
Journalism Year Two...aaaaaaaand ACTION!
Welcome, welcome, welcome to my new home here at Blogger.com
After a long summer break, it's time to get back into the swing of being a journalist again. New year and a new job! Having worked last year at Hosptial Radio Wey, I have gone up in the world somewhat and am now part of the team that writes match reports and updates live text on the website of League One side Swindon Town. I will be posting these reports up regularly so feel free to explore them. Here is the latest offering from Saturday's 1-1 home draw with Millwall.
http://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10341~47721,00.html
So MUCH has happened over the last few months that I would still be here at the start of year three if I mentioned everything. I will, however begin with something that deeply affected me over the last few months; the passing of football great Sir Bobby Robson. It's hard to avoid cliche when talking about the man but it IS true that he was a legend of the game and it IS true that he had a profound effect on everyone he met. Rest in Peace Sir Bobby, you deserve it.
Also in the news over the last month or so have been the party conferences. Oh to be a journalist at one of the party conferences! It was clear that the assembled media were long sharpening their knives before the conference season started but it was terrific to watch as the standard "we shall fight them on the beaches" Churchillian type speeches were rolled out one by one, accompanied by a lot of fist bashing and finger pointing. Then the interviews on Newsnight and Channel Four news (to name but two programmes) were great viewing.
One item which particularly caught my eye was a quick question fired at Peter Mandelson as he left the Labour party conference one evening: the girl asked a seemingly innocuous question about his relationship with the Prime Minister that stopped him dead in his tracks. He turned to the girl and said "uh I'm sorry...wh..who are you with...?" to which the girl replied Channel 4. "oh...you are just the worst...h...ho...how dare you...." came the reply punctuated by a wry smile; The reaction of a rat on a sinking ship.
The Tory conference, however made for pretty grim viewing I thought. Does anyone else find George Osbourne tiresome? Having to watch as his fantastic plans for the economy are hung out to dry by Paxman? No thanks. It seems to me as if electing the Conservatives would be like be like going on holiday to a tacky touristy holiday resort: it looks different and feels different but you still get the same food, same people and the same atmosphere that you would back home.
After The Sun newspaper's decision to withdraw support for Labour it seems as if everyone else is jumping on the bandwagon. The Daily Mail printed a story the day after Gordon Brown's big speech analysing Sarah Brown's fashion sense! It seems as if politics in this country is going the way of that famous quote from the television programme Yes Prime Minister regarding newspapers - "It doesn't matter who runs the country as long as she's got big t**s". Mr Brown said in an interview with John Humphries on Radio 4's Today programme "The Sun doesn't decide who wins elections, the voters do". Well Prime Minister, what do a majority of floating voters read......
After a long summer break, it's time to get back into the swing of being a journalist again. New year and a new job! Having worked last year at Hosptial Radio Wey, I have gone up in the world somewhat and am now part of the team that writes match reports and updates live text on the website of League One side Swindon Town. I will be posting these reports up regularly so feel free to explore them. Here is the latest offering from Saturday's 1-1 home draw with Millwall.
http://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10341~47721,00.html
So MUCH has happened over the last few months that I would still be here at the start of year three if I mentioned everything. I will, however begin with something that deeply affected me over the last few months; the passing of football great Sir Bobby Robson. It's hard to avoid cliche when talking about the man but it IS true that he was a legend of the game and it IS true that he had a profound effect on everyone he met. Rest in Peace Sir Bobby, you deserve it.
Also in the news over the last month or so have been the party conferences. Oh to be a journalist at one of the party conferences! It was clear that the assembled media were long sharpening their knives before the conference season started but it was terrific to watch as the standard "we shall fight them on the beaches" Churchillian type speeches were rolled out one by one, accompanied by a lot of fist bashing and finger pointing. Then the interviews on Newsnight and Channel Four news (to name but two programmes) were great viewing.
One item which particularly caught my eye was a quick question fired at Peter Mandelson as he left the Labour party conference one evening: the girl asked a seemingly innocuous question about his relationship with the Prime Minister that stopped him dead in his tracks. He turned to the girl and said "uh I'm sorry...wh..who are you with...?" to which the girl replied Channel 4. "oh...you are just the worst...h...ho...how dare you...." came the reply punctuated by a wry smile; The reaction of a rat on a sinking ship.
The Tory conference, however made for pretty grim viewing I thought. Does anyone else find George Osbourne tiresome? Having to watch as his fantastic plans for the economy are hung out to dry by Paxman? No thanks. It seems to me as if electing the Conservatives would be like be like going on holiday to a tacky touristy holiday resort: it looks different and feels different but you still get the same food, same people and the same atmosphere that you would back home.
After The Sun newspaper's decision to withdraw support for Labour it seems as if everyone else is jumping on the bandwagon. The Daily Mail printed a story the day after Gordon Brown's big speech analysing Sarah Brown's fashion sense! It seems as if politics in this country is going the way of that famous quote from the television programme Yes Prime Minister regarding newspapers - "It doesn't matter who runs the country as long as she's got big t**s". Mr Brown said in an interview with John Humphries on Radio 4's Today programme "The Sun doesn't decide who wins elections, the voters do". Well Prime Minister, what do a majority of floating voters read......
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