For all those interested to learn more about Tibet, I would say this programme is a "must see".
It is Channel 4's Dispatches with an episode entitled "Tibet Undercover".
The film was made with extraordinary bravery by Tibetan exile, Tash Despa.
"To make this film, Tash Despa returns to the homeland he risked his life to escape 11years ago, to carry out secret filming with award-winning, Bafta-nominated director Jezza Neumann (Dispatches Special: China's Stolen Children). Risking imprisonment and deportation, he uncovers evidence of the "cultural genocide" described by the Dalai Lama."
It is 48 minutes long but if you have the time or can find the time I would recommend it as an education on the subject of Tibet. It does not hide the recent violence by some in Lhasa but does give the terrible background to life in Tibet and shows the brutality of the Chinese regime towards Tibetans and their way of life.
This is the link if you want to see on a bigger picture.
Tibet Undercover Link
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Stats
Blog visitor tracking sometimes makes interesting reading. It is clear this blog has been largely focused on one issue of late. Of the last 100 visitors, those arriving via search engines had searched for the following subjects:
- london april 6th 2008
olympic fire london 6th april
london calling transfer
olympic torch protest london
i want to see the photo of olympic torch carrier of greece lady
post secret lies - london notting hill latino carnaval band 6th april
sunday london torch animal rights
olimpic flame in london april 4th
olympic torch london march 6th map
shilpa shetty influences to the london population
london june temperatures 2007
london olympic flame protest
olympic flame london april 6th traffic
olympic flame protest london
olympic torch demonstration london april 6
olympic flame reenactment
programme for olympic flame at wembley stadium on 6th april
london olympic flame london protest
olympic flame at stratford sunday the 6th of ap
olympic torch relaytrevor macdonald
In Praise of Gordon Ramsay !
Gordon Ramsay, the "celebrity TV chef" is not someone who I normally take too much interest in. All that bluster and swearing in his cookery programmes or when he is berating a provincial restaurant owner as to why they don't do things like he does all seem a bit unnecessary.
However it is clear he has got his audience and he does have a life story of note and has faced an element of struggle that has ended in success.
The word that could also be used about him is "integrity". He is what he is, whether you like that or not. It is therefore pleasing that he has shown this integrity by refusing to carry the Olympic torch, according to the Evening Standard. He is not the only one who is leaving the herd of celebrities and making a stand. Others are shown here.
I will look at Mr. Ramsay in a new light now !
However it is clear he has got his audience and he does have a life story of note and has faced an element of struggle that has ended in success.
The word that could also be used about him is "integrity". He is what he is, whether you like that or not. It is therefore pleasing that he has shown this integrity by refusing to carry the Olympic torch, according to the Evening Standard. He is not the only one who is leaving the herd of celebrities and making a stand. Others are shown here.
I will look at Mr. Ramsay in a new light now !
London set to welcome "Flame of Shame" and China works on clearing the route further along its journey
The headline from today's "Times" should give anyone considering cheering the flame along the streets of London tomorrow, pause for thought:
From The Times
April 5, 2008
"Exclusive: Chinese police kill eight after opening fire on monks and Tibet protesters
'They cried long live the Dalai Lama – then the firing started"
It is certain some people will turn out to cheer. The friends and families of those selected to carry the torch accross London are obvious "supporters". Shoppers and tourists passing by will take photographs. However there seems no mass urge to welcome this torch. It is certainly not in the popular imagination here.
Then of course there will be the protestors, rallying from around Britain and beyond. The Police have promised a robust approach to anyone who disrupts the flame's journey. They even have Chinese interpreters working with them to identify posters or banners that are insulting in Mandarin. One wonders if people will get arrested for holding an "insulting" anti-Chinese Government poster written in Mandarin when last year it seemed more or less fine for extreme islamists to walk through London with posters saying "Behead those who insult Islam", "Massacre the Unbelievers" etc. No hint of double standards by the Metropolitan Police here !
One imagines a few Tibetan student groups (largely peaceful Buddhists), intellectuals and others concerned about human rights in China will be an easy crowd for 2,000 police to deal with compared to Islamists who are quite prepared to cheer those who attempt to blow up passenger planes.
However overall the hope has to be that in London town, free speech is still allowed to some extent so the protestors will get their opportunity to be heard. If protestors can be seen and heard in Istanbul, Turkey surely this should be permitted in London ?
Samsung, the Korean electronics giant, put out several full page adverts in London papers yesterday promoting their sponsorship of the flame and encouraging people to watch "history in the making" in London. No sign of them backing down but then I read about a corruption probe at the highest levels of the company so I imagine worrying about sponsoring a tainted flame is lower down their list of priorities at the moment.
It will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow in London. For anyone looking at this page for information on the London protests, you are best looking at the Free Tibet page.
Will I be protesting ? I am not really the street protest type ! (although I did recently make it to the Chinese Embassy one Monday evening). However I guess I will either be "boycotting" or if I can make it away from home commitments (a trip to Heathow Terminal 5 (!) with my Mother-in-Law and looking after our ever more mobile 9 month old son being the main ones this weekend) for a little bit, I will go to "boo" it at Canary Wharf or the Dome on its final leg.
On the one hand I realise this is rather futile but on the other this is all about symbolism. The flame really doesn't matter a hoot with its pseudo pagan lighting in Greece. All it does say is this flame has travelled around the world before reaching the Olympics in China. In some way this can be interpretted as the world giving support to the Beijing Olympics and by association the Chinese Government. The fact it will be travelling through suppressed Tibet is more significant. If protestors in London and elsewhere open a few more eyes to the dreadful abuses in Tibet and indeed across China for those who want to speak their mind, then not all will have been in vain.
I hope London proves it is still a City of free speech and gives the flame a rowdy but peaceful arrival. Part of me would like to see someone pour a bucket of water over it from an upper storey of a building as it passes by. However that probably won't happen. I think London will probably settle for a mixture of cheers, boos, slogans and apathy !
Never mind, it is off to Paris next- a City that really knows how to protest !
From The Times
April 5, 2008
"Exclusive: Chinese police kill eight after opening fire on monks and Tibet protesters
'They cried long live the Dalai Lama – then the firing started"
It is certain some people will turn out to cheer. The friends and families of those selected to carry the torch accross London are obvious "supporters". Shoppers and tourists passing by will take photographs. However there seems no mass urge to welcome this torch. It is certainly not in the popular imagination here.
Then of course there will be the protestors, rallying from around Britain and beyond. The Police have promised a robust approach to anyone who disrupts the flame's journey. They even have Chinese interpreters working with them to identify posters or banners that are insulting in Mandarin. One wonders if people will get arrested for holding an "insulting" anti-Chinese Government poster written in Mandarin when last year it seemed more or less fine for extreme islamists to walk through London with posters saying "Behead those who insult Islam", "Massacre the Unbelievers" etc. No hint of double standards by the Metropolitan Police here !
One imagines a few Tibetan student groups (largely peaceful Buddhists), intellectuals and others concerned about human rights in China will be an easy crowd for 2,000 police to deal with compared to Islamists who are quite prepared to cheer those who attempt to blow up passenger planes.
However overall the hope has to be that in London town, free speech is still allowed to some extent so the protestors will get their opportunity to be heard. If protestors can be seen and heard in Istanbul, Turkey surely this should be permitted in London ?
Samsung, the Korean electronics giant, put out several full page adverts in London papers yesterday promoting their sponsorship of the flame and encouraging people to watch "history in the making" in London. No sign of them backing down but then I read about a corruption probe at the highest levels of the company so I imagine worrying about sponsoring a tainted flame is lower down their list of priorities at the moment.
It will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow in London. For anyone looking at this page for information on the London protests, you are best looking at the Free Tibet page.
Will I be protesting ? I am not really the street protest type ! (although I did recently make it to the Chinese Embassy one Monday evening). However I guess I will either be "boycotting" or if I can make it away from home commitments (a trip to Heathow Terminal 5 (!) with my Mother-in-Law and looking after our ever more mobile 9 month old son being the main ones this weekend) for a little bit, I will go to "boo" it at Canary Wharf or the Dome on its final leg.
On the one hand I realise this is rather futile but on the other this is all about symbolism. The flame really doesn't matter a hoot with its pseudo pagan lighting in Greece. All it does say is this flame has travelled around the world before reaching the Olympics in China. In some way this can be interpretted as the world giving support to the Beijing Olympics and by association the Chinese Government. The fact it will be travelling through suppressed Tibet is more significant. If protestors in London and elsewhere open a few more eyes to the dreadful abuses in Tibet and indeed across China for those who want to speak their mind, then not all will have been in vain.
I hope London proves it is still a City of free speech and gives the flame a rowdy but peaceful arrival. Part of me would like to see someone pour a bucket of water over it from an upper storey of a building as it passes by. However that probably won't happen. I think London will probably settle for a mixture of cheers, boos, slogans and apathy !
Never mind, it is off to Paris next- a City that really knows how to protest !
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
No Torch in Tibet
Please click on this link (No Torch in Tibet) and pass it on to spread the word against the Olympic torch going through Tibet- an area so oppressed by the Chinese Government.
This was highlighted to me in the Beijing Wide Open blog which is maintained by a Canadian Tibetan who has travelled to the Chinese Capital ahead of the Olympics. It is well worth a read.
Lastly on this subject, Channel 4 Dispatches last night broadcast a fascinating and disturbing programme about life in Tibet for ordinary Tibetans under Chinese rule. If online video emerges I will post here. In the meantime the description will be of interest to all those who follow this subject.
This was highlighted to me in the Beijing Wide Open blog which is maintained by a Canadian Tibetan who has travelled to the Chinese Capital ahead of the Olympics. It is well worth a read.
Lastly on this subject, Channel 4 Dispatches last night broadcast a fascinating and disturbing programme about life in Tibet for ordinary Tibetans under Chinese rule. If online video emerges I will post here. In the meantime the description will be of interest to all those who follow this subject.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Farewell Mugabe ?
Robert Mugabe: 28 years of leadership and the life average life expectancy of a Zimbabwean has fallen to 37
It is easy to forget that there are many, rather than just a few, countries around the world that do not enjoy freedom.
One country that is definitely on the list is Zimbabwe. Aside from political freedom there is precious little of any sort of freedom. Life expectancy is in the 30s (seriously) and inflation is running at 100,000 %.
Robert Mugabe has ruled the country since 1980.
Now there is a serious chance to free the country of his tyranny and his incompetence through a general election. It appears that Mugabe has lost the election but the results of the poll that happened on Saturday are still not available. The more time that passes the greater the suspicion that something is being fixed.
As outside observers we can only hope and pray that some change comes to Zimbabwe and its people. The one powerful country in the region, South Africa, has by common consent being rather shameful of its lack of criticism of its northern neighbour.
Mugabe has proved a master of exploiting racial politics and his country's history as a British colony. The unfortunate fact for ordinary Zimbabweans is that life has steadily got worse under Mugabe's rule.
The principle opposition to Mugabe, despite much intimidation, is the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
I wish them well for if they do win the task of rescuing Zimbabwe from its Mugabe legacy is enormous.
Let's hope it really is time to say farewell Mugabe.
Let's hope it really is time to say farewell Mugabe.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Fitna- how free should speech be ?
Last week saw the internet launch of a 15 minute film on Islam, Fitna, by the far right Dutch MP, Geert Wilders.
I am unconvinced on the merits of the film but it largely consists of a series of fairly horrific scenes interspersed with the rantings of muslim extremists and seemingly relevant verses from the Koran.
I don't think Mr. Wilders is claiming to be a theologian so I am not sure it is particularly clever to take verses from the Koran out of context and try to use to support the notion that Islam is inherently a dangerous religion.
Nonetheless, he does raise the question of how far major acts of terrorism from 9/11, the Madrid train bombings and the London bombings are supported by the Koran. Clearly those who committed those acts felt supported by their religion so it is a legimate question (if one asked many times before) whether that interpretation is correct.
What I find unnecessary about the film is its extremely graphic content. I cannot recall having seen a more horrific collection of scenes shown together ranging from the dead in the Madrid trains, beheadings of western hostages in Iraq and other Islamic based executions. It is clear Fitna is unlikely to make it to the cinema or be on anyone's present shopping list.
I feel the graphic content is unnecessary as it is so well known. Everyone knows about the horrors in Iraq and in worldwide terrorism.
I contrast apparently gratuitous use of violent images from Islamic terrorism with the recent images shown by some pro-Tibet groups. In the latter there is a point to be made that has far from universal acceptance therefore the shock value of extreme images showing that all is far from rosy is justified. In the former there is no disagreement that dreadful things have been done in the name of Islam.
In short I am a long way from praising Fitna.
However I do value free speech and free expression.
From that standpoint I find it regretable that websites hosting the film have been sufficiently intimidated to withdraw it.
First of all Network Solution a US based company hosting 7 million domain names decided to suspend its hosting of the movie on the basis that it violated its "acceptable use policy".
The film was hosted by British based Liveleak. However following serious threats to their staff they withdrew the film leaving the following message where the film had been:
"Following threats to our staff of a very serious nature, and some ill-informed report from certain corners of the British media that could seriously affect the safety of some staff members, LiveLeak has been left with no other choice but to remove Fitna from our servers.
This is a sad day for freedom of speech on the net but we have to place the safety and well being of our staff above all else. We would like to thank the thousands of people from all backgrounds and religions who gave us their support. They realised that LiveLink.com is a vehicle for many opinions and not just for the support of one.
Perhaps there is still hope that this situation may produce a discussion that could benefit and educate all of us as to how we can accept one anothers culture.
We stood for what we believed in, the ability to be heard, but in the end the price was too high."
I find this disappointing and concerning as it seems to show yet again that free speech is valued until someone is sufficiently intimidating. Whereas Christianity is the target of no end of criticism, mockery and abuse and even those who find it offensive accept it on the basis that free speech cannot and should not be challenged, the same increasingly does not apply to Islam.
Can anyone really imagine someone making an Islamic equivalent of "Life of Brian" or "Jerry Springer: The Opera" ? I very much doubt it and the reason is clear- the potential violent response to those who produced such material.
Holland is no stranger to such intimidation. In 2004, Theo van Gogh, the Film Producer and descendent of Vincent van Gogh was murdered by Dutch Moroccan Islamist, Mohammed Bouyeri. Van Gogh's "crime" was to have produced the film "Submission" which highlighted examples of Islamic based abuse of women.
Again, not a film likely to have mass appeal but a film worthy of critical debate in thinking circles. Holland is a country well-known for its liberalism, not all of which I am comfortable with.
However even in Holland it seems that Islamists are demanding special treatment on the basis of violent actions against those who are critical of Islam.
Therefore Wilders' "Fitna" should be seen in this context. It is not in my eyes a pleasant film and one that is easy to criticise. Nonetheless in a free Europe it should be allowed and be criticised or praised as Europeans see fit. While Wilders may not be above criticism he should have freedom of expression. His film ends with a newspaper headline :
"Al-Qaeda proclaims death penalty Jihad against Wilders"
Whether Wilders could suffer the same fate as Van Gogh remains to be seen. There are certainly Islamic extremists who want this.
It is a sad day when free speech is curtailed by violence but it seems that in Europe (and America ?) free speech about Islam is starting to have limits.
It seems Europe in the face of violence is moving away from its Englightenment ideals and the phrase commonly attributed to Voltaire:
" I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
* Fitna can still be found on the Internet despite the withdrawal of hosting by two companies named above. I found it on Youtube. I have decided not to post a link here as it is not a film I would particularly recommend. The images shown include some of dreadful violence. I am not commending it as a good film but I am defending the right to see it. For anyone wishing to see it I would advise looking first on Youtube and failing that Google.
I am unconvinced on the merits of the film but it largely consists of a series of fairly horrific scenes interspersed with the rantings of muslim extremists and seemingly relevant verses from the Koran.
I don't think Mr. Wilders is claiming to be a theologian so I am not sure it is particularly clever to take verses from the Koran out of context and try to use to support the notion that Islam is inherently a dangerous religion.
Nonetheless, he does raise the question of how far major acts of terrorism from 9/11, the Madrid train bombings and the London bombings are supported by the Koran. Clearly those who committed those acts felt supported by their religion so it is a legimate question (if one asked many times before) whether that interpretation is correct.
What I find unnecessary about the film is its extremely graphic content. I cannot recall having seen a more horrific collection of scenes shown together ranging from the dead in the Madrid trains, beheadings of western hostages in Iraq and other Islamic based executions. It is clear Fitna is unlikely to make it to the cinema or be on anyone's present shopping list.
I feel the graphic content is unnecessary as it is so well known. Everyone knows about the horrors in Iraq and in worldwide terrorism.
I contrast apparently gratuitous use of violent images from Islamic terrorism with the recent images shown by some pro-Tibet groups. In the latter there is a point to be made that has far from universal acceptance therefore the shock value of extreme images showing that all is far from rosy is justified. In the former there is no disagreement that dreadful things have been done in the name of Islam.
In short I am a long way from praising Fitna.
However I do value free speech and free expression.
From that standpoint I find it regretable that websites hosting the film have been sufficiently intimidated to withdraw it.
First of all Network Solution a US based company hosting 7 million domain names decided to suspend its hosting of the movie on the basis that it violated its "acceptable use policy".
The film was hosted by British based Liveleak. However following serious threats to their staff they withdrew the film leaving the following message where the film had been:
"Following threats to our staff of a very serious nature, and some ill-informed report from certain corners of the British media that could seriously affect the safety of some staff members, LiveLeak has been left with no other choice but to remove Fitna from our servers.
This is a sad day for freedom of speech on the net but we have to place the safety and well being of our staff above all else. We would like to thank the thousands of people from all backgrounds and religions who gave us their support. They realised that LiveLink.com is a vehicle for many opinions and not just for the support of one.
Perhaps there is still hope that this situation may produce a discussion that could benefit and educate all of us as to how we can accept one anothers culture.
We stood for what we believed in, the ability to be heard, but in the end the price was too high."
I find this disappointing and concerning as it seems to show yet again that free speech is valued until someone is sufficiently intimidating. Whereas Christianity is the target of no end of criticism, mockery and abuse and even those who find it offensive accept it on the basis that free speech cannot and should not be challenged, the same increasingly does not apply to Islam.
Can anyone really imagine someone making an Islamic equivalent of "Life of Brian" or "Jerry Springer: The Opera" ? I very much doubt it and the reason is clear- the potential violent response to those who produced such material.
Holland is no stranger to such intimidation. In 2004, Theo van Gogh, the Film Producer and descendent of Vincent van Gogh was murdered by Dutch Moroccan Islamist, Mohammed Bouyeri. Van Gogh's "crime" was to have produced the film "Submission" which highlighted examples of Islamic based abuse of women.
Again, not a film likely to have mass appeal but a film worthy of critical debate in thinking circles. Holland is a country well-known for its liberalism, not all of which I am comfortable with.
However even in Holland it seems that Islamists are demanding special treatment on the basis of violent actions against those who are critical of Islam.
Therefore Wilders' "Fitna" should be seen in this context. It is not in my eyes a pleasant film and one that is easy to criticise. Nonetheless in a free Europe it should be allowed and be criticised or praised as Europeans see fit. While Wilders may not be above criticism he should have freedom of expression. His film ends with a newspaper headline :
"Al-Qaeda proclaims death penalty Jihad against Wilders"
Whether Wilders could suffer the same fate as Van Gogh remains to be seen. There are certainly Islamic extremists who want this.
It is a sad day when free speech is curtailed by violence but it seems that in Europe (and America ?) free speech about Islam is starting to have limits.
It seems Europe in the face of violence is moving away from its Englightenment ideals and the phrase commonly attributed to Voltaire:
" I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
* Fitna can still be found on the Internet despite the withdrawal of hosting by two companies named above. I found it on Youtube. I have decided not to post a link here as it is not a film I would particularly recommend. The images shown include some of dreadful violence. I am not commending it as a good film but I am defending the right to see it. For anyone wishing to see it I would advise looking first on Youtube and failing that Google.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Tibet-China Links and Information
Over the last two weeks I have been covering the issue of Tibet and its oppressive rule by China quite extensively on this blog.
The lack of human rights in China in a year that the will see the Olympic Games used as an opportunity to showcase a modern China is something I feel strongly about.
However I do not pretend to be able to do the subject justice and I also do not plan to turn my blog into a single issue forum. While I plan to cover Tibet and China issues on an ongoing basis, for any readers more interested in this issue, I list below a few links to sites that are focused solely on this subject.
The links relate to people and groups from a variety of backgrounds and view points. While I may not agree with all views expressed on those sites I can recommend them as interesting and informative sites on the Tibetan issue.
Beijing wide open Lhadon Tethong, a Canadian Tibetan activist reports on developments in the run up to the Olympics from the heart of Beijing.
"China has invited the world to visit in August 2008. Exactly one year out, I've traveled to the heart of the nation that has brutally occupied my homeland for over 50 years. Follow this blog, as I share what I see, feel, and experience... leaving Beijing wide open. "
The lack of human rights in China in a year that the will see the Olympic Games used as an opportunity to showcase a modern China is something I feel strongly about.
However I do not pretend to be able to do the subject justice and I also do not plan to turn my blog into a single issue forum. While I plan to cover Tibet and China issues on an ongoing basis, for any readers more interested in this issue, I list below a few links to sites that are focused solely on this subject.
The links relate to people and groups from a variety of backgrounds and view points. While I may not agree with all views expressed on those sites I can recommend them as interesting and informative sites on the Tibetan issue.
Beijing wide open Lhadon Tethong, a Canadian Tibetan activist reports on developments in the run up to the Olympics from the heart of Beijing.
"China has invited the world to visit in August 2008. Exactly one year out, I've traveled to the heart of the nation that has brutally occupied my homeland for over 50 years. Follow this blog, as I share what I see, feel, and experience... leaving Beijing wide open. "
Students for a free Tibet New York based international group campaigning for a free Tibet. Their website is regularly updated with news from Tibet.
The Tibetan People's Uprising Movement Daily news from a march in India to the Tibetan border
"Tibetans living in exile in India have launched a March to Tibet as part of the Tibetan People's Uprising Movement. This historic Movement aims to revive the spirit of the Tibetan national uprising of 1959, and by engaging in nonviolent direct action, bring about an end to China's illegal occupation of Tibet"
Tibetan Uprising - photos from the march in India
Free Tibet- UK based organisation Organises a number of London based protests including a protest scheduled to coincide with the arrival of the Olympic flame in the capital on April 6th (next Sunday)
Friday, March 28, 2008
In (partial) praise of Konnie Huq
When I saw this story in today's Telegraph I was pleasantly surprised. (Konnie Huq may boycott Olympic torch relay)
To the unitiated, Konnie Huq is a television presentor who started out presenting the BBC children's show Blue Peter.
She has since moved onto other things including presenting various programmes on the forthcoming London mayoral election. Despite courting controversey by appearing alongside the existing Mayor on a platform, she is generally developing into a succesful and well known presentor. No doubt her glamourous looks are no hindrance in this area.
I was therefore disappointed when I heard she was to be one of the celebrity carriers of the Olympic flame when it arrives in London next week on route to Beijing.
My reservations over the Olympics due to the situation in Tibet and elsewhere in China have been covered extensively on other posts and I don't intend to repeat them all here. Suffice to say a high profile, glamorous TV presentor from a minority background is just the sort of person anyone would want to present the Olympics in a positive acceptable light.
Another high profile carrier of the torch is veteran newsreader Sir Trevor MacDonald. Both Sir Trevor and Konnie Huq are examples of successful Britons from minority backgrounds. That they should become foot soldiers in the lead up to a showcase Olympics hosted by the Chinese regime who routinely oppresses its own minorities with deadly force where required, is to say the least unfortunate. Coincidentally Sir Trevor was reading the news only last night and covered the story of the Tibetan monks managing to communicate with a Government controlled tour of Tibet by international journalists. So he cannot claim ignorance of the situation.
I am glad that Konnie Huq is having cause for thought. However later news stories have suggested that while she condemns the Chinese for their actions in Tibet she may go ahead anyway despite her reservations.
"My participation does not in any way indicate support for the harsh and oppressive manner in which the Chinese regime continues to treat the people of Tibet." Konnie Huq (click for BBC version)
In this situation actions do speak louder than words hence I changed the title of this post with a provisional "partial". It is good that more people are speaking out but difficult decisions may have to be made by people on the extent they want to be a part of these Olympics. That is a decision to be made by Prime Ministers, Presidents, athletes as well as the millions who will watch the Games on TV.
The words of Miss. Huq at least give cause for hope that these Olympics will not be fully "business as usual" in a China that denies freedom to its citizens.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Enjoying a national failure
Spreading the word- today's headline from the newspaper seller at a London stationIt's one of those strange and sometimes frustrating aspects of the British character that news is spread no faster and more enthusiastically than when reporting a national failure.
Today was a perfect example. Terminal 5, the new terminal at London's Heathrow airport opened for business and the baggage handling system broke down. Heathrow is one of Britain's least loved institutions due to its delays and cramped and uncomfortable conditions. When the Queen opened the new terminal recently it appeared a new dawn for British airports had arrived.
When the failure occurred today there did seem to be an element of glee as media outlets competed to collect horror stories from irrate passengers. ( http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=547050&in_page_id=1770&ct=5) There was almost pleasure in the fact that London does not appear able to build and operate an airport up to the same standards as the rest of the advanced world.
Hidden at the bottom of a BBC report was the paragraph:
"Aviation analyst Jamie Bowden told the BBC teething problems were to be expected on the opening of a terminal, with new airports in Japan and Hong Kong also suffering difficulties in their first days. "
However to focus too much on such comparisons would dampen the enjoyment of a national failure.
So for now the media give wall to wall coverage to a bad day at the airport.
We seem to love nothing better than a good failure as if to put everyone in their place who wanted anything too grand and sophisticated in Britain. This of course can be frustating and must be very much so for those who worked on the new terminal.
This love of failures somewhat contradicts another aspect of Britain that everything sort of works in the end. This week Britain was highlighted as the 7th most prosperoous and stable nation in the world http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3613926.ece. In essence we have a lot to be proud of.
However we do not believe public buildings like airports should be too stylish but rather functional and economical. Although not stylish on a global spectrum the new Terminal 5 is very stylish by the standards of all other British airports. Maybe this is why the failure is secretly greeted with enthusiasm. A great chunk of the British public hope they will be more sensible next time and stick to functional cheap portacabin like buildings like the rest of the airports.
Terminal 5 should definitely start working soon but not before we've been treated to a few more tales of failure. Of course, the media is now suitably sensitised to terminal 5 failure now so the next time something happens it will be reported even quicker.
I suspect in many other countries they would have attempted a cover up. However in Britain the opposite is true- we seem only eager to shout this failure from the roof tops !!
Love or loathe this tendency, it has been around in Britain a long time and I suspect is here to stay.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
The Tibet 15
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/missing-monks-who-defied-beijing-800200.htmlToday's Independent carries the story that 15 monks who sparked the initial protests in Lhasa, two weeks ago, remain missing after being "picked up" by the security services.
Their offence was giving out leaflets and waving a Tibetan flag.
This surely puts our own freedoms and the freedoms accorded to those who bring real threats to our country ( e.g. those who incite terrorism) in perspective.
These monks were entirely peaceful but by speaking out they have been made to disappear by Beijing....
Monday, March 24, 2008
4th June 1989- unfinished business ?
The protests that seem to be building around the world over Tibet in the run up to the Olympics should also be a reminder of the wider context of the Chinese human rights record.
Few better examples exist than when the "People's Liberation Army" cleared Tiananmen Square of pro-democracy demonstrators in June 1989 using the most brutal of means. The death toll of this exercise ranges in estimate from several hundred to two or three thousand.
Below is a slide show of photos from those protests and the clamp down on June 4th 1989 set to the music of John Williams' "Hymn to the Fallen".
It starts with a sense of hope as the mainly student protestors gather in the square. A professor character is to be seen with a megaphone. Various students speak out publicly for the first time. The iconic "unknown rebel" briefly stops a column of tanks holding nothing more than two carrier bags.
Then the mood darkens as the early stand offs with the military begin. Eventually the one sided battle starts with students fighting bravely but against tanks and bullets with little hope of success.
It ends with tragic scenes of the aftermath and the plea that this should never be forgotten.
Despite the world's corporations falling over themselves to become established in this emerging superpower, recent events leave me with a sense that some business remains unfinished in China.
While the economy goes from strenth to strength the ordinary Chinese are politically controlled almost the same as ever. Surely eventually this disconnect may come to the surface and require addressing ? There has been no reckoning with the past by China and therefore it cannot ultimately move on until this happens.
This moving compilation by a youtube user (Alonsolegend) is a reminder that human rights concerns in China are about so much more than Tibet and more specifically about a group of students who dared to stand up for freedom in the early summer of 1989, who failed so tragically but who freedom loving people everywhere should never forget.
To the heroes of Tiananmen..................
The music does add to this short film so watching with the sound on is recommended. It is 6 minutes long but I can recommend watching it all).
Few better examples exist than when the "People's Liberation Army" cleared Tiananmen Square of pro-democracy demonstrators in June 1989 using the most brutal of means. The death toll of this exercise ranges in estimate from several hundred to two or three thousand.
Below is a slide show of photos from those protests and the clamp down on June 4th 1989 set to the music of John Williams' "Hymn to the Fallen".
It starts with a sense of hope as the mainly student protestors gather in the square. A professor character is to be seen with a megaphone. Various students speak out publicly for the first time. The iconic "unknown rebel" briefly stops a column of tanks holding nothing more than two carrier bags.
Then the mood darkens as the early stand offs with the military begin. Eventually the one sided battle starts with students fighting bravely but against tanks and bullets with little hope of success.
It ends with tragic scenes of the aftermath and the plea that this should never be forgotten.
Despite the world's corporations falling over themselves to become established in this emerging superpower, recent events leave me with a sense that some business remains unfinished in China.
While the economy goes from strenth to strength the ordinary Chinese are politically controlled almost the same as ever. Surely eventually this disconnect may come to the surface and require addressing ? There has been no reckoning with the past by China and therefore it cannot ultimately move on until this happens.
This moving compilation by a youtube user (Alonsolegend) is a reminder that human rights concerns in China are about so much more than Tibet and more specifically about a group of students who dared to stand up for freedom in the early summer of 1989, who failed so tragically but who freedom loving people everywhere should never forget.
To the heroes of Tiananmen..................
The music does add to this short film so watching with the sound on is recommended. It is 6 minutes long but I can recommend watching it all).
The Start of the worldwide Olympic flame protest ?
This was the scene at Olympia, Greece, this morning where a pro-Tibet protestor made it within feet of the Chinese Olympic president. The brief scene was apparently shown live on Chinese TV until the camera quickly cut away.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Happy Easter to all readers
It is turning into a "white Easter" in London- ironically for early spring it is now snowing quite heavily for the first time this year....
Saturday, March 22, 2008
North Korea
Below is a series of short clips from North Korean propoganda based films (there are plenty more on Youtube) which are an eerie window into life into that country.
First a commentary on Kim Jon Il ("Dear Leader") as a great athlete. This doesn't sit well with his middle aged slightly portly physique. Matters are not helped further by the English translator having an accent similar to that of Officer Crabtree in BBC1's "Allo, Allo" !
Next more of the cult of Kim Jong Il. He is both a Father and if the subtitles are accurate a "God".
Finally a propoganda film showing the "good life" in North Korea. At times it almost seems a Korean version of Little House on the Prairie.
The one-sided, cultish feel is really quite disturbing. Although some of the films are quite dated in feel, unlike in many parts of the world there has been no real change in North Korea to this day.
First a commentary on Kim Jon Il ("Dear Leader") as a great athlete. This doesn't sit well with his middle aged slightly portly physique. Matters are not helped further by the English translator having an accent similar to that of Officer Crabtree in BBC1's "Allo, Allo" !
Next more of the cult of Kim Jong Il. He is both a Father and if the subtitles are accurate a "God".
Finally a propoganda film showing the "good life" in North Korea. At times it almost seems a Korean version of Little House on the Prairie.
The one-sided, cultish feel is really quite disturbing. Although some of the films are quite dated in feel, unlike in many parts of the world there has been no real change in North Korea to this day.
Map of Protests
For anyone following and interested in the situation in Tibet, as this blog certainly is http://www.savetibet.org/ is publishing a helpful map of the area and all recent protests are marked. I expect I am not alone in being unfamiliar with the geography of this area and it is fascinating to see the proximity of India, China, Burma as well as Nepal and Bhutan. With the Himalayas so dominating it must be a very naturally beautiful area making the conflict seem all the more saddening.
(CLICK TO ENLARGE)
Friday, March 21, 2008
North Korea speaks up in favour of Beijing Olympics
If there was any doubt before, that should give cause for thought that something must be wrong- when Pyongyang has to come to your diplomatic aid.
However it is really true according to the International Herald Tribune. The North Korean Foreign Ministry spoke out and "strongly denounces the unsavory elements" seeking Tibetan independence.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/03/20/asia/AS-GEN-NKorea-China-Tibet.php
However it is really true according to the International Herald Tribune. The North Korean Foreign Ministry spoke out and "strongly denounces the unsavory elements" seeking Tibetan independence.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/03/20/asia/AS-GEN-NKorea-China-Tibet.php
April 6th 2008: The Flame of Shame comes to London
It seems the events of Tibet are cutting little ice with the Olympic organisers so far.
The world tour of the Olympic flame comes to London on April 6th. The Times is today reporting that massive policing plans are underway to protect it.http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3593993.ece It is strange that a flame in a torch may turn into a symbol of the struggle between Tibet and the People's Republic of China.
London, of course, is significant in all this as it is the next venue for the Olympics in 2012 so there is an element of handover and continuity in all this.
So far celebrities such as former Blue Peter presenter Connie Huq are set to help carry the flame. Miss. Huq has hosted debates during the London mayoral race so one would hope that she is no air head looking for 15 minutes of fame. Of course I realise there are two sides to any argument and maybe she sincerely see the Olympics being held in Beijing as a good thing.
I must admit that until the recent events in Tibet started to unfold I had not really given it much thought either way. On a visit to Hong Kong last year I heard people speak positively about the Games. The main concern was how athletes would cope with the dreadful summer smog that plagues Beijing. The equestrian events are set to be held in Hong Kong so there was some pride in this.
Hong Kong is the only bit of China I have properly visited and is unique in allowing freedom (within reason !) under the "one country, two systems" system. The Former Foreign Secretary, Sir Malcolm Rifkind in yesterday's Times proposed an extension of this to Tibet as a way of resolving the crisis. That may have its merits but it seems unlikely that the Chinese Communist Party would agree.
Meanwhile, back in London on April 6th, the carrying of the flame around the city may turn into a battle between those who want to showcase a "normal" advanced China as it emerges into superpower status and those who want to remind the world that it still has a number of areas it needs to reform, such as the routine resort to deadly force to put down opposition to the Communist Party regime in areas such as Tibet.
This being London, rather than say Paris, it is difficult to see this turning into too major event. Londoners, even immigrants, tend to go in for "scuffles" more than hurling cobblestones like their French cousins. However in a London sense, there may be trouble.
Here for information, is the route currently scheduled on April 6th:
Wembley 10.30 International dancers on stage at Arena Square, outside Wembley Stadium
Ladbroke Grove 11.00 Mini-carnival with entertainers in carnival masquerade costumes performing to Soca music
Notting Hill Gate 11.20 Carnival del Pueblo Latino carnival band
Oxford Street 12.00 Open-top bus carrying celebrity torchbearer
British Museum 12.20 A fanfare with Greek trumpets in the Great Court
Chinatown 12.30 Costumed dragons and lions perform under Chinese decorations and lanterns on Gerrard Street
Piccadilly Circus 12.40 Convoy passes
Trafalgar Square 12.50 Dance spectacular in front of Nelson’s column, to the accompaniment of a brass fanfare
Southbank Centre 13.30 Spectacular welcome for the torch along the front terraces of the Royal Festival Hall with a choir of 600, Kathak, poetry, circus, hip-hop and beatboxing
Somerset House 14.15 Aletta Collins-choreographed dance accompanied by music from the Bollywood Brass Band
St Paul's Cathedral 14.30 Band of the Scots Guards will welcome the flame with fanfares and music from the cathedral steps
Potter's Fields/More London 15.00 Rhythms of the City and live drumming sessions
Whitechapel Road 15.30 Kinetika perform storytelling, costumes and dance
Stratford 16.00 World-themed carnival with 300 school children, 50 spectacular carnival costumes and nine music floats. An aerial performance will take place at Theatre Square
Canary Wharf 17.00 Carnival themed entertainment including acrobats, jugglers, stilt-walkers, street theatre, music shows, dance performances, face painters, children’s workshops and treasure hunts
North Greenwich 18.00 Grand finale — a free, ticketed event will be a fusion of East meets West, the contemporary and traditional, in a display of Chinese ribbon dancers, an electro-acoustic music act, gymnasts, pyro displays and a performance from the Sugababes.
The world tour of the Olympic flame comes to London on April 6th. The Times is today reporting that massive policing plans are underway to protect it.http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3593993.ece It is strange that a flame in a torch may turn into a symbol of the struggle between Tibet and the People's Republic of China.
London, of course, is significant in all this as it is the next venue for the Olympics in 2012 so there is an element of handover and continuity in all this.
So far celebrities such as former Blue Peter presenter Connie Huq are set to help carry the flame. Miss. Huq has hosted debates during the London mayoral race so one would hope that she is no air head looking for 15 minutes of fame. Of course I realise there are two sides to any argument and maybe she sincerely see the Olympics being held in Beijing as a good thing.
I must admit that until the recent events in Tibet started to unfold I had not really given it much thought either way. On a visit to Hong Kong last year I heard people speak positively about the Games. The main concern was how athletes would cope with the dreadful summer smog that plagues Beijing. The equestrian events are set to be held in Hong Kong so there was some pride in this.
Hong Kong is the only bit of China I have properly visited and is unique in allowing freedom (within reason !) under the "one country, two systems" system. The Former Foreign Secretary, Sir Malcolm Rifkind in yesterday's Times proposed an extension of this to Tibet as a way of resolving the crisis. That may have its merits but it seems unlikely that the Chinese Communist Party would agree.
Meanwhile, back in London on April 6th, the carrying of the flame around the city may turn into a battle between those who want to showcase a "normal" advanced China as it emerges into superpower status and those who want to remind the world that it still has a number of areas it needs to reform, such as the routine resort to deadly force to put down opposition to the Communist Party regime in areas such as Tibet.
This being London, rather than say Paris, it is difficult to see this turning into too major event. Londoners, even immigrants, tend to go in for "scuffles" more than hurling cobblestones like their French cousins. However in a London sense, there may be trouble.
Here for information, is the route currently scheduled on April 6th:
Wembley 10.30 International dancers on stage at Arena Square, outside Wembley Stadium
Ladbroke Grove 11.00 Mini-carnival with entertainers in carnival masquerade costumes performing to Soca music
Notting Hill Gate 11.20 Carnival del Pueblo Latino carnival band
Oxford Street 12.00 Open-top bus carrying celebrity torchbearer
British Museum 12.20 A fanfare with Greek trumpets in the Great Court
Chinatown 12.30 Costumed dragons and lions perform under Chinese decorations and lanterns on Gerrard Street
Piccadilly Circus 12.40 Convoy passes
Trafalgar Square 12.50 Dance spectacular in front of Nelson’s column, to the accompaniment of a brass fanfare
Southbank Centre 13.30 Spectacular welcome for the torch along the front terraces of the Royal Festival Hall with a choir of 600, Kathak, poetry, circus, hip-hop and beatboxing
Somerset House 14.15 Aletta Collins-choreographed dance accompanied by music from the Bollywood Brass Band
St Paul's Cathedral 14.30 Band of the Scots Guards will welcome the flame with fanfares and music from the cathedral steps
Potter's Fields/More London 15.00 Rhythms of the City and live drumming sessions
Whitechapel Road 15.30 Kinetika perform storytelling, costumes and dance
Stratford 16.00 World-themed carnival with 300 school children, 50 spectacular carnival costumes and nine music floats. An aerial performance will take place at Theatre Square
Canary Wharf 17.00 Carnival themed entertainment including acrobats, jugglers, stilt-walkers, street theatre, music shows, dance performances, face painters, children’s workshops and treasure hunts
North Greenwich 18.00 Grand finale — a free, ticketed event will be a fusion of East meets West, the contemporary and traditional, in a display of Chinese ribbon dancers, an electro-acoustic music act, gymnasts, pyro displays and a performance from the Sugababes.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Chinese Crowd Control
(picture courtesy of Times of London - (Teh Een Koon/AFP/Getty))A Tibetan child looks on at a line of Chinese riot police.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Why the "great powers" are subdued on Tibet
Despite a strong grass roots movement across the world against the Chinese repression in Tibet, (see link for a spontaneous protest at the British Museum yesterday http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7303158.stm) it is noticeable that not one great power has come out strongly against the Chinese actions to date.
Noises have been made about "concern", calls for restraint (on both sides) have been made but that has been about it. Horrific pictures of Tibetan dead are available online but the same establishment media who were all too happy to carry the pictures of Abu Graib are reluctant to carry these pictures of misdoings by China against its own citizens in "peacetime".
No one is seriously anticipating an Olympic boycott, at least at this stage.
Today some progress was made as Gordon Brown responding to a question from David Cameron at PMQs stated he would meet the Dalai Lama on his visit to London in May. This followed a No. 10 e-petition that was signed by over 9,000 people- high in relation to a foreign policy petition on the No.10 website.
However the reason why no one really wants to rock the boat comes downs to the world economy. With the credit crunch in full swing, banks being propped up on both sides of the Atlantic, world food prices soaring ( rice hit a 36 year high today), the last thing that is needed is to seriously alienate a country of 1.3 billion people that is a relatively rare point of economic growth.
It is easy to pick holes in this rationale but it prevails for now. The fact the Chinese boom may be overheating and Chinese inflation is soaring is one fly in the oitment of those who claim all is rosy in China.
The fact that China remains broadly a dictatorship who is quite prepared to use deadly force against its own dissidents (see above) is somehow irrelevant in this too.
Another way to look at it would be if 2008 is really going to be such a bad year we might as well get all the bad news out of the way with. A boycott of the Olympics might upset the current Chinese regime but if encouraged real change surely this is a prize worth going for. Ironically if the Chinese economy faltered in the short term as a result, commodity prices might fall for the rest of the world.
The other option for the Beijing Olympics is that enough protestors get into the opening ceremony to disrupt it. A bit of booing could give the PRC its own "Ceausescu moment" to deal with.
Meanwhile the comfortable onlookers seem prepared to leave the Tibetans to carry on suffering for now. Of course they are concerned but their concern only goes so far......
Noises have been made about "concern", calls for restraint (on both sides) have been made but that has been about it. Horrific pictures of Tibetan dead are available online but the same establishment media who were all too happy to carry the pictures of Abu Graib are reluctant to carry these pictures of misdoings by China against its own citizens in "peacetime".
No one is seriously anticipating an Olympic boycott, at least at this stage.
Today some progress was made as Gordon Brown responding to a question from David Cameron at PMQs stated he would meet the Dalai Lama on his visit to London in May. This followed a No. 10 e-petition that was signed by over 9,000 people- high in relation to a foreign policy petition on the No.10 website.
However the reason why no one really wants to rock the boat comes downs to the world economy. With the credit crunch in full swing, banks being propped up on both sides of the Atlantic, world food prices soaring ( rice hit a 36 year high today), the last thing that is needed is to seriously alienate a country of 1.3 billion people that is a relatively rare point of economic growth.
It is easy to pick holes in this rationale but it prevails for now. The fact the Chinese boom may be overheating and Chinese inflation is soaring is one fly in the oitment of those who claim all is rosy in China.
The fact that China remains broadly a dictatorship who is quite prepared to use deadly force against its own dissidents (see above) is somehow irrelevant in this too.
Another way to look at it would be if 2008 is really going to be such a bad year we might as well get all the bad news out of the way with. A boycott of the Olympics might upset the current Chinese regime but if encouraged real change surely this is a prize worth going for. Ironically if the Chinese economy faltered in the short term as a result, commodity prices might fall for the rest of the world.
The other option for the Beijing Olympics is that enough protestors get into the opening ceremony to disrupt it. A bit of booing could give the PRC its own "Ceausescu moment" to deal with.
Meanwhile the comfortable onlookers seem prepared to leave the Tibetans to carry on suffering for now. Of course they are concerned but their concern only goes so far......
Spare parts
Did anyone see Horizon on BBC 2 last evening ?
It was a rather disturbing look at the billion dollar trade in "spare parts" from dead bodies.
I had heard of the horrible fate of Alistair Cooke's body, which was described in this programme but had no idea the practise of taking parts from dead bodies was so widespread either illegally or legally.
Routine operations such as repairs to damaged ligaments now involve replacements using real human tissue from dead bodies.
Squeamish at the best of times, this was not a comfortable watch. I had to open a window more than once but made it to the end of the programme !
Some people were extremely philosophical about it viewing their dead bodies as like a second hand car when finished with and quite appropriate to take parts from to help others still living.
It is clear that the illegal side of it, as well as being unethical, also cancels out the benefits as disease and sub-standard parts can result from unregulated "harvesting" of parts from dead bodies.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/programmes/horizon/broadband/tx/bodyparts/
It was a rather disturbing look at the billion dollar trade in "spare parts" from dead bodies.
I had heard of the horrible fate of Alistair Cooke's body, which was described in this programme but had no idea the practise of taking parts from dead bodies was so widespread either illegally or legally.
Routine operations such as repairs to damaged ligaments now involve replacements using real human tissue from dead bodies.
Squeamish at the best of times, this was not a comfortable watch. I had to open a window more than once but made it to the end of the programme !
Some people were extremely philosophical about it viewing their dead bodies as like a second hand car when finished with and quite appropriate to take parts from to help others still living.
It is clear that the illegal side of it, as well as being unethical, also cancels out the benefits as disease and sub-standard parts can result from unregulated "harvesting" of parts from dead bodies.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/programmes/horizon/broadband/tx/bodyparts/
Beijing Olympics
Above is a Peter Brookes Cartoon from today's Times giving a new interpretation on the carrying of the Olympic flame.
China seems to be adopting the classic tactic of the dictatorship- cover up anything, deny all press access and then nothing can be proved. Unfortunately for the hosts of the Olympics technology has moved on a bit and a total cover up is now largely impossible.
The attached link below is presented by the Free Tibet Campaign as evidence of Chinese attrocities in the form of a recent violent crackdown on Tibetans. Clearly from these pictures deadly force has been used.
The link comes with a big health warning that it is hugely graphic and potentially very distressing. Do not click on it unless you are prepared to see pictures of shooting victims.
http://www.freetibet.org/press/kirtiphotos.html (PLEASE DO NOT CLICK IF WITH ANYONE OF A SENSITIVE DISPOSITION)
Monday, March 17, 2008
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Paris Station
A short video from my recent trip to Paris at Gare du Nord, waiting for the train home.
Pastor Problem
Here is what was euphamistically referred to on CNN yesterday as Barak Obama's "pastor problem".
In full flow is Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Strangely only since these videos made it to mass circulation has Mr. O decided to officially drop Mr. W as his official "spiritual adviser".
In full flow is Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Strangely only since these videos made it to mass circulation has Mr. O decided to officially drop Mr. W as his official "spiritual adviser".
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Lhasa
A short interesting BBC piece on the rebellion in Tibet and the censorship the story receives in China.
Friday, March 14, 2008
The Olympic Shames
With smoke rising over the Tibetan capital Lhasa today (http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/03/14/tibet.unrest/index.html ), there seems no better example of the the so-called "world community's" hypocrisy in its approach to China.
While there is still a need to "get real", as Hillary Clinton would say, about how to handle an emerging superpower this should not include the need to give up all principles.
While trade may be one thing, particularly at a time of hovering recession, to go along with the Olympics in Beijing regardless of what China does to its own citizens seems quite another.
For those with historical awareness, you will already know that the PRC (People's Republic of China) has already won the gold medal in one area- genocide. While the horrors of Nazi Germany probably amount to a numerical bronze in the killing totals, and Stalin's USSR can claim a bloody silver, the PRC with a claim to have killed 70 million of its people undoubtedly deserves a genocide gold.
This may be a rather unpleasant way of putting it but the facts themselves are far more unpleasant.Nowhere else in the world the Olympics be held or at least get such enthusiastic participation in the face of so many known abuses. If the UK invaded Ireland and was suppressing monks in Dublin it is difficult to imagine any countries coming to an Olympics in London. Equally if the US decided to annex a part of Canada and suppressed the people there with force, it is unlikely anyone would show up for an Olympics in New York. It is certain, to use a real example, that regardless of all the various claims and rights and wrongs that an Olympics would not get held anywhere in the middle east right now.
Yet because China is China and a superpower the whole world wants to go to a glorious celebration of modern China this August. India, to its shame, even suppresses peaceful demonstrations on its own territory to avoid "embarrassing the Chinese". Even Greece, the home of the Olympics sought to shoo away Tibetan protestors near Mount Olympia as if they were a simple nuisance.
I am not supporting a complete embargo on China. Not least, because for all its faults, China is making progress. I have visited the Chinese territories of Hong Kong and Macau and met a friendly and welcoming people. Although the past is grisly there is some hope for the future.
However the cultural commendation that seems to come with the Olympics still seems wrong for China especially when you think of its ongoing treatment of Tibet. I doubt teams will pull out of the Olympics in any numbers. The urge for nations to get medals and recognition by competing is too strong, the meaningless platitude of keeping politics out of sport will be spouted, the wilful and happy ignorance of the masses who watch the games from their sofas will not care about armed suppression in remote corners of the world. Perhaps most importantly of all those who will make much money from the Olympics whether in merchandising, broadcasting, travel or elsewhere will have loud voices ensuring that the show is kept on the road.This is all a shame because to me the Olympics is all rather meaningless when set against teargas and bullets. the bodies hurriedly zipped into body bags for a quiet cremation or the knock on the door in the middle of the night from the security forces.
In a sense if the Olympics go ahead unchallenged and the ignorant millions eat hot dogs while watching the games on TV it will prove the uncomfortable reality that in some respects terrorism works. In his book "Why Terrorism Works" Alan Dershowitz charts the obscure beginnings of the Arab-Israeli conflict that is centre stage today. The conclusion he reaches is that a conflict over such a small area of land only reached the international consciousness to such an extent due to the early terrorist actions. This gained news coverage and, no less importantly, a response that allowed the conflict to escalate.
Lesser examples of such tactics include Northern Ireland and Spain. Superficially no less significant disputes such as those who claim Welsh independence or the areas that France gained from Germany after WW II are hardly taken seriously as no one is prepared to commit (significant) violent acts in the cause of those disputes. The assumption is that a dispute is only significant or a wrong only grievous if those effected commit violence.
As Tibetans are Buddhist and under the Dalai Lama almost inherently non-violent, this dispute with China is largely over looked by the mass media in a way that would not happen if they blew up airliners or set off bombs at railway stations in international capitals.
China is clearly a complex entity and is now a very significant part of the world economy. To that end talk of sanctions, trade embargoes are just not realistic. They could also be counterproductive and end the reform that has brought China this far. Therefore some carrot is necessary. However the Olympics is too big a carrot and without any stick will they ever take seriously the abuses that have occurred in Tibet and other areas.
There is a lot of fantasy associated with the Olympics in that it in some way it represents a tradition from Ancient Greece. This may be so but overlooks a 1600 year gap until 1896. There is talk about "Olympic spirit" but this overlooks the realties of showcasing dictatorships (Berlin 1936), mass terrorism (Munich 1972) or ongoing drug abuse and big money making.In reality the Olympics is a complex international event with many agendas shrouded in a slightly sentimental blanket of "sport for everyone". While this can be harmless diversion for many, when it is exploited for all its PR opportunities by hosts who are reluctant to reform fully, surely there is little point in taking part ?
Not to have the Olympics this year may be a shame but the shame of endorsing a regime such as the PRC with its violent suppressions in Tibet is a shame far greater.
While there is still a need to "get real", as Hillary Clinton would say, about how to handle an emerging superpower this should not include the need to give up all principles.
While trade may be one thing, particularly at a time of hovering recession, to go along with the Olympics in Beijing regardless of what China does to its own citizens seems quite another.
For those with historical awareness, you will already know that the PRC (People's Republic of China) has already won the gold medal in one area- genocide. While the horrors of Nazi Germany probably amount to a numerical bronze in the killing totals, and Stalin's USSR can claim a bloody silver, the PRC with a claim to have killed 70 million of its people undoubtedly deserves a genocide gold.
This may be a rather unpleasant way of putting it but the facts themselves are far more unpleasant.Nowhere else in the world the Olympics be held or at least get such enthusiastic participation in the face of so many known abuses. If the UK invaded Ireland and was suppressing monks in Dublin it is difficult to imagine any countries coming to an Olympics in London. Equally if the US decided to annex a part of Canada and suppressed the people there with force, it is unlikely anyone would show up for an Olympics in New York. It is certain, to use a real example, that regardless of all the various claims and rights and wrongs that an Olympics would not get held anywhere in the middle east right now.
Yet because China is China and a superpower the whole world wants to go to a glorious celebration of modern China this August. India, to its shame, even suppresses peaceful demonstrations on its own territory to avoid "embarrassing the Chinese". Even Greece, the home of the Olympics sought to shoo away Tibetan protestors near Mount Olympia as if they were a simple nuisance.
I am not supporting a complete embargo on China. Not least, because for all its faults, China is making progress. I have visited the Chinese territories of Hong Kong and Macau and met a friendly and welcoming people. Although the past is grisly there is some hope for the future.
However the cultural commendation that seems to come with the Olympics still seems wrong for China especially when you think of its ongoing treatment of Tibet. I doubt teams will pull out of the Olympics in any numbers. The urge for nations to get medals and recognition by competing is too strong, the meaningless platitude of keeping politics out of sport will be spouted, the wilful and happy ignorance of the masses who watch the games from their sofas will not care about armed suppression in remote corners of the world. Perhaps most importantly of all those who will make much money from the Olympics whether in merchandising, broadcasting, travel or elsewhere will have loud voices ensuring that the show is kept on the road.This is all a shame because to me the Olympics is all rather meaningless when set against teargas and bullets. the bodies hurriedly zipped into body bags for a quiet cremation or the knock on the door in the middle of the night from the security forces.
In a sense if the Olympics go ahead unchallenged and the ignorant millions eat hot dogs while watching the games on TV it will prove the uncomfortable reality that in some respects terrorism works. In his book "Why Terrorism Works" Alan Dershowitz charts the obscure beginnings of the Arab-Israeli conflict that is centre stage today. The conclusion he reaches is that a conflict over such a small area of land only reached the international consciousness to such an extent due to the early terrorist actions. This gained news coverage and, no less importantly, a response that allowed the conflict to escalate.
Lesser examples of such tactics include Northern Ireland and Spain. Superficially no less significant disputes such as those who claim Welsh independence or the areas that France gained from Germany after WW II are hardly taken seriously as no one is prepared to commit (significant) violent acts in the cause of those disputes. The assumption is that a dispute is only significant or a wrong only grievous if those effected commit violence.
As Tibetans are Buddhist and under the Dalai Lama almost inherently non-violent, this dispute with China is largely over looked by the mass media in a way that would not happen if they blew up airliners or set off bombs at railway stations in international capitals.
China is clearly a complex entity and is now a very significant part of the world economy. To that end talk of sanctions, trade embargoes are just not realistic. They could also be counterproductive and end the reform that has brought China this far. Therefore some carrot is necessary. However the Olympics is too big a carrot and without any stick will they ever take seriously the abuses that have occurred in Tibet and other areas.
There is a lot of fantasy associated with the Olympics in that it in some way it represents a tradition from Ancient Greece. This may be so but overlooks a 1600 year gap until 1896. There is talk about "Olympic spirit" but this overlooks the realties of showcasing dictatorships (Berlin 1936), mass terrorism (Munich 1972) or ongoing drug abuse and big money making.In reality the Olympics is a complex international event with many agendas shrouded in a slightly sentimental blanket of "sport for everyone". While this can be harmless diversion for many, when it is exploited for all its PR opportunities by hosts who are reluctant to reform fully, surely there is little point in taking part ?
Not to have the Olympics this year may be a shame but the shame of endorsing a regime such as the PRC with its violent suppressions in Tibet is a shame far greater.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Earthquake, what earthquake ?
I am thankful that the earthquake so well publicised so well today was not felt at all in our part of London.
It was apparently felt in parts of London but generally seems to have been a non event down here. I guess we are fortunate to live in a country where the most signifcant earthquake in 20 years is measured in terms of numbers of fallen chimney pots rather than anything else.
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23443207-details/Earthquake+hits+London/article.do
It was apparently felt in parts of London but generally seems to have been a non event down here. I guess we are fortunate to live in a country where the most signifcant earthquake in 20 years is measured in terms of numbers of fallen chimney pots rather than anything else.
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23443207-details/Earthquake+hits+London/article.do
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
A storm in a turban
I personally think too much is being made of the alleged smear campaign against Barak Obama by circulating a photo of him in traditional Somali dress (including Turban). Alarmingly I find myself agreeing with the Clinton campaign (a first time for everything !) that how can it be insulting for someone to be pictured wearing a national costume unless you devalue that nationality in the first place.
As seen above, our very own HRH Prince Charles is no stranger to unusual costume- although he's not wanting to run the country just yet !
I think the concerns over Obama are different and much deeper than unusual costumes.
For some reasons the Times has broken ranks from the media pack on at least 2 occasions to run critical articles on him.
This one deserves a read regarding the hidden funding from an Iraqi Billionaire given to the man who may well be the next president of the world's only superpower:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article3433485.ece
Mansion 'mistake' piles the pressure on Barack Obama
James Bone in New York and Dominic Kennedy in London
A British-Iraqi billionaire lent millions of dollars to Barack Obama's fundraiser just weeks before an imprudent land deal that has returned to haunt the presidential contender, an investigation by The Times discloses.
The money transfer raises the question of whether funds from Nadhmi Auchi, one of Britain’s wealthiest men, helped Mr Obama buy his mock Georgian mansion in Chicago.
A company related to Mr Auchi, who has a conviction for corruption in France, registered the loan to Mr Obama's bagman Antoin "Tony" Rezko on May 23 2005. Mr Auchi says the loan, through the Panamanian company Fintrade Services SA, was for $3.5 million.
It's worth reading on at the link above. All in all, mysterious loans from shady foreign businessmen doesn't sound very "new politics" to me....
A less than gracious city….. Sometimes
London is, I suspect, typical of any big city in the rough and tumble to be had on its streets.
People at a superficial level have no time for one another and can come across as very rude. Happily in the face of big challenges or emergencies the mythical "blitz spirit" (sometimes an overused phrase) emerges and we all help each other out.
However there are times when I think the rudeness is getting the upper hand and is worse than it used to be. Maybe I am just getting older to think like this!
Here are three recent examples:
1) In suburban London, near to where I live, a middle aged woman found a discarded training shoe on her drive. I was walking past on route to the station and watched as she methodically kicked it down the drive way and into the gutter. There was something mildly shocking about this at that moment. It seemed to sum up a wider social breakdown. While she would no doubt belong to the large group who bemoan the behaviour of "hoodies" and similar, here she was showing no respect for someone else's property. The tale behind how the training shoe had got on her drive way was unknown but it presumably belonged to someone. The priority here was not a lost trainer but the aesthetic integrity of her suburban house. It seems the tyranny of property makeover programmes is now limiting our ability to be good citizens. Twenty years ago or even less I suspect the same woman in the same street would have picked up the trainer and put it on a nearby wall so that if the owner passed by they could see it and collect it. Now the trainer gets kicked in the gutter.
2) Walking through the City, to work, a man in his twenties storms off a double-decker bus. He walks up the road a few paces and gives the driver a "one finger salute". There was apparently some dispute about not letting him off while the bus wasn't at a stop. The bus was sitting in traffic at the time. The rights and wrongs of getting off the bus are unclear to me but the solution to the dispute was rudeness- in this case a rude sign.
3) In a card shop in the City just before Valentines Day. The shop is crammed with people ahead of this rather cheesy commercial fest- albeit one that some of us are obligated on ! The atmosphere is tense as City workers jostle round a dwindling stock of "acceptable cards". A woman calls to her friend, "Why are you standing there ?". Her friend replies "Because I'm getting fed up of people elbowing me in the back everytime they go past". This is in preparation for a celebration of love in London.
I will end this brief series of social observations on a positive note. Walking through a local park, we pass a middle aged couple who have just stumbled across a lost glove. The woman picks it up. The man debates whether to run after a a group of women pushing prams. He decides against it for reasons of embarrassment as there is absolutely nothing to link the glove to the group. His wife suggests leaving it "on top of that red box". The red box in question is actually a special bin for "dog waste". Deciding against this they settle for placing it on top of a wrought iron fence so it can be clearly seen and kept out of the dirt. The effort is more than likely to be futile but it is reassuring that even in London some sense of community remains and not everyone is out only for themselves.
People at a superficial level have no time for one another and can come across as very rude. Happily in the face of big challenges or emergencies the mythical "blitz spirit" (sometimes an overused phrase) emerges and we all help each other out.
However there are times when I think the rudeness is getting the upper hand and is worse than it used to be. Maybe I am just getting older to think like this!
Here are three recent examples:
1) In suburban London, near to where I live, a middle aged woman found a discarded training shoe on her drive. I was walking past on route to the station and watched as she methodically kicked it down the drive way and into the gutter. There was something mildly shocking about this at that moment. It seemed to sum up a wider social breakdown. While she would no doubt belong to the large group who bemoan the behaviour of "hoodies" and similar, here she was showing no respect for someone else's property. The tale behind how the training shoe had got on her drive way was unknown but it presumably belonged to someone. The priority here was not a lost trainer but the aesthetic integrity of her suburban house. It seems the tyranny of property makeover programmes is now limiting our ability to be good citizens. Twenty years ago or even less I suspect the same woman in the same street would have picked up the trainer and put it on a nearby wall so that if the owner passed by they could see it and collect it. Now the trainer gets kicked in the gutter.
2) Walking through the City, to work, a man in his twenties storms off a double-decker bus. He walks up the road a few paces and gives the driver a "one finger salute". There was apparently some dispute about not letting him off while the bus wasn't at a stop. The bus was sitting in traffic at the time. The rights and wrongs of getting off the bus are unclear to me but the solution to the dispute was rudeness- in this case a rude sign.
3) In a card shop in the City just before Valentines Day. The shop is crammed with people ahead of this rather cheesy commercial fest- albeit one that some of us are obligated on ! The atmosphere is tense as City workers jostle round a dwindling stock of "acceptable cards". A woman calls to her friend, "Why are you standing there ?". Her friend replies "Because I'm getting fed up of people elbowing me in the back everytime they go past". This is in preparation for a celebration of love in London.
I will end this brief series of social observations on a positive note. Walking through a local park, we pass a middle aged couple who have just stumbled across a lost glove. The woman picks it up. The man debates whether to run after a a group of women pushing prams. He decides against it for reasons of embarrassment as there is absolutely nothing to link the glove to the group. His wife suggests leaving it "on top of that red box". The red box in question is actually a special bin for "dog waste". Deciding against this they settle for placing it on top of a wrought iron fence so it can be clearly seen and kept out of the dirt. The effort is more than likely to be futile but it is reassuring that even in London some sense of community remains and not everyone is out only for themselves.
Rather childish but.......
with backers like this, you have to wonder. Here Senator Edward "Chappaquiddick" Kennedy makes an awkward slip of the tongue in referring to Barack Obama.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Don't touch the glasses
As someone who has stayed in quite a few hotels in the past I find the attached clip disturbing but while I am sure it is not a universal problem it is probably symptomatic of an industry where the staff are low paid and the guests high paying. The only real winner is the hotel owner.
Or as George Orwell rather better described it in " Down and Out in Paris and London" his semi-autobiographical work that described his experiences working in the French hospitality industry:
"Similarly with the PLONGEUR (general washer-upper). He is a king compared with a rickshaw puller or a gharry pony, but his case is analogous. He is the slave of a hotel or a restaurant, and his slavery is more or less useless. For, after all, where is the REAL need of big hotels and smart restaurants? They are supposed to provide luxury, but in reality they provide only a cheap, shoddy imitation of it. Nearly everyone hates hotels. Some restaurants are better than others, but it is impossible to get as good a meal in a restaurant as one can get, for the same expense, in a private house. No doubt hotels and restaurants must exist, but there is no need that they should enslave hundreds of people. What makes the work in them is not the essentials; it is the shams that are supposed to represent luxury. Smartness, as it is called, means, in effect, merely that the staff work more and the customers pay more; no one benefits except the proprietor, who will presently buy himself a striped villa at Deauville. Essentially, a 'smart' hotel is a place where a hundred people toil like devils in order that two hundred may pay through the nose for things they do not really want. If the nonsense were cut out of hotels and restaurants, and the work done with simple efficiency, PLONGEURS might work six or eight hours a day instead often or fifteen.
I once got a job offer from a hotel chain to work as an auditor. I am rather glad I didn't accept it.
Thanks to Iain Dale for highlighting this clip. http://www.iaindale.blogspot.com/
If I didn't already, I will re-wash any glasses I drink from in hotel rooms. Although the level of trust we have to place in the hospitality industry in general is frightening to think about.
Or as George Orwell rather better described it in " Down and Out in Paris and London" his semi-autobiographical work that described his experiences working in the French hospitality industry:
"Similarly with the PLONGEUR (general washer-upper). He is a king compared with a rickshaw puller or a gharry pony, but his case is analogous. He is the slave of a hotel or a restaurant, and his slavery is more or less useless. For, after all, where is the REAL need of big hotels and smart restaurants? They are supposed to provide luxury, but in reality they provide only a cheap, shoddy imitation of it. Nearly everyone hates hotels. Some restaurants are better than others, but it is impossible to get as good a meal in a restaurant as one can get, for the same expense, in a private house. No doubt hotels and restaurants must exist, but there is no need that they should enslave hundreds of people. What makes the work in them is not the essentials; it is the shams that are supposed to represent luxury. Smartness, as it is called, means, in effect, merely that the staff work more and the customers pay more; no one benefits except the proprietor, who will presently buy himself a striped villa at Deauville. Essentially, a 'smart' hotel is a place where a hundred people toil like devils in order that two hundred may pay through the nose for things they do not really want. If the nonsense were cut out of hotels and restaurants, and the work done with simple efficiency, PLONGEURS might work six or eight hours a day instead often or fifteen.
I once got a job offer from a hotel chain to work as an auditor. I am rather glad I didn't accept it.
Thanks to Iain Dale for highlighting this clip. http://www.iaindale.blogspot.com/
If I didn't already, I will re-wash any glasses I drink from in hotel rooms. Although the level of trust we have to place in the hospitality industry in general is frightening to think about.
It is with considerable satisfaction
that this blog, rather sleeping of late, made it to the first page of a google search on British Gas- in actual fact the number 1 unsponsored position.
This goes some way to make our struggles with British Gas Homecare and their woeful parts distribution centre in Leicester last year seem purposeful. I noted this evening that people are still writing in to BBC1's Watchdog on the subject.
Keep protesting people !
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=t&ie=UTF-8&rls=DGUK,DGUK:2006-26,DGUK:en&q=british+gas+distribution+services
"British Gas Homecare- probably the worst service in the world !"
This goes some way to make our struggles with British Gas Homecare and their woeful parts distribution centre in Leicester last year seem purposeful. I noted this evening that people are still writing in to BBC1's Watchdog on the subject.
Keep protesting people !
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=t&ie=UTF-8&rls=DGUK,DGUK:2006-26,DGUK:en&q=british+gas+distribution+services
"British Gas Homecare- probably the worst service in the world !"
That's January done
Some people just seem to wish their life away.
I was talking with one colleague today who expressed sheer delight that we'd "got through January already". Quite what we were all getting through January to achieve was unclear but there was a reference to "soon be Christmas".
This is partly a joke I assume but there is an element of truth as many people seem to live their lives either "aiming for" the weekend, holidays, Christmas or similar. Whole oceans of time are endured for a short time on islands of apparent celebration.
How sad that whole months of our short lives are just seen as something to be "got through". There must surely be something wrong here ......
I was talking with one colleague today who expressed sheer delight that we'd "got through January already". Quite what we were all getting through January to achieve was unclear but there was a reference to "soon be Christmas".
This is partly a joke I assume but there is an element of truth as many people seem to live their lives either "aiming for" the weekend, holidays, Christmas or similar. Whole oceans of time are endured for a short time on islands of apparent celebration.
How sad that whole months of our short lives are just seen as something to be "got through". There must surely be something wrong here ......
A slow pipeline
I am no expert on the Oil industry but I note with some frustration that the price of petrol on my local forecourt remains stubbornly over £1 a litre.
This is despite the fact that the crude oil price has largely been falling since very early in January and fell another 3 % today at under $90 a barrel.
I am sure the official argument is that oil refining is a long process and it takes a long time for price falls to filter through the system.
It is strange that that argument never applies in relation to price rises.........
This is despite the fact that the crude oil price has largely been falling since very early in January and fell another 3 % today at under $90 a barrel.
I am sure the official argument is that oil refining is a long process and it takes a long time for price falls to filter through the system.
It is strange that that argument never applies in relation to price rises.........
Friday, February 01, 2008
Igglepiggle enters the Financial mainstream !
Yesterday when I picked up the FT at work I thought briefly I had been spending too much time in baby world watching "In the Night Garden". One of the characters from that programme,Igglepiggle, had appeared in the FT too !
In actual fact the FT journalist Jonathan Guthrie was going on to make a point about the dangers of name calling at work which can lead to legal action as it did by the actor playing "Tombliboo Ooo" on the set of In the Night Garden.
Amazing, watching baby TV can help make sense of reading the FT too !
Whatever next ? Gordon Brown will praise the environmental credentials of the Ninky Nonk (a special train to the uninitiated !). Come to think of it, the Ninky Nonk would be a big improvement on the services offered by South Eastern at present !
The dangers of talking dutty at work
By Jonathan Guthrie
Published: January 31 2008 02:00 Last updated: January 31 2008 02:00
Once upon a time three Tombliboos - Ooo, Eee and Un - lived together in the Tombliboo Bush. They played with their friend Igglepiggle, took rides in the Pinky Ponk and all loved each other very much. Then Ooo hurt his back, lost his job and complained that Eee had subjected him to homophobic taunts such as "faggot" and "bitch". Big hug? No chance. See you in court.
Tombliboos are innocent creatures with large bottoms and bobbly heads. But the performers who don costumes to portray them for the children's TV series In The Night Garden are more complicated. I witnessed some of the tears before bedtime at a recent employment tribunal. This highlighted the dangers that arise when a minority culture mingles with the mainstream one of the workplace.
In actual fact the FT journalist Jonathan Guthrie was going on to make a point about the dangers of name calling at work which can lead to legal action as it did by the actor playing "Tombliboo Ooo" on the set of In the Night Garden.
Amazing, watching baby TV can help make sense of reading the FT too !
Whatever next ? Gordon Brown will praise the environmental credentials of the Ninky Nonk (a special train to the uninitiated !). Come to think of it, the Ninky Nonk would be a big improvement on the services offered by South Eastern at present !
The dangers of talking dutty at work
By Jonathan Guthrie
Published: January 31 2008 02:00 Last updated: January 31 2008 02:00
Once upon a time three Tombliboos - Ooo, Eee and Un - lived together in the Tombliboo Bush. They played with their friend Igglepiggle, took rides in the Pinky Ponk and all loved each other very much. Then Ooo hurt his back, lost his job and complained that Eee had subjected him to homophobic taunts such as "faggot" and "bitch". Big hug? No chance. See you in court.
Tombliboos are innocent creatures with large bottoms and bobbly heads. But the performers who don costumes to portray them for the children's TV series In The Night Garden are more complicated. I witnessed some of the tears before bedtime at a recent employment tribunal. This highlighted the dangers that arise when a minority culture mingles with the mainstream one of the workplace.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Spending January in the Night Garden
Oh dear. A whole month has passed and I have not posted to my blog.
I suppose I could say this is winter and spring will yet come. That is at least seasonally true and I hope creatively too.
Where there was once time to think and write there is now more to do at work and much more to do at home- mainly a little boy who needs entertaining (his Mother would say she does most of the rest !).
Anyway I thought I would give a flavour of my life at present and at least note that I am still alive and well this January evening.
Where I would have once watched serious programmes like Newsnight and Panorama, my television watching is more varied now. The same could be said for my reading but I cannot show that here.
Below is a clip from "In the Night Garden", which has become regular viewing in our household this January :
Hopefully, back soon with some other thoughts from London.....
I suppose I could say this is winter and spring will yet come. That is at least seasonally true and I hope creatively too.
Where there was once time to think and write there is now more to do at work and much more to do at home- mainly a little boy who needs entertaining (his Mother would say she does most of the rest !).
Anyway I thought I would give a flavour of my life at present and at least note that I am still alive and well this January evening.
Where I would have once watched serious programmes like Newsnight and Panorama, my television watching is more varied now. The same could be said for my reading but I cannot show that here.
Below is a clip from "In the Night Garden", which has become regular viewing in our household this January :
Hopefully, back soon with some other thoughts from London.....
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Christmas Past
Christmas has been and gone, New Year is here and the sales are even in their latter half.
Today there was a sense that those commuting to work were taking part in a forced march. No one seemed to want to me there, the walk spoke of both resentment and disappointment that the Christmas period had ended so quickly.
I overheard two young women on the train discussing a former friend who they had fallen out with. The former friend had had the cheek to remove their "friend" status in Facebook. In 2008 this was the worst thing a friend could possibly do and they attacked her with relish.
A cold wind is blowing accross London and snow is forecast. Christmas has gone but there may still be a long winter to come.
Happy New Year everyone !
Today there was a sense that those commuting to work were taking part in a forced march. No one seemed to want to me there, the walk spoke of both resentment and disappointment that the Christmas period had ended so quickly.
I overheard two young women on the train discussing a former friend who they had fallen out with. The former friend had had the cheek to remove their "friend" status in Facebook. In 2008 this was the worst thing a friend could possibly do and they attacked her with relish.
A cold wind is blowing accross London and snow is forecast. Christmas has gone but there may still be a long winter to come.
Happy New Year everyone !
Monday, December 24, 2007
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas to all that have read this blog this year.
Posts have been somewhat light of late as the demands of work and a new baby son take their toll on "writing for pleasure" time.
Today was no exception as after being at work this morning I was in my local supermarket as it closed for Christmas. There is always a seige mentality around Christmas which is really strange as many of the shops will be open in less than 36 hours on Boxing Day morning with the remainder open a day later.
Nonetheless there is at least one day that remains free from commercial activity and I guess that has to be welcome. That day is tomorrow- Christmas Day.
Merry Christmas everyone......
Posts have been somewhat light of late as the demands of work and a new baby son take their toll on "writing for pleasure" time.
Today was no exception as after being at work this morning I was in my local supermarket as it closed for Christmas. There is always a seige mentality around Christmas which is really strange as many of the shops will be open in less than 36 hours on Boxing Day morning with the remainder open a day later.
Nonetheless there is at least one day that remains free from commercial activity and I guess that has to be welcome. That day is tomorrow- Christmas Day.
Merry Christmas everyone......
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Go back to your zombies and prepare for management
This year, with the retirement of a long established colleague I have taken on new responsibilities and I now have a team of people who I manage.
With this in mind, my boss thought I would benefit from attending a two day management of course. I've been on similar before but I suppose it can never hurt to have some new ideas and reminders of how to deal with certain situations.
The course was taken by a charming lady from Fulham. At the risk of offending many people, my office has a lot of people from Essex and a lot of people from south London (myself included). In short I don't often hear the English language spoken as well as it is spoken by some residents of Fulham. But I guess accents is a very risky topic, especially in Britain, so I shall move swiftly on !
The course was not rocket science. In fact it was not any sort of science but a mixture of common sense on how to deal with difficult people in difficult situations as well as various management and psychological theories on what motivates people and how to get the best out of them etc etc.
One session that caught my imagination was a crude classification of all people according to their energy or action and their attitude or enthusiasm.
Those with high action and a good attitude were obviously the best from a management perspective and were called "stars". The high action but negative attitude were "cynics" albeit quite productive ones. Those of positive attitude but little action were either "passengers" or "tourists" while the worst were those of little action and a bad attitude. The last group were termed "zombies" or "the undead".
This was supposed to be a serious management course but predictably this bit wasn't taken too seriously. We were divided up into teams to talk about how we would deal with the different employee types.
I was put in a group that was charged with thinking about "zombies". We found this quite difficult as apart from sacking them which would probably happen in more hard hearted organisations, one would have to analysise their entire personality and try and appeal to something that made them tick to achieve any progress.
We then had to present our thoughts. Our zombie group started.
"Now do any you manage people who might be zombies ?" asked the charming lady from Fulham. I must admit that my hand wavered but I thought "No the worst I have must have are tourists, positive but of little output" (I should also note that I do have star (s)".
A colleague from IT had no such qualms. Up went his hand. "I've probably got two" he said. His total team is eight strong so that makes a 25% strong zombie contingent !
The course went on over 2 days with role plays, discussions and coffee breaks.
At the end we were all wished well. I guess in at least one case this really did amount to "Go back to your zombies and prepare for management"
I will be giving my team a bit more thought next week !!!
With this in mind, my boss thought I would benefit from attending a two day management of course. I've been on similar before but I suppose it can never hurt to have some new ideas and reminders of how to deal with certain situations.
The course was taken by a charming lady from Fulham. At the risk of offending many people, my office has a lot of people from Essex and a lot of people from south London (myself included). In short I don't often hear the English language spoken as well as it is spoken by some residents of Fulham. But I guess accents is a very risky topic, especially in Britain, so I shall move swiftly on !
The course was not rocket science. In fact it was not any sort of science but a mixture of common sense on how to deal with difficult people in difficult situations as well as various management and psychological theories on what motivates people and how to get the best out of them etc etc.
One session that caught my imagination was a crude classification of all people according to their energy or action and their attitude or enthusiasm.
Those with high action and a good attitude were obviously the best from a management perspective and were called "stars". The high action but negative attitude were "cynics" albeit quite productive ones. Those of positive attitude but little action were either "passengers" or "tourists" while the worst were those of little action and a bad attitude. The last group were termed "zombies" or "the undead".
This was supposed to be a serious management course but predictably this bit wasn't taken too seriously. We were divided up into teams to talk about how we would deal with the different employee types.
I was put in a group that was charged with thinking about "zombies". We found this quite difficult as apart from sacking them which would probably happen in more hard hearted organisations, one would have to analysise their entire personality and try and appeal to something that made them tick to achieve any progress.
We then had to present our thoughts. Our zombie group started.
"Now do any you manage people who might be zombies ?" asked the charming lady from Fulham. I must admit that my hand wavered but I thought "No the worst I have must have are tourists, positive but of little output" (I should also note that I do have star (s)".
A colleague from IT had no such qualms. Up went his hand. "I've probably got two" he said. His total team is eight strong so that makes a 25% strong zombie contingent !
The course went on over 2 days with role plays, discussions and coffee breaks.
At the end we were all wished well. I guess in at least one case this really did amount to "Go back to your zombies and prepare for management"
I will be giving my team a bit more thought next week !!!
Still slightly Hongkers
After a couple of days back from Hong Kong, my wife told me something that needed saying. I was getting (just a little) boring the way I began each sentence "In Hong Kong they......".
I credit myself with at least a few sensitivities and I know there are few things more tedious than someone who returns from holiday (or other trip) only to bore everyone to tears with details of a place that the other party has not been to. Some of course have a great curiosity about all places and want to go there themselves. However for the majority of people a few photos and and a handful of summarised highlights are probably all they want to hear about a trip particularly if they themselves have been stuck at home working hard.
It is sign of how commonplace long haul travel has become that few want to hear in great detail another account of travels to X, wherever X may be. Another response to too many travel tales is "place bingo" or "snap" where people seem to work through lists of places, the object apparently being to work out who has been to most.
So I did sympathise with my wife, when I realised that I was talking perhaps a little too much about my business trip to Hong Kong. She had been at home looking after our 5 month old son.
However, on my second trip to Hong Kong, I was struck more than ever what a little paradise it can be for a small minority of English people.
Put simply it is a modern metropolis built on a tropical island. In December in comparison to London its climate is mild and pleasant.
People seem to behave in Hong Kong. There is little sign of graffiti, of litter and of people wanting to interfere with you as you go about your own business. You can ride the metro (MTR) late and night and you are more likely to see a young family returning home than the drunken businessmen you see on the London tube at a similar hour.
The people of Hong Kong are, in the main, extremely friendly. English is almost universally understood to some extent. For a foreigner doing a middle ranking kind of job, life is very comfortable. Technology is generally state of art and most things cheaper than home. Hong Kong is a city where the pick up fee for a taxi is under £1. For those wanting to exit the metropolis, the green Victoria Peak or nearby islands on a short ferry ride are obvious options.
Best still, for visiting Brits they drive on the left and use exactly the same electrical plugs as we do back home !
In short Hong Kong is a city that seems to work with a warm climate (although I am assured this is too warm in summer) and friendly hard working people. It compares very favourably to winter London with its delays, struggles to work and general hassle if you stay out late.
Of course, I do realise it is possible to take the rose tinted spectacles off in Hong Kong and see a few realities. The climate is so favourable in December but in summer the tropical heat combining with epic levels of pollution from China's Pearl Delta industrial area make the air extremely unhealthly. I was told that people with children even move them out of the City in the summer.
The cheap prices are nice but this is largely achieved through an army of low paid workers from the Philippines. Many middle class Hong Kong chinese have Philipino domestic helpers often paid around £250 a month to live in and cook, clean and iron or baby sit. It is better work than that available in the Philippines but I cannot see that happening in London.
People are well behaved but democracy is at best fragile in Hong Kong. It is an experiment tolerated by the Chinese Government but is obviously subject to certain limits.
That said, most people seem genuinely happy in Hong Kong. They work hard but enjoy life.
Maybe for that, the absence of the Dimbleby's on Question Time is a price worth paying ?!
Many expats who go to Hong Kong really love it and some never return home. One expat I spoke to on my visit summed it up like this "I like London and will always go back there to see my family and friends. But I really like the buzz, the food and the climate in this place. I'm not ready to trade in Hongkers just yet".
I've been back in London reality a week now but I think a part of me is still slightly Hongkers.....
I credit myself with at least a few sensitivities and I know there are few things more tedious than someone who returns from holiday (or other trip) only to bore everyone to tears with details of a place that the other party has not been to. Some of course have a great curiosity about all places and want to go there themselves. However for the majority of people a few photos and and a handful of summarised highlights are probably all they want to hear about a trip particularly if they themselves have been stuck at home working hard.
It is sign of how commonplace long haul travel has become that few want to hear in great detail another account of travels to X, wherever X may be. Another response to too many travel tales is "place bingo" or "snap" where people seem to work through lists of places, the object apparently being to work out who has been to most.
So I did sympathise with my wife, when I realised that I was talking perhaps a little too much about my business trip to Hong Kong. She had been at home looking after our 5 month old son.
However, on my second trip to Hong Kong, I was struck more than ever what a little paradise it can be for a small minority of English people.
Put simply it is a modern metropolis built on a tropical island. In December in comparison to London its climate is mild and pleasant.
People seem to behave in Hong Kong. There is little sign of graffiti, of litter and of people wanting to interfere with you as you go about your own business. You can ride the metro (MTR) late and night and you are more likely to see a young family returning home than the drunken businessmen you see on the London tube at a similar hour.
The people of Hong Kong are, in the main, extremely friendly. English is almost universally understood to some extent. For a foreigner doing a middle ranking kind of job, life is very comfortable. Technology is generally state of art and most things cheaper than home. Hong Kong is a city where the pick up fee for a taxi is under £1. For those wanting to exit the metropolis, the green Victoria Peak or nearby islands on a short ferry ride are obvious options.
Best still, for visiting Brits they drive on the left and use exactly the same electrical plugs as we do back home !
In short Hong Kong is a city that seems to work with a warm climate (although I am assured this is too warm in summer) and friendly hard working people. It compares very favourably to winter London with its delays, struggles to work and general hassle if you stay out late.
Of course, I do realise it is possible to take the rose tinted spectacles off in Hong Kong and see a few realities. The climate is so favourable in December but in summer the tropical heat combining with epic levels of pollution from China's Pearl Delta industrial area make the air extremely unhealthly. I was told that people with children even move them out of the City in the summer.
The cheap prices are nice but this is largely achieved through an army of low paid workers from the Philippines. Many middle class Hong Kong chinese have Philipino domestic helpers often paid around £250 a month to live in and cook, clean and iron or baby sit. It is better work than that available in the Philippines but I cannot see that happening in London.
People are well behaved but democracy is at best fragile in Hong Kong. It is an experiment tolerated by the Chinese Government but is obviously subject to certain limits.
That said, most people seem genuinely happy in Hong Kong. They work hard but enjoy life.
Maybe for that, the absence of the Dimbleby's on Question Time is a price worth paying ?!
Many expats who go to Hong Kong really love it and some never return home. One expat I spoke to on my visit summed it up like this "I like London and will always go back there to see my family and friends. But I really like the buzz, the food and the climate in this place. I'm not ready to trade in Hongkers just yet".
I've been back in London reality a week now but I think a part of me is still slightly Hongkers.....
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Back from a rather English piece of China
Posts have been very light on here of late. This is at least in part due to the fact that I have been working in Hong Kong for a short while.
I want to write something on this shortly but for now here are a couple of mobile phone taken pictures that I hope say something about Hong Kong both at night and in the day time.
Hong Kong, despite being part of China albeit with "Special Administrative Region" status, still feels very homely to the English visitor.
I seem to have escaped the worst of any jet lag and in the wonder that is air travel I managed to sleep from above the Chinese-Mongolian border to just above Moscow on the way home.
Hope to be back with a longer post soon.
A fleet of Hong Kong's very economical red taxis approach the Wan Kwai Fong area in the evening.
View of "everyday" Hong Kong skycraper appartments in the "Mid Levels"
I want to write something on this shortly but for now here are a couple of mobile phone taken pictures that I hope say something about Hong Kong both at night and in the day time.
Hong Kong, despite being part of China albeit with "Special Administrative Region" status, still feels very homely to the English visitor.
I seem to have escaped the worst of any jet lag and in the wonder that is air travel I managed to sleep from above the Chinese-Mongolian border to just above Moscow on the way home.
Hope to be back with a longer post soon.
A fleet of Hong Kong's very economical red taxis approach the Wan Kwai Fong area in the evening.
View of "everyday" Hong Kong skycraper appartments in the "Mid Levels"
Monday, November 26, 2007
London November 2007
Various views of the City and Docklands taken from Greenwich Park on a cold but clear November Day.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Remembrance Sunday
Here is a reminder, in case one were needed, from youtube of the contemporary aspect to today's Remembrance Sunday. The photos are all of British Servicemen who have died in Afghanistan, although sadly this is not a complete list.
Greed is good ?
A random observation from shopping in our local Asda today:
1 bottle of 1.25 litre Coca Cola £1.10
2 bottles of 1.25 litre Coca Cola £1 (2 for £1 offer).
So it actually cheaper to buy 2 bottles than 1 bottle. If you only want one bottle you are financially better off if you take 2 through the till and throw the other away.
These prices seem a little strange to me. Is this what they mean by an "Asda price". They are still playing that annoying jingle all the time anyway.
1 bottle of 1.25 litre Coca Cola £1.10
2 bottles of 1.25 litre Coca Cola £1 (2 for £1 offer).
So it actually cheaper to buy 2 bottles than 1 bottle. If you only want one bottle you are financially better off if you take 2 through the till and throw the other away.
These prices seem a little strange to me. Is this what they mean by an "Asda price". They are still playing that annoying jingle all the time anyway.
"Get him!"- Training Tips for Rail Ticket Inspectors- What not to say !
I am coming to the depressing conclusion that rules (e.g. buying a ticket) on our railways are only for polite and non-threatening people.
The other morning I missed my usual direct train to London Cannon Street and needed to change trains at London Bridge.
London Bridge Station is never a very relaxing place and at 8 o' clock in the morning is bordering on madness with people running from Charing Cross bound trains to get on Cannon Street trains and people from Cannon Street trains running the other way. The management of London Bridge station sometime concluded that it was not possible to get these trains arriving on immediately opposite platforms, meaning everyone has to get up a crowded flight of stairs and then down an equally crowded flight of stairs to the waiting train two or three platforms away. Sometimes they like to keep people fit by advertising a train that has already left so that when you get down onto that platform you find no train and have to go to yet another platform- back up the same flight of stairs and back down a third. The effect can look like some strange version of musical chairs with large groups of commuters running up flights of stairs in formation.
Despite the fact that most South Eastern stations have ticket barriers meaning it is not possible to get onto the train unless you have a ticket (or jump the barrier), the other morning South Eastern ticket inspectors decided to introduce a random ticket inspection at the top of one of the previously mentioned flights of stairs.
If this wasn't awkward enough, they didn't stand logically at either side of the stairs but staggered at various points around the corridor that connects all the platforms. With at least half the passengers wearing Ipods or other headphones and everyone else in a hurry it wasn't clear that this was a ticket inspection point at all.
Most people were hurrying straight through. I myself had headphones (listening to the news as it happened) so carried on oblivious until I vaguely heard someone call "Get him". The next thing I knew was that a ticket inspector appeared beside me while all the other passengers carried on regardless.
I had my ticket so there was no issue but I was a little bemused why I was the only one stopped. I don't consider I look threatening and am wondering if that was the reason why I was singled out.
My brother tells me of a time he was on a South Eastern train when a three strong group of baseball cap wearing youths evaded the ticket collector by hiding in the train lavatory. The ticket collector knocked timidly only to conclude to other passengers "I think that one's a loosing battle."
The depressing moral of the story is you only need a ticket if the ticket collector isn't afraid of you.
As for my friends at London Bridge next time you want to check for tickets at some random spot at 8am:
1) Stand together at a clear point at which you expect all passengers to show their tickets and don't let anyone through.
2) While I understand that in the absence of appropriate equipment e.g. Tasers, it may not be desirable to press all passengers for a ticket, do not shout phrases such as "Get him" at law abiding non-threatening passengers. To do so is mildly offensive and likely to alienate normally allied passengers in the battle against the hooligan minority found on London trains !
The other morning I missed my usual direct train to London Cannon Street and needed to change trains at London Bridge.
London Bridge Station is never a very relaxing place and at 8 o' clock in the morning is bordering on madness with people running from Charing Cross bound trains to get on Cannon Street trains and people from Cannon Street trains running the other way. The management of London Bridge station sometime concluded that it was not possible to get these trains arriving on immediately opposite platforms, meaning everyone has to get up a crowded flight of stairs and then down an equally crowded flight of stairs to the waiting train two or three platforms away. Sometimes they like to keep people fit by advertising a train that has already left so that when you get down onto that platform you find no train and have to go to yet another platform- back up the same flight of stairs and back down a third. The effect can look like some strange version of musical chairs with large groups of commuters running up flights of stairs in formation.
Despite the fact that most South Eastern stations have ticket barriers meaning it is not possible to get onto the train unless you have a ticket (or jump the barrier), the other morning South Eastern ticket inspectors decided to introduce a random ticket inspection at the top of one of the previously mentioned flights of stairs.
If this wasn't awkward enough, they didn't stand logically at either side of the stairs but staggered at various points around the corridor that connects all the platforms. With at least half the passengers wearing Ipods or other headphones and everyone else in a hurry it wasn't clear that this was a ticket inspection point at all.
Most people were hurrying straight through. I myself had headphones (listening to the news as it happened) so carried on oblivious until I vaguely heard someone call "Get him". The next thing I knew was that a ticket inspector appeared beside me while all the other passengers carried on regardless.
I had my ticket so there was no issue but I was a little bemused why I was the only one stopped. I don't consider I look threatening and am wondering if that was the reason why I was singled out.
My brother tells me of a time he was on a South Eastern train when a three strong group of baseball cap wearing youths evaded the ticket collector by hiding in the train lavatory. The ticket collector knocked timidly only to conclude to other passengers "I think that one's a loosing battle."
The depressing moral of the story is you only need a ticket if the ticket collector isn't afraid of you.
As for my friends at London Bridge next time you want to check for tickets at some random spot at 8am:
1) Stand together at a clear point at which you expect all passengers to show their tickets and don't let anyone through.
2) While I understand that in the absence of appropriate equipment e.g. Tasers, it may not be desirable to press all passengers for a ticket, do not shout phrases such as "Get him" at law abiding non-threatening passengers. To do so is mildly offensive and likely to alienate normally allied passengers in the battle against the hooligan minority found on London trains !
Saturday, November 10, 2007
British Gas Homecare- "probably the worst service in the world"
It has been one week, 9 phonecalls, 5 emails and 1 formal letter of complaint and still British Gas have not been able to repair our boiler. This is despite the fact I have a "Homecare" policy with British Gas to cover all boiler and heating breakdowns.
This followed a surprisingly promising start with 2 engineers coming out on the day the boiler broke down. However they misdiagnosed the problem, ordered the wrong part and when the next engineer couldn't repair the problem with the incorrect part.
A new part, a fan, was ordered to be delivered the next day (Tuesday by now) from the British Gas Parts Distribution Centre in Leicester.
The next day came and no engineer appeared and no phone call was received. When I called to see what the problem was I was told the part had not been arrived.
However I was assured someone from the Parts Distribution Centre would call me soon. They never called me and despite a series of increasingly irrate calls to British Gas no part materialised.
I asked to speak to the mythical folk in Leicester myself but was told even the British Gas call centre didn't have their number. One call centre worker helpfully proclaimed "It's out of our hands". There didn't seem much that was in their hands !
The Parts Distribution Centre is outsourced. As it turns out, to a Swedish Company called Syncron .
I can only conclude Syncron are partly to blame here but British Gas must take responsibility for choosing this bunch of incompetents to manage the distribution of their parts.
On the Syncron website Jan Paulsson, Project leader at Volvo, another Syncron client, is quoted as saying "The result looks too good to be true."
There's one reason for that Mr. Paulsson, the results are too good to be true ! In fact after managing in our "low carbon house" without hot water for a week (unless its out of a kettle) I would think the results are pretty awful.
Still, we keep hammering away at British Gas and maybe the boiler will be repaired this coming week. For any potential British Gas Homecare customers who have stumbled across this "moan", my only advise would be think twice before you sign up to Homecare. The recovery of your boiler may depend on some not very competent Swedes based in Leicester !
This followed a surprisingly promising start with 2 engineers coming out on the day the boiler broke down. However they misdiagnosed the problem, ordered the wrong part and when the next engineer couldn't repair the problem with the incorrect part.
A new part, a fan, was ordered to be delivered the next day (Tuesday by now) from the British Gas Parts Distribution Centre in Leicester.
The next day came and no engineer appeared and no phone call was received. When I called to see what the problem was I was told the part had not been arrived.
However I was assured someone from the Parts Distribution Centre would call me soon. They never called me and despite a series of increasingly irrate calls to British Gas no part materialised.
I asked to speak to the mythical folk in Leicester myself but was told even the British Gas call centre didn't have their number. One call centre worker helpfully proclaimed "It's out of our hands". There didn't seem much that was in their hands !
The Parts Distribution Centre is outsourced. As it turns out, to a Swedish Company called Syncron .
I can only conclude Syncron are partly to blame here but British Gas must take responsibility for choosing this bunch of incompetents to manage the distribution of their parts.
On the Syncron website Jan Paulsson, Project leader at Volvo, another Syncron client, is quoted as saying "The result looks too good to be true."
There's one reason for that Mr. Paulsson, the results are too good to be true ! In fact after managing in our "low carbon house" without hot water for a week (unless its out of a kettle) I would think the results are pretty awful.
Still, we keep hammering away at British Gas and maybe the boiler will be repaired this coming week. For any potential British Gas Homecare customers who have stumbled across this "moan", my only advise would be think twice before you sign up to Homecare. The recovery of your boiler may depend on some not very competent Swedes based in Leicester !
Clear November Morning in London
The final stage of my daily commute from the South, crossing the river and arriving in the City- London Cannon Street Station.
Bank
Short clip showing the view from next to Bank Tube Station, outside the Royal Exchange and opposite the Bank of England while waiting there one October evening.
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Guy Fawkes
It is over 400 years since Guy Fawkes was apprehended in his attempt to blow up parliament.
This criminal and his associates suffered torture that would make today's "extraordinary rendition" look like a picnic. Guy Fawkes himself jumped and broke his neck to avoid the official execution method of being hung, drawn and quartered.
Despite this slightly unsavoury origin every supermarket and cornershop is packed with fireworks for at least a month before November 5th to allow every one to celebrate Guy's demise. The run up to November 5th turns suburbia into a near Blitz re-enactment. Every scout group, schoool and even church need to hold their own "bonfire night" not to mention the local council. Bonfires are largely a thing of the past in London but fireworks exist in huge quantities.
Combined with official events, scores and scores of private houses choose to buy their own fireworks.
So tonight suburban London, on the weekend before November 5th, sounds like a war zone. Try keeping a 4 month baby asleep in that. Thanks a bunch, Guy Fawkes !
This criminal and his associates suffered torture that would make today's "extraordinary rendition" look like a picnic. Guy Fawkes himself jumped and broke his neck to avoid the official execution method of being hung, drawn and quartered.
Despite this slightly unsavoury origin every supermarket and cornershop is packed with fireworks for at least a month before November 5th to allow every one to celebrate Guy's demise. The run up to November 5th turns suburbia into a near Blitz re-enactment. Every scout group, schoool and even church need to hold their own "bonfire night" not to mention the local council. Bonfires are largely a thing of the past in London but fireworks exist in huge quantities.
Combined with official events, scores and scores of private houses choose to buy their own fireworks.
So tonight suburban London, on the weekend before November 5th, sounds like a war zone. Try keeping a 4 month baby asleep in that. Thanks a bunch, Guy Fawkes !
Living in a "low carbon" house
Our boiler failed yesterday morning. It's an old boiler and will probably need replacing soon.
We have British Gas cover and in this instance they were very good sending someone within an hour for an initial inspection in case there was any danger from gas or carbon monoxide.
Once given the all clear on that front another engineer visited in the afternoon. Not bad for a Saturday and much preferable to previous experiences of hunting for the small band of honest reliable boiler engineers on the open market.
Nonetheless the boiler in clinicial terms needs major surgery- a new gas valve to be precise. With a four month old baby we have been given "priority" but even that means Monday.
So with our "combination" boiler out of action we have missed a combination of hot water and heating. Fortunately it is a very mild November so far and a couple of electric heaters are more than adequate to keep young Luis warm. Kettles of hot water have been more than sufficient for general washing and I even attempted a completely cold shower this morning. I read somewhere that is supposed to be good for you. It certainly woke me up.
Overall my impression is that managing without hot water and central heating is not nearly as traumatic as some might imagine. In actual fact I find central heating a bit suffocating sometimes so it is refreshing to be able to decide which room to heat and which to leave cold.
I think I could live like this although I'm not sure about the rest of the Donatella household ! Anyway, without referring to the wider global warming debate, I think this could be viewed as a genuine way of saving energy. We've used viritually no gas all weekend and are still here and well ! With oil prices approaching $100 a barrel, maybe living without central heating will start to catch on ?! I suspect I am probably a minority voice here !
We have British Gas cover and in this instance they were very good sending someone within an hour for an initial inspection in case there was any danger from gas or carbon monoxide.
Once given the all clear on that front another engineer visited in the afternoon. Not bad for a Saturday and much preferable to previous experiences of hunting for the small band of honest reliable boiler engineers on the open market.
Nonetheless the boiler in clinicial terms needs major surgery- a new gas valve to be precise. With a four month old baby we have been given "priority" but even that means Monday.
So with our "combination" boiler out of action we have missed a combination of hot water and heating. Fortunately it is a very mild November so far and a couple of electric heaters are more than adequate to keep young Luis warm. Kettles of hot water have been more than sufficient for general washing and I even attempted a completely cold shower this morning. I read somewhere that is supposed to be good for you. It certainly woke me up.
Overall my impression is that managing without hot water and central heating is not nearly as traumatic as some might imagine. In actual fact I find central heating a bit suffocating sometimes so it is refreshing to be able to decide which room to heat and which to leave cold.
I think I could live like this although I'm not sure about the rest of the Donatella household ! Anyway, without referring to the wider global warming debate, I think this could be viewed as a genuine way of saving energy. We've used viritually no gas all weekend and are still here and well ! With oil prices approaching $100 a barrel, maybe living without central heating will start to catch on ?! I suspect I am probably a minority voice here !
Dancing on the trains ?
A letter to the almost invariably low brow (but I read it !) Thelondonpaper caught my eye on Friday.
The writer proposed a solution to the curse on trains of people playing their Ipod too loud. The writer suggested fellow passengers should hold an impromptu dancing session to try and embarrass or shame the offender into turning the volume down.
It may not work in all cases and the option of asking for the volume to be turned down remains !However on the many cases where the train is too crowded to ask the owner of the blarring Ipod to do anything, and with passengers generally reluctant to request too much from each other, dancing to the music of a loud Ipod could work and bring unwanted attention to a selfish music listener.
The writer proposed a solution to the curse on trains of people playing their Ipod too loud. The writer suggested fellow passengers should hold an impromptu dancing session to try and embarrass or shame the offender into turning the volume down.
It may not work in all cases and the option of asking for the volume to be turned down remains !However on the many cases where the train is too crowded to ask the owner of the blarring Ipod to do anything, and with passengers generally reluctant to request too much from each other, dancing to the music of a loud Ipod could work and bring unwanted attention to a selfish music listener.
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