Saturday, August 30, 2008

North Devon

Post Greenbelt have spent a few days in North Devon for some R&R. I have a real soft spot for this part of the country - it is peaceful, laid back and the geography throws up contrasts from beautiful sandy coves ideal for surfing, to the more rugged rocky coastline a few miles to the north. British weather is still a bit poor - though was finally a few hours of sunshine later today. Enough for me to get a red glow going on my bald pate!

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Greenbelt - post festival

The day after the night before.

The festival is over and the tidying up begins. A busy and long day yesterday - there was a moment at about 8pm when I felt really shattered but fortunately it passed fairly quickly.

We tidy up and sort out the last few things - making sure that the stuff which needs to be thrown away is not mixed up with the stuff that needs to go back to London!

Another festival over and one which seems to have been successful - very succesful when the vagaries of the British weather have been taken into account.

Things are sorted fairly easily, goodbyes are said and at 2.30pm I head off for a few days much needed R&R in beautiful north Devon.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Greenbelt - Day 4 - Monday

The final day of the festival often produces mixed feelings - relief that the festival has gone well and is nearly over; busyness in that whilst the rest of the festival is winding down, Monday night is often the busiest time for me; a sense of sadness that the festival is almost over.

Under strict instructions to get my portrait taken as part of an onsite photo project - see here for the whole series but I'm not going to link to my particular picture!

I don't know about you, but often I think of the better thing to say about an hour after the event - and perhaps not more so than today at the Greenbelt press conference. Had a microphone put under my nose and was asked by BBC Radio Gloucestershire to sum up Greenbelt in one or two words. How do you sum up something so strange and eclectic up in one or two words? Of course, I know now, but at the time I fear I perhaps waffled on a little.

So, another festival draws to a close - busy, quirky, fun and thought provoking - tiring but completely worthwhile.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Greenbelt - Day 3 - Sunday

A long and busy day at the festival today - and no time to take any photos but have a look at the excellent photos on flickr. The Rising Sun theme is almost becoming ironic given the weather this weekend. With a few showers some parts of the festival site are distinctly squelchy - but what's a festival in the UK summer without some mud!

However, overall the weather, whilst a little windy in places, and the odd passing shower, has been acceptable. Little sunbathing under the Rising Sun, but there has been daily yoga in the morning.

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Greenbelt - Day 2 - Saturday

The festival gets more fully underway.


Weather looking good and might escape the worst of the British summer.


And some have found something to interest them.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Greenbelt - Day 1 - Friday

Well, in true Field of Dreams style - "we have built it, and they have come". Always reassuring when the gates open and you see the site fill up with Greenbelters.

A couple of showers have dampened the ground first thing this morning, but on the whole the forecast looks fairly favourable for the next couple of days - certainly in comparison to what we've had over the past few weeks.

Don't know what will happen over the next few days - a lot of hard work, but also plenty of fun and a chance to catch one or two things that might take you by surprise.

Looks to be a good weekend ahead!

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Greenbelt - pre festival

It's the August Bank Holiday weekend so I'm making my annual 'pilgrimage' to the excellent Greenbelt Festival.

Arrived yesterday to help with the set up. Always fascinating to see the skeleton of the site take on flesh over the next couple of days. Lots of anxious looks at the weather forecast and seeing how the weekend might pan out - surely the 'British Summer' must arrive at some point??

Much going through my mind pre-festival so little sleep had last night as I couldn't switch off - not long now 'til the start.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

More Olympic thoughts

How annoying are the BBC Monkey/Gorillaz style opening credits and indents - and particularly the Monkey Madness part of evening round up show?

Just how bad an interviewer is Garry Richardson?

The Olympics have been been great - the BBC presentation of the event, very poor.

Monday, August 18, 2008

On the Buses

Spotted what looked suspiciously like the cast of Gavin and Stacey on the top deck of an open top London bus, complete with file crew, going around Parliament Square at approx 4pm.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Website of the week

Has been a bit of break on this front.

Still, if you think you have little 'quirks' then look here - you may even want to add your own.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Some Olympic Thoughts

1. If you're in charge of 2012 opening ceremony just how annoyed/worried are you at the moment - follow that! Fear not for do not forget the Manchester Commonwealth Games opening ceremony featured David Beckham, a parade of old cars and the Wombles - the 2012 ceremony will be fine...

2. Just how good are the GB cycling team?

3. Just how quick could Usain Bolt be if he ran flat out for the whole 100 metres?

4. Just how normal and refreshing is Rebecca Adlington?

5. Just how poor has the BBC presentation been? Way too much of the presenters rather than the sport, poor 'human interest' and 'amusing' pieces (I particularly hate the Phelpsometer/Jaws theme and the 'previously at the Olympics' start of the evening show), not enough coverage of other 'minor' sports and some incredibly poor commentating. Notable exceptions on the commentary front are Michael Johnson (refreshingly calls it as it sees it), Gerry Herbert (knowledgeable and passionate, if slightly hysterical) and Hugh Porter (like most cycling commentators - such as Phil Liggett on C4 and David Duffield on Eurosport - he's completely mad but the spirit of Alan Partridge lives on). Also did you used to watch some football programmes just to see what John Barnes or Barry Venison would actually be wearing? Doesn't the same seem to apply to Gabby Logan and the Olympics coverage?

Is an interesting article here about just how unequal the Olympics are. Is it still little more than a posh people's sports day?

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Needing a Nudge

Although I've linked to a few books to read, I've never really discussed books here before. Still, always time to try something new!

I've been reading Nudge, a new book by American academics Thaler and Sunstein, and the only reason I'm writing about it is because it is on the current 'must read' lists of numerous politicians.

I think it's safe to say that this is first book by Yale University Press I've ever read, let alone purchased. However, in a similar vein to Freakonomics, Microtrends, and The Tipping Point, it's a comfortable, accessible read. In it Thaler and Sunstein say that if 'choice architects' give things a little thought they could design decisions so that people are 'nudged' in a certain way for the overall public good. For example, on starting a new job you are automatically enrolled in a pension scheme rather than having to make a conscious decision to join one. In doing this you save for your retirement and everyone will be better off. However, because they also want to allow choice, you always have the chance to opt out, thus the freedom to choose is preserved. They call this 'libertarian paternalism' and it will be a big thing in both the upcoming US election, and the next UK one.

This seems fairly sensible - but let's also be careful here. The pensions thing seems sensible, but another example they suggest is that organ donation should move to an 'opt out' rather than, in the UK at least, the current 'opt in' system. This is perhaps a bit more controversial - in effect the state would 'own' your organs for transplant upon your death (and more organ donation is needed) unless you'd made a conscious decision that they couldn't. Suddenly a nudge seems a bit more of a shove?? And I speak as someone who has had a donor card since aged 16.

Personally I feel there is an innate contradiction between 'libertarian' and 'paternalism', and it's one they don't quite solve - and I'm also not saying which one I tend toward! Nonetheless, it's a fascinating book and well worth a read. You may really agree with it, or may find it all very worrying, but it makes you think. You may not yet be aware of 'nudging' - but many key politicans are.

Have a browse at nudges.org.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

The Dark Knight

The new Batman film - much anticipated, much awaited and with the added poignancy of Heath Ledger's last performance. But is it any good?

Let's make no mistake - this is a nasty, nasty film.

Just who is the audience supposed to be supporting in this film. Batman? Doubt it, he comes across as annoying and spoilt rather than tormented and full of anguish. The good DA Harvey Dent? Perhaps but then, somewhat ironically given Batman's graphic novel background, he becomes a one dimensional cartoon character. The cop Gordon? Well, let's just say I'm glad I'm not his wife. The Joker perhaps? Well, yes if we are meant to sympathise with a double crossing sociopath who has a knife fetish.

The film is horrible. There is an almost pornographic celebration of knives - and given the current climate, especially in London, this makes this film even more depressing. The 'plot' is risible and the film is violent and gruesome - how this film has got a 12A certificate (the same as the excellent Man on Wire!!) I don't know. It starts well but is at least 20 minutes too long and after a couple of hours I was bored and just wanted it to end.

Are there some good things? Yes, some. Heath Ledger is good as the Joker - all twitches and ticks - and it is a fitting final performance, but talk of an Oscar is wide of the mark and his best work remains Brokeback Mountain. Old stagers Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman are excellent and light up the piece, but their parts are small and you wish they had more screen time. Aaron Eckhart is good as Harvey Dent; it's more his movie than Batman's. But overall a nasty film and one that is not a 12A - if you have kids under 12 don't take them, it can be pretty gruesome. If you have kids over 12 I still wouldn't take them - it's just not good enough.

Saturday, August 09, 2008

Paris for President

Now, I'm like so not a fan of Paris Hilton - but I have to admit that the recent Paris for President video done in response to John McCain comparing Barrack Obama to her and other celebs is very funny.


What's even more worrying is that her environmental policy makes more sense than McCain's or Obama's.

Paris for President - she's, like, totally ready.

Sunday, August 03, 2008

The things people say...

Yesterday when watching Man on Wire I was seated next to two old dears well into their 70s. They bustled in just as the opening credits were rolling and sat transfixed throughout.

At the end, as the closing credit rolled, one said to the other in a loud stage whisper,

"He was very attractive when he was young. Not anymore though. Very attractive as a young man. You know what he reminds me of now though? He looks like an old gay."

Saturday, August 02, 2008

Man on Wire

Man on Wire is a documentary telling the story of when in 1974 Philipe Petit did a high wire walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. It is riveting.

Petit is a natural story teller - and it has to be said, very French. Also included in the film are the various talking heads of Petit's co-conspirators - an eclectic mix of old friends from France, people who worked in the the WTC, and a couple of, well frankly, potheads. One of the accomplices sports the finest moustache you are going to see in a film this year.

The film tells the story from the start - almost in the style of a heist movie - and includes film of Petit's previous high wire walks between the towers of the Notre Dame Cathedral and over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It is spellbinding. The movie is excellently executed - from the superb Michael Nyman soundtrack to the correct (but possibly controversial??) decision not to mention the terrorist attacks of September 11th.

No film footage of the Twin Towers walk exists, but there is footage of the Paris and Sydney walks, and the stills of the event are superb and suitably vertigo inducing. It's also a strangely emotional film - perhaps best summed up by the NYPD cop who says "I figured that I was watching something that somebody else would never see again in the world - it was once in a lifetime."

Simply stunning.