Canary bird's eye view

It's been a funny week. Started a little strangely on Monday after work as I ended up at Shoreditch House to catch up with someone over drinks. About as trendy a place as I'm likely to end up at!

Rest of the week been busy with various things, including double checking numbers and preparing a 'death by PowerPoint' presentation for today.

So, in one of those bizarre things that happen, I ended up spending most of the day 39 floors high above London - another place I'm never likely to come to again! In the end it wasn't quite 'death by PowerPoint', but perhaps a mild coma... ;o)

With elongated travel due to various engineering works the day was long, but good - lots of bright ideas fizzing round and real thinking and discussion, all with the glorious view of London to my left.

Sheep to the right??

Last week the above diagram was in the order of service of the church I visited.

It's probably just me, but when you need a map to show you how to get communion...

A funny old game?

Forget the Premiership. Ignore the promotion and relegation battles in the Football League. You want a real end of season top of table clash? One where the winner will get promotion? One which is a genuine local derby with the clubs less than 3 miles apart? One which is a capacity sell out all ticket match.

Welcome to the sixth level of football in England. Welcome to the Blue Square South. Welcome to the Beveree where Hampton and Richmond FC hosts AFC Wimbledon.

I've been to numerous non-league football matches - but never an all ticket one, never one which was sold out well in advance. I've also not seen as many police at a non-league match!

A crowd of over 3,200 crammed into the small ground in suburban London. Hampton and Richmond are a small community club whose main claim to fame is that Alan Simpson, one of the writers for Tony Hancock, is the club president. AFC Wimbledon are the supporter trust club set up after the creation/move of the MK Dons. They have been swiftly moving up the non-league pyramid and could be back in the league soon. AFC are top of the table, Hampton three points behind and already guaranteed a play off place. In effect Hampton need a win, AFC could settle for a draw due to their great goal difference.

The result - in the end a fair 1-1 draw. AFC will be in the Blue Square Premier league next season - hopefully Hampton will make it via the play offs.

It's a world away from the gloss of the Sky Sports and international superstars - but it's real community based 'jumpers for goalposts' football. And all the better for it.

A river runs through it

Having spent a couple of days earlier in the week walking up and down the South Downs I decided to do something a little flatter!

So I got around to doing something I've thought about for a while. Took the train in to London - as I would on a working day - and instead of getting off at Vauxhall and turning right, I turned left and set off by the Thames.

Despite the weather being less than spring like - is was a dreadfully grey day in really flat light - what a wonderful stroll it was.

It was a walk of contrasts - the haunting mass of the old Battersea power station, the redevelopment of some parts, the industry by Nine Elms and Wandsworth, and the peace of Putney and Barnes.

A lovely walking corridor through the heart of London.

Website of the week

First there was Frozen Grand Central.

Then there was Dancing in Liverpool Street.

Now the Belgians are it as well...



Does anyone just go to a station to catch a train anymore??

New in Town(er)

The Towner Gallery in Eastbourne was a lovely little art gallery. Set in an old house in a park in Eastbourne old town it was a bit off the beaten track but contained a marvellous blend of Sussex inspired art and wonderful abstract and contemporary pieces. Its move into contemporary art was largely due to the period when its curator was William Gear, a well respected abstract artist linked with the CoBrA artistic group.

For the past couple of years it has been closed as it prepared to move to a spanking new Rick Mather Architects designed building. The new gallery - next to the Eastbourne theatres and just off the seafront - not only offers stunning views across the Downs from its cafe; it is stunning itself.

The opening exhibitions are a suitably eclectic mix. There is a 'people's choice' selection which shows the breadth and quality of the Towner collection and includes works by William Gear, Eric Ravilious, Julian Opie, Roni Horn and Wolfgang Tilmanns. The top gallery contains Nowhere Man by Ivan Navarro - the Olympic sports pictographs from the 1972 Munich games are redone using fluorescent tubes and their stark simplicity and beauty works surprisingly well.

The ground floor has some works by local schoolchildren that have been inspired by works from the collection. The other contemporary display is, frankly, dreadful and shows everything wrong with modern art - but that is a minor blip.

Overall the place is a joy - exactly the sort of excellent gallery many cities would be proud of - never mind a small south coast resort. Although it's had some coverage in the national media - including the Observer and Wallpaper - it would have had hugely more if this gallery was in London.

Definitely worth a visit - it is an absolute gem.

Going up the Downs

Have escaped London to the South Downs and the south coast for a couple of days and am using Eastbourne as a base - which is a bit strange.

At Easter 15 years ago I first came to Eastbourne as my grandparents were looking to move there and we looked at various flats. Eventually they moved down and I've got know Eastbourne quite well over the years. I've a soft spot for the place - it's not particularly glamorous or exciting and it has perhaps a bit of faded glory. However, compared to other UK coastal towns it's doing OK - its seafront has a lot of lovely architecture that, due to good use of planning law, hasn't been ruined by tacky shopfronts. Above all it has the coast on one side and the glorious South Downs on the other.

I'm staying at a new 'funky' hotel - it's the type of place that has sofas in the bar with throw rugs and scatter cushions with 'Peace' and 'Love' stitched on them. It's OK - a bit different and a welcome addition to the other older style hotels that cater for the pensioner coach party tourist crowd. I would say the demographic here is a lot younger than most Eastbourne hotels - and it's a 1 minute walk from the theatres and the wonderful new Towner gallery. But...

Like many of these newly redone hotels they tend to have thought about style and forgotten that hotels also need to function as such. Yes the key fob is cute (see photo) and a wet room is very trendy - but there is no shaver point and a wet room simply means that the whole of the bathroom floor gets wet after a shower. Other little things are annoyances - the room has a flatscreen TV, but it's fixed to wall and can't be swivelled meaning that you can't easily watch it in bed - which is surely one of the small luxuries of a hotel stay! Breakfast is lovely, a continental style buffet rather than a cooked breakfast, which is plentiful and great - pity the breakfast room is nowhere near big enough for a hotel of this size. All of these are minor - overall the hotel is fine and a welcome change from others. But that makes the little annoyances worse - with just a little more thought the place could be wonderful.

Mind you - the trendy decor and scatter cushions look great now, but in 2 years will look dated and in need of overhaul. I mean cushions with 'Peace' and 'Love' in the hotel bar!?! Really...

Something smells fishy...

Below is a photo from yesterday's Guardian - I couldn't find a weblink so I've scanned it, hence it's quality.

The person circled is the officer alleged to have pushed Ian Tomlinson. Looking at the whole photo various questions need to be asked;

• several officers are wearing balaclavas, why? It wasn't cold on the day and they are already wearing full riot gear helmets so why the need for the balaclavas? If protesters wear them - or masks or hoodies - they are asked why - the same applies to the police,
• the officer circled doesn't seem to be wearing his identification number on his shoulders, why? Without these how do we even know he a police officer?
• the various incidents took place outside the Bank of England and Royal Exchange. This is in the heart of the City of London where there are numerous CCTV cameras - both public and private. Either the CCTV cameras will easily and quickly establish the chain of events, or this will prove that the headlong rush in to CCTV cameras is a waste of money and false investment as they will either be looking in the wrong direction, been deleted, or not be of sufficient quality,
• since February is has been an offence to film or photograph a police officer in a manner that might be of use in terrorism. Thankfully public order law was used re these demonstrations but given the wide use of terrorism law - most notoriously used to seize the money in Icelandic banks and when I last looked Iceland wasn't a hot bed of terrorism - will such filming be allowed in the future? Without an American trader happening to film this incident we may never have known about it.

We are repeatedly told when new laws are introduced that "if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear." This also applies to police - more so as in the UK there is the tradition of policing with the consent of the people.

Overall, something smells fishy - and in the words of Blackadder "I'm not just talking about the contents of Baldrick's apple crumble."

This story "has legs" - watch this space - more is going to come out...

Dress down Wednesday

One of those strange diary quirks meant that I had a meeting first thing this morning in the City of London.

The train was standing room only as normal but the Waterloo and City line, though busy, wasn't rammed. About halfway rumbling along the drain I looked around and it dawned on me - not a single person, male or female, was in a suit. The order of the day seemed to be casual trousers, smart jeans, fleece top or North Face jacket. It was the same at Bank station - though busy I spotted only one commuter suited and booted.

Walking to my meeting I passed the Bank of England (crush barriers ready) and the RBS offices - noticing that unlike many store and bank fronts it wasn't boarded up. The only people sporting shirt and ties seemed to be the various doormen and security guards who were very fastidiously checking people's passes before letting them in the buildings. Leaving the meeting at 10.30am I head to Liverpool St station - it's really quiet and I get the tube no problem.

I've always liked the contrasts of the Square Mile - Monday through Friday it's all hustle and bustle, and at weekends very quiet, empty and peaceful. Today was different still - it was fascinating to see how the whole atmosphere of the place changed for the better, on the tube and as people walked to work, simply because virtually everyone had 'dressed down'.

Defining Constructivism

All a bit last minute but I head off to the Rodchenko/Popova show at Tate Modern. Although I'd seen the review on The Culture Show, I wasn't really sure what to expect - modern abstract art, constructivism in graphic design and posters, good old fashioned Soviet propaganda?

What a fantastic exhibition. Geometric abstract art in vivid colours, a room of intricate sculpture (not really my thing) and wonderful posters covering everything from Communist Party promotion to Battleship Potemkin to the cover for a magazine entitled 'Syphilis' - I kid you not and I'm guessing not a big seller.

Perhaps not having any preconceived ideas going in to the exhibition I had an open mind and was more receptive to this type of art. It doesn't really matter - it is a wonderful exhibition.

It may not be your 'thing' - but go to it if you get the chance, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Sporadic Blogging

It's safe to say that my blogging in 2009 has been a bit 'light'. The last few weeks have been busy - things at work and other commitments have meant a pretty full on schedule - not quite the correct work/life balance...

Been pondering about it the past couple of weeks and am determined to try and correct the 'imbalance' - a lot seems to boil down to me being better at saying 'no' and learning that sitting around doing nothing can occasionally be 'a good thing'.

One of the results may be a return to more regular blogging.

Hey, every silver lining has a cloud... you have been warned...

Website of the week

'Progressive' isn't really a political term much in use in the UK - it's more a US term to describe the left-right split in politics.

But how progressive are you??? Take the quiz here.

It has a US bias - you can easily tell by the questions framed around the 'hot' issues in US politics such as abortion and gun control - but the results are interesting nonetheless.

My score - well let's just say I'm not an average American... ;-)

Website of the Week

Sometimes you just have to dance - whether you'd want to be caught on the Jumbotron at a Boston Celtics game is another matter...

I've Loved You So Long

Not a lot happens in this film. Juliette is released from prison after serving 15 years. She moves in with sister who makes her part of the family and gradually Juliette's bitterness, and the doubts of her sister's family, are overcome. It is a story of acceptance and a woman rebuilding her life with the support of her loving, if initially estranged, family.

Perhaps the fact that this is a French film helps - I can't but wonder if I would be as accepting of such a slow building film if it was set in, say, Yorkshire. There is also the 'novelty' of seeing Kristen Scott Thomas give a magnificent performance in French - although she has been based in France for several years she will perhaps, in many people's eyes, be best remembered as the wonderfully bitchy, and very upper class and English, Fiona in Four Weddings and Funeral. However, you have to doubt whether she would be offered such a role in a British or US film dealing with such a topic.

Whatever doubts you may have about seeing a subtitled film telling the story of a woman being released from prison, put them aside. Kristen Scott Thomas gives an outstanding performance supported by an excellent cast in a film that tells a simple story beautifully.

Website of the week

One way of dealing with telemarketeers.

Milk

Milk tells the story of Harvey Milk the first openly gay person elected to public office in America - he was later assassinated, along with the Mayor of San Francisco, by another City Supervisor.

The film captures the atmosphere of the times well, mixing in some news footage in with the drama, and combines how Harvey Milk motivated various disparate communities in order to get elected along with the personal lives of those involved. However, this is probably the film's weakness.

It can't decide whether to follow the political story - which shows the huge victimisation and bigotry that existed in the States at the time (and there are some parallels with the recent California Proposition 8) - or the personal stories of those involved. Either would make a great drama, but by trying to combine both the film is perhaps weaker than it could have been. I would have loved to delve more into the political story, the personal stories of the characters interested me less. The film also barely touches on why City Supervisor Dan White felt he had to kill Harvey Milk and the City Mayor.

Sean Penn is excellent in the lead role, and Emile Hirsch and Josh Brolin are both good. However, the person who saw it with me said it was 'disengaging' and that is the exact word to use when describing this film. There is a riveting and relevant story to be told here - unfortunately this film fails to make the most of the opportunity given.

London in the snow

Often London is a great place to live - today showed that sometimes it's like living in the dark ages. Overnight approx 6 inches of snow feel on London. It wasn't a great surprise - it had been forecast since Thursday and the snow started to fall late yesterday afternoon. Yet despite this the transport system today was the worst I've ever seen it London since I moved down here over a decade.

None of the roads appeared to have been gritted. The local authorities are saying they did grit them - but on the evidence I saw today (and believe me I walked a great many miles in SW and central London) gritting looked to be minimal/non-existent. This meant no buses in London - not a single one! Six million journeys a day are made on London buses - how was that going to happen today? The really annoying thing was the main roads and bus routes were not too bad - the ones I walked along were certainly passable and on the whole pretty clear. Of course the irony is that had the buses actually been running the routes would have cleared even faster.

Quite how the tubes ground to a halt is a little strange. The Circle line - which is actually underground for its entire route - was suspended all day; as was much of the network regardless of whether it was under or overground.

As for the trains... Trains in London even on a good day can be pretty dire - today was carnage. No Southern, South Eastern or First Capital Connect services. South West trains was entirely random - I hiked a couple of miles to another station and managed to make my way into work but coming home was dreadful - not a scrap of information at Waterloo and the website described a 'skeleton' service that was, at best, largely aspirational and on the whole fictional. To top it all when I did get a train it got stuck behind one that had broken down!

I know 'adverse' weather will be difficult - but this weather was well predicted and not that 'adverse'. What really annoys me in this 'information age' was the simple lack of information. South West Trains, Network Rail and Waterloo station in particular should be thoroughly ashamed.

London is supposed to be a world city, the capital of a well developed nation, the next Olympic city. Today it proved to be 'third' world - and at times not even that.

On the plus side, with all the snow, today it did look absolutely stunning.

Website of the week

As much as I like the new T Mobile advert currently on TV in the UK at the moment - see below - I really can't help thinking they perhaps got 'inspiration' from the similar thing in New York Grand Central Station last year - also below.

T Mobile advertisment


Frozen Grand Central

Indeed, back in April 2008 I commented that I'd love to do something like it at Waterloo or St Pancras - if only I'd said Liverpool Street would I have got a percentage??

Have to say I still prefer the NYC version...

The Wrestler

Randy 'The Ram' Robinson is a wrestler who in the 80s was at the height of fame with bouts in Madison Square Gardens. Now times are a little harder and he is doing small bouts in small halls in small town America. Living in a trailer park his closet friend outside the ring seems to be a local stripper.

The bouts he's now in are far from glamorous and involve items such as barb wire, ladders and staplers. They are taking their physical toil and after one bout he has a heart attack - but he has also been offered one final large pay day with a 80s style match against 'The Ayatollah'. Can he rebuild his life outside the ring, or risk his health with one final fight?

Wonderfully shot this movie really captures the atmosphere of a ageing athlete now down on their luck. It highlights the camaraderie backstage in the world of small town wrestling, and the brutality that can occur in the ring. Ultimately it is about someone looking at their own mortality and wondering 'is that it?'

Mickey Rourke is simply excellent as The Ram - vulnerable yet reluctant to give up the only life he knows. Marisa Tomei is warm and thoughtful in a 'tart with a heart' style role as the ageing stripper who is also having to accept that ageing is impacting her 'career' - it's a role that should have been bigger, but Tomei does well with the limited screen time she's given.

Personally I felt disappointed with the ending, which felt like a cop out. However, this is Rourke's movie and, unlike The Reader, you care about his character and what happens to him - he should be a certainty for the Oscar in the best he's been in his entire career.

The Reader

Set in post war Germany The Reader is a film about Hanna Schmitz, a woman who seems to have no friends and possesses a secret, and Michael Berg, a young man/boy with whom she has an affair. The story follows their lives from the post war years through to the 60s and up to the 90s.

Directed by Stephen Daldry (probably most famous for Billy Elliot) with a screenplay by David Hare and starring Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes, this is the first of the 'big Oscar hopeful' movies to hit the UK in 2009. It has already been nominated for 4 Golden Globe awards.

It's pity that it is such a dull film. Coming in at just over 2 hours it does little to holder the viewer for huge chunks of it, and seems to contain at least 2 false endings if not more. The main problem is that neither of the lead characters is remotely sympathetic and you, or at least I, didn't really care what happened to them. Hanna has a secret, well two actually, and she keeps one of them even as the first, her war past, means that she is sent to prison for longer than her war crimes should dictate. If you've read the book, or even the review in the Independent which contained this plot 'twist', then you know what the 'other secret' is. Ask yourself this question - if you were in her position wouldn't you just have admitted your 'shame' rather than face a lengthy jail sentence? Would you rather be known as x than as a 'Nazi whore'? Unfortunately it's on the acceptance of her rather ludicrous decision that the whole film falls apart.

There are some good parts to the film. Kate Winslet is excellent, especially later in the film as her character ages, and the section set in the 60s around the war trials contained some thought provoking and interesting moments. But unfortunately these do not make up for a dull plot with leads you just don't care about - indeed sometimes they seem to vie for who is the most unpleasant. Ralph Fiennes reprises his 'cold and emotionally distant' acting that was last seen in The Duchess.

It's disappointing and I left the cinema wondering why this was made as pretty much a 'British' film when, having seen what German cinema has done with their history in Downfall and The Lives of Others, left in local hands it could have been so much more.

Hello to 2009

So how was your Christmas and New Year? How was 2008? Looking forward to 2009? How many more pointless questions will he ask?

The image is from one of the Christmas cards I sent to some friends - slightly tongue in cheek to build up my grumpy old man persona. The ironic thing was that the 'Bah Humbug' card was actually the most expensive type I sent!

I hope that Christmas and New Year was good for you - a time of joy, peace and celebration. How will 2009 pan out?

For me 2008 was a peculiar year. Many good things and one-off highlights that I doubt I'll repeat - trips to Buckingham Palace, 11 Downing Street and the British Grand Prix - and others I hope to repeat, though perhaps not soon - trip to the US and seeing the NFL game at Wembley. I felt happy and settled living in the part of London I do, and can happily see me staying here for some time - the first time I've felt that since moving to London in 1996. The career continued to flourish with a new role. So overall, a good year?

Well... I don't know. It must be because it had so many highlights, and yet... I end the year feeling somewhat restless. I can't pinpoint exactly what or why I feel this, I just do. It's nothing 'major' - there is no crisis, no really deep worries, no life changing thoughts. I'm not about to have a midlife crisis, buy a convertible and starting dating a "model/actress/whatever" - although that does sound fun! There is just a sort of restless unease sitting there - nothing more, nothing less.

I'm looking forward to 2009, and I hope you are too. May it be a year of what we'd like it to be - it's a new year, let's all grasp it.

I'll be back

Apologies for the unbelievable lack of blogging for the past couple of months. I'd originally hoped to do daily updates on my US holiday - but was having too much fun cramming various things in and generally being very touristy. Since coming back, the last two months have just been very busy with various things.

Anyway, I'll update and backpost the thoughts I had when on holiday and a couple of other things. Hopefully some sort of 'normal service' will resume quickly...

New York - day 2

Day 2 and I decide to something very touristy - a 3 hour boat trip around the island of Manhattan. I love the way a city can look so different from the water - London takes on a different feel on a commuter boat and Liverpool is a truly beautiful city when viewed from the Mersey.

The trip is fascinating with the guide doing a commentary which combines history with humour, interesting fact with wonderful trivia. He handles very well what could have been an awkward moment as he talks about the World Trade Center; dignified but not going in to mawkishness nor unthinking patriotism.

At one point he comments that he majored in speech and theatre at college before moving to film school and NYC (to be honest the most surprising thing he said during the entire commentary was "my wife and I"...) and whilst his career may not gone how he intended, he is in effect giving a 3 hour one man show several times a week. A highly recommended way to spend a morning in NYC.

After lunch I head to the Museum of Modern Art - no doubt the first of many galleries I'll enjoy on this trip. What a lovely building and a fascinating collection. Modern art may not be for eveyone - but I like it and this is a beautiful haven of art just off the bustle of 5th Avenue.

This weekend is the start of the NFL season and with the New York Giants being the current Superbowl champions the honour of the opening game falls to them. To celebrate there is a free NFL Kickoff concert being held at Columbus Circle - quite why there so we have to watch it from a blocked off road when Central Park is next door and would make more sense I've no idea. Anyway, closing the road in the rush hour adds to the midtown traffic chaos and I wander over to take a look. All I will say is that it's a slighty strange line up - Natasha Bedingfield (I've come all this way to see a Brit artist....), Usher, and Keith Urban (probably best known in the UK for being married to Nicole Kidman) - and I leave pretty promptly.

I head back to the hotel but stop off at Top of the Rock and go to the observation deck. What a contrast to yesterday's Empire State Building. I'm there at a similar time but there are no queues and it's cheaper. It is better organised with more viewing space - on several levels - at the top and, of course, you get wonderful and breathtaking views of the skyline. Its location means you get see across Central Park as well as the beautiful Empire State Building and my undoubted tip so far - if you visit New York forget the Empire State Building, head straight to the Top of the Rock.

New York - day 1

So I made it - and they let me in the country! For a few years I've been wanting to do a trip to the USA and combine visiting New York City and Washington DC. Finally, this year I actually got around to doing something about it.

A few initial observations;

• Terminal 5 at Heathrow is nearly excellent. Check in and security were swiftly dealt with and there are numerous shops and restaurants. But it does seem to be a shopping centre which happens to offer flights, rather than a decent airport putting the passenger first. All that money spent, and still had to queue for the inadequate number of toilets!
• I really hope that the immigration officer's name on their badge is more an acquired name than their birth name - to be a woman called 'Mutt' would seem a tad cruel. And I'm not making that up - that really was her name on her badge
• JFK airport seems to have achieved the impossible and is actually more confusing and ugly than Heathrow
• they clearly don't have speed cameras in the USA. My transfer from the airport was by minivan. Having been driven around JFK airport and seeing it from all angles as the vehicle was filled, we headed off at breakneck speed. Speed limit = 50; we were going at 70 and once touched 80 as we undertook, tailgated and went right across all the lanes on the way to Manhattan, all whilst the driver seemed to be shuffling the paperwork to work out which hotel to stop at first! Good fun - but glad I arrived in one piece!
  

First impression - New York really is Gotham!

My hotel is right in midtown and just off 5th Avenue - room is smallish, but it's all location, location, location! I'm going to be such a tourist on this trip and I walk down to the Empire State Building. It's a beautiful building to look at, and the view from the top - well the 86th floor, to get to the 102nd is another $15 - is amazing, and slightly scary. However, the interior of the building the tourists see is tired and there is a long line to join to pay - though not as long as it could have been judging by the layout of the waiting area. Also, all the staff are dressed in ESB suits styled to allude to the 30s - but none of them seem to fit anyone. I've never seen such a large number of ill-fitting suits in one place. Makes you wonder whether is some deliberate and bizarre branding idea...

Anyway, the view is amazing and a good, though tiring start, to my stay.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

Still here

Apologies for the lack of posts the past month. The last few weeks have been hectic and I'll be back posting a few items over the next few days.

Fear not - am still alive!

Where's Christopher Robbin and Alice?

Have to say that yesterday I went to one of the most surreal things I've ever been to. For a variety of reasons I was invited to a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace...

Now, it's really not my kind of thing, but the invitation was for me plus guest and figured it would be sort my Mum would love. Dress code is lounge suit, morning dress or military uniform (no medals) for men, and suitable dress (trousers suits are allowed) and hat for the ladies. Chains of office can be worn!

So, with invitations in hand we join an incredibly over dressed queue and enter the Palace via the front gates. It's a strange event. There are hundreds of people and it's rather like a society wedding without the service. We have a wander and get some sandwiches (cut into fingers, no crusts), some cake (the chocolate cake is lovely and is complete with a little gold crown on top) and a cup of tea (special Twinnings Royal Garden blend). The Queen appears and does a walkabout, chatting with various predetermined people. Mum manages to get quite close and has a good view of the Queen. We are both a little amused that my Mum has the same hat as 3 others standing near her in the crowd - she must be lot more trendy that she thought.

We have a wander round the grounds - which are lovely. Most women, Mum included, take the opportunity when having a stroll to take off their new shoes for a moment. It is a little amusing to see all these women, hatted and in new outfits, nearly all taking off their shoes for a little respite from the standing around.

We wander back to get a cold drink and before you know the National Anthem strikes up and it's time to leave. We walk out through the front gates of the Palace to the bemused looks of gawking tourists and head, along with several others, for a very overdressed stroll through St James Park.

A pleasant afternoon - not really my thing but I'm glad I've been. Weather was warm, and those in military uniform or top hats must have been sweltering - especially the Yeoman of the Guard as many of them weren't exactly in the first flush of youth.

Overall, it is a surreal experience - not least because of the music selection of the band. You'll be stood having a cup of tea listening to some Mozart. That will end and the next tune will strike up - hold on, that's a Beatles medley containing When I'm 64, Sgt Pepper and With a Little Help From my Friends. Then there'll be some more chamber style music, followed by the Lambeth Walk or Living La Vida Loca. The most bizarre was walking through the gardens and suddenly realising the band were playing Staying Alive - perhaps Her Majesty is a secret Bee Gees fan.

High Fashion

On the way back from Birmingham popped into the Bicester Outlet Village. No particular reason other than to break the journey.

Walking round something caught my eye. The were a small group of women wearing full traditional Muslim dress, complete with the veil. That in itself was nothing strange, not even in Bicester Outlet Village. What did cause me to raise a wry smile was they were carrying loads of bags from all the high end fashion stores - Calvin Klein, Jimmy Choo etc. Couldn't help, given their attire, but wonder why spend the money?? Presents??

Tonight, Matthew, I will be Noel Edmonds

Did my 'riveting' 30 min slot on the induction course at work - day 2 and the 'prime' post lunch spot for half an hour on financial management is always a tough sell.

Highlight was when the phone on the desk rang - in true Deal or No Deal style - half way through my talk. Ought to make it a regular occurence for this slot!

Fat Pig

Toddled along to the Trafalgar Studios last night to see Fat Pig, the play by Neil LaBute. Set in America it's a four hander about how friends react when a bloke dates a 'big boned gal' - it also looks at how he deals with it, does he admit that the large lady is his date?

It's an interesting and funny piece; much of which is due to the quartet of fine British actors as the actual characters are pretty vile. Neil LaBute is a writer who can divide opinion - many think he is simply honestly highlighting much of what happens in the real world, other feel he's a misogynist.

An added bonus for this performance was a Q&A session after the play with LaBute and the four actors with the somewhat 'inspired' selection of Venessa Feltz as the chair. To be honest it was poorly handled by Feltz who let the audience, especially one or two people, to be far too vocal. I'd much rather have heard more from LaBute and the actors rather the vague pretentious twaddle of some of the audience - especially as LaBute and the actors came across as witty and intelligent, well aware of the issues the play threw up.

The cast are excellent and contains Kris (BT ads) Marhsall, Robert (Mitchell and Webb) Webb, Joanna (Gavin and Stacey) Page, and Ella (not sure) Smith. Webb and Smith are particularly good as the main couple.

You may not agree with LaBute - and the play has an honest rather than happy ending - but he raises an interesting issue; a man would get a lot more grief from his friends for going out with a fat woman than a woman would for going out with a fat bloke. The fat bloke in me is grateful - but that doesn't make it right!

British Grand Prix - Race Day

Back to Silverstone for the race!

Things are different to yesterday. Firstly we had to queue to get in to the car park - being sat stationary for about 15 minutes wasn't too bad, but it signals the day will be different with the bigger crowd.

Secondly, the weather. It is wet and windy! Very windy, which makes the rain seem a lot worse. Our seats are excellent - we are on the pit straight level with about the 15th/16th on the gird and we are on the very last row. This gives an excellent view - we are also bang opposite a large screen TV so can follow the race - but offers no protection from the weather. At all! The wind is straight at us and watching the short the GP2 race makes us very wet. Amusement is offered by someone in front - dressed only in jeans and T shirt - who tries to ease into a bin liner to offer some protection from the rain. He seems to have forgotten to bring XXXL.

We go and find some shelter and fortify ourselves with yet more sausage based meals. Slightly less damp we settle in for the race. Ever in support of the underdog I decide to cheer on Force India - they seem to need it - and I was disappointed at none of the merchandise stalls could I buy any Force India stuff. Surely a missed opportunity for them.

The race is noisy - you can't quite appreciate just how noisy 20 F1 cars can be - and although the weather is foul from a spectator point on view, it makes for a great race. Cars are spinning, tyre strategies come into play, and David Coulthard - in his last British GP - doesn't even make it round one lap. Force India start well but don't finish.

In a masterpiece of wet weather driving Lewis Hamilton wins. The crowd go mad and heave a collective sigh of relief when he takes the chequered flag - he's been miles ahead but throughout the race you just have a sneaky feeling he's going to have a rush of blood to the head and spin into a gravel trap at any moment.

Overall a great day and, though damp, really enjoyable. Silverstone as a race track is excellent, but as a spectator facility is poor. Some of the logistics seem to be run by people lacking common sense - when leaving the crowds are delayed by several bin lorries parked and taking up half the pathway which just seems stupid - and it simply can't cope with 90,000 people. We make a swift exit but get stuck getting out of the car park for about half an hour, which is pretty good - though I later learn that someone else I know spent a lot longer trying to leave! It's a pity really that the circuit so poorly serves the spectators as the actual track allows for great racing and the place if simply stacked with history - it's just not fit for 90,000 and they ought to visit other venues, like the Millennium Stadium, to see how things can be done (although not the new Wembley which is, considering the money spent, actually quite poor for fans). Nonetheless, a fascinating couple of days and thoroughly enjoyable - well worth the effort, and the rain!

British Grand Prix - Qualifying

Somehow I've ended up at the British Grand Prix!

Once again spare syndrome has struck. Last week I was told there might be a spare ticket going for the Sunday - eventually turns out the tickets are for the whole weekend! So, rather earlier than is strictly necessary on a Saturday morning, I head up the M40 to the old airfield on the Bucks/Northants border that is Silverstone.

I'm not really a petrolhead - the occasional viewing of the World Rally Championship or Top Gear is as far as it goes for me - but the person I'm with knows their stuff and so I won't be ignorant the whole weekend.

The weather is breezy but apart from a brief shower it is dry. Silverstone is flat and the wind means that the weather barrels across the sky at great speed. It's reckoned about 60,000 turn up for qualifying day and the place is comfortably busy - quite how it will be tomorrow with the capacity 90,000 will be interesting. Although we get in (and leave) very easily I can already foresee problems with larger numbers. For example, the male toilets are incredibly badly designed with only one entrance/exit - they look new but have the owners not been to other stadia to see how best to design such places? And if you're a vegetarian then you are screwed re catering - most food on offer seems to be a variation of sausage.


The weekend is against the background that Silverstone has lost the British GP to Donnington Park - mainly to do with facilities. It seems as pity are the racetrack is excellent - it's one of the few in motor sport that allows overtaking - at the sight lines are fine. The number of helicopters flying around is incredible - every UK based chopper must be here.

An interesting day, but who knows what tomorrow will bring - especially looking at the weather forecast!

It's My Life (apparently)

OK, I'm now a bit worried - this is becoming a habit - almost an addiction. It's June and last night once again I've somehow ended up at a Bon Jovi concert...

It's really strange. This concert is at Twickenham - 2 stops from me on the train. My friend and I have a pint at a pub on the river and head over to the stadium - the weather is windy but looks like it will hold. Once again I'm amazed at the demographic of a Bon Jovi concert - it's young (most are in their 20s) and it's probably over half female. Guess it proves sex appeal sells.

We have good seats - high up in the gods but front and centre. The support act - Biffy Cyclo - is dreadful. All the other UK dates have The Feeling as support, but tonight they are playing Glastonbury. It's also the same evening as the Mandela concert so I guess getting a decent support act was always going to difficult.

In front of us are a group of people who, as the evening unwinds, act out an episode of a soap opera. One bloke can't handle his drink and goes through the 5 stage of drinking so brilliantly observed by the excellent Larry Miller. At a couple of points his wife/girlfriend is in tears and the security guard keeps a close eye, having a quiet word on one occasion. It's never threatening or hostile, just distracting - he's just a complete pillock who can't handle his beer, makes an idiot of himself and you do wonder if he has 'special needs' and has been let out with his social workers for the evening.

The concert is what you'd expect from a best selling group who have been around for over 20 years. They are a tight unit, completely at ease with each other and the crowd and it comes across. Bon Jovi will never be at the cutting edge nor have artistic credibility - but they do a great concert and give the fans exactly what they want - and really, you can't ask for more. For me the weirdest thing is simply walking all the way home from such a big gig - gradually the crowds ease but they are still several from the concert walking alongside us all the way back to TW11.

Overall, a good evening at the local concert venue.

Priceless (Hors de Prix)

In this lovely French film Audrey Tautou plays a gold digger out to snare herself a rich older husband on the French Riviera. One evening she mistakes the bartender for a rich hotel guest and they spend the night together. He is smitten but she leaves, not knowing who he really is. A year later she returns and eventually the truth dawns.

The bartender - a lovely performance full of warmth and charm from Gad Elmaleh - still pursues her, but knowing who he really is, i.e. not wealthy, means she isn't interested. Through a bizarre set of circumstance the bartender ends up being a gigolo to an older woman. However, he still loves the younger gold digger - will he eventually win her over??

Give that the film has a slightly unpleasant premise - both characters after all are providing companionship and sexual services to older, richer partners - the film could have been tacky. However, what you actually get is a lovely, light romantic comedy - a basic boy-meets-girl and loses her plot, but one well done. Both leads are excellent, playing the parts with charm and humour, and both look stunning - especially Audrey Tautou who looks incredibly glamorous and miles apart from her kooky Amelie character.

If you get a chance, see it. It will only be remade in Hollywood in a couple of years with Ashton Kutcher and Lindsay Lohan in the lead roles. You have been warned!

Website of the week

To find more graphical representations of songs and films, go to the excellent graphjam.com.

And they say accountants can't have fun...

Lights, camera, action?

Spent yesterday evening 'workshopping' with a small group of actors and writers - absolutely fascinating seeing words you've written come to life in front of your eyes.

It's also scary - as the scene you've written unfolds there is a slightly strange apprehension in your stomach as you wonder whether it's any good or complete drivel. Does it make sense? Does it sound natural?

What did I find out? The dialogue is OK but the actors found my lack of written directions a little strange. Yes they want freedom to add to the words - but they need something to start them off! I also discovered that changing a single word in a small exchange can really help/hinder its flow.

Nice to do something - no matter amateur - completely different to the day job.

My Secret Addiction

Having a minor sort out/tidy up. Stack all of my unread books in to a pile - it's rather large.

Currently I have 22 unread books - of which 11 have been started before I got distracted by something newer and more shiny. Breakdown of the 22 books is;

• 2 novels
• 3 political
• 5 theological
• 3 biography/history
• 3 sports related
• 6 film/journalism related

Not sure what it says about me - my inability to walk past or into a bookshop (new or used) seems to be a possible addiction. Do I need an 'intervention' or to phone my 'sponsor'?

The Garden City

Always good to catch up with people and spend time with friends and yesterday was doing just that in the delightful Letchworth Garden City - one of whose claims to fame is that it had the first roundabout in the UK.

Is a little strange going there as I've connections with the area - I spent a few years growing up in Hitchin, the next door market town, where my grandparents lived for around 40 years, and an uncle and aunt were married in Letchworth.

It's a fascinating space - a development of the early 20th century it remains a charming town with a sense of its own identity and community. It has some wonderful architecture and wide grassy boulevards - there really is a sense of space. All this just 30 odd miles and a 30 minute train ride from Kings Cross.

Driving back I reflected on whether such a development could possibly happen today - I suppose the nearest is Poundbury. As I drove past Stevenage and Hatfield - two lovely Hertfordshire old towns ruined by town planning - I realised that such developments definitely weren't possible in the 1950s and 1960s.

Still a partial plant

Spent the day on an 'awayday' with a group of people. Was a interesting day getting to know people a little better. and part of the time was finding out our preferred 'team roles' using those devised by Dr Meredith Belbin.

I'd done this a few years ago so knew a little of what to expect. Would my preferred 'team roles' have changed much (or at all) over the past 6 years?

Results were in - I'm still a Monitor/Evaluator and a Plant. Does this signify a lack in progress of my personal development? Or I'm comfortable with who I am and play to my strengths?