Website of the week

The is lots of knowledge on the web.

But we know that the web was really invented to share Unnecessary Knowledge.

Hitting the refresh button is strangely addictive...

Talking 'bout a Revolution

Last weekend I was up in Manchester to go to Revolution 28. The Revolution series are track cycling meetings that are a cross between an exhibition event and a team meeting, which gives a chance for young talent to develop. Held at the national Velodrome on a Saturday evening it's a good family event for cycle fans - blending the best of the world (Sir Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton were competing) with up and coming talent.

I'd never been to the velodrome before and it's a great venue. Spectators are close to the tight, banked track as the athletes whizz past - the atmosphere is great. It must be incredible at a World Cup or championship event.

British Cycling is have a wonderful time - dominant on the track and now with a strong Protour professional team with Team Sky. Interestingly Sky where at the event doing some 3D recording - which will be fascinating to see. But like most sports in the UK it relies on a strong volunteer base. Looking at the officials at the meeting doing their thing in the centre of the track I couldn't help but wonder what some of these volunteers make of it - some of them must have been helping cycling during the lean years. I wonder what they'd have said if 15 years ago you'd told them what the state of UK cycling would be today - complete with knighthoods, world champions and a thorough and professional outfit?

So a great evening - thoroughly enjoyable. And the banking of the velodrome track has to be seen to be believed!

Moore at the Tate

Went to a preview of the Henry Moore exhibition at Tate Britain the other evening.

Not sure what to make of it. I'll admit that I'm not a huge sculpture fan, but looking at these pieces up close you are forced to admire the artistry. Moore worked with a variety of materials - bronze, concrete, elmwood, alabaster - and his works comes in a variety of sizes. Seeing them all together does give you an appreciation of the sheer scale of his work.

But... well... putting so much Moore in one place does dilute it. There is a whole room of 'Mother & Child' pieces, another room has numerous 'Reclining figures'. It, frankly, becomes rather boring and 'samey' after a while - perhaps less really is Moore.

However, there are some simply stunning drawing of miners at work and people sheltering in the Underground during WW2 - they are beautiful and haunting. These are certainly worth seeing and spending time with.

If you are a fan of Moore then you'll enjoy this. If not I suggest an alternative. Within yards of Tate Britain find two of Moore's pieces - one by the Thames across the river from MI6 building, one on the green by Parliament where the TV crews do their interviews. These are beautiful pieces in beautiful locations - and can be enjoyed for free.

The Age of the Train part 2

On train back from Manchester.

Virgin Trains really are donkeys. Most tickets require 'mandatory' seat reservations. None of the reserved seats are marked - all seats have labelled 'available'.

Result - chaos as people find their 'allocated' seats already occupied.

Still, at least we seem to have hot water and working loos. I guess that's progress?

The Age of the Train

Currently on train to Manchester. Travelling by Virgin is 'interesting'.

1. Are lots of 1st class coaches - probably empty. Result - standard class is rammed.
2. Is no tea or coffee or hot drinks due to a 'blown fuse.' Eh... can't you replace the fuse?Simples.
3. There was an annoucement listing the working toilets - it didn't sound very many.

So, we have modern, new trains but you can't get a hot drink and a lot of the loos don't work? This is progress?

Mind you - perhaps no hot drinks and non-working toilets are linked...

Website of the week

For those who use Twitter but haven't quite got their head around the privacy settings and still have their geo-location switched on. Have a look at Please Rob Me and learn an interesting lesson.

 

hattip - dizzythinks

Avatar 3D

I don't where to start with Avatar. One of the most expensive movies ever made, first really massive blockbuster to be made in 3D, and now the biggest grossing film of all time with takings of over $2billion.

Pity they didn't spend money on a plot...

Humans are on the planet Pandora where they are mining Unobtanium which sells for millions of dollars per kilo - no, I'm not making this is up, this really is the story.

Humans can't breathe on Pandora but they've developed 'avatars' of themselves as locals which people can operate telepathically by being in a sort of pod. Thus they can interact with the restless locals. Ex-marines provide security for the humans.

Bascially take 30% of Lord of the Rings, 30% Star Wars, 30% Apocalyse Now and, somewhat bizarrely, 10% of the campfest that is Flash Gordon and you have a bit of idea of the film.

Overall the themes seem to be that raping a planet of resources is bad, the military will always fire first and ask questions later, and big business is evil. Messages and the read across to green issues, climate change, the Iraq/Iran/Vietnam wars are all there with massive klaxons going off just in case you haven't quite got it.

It is a beautifully shot film - you can see where the money went - but it's a falsehood that this is a 3D 'game changer'. Actually much of the film would be as impressive in 2D, the 3D effects are good but not 'wow!', and you can easily watch huge chunks of this without your annoying 3D glasses if you want.

But what this does show is how far CGI has come on in recent years - frankly the actors are optional and could easily be completely done artificially via computer. Indeed, in the future we may not need/see real actors - whole films could be done with a complete cast of Avatars.

And that, not the 3D effects, is what the legacy of this, rather mediocre, film will be.

Website of the week

Don't know if you're a fan of bagels - me? I don't mind them but can't get that worked up over them.

However, if you've ever wondered how to make your bagel in to a Mobius strip (see here), well thankfully there is a website for that. Welcome to the Mathematically Correct Breakfast.

There is even a handy YouTube video...

Forest for the trees

Weather's not great but need some fresh air so head out for a decent stroll.

I like the fact that even though you can live in the south east of England, in some of the most densely populated parts of Europe, you still find peace and quiet.

It's cold, damp and a bit muddy - this forest could just as easily be in Wales or Scotland. And then, to surprise you, you come across a market gardening operation.

Though looking at the sign, I'm guessing it's not just the locals of Surrey employed here.

Full of Glee

There are certain TV programmes that both define a decade and are guilty pleasures;

• In the 1980s it was Beverly Hills 90210 - did you like Brandon or Dylan, Andrea or Kelly? (And let's face it, the current updated series just isn't the same even with Brenda and Kelly cameos...)
• In the 1990s it was Buffy
• In the 2000s/noughties it was The OC

I have to say that for the 2010s/teens it could well be Glee.

For so many reasons it shouldn't work - teen angst, musical numbers - but it's one of the funniest, best written and most original shows currently on TV.

It also has a killer soundtrack - and any show that includes an old Huey Lewis & the News track can't be wrong. Glee - my current guilty pleasure.

Things you only know if you're single...

The Times magazine on Saturday has a wonderful little column by Hannah Betts called 'Things you only know if you're single.' It's funny and very knowing. For example, TYOKIYS include;

• you can see why all you're single friends are single - but can't see why you still are
• bank holidays are miserable - for May Day read Mayday

This week it was "Swofties are taking over from cougars." Swofties? Single women over fifty who like clubbing, tweeting and exotic holidays - see here.

What I like is the concept is slightly ridiculed and that we mustn't forget that "today's Swoftie is tomorrow's Single Woman Over Seventy Who Considers Eating Cat Food."

Just as Bridget Jones' Diary let out too many secrets about the female mind, and High Fidelity gave away far too much of what really goes on in a bloke's mind - the TYOKIYS column might be letting the reality of singledom out of the bag!

Website of the week

It's been a while but here's another of those websites that some will find brilliant and cute...

.... and other will find disturbing.

Some people have way too free time to spend on Photoshop...

Oh well - you've heard of 'manchild' - here's ManBabies

Is President Obama going to be President Carter take two?

I don't write much, indeed any, thoughtful stuff here - froth, films and funnies tend to be the preferred witterings here, but I do follow politics on both sides of the Atlantic and can't help wondering if Obama is going to be a one term President in the mould of Jimmy Carter.

There are many similarities;

• both came to power on the back of discredited Republican administrations
• both inherited difficult econmic conditions
• both brought optimism and promises to office, but struggled once in the White House
• both had to deal with difficult foreign policy issues in the Middle East - Israel/Palestine and Iran/Iraq
• both seem to be decent family men who have perhaps found gaining office considerably easier than actually being in office

I do wonder if the similarities may continue, for example;

• Carter was undone by the situation in Iran - could Obama? Indeed the odds seem more stacked against him as he has the additional issues of Iraq and Afghanistan to worry about.
• Carter faced a challenge from within the Democratic Party towards the end of his term, despite being the incumbent President - Edward Kennedy ran against him for the 1980 Presidential campaign. Could Obama, whose poll ratings are pretty low and dropping, face a challenge from, say, Hilary Clinton or another leading Democrat 'for the sake of the party'?
• There was initially no clear Republican challenger to run against Carter - in the end Reagan emerged and swept to power. Where will the next Republican challenger to Obama come from? Who are the up and coming Republican Governors?

In the end Carter's reputation grew upon leaving office - largely due to his work for Habitat for Humanity and his continued work around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I sense something similar may happen to Obama - he becomes a 'greater' world statesman after leaving office than he ever was as a one term President.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Not often I go to the theatre - certainly not often enough - but I went the other week to see the latest version of Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Like much of Williams' work it's a play brimming with dysfunctional family issues, repressed sexuality and, frankly, quite a lot of unpleasant characters.

This particular staging is slightly different as it has an all black cast. Directed by Debbie (Fame) Allen it stars James (voice of Vader & CNN) Earl Jones, Phylicia (Mrs Cosby) Rashad, Adrian (Hustle) Lester and, somewhat strangely, Richard (the Richard Blackwood Show) Blackwood. It is wonderful.

The cast are excellent, with no weak links, and all give excellent performances nuanced between making the characters unpleasant, which most are, but allowing us to see some of their redeeming qualities. Above all there is the brilliant writing of Williams'. The play may be over 50 years old, but it is still bang up to date - the second act remains one of the best father/son scenes ever written.

If you get a chance to see it, then do - and a play that also has Derek (Playaway and Heads & Tails) Griffiths can't be bad.

Experimenting

Just seeing if I can blog from my iPhone.

Who knows, if this works I may update more than 3 times a month.

But then again, we all know what's going to really happen...

Apologies for the poor service - wrong kind of snow...

Afraid I've been as bad as ever of late with the updating - apologies.

Thought I'd be a bit better, especially last week - but unfortunately it's been very busy.

It'll be like buses - nothing for ages and then loads of posts at one.

Website of the week

Forget the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Don't worry about the 2012 Olympics in London.

What you want is The Redneck Games. Details about time and place available here.

Sherlock Holmes

Until I saw Sherlock Holmes I'd never seen a Guy Ritchie film. If this is his 'return to form' then I don't feel I've missed much.

The movie has Robert Downey Jr as Holmes and Jude Law as Dr Watson. Both are charismatic actors and have a good presence on the screen. One sub plot of the film is Watson has got engaged and about to move from Baker Street and Holmes is not happy. So, is this really a 'bromance' movie laced with homoerotic undertones? Well, not really, and that might have made a better film as there would have at least been a plot.

The movie is 'okay'. It's mildly diverting but I can't remember the story - if there was one. Downey and Law make a good odd couple double act, and Rachel McAdams and Mark Strong hold their own as the supporting cast. However, the best you can say about the overall enterprise is 'workmanlike'.

Something is missing. It's not really about Holmes and Watson and could have been any other characters set in this period. This is almost a pantomine paraody - all it lacks is Biggins as a dame. Now, that would be a movie worth watching.

New Year Resolutions - Day 2

So, day 2 - how are the New Year Resolutions going? So far, so good??


A couple of weeks ago I registered with an new GP so had a minor check up. On the whole things were fine, "when did you last see your GP?" "1996", was my reply. My blood pressure was a little high - the nurse took it 3 times just to make sure - but when I told them where I work, "well, I guess that explains that." Then came the time to measure my weight. It wasn't too bad - but let's just say that I'm *ahem* slightly 'bigger boned' that I thought. Upshot is I need to take more exercise.

Weather today was lovely and crisp, and one of the joys of where I live is that in 40 minutes I can be amongst the countryside. So today I headed to the North Downs and the River Wey just outside Guildford for a 7-8 mile walk.

OK, so much of the good work... most of the good work... probably all of the good work... was undone by the pie and chips I had for tea... Still, day 2 and the 'more exercise' resolution is intact. Small steps...

You know you're middle aged when...

Hope that you've had a lovely Christmas as we are now in the 'phoney' period between Christmas and New Year. Christmas is sort of over, many are off work until the New Year, whilst others are already back to normal.

Anyway, I've got various things I could be doing but yesterday I headed to some shops. I didn't need anything specific - but there were some items that if I came across in a sale I'd buy.

Before long I found myself in John Lewis looking at some nice towels in the sale. This is it, middle age is finally here as not only did I find myself buying said towels - but was actually quite pleased with the purchase...