It's Kirtons For You

Iron Maiden MEN Arena 28/7/2011

2011-08-01T05:26:00.000-07:00

Last week I went to music gig. Of itself that isn’t earth shattering news. Those who know me also know that I love my music but for reasons I can’t be bothered to go into here I never get to go to many gigs. In my time I have seen Queensryche, The Eagles, Eric Clapton, Edwin Starr and plenty of smaller bands. Last Thursday I got to see one of the bands I have wanted to see for probably the last 30 years, Iron Maiden.

The day started well with wonderful weather and as we arrived at the MEN in Manchester it continued to improve. The fans arrived and queued up quietly joking amongst each other. The atmosphere was friendly. My son was with me and this was his second gig. In the programme one of the band, Steve Harris I think, remarked that the band now had three generations of fans coming to their gigs and that we were all one big family. This was reflected in the faces in the lines waiting to go in. There were kids and pensioners and all forms of life in between waiting patiently. When stewards asked people to move, they moved without complaint or fuss. Not very heavy metal you might think.

A friend of mine recently attended the Sonisphere Festival at Knebworth and in his review of the event remarked that there had been no arrests throughout the whole festival whereas at other festivals arrests were not uncommon. The concourse outside the arena was a sea of black. There were no sidelong glances or snide comments about the way people dressed there was an air of acceptance.

The doors opened and we went through to the actual arena. The music playing whilst people waited was heavy metal unsurprisingly. Then at just before 7.30 the support band came on. Airbourne are likely to be one of the biggest stars in heavy metal and their first two albums have generally been well received with people arguing whether or not they are the new AC/DC or the new Rose Tattoo. Frankly I don’t care the music is great. There are no frills and no airs and graces about Airbourne. The music isn’t subtle it is loud and it is fast.

The auditorium darkened and a cheer rose then silence fell as the theme from Terminator 2 started to play. Then the band emerged on stage and launched headlong into Raise the Flag. For a band who have only two albums of material they worked the crowds like seasoned professionals. In their 45 minute set they managed to demonstrate their ability, energy and at the same time show gratitude to the headliners to come. Iron Maiden have history of having support bands who turn out to be pretty damn good, anybody remember Guns N Roses? Airbourne played plenty of crowd pleasers Cheap Wine Cheaper Women, Diamond in the Rough, Blackjack, Too Much Too Young Too Fast. The two tracks which may become live anthems for them in the coming years, assuming they don’t burn out, are No Way But The Hard Way and Runnin’ Wild. The band were hugely enthusiastic and energetic and were very well received by the crowd.

The general feeling was that Maiden would have to go some to top that performance. Well they managed it.

The set launched with the UFO classic Doctor Doctor which made some of the fans near me very happy. Then the screens came to life and the band emerged on stage to a rapturous welcome from an expectant crowd. Many of the bands I grew up listening to seem to have developed a tendency to ignore the past success and explore new avenues musically. When they then go on tour they seem to struggle to understand why fans are disappointed. The simple reason is that you need to strike a balance between the classics and the new stuff. Iron Maiden did that in spades. Their previous tour had been the Somewhere Back In Time and was entirely classics which musically would have been brilliant. This time they chose to showcase some of their newer material.

Maiden are known for their driving anthemic rock but what I experienced was a masterclass in working the crowd. The band started with two tracks from the new album, Satellite 15…The Final Frontier and El Dorado and then launched into a classic, 2 Minutes to Midnight. The crowd were in ecstasy at this point this was what they wanted to hear. Then came to newer tracks The Talisman and Coming Home. They then slowed things down with the title track from the underrated Dance of Death album. Then like master puppeteers they changed the pace again and launched into The Trooper and the crowd responded loudly. They maintained the pace with The Wicker Man which is taken from Brave New World which was the first album with the current lineup and which relaunched their career.

Bruce Dickinson then stopped and had a chat with the fans and spoke of how they had had to cancel a gig in Tokyo because of the tsunami and earthquake and how they had played a gig in Indonesia to tens of thousands of Islamic Maiden fans. To the delight of the Scandinavian fans in the arena he pulled no punches about what he thought of the gunman in Norway. The band then sang what may become a bit of an anthem for them, Blood Brothers. They carried on into When The Wild Wind Blows. Then they left the fans with what they had been wanting all evening back to back classics. The Evil That Men Do from Seventh Son of a Seventh Son came first the crowd responded enthusiastically. Then came the stadium classic Fear of the Dark. Then into the band’s anthem Iron Maiden.

Then came the encores which started with Number of the Beast. Then came the track I had wanted to hear live Hallowed Be Thy Name. This track just shows what a range that Bruce has. Lastly came Running Free. This saw the emergence of the band’s mascot Eddie. I missed the finishing piece of music which was Monty Python’s Always Look on the Bright Side of Life which just seems to sum the band up. They are clearly enjoying what they do and what is more the fans are enjoying it again.

I had been waiting to see this band for the best part of 30 years and it was well worth the wait. I was treated to two bands led by two lead singers who if you were able to capture their energy you would be able to power a small city. My ribs took about a day to recover from Airbourne’s sonic assault and my voice and hearing took about the same to recover from Iron Maiden.

I saw two contrasting bands both of whom I would recommend that you see at least once before you shuffle off the mortal coil. I want to thank both bands for giving me a great night out.

What I've been up to lately

2011-01-10T11:19:00.000-08:00

Well this may be only 24 hours late but here is a bit of an update. Back in September I started a PGCE. For those not in the UK that is a qualification taken by people who wish to train to be teachers.

The last term has been like a typical rollercoaster. There have been good days and bad days and I have discovered a number of things. Firstly I don't want to teach in an ordinary comprehensive school. This is because I am too old and too set in my ways to put up with all the hassle of teaching people who don't want to learn. There is for my money too much hassle and bureaucracy in the profession and too much emphasis is placed on things like 3 part lesson plans and other 'great ideas'.

I find the actual course also to be tedious and unnecessary. There are lectures which I have attended and for which I won't ever get the time back. The course propounds more pointless theories and does not concentrate on actual teaching.

In the next few days I start on my second placement at a grammar school but I am already looking for jobs outside teaching. If I stay in teaching it will be in the independent sector or in the FE sector. But I am also looking for jobs in the legal profession for which I am trained as well or in training somehow. Whatever I do I want to somehow end up in Ireland which is where I feel at home or if I stay in the UK somewhere more rural and in a bigger house.

I went into teaching with the idealistic aim of changing the way that kids think and thus hopefully changing the future of the country. What I have learned very quickly is that there is no place for idealism in the profession. Teachers are their own worst enemy by signing up to every crackpot idea that comes along. I heard one lecturer criticise a teacher just because he didn't appear to sign up to a type of assessment. This teacher had twenty years plus of experience and the lecturer said openly that she felt that he didn't understand assessment. On the contrary he probably understood it better than she did.

In the legal profession in England and Wales you are given a small inch thick A5 book which contains all the professional rules to which you must adhere. You sit a small exam and you either pass or fail. After that you are deemed to know the rules. Nobody will check that you have read the rules but if you infringe any you will be held to account. In teaching you have to produce portfolios of evidence to show how you meet each of the 33 standards. This is just needless paper creation.

Until teaching starts to behave like a profession in the way it treats its members then it will never be considered to be one of the professions.

Films on Freeview w/e 14th January 2011

2011-01-08T12:40:00.000-08:00

Well Happy New Year to all my readers and apologies for not posting anything recently. I will explain my absence tomorrow all being well.

Over the next week on the Freeview channels there are a number of films of note to watch. For new readers these films are not necessarily the best in cinematic terms but are films I like and that I would recommend to anybody.

Today we have had a few films which on any given day would be my film of the day and even occasionally a film of the week. The day got under way with The Searchers starring John Wayne and directed by John Ford. Arguably this, or one of the Cavalry trilogy, should have been the film that Wayne won an Oscar for instead of True Grit which has just been remade and is due at cinemas imminently. Wayne plays against type to a degree and is not at all likeable as a character. As usual he has his reliable acting troupe around him. At around the same time there was Star Trek 6: The Undiscovered Country. This was one of the best of the movies and many argue that it was the best. It is worth a look in its own right. One slightly odd recommendation is Cronos by Guillermo Del Toro. It is a slightly odd 'vampire' movie and is worth a look.

Sunday brings The Princess Bride. This film is a work of genius and you should not trust any human being who says that they don't like this film. In the evening there is a plethora of films to choose from. You have The Long Kiss Goodnight with Geena Davis, Samuel L Jackson, Brian Cox to name but a few of the cast. This is a brilliantly comic action film. You have The Last Samurai with Tom Cruise, Billy Connolly and Ken Watanabe. This is a beautiful film and one of my favourites. There is also The Hunt For Red October with its all star cast. or my money this is thebest of the Jack Ryan movies and Alec Baldwin is a better Ryan than Harrison Ford for my money. One last recommendation is to avoid Aeonflux like the plague. Now I like pointless films and mindless violence but this is just utterly without redeeming features.

Throughout the week on ITV2 theya re showing the Bourne films one after another. They are all worthy of a look. Monday night sees Mars Attacks (ITV4) a gloriously anarchic film. The film was based on a set of cards and is brilliant and the all star cast just go for it. Jack Nicholson, Pierce Brosnan, Rod Steiger the list goes on. A little later on there is Alien Nation (Film4) which is a quirky little film and which is generally underrated by most people.

On Tuesday is South Park Bigger Longer and Uncut. Much like the cartoon series this film is a bit hit and miss but for me the stand out bit is the musical number 'Bomb Canada'. Wednesday night brings possibly Arnold Schwarzenegger's finest film (OK I know that that isn't saying a lot) The Terminator. It is a film that stands out and which is still as effective as it was when it first came out.

Enjoy your films.

Property programs

2010-09-04T08:30:00.000-07:00

To those of you unfamiliar with British television programming of the last twenty years or so you may not be aware of the growth of property based programs. The big ones are, or have been, Grand Designs, Location Location Location and Property Ladder.

Grand Designs should consider itself immune to my following general comments as it is about building houses, architecture and design rather than treating your house as an investment. However, the other programs encouraged two things both of which are, to me, anathema. Firstly that due to the uncertainty of financial markets due to their global nature people should see property as an investment and secondly that you should do everything in neutral colours so that potential buyers won't be offended by your taste.

I was prompted to write this particular blog after hearing an economist round on a BBC journalist and point out to him fairly bluntly that a house is not an investment it is somewhere you live. Hear hear I shouted loudly at the radio. The economist was also suggesting that there NEEDED to be an adjustment in property values of around 30% to make the market viable. As somebody potentially with a property to sell I would only be keen on every other property except mine to drop.

Location Location Location and its spin off Relocation Relocation are probably the biggest offenders. In all the years that the program has been on I can only recall one couple with a realistic budget that most ordinary members of the public could grasp. It generally features young couples who have eyewatering budgets that it is unclear how they can afford them and are just unnecessarily picky and turn down beautiful homes for no other reason than they don't like the decor. They clearly haven't the wit to realise that there is a product called paint and another called wallpaper which have been known to remedy even the worst taste.

Property Ladder which has now departed this mortal coil featured Sarah Beeny going round helping people climb the property ladder by suggesting improvements to make to purchases. Her own house is quite restrained from when I saw it on telly once. She spent most of the time rolling er eyeballs as her 'clients' ignored everything she said racked up huge debts and then were surprised to find that they couldn't make the money back. I will at this point throw in Homes Under The Hammer which focuses on the auction market and usually features buy to let investors who are the people who helped to create the property bubble and cause the crash by taking loans that they could not afford on the assumption that property values would always go up.

Other offerings are To Buy or Not To Buy which is awful, Escape to the Country which I quite like as it is something I would like to do but which baffles me and House Swap. Channel 4 and Five have other shows in the mould of Grand Designs but they are not a patch on it.

I worked in financial services and mortgages for a few years and I was appalled at the amounts of money and the types of people companies would lend money to for over priced houses. People were allowed to take mortgages on 6 or more times their income or even worse to self certify on their mortgages. Self certification works something like this you see a house you want but you either can't prove your earnings or you don't want to. You go to a provider say I can afford this mortgage and for a bit of a price hike they give it to you.

At the end of the day you pick the best house you can afford to buy for the money you either have or can borrow and make it your own. Make improvements when you can afford to do them and if you can't get it how you want it by the time you come to sell then just be prepared to negotiate a bit on the price. Property values are just as subject to market forces as the money markets and if you lose your house you could be in trouble. So gentle reader don't fall prey to the buy it, rebuild it and redesign it brigade. When you see a house see a place to live, to bring up your family and to enjoy not as your pension because it will all go in the end. If you can't afford to buy then rent it works in France and Germany. It's not ideal but if you get a good landlord you may enjoy it just as much.

Wanted down under

2010-08-20T07:59:00.000-07:00

I have over the years occasionally managed to watch this offering which forms part of the BBC's daytime schedule. The cynic in me wonders how staged everything is and the human in me wants to throw something at the screen almost every time I watch the program.

The premise underlying the program is to give a family of Brits the opportunity to sample life in Australia or New Zealand over a week and at the end of the week the family makes a decision as to whether they will move. The program, now in its fourth series was first presented by Nadia Sawalha, the grand dame of daytime telly in the UK. The family met in either Australia House or its Kiwi equivalent and were given a choice of lifestyles and a job to go with it. The choice was from city, country and coast. Initially the family chose which avenue they would go down but lately the program makers make the decision.

The family then go and try out the country and lifestyle of their choice. The first trial is to look at property bearing in mind potential available budget from the sale of their UK property. As with any property related items most of these people seem to be able to afford exorbitantly high budgets given their actual jobs. You don't actually need to go Down Under to know that you get more for your money in property terms there. Property prices in the UK are extortionately high for what you get, largely down to the likes of Phil, Kirsty, Lucy and Martin to name but four.

In the UK a house is now seen as an investment rather than a place to live. But this is a topic for another day.

The drawback to Down Under is if you decide to come back to the frozen north. The exchange rate is not great coming back and so unless you are extremely fortunate you will not be able to afford to come back to the 'luxury' you left.

Next is trial by job. Again it is generally well known that pay may not be as good Down Under but that the payoff is in terms of work/life balance. Cost of living for some things is good for some things bad but again ultimately you weigh up the pros and cons of the venture. Lifestyle Down Under is generally better than it is in Britain with a more outdoors focus and sport and encouragement to try things.

Lastly you undergo ordeal by DVD of messages from home from people you only saw a week or so ago. Always there are tears and self interest with parents and friends saying we don't want you to go but it's your life. Almost every program features a stroppy teenager who wanders round being moody and miserable and wants to listen to The Cure in their bedroom for five years.

Is the program bad? No. The problem is the participants who do not appear have spent as much time researching all of this, which they could do without going (except the job obviously), as I do contemplating cutting my toenails (which isn't very much). I have family in New Zealand and I wouldn't dream of making a decision on such a move unless I had spent several weeks out there first. After watching the program I am generally left with the opinion that many of the participants are attention seekers who want a free jolly to Oz or NZ at the licence fee payer's expense.

Films of the week (w/e 27/08/2010)

2010-08-19T07:27:00.000-07:00

Well out of the dross I have picked out five of the best offerings available on Freeview in the UK next week.

The Bourne Identity is the film that is credited with helping to save the James Bond franchise (at least until MGM ran out of money). If you have read the book throw it away as it bears little or no resemblance to that. As an all out action film it is terrific the camera work and direction is outstanding and Matt Damon who links to one of our other offerings this week, is excellent as the agent with amnesia. I watched it again recently on DVD and it is well worth it. The supporting cast are excellent (Brian Cox, Clive Owen to name but two). The times are on the side panel of this blog.

Sunday night we have Excalibur. I first saw this film as part of film director Alex Cox's BBC2 series Videodrome I think it was called. It is a British take on the Arthurian legend backed by American money shot in Ireland by John Boorman. At times it is breathtaking in its imagery and its acting. The stand out actors are Nicol Williamson as Merlin and Helen Mirren as Morgana. They were allegedly cast deliberately because they didn't get on following a previous film they had worked on together. Whatever the reason Williamson in particular throws himself into the role with gusto and captures the part bumbling part menacing nature of the magician. Perhaps if the BBC had shown this to the new version cast it might have improved somewhat.

Monday night is Highlander night. I shall declare an interest here. This is in my top two films of all time. I love the notion behind the whole film and frankly I don't care what reviewers say about it. Having held a claymore and exclaimed 'There can be only one' at a museum in the Highlands of Scotland I somehow feel part of it all. This film will not change your life, it will not spiritually uplift you or make you a better person but it is incredibly good fun. Sean Connery and Clancy Brown are brilliant as the mentor and the villain respectively. Also look out for a blink and you'll miss it appearance by Hugh Quarshie and Celia Imrie both of whom have done alright for themselves. The head of the NYPD investigation was in Police Squad the spoof US detective series with Leslie Nielsen and keep expecting him to freeze and everything to carry on around him. Go on and have some fun with this.

On Friday night we have two offerings. Firstly there is Team America: World Police. This little gem is from the team that brought you South Park and is a pastiche of the British series Thunderbirds. If you can't stand South Park then you won't watch this. It is one of those films that you watch and start laughing but then think should I be actually laughing at this. It is outrageously funny in parts and if you do have a sense of irony you will love it. This is the other film with a Matt Damon connection as it features a puppet of him.

Lastly we have Outbreak starring Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo and Donald Sutherland and Morgan Freeman. It is worth checking this one out as it rises above the usual dross of this type of film. Sutherland is brilliant as a general bent on covering up the outbreak of a virus at any costs. A marked contrast with his role in MASH many years previously.

The end of an era (or should that be error)

2010-08-19T06:56:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I handed in my resignation in preparation for starting teacher training in a few weeks time. The timing afforded me the opportunity to spend most of the summer holidays with my kids and also to avoid the headache of having to deal with people at year end who patently had no understanding of what it was I did.

I had worked at the university for nearly ten years, the longest I have ever been in one job except for my very first job. This strategy may well turn out to be a bad idea as in twelve months time I might end up being one of the most qualified people in the unemployment queue. In my time I have come up against the entitlement culture and routinely found those that adhered most to it probably had no business being in a university as they weren't academically up to it on the evidence of their applications. They also demonstrated a distinct lack of thought and planning in any aspect of their lives and blithely assumed that just by having a pulse they should be given stuff.

I am going into teaching for a number of reasons. Firstly I think I would be good at it. Secondly I think my maverick attitude is just what the system needs. Thirdly I want to try and do my bit to change the way the kids of the future think and to put my knowledge and experience to good use. If that doesn't happen then I am going to take my qualifications and skills and go and live on a remote island somewhere possibly in a cave as that will be just about all I will be able to afford.

In Britain today, and in fact for generations, there has been a prevailing attitude that knowledge, learning and respect for the law should be scorned. Those who demonstrate these characteristics are ridiculed, bullied and humiliated. Celebrity culture is all that pervades our society and for all their protestations to the contrary many politicians and teachers have helped to foster this. My heart sinks whenever the latest A-Z list celebrity is the top item on the news because quite frankly like the majority of the populace I couldn't give a damn about their lives.

So come the revolution 'celebrities' will be the first against the wall to paraphrase the late great Douglas Adams.

So whilst I am sad to be leaving a job that I enjoyed for the most part and am also concerned that I am leaving behind security I am looking forward to the chance to spread my wings and challenge myself in a new career possibly in a new town so that I can help to give my family a better life.

Lincoln - a retrospective

2010-07-25T04:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went to Lincoln with Alison, Jenni and Alison's mum. On the drive over there we were stuck behind a moron in a 4x4 who clearly was using the force to decide what speed at which to drive as clearly they weren't reading the road signs. On arrival in Lincoln I was directed by my mother in law who was shocked to discover that the road to the car park was no longer available. The town planners in Lincoln seem to have outlawed the practice of turning right. When we found a useful left turn in which to turn around and go back to where we needed to be you weren't allowed to turn right out of there either.

The weather was good and eventually we went for lunch at the food court in the Waterside Centre. The food was excellent and the service even better. The waitress dropped one onion ring from a small bowl and brought me an entire extra bowl.

Lincoln is a quaint city with lots of quirky little shops and Steep Hill is appropriately named. On the way back my mother in law's navigating skills left something to desired particularly as we got back to Worksop. The signs said to go right at the roundabout so I moved in to that lane and my mother in law said "Where are you going?" and then criticised me for going round the island to go on the right road.

In other news today is the 30th anniversary of the release of Back In Black by AC/DC. The album, which is now the second biggest selling of all time (behind Thriller by Michael Jackson) was the band's first release since the untimely death of their lead singer Bon Scott. It is widely hailed as one of the best Rock albums of all time.

In other news tonight sees Top Gear and the new version of Sherlock Holmes. Top Gear is irreverent fun. Sherlock is written by the team behind the reboot of Dr Who (Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss). They have taken the essentials of the original Conan Doyle stories made a few adjustments (telegrams are now text messages or emails) and retold the story in the modern day. All the previews appear favourable. Traditionalists will never be happy but there is no reason why this shouldn't work. Basil Rathbone's Holmes was largely set in the 1930s and 1940s. The problems, for me, with that adaptation were the tinkering with scripts was not appropriate and also the portrayal of Watson was very poor.

One can only hope that in terms of a reboot that this is in the league of Dr Who, Batman (Christopher Nolan and the Tim Burton) and the remake of Day of the Jackal which were faithful to the originals (OK Dr Who is merely a continuation but you get my point) and not like the reboots of King Arthur (Merlin), Robin Hood, Miss Marple (the latest ITV) or The Prisoner.

If a fictional character is well written is perfectly possible to move it in time after all A Fistful of Dollars is a remake of Yojimbo. The Magnificent Seven is a remake of The Seven Samurai (those both turned out alright).

Happy watching.

The Pope's visit to England

2010-06-06T09:27:00.001-07:00

His Holiness Pope Benedict is due to visit the UK later this year. As with the previous Pope he appears to be staying away from Northern Ireland. There is a lot of argument over who should be paying for this visit as some taxpayers money is to be used for issues such as security.

Given that the current incumbent of the Holy See has not exactly gone out of his way to make nice with people of other religions and none these costs might be justified. The Pope's actions should also be seen in the light that he was the head of the rebranded inquisition, the Office of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith.

The Bishops of England and Wales have asked the laity to stump up money to pay for the pastoral costs involved. Based on the evidence of the collection at our church this morning the laity aren't too keen on this idea. We live in tough times as we did when the previous pontiff visited these shores in 1982. However, the British arm of the Catholic church is particularly good at not paying a blind bit of notice to what its leaders want just because they ask for something. I was expecting the collection to be low due to the fact that church was barely half full this morning but I wouldn't have been surprised to see a couple of buttons in the plate when I saw how low the congregation is.

Our bishop isn't desperately popular in many parts of the Diocese for a whole variety of reasons. He has only just asked for more money from the laity to get his books straight. If he hadn't invested in the stock market so heavily he might have had more money. In our country asking for money from the congregation never goes down well. Also the laity have a lot of issues with the church hierarchy and the way it runs the church. Also the fact that the Catholic church is worth billions of pounds tends to say to people if you want to put on events you can damn well pay for them.

The Church doesn't appear to learn lessons and seems unwilling to countenance change and so the more socially militant end of the spectrum which encompasses a large proportion of western catholicism (the bit with all the money) refuses to pay. The Reverend Ian Paisley is rumoured to have once sent the collection plate back round one church saying that 'The Lord is not satisfied with your offering'. Unfortunately the clergy here are not as popular as he was with his congregation.

Singing in church

2010-06-06T09:07:00.000-07:00

Greetings fellow travellers. This weeks rant is all about singing in church and universality. This morning when we got to church the priest came round and handed out a new version of the Gloria. I say new, I was aware of this version, but it was new to our church. Here in wonderful Cleckhuddersfaxwaite we are in the Diocese of Leeds. The bishop, I make it clear that I am not a fan of his, decreed some years ago that the Mass should be, where possible, entirely sung.

When this decree came round it was greeted with enthusiasm by the priest and deacon at the church which we attended at the time. The Bishop in his infinite wisdom decided to shut that church down and merge it into one of two 'super-parishes'. We went up the valley to the most far flung of the parishes. I was at the time in a state of flux with my faith and was on the verge of becoming a Buddhist. As it stands thanks to the priest at this far flung outpost and the attitude of the congregation there, my departure was somewhat delayed. They held the liturgy, by and large, in the same way that I had grown up with it in the 1970s and 1980s before the rise of the laity and the now ubiquitous folk group with their Czechoslovakian guitars. The liturgy was spoken and was simple.

Unfortunately due to illness, this priest was retired on health grounds and the new parish priest, yes you've guessed the one from the old church, has wasted no time in trying to drag our little corner of the parish kicking and screaming into the new world order as decreed by the bish. The beauty and simplicity of the spoken liturgy when a prayer is said and spoken with meaning has now been replaced by musicians and countless unnecessary variations on a theme.

The move to have the Mass in the vernacular following Vatican 2 meant that now unless you actually spoke the local language you struggle to follow the Mass when you go abroad. It has allowed for folk groups and other such abominations and the Mass is no longer universal and, by definition, neither is the church. Local variations now add to the confusion. In some places where you would stand in others you would kneel.

The Church would do well to consider a reconnection with its liturgical past but unfortunately that would seem to be a case of shutting the stable door after the horse has not only bolted but run out of the yard down the lane and hurdled a couple of fences.

The Catholic church has never had much of a grasp of simplicity and the beauty that comes with it. Why do you need to sing Amen seven times and not mean it when it would be better if you spoke it once and meant it with your whole heart.

In Catholic terms this 'puritanical' approach to liturgy sets me at odds with the majority of the church which is generally anything but. However, if you believe in the rightness of your cause you must stand up for it and rail against 'Colours of Day' and 'Kum Ba Yah' and Taize chants and remind everyone of the simplicity of the fact that your relationship with God is simple and all you need to do is speak with him ( or her) in simple terms and he will understand.

Go forth and find your connection with God and the universe on a simple level and remember most of the rules of the Church were created long after Jesus died and rose again and he didn't get much of a say in them. Also the church is notoriously inconsistent and slow to recognise simple facts.

Goodnight and may your God go with you.

Recent news

2010-05-24T09:31:00.000-07:00

Well to those of the family who have asked what the hell has happened since I blogged previously in March here is an up to date edition of the family news.

Thomas is the clubman of the year at his rugby club in the u10 age group. I have subject to final clearance got a place on a PGCE to be a teacher and will be a student again from September. The only worry there is will there be jobs when I come out.

Alison came to a rugby match and didn't implode. Met up with some friends that we hadn't seen for ages.

Been to Edinburgh. Bought a cassette converter which will save me £500. Will be doing some rugby training myself in a couple of months. Carried on doing Marriage Preparation classes.

Jenni has glasses and will possibly be wearing a very fetching eye patch by the end of the week.

Got Skype and know how to use it. Found a new speccy emulator.

New government. Some quarters should see the cuts as an opportunity rather than a problem.

That about covers everything of note.

On a lighter note

2010-05-23T11:27:00.001-07:00

I have recently started to read books and watch programs about science. At school I was average in my scientific ability but since leaving school I read books about quantum physics, watch television programs on vulcanology and astrology. This phenomenon is not restricted to science but also to things like history.

Currently I am reading Hyperspace by Dr Michio Kaku, in addition to my fiction by Eric Van Lustbader. I first discovered Dr Kaku when he presented a series called Time, on the BBC. His style delivers the subject in an enthusiastic way. This engages me on an interest level in the subject but also from a professional interest as I am about to train to be a teacher. I often ask the question about people like Dr Kaku " Why couldn't you be my teacher?". Another scientist who has this enthusiasm is Professor Brian Cox who recently presented the series Wonders of the Solar System. Series like Horizon have always gripped my interest when they are on subjects in which I have a passing interest.

In the historical field people like David Starkey, Simon Schama and John Romer have an enthusiasm for the subject which comes across through the screen.

I have even tried to read A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking. I think he should stick to The Simpsons because I lost the will to live fairly quickly once I had started.

Science and history, in fact any subject, need not be boring or unapproachable if you have an enthusiasm for the subject. I hope to take some of this enthusiasm into the teaching profession

Living life to the full

2010-05-23T10:51:00.000-07:00

At Mass this morning our priest gave a sermon about how mankind spends its time trying to accumulate wealth power and possessions in a futile attempt to stave off the ultimate outcome of this existence. He remarked on how people fear death. This particular priest is an excellent preacher, he used to be a teacher, and is usually right most of the time with his observations of the human condition.

Whenever, I listen to his sermons I always come away thinking. I am very sanguine about death this is because I have a condition that can at a moment's notice cause my death. The condition of itself is no more fatal than actually being alive, which is 100% fatal in all cases unless I haven't been paying attention recently. How has this knowledge affected my life? Do I live each moment as if it's my last?

I have to admit that I have not managed to crack the second question yet and am still searching for something. My vices are music, films and books. It might have been nice to give sex, drugs and rock n roll a proper go but when I was still young enough to appreciate them my condition held me back. I don't do drugs because I have to take them every day until the day I die. I was allowed to sample alcohol under controlled conditions and along with my medication never saw the point of getting drunk. As for rock n roll I had a passing flirtation with bass guitar more as an academic exercise than as a real attempt to play seriously.

The turning points that helped me control my condition were twofold. Firstly on a BBC science program called QED which showed a fellow sufferer who refused to let his condition master him or let anybody else tell him how he should live his life because of it. The Rev Lionel Blue described the condition as like an evil cousin who visits occasionally and causes havoc. The second turning point was a teacher at my secondary school who on discovering my condition, which he shared, advised me how to deal with it.

The condition is epilepsy and you can live a normal life with it. As long as you take reasonable steps there is no reason to let it hold you back.

Back to the point of the post. If you can live your life to the fullest and being a Catholic does not have to mean living a diminished life in search of the eternal goal that we believe in. My advice to one and all is embrace life as you only get one go at it. Death is merely part of the process. The best we can hope for is that the death is peaceful or has purpose. To my friend who is having problems at the moment all I say to you is do not go quietly into that good night.

TTFN

Shopping at Aldi

2010-03-18T06:28:00.000-07:00

Well hello again and welcome to any new readers to my mind numbing blog. In the village where I live we used to have a supermarket. It was part of chain called Kwik Save and latterly Somerfield. To international readers, these names will no doubt be meaningless unless you have spent some time in this septic isle.

This is something of a generalisation but you always felt like you needed a shower after you came out of the store as it was grubby and generally unfriendly. I must add that this wasn't the reaction just coming out of our local emporium but of all of the ones in these chains that I ever went into. It was very much a case of stack 'em high and sell 'em cheap.

As a customer, the staff always seemed to make you feel very unwelcome. It was almost as if you were an inconvenience in the middle of their chat about what happened in last night's soap or what the latest headline was in one of those celeb magazines that are all the rage, allegedly, in this country.

Last year Somerfield were bought out by the Cooperative who already had an established network of small supermarkets. So the site of the one in our village was bought by Aldi. Aldi are one of a number of continental European supermarket chains who sell produce cheaply, avoid big brand names and who also have for sale each week a variety of quirky items. Others of the type are Lidl and Netto. I first came across Aldi a number of years ago when a PC was advertised for about half the price that was being charged anywhere else.

These outlets don't accept credit card payments but take cash and will accept some debit cards. Essentially if you've got the money they will sell their goods to you. In the current economic times this is an exceptionally sensible approach to business.

Since the Aldi has opened here in sunny Cleckhuddersfax I have been down a number of times and have made a number of startling discoveries and revelations. Firstly none of the staff from the previous owners appear to still be there. The new staff are friendly and helpful and smile. This is also the case in the other Aldi shop that I have been into. The aisle where the weeks quirky offerings are kept is a box of delights which contains things that you wouldn't expect in most supermarkets power tools (not just small but industrial sized), skiing equipment and accessories. It is actually a good deal of fun just browsing with nobody pressurising you to make a sale.

Then when you have made your purchases you go to the till and you just put your stuff back in the trolley rather than pack it at the till. The staff are quick and efficient. If memory serves me correctly, on the one occasion I went into a Lidl store (which I won't do again because I didn't like it) the staff knew the price of everything and just entered it onto the till.

If you have an Aldi near you try it you might actually enjoy the shopping experience again. But please try not to come to my shop people are discovering the pleasures of shopping there and the aisles were actually quite busy when I last went in.

Argument, media and other stuff

2010-03-03T11:31:00.000-08:00

Well hello everyone.

I was in the chaplaincy at a university today and overheard a conversation between two students. One was a student who was now onto possibly his third course and hadn't liked any of them. Perhaps he is not destined for university and would have been happier on another path. The students were debating as to how they should argue with others about the rights and wrongs of their faith. This struck me as the wrong approach to be taking. People who don't agree with you are never going to be convinced by your position if you argue with them. A priest once delivered a sermon about taking ourselves too seriously. Many people of faith are far too quick to condemn things which they have not actually got any experience of but somebody told them they should be condemning that type of thing.

A classic example of this is Monty Python's Life of Brian. There is a classic clip of John Cleese and Michael Palin in conversation with two representatives of the Church of England. You could almost see the frustration of the two comics at the inability of their adversaries to grasp the central issue of the film which is that it isn't about Jesus. Whenever there is a debate on a matter of morals and faith the radio stations always seem to find the most extreme exponents of a particular faith. When these people are trotted out people naturally assume that all people of faith are like them, which isn't true. The point, which I will get to, is that certainty is dangerous at times. If you have the mindset that I am right and that everybody who doesn't agree with me is wrong then you are in fact part of the problem and lack a certain amount of humility. This applies to scientists as well as those of faith.

On to lighter matters. I tried The Handmaid's Tale and won't be repeating the experience, The book was slow to get going and would, in my opinion, have benefitted from a prologue explaining how we had got to where we were. In films I have watched three new films since I last posted. First is the comic book adaptation, Watchmen. The original author has, as usual, insisted that his name is nowhere near the film. It is good entertainment and if you like that sort of thing you won't be too disappointed. Next is Son of Rambow. This is a fairly gentle comedy set in the 1980s in Britain. I was expecting it to be a little more lively but as somebody who grew up in Britain in the 1980s it did resonate a bit with me. It is a wonderful little film and well worth a couple of hours of your time. Lastly as hinted in my last post I watched Seraphim Falls. It is a slow burner of a Western revenge film. Set after the Civil War in America, the film charts the pursuit of a Union Colonel played by Pierce Brosnan. The posse is led by Liam Neeson who is out for revenge over the death of his family at the hands of Brosnan's troops. The cast is littered with actors who you will go "Oh I remember him he was in....". In particular there are brief appearances from the magnificent Wes Studi and Anjelica Huston, who may or may not be playing Lucifer. Again it is worth a look.

On another issue I would like to commend Dominic Lawson's article about faith schools in the Independent on Tuesday 2nd March 2010.

Toodles

Snow and its side effects

2010-02-21T03:50:00.000-08:00

Well the weekend has now been cancelled due to another wave of snow in sunny Huddersfield. I have now been living here for nearly 18 years and this is the first proper winter we have ever had. Yes there has been snow before but this is the first time that we have had a time when the town has ground to a halt at times. The council have not coped with it desperately well. The potholes in the road that were bad before the cold weather, and weren't being fixed, are now significantly worse. There is one road in Slaithwaite which has what I would describe as a car-killer of a pothole. The road has just totally subsided so it now resembles something from Journey to the Centre of the Earth rather than a pothole.

My concern here is that with all the potholes what unseen damage has been done to my car literally days away from its MOT. So since I am somewhat sidelined since we are not at the rugby club today I thought I would inflict some more film opinions on you. This week, as you will see from the little list on the right of your screen, I have highlighted three films for your delight and delectation. These are not necessarily the best films on those days in terms of critical acclaim but are my favourites and on some days there are other films which are well worth a look.

Today, after Gerry Adams investigates the story of Christ, Channel 4 has two films which are both worthy of attention. At about 8 there is 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer, which is the sequel to the Fantastic Four. I am a comic book fan but I always felt that the FF were Marvel's equivalent to Stepford and a bit too stereotypical. This film is better than the first film, which isn't actually saying a lot, and is diverting entertainment. It is followed by one of the best action films you will see. The current governor of California goes around the jungle deforesting it and having his crack team wiped out one at a time in Predator. There is no deep pathos here, no real moral message it is just really good fun if you like violent action thrillers. This is why I have nominated it as my film for the day. Other offerings available on some of the smaller channels are Top Gun and Romancing the Stone and Black Widow all on Film 4.

On Monday, my film of the day is Highlander. It is one of my favourite films of all time and has one of the largest franchise operations in existence with 4 'sequels', 2 spin off TV series and a number of animated series as well as books. Highlander, like Predator, is no Citizen Kane but is just enjoyable fun which is what the critics, the real ones, never really seem to appreciate. There are other better films on today but few will be as original in concept as this or will be as loyally supported by the fanbase that exists. There are rumours of a remake of the film in the pipeline and fans of the original are waiting with dread at this prospect. Other offerings of note today would be The Sixth Sense, Ladyhawke (set aside the really bad soundtrack) and Working Girl.

On Tuesday, I don't have a favourite film as such. Crocodile Dundee is alright but has begun to show it's age somewhat. I strongly suggest that you avoid The War of the Roses. I went to the cinema to see it on the back of the previous collaborations of Messrs Douglas, Turner and De Vito. That is two and a half hours I will never get back. On Wednesday if you liked Highlander on Monday you can watch it again. On Thursday you will find the quirky Local Hero and the deeper Once Upon A Time in America. I lost patience with the latter and never really took too it as I am not a big fan of american gangster films.

On Friday, there are repeats of T2 and Top Gun and the very British comedy, Time Bandits which hasn't aged very well largely because of the effects. I will probably check out Seraphim Falls on BBC1 at 11.45.

Just for the information of my international readership, which I have apparently acquired. Since you don't have British TV much of the scheduling information is irrelevant but the recommendations still stand. In the UK until the 1960s we only had one TV channel and a few radio channels - all BBC. The Beeb added another in the 1960s and we got ITV. In the 1980s Channel 4 arrived and in the 1990s Channel 5( if you could get the signal). This was about the time of the cable and satellite TV boom. There are now hundreds of channels showing next to nothing that anybody wants to see. The ones that people watch are showing programs that were, in many cases, made 20 years ago. Most of my recommendations will be for terrestrial channels or on freeview (the free to air digital channels)

With films, almost all will probably be available at your local DVD rental outlet by now since it generally takes a couple of years to get on to terrestrial TV here unless your film has been backed by one of the channels (usually the BBC or Channel 4). Any TV programs I may mention probably won't be available in overseas markets but keep an eye out as you never know. Books and music recommendations are almost certainly available at Amazon or Itunes etc.

Outnumbered

2010-02-20T07:24:00.000-08:00

On my previous post I mentioned Outnumbered. This is a BBC comedy series which I have come to enjoy about a young family. The family watched the Christmas episode and howled with laughter. They have now seen the first two series and Tom & Jenni think it is wonderful.

Jenni is definitely like Karen in many ways.

If you get a chance to see it do. Also if you can find it watch Supernova starring Rob Brydon.

Casualty & Outnumbered

2010-02-20T07:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday my son was visited by his best friend who was staying over for the night whilst his parents went to an opera. Only the best sort of person is allowed to visit chez nous. Alison had been watching the boys playing rugby and was concerned that the visitor nearly injured himself. I was working away at something elsewhere in the house on the laptop and Alison came up to see what I was doing.

A few minutes later Jenni appeared calmly saying that Tom had cut his fingers. I was summoned down to examine the injury as I am designated health care operative in the house on the basis that I don't faint at the first sight of blood (not even my own). Tom had cut his head on a stone and hadn't in fact damaged his fingers at all. I sent Alison off to ring the doctor to see if this was a casualty trip or a surgery trip.

The surgery said go to A&E. Tom was complaining about how useless he was and that he had ruined his friends stay. This was late afternoon so it only took 5 - 10 minutes to get to somewhere near the hospital that wasn't restricted parking or which charged for the privilege. We went in and underwent interrogation by the desk nurse who then told us to sit down. The waiting area had two televisions on both on different channels and one on so loud that it was difficult to hear the nurse call you in. At the time there were a couple of Asian ladies, two Asian gentlemen with head injuries who were being questioned at length by the police an elderly gentleman with two female companions, a young couple who came in after everybody with no apparently visible injuries but who seemed to go right to the head of the queue. An elderly lady with an injured arm was also waiting. A few moments later three young lads came in. Two clearly younger than the actual injured party who had blood streaming down his face. He had apparently fallen against a car.

After about 20 minutes of mindless tedium we got to the next circle of Casualty hell, the triage room. The nurse examined the wound and shined her pen torch on it and also into Tom's eyes. I asked what the current waiting time was so that I could estimate whether a dash for some food was possible. I was told about an hour. We then proceeded into the next circle of this hell the treatment waiting area with its childrens play area. This area was full most of the people who we had seen in the previous area were either already waiting or joined in fairly short order afterwards. In addition there were two Asian girls who had been to xray, a young girl with a Ted Baker bag whose mother eventually turned up. They may actually have been clones because the hairstyles were identical. A mother with her son who had clearly injured his foot who did a crossword from Closer magazine ( obviously intellectuals!!). A mother with her young daughter, a little later dad came to join the fun.

Periodically a dad came walking in with various children from the direction of the play area and also a fairly badly injured Asian youth whose entire posse appeared to have come with him. Doctors and nurses appeared from time to time but the queue never diminished for an hour. all of a sudden the queue rapidly started to go down.

Tom was eventually seen by a Greek doctor who smiled was pleasant and very helpful but for some reason didn't know how to use skin glue and so got a nurse to come and do it for him all the while smiling.

My concern is the lack of information. I haven't made a habit of going to A&E departments for some time now but I am almost certain that I remember there being an indicator of the current waiting time. Perhaps things could be improved if there was some kind of board indicating where you were in the queue or you were given a ticket so you could have an idea. Also there used to be comfy seats and now there are wooden monstrosities.

I hope that I don't ever have to visit again any time soon but the patient experience needs to be improved.

Snow, school closures and other mild irritants

2010-01-06T03:38:00.000-08:00

Well Happy New Year to my reader. As you can see from my recently installed cluster map I can now see where the literally very few readers are based. As some of you may be aware this septic isle is currently in the throes of a 'Siberian blast'. I am sure that Sun readers will soon start seeing it referred to as Britain's Siberian hell assuming that they haven't already had this joy.

This current bought of wintry weather, cunningly found in the middle of WINTER ( the clue is in the name) is very reminiscent of the sort of winters I remember in that golden age of the 1970s and 80s (please note mild sense of irony). When this happens most of the rest of Europe and North America watch on in a state of bewilderment wondering what we are complaining about.

This country has to start preparing itself better and learning to be adaptable since the Gulf Stream which gives us our weather system may not last forever. In a slightly hypocritical way, I won't generally drive in snowy conditions. The public transport round here is reasonably good and nowhere is so far away that I can't walk there. So with this in mind I yesterday set off to catch the school bus which didn't turn up. So I brought back my children along with one stray and rang the school.

This morning I rang the bus company before setting off to see if the service was running. I was told that not only was it not running but that the school was shut. I had already got a back up plan in place but thought it wise to ring the school to check facts since they have only actually shut once in living memory. My son and I made it to school that day only to be told it had shut. The Deputy Head assured me that school was open and that the bus company clearly didn't know what they were talking about. So I set off with the brood and proceeded to catch 2 buses. I arrived almost at exactly the same spot as 6 years ago and was told by a departing parent that the school was shut.

I understand that a decision has to be made but why does my school have to do it at such a late stage and why do they never tell any of the radio stations early. The High School was on the shut list at 7am this morning.

The BBC has just devoted a 45 minute News Special to the snow. Lots of people standing out by roads telling everybody who is at home that there is snow and not to be out in the middle of nowhere unless necessary. I am getting tired of this broadcasting to the most stupid member of society. Intelligent people can make their own decisions and also most of the stupid people aren't going to watch a 45 minute program about snow.

Rant over for now

News and views

2009-12-21T11:31:00.000-08:00

Well we have snow in this part of the world. It is almost like proper snow not that namby pamby stuff we usually get. The thing that always amuses me is the reaction of the country to this particular weather phenomenon. At the first prediction of snow the south of the country appears to go into meltdown and gridlock. The northerners look on and laugh and the rest of the world not protected by the jet stream in the northern latitudes just doesn't see how we can't deal with this simple weather type. The country is a laughing stock. The government argues that it cannot justify spending money on what are supposedly rare events. Well to be honest that doesn't wash as on the basis of that argument they wouldn't have bailed out the banks. For a simple one off infrastucture investment we can put in place sufficient material, bodies etc to deal with what are in actual fact probably going to be much more common occurrences.

In the lead up to Christmas here are my recommendations for the week. Tonight you can watch either Tombstone (BBC1) or Gremlins (ITV2). The former is a wonderful adaptation of the OK Corral story and the story of Wyatt Earp. The stand out performance comes from Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday. Kilmer who can now be heard as the voice of KITT in the new version of Knight Rider often fails to deliver but this performance is a masterpiece. Gremlins is a delightfully anarchic film which plays around with a number of holiday traditions.

On Wednesday we have Arnie in Terminator 2: Judgment Day(itv2). This was a jaw dropping film when it came out and I remember the reaction to the special effects in the cinema. There are 2 versions of the film out there. The US version has a few more scenes which add a little but missing them does not detract from the enjoyment this film provides. It still stands up today and in a review for James Cameron's latest film Avatar it is argued that without T2 Avatar would not exist.

Christmas Eve brings Four Weddings and a Funeral (Film4). My best man and I went to watch this with a priest friend of ours and could barely stop laughing at his reaction to the opening sequence between Hugh Grant and the late Charlotte Cornwell. It is a bit twee but it is worth a look. Tragically it remains Hugh Grant's finest piece.

Not surprisingly the best day of the week is Christmas Day with three offerings later in the day. The stand out film of the day is Gladiator. This is a truly epic film with stunning effects and incredible performances not just by Russell Crowe but the supporting cast is truly stunning. Oliver Reed delivers a powerhouse performance. Another underrated film is Mercury Rising featuring Bruce Willis and Alec Baldwin. Baldwin is arguably the better performer here and is at his menacing best. A more light hearted offering is Speed. It works because Keanu Reeves doesn't have to stretch himself as an actor. The film is stolen, as always seems to be the case, by the villain, in this case Dennis Hopper. All in all good friendly mindless fun. Stick your brain in neutral and just be entertained. Blues Brothers 2000 is on and whilst it isn't a patch on the original it too is very entertaining as a vehicle for all the wondrous music.

In one final seasonal plea do not under any circumstances watch Elf. Will Ferrell is very overrated in my opinion and by watching his tripe you only encourage him to make more of it.

Seasons greetings to one and all

Media reviews of the week

2009-12-15T11:34:00.000-08:00

Firstly I have been watching a lot of DVDs in recent days. Eddie Izzard 7 a box set of all his shows is great entertainment if you enjoy slightly unpredictable and off the wall comedy. Star Trek (the film released earlier this year) is a very good watch. The only slightly unsettling thing about it is that I keep expecting Zachary Quinto, who plays Spock, to turn into Sylar rather than use the Vulcan neck pinch. I have also completed series 2 of Highlander.

I am still reading Ranulph Fiennes' latest book which as something of a history buff is incredible. This is one family going down through history affecting major events. I recommend it to you all but read after reading John O'Farrell's Utterly Impartial History of Britain.

Apologies for coming to the weeks televisual film offerings but I had a life at the weekend. I won't dwell on what we have missed so far but Wednesday has a number of films worthy of consideration. The Last Samurai is arguably my favourite of the day. It is beautifully shot and Ken Watanabe steals the show from Tom Cruise but unlike in his early days I suspect that Cruise is more comfortable with this. Cruise is good and with able support from Billy Connolly and Timothy Spall it is a well spent couple of hours. Also worth a look is The Sixth Sense which is up against one of the most overrated horror films of all time The Exorcist.

On Thursday we have Enter The Dragon. Arguably the most influential martial arts movie of all time. It is brilliant entertainment particularly if you get to see the unedited version. Bruce Lee was never better than in this and it is a tragedy that he never lived to see the successor possibly to fulfil his massive potential. Big Trouble in Little China is also on but if you watch Dragon then why would you bother with this effects driven chop socky adventure. On any other day Big Trouble is worth a look.

Friday's tour de force is Mars Attacks. It is hysterically funny and star studded. Perhaps those who make films based on computer games should watch this to see how to expand an idea where there is little actual source material. With nods to War of the Worlds, Airplane and many other films this is one that is well worth the effort. Also available is The Black Dahlia. This was a disappointment after LA Confidential but that being said it is worthy of a look. It was a bit slow and ponderous and didn't quite hit the film noir feel which it needed. Samuel L Jackson's version of Shaft is also worth a look. Like The Jackal which I reviewed some time ago it retains enough of the original but is more than capable of standing on its own two feet as a film in its own right.

A few thoughts

2009-12-15T11:11:00.000-08:00

Well I have been accepted on the PGCE and have now called off my henchmen after what I thought was a really bad interview process. They still await my call 'At my command unleash hell'. I now know what path I am intending to go down and I know what I want to do if I get to the end of that path and it is just now a case of putting in some hard work to get there.

Today I gave some money to a man sitting on the roadside begging. Why did you do that some of you may be asking? I have been walking the 2 miles or so from the kids' school to work and this morning was a fairly brisk morning. Normally I would give to the Salvation Army and outsource the hard work to somebody else and I would always commend support to them as they were there for me and mine when I was a kid. My logic was that maybe if I give this guy something he might get some immediate benefit from it, maybe a cup of tea. Financially it wasn't going to make any great difference to me. Morally it doesn't make a difference to me. If he then went and spent the money on something else then ultimately he will have to answer for his choices to higher authority than I.

What really struck me was the fact that this man who apparently had nothing much to speak of he was courteous and polite which is more than some of my clients are a lot of the time. Maybe if I see him again I will speak to him a bit more and find out where he fits into the universe.

Ireland Week 2 and the mighty Huddersfield Giants

2009-12-04T12:50:00.000-08:00

Saturday 8^th August

Well after saying goodbye to mum and dad last night and taking lots of photos I woke up screaming in the middle of the night for no apparently good reason. After a bit of a lie in this morning we set off for Fort Dunree and Buncrana.

We arrived at the fort early and so had to go away and come back which involved some interesting manoeuvring of the car. I spotted a gorgeous deserted beach and tried to find an access point. I found two both of which basically said private property go away. This was extremely frustrating. Whilst waiting I looked up at the top fort and half expected Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood to crawl out of the undergrowth shouting “Broadsword calling Danny Boy!!!”

The exhibition is known as the Guns of Dunree and so I kept expecting Gregory Peck, David Niven and Anthony Quinn to shin up the seawall and start blowing the place up. The museum is good for what it is and the fact that there were few visitors added to the appeal. We were able to wander about but with restrictions. We set off for the top fort and it added to its feeling of being a cross between Navarone and the Schloss Adler. The views from the top were stunning.

We then returned to Buncrana and did some shopping but had to go home before we found the internet café. Jenni & I then spent the afternoon asleep whilst the rugby was on. In the evening Tom and I went down to the sandy beach 2km away. The tide was coming in and so time was limited. The beach is more shells than sand and on a good day is probably fantastic fun.

Tomorrow is a quiet day on the island we hope!

Sunday 9^th August

The day was a bit of an odd one. Went to Mass on the island no strange thing there but the sign of peace was omitted. Dropped the kids and Alison off on the beach and went back to the cottage only to discover that Alison had the keys. Walked the 2k back to get them and Alison came back with me and the kids. We had lunch and then headed off to explore the island. We found the pier and the beach next to it but it wasn’t very nice so we left. Then we looked for the promontory fort but the roads looked dangerous. We then looked for the nice little beach we had seen but couldn’t find a way on to it.

We decided to go to Lisfannon beach which was OK until it rained. We returned home in time to watch the Giants magnificent triumph over St Helens. I then went out to visit the graves and called in on Nellie and had a cup of tea and a chat.

Monday 10^th August

Quiet day. Went to Strabane and stroked Ambrose the bronze pig. I’m sure that God got quite irate over a bronze calf once before. Went to the library and checked email. I had 46 emails of which 6 were actually of any use.

Plans for a trip to Lifford were suspended due to a lack of interest. We stopped off at a picnic spot along the N13 but I was harassed by a wasp and so fled to the car.

Got home and have made arrangements for tomorrow and Wednesday. Also managed to get tickets for Wembley so now have to find somewhere to stay.

In the evening went up to Grianan again. The weather was considerably more clement than it had been on our first trip.

Tuesday 11^th August

Went down to Donegal town and bought some presents. Walked to what’s left of the abbey and went round the outside of the castle. The town was full of visitors from all over the world ( well Europe anyway!!). After Donegal went to Ballybofey and took Tom to see the ground of the mighty Finn Harps!!. The town has changed dramatically in the 13 years since I was last there.

Went for lunch at Seamus & Vonny’s place. Spent the afternoon chatting about life the universe and everything. I put my foot in it criticising social work students and also possibly by the fact that any invite to S & V to come down to the cottage might not have been clear enough. Tom & Jenni both had a go on the drums and Jenni also had a go on a guitar. Also found out that I will not need to learn how to speak Gaelic to teach at the level I want in Ireland. Not that learning Gaelic would be a problem. Chatted to Paul about his musical taste.

After getting back to the cottage Paul & Phyllis came over. We had pizza and chatted and got photos taken. Decided that I will go and see Willie Downey whilst I am here as it might be the last chance to do so.

Wednesday 12^th August

Went to the Aquarium in Derry this morning. A reasonably interesting place if not much to do there. We then went in search of Prehen Woods. These are known as the 'lungs of Derry' but they seemed to have been removed. We eventually found the place but there was no parking or at least none that I was happy leaving the car in. Thwarted in our efforts to walk through the ‘lung of Derry’ we decided to call in on Nellie to see how she is doing.

Got back to the cottage earlier than planned and so had to do the washing up before preparing lunch. Off bowling this afternoon with Paul & Phyllis. Bowling was great fun and Tom and Jenny had a whale of a time.

Thursday 13^th August

Today was Nellie’s birthday so a mass visit was coordinated for the afternoon. I went into Derry and got some flowers for Nellie having been recommended a place by Terri. At lunchtime I took the kids for a pony ride at Terri’s. The kids were escorted by Aoife. The ride didn’t quite last as long as I was expecting but the kids enjoyed it.

On the way down to Nellie’s I called in on Willie Downey but he wasn’t there. Got to Nellie’s and she was as ever delighted to see the kids. It was announced that Patsy was on her way up from Dublin. She had made the decision when she got up that morning.

Shortly after Jacqui, Gerry, Paul & Phyllis arrived. Jenni did what she usually does which is feed off the fact she has a new audience to delight and Patsy did not disappoint.

Later on Patricia, Harry and Chloe arrived. Jenni made a new friend and acquired a new toy.

Called in on Willie Downey again but he wasn’t in.

Friday 14^th August

At last I have met my uncle Willie and also one of his daughters. It was fantastic to spend time with him and get to know him and everybody else. He gave me a few tips for the family tree which paid off massively when I got back home.

On Saturday went back to see him again and brought the family this time. The kids had a whale of a time getting to know their new relatives. We then went over to see Nellie before setting off for the ferry.

As usual the parting was sad and I don't intend to leave it so long the next time. The trip to Larne was only interrupted by a marching band and a brief stop on Glenshane Pass. We actually arrived too early for the ferry.

The actual ferry trip was better than the trip over but the drive down to Huddersfield was a bit of a killer. Next time I will make sure that we book a hotel both ways.

Overall the trip was the best holiday I have ever had despite what my face might have said at times. It reminded me of why I love Ireland and Donegal in particular.

A couple of weeks later Thomas and I met up with Emmett, Tom's godfather, to watch the RL Challenge Cup Final featuring Huddersfield and warrington. The result was bad but the day was great. We managed to cope with the underground. When we arrived at Wembley we went in search of food and found American Charcoal where the portions were huge and Tom couldn't finish it all. We spent the day with Steve, Denise and Stephanie who we met on the train down.

The stadium is massively impressive but there aren't enough toilets. I almost felt like punching a member of Team Robbo who felt that more singing would help the team play better.

Well that's all for now.
Take care!

Books, films and other matters of interest

2009-12-04T12:32:00.000-08:00

Well hello again everybody, here is my latest rambling set of thoughts. In terms of films on TV next week there isn't a great set, the tv channels are saving up for the Christmas glut no doubt. Film of the week is undoubtedly Batman Begins. It has a great cast, great script is well acted and has undoubtedly saved the franchise. Arguably it is a better film than its more vocal successor The Dark Knight. On the same night, Sunday, there is Kelly's Heroes which is something of an odd war film. It is delightfully daft, exciting, funny, moving at times but always worth a look.

As trailed last week I have now watched the Renegade Version of Highlander 2. Is it better than the theatrical release I hear you cry? Yes but only marginally. Some of the additional scenes do help the film make more sense but still the film is disappointing. Perhaps after the original film anything would be disappointing.

John O'Farrell's latest book was, as expected very entertaining, possibly not as good as the first history book but nevertheless a good read. Currently I have 2 books on the go. Ranulph Fiennes' family history is shaping up nicely and P J O'Rourke's latest offering looks like it could be a good read.

This week we have a voyage south to that centre of the universe Worksop and a rugby match in Otley. On Tuesday I have my PGCE interview, fingers crossed there and lip well and truly bitten. We are wondering if my 10 year old will carry through with his strike threat and if so how we will notice that it has started.

Well more later

Vaya con dios

Films of the week (w/c28/11/09)

2009-11-25T11:36:00.000-08:00

Well it's been a while since I reviewed any films or indeed anything. I will be watching Highlander 2:Renegade Cut in the next few days. To all those who remember the abomination that was Highlander 2 at the cinema it is supposed to be the film we should have seen. I am currently watching Series 2 of the Highlander TV series.

I have recently finished reading Stuart Maconie's Cider With Roadies. If you are interested in music history it is interesting. It is not as good as Pies & Prejudice but is much better than Adventures on the High Teas. That just didn't click for me.

So on with the films on Saturday there are 3 films each of which if they didn't have the competition would be film of the day. The Adventures of Robin Hood is Hollywood does English legend ye olde englishe waye. It is a fantastic romp and Basil Rathbone, Erroll Flynn and Claude Rains simply chew up the screen. Overlapping this gem is The Empire Strikes Back. This is by a considerable distance the best of the original three Star Wars films and by definition, therefore, the best of the six. It is dark and the Vadar and Yoda characters are fantastic. Late night on Virgin 1 is No Way Out. Gene Hackman acts Kevin Costner off the screen in what is one of Costner's best films. It is simply well written, well acted and a pacy thriller.

On Sunday yet again there are a clutch of interesting offerings. Channel 5 offers Firefox. Based on the Craig Thomas novel of the same name it is actually quite a good adaptation of the book. Unfortunately it was panned by just about everybody as one of Clint Eastwood's worst films. The dodgy Russian accents offered by pretty much the entire membership of Equity are a delight to behold. It is good fun if not a great movie. It is followed by The Green Mile. This is based on the Stephen King story. It is the director Frank Darabont's second King prison flick after The Shawshank Redemption. Coincidentally the stage play of that film is in trouble with a number of reviewers for putting a review of the film over it's theatrical offering which was not so praiseworthy apparently. I am not a big Tom Hanks fan but this is one of his better films. Other offerings are Sahara (Film 4) which is a very good action adventure offering. Lastly there is Enemy at the Gates. This isn't rated too highly in Radio Times but I think it is actually a very entertaining movie if at variance with actual history.

On Tuesday the undoubted film of the day is Flags of Our Fathers (Film 4) This is one of Clint Eastwood's 2 war films and is actually probably the slightly weaker of the two in my humble opinion. Nevertheless it is still a better film than most you will see. It tells the Iwo Jima tale from the American point of view. The outstanding performance in this film comes from Adam Beach who can also be seen in another fantastic film, Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee. The other film on Tuesday is The Blues Brothers. There isn't a plot as such it is merely a series of set pieces to showcase the fantastic music which is what the film is all about.

Wednesday brings the second of the Clint Eastwood war films, Letters From Iwo Jima. I think this is the best of the two. Ken Watanabe is truly magnificent but is there a film where he isn't, perhaps Batman Begins. Also on Wednesday there is First Blood. This is the first and, by some considerable distance, the best of the Rambo films. Stallone is excellent, despite evidence to the contrary (Stop Or My Mom Will Shoot), he can act given the right material (Rocky, Copland, Judge Dredd). The tension is ratcheted up in this film. Brian Dennehy is a fantastic foil and watch out for David Caruso of CSI Miami. If only the rest of the franchise could have been a patch on this one they would all be classics.

On Thursday there is one underrated offering and one guilty pleasure. The underrated offering is Black Widow. It is not normally one of my type of films and I certainly wouldn't go out of my way to see it. However, I ended up watching it one evening and was impressed with the offering. The guilty pleasure is Rat Race. It is by the Airplane team which means one of two things usually. A film will be either very very funny (Airplane, Naked Gun, Police Squad) or it will be very dodgy (Kentucky Fried Movie, Top Secret). There are gags in this film that you laugh at but your not sure why or even if you should be laughing but you can't help it.

We end the week with two films on Friday night. The first of these, The Jackal, shouldn't work and some still feel that it is heresy that it was ever made, but it is a great film that whilst showing a nod to its illustrious predecessor doesn't feel constrained by it. It takes what worked in the original but changes it slightly. Bruce Willis is absolutely fantastic as the title character, Sidney Poitier is fantastic as the FBI agent. The one thing that spoils this film is Richard Gere and the frankly ludicrous plot involving an ex-Basque terrorist. The second film is Downfall. This is about the last days in Hitler's bunker in Berlin. It is a film which was universally lauded particularly Bruno Ganz who portrays the German dictator. I found it a bit turgid and long winded for my taste. It might well be very good but I found it hard going.

Enjoy yourselves more to come in the next few days.

Evidence

2009-11-04T11:37:00.000-08:00

Over the last couple of weeks I have come across people who apparently seem to have ignored what evidence actually is. The first offender was a member of Friends of the Earth who uses the governmental interpretation of the word. The debate was with this green type and a farmer and it was about whether or not GM foods are a good thing or not. The governmental interpretation of evidence is that there is only evidence if it has come through research and scientific investigation. Whilst this is to an extent true, it ignores the fact that anecdotal evidence is still evidence and this green advocate was dismissing the farmer's own experiences and knowledge because they didn't fit her argument.

An academic once criticised part of one of my best presentations because some information came from personal knowledge and experience rather than from the groves of academe.

Almost the next day there was a debate about the Kelly Report into MPs expenses when it was leaked that allowances would be lost and spouses not allowed to be employed. The MP's complaint was that Kelly had clearly not listened to the evidence he had given because he had reached a different conclusion to the one he wanted, Politicians are forever doing this. The current furore over scientific advisers is also part of this. The evidence would seem to support the scientist's conclusions it is just that what he said was ludicrous but accurate.

I don't mind people using evidence to support their argument, it is what I have trained to do for 4 years, what I do object to is people denying that contrary evidence exists or stating that unless evidence is gathered from a scientific research program it is invalid. Evidence simply is. You may vary the weight you give to different types of evidence but evidence is evidence and to deny this simple fact is irritating and pointless.

Politicians

2009-10-13T10:30:00.000-07:00

I am sick to the back teeth with MPs and those who believe that they are entitled to money. In practice there is little difference between the two groups except that the MPs have marginally better dress sense.

I have today heard one MP (Bill Etherington somewhere in Sunderland) try and justify the purchase of a razor on expenses. A razor is not essential to the correct performance of his duties as an MP and which world is he living in if he thinks that the public would think otherwise. We have Shahid Malik trying to justify the purchase of a Plasma TV at the public expense and other MPs claiming curtains, cushions etc. The other issue is that they never go to Primark to buy these things and the public never get the benefit of their largesse.

Until this country gets away from responding to people who start sentences with "Worrit is right..." with large sums of money from the public purse it is going only one way and that is right down the toilet.

Ireland Week 1

2009-08-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

Saturday 1st August

Dawn broke on a dull and cloudy morning. This was going to be a long day. We set off and I nearly missed the petrol station 10 yards away from the Travelodge. After filling up I went in to pay and chatted to the attendant and we compared weather anecdotes. The trip to Cairnryan was enhanced by the fact that sun broke through the clouds to enliven one of the best driving roads I have ever seen. Note to self if I ever take this route again then will have to check out the Rhins of Galloway at Cairnryan. We arrived about half eight and were ushered into the queue to await the ferry. Suddenly around the headland a ferry came into view and strangely my spirits soared a little. Unfortunately this was the ferry for Stranraer a few miles away. Not long after the ferry we were due to catch arrived.

Passengers were ushered back to their cars and engines started. It was not quite like a Le Mans start more like the Wacky Races. Which queue would get on first??? Tom seemed entirely underwhelmed by the whole experience. We were fourth on and made our way up to the passenger deck. I can remember when there would have been long queues of traffic going down to the ports but now the roads were virtually empty. Initially I sat facing the front but my stomach and inner ear quickly told me to sit with my back to the direction of travel. Even when stationery I could detect movement of the ship.

The ship set a fair old pace, much faster than the ferries of my youth which I swear had Charlton Heston and a crew of slaves manning oars at the bottom of the ship. Alison and the kids all lay down whilst I pondered anything to take my mind off the swaying of the ship. To an extent both strategies worked as nobody was sick. I was saved by a blast of cool air down a passage from the open deck. Also a note to to P&O if you are going to put Sudoku in your magazine at least have the decency to make sure they can be completed.

So after arrival at Larne stage two of the road trip began. Quickly I decided that some of the drivers in Northern Ireland were certifiable given some of the speeds they were clearly doing. Although they have ‘motorways’ they are barely adequate A roads in comparison to those in Great Britain. Even Glenshane Pass seemed to have lost something since I last passed along it. We made it to Derry having seen the town described as “London” and “Derry” depending on which section of the community you belonged to. Just as I saw a sign for Foyle Bridge which was a target destination for me Alison exclaimed that there was a Tesco. Fortunately they were on the same road so we pulled into Lisnagelvin Centre and did our shopping.

I rang dad to let them know we were in the neighbourhood and rapidly discovered that our cover had already been blown by somebody as everybody seemed to know a) we were coming and b) where we were staying. Shopping done we tried to make good our escape from the hellish nightmare of shopping on a Saturday. There were no signs for Foyle Bridge on exit and we ended up on a small estate by the UVF hall. I rapidly decided that a hasty retreat to the nearest main road was in order.

Having escaped the clutches of the Hun and no doubt certain doom we followed the main road and ended up at Craigavon Bridge. This then required me to use the force, my chosen method of finding my way in the world, to find the round to Bridge End. Miraculously despite the many changes to Derry since the last time I was able to make it out of the city on the right road.

Next we headed, unintentionally to Burt and so scared the living daylights out of a few car drivers as we effected a turn. I had to read the inner dial on the speedometer now that we were in the Republic. Eventually we found our way to Inch. I followed the sign for Inch Pier and then decided that I was going in completely the wrong direction so again created confusion for the locals and went back the way we came and pounced upon the first unsuspecting local for directions. He quickly ran back in to his house to seek reinforcements. I followed his directions and almost found myself in the Lough as we went along the Strand. We came to a fork in the road and again took the wrong turning. I again decided to go and harass a local man in his own house. He gave me the information I required so I let him live and I quickly effected my escape. I followed the signs for Binn Allt (Roads End). Within minutes we had found the cottage and were about to go to the wrong cottage when another local with an American accent decided to stop and interrogate us. I then went in search of our host for the trip.

The door was answered by her daughter who said that she would come down and let us in. we waited and then a red car appeared from the owner’s house and out stepped Terri who was bemused as to why her daughter had neglected to tell us that the keys were in the door. She gave us a guided tour and suggested some places to visit whilst we were here. For all her friendliness and the fact that Jenni decided to give her a huge hug all I wanted was to be left in peace for a little while.

The cottage was beautiful (www .donegalcottageholidays.com/rowan).

Alison decided to make an executive decision and refuse Tom his solitude on the trip and so the children were together in the same room. After unpacking everything Alison took the kids in search of the pebble beach which, according to the brochure was 300m away. Rather quickly they were back, saturated not because of the rain but because of the grass on the route down. A little later Tom and I went for another walk to Binn Allt.

After our return we decided to turn in for the night as we had a busy day ahead of us tomorrow.

Sunday 2nd August
The morning was glorious and Inch and the surrounding countryside were revealed in all their glory. The sun shimmered on Lough Swilly and the day was set fair. We set off for Killea at 8.45am hoping to make it in time for 9.30 Mass. The route was relatively simple and apart from one slight detour which Tom managed to correct through his powers of observation we arrived and made our way into the back of church. I was still feeling a little on edge after all the travelling I had done in the last few weeks. My parents were sat at the back with Helen & Jack. I scanned the congregation but could not see anybody else I knew.

I crept in behind my parents only to be spotted by dad who always did have an annoying habit of turning round at exactly the wrong moment. The shock and awe tactics of Jenni took away the breath of the American contingent. Mass started at the usual Donegal speed even though the priest, who had once incensed me on a previous visit, could only manage a barely audible mumble. Jenni went into children’s liturgy and came out doing the offertory procession much to everybody’s surprise. I then noticed Margaret McDaid.

After mass there were hugs and handshakes with the rellies and then introductions to cousins and people of whom I had no idea of their existence 60 seconds previously. We then drove up to Nellie’s house and under instructions from Mum waited outside until their return from the shop, which is a fine old Irish tradition. You come straight out of Mass having condemned the most sinful aspects of human nature and then you go away and indulge them be it alcohol, cigarettes, polluting the environment or reading the News of the World.

Nellie looked on from her window at us wondering who we were and what we were doing and we were attracting attention from a couple of local dogs. This wait was to be the first of many today. We had tea and toast after all the introductions and eventually lunchtime came around. Just before lunch I had been out for a walk with Harry and Jack two of my uncles. Jenni continued to try and wow the relatives and Tom was just quiet.

Next to show up was Paul and then after he had gone we went for a walk prior to the expected arrival of the Ballybofey branch of the clan. Jenni discovered a Barbie castle in somebody’s garden and wanted to make a closer inspection of the property. Lee (Paul's son) went away and then Paul and Harry came back and then Seamus, Vonny and Charlene appeared and with the arrival of Paul and Phyllis as well as the return of Helen and Jack the house was, for a time, full and the centre of the universe. Conversations were taking place in the kitchen and the lounge and people drifted between venues.

This would have been the ideal opportunity to take photos but it didn’t seem appropriate and Serafina the cat didn’t seem interested. After a long day we returned to the island and the peace and tranquillity and watched the sun go down over Lough Swilly.

Monday 3rd August
The weather was dreek but it showed occasional flashes of calm and so we took the road up to Grianan. The mystery of whether or not the golf course at Burt still existed was solved – it doesn’t!!. We drove up and were instantly faced with a problem – where was the camera? Alison insisted that she hadn’t packed it and I said that I brought it down for packing. We had to use Tom’s camera and my mobile phone which was rendered useless by the weather. Later in the day we discovered that the digital camera had been in the bag all along. Not happy!!!!

The view as ever was stunning but soon we had to leave as we were expecting visitors about 3 o’clock. A phone call to dad gave us a time frame in which everything had to be done. Using the force (do they have something against clear directions??) to descend from Grianan we found Killea and went into Derry and parked in the Foyleside car park. We booked Tom’s photos in for development and then went in search of an eatery. Jenni was enthralled by the fountain in the Foyleside. We found Sizzlers but they would only take cash so off we went. Eventually we settled on Burger King. We then went in search of post boxes in order to post the two postcards which had been purchased that morning. We also found the Harbour Museum. Whilst the fact that they opened up the museum for us in their lunch time was very nice and very good customer service there wasn’t exactly a huge amount to see there. Tom enjoyed the exhibits if not the talking heads.

After our escape we headed back and ran into Paul and Phyllis in the Foyleside and agreed to meet up and go bowling or something. We then headed up to Killea where we walked into a crisis and previously agreed arrangements were altered. We took Dad over to the island and dropped Alison and Jenni off. We then went to Moville for a round of golf. It was not great and the fact Tom had never played before was a bit of a problem which made us late for picking mum up from Killea.

I won the game for the record.

Picked mum up and came out to the island for a late tea.

Tuesday 4th August

Best day so far according to Alison and the kids. Given that we had Grianan (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grianan_of_Aileach) and the Barbie castle to compete with this is some going. The day started early and we set off for Malin Head. This is the most northerly point in Ireland. We arrived at about 9 or half past and went up to the tower and Banba’s Crown. Camera was a bit hit and miss today will just have to see what happens when we get the photos on the laptop. We currently have three cameras in use.

We had been asked by Vonny “Why do you want to go there? There is nothing there.” Well there was the scenery. We had hit it on the perfect half hour as not long after we left the clouds and rain descended. Also there was The Old Curiosity Shop which we didn’t visit. It doubles as the tourist information office for the area. Who says the Irish are daft?

We then went to Malin and Culdaff. There was not much at Malin other than the fact it seemed to be a nice little village so we decided not to stop. At Culdaff I was beginning to wonder where the much vaunted beach was as it looked a mile or so inland on the maps. Then all of a sudden there was a sign for the beach but even then I remained unconvinced. Then all of a sudden we came upon one of the nicest beaches I have ever seen in my life. It was clean the breakers rolled in off the ocean and the children were overjoyed. Jenni, Tom & Alison took off shoes and socks and ran into the waves and played on the beach. Behind the beach was a play area which unfortunately we did not have either the time or weather to investigate further.

Next stop on our trip having avoided the rogue sheep in the morning on the way to Malin Head was Doagh Famine Village (http://www.doaghfaminevillage.com/). This is a guy who has diversified and made use of his family home and turned it into a museum and tour about the famine times. I have some reservations about such places and the book which Alison bought did seem a little overpriced but the entry fee got you a drink, soda bread and digestives. Jenni loved the waterfall in a part of the exhibition whilst Tom and I had fun in the safe house and also the Orange Lodge (probably the first and last time either of us will ever enter such a building).

Our landlady had invited us to an agricultural fair at Clonmany. On our way back we called in and whilst it is another nice place and clearly the festival was on, this agricultural fair must have either been using a cloaking device or it was at a venue known only to those who have entered some secret society as there was no sign of it at all. So it was home via Buncrana.

This morning I nearly killed a heron who had decided to eat its prey in the middle of the causeway connecting Inch to the mainland.

Wednesday 5th August
Today was a bastard of a day. Set off early for Dunlewey (there is no link here as I don't wish to encourage them) and Glenveagh(http://www.glenveaghnationalpark.ie/) . Letterkenny has changed beyond all recognition since I was there last (there are now a few more traffic lights!!). Arrived at Dunlewey at about 10 o’clock. The road was challenging but spectacular. Unfortunately the centre did not open until 10.30. So we waited around and eventually went in and were charged 17 euros for entry into part of the place and would have been charged more had we wanted to use any of the main features.

The farm featured a couple of scrawny donkeys , two indolent pigs (of the porcine variety not the staff!!) several stuffed animals and a few birds. I went round taunting each with words such as hoi sin sauce for the ducks.

Tom and Jenni both wanted to go on the adventure playground. Tom fell off a rope slide (unlike every other child who went on it) and went down as if he had been shot. He survived to spend the next hour moping around and behaving like a teenager. We eventually found some lakeside walks and went on one along the Poison Glen. We came back and decided to leave with a sensation that we had been ripped off. The Poison Glen (named after a mistranslation which caught on after some soldiers were poisoned nearby apparently) is beautiful but that is free.

We then headed off for Glenveagh National Park and Castle. It was all very well for what it was but I was already in a bad mood and this was worsened when Alison lost her hat and decided to go off into the gorse bushes on the side of a several hundred foot drop whilst she was in charge of Thomas. The castle is distinctive and on another day I might have been more receptive but not today. I had just had enough of walking and wanted to go home.

I have now managed to compile all the photos into one place. Well tomorrow is another day.

Thursday 6th August
This morning we went over to the genealogy centre at Ramelton. Mere mortals are not allowed to examine the records and so the researcher looked into the family for me. She came back after about half an hour and informed me that a lot of what I had been told was wrong. She offered me several bits of information and I selected the cheapest and what I believed were the most useful. I might get in touch again and do the research a bit at a time. You were left very much with a feeling of cross my palm with silver and I shall tell you everything.

We then headed down to Killea to go out to some family graves. Mum asked what I had found out and Aunt Helen also enquired. I was then informed that I had an uncle that nobody knew about.

We agreed to go up to Ballybofey on Tuesday and then after a brief lunch we went to St Johnston and Newtoncunningham. We went to see Mary. She seemed a bit tearful which is entirely understandable but Jenni made herself at home and gave out lots of hugs. Then we went down to Newton and found out more information in the churchyard there. I also went to look at the new church. I am spectacularly unimpressed as the old church was beautiful. This is the folly of the priest I mentioned earlier.

Then back to Nellie’s. By this time we had practically the entire clan other than the Dublin branch and Sinead. We said our goodbyes to Jack & Helen and back home in time for supper.

Updated the family tree in light of the new info.

Friday 7th August
Mum and dad’s 41st anniversary today. Got up and the local and national weather didn’t agree with each other. We decided to take the chance and go to the Giants Causeway and Dunluce Castle. The added benefit to the decision was that tomorrow is likely to be hellish up there and there is the small matter of the Apprentice Boys march in Derry to contend with.

We eventually found the Foyle Bridge today. It’s big enough so I am still not sure how we missed it the first time. The trip up to the Causeway was fantastic and Portrush is gorgeous. We arrived and were charged £6 to park. However, it was unclear whether or not the nearby Heritage Railway museum was cheaper. We then tried to find the route to the Causeway which was badly signposted IMHO.

Having found the route down, we trekked down along with several hundred other visitors. Numbers are up this year due to a lot of people holidaying at home. There were Americans, Poles, Australians, and they were just the ones we could identify. The Causeway was something of an anticlimax if truth be told. A couple of people we overheard suggested that it was all an elaborate hoax on the part of the Irish Tourist Board who were in league with NASA over the moon landings. Alison bumped into an American geologist who proceeded to explain the place to her. Despite the large signs saying don’t climb on black rocks many people ignored them. So it would appear that stupidity induced myopia is an international condition. Fortunately the conditions were relatively benign today.

We then climbed back up to the car for lunch and then headed off to Dunluce.

The contrast couldn’t have been greater. There were only a few tourists and everything was done on a much more relaxed scale. You felt that they wanted people to enjoy the place for what it was whereas at the Causeway you were left with the impression that they felt they had to justify the World Heritage Site status by charging for the air around the place.

At Dunluce there is a visitor centre with useful information in a variety of languages, an exhibition room with a scale model of the castle as it would have been in its heyday and a short film by the descendants of the people who built the place and who were clearly very proud of their little seaside getaway. People are able to wander about with only one warning – don’t climb on the walls. It is peaceful and tranquil (well it is if you don’t have Jenni with you!!). By contrast at the Causeway if you were gullible enough you could meet Finn Maccool and suffer a 12 minute “interactive audio visual experience” – AAAARRRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!

Also at Dunluce there is a little shop and café run completely separately from the castle. Mum and dad are coming round this evening.

Week 2 will follow shortly as will death by PowerPoint. The photos here are just a few of some 350.

Travels with Jonathan Part 3 - The Emerald Isle

2009-08-22T07:17:00.000-07:00

Well since I last posted we have been on holiday to Donegal. The trip was wonderful, although Alison did say that if I was enjoying it I should tell my face. In spite of what my face might have been implying I had a wonderful time. It was without a doubt the best holiday I have ever had and I have never felt so at ease.

Following a dreadful night in Dumfries at the Travelodge we set off on what looked like a grim day but were rewarded with fantastic roads and glorious weather en route to Cainryan. Now I am not a great traveller on ferries and the one thing that was missing from my memory were the long queues of traffic headed to or coming from the ports. Tom seemed entirely underwhelmed with his first sight of a ferry. The crossing was much better than I remembered from my youth. There were only a couple of moments that brought back those memories ( and nearly my breakfast).

The drive through Northern Ireland was also better than I recalled. We arrived in Derry and looked for signs for the Foyle Bridge. The first one we saw also led to a Tesco at Lisnagelvin where we could do our shopping. We left and all the signs for the bridge disappeared. We ended up driving around and stopping outside a UVF hall. Needless to say we didn't hang around. We crossed over the river on the Craigavon Bridge and then used the force to negotiate the city. Eventually we found the way out and then found Inch which was where the problems started.

In Ireland you don't necessarily go the way that common sense tells you you should. Inch proved this after taking the wrong turn immediately on getting to the island. We went down a single track and stopped outside a bemused person's house who ran back inside to seek reinforcements or perhaps a shotgun. We were apparently going in the right direction and caught our one and only glimpse of the castle. we then plunged down onto the strand and at the next junction accidentally took the right route but still felt the need to stop and harass a local couple in their own house. We eventually found our home for the next fortnight but took half an hour to find the owner to let us in.

That evening Tom and I went for a walk and I felt the peace and quiet and fresh air for the first time.

More to follow with pictures as well. We are now ready to bore people with a full screen slideshow of our holiday snaps.

Travels with Jonathan Part 2 - The frozen north

2009-07-30T05:27:00.000-07:00

The weekend after attending the reunion in Mansfield I had to travel up to Dalgety Bay in Fife to drop my kids off at my parents for a week's holiday. The A1 was the chosen route and that was the last time I will willingly take that route north. The conditions were terrible and the road is just not fit for purpose. It wasn't helped by the fact that just into Scotland the road was flooded in 2 places and there were still idiots determined to do 100mph in any event.

On the Sunday due to the Forth Road Bridge being closed I had to take the Kincardine Bridge and travel down the M6 route. I did the journey in about an hour less than normal. Partly because I only had to stop when I needed to stop and partly because the traffic was fine until you got down to Lancaster. I stopped at Tebay, the much vaunted service station on the M6. On the same journey I had to stop at Bothwell near Glasgow, and on the return leg Birch and Bolton. Tebay southbound is better than the northbound at the moment largely because northbound there is a building site. But the point is that Tebay may well scalp you on the prices just like all the others but you resent paying the prices less because the surroundings and service are so much better than those provided by the big multiples.

One question that did puzzle me is why in hot sunny weather when common sense would dictate that women would wear strapless undergarments they insist on showing little or no fashion sense and show off every little item they are wearing straps and all.

Edinburgh does have something in common with Mansfield. Yes I know it sounds odd but it is true. Edinburgh for all its wonderful buildings and beautiful surroundings is a grimy city. If the city fathers took more time to clean the place up it would be an even bigger draw to tourists but just a couple of streets away from the Royal Mile the bin bags were piled high by the road side on a Saturday when the number of tourists is huge. The numbers were swollen by the gathering of the clans which boiled down to essentially, a lot of people dressed up in tartan.

Edinburgh is my favourite capital city of those I have visited and I could happily live there and probably go bankrupt in the shops.

Travels with Jonathan

2009-07-30T05:08:00.000-07:00

I have in the last few weeks been doing a bit of travelling up and down the country observing places and people as I went. My first trip was to a school reunion in Mansfield. The reunion was something of a washout. I was the head boy of the school at which a teacher attacked and injured three children.

Mansfield was always something of a hole largely because its council refused to recognise that since it had lost its two main injuries (coal and textiles) the town was nothing more than a dormitory town for Nottingham. Most of my fellow students left Mansfield and have rarely returned since leaving for Huddersfield back in 1992 I have only been back about a dozen times. What shocked me about the place is that around my school it feels like somebody just let off a limited nuclear device. Most of the houses and shops around the school are empty or rather the old terraces are. The better houses seem to have remained largely unaffected.

Whilst in Mansfield I drove round some of my old houses and haunts to see what has happened. I didn't visit the Ladybrook estate. Our bungalow in Pleasley has remained largely unchanged from what I could see but the village in general has suffered the same problem located by my school. The police house where I grew up is now an industrial estate which is a terrible shame. The last house in Mansfield where I lived again hasn't changed much. The Nottingham Road end of town has remained fairly constant. The only bizarre change was the sudden appearance of a palm tree in my old front garden.

I had a round of golf at King George V on Berry Hill and rediscovered my enjoyment of the game. The peace and tranquility even though I hadn't hit a ball for about 5 years was great. The hotel where I stayed was functional and had a cat called Marmalade and the service was good as on Saturday they opened up the restaurant for me.

The town centre is stuck in a time warp though. The broken glass makes a scene reminiscent of Kristalnacht but without the poignancy. That is just the way Mansfield is. Those who care can't do anythign because those who don't care about anything shout loudest and everybody has to listen. The chavs queuing outside Greggs for their sausage rolls make the ones elsewhere in the country seem positively cosmopolitan. The interior of the Four Seasons Shopping Centre hasn't changed at all since I left all those years ago.

Another delight of the trip was the chance to go to St Phillips church again. Having attended some relatively humble establishments in recent years it was an oasis of calm in the storm that is life in Mansfield. The clergy may have changed but many of the congregation were there when I was a boy.It was great to speak to people I hadn't seen for years. The particular delights were to speak to my what would be now Y4/5 teacher and one of my headmasters.

Once Mansfield accepts what it is then change may come but if it doesn't then I foresee Mansfield breaking up into lots of small villages with a kind of separation between the areas people want to live and where those who have ambition live and those where the neanderthal indifferent residents currently reside.

More musings from my recent travels later

Education & politics

2009-06-16T02:17:00.000-07:00

Over the last few days the subject of debate on the television between the parties. In particular the discussion has revolved around what will happen to the Year 6 SATS. For those of you not up on the discussion the Tories are planning to abolish them and replace them with Year 7 testing. Now it is well established practice that almost all secondary schools test their new intake as they do not entirely trust the SATS results. After last year who can blame them. So there is some sense to the proposal. I will state here and now that I am not and never have been a Tory supporter.

Ed Balls, who many parents think is part of the problem with education and not part of the solution, accused the Tories of effectively attacking the parent's right to know how their school is performing and of attacking teachers. What utter patronising nonsense. League Tables are a construct which actually does not answer many fundamental questions relating to choice. They are a blunt instrument which shows which schools can teach to the test. Teachers were, in my day, trusted individuals who were able to give parents a clear picture of how their child(ren) were doing at school. What parents really want is to know that their offspring can read, write, add up and communicate effectively as a basic minimum. Having seen some of the results that turn up at universities across the country the comprehensive system and the education policy of all governments have failed utterly. The nonsensical idea that 50% of the population are actually capable of the academic rigour required to undertake a degree should be put to bed. As an ideal it is good but it has never been the case that this proportion of the populace have been academically able to take a degree. The degree has been devalued to the extent that only those with postgraduate qualifications can demonstrate that they are academically able.

Teachers should be allowed to teach. Yes there have to be tests and assessments but at primary level they must not be the pinnacle and most important thing.

The glorious leader, not Lord Mandelson of Sith but the Prime Minister, told his fellow Labour MPs that he would change and be open and transparent. Diane Abbott didn't believe him and a mere one week later she has been proved right. The Iraq Inquiry will be held behind closed doors it is unclear who can be called and what evidence can be seen. What is more important is that no blame will be apportioned. Blame is exactly what this inquiry should be apportioning. People in government either actively or recklessly misled Parliament and the country at large as to the reasons for going to war. Some of that negligence may well be of a criminal standard. People have died as a result of the lies told by the government. Members of the Cabinet may actually be liable for prosecution for war crimes. The opposition parties and any Labour MPs with a conscience should not rest until a full public inquiry is delivered. If anybody has committed a crime then they must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

But that being said the prosecuting authorities seem reluctant to prosecute politicians who are in government.

But we watch with interest for developments.

Avoiding the football

2009-06-10T03:00:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody,

If you are not one of those people who is bothered about whether England can beat Andorra this evening then I have a few film recommendations. At 9pm on E4 we have Tim Burton's Batman. This original vision of the Dark Knight story was excellent. The show was stolen by Jack Nicholson as The Joker but overall it is just great entertainment. At the same time on Film 4 there is Dodgeball. Those who know me would testify to the fact that I think Ben Stiller films are very hit and miss and in my opinion most of them are miss. Dodgeball is one of those rare films that is actually quite good. From 10pm onwards you have a choice of 3 offerings. Mad Max is a film I never really got in to. In fact I once spent a Sunday afternoon at the ABC cinema in Mansfield watching all 3 films back to back and still came out no wiser. On FiverUSA there is Terminator 3 which is possibly the weakest of the films in the Terminator series thus far. I have yet to see Terminator Salvation and will probably wait for it to come out on DVD. Lastly on BBC1 there is Insomnia. It is a good watch although it is probably not a film you will watch again. The performances from Robin Williams & Al Pacino are excellent.

Go Ireland by the way and hope that you beat India in the cricket today.

Tomorrow film wise there are two films to look out for. At 9pm on Virgin1 there is Dark Angel. Nothing to do with the Jessica Alba series but a Dolph Lundgren film in which an alien comes to Earth and wreaks havoc because he likes collecting endorphines. At 10.35 on ITV1 is Total Recall. This is one of those rare films of a Philip K Dick novel that is actually a good film. I have never been a fan of Blade Runner or Minority Report but absolutely love this film. It is rip roaring entertainment that doesn't take itself too seriously. Arnie is, well, Arnie. Ably supported by Sharon Stone, Michael Ironside and Ronny Cox. These two gentlemen are both actors who you will watch probably not knowing who they are but going "I remember him in...". They both play fabulous villains.

Enjoy

Media update

2009-06-06T11:34:00.001-07:00

Hi everybody,

Since my last set of reviews I have had the chance to see a number of films and read a number of books and added some new music to my burgeoning collection. If you have any sense then avoid The Da Vinci Code. There are better ways to waste two hours - watching paint dry springs to mind. If you want to see a remake of Day of the Dead then just visit any supermarket on a Saturday morning and watch people move around aimlessly as if they have joined the undead.

16 Blocks was a film that I was expecting to be disappointed with largely because of the presence of Mos Def. However, it is an excellent film and well worth the watch. The plot and acting are absorbing and enthralling.

Star Trek was an odd numbered film and so hope was not high but fears were misplaced and it was an excellent film. The only drawback was that I always kept expecting Zachary Quinto who plays Spock to start trying to cut peoples heads open with his finger.

Bookswise I was pleasantly surprised by Runes of the Earth by Stephen Donaldson. I had not particularly liked the second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.

On TV tomorrow you can look forward to Blues Brothers 2000 ITV4). It is not as good as the original but follows essentially the same plot and is still entertaining. On ITV 2 there are Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and The Mummy Returns.

Musically recommmendations are Queensryche American Soldier and Heaven & Hell's first studio album.

In sporting news I am now a week into my enhanced fitness regime. I am going to the gym every other day, playing badminton once a week and swimming as well. Tai chi classes are on hold for a couple of months.

Grumble of the week is the Passport Office who required me to fill out an entirely new form because in one section I had forgotten to put my title.

Politics - a very strange business

2009-06-06T11:03:00.000-07:00

Well this week has been a tumultuous one in politics in the UK. But in all the gloom surrounding the Labour party I have managed to find a silver lining. The loss of Caroline Flint is no loss at all to the country. I am perfectly happy to let her fester on the backbenches. She is without doubt one of the most condescending and objectionable of MPs I have ever come across. She talks down to people, interrupts and sneers at people who do not agree with her. So to see her resignation in a fit of pique yesterday was a particular treat.

I suspect that after tomorrow's European election results it would take a miracle of biblical proportions to save the Labour party. Purely on figures in the local elections the Lib Dems finished second to the Tories. Consevative Central Office must be hoping, praying and keeping everything crossed that their glorious leader Dave has no skeletons in his closet or doesn't do anything stupid before the election.

One criticism of Labour is that they have lost touch with real people. From my perspective they were never in touch in the first place. On arrival after their much trumpeted no more sleaze we had Ecclestonegate, Hindujagate to name but two. Our current glorious leader raided the pension funds creating many of the black holes that now engulf them. He sold off the gold reserves. He abolished MIRAS thus attacking middle England and many hard working families. He got the NHS to increase staffing and gave them money to do so. He then increased National Insurance thus taking money back. Then there was the war in Iraq which was illegal, there was the dodgy dossier and the hole cut and paste of an unsourced American student's PhD thesis. No WMD. The way in which they managed to avoid ANY criticism following the Hutton and Butler inquiries.

The complete misjudgement on the Gurkhas.

Then we have the expenses scandal. In this our local MP insisted that she was entirely justified in taking taxpayers money to furnish her London flat. MPs should only be allowed to rent furnished properties and the sooner she is gone along with other MPs the better.

It seems that now 24 hours is a long time on politics. I urge you all to use your vote wisely but in any case at least use it. We need a change of system which allows independently minded MPs of whatever persuasion to buck the control of the whips and to actually give us a parliament of which we can be truly proud.

Sainsburys, Porsche drivers and other animals

2009-05-23T14:14:00.001-07:00

Well gentle reader what delights do I have to share with you at the moment. Sainsburys in Huddersfield have just redeveloped their Shorehead store. During the course of the revamp all of the signage was left in place and this is the point of my rant. The store opening times stated clearly that the store was open until midnight. I arrived at 9.50 and at 10pm an announcement came over the tannoy insisting that everybody left as the store was closing and anybody inside was made to feel very uncomfortable by the staff. Note to Justin King if the sign says that you are open until midnight don't be surprised when people turn up at 10pm.

I have also had occasion to use Asda in recent weeks and if Sainsbury's don't get their act together sharpish I will be taking Alison's money up there!! But I did get a degree of satisfaction in smiting a Porsche driver in the car park. I was about to leave when a woman in her 50s driving a Porsche pulled into a parking spot by a parent and child sign. I challenged her and got a mouthful of abuse for my trouble. So I enlisted the three car parl attendants who said that they had told the store to remove the signs because they expected such incidents. I left two of them lying in wait for the gobby Porsche driver.

Oh by the way if you happen to know which 3 year old was responsible for the design of the new car park take their crayons away as their dad clearlt didn't notice their contribution to the design process. Second note to Justin King - disabled people need their car parking spaces CLOSER to the store NOT further away.

It is my birthday next weekend and my battle with the reaper goes ever on. I got my first birthday card today. It was from Matalan. I am waiting with baited breath to see which friends and family remember my impending slide down towards the grave.

I have been watching series 2 of The Wire. I don't think the story is as good as series one but it is still better than most TV. Congratulations to Leinster who won the commentators nightmare final against Leicester.

Toodles

Rugby Tours, Marriage Prep and life in general

2009-04-30T03:35:00.000-07:00

Well hello everybody after a couple of weeks away and regular nagging about not posting I have decided to put you all into my misery. Last weekend Tom went on his annual rugby tour this year to Leamington. The weather was outstanding and the rugby was excellent as well. In previous tournaments Tom's team have lacked discipline and focus at times and have underachieved. This year they stepped up to the plate and showed what they could do when they tried hard. Unfortunately it was a long day and the last match was against the hosts and it was possibly a game to far. They lost concentration and lost the game to finish second. Their record for the day was Played 5 Won 3 Drawn 1 Lost 1. The festival was one of the most well organised I have ever seen. Photos to follow soon.

The hotel was OK but for my money the hotel last year was better. What is continually frustrating is that the hotels take the booking knowing that there is a bunch of young kids coming but make no provision in the sense of the swimming pool for them. This year I didn't travel on the coach. This caused a bit of annoyance in some quarters but Tom and I were quite happy with the arrangement. I drove down instead. I am coming to the conclusion that websites giving directions are about as much use as chocolate fireguards. I still had to resort to accosting a man with a dog and asking him for directions. In fact the directions I had sent me off in completely the wrong direction at one point. However, that aside I was less stressed and was able to have my music blaring out of the speakers as I avoided the large amounts of roadkill on Warwickshire's roads.

One annoyance over the weekend was that an arm dropped off my Wayfarer sunglasses. I had a screw loose apparently ( a line that I used many times and strangely nobody disagreed). On Monday as I was going into work I called in at Rayner's opticians in Huddersfield to see if they could fix the problem. They are about the only optician in Huddersfield left to try as everybody else has annoyed me at some point. The two blonde assistants (it just had to be really) were extremely helpful and set to work fixing my loose screw. When the work was done one turned to the other and said (with a straight face) " Do we charge for a screw and how much?" Her colleague replied "£1". I have to admit to nearly corpsing at this point but managed to retain my dignity and spare the ladies blushes.

As some readers may know, Alison and I are part of the deanery marriage preparation team. The team are currently in a state of mild narkiness with the priests as we set out limits and numbers we could cope with and we have been just ignored. At the last session we got the feedback forms from the couples attending. Two criticisms thrown at the team were that we were pushing the Catholic teaching and we were too gender specific. This midly confused and irritated me. In each couple there was at least one Catholic. They were getting married in a Catholic church and had been to see a Catholic priest about getting married. They were on a marriage preparation course designed by the Catholic church. What were they expecting to get, lectures in how to do it according to the church of the flaming sword of Las Vegas? Also since part of the course focuses on the differences between men and women that is only to be expected. The church's position on the subject hasn't changed in 2 millennia and isn'tlikely to in the next 2.

Well rant over for now. Reviews and photos to come probably next week as Tom has his end of season awards on Sunday. Off to chill out with my tai chi class this evening.

Toodles.
J

Stuff

2009-04-14T09:46:00.001-07:00

Well everyone this is a post relatively free of film previews. That is largely due to the fact that the Radio Times is a day late due to the bank holiday. But I will rectify this situation in the next few days (always assuming there are any films worth watching.

So what else do I have to share with you. Well Tom played a rugby match against Rochdale RFU recently. It was the first time I have ever seen punches being thrown such young players. The referee was the chocolate fireguard type who wouldn't have seen anything even if it had happened right in front of him. In fact he was a disgrace. The only more biased demonstration of refereeing I have ever seen was at Sandal RUFC. Despite all this Tom's team won.

Some of you may know that I have recently taken up tai chi. This is my latest bid to actually do something to improve my fitness and battle my ever expanding Yorkshire front. Despite the fact that I haven't eaten any chocolate in 6 months I still haven't actually lost any weight. I haven't put any on though. I was expecting a gentle session in line with all the images you ever see but got a full on workout. Unfortunately my badminton playing days may have gone for a while due to my availability and childcare issues.

So having got through Holy Week I was not looking forward to the Good Friday service. Last year nobody noticed Jenni misbehaving because of the chaos engendered by Fr Vitalis but we couldn't be that lucky two years running. It was Fr Peter this year, he is the university chaplain and a great preacher. He tolerates Jenni far more than I do. During the reading of the Passion he said it would be alright for people to sit down as this was the word of God not an endurance test. Jenni was relatively well behaved and went up for the veneration of the Cross. I was worried when Jenni just stood there and looked at it but she then looked at me looked back at the Cross and bowed toward it and walked off.

On other church related matters the deanery's usual reconciliation service was abandoned for a day of reconciliation this year. There would be priests available all day to hear confessions. When we arrived there was a queue, no surprise there. Unfortunately there was only one priest available. He finished on the dot at 11 am and the people who had come in at the end of the queue jumped to the front without any thought or consideration. But I have come to expect such behaviour from the people of Huddersfield given that it occupies 9th place in the insurance scams league table.

Well coming up are Tom's rugby tour and also I am counting off the days before we go on holiday. Rainy Donegal days await.

Has summer arrived early?

2009-03-21T09:32:00.000-07:00

Well greetings everyone. This week has been delightful weatherwise which is a rarity in Huddersfield. I am currently very happy but slightly tense. Portsmouth have just beaten Everton 2-1 and I am going to make the most out of it at work this week. I am hoping that Ireland can win this afternoon and the Giants beat Harlequins tomorrow.

Last weekend Thomas took part in his u9 rugby festival. His team finished 3rd overall but the only teams to beat them were teams who play the game 2 or 3 times a week. Thomas now plays in the centre but is something of a utility inasmuch as he can play comfortably in any position in the forwards or backs. I have some photos which I will post some time this week. Tom has also played on the pitch at York City Knights in recent weeks. He has also taken up playing rugby league on a Saturday morning which he is finding somewhat frustrating. It is a frustration which I shared this morning.

Our kitchen currently looks like the wall has been attacked by an incontinent axe wielding maniac. The insurance company are not being particularly helpful either. I have taken up Tai Chi to help my fitness etc. But this week it was cancelled for of all things a parents evening. I mean for a 6th form college do they not realise who I am and that I need this regular fitness boost!!

So before I wander on to this week's films I will update you on the book I was reading. Clarkson on Cars is a pile of tripe quite frankly as is Motorworld. Clarkson is a good broadcaster but I find his writing style unnecessarily offensive at times and quite unreadable. I am also reading Copperhead by Bernard Cornwell and Tai Chi for Dummies.

There is not a huge choice of films on TV this week. BBC4 has a couple of Japanese samurai films which are always good for a laugh. Tonight we have two reasonable offerings. Interview With A Vampire is an excellent film. I am not a huge fan of either Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt but they work well here. The books on which the film is based get progressively worse as time passes. The supporting cast is also excellent. This is visually stunning and worth your time. Also on at about the same time is A Knights Tale. This is just fun. It is not brilliant, worthy or a classic but just good entertainment.

In the middle of the night is arguably one of the 2 films of the week. Young Frankenstein is , in my humble opinion, the best Mel Brooks film. I think that because it is consistently funny throughout. The other contender, Blazing Saddles, tails off a bit at the end. There is not a bad performance in this film and it pays homage to the source material brilliantly.

On Sunday night there is another pair of comedy 'classics'. Airplane is arguably the funniest film ever made. Again as with all good spoofs it is able to mercilessly take the p**s out of the films it is parodying whilst at the same time showingsome reverence. The stand out performance here comes from Leslie Nielsen. It is followed by the first Austin Powers film. Which is arguably the best of the three.

On a more worrying note I heard last night that they are making a third film featuring the character Riddick played by Vin Diesel. Pitch Black, the first film, is a gem. The Chronicles of Riddick is good if you haven't seen the first film but is OK otherwise.

Well TTFN

Winter has arrived

2009-02-02T07:15:00.000-08:00

Well it has been threatening for some time now but today winter struck. The school had a daft policy of if you turn up you can stay but if you think there will be problems later take your child away. It would be of more use if they said at 8 o'clock "We are open" or "We are closed".

Yesterday Thomas and his team mates travelled to Otley RUFC. Otley are the only team to beat Huddersfield u9s this year and are quite a useful team. It had been arranged that there would be two games going on simultaneously (i.e. there will be 4 games). Tom was selected in Team 2 which is not a demotion or anything like. His team have two sets of forwards, two scrum halves, two outstanding backs who can change games and two fairly useful sets of backs. Team 2 proceeded to demolish their opposite team 2 45 - 15. They then beat Team 1 15 - 0. Tom spent a good deal of time in tears but played through it to tackle hard, be instrumental in two tries in the first match. Huddersfield Team 1 had close games in both of their matches. Getting photos is not easy as different clubs have different attitudes on the subject but photos will follow. All the onlooking spectators - well the ones from Huddersfield anyway were amazed and proud at the demonstration of the team. The 6 nations beckons.

Films of the week is an intriguing bunch. This is largely down to my own inefficiency. The best film of the week has already been on but let me heartily recommend it to you shortly. Had I posted in time I would have recommended the remake of Planet of the Apes for Saturday night. Personally I watched Diamonds Are Forever and recorded the remake for later. I also recorded Underworld Evolution which has universally been slated but which I thought I would give a look. Underworld was a ronseal film and was more style than substance. The classic of the night, and I use the term advisedly was Nosferatu the Vampyre. This is the remake of the classic 1920s film.

On Sunday we had On Her Majesty's Secret Service. This is an oft kicked Bond film which desn't deserve the kicking it gets. George Lazenby is not as bad as everyone suggests and the plot is largely faithful to the book which is a rarity.

In the evening we had several choice offerings. Wallace & Gromit's latest offering - A Matter of Loaf And Death. This is quickly followed by Shrek. There is also League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Disowned by its author, who disowns every film made of his work but probably does very nicely. Murder in the First (left) is the film of the week without equal. It is based on a true story and unlike other such films is brilliantly acted. Christian Slater, Kevin Bacon and Gary Oldman are outstanding. This is a courtroom drama par excellence. If you can see this do you will not regret it. The final Sunday night offering is Die Hard 2 which whilst probably at the weaker end of the franchise is still not a bad film.

Tonight I will be looking into Inherit the Wind which is another highly rated courtroom drama. Thursday night sees Sleepy Hollow on our screens. This is Tim Burton let loose again. The result is excellent. Johnny Depp is the lead and is ably supported by a largely British cast.

Overall not a great week for films on TV so watch DVDs instead.

The week ahead

2009-01-10T11:53:00.000-08:00

Well greetings one and all. Film reviews shortly but what do we have to look forward to this week. Firstly I am about to finish Nation by Terry Pratchett. It isn't one of his best books but is still easily readable and accessible for all readers. Tomorrow I return to my weekly routine of standed beside a frozen sports pitch watching other people run around - yes Tom starts back at rugby. On Monday the students start back at uni so stress levels will rise as parking spaces will disappear.

On to the films now. Sunday has the film of the week and two notable mentions. Blazing Saddles is one of the funniest films ever made. In my opinion it is not the best Mel Brooks film ever, that honour goes to Young Frankenstein. It is filled with lots of visual gags as well as some outrageously funny moments. Whilst Cleavon Little is excellent in the lead role it is Harvey Korman who is in my opinion the outstanding performer as Hedley Lamarr the scheming force behind Governor LePetomane. Those who make bad taste comedy films today would do well to watch this and see how it should be done. The cast is excellent but I feel the Busby Berkeley ending does let the film down somewhat but that may well be just me. Earlier on in the day we have Krull. This is swords and sorcery stuff done with a British cast except for one American, Ken Marshall. Like most offerings of this type it is unlikely to provide you with any great insight into the world but it is good entertainment. Look out for appearances from Liam Neeson, Todd Carty, Bernard Bresslaw. Now for the low brow end of Sunday. On Deadly Ground is one of Steven Seagal's last bearable offerings. Seagal is to acting what Ronseal is to advertising campaigns. This is the first Seagal film where he starts to get a bit preachy. Now I may happen to agree with what he is preaching about but he is just irritating beyond belief when he does it. Michael Caine looks totally out of place here and this is probably one of those films that he did for the money. John McGinley is solid in support as is R Lee Ermey (the drill sergeant from Full Metal Jacket). Also we have Joan Chen in yet another film where she is just a bit part player. If you heed my advice avoid Once Upon A Time in the West which made watching paint dry seem like speed dating when I watched it.

On Monday night we have Unbreakable. This is M Night Shymalan's second significant film following The Sixth Sense. Again he teams up with Bruce Willis. It is worth a look if there is nothing better on. It is not as good as its predecessor but it does keep you guessing for a while. Another film to look at is Patriot Games. This marks Harrison Ford's debut in the role of Jack Ryan. The plot is largely preposterous much like Sean Bean's Irish accent. Even Richard Harris' accent is dodgy and he WAS Irish. There is some debate as to who plays Ryan best but everybody now associates Ford with the role.

Tuesday has probably the most films of the week worthy of note. On BBC 1 we have Dead Poets Society. This film is a marked contrast to another Robin Williams film of the period, Good Morning Vietnam. This is a quiet, slow paced film with Williams delivering an excellent performance. Many other people hate this film but I do like it. The supporting cast is excellent and it is certainly worth a look if you like your films with less bang for your buck. Also on Tuesday is A Few Good Men. This is rated by some legal types that I know as one of the best courtroom dramas ever. Jack Nicholson steals the show but he has a job on. Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Kevin Pollak, Kevin Bacon and Kiefer Sutherland are all on top form. On the same night we have Jaws. This is one of Spielberg's best films and it is now almost mythological in its status. However, I doubt many sharks will be watching as it does give them something of a bad press. Some Kind of Monster is a documentary charting the creation of the Metallica album St Anger. The album marks a lowpoint in the band's output, in many fans opinions. Watching this compelling documentary you can see why it was as bad as it was. Possibly the most interestin bit in it is when the band meet up with Dave Mustaine who was thron out of the band just before they became huge. The film is one of the best music documentaries I have ever seen. Lastly on Tuesday there is another film which I personally have trouble with but which is hailed as an excellent film. Memento is by Christopher Nolan who has since gone on to revive the Batman franchise. It is a tale told in reverse chronology and I just found it a bit difficult to cope with.

Thursday has two offerings. First is Black Rain which stars Michael Douglas and Andy Garcia. It is very much of its time but is certainly worth a look. Another film which is of its time is Enter the Ninja ( late night on Dave). The plot and the acting are daft as I recall but they are positively Shakespearean when compared to that of Seagal.

Photos are coming soon of family events - really they are!!!

Enjoy

Happy New Year

2009-01-02T12:52:00.000-08:00

Welcome back one and all to the 2009 slog that is reading my reviews. We start with a clean slate and as such you may well see previously reviewed films in these pages. This week is particularly good for films and if you look at the list of quality films listed on the right hand side you will see what I mean. The more observant amongst you will have noted that I have changed my reading matter since my last post. Redcoat will not go down in my memory as one of Bernard Cornwell's better offerings. I had got some way through the book and really just lost interest in the characters. By the high standards set by many of his other offerings this didn't quite cut it.

So before we move onto matters filmic an update since my last post. Christmas this year has been somewhat trying. A couple of days before Christmas the DVD/HDD recorder broke down which precipitated a dash to Argos to replace it. On the same day Jenni showed up with chickenpox. I also nearly passed out from a lack of breath brought on by Rab C Nesbitt, so you should consider yourselves lucky to have these words.

This Saturday you can see three absolutely marvellous films each in their own right would be a film of the week which is why I have wimped out from choosing one above the rest. The Princess Bride (left) is one of the greatest films ever made. It manages to be a film which children will love whilst adults will appreciate some of the more sarcastic lines and some of the wonderful cameos. It is all at once a love story, a comedy and a boys own adventure. Cary Elwes is a great leading actor in this role and is supported by Mandy Patinkin (now of Criminal Minds), Christopher Guest (of Spinal Tap etc), Wallace Shawn, Chris Sarandon and Peter Falk. The cameos come from Peter Cook and Billy Crystal. Anybody who says that they don't like this film should not be trusted under any circumstances. Later on we have The Untouchables. Kevin Costner is one of those actors who polarize opinion. From what I have seen when he gets it right we have this and when he gets it wrong we have Waterworld. This film has a number of advantages. First we have Brian de Palma as Director. Frequently when Costner is in charge he doesn't quite manage both roles. The second advantage is the supporting cast Sean Connery, Robert de Niro and Andy Garcia. We end Saturday with a laugh. Still Crazy is the tale of a 70s rock band reuniting to relive their greatest (and last) performance. The film is stolen by Bill Nighy but the British cast is excellent - Stephen Rea, Jimmy Nail, Billy Connolly, Tim Spall and Frances Barber. If you want a good laugh and some good music then you won't go far wrong with this film.

Sunday night has one outstanding offering and a couple of notable mentions. The outstanding offering is Narrow Margin. This is a remake but an excellent one. Gene Hackman plays the agent whose job is to get a witness safely across country so that she can testify in a mob trial. Hackman is as ever excellent and his nemesis is James B Sikking (the SWAT commander from Hill Street Blues). This is a well made modern thriller. It is followed by the comic book film The Shadow which is actually much better than I think it is given credit for. The other is also a sort of comic book film. Van Helsing is what my wife calls a ronseal-film (it does what it says on the tin). Kate Beckinsale provides the eye candy here and the male lead is Hugh (huge action) Jackman. It isn't going to give you any deep insight into the world but it will pass a couple of hours.

On Monday night there is one of those films which quietly passed most people by but which is critically acclaimed and is actually a fabulous film as well. After Buffy the writer Joss Whedon tried his hand at Sci-Fi. The short lived series Firefly was the result. Never one to be deterred Whedon made this film involving the characters. It is a masterpiece of science fiction action. None of the cast is a 'star' Chiwetel Ojiofor is probably the closest there is to one. Nathan Fillian starred in the last series of Buffy. As ever there is a totalitarian state, a suave bad guy, a rugged good guy, an assorted crew and friends and a girl who is a killing machine. This will be one of the best couple of hours you will ever spend.

On Tuesday there isn't anything of note. Watch out during the week for the first two 'Mummy' films and the spin off 'The Scorpion King' There is also From Dusk Till Dawn for all you vampire movie nuts. I found it strangely unsatisfying despite the stellar cast and fantastic effects. For those of you into macho posturing at its 1980s best on Wednesday there is Top Gun. The best acting comes from none of the leads but from Michael Ironside and Tom Skerrett (I think).

On Thursday night we have one of the finest comedies of recent years. Bowfinger is about a down on his luck producer who needs to make a film and does it by stealth. The leads are Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy. These two have a tendency to be very hit and miss in there offerings. This is undoubtedly amongst the best films either of them has made. Some of the scenes had me howling with laughter which for a comedy is always a good thing. This is without doubt one of the best comedy films of recent years.

Also on Thursday we have Equilibrium. This tale is a hotchpotch of a variety of science fiction classics. Whilst not well received critically it does have an appeal particularly the Grammaton clerics. It is never going to be a film classic but it is a good diversion. The cast is excellent and it is a shame that the film is seen by some as a cut price Matrix rip off. This is unfair as it probably has a lot more going for it than a lot of other films of its type - Ultraviolet, Aeon Flux and Ballistic to name but three.

That's all for now and I will post again soon.

It's Christmas week

2008-12-20T04:13:00.000-08:00

Well gentle reader we have reached Christmas week at last. Over the next few days I will be running a taxi service to meet the needs of my childrens social diaries. I have survived the office Christmas dinner and have been contemplating the week's film offerings.

Tonight is a veritable feast of entertainment if you love film with no less than 8 films worthy of attention. But before I get on to those I watched A History of Violence which I recommended as being worth a look a couple of weeks ago. On watching the film myself for the first time this week I have to confess to being a bit disappointed. It isn't that it's a bad film it is just not as good as everybody else seems to think it is. Also I was reading The Dark Fields by Alan Glynn which is to be made into a film. I couldn't really recommend it to anybody else as I lost interest in the story part way through.

All evening will see you battle with deciding what to watch and what to tape, always assuming that you have the option. At about seven o clock the choice comes between a quirky little Australian number and an American classic. The Dish (c4 7pm) is the story of how a small remote radio telescope played a part in the moon landings. Sam Neill is the 'star' of this piece but it is just a gentle film and more than worthy of note. However, it is up against The African Queen. This is one of those marvellous films which just transcends time. The two stars Bogart and Hepburn are just outstanding. The film White Hunter Black Heart is loosely based on the filming of this masterpiece.Look out for cameos from Richard Marner of Allo Allo fame, Walter Gotell (General Gogol in the Bond films) and Theodore Bikel (Rabbi Koslov in Babylon 5).

At about 9 o clock there are two more films. One I have never managed to see all the way through and the other is pure 80's class. A Knights Tale is the film that many would argue brought Heath Ledger to international notice (certainly to me). I hope to give this one a look. The other option is Gremlins. This is just a classic comedy, horror, christmas story. It does look a bit dated but the story is great. It is rated 15 and would probably be a 12 today but it is certainly not one for the kids.

The late shift features 4 films which clash with each other. Geronimo is a brilliant adaptation of the tale featuring Robert Duvall and Wes Studi. Again I have never managed to see this through to the end due to technical problems. MI2 whilst being a diverting film is not a patch on the first cinematic release. Fans of the X Men movies rejoice at the fact that Dougray Scott was delayed making this and so was unable to play Wolverine. V for Vendetta is something that I watched on DVD recently and although it is disowned by its creator Alan Moore is still worth a look and is certainly entertaining. Also Cliffhanger is on. Stallone is no great shakes as an actor, although he is much better than people give him credit for. This is one of his better offerings. He is acted off the screen by John Lithgow. In addition Janine Turner provides a welcome diversion.

Sunday brings us Finding Nemo which is OK if you like that kind of thing. The new version of King Kong which I haven't seen but which everybody says is not as good as the original with Fay Wray. Also there is Road House featuring Patrick Swayze and Sam Elliot.

Monday has Brothers Grimm which was slated but then Gilliam films frequently suffer this fate. I haven't seen it and so can't comment. There is also Pan's Labyrinth. Again I haven't actually managed to make it all the way through this film. Whilst being visually stunning which is undeniable I found the actual story slow and difficult and it wasn't because of the subtitles.

Tuesday brings us a sci-fi classic with 20000 leagues under the sea featuring Kirk Douglas and James Mason. This is well worth a look. There is wuirky comedy Overboard featuring Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn. I caught this by accident once and found it to be mildly amusing. The film of the night though is Con Air. The cast in this film is just outstanding. Admittedly JOhn Malkovich steals the film, which he usually does, but Nick Cage, John Cusack, Danny Trejo, Ving Rhames, Steve Buscemi and Colm Meaney all provide excellent entertainment. This is Hollywood blockbuster filmmaking of the highest order.

Early on Christmas morning we have a rare treat. Nothing says peace and good will to all men like a Chuck Norris fight fest. I will be keeping a look out for Good Guys Wear Black. In the afternoon there is Bill Murray at his laconic best in Scrooged. As an adaptation of A Christmas Carol it is extremely well done. However the best adaptation is the one by the Muppets and Michael Caine which was on last week.

Boxing Day brings Crocodile Dundee which is really starting to show its age but is still good fun. Pirates of the Caribbean 2 gets its terrestrial premiere. Also the surprise of the season is black comedy Death Becomes Her. The cast is terrific with marvellous performances from Goldie Hawn, Bruce Willis and 'Muriel Strepsil'. Also Ingrid Bergman's daughter, Isabella Rossellini, features.

So seasons felicitations to all readers and family photos will make an appearance in the next couple of weeks.

The pre Christmas build up

2008-12-04T03:13:00.000-08:00

Well everybody it's nearly that time of the year when people pig out, drink too much, do things they really wish they hadn't and then detox in the new year hoping that nobody noticed the previous month.

Unfortunately for this group there are people like me who don't drink, notice a lot and have a photographic memory to use at the most appropriate times.

It is also the silly season for TV listings I currently have three this week and will have a fourth by early next week. So as I haven't indulged my reviewing skills for a while I thought I would go for it again particularly as the film world is a reviewer short at the moment. I believe he said something that a lot of people didn't like.

So what delights do we have for next week. There is nothing filmwise on Saturday that I can recommend either because I haven't seen the films that are on or because I've only recently recommended the films anyway. However, I would like to heartily recommend a documentary and a comedy program. On BBC2 we have the second part of Boris Johnson's documentary After Rome. Whatever you think about London's mayor he is an excellent broadcaster and this documentary is yet another wonderful offering. It is immediately followed on BBC1 by Outnumbered. I caught the second episode of this second series a couple of weeks ago and haven't laughed so much in ages. Andy Hamilton can always be relied upon to come up with something funny Drop The Dead Donkey and Old Harry's Game being my personal favourites. I never saw the first series but if it is as good as this one has been it will be a joy. Go on have a laugh.

Sunday night has a couple of films and one must see TV show. The films are Just Cause with Sean Connery. I will probably be giving this a look as I love legal dramas and haven't actually seen this one. However, it clashes with an excellent film. Master & Commander. I am told that the books are better than the film and have to admit that when I first watched it I wasn't expecting much as I am not a great lover of this period of history. But I was pleasantly surprised at the film as a whole and of the performances of both Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany. On TV is Top Gear a program for the grumpy old man in all of us. It is not PC and never claimed to be and that is its key.

Monday night, when I can actually get to the TV after people in our household have watched the same episode of Dr Who for the 200th time is full of some great documentaries. There are also a couple of films of note. Channel 4 has Niall Ferguson's The Ascent of Money. It is a fairly dry subject but it is crucial that we understand the subject if we wish to understand our way out of the current difficulties. It is followed on the same channel by Catastrophe. Tony Robinson looks at the science behind how we actually got here at all. Horizon it isn't but as ever Robinson makes his subject accessible and understandable. At the same time on BBC2 is WWII Behind Closed Doors. Whilst it is an excellent documentary featuring the ever popular Bob Gunton as FDR I have to say that I don't think it is the best of Laurence Rees' WWII documentaries. Personally I think The Nazis: A Warning From History is the best and one of the most chilling series I have ever watched. It is still worth a look though. At 10 on C4 is A History of Violence. I haven't seen this film but it has had excellent reviews and the cast of Viggo Mortensen, Ed Harris and William Hurt would under usual circumstances guarantee a good film. Also later on is Tim Burton's first Batman movie. Stolen by Jack Nicholson as The Joker I have to admit that I think Michael Keaton has been the best Batman (other than the animated series) until Christian Bale. If you happen to have Sky Movies Sci/Fi then also check out Raising Cain. It is one of the best films I have ever seen.

Tuesday is a night for the film buff if you don't like football. The one drawback is that you will need some new fangled equipment or a helpful friend to enjoy it all. On ITV2 it is an Arniefest. We have Total Recall and Termonator 2 Judgment Day. The former is one of the best Arnie films I have seen. It is Arnie doing what he has always done best which is blowing things up and shooting people. It is based on a Philip K Dick story called We Can Remember It For You Wholesale. On the whole this author's work is very hit and miss when it is filmed. For every much vaunted Blade Runner there is a Minority Report. I personally think this is more the former than the latter. I also would like to say that I actually don't like Blade Runner that much. Arnie is supported as usual by people who can act. Namely Sharon Stone, Michael Ironside and Ronny Cox all of whom are excellent. This is then followed by the highly acclaimed sequel to The Terminator. This is just Arnie at his best and even if you don't like sci-fi or Arnie is a good film. At the same time on Film4 is The Transporter. Now I actually saw the sequel to this a few weeks ago and the plot, such as it is, is just a vehicle for moving from one fight sequence to the next. If the first film is as laugh out loud enjoyable it will be a treat.

Wednesday is Heroes. If you are so inclined you can also watch the aforementioned sequel to The Transporter and also Lucky Number Slevin which received some good reviews when it was released. Thursday is Jason Bourne night. Well at least the first two. ITV 2 is showing Ultimatum and Supremacy back to back. These are both excellent films with an excellent cast and are the reason Bond changed direction with Casino Royale. These are both good friendly violent fun. The only thing of note on Friday night which I haven't already recommended today is Judge Dredd. I know critics and comic lovers hated it but then they were always going to. This is a role which Stallone was ideally suited for and despite the panning it got it is still visually great and fantastic fun. Rob schneider spoils it but then he has that effect on most films he is in. As is the case for most action heroes they surround themselves with excellent support. Here we have Max Von Sydow and Jurgen Prochnow to name but two. Also keep an eye out for a cameo from Ian Dury.

Until next time enjoy.

Well there really is no hope

2008-12-02T12:30:00.000-08:00

Well we had barely a centimetre of slush here this morning and as expected normally good drivers left their common sense behind and the traffic system in Huddersfield came to a grinding halt. It is always the same the slightest bit of bad weather and all sense of reason or ability disappears and the country shuts down.

I remember when we had proper snow drifts not this namby pamby stuff we had this morning. As I recall the country coped reasonably well certainly much better than it seems to nowadays. It also depresses me that every time this happens we have the same outcome - chaos. I wonder what the Scandinavians, Canadians, Alaskans, Americans, Germans and Russians must make of our inability to deal with what to them are minor inconveniences. These countries do not grind to a halt they struggle on in spite of the conditions.

They probably have a version of You've Been Framed showing videos of traffic jams in the UK when there is barely a millimetre of snow on the ground. How they must laugh?

I hate driving in snow but I at least try and drive with common sense as far as is possible but find it frustrating that people driving Chelsea tractors can't cope largely because they have never been near a field in them.

Well rant over for now. Graduation piccies and post will be coming soon. Well as soon as I can find the camera with the photos on it.

The Joys of Travel

2008-10-29T11:50:00.000-07:00

Many years ago there was an advertising campaign which said, if I recall correctly, 'Let the train take the strain'. Well if my trip last weekend was anything to go by I'd really rather not thank you very much.

In fact the weekend was a contrast of two train companies. My trip north was on Virgin Cross Country (amongst others). I happen to like Virgin Trains and would recommend them to anybody because the trains are modern-ish, the staff generally helpful and the journey usually relatively benign. Virgin were not helped on Friday night that their staff on the train I caught had failed to take action against the morons who had stuck their cases and luggage where they shouldn't. There was nearly a chance of us not getting on the train and the staff at Leeds Station didn't seem to care. More worrying than this was the possibility that my nine year old son might have been separated because of this crush. If that had happened I would have taken somebody's head off.

The journey was uneventful, however it felt like I was in an oven. Train carriages are airless places and I hate long journeys. Added to that the cost involved. Whatever politicians and train companies might say we are being overcharged for what we get which is generally poor service, lousy food, long journeys and staff who really don't give a monkeys about customers. The trains don't run on time. In my opinion the train fares should be coming down until we get a decent level of service.

The journey on Scotrail was pure comedy gold and I will be writing my first novel based on that short trip. If the intelligence services have trained artists as interrogators then god help us all. It was like watching a trained interrogator prise information out of their subject whilst given nothing away themselves. And as for the man with his ipod who appeared to be on another planet based on the gyrations he was making well...

But Virgin are almost at Japan-like levels of customer service compared to National Express who are really GNER by another name. In fact one member of staff was still carrying his GNER bag. He will clearly have to be sent to the salt mines for reeducation. A trip from Edinburgh - York which should take under three hours took the better part of 4 as we went South West and then back South East going to Newcastle via Carlisle. A man with his guide dog and a route map could have got there quicker.

As a taxpayer I feel that I am entitled to expect a good level of service, trains that run on time and reasonable fares. When cheap fares are advertised they are never actually available. Ladies and gentlemen we are being conned by the Government and businesses.

Off to design my own Maglev.

You Take the High Road

2008-10-21T12:21:00.001-07:00

Well gentle reader I am just in the process of summoning up my strength to make the journey north with Tom this weekend. Given his and his team's performance last weekend it will be a little disappointing not to be there for the Rishworthians game on Sunday. I am also preparing for next week when I will be able to watch all those films I have had to put off watching because they are not suitable for children.

Jenni is taking a trip south on Monday for her first time away. Having booked my hotel room for my interview in a couple of weeks I was mildly worried that the booking was insured by AIG which in the current climate does not fill you full of hope.

So on to the films for the next seven days. All next week there are Bond films on. These are mainly showing on ITV2. The best of these is probably The World Is Not Enough which is probably the best outing for Pierce Brosnan. On Saturday afternoon there is also a showing of Live And Let Die which is probably Roger Moore's best outing in the role. Whilst I liked Brosnan in the role there was almost a sensation that it was his turn as he had been linked with the role since the dawn of time. The best thing about his tenure was Judi Dench as M. For me Connery is and always will be the best and Moore was the worst. Yes readers even Lazenby was better in my opinion. Dalton was never really given much of a chance. Daniel Craig has the potential to be the best.

Saturday night has two excellent films which are worth a look. The first is Red Dragon. This is Hollywood's second attempt to make the first Hannibal Lecter story. The original is Michael Mann's Manhunter. This film has some pros and cons. The pro in Manhunter was the performance by Brian Cox as Lecter. Arguably his performance is the most chilling portrayal of Lecter. The cons are that it is a lousy film (IMHO). Red Dragon saw the film remade with the most famous personification of Lecter by Anthony Hopkins. Now there is nothing wrong with the portrayal as far as it goes. Red Dragon is a better and more accessible film than its more lauded predecessor and the acting is fine but there is an argument that after the success of Silence of the Lambs Hollywood should have left well enough alone because this is not a patch on that film.

The other film on Saturday night is something of a hidden gem. Cop Land is a film in which Stallone is not playing some muscle bound hero beating the living daylights out of his foes. This is possibly amongst his best ever performances for that very reason. He is surrounded by some outstanding actors in Harvey Keitel, Robert De Niro and Ray Liotta. If I had to recommend only one of these films for Saturday it would be this. On Sunday night there is also a film which the critics slated but which I found stranegly enjoyable. Bulletproof Monk is one of those films which has a ludicrous plot, bad acting but is wonderful entertainment nonetheless.

Tuesday is another double header with two wonderful and contrasting films. Firstly we have Rio Grande. This is the final instalment in John Ford's Cavalry Trilogy. The on screen chemistry between John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara is there as ever. Wayne is also surrounded by his usual repertory company. This is a factor that Wayne shares with Bogart and Eastwood. All three had a group of actors who they worked with regularly and the ease with which they worked together is plain to see. It is also worth noting that the group was never a closed shop and all three brought other actors into the group. Contrast this with Hero and its cast of millions. It is a sumptuous visual feast with plenty of action. It is another film in the tradition of Crocuhing Tiger Hidden Dragon. It is well worth watching.

On Thursday there is a film on Five US called Shadow of a Doubt starring Brian Dennehy. It is one of those roles that he does so well and is probably worth a look.

There we go for another week.

News from the scrum

2008-10-19T11:39:00.000-07:00

Greetings readers well today was a great day in the rugby career of Thomas. Today he played his first properly competitive full contact game of rugby. He played a game against the under 10s at Huddersfield last week and finished on the winning side. Training for the past few weeks has left people with the feeling that there was clear potential within the team but that they were missing something.

Well today they found it. Today Huddersfield u9's travelled to Ilkley for the first match of the season. As is usual we took two teams. Tom played in the first match which was won by 13 tries to nil. The second match was won by 3 tries to nil. The first match was just astonishing to watch and even the coach didn't know where the performance had come from.

To add to the day's events we met up with a university pal for lunch and can recommend the Ilkley Vaults pub for a Sunday lunch. I am now preparing for the trip to Scotland at the weekend.

What shall we do this week?

2008-10-09T02:54:00.000-07:00

Well given the paucity of films on telly this week it will be a case of having to find something else to do. As regular readers will know I do not generally recommend films that I have already recommended in the last month or so. Unfortunately most of the films that are on this week in which I have an interest albeit a vague one I have either never seen and so cannot recommend or have been reviewed recently in these pages.

The only film that I can wholeheartedly recommend this week is War Games. It has dated badly largely because of the changes in geopolitics and technology. Also its two main stars have gone onto other things to varying degrees of success. This is a geek film set against the backdrop of the Cold War. I watched it recently with Tom not having watched it for many years. It like many similar films of the time such as Short Circuit, Flight of the Navigator enthral children and Tom enjoyed it.

I will be concentrating my viewing on a few programs this week. Clearly there is an awful lot of dross on television but it was ever thus the problem is that now there are more channels full of it. Tha being said there have always been gems hidden away which if you take the time to look you can find. Then there are others which you don't have to look hard for as they are rammed down your throat.

Saturday brings us Merlin which if a little tedious is nevertheless not as bad as some would have us believe. The 'purists' cry but you have messed around with the key relationships between characters. There is little or no actual evidence that any of these people existed so how do we know? There are so many versions of the MYTH that does it matter if there is another. My personal favourite has always been Excalibur by John Boorman. Also on Saturday there is Timewatch which as a history fan is usually good value for money. For me if I am interested in the period under discussion I will always watch. There is also Mind Body & Kick Ass Moves which is great if you like martial arts. There was a BBC series in the 80s called Way of the Warrior and this is just that brought up to date. I am in two minds about Blue Peter At 50 largely because I was always a bit ambivalent about the series anyway.

The BBC has managed to clash to great programmes on Sunday night. On BBC1 there is Stephen Fry in America. Ever since Billy Connolly did his World Tours I have been hoping that he would do Canada and America but to date this has not happened. Fry is an intelligent and eloquent presenter who is well known for being fascinated by America and things American. So I am looking forward to this series. Also we reach the end of James May's Big Ideas on BBC 2. This is the sort of thing that justifies the licence fee. Intelligent and witty discussion of the issues involved in the subject. These are the sort of programmes which make you wonder 'Why couldn't they have taught me at school?' When these shows are done well they are fantastic. Earlier on there is Simon Schama doing to American history what he did to British history. He is, as I understand it, using the premise of understanding the past to see into the future. Also we reach the end of the latest Charley Boorman road trip.

Monday brings us Panorama on the US elections, Amazon and The Story of Maths. Panorama can be hit and miss but the US elections are fascinating for all their faults. They make you wonder how a country that powerful can be that stupid. I have been dipping in and out of Amazon so to speak it's alright but I have to say I preferred the documentary narrated by Feargal Keane a few years ago. The Story of Maths is one for Alison. The presenter is one of those who makes the subject accessible in the mould of John Romer, Simon Schama, Michael Palin, Terry Jones etc. Also for the mathematically minded on Tuesday we High Anxieties: the Mathematics of Chaos. This one interests me as it is one of the few bits of maths that I am actually interested in.

Wednesday the only thing to recommend is Heroes. What more needs to be said?

Well that's all for now?

Greetings from a decidedly chilly Yorkshire

2008-10-05T12:52:00.000-07:00

Well hello everybody. At the time of writing I am recovering from some mysterious ailment and Alison has now come down with it. As is the case, being a man, I have been affected far worse!! In forthcoming news I have an interview this week and another in the pipeline and have today booked my graduation gown. For regular viewers photos in one form or another will appear here so don't go away.

So for my brief film recommendations for the week. Firstly on Tuesday night we have Once Upon A Time In America. This is, so that source of knowledge Wikipedia tells me, the third in a trilogy which began with the incredibly tedious Once Upon A Time In The West and the instantly forgettable A Fistful of Dynamite. So on balance you might not be expecting much from this American gangster film. But like me you may be surprised. It is actually quite a good film with a very good cast. And here is my only plot teaser the one you would least think would turn into the psychopathic gangster type. Well worth a look.

The more sensible amongst you will be glued to Heroes for the next six months so nothing of any importance will be tolerated on a Wednesday night. Save Ourselves Save The World!!!

Thursday night has two cracking films the first is at 9pm on Film 4. It is probably Richard Gere's best film ever and almost certainly ranks as one of the finest performances by any actor in the shape of Lou Gossett Jr. An Officer and a Gentleman is a cracking film although I'm no big fan of the romantic element to it but if you set that aside you have a cracking boot camp story. The battle between Gere and Gossett is what makes the film and it is elctrifying from the first moment they meet until the moment when Gere graduates as an officer.

The other Thursday night offering is one of Hitchcock's greatest ever offerings. This is the original version of The Lady Vanishes. Now I have seen the version with Cybill Shepherd but that is not a patch on this. When Hitchcock gets it right he is great and when he doesn't it is Psycho. The version on Thursday night contains an appearance by Nigel Bruce playing largely the same character as he does in all the Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes films. In common with his version of The 39 Steps and North by Northwest, definitely his best Hollywood offering) the action is paced beautifully. This is classic filmmaking performed beautifully. The cast is excellent. This is probably the best film of the week in my opinion and one not to be missed.

Friday night has one of the most pointlessly violent yet hugely enjoyable films. Under Siege 2 is the sequel to the hugely successful Under Siege. Sadly it is not as good as that offering. Largely down to the fact that the supporting cast on this occasion is not as good. Tommy Lee Jones is a hard act to follow. That being said it is still hugely entertaining fun. Seagal is never going to play Shakespeare or win an Oscar for his acting ability. That being said he does what he does extremely well. This was probably the last good film that he did and then came the tedious years of European and Hong Kong made rubbish. Give Seagal a shrieking villain and numerous henchmen to eliminate he is brilliant and give him a half decemt supporting cast and any film can be carried. This is just good friendly violent fun.

Enjoy and watch this space.

Angels we have heard on high tell us to go out and buy

2008-09-23T12:16:00.000-07:00

Greetings world,

Just felt the necessity to reintroduce the spirit of the grinch and Ebenezer Scrooge into the proceedings early and to wish you all a happy Easter.

Yes friends we are barely into mid-September and already our office Christmas parties have been booked and Sainsbury's have the Christmas selection boxes out on display. Now people assume that I am against Christmas because I have lost the magic of the children. These people are deluded. I don't like Christmas because it has become a crass, over-hyped, over-commercialised gluttony fest. I resent the likes of Sainsbury's and Tesco trying to induce me to part with money for Christmas when we have barely escaped summer (and I use that term advisedly in the UK). At least this year Sainsbury's are multitasking in that they are still pushing Halloween.

If people treated these festivals more for what they are than for what profit they can make the world would indeed be a better place.

Right I will now take off my sepia tinted spectacles and go and buy cards in bulk from St Clintons.

Enjoy

By the way 10 bonus points for any body who can tell me where the title for this post came from. And just a word to the smart alecs out there I do actually know I was just wondering if anybody else was as cultured as what I am.

News from the frozen north

2008-09-12T04:09:00.001-07:00

Well I thought it was about time to add more news and views from the frozen north. So far it has been a very good week. Tom has started back at rugby. Pictures will follow as the season progresses. I managed to persuade my insurance company to reduce their renewal quote just by asking them. I have a job interview next week and some options that I hadn't considered have opened up for me to consider over the next few weeks and months. But before this starts to sound like an astrologers dream this is down to me and the efforts I along with others have put in over the last few months and years. There was recently a music festival here at Leeds featuring the likes of Metallica, Rage Against the Machine, Manic Street Preachers, Queens of the Stone Age etc. The coverage on TV was somewhat limited but I did get to see a band called The Last Shadow Puppets. They sounded different harking back to probably the late 60s early 70s in style. I got the album this week and it sounds as good as it did live. A 16 piece orchestra does add something to the sound.

So onto this week's movie recommendations. On Saturday night there is really only one film to watch and that is Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring. Arguably this may well be the best of the trilogy.

The scenery is stunning and the trilogy as a whole will go down as one of those cinematic masterpieces. Like Star Wars this needs to be seen in the cinema to appreciate the scale of what is being done. So from orcs and hobbits on Saturday we move to Sunday which is a night for multiple video recorders.

The evening kicks off with Where Eagles Dare. This is Alistair Maclean at his best. This film did once hold the record for the highest body count on screen I believe with Burton & Eastwood accounting for most of them. It is said that the film makers got Burton & Eastwood to do the film by saying that the other one had said that they would never do it and vice versa. I don't know whether or not that is true but the outcome is over two hours of fantastic action. Later on we have three films which would be worth a look if you have the inclination. First is Equilibrium. This is a film that I had seen in my local library but never got round to actually borrowing and watching. When I finally got to see it I have to say it was better than I was expecting. It is sort of The Matrix meets 1984. The cast is excellent. Christian Bale pre-Batman is excellent as the policeman about to see the light. Although the tale revolves around Bale the rest of the cast are excellent. Next we have Sleepy Hollow. Tim Burton does dark films like nobody else and this is yet another excellent work. Johnny Depp is excellent as Ichabod Crane and is ably supported by Christina Ricci and a host of Britain's acting talent. There is also a marvellous performance from Christopher Walken but then again there usually is. Primary Colors is a black political comedy in which John Travolta does his own impersonation of Bill Clinton. My last recommendation for Sunday is to those who get the SciFi channel. Highlander which as you can see from the blog is one of my favourite films of all time is on.

Monday night has two 'excellent' films with which to tempt you. The first is one of Stallone's best performances on screen largely because it didn't challenge his acting ability. Judge Dredd is Hollywood's take on the British comic book character. The purists hate it and say that Robocop did Judge Dredd better than this. They may have a point. However, they are missing something else which is significant. When Stallone gets things right such as in Rocky, First Blood and Copland he is fantastic, and like it or not he does give a very good performance here. Rob Schneider is funny for the first few minutes and then does become a bit tedious. The senior judges played by Max Von Sydow and Jurgen Prochnow are fantastic. There are cameos from Joan Chen and Ian Dury. But acting up to Stallone is Armand Assante. Don't dismiss this as just comic book rubbish although it messes around with the lore of Dredd it tries hard to be faithful. It is a shame that they didn't get round to doing a sequel.

Also on Monday is The Fifth Element. This is Luc Besson doing Sci-Fi. When Besson tries something he generally gets it right. Take Leon for example. He hits the target here too. This could so easily have turned into a triumph of style over substance but Besson manages to attain both. Bruce Willis is fantastic and the comedy support comes from Ian Holm and a very annoying Chris Rock. I find that comedy works better, Airplane etc notwithstanding, when it is underplayed and subtle. However, the film is stolen by Gary Oldman as the villain. Yet again he puts in a fantastic performance.

Tuesday night has nothing of note so on to Wednesday. Here we have one of Harrison Ford's best films. Witness is the tale of a policeman who is assigned to protect a young Amish boy who is witness to a murder. Ford goes undercover with the Amish who find his presence inconvenient and disturbing. Ford then discovers that the people he is protecting the boy from are other cops. Laugh a minute this is not. It is not as I recall a huge action fest. It is however hugely entertaining and watchable for both Ford and Kelly McGillis (whatever happened to her). You could also check out National Treasure which is on one of the digital channels. This is Indiana Jones without the wit, charm and good acting and directing. Nevertheless it is diverting entertainment.

Thursday is bereft of anything to watch filmwise so watch Portsmouth take their first steps into European competition football. I won't be able to as I will be at a parents evening. You would think that the school would have put some thought into their scheduling, I mean how often do the mighty Pompey get on telly anyway.

On Friday night Clint Eastwood goes all Marine Corps on us in this entertaining film. Eastwood is his usual excellent self here. He is ably supported by a variety of American regulars who you will recognise. It is not by any stretch of the imagination his best work but Eastwood clearly demonstrates that less is more and manages to out act most of the cast.

Well that is all for now and I will be back in due course with, news, reviews and opinions for you to ignore at your leisure.

A brush with sporting greatness

2008-08-31T13:08:00.000-07:00

Well hello everybody. Last Sunday was the final home game of the season for the Huddersfield Giants. As has been the case for much of the season the game ended in disappointment. A small number of the players signed autographs and a couple posed for photos but most just disappeared down the tunnel. That was very disappointing particularly for younger fans. However, my personal thanks go out to the following players: Eorl Crabtree, Rod Jensen and Leroy Cudjoe.

Special thanks go to:

STUART JONES

AND ANDY RALEIGH

Obviously it goes without saying that it was the Giants who were rubbing shoulders with a future great. For those who keep up to date with these things Tom starts his rugby season next weekend. I understand that there will be a few weeks of training before the first competitive match and then it'son with the good, friendly, violent fun.

So on with the film reviews, you've all been waiting for. Sunday night has a couple of excellent films either of which would be good entertainment. Tim Burton's original Batman is an excellent bridge between the camp 1960's classic and the new version by Christopher Nolan. Michael Keaton does sullen well but the undoubted star of the show is Jack Nicholson. He steals the show as The Joker. This is often the case in Batman films. Jack has always played psychos very well. It was a welcome return to the Dark Knight version of the legend and nobody does dark and gothic quite like Tim Burton. Also on Sunday night there is the remake of The Thomas Crown Affair. Now I may be something of a heretic but I actually prefer this version to the original. Pierce Brosnan is suave, cool and sophisticated and is ably supported by Rene Russo. Now I saw the original after this version and was left disappointed. It was good but not as enjoyable as the remake. The only real downside is Sting's version of Windmills of Your Mind.

On Tuesday night there is Van Helsing. It is alright and is certainly not a desperately worthy film. It is just good fun and no more than that. On Wednesday night there is Stealth. It is a kind of WarGames for the 21st century. It is probably more style than substance but again it is good fun.

Friday night we have The Bourne Supremacy. The Bourne series is credited with giving the Bond franchise a kick and leading to Casino Royale. This is the second of the three films. There is much debate as to whether it is the best or not. I am not actually sure myself. That issue aside it is fantastic action.

I have also been watching a number of films and dvds since my last post and so I thought I would bring you up to date.

The first of my recent viewings was V For Vendetta. Now I have never read the source material. But its author has disavowed the film, and in fact all the film versions of his works. The film tells the tale of a future Britain which is under the control of a one party state. The three central characters are Evie, played by Natalie Portman, V played by Hugo Weaving and the police inspector played by Stephen Rea. Portman is drawn into a web of violence and intrigue when she is saved from the police by V. He shows her that not all is well with society. Rea plays the policeman charged with catching V and Evie. As his investigations progress he comes to question the truth that he is being told by the state. It is good comic book fun and I would certainly recommend it for a light evening in.

Since the 1990s we have seen a number of films which are in the style of the classic film noirs of the 1930s and 1940s. The difference for me is that the violence in the old films was more in the mind rather than on the screen. These new films are much more in your face. The Usual Suspects and LA Confidential whilst both being excellent films missed something. The same is true of The Black Dahlia. Brian De Palma who has never knowingly avoided violence in his films strikes the same chord and in my opinion the film suffers for that. He is able to capture the style and the image of the time much as he did in The Untouchables but the film is not as good as it could be. The cast are fine with nobody being particularly outstanding. The next two films must be seen together to be truly appreciated.

Letters From Iwo Jima and Flags of Our Fathers bring together the talents of Clint Eastwood, Steven Spielberg and Paul Haggis. They both tell the story of the American landings at Iwo Jima which became one of the most iconic miltary actions of WWII. The stories are told from both sides of the events. Letters is the Japanese version of what the defenders went through to try and save their island. It is in Japanese so unless you are fluent you will need the subtitles. Ken Watanabe is spellbinding as the general charged with the island's defence. Battling with his duty to his family and his duty to his country. He is shown in a similar light to a young soldier who faces the same challenge.

Flags tells the tale from the point of view of the soldiers who raised the flag on Mount Suribachi in that now iconic image. It tells the tale particularly from the view of three soldiers and is partially shot in flashback. For me the standout performance comes from Adam Beach as Ira Hayes who has to endure the racism of the American nation and the thoughts that his friends didn't all make it back and why was he special. Watch out for Jamie Bell of Billy Elliot fame. In terms of films about the war in the Pacific these are two of the best films I have ever seen and are up there with Tora Tora Tora and The Battle of Midway.

Adam Beach coincidentally appeared in my final film recommendation of the week

This film by HBO tells of the tale of how the Sioux nation was brought onto the reservation and generally treated like dirt by the white settlers who wanted the gold that they could mine in the Black Hills of Dakota and in particular take revenge for the Little Big Horn. Adam Beach plays a young sioux boy who is given the opportunity to train as a doctor and to help advance his people's cause. Slowly he comes to realise along with Sitting Bull and Red Cloud that this will never happen. This is a sad and moving film with many great cameos. Beach is ably supported by Aidan Quinn, Anna Paquin and August Schellenberg. This is one of those films that you probably will only want to watch once but you should do so given the chance.

More soon.

Jonathan

Olympic avoidance part 2

2008-08-16T07:49:00.000-07:00

Well this week I generally ignored my own advice and didn't actually watch any of the films I recommended last week. But as they say that is my prerogative. However, I did visit the library and borrow a couple of items. The first was the SciFi channel's version of Dune. Regular visitors will recall that I watched the movie version a few weeks ago ( and if you don't recall then shame on you for not reading my excellent review). Like it's 'illustrious' predecessor it does take some liberties with the source material. However, it tends to hang together considerably better. Although the effects won awards they are, in my opinion, secondary to the story and you actually notice them less than you did in the Lynch version. There are fewer well known actors in this version but the established stars do not overplay the role. However, the portrayal of Gurney Halleck did not work for me in either version. The other offering from the library was The Box of Delights which was brought out in the 1980s and although the effects look rusty today the story still holds together and it kept Tom occupied for a couple of days.

In other news I, along with my doubles partner, am through to the University Staff Badminton League semi finals. My beer gut diminishes and fitness looms. I have driven my car 3 times this month and have only used a quarter of a tank so the environment is slightly happier. In other sporting comment, I have to reflect on the fact that within minutes of the start of competition at the Olympics when British 'medal hopes' started to fail to perform the usual 'oh well he was never really expected to perform' comments started to be trotted out by the BBC.

On to the movie recommendations for this week. The first movie of note is The Mummy Returns which is, unsurprisingly, the sequel to The Mummy which I recommended last week. On any other day this would be my movie of the day. Unlike most sequels it actually compares favourably to its predecessor. The action comes thick and fast and the thrills are always there. Unfortunately it is showing on the same day as Fargo. This is a very black comedy by the Coen Brothers. Although there is no star and it is an ensemble film the 'ensemble' cast is exceptionally good. Frances McDormand and William H Macy are outstanding. However, the film is partially stolen by the hapless hitmen played by Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare. This is undoubtedly a 'better' film than The Mummy returns but don't dismiss the other film. Both will keep you entertained and hooked.

Sunday night brings comic book adventure in the shape of Hellboy. Ron Perlman is wonderful as the slightly world weary demon and the action just moves along at a great pace. This is the usual comic book stuff so don't watch it expecting much in the way of pathos. The supporting cast including John Hurt is excellent. This is just black comic book humour at its best.

Then on Monday night we have one of the blackest comedies I have ever seen. It also happens to be one of the best comedy films I have ever seen and has one of the best soundtracks you will ever hear on film. Grosse Pointe Blank is the story of a world weary assassin who starts to get things wrong and is given a final chance which coincides with his High School Reunion.

John Cusack plays Martin Blank but the film is littered with fabulous performances. Joan Cusack plays his slightly psychotic secretary who calmly goes round ordering hollow point ammo without batting an eyelid. Dan Aykroyd plays Grocer who is trying to muscle in on Blank's action and at the same time persuade him to join a 'union'. Alan Arkin plays Blank's long suffering psychiatrist who knows what Blank does but is too afraid to tell him to go away. Minnie Driver plays Blank's ex who has never left town. Blank is chased by feelance assassins, Grocer, the NSA and discovers that he has to kill his ex's daddy. Dad delivers possibly the best line in the entire film when Martin tells him what he does for a living.

On Tuesday there is X2 the sequel to X Men. Again it is a worthy successor and arguably exceeds it. Also there is Every Which Way But Loose which is one of those films which show that Clint Eastwood can do comedy. As usual with Clint's films it features an excellent ensemble cast of actors with whom Eastwood works regularly. The sequel Any Which Way You Can is showing on Wednesday night. Not, in my opinion, as good as the first but still worth a look.

Thursday sees T2. There are those who would argue that this is Arnie's best film. Allow him to operate within his limited ability he is great fun. The effects in this film were mind blowing at the time and still look good even today. When Arnie gets it right it is wonderful entertainment when he gets it wrong it is Mr Freeze in Batman. Robert Patrick is excellent as the other Terminator. Edward Furlong is suitably irritating as John Connor and Linda Hamilton is again outstanding as Sarah Connor. Ignore the spin off television series watch this. If you are after good acting then watch Marlon Brando or Laurence Olivier. If you want excellent entertainment you won't regret watching this.

Lastly on Friday night there is City Slickers featuring Billy Crystal being well the same character he always plays up against the late great Jack Palance.

Have a good week.

How to avoid the olympics and stupid people

2008-08-08T13:12:00.000-07:00

Well hello again everyone and here are the film recommendations and reviews of the week. My aim this week I am giving you alternatives to watching the sport and having a normal life instead. My health kick policy of 'get fit or die trying' moves on apace and I am doing a 2.25 mile walk, badminton twice a week and the bike is about to be dusted off. Yes fitness beckons, it is a dim light at the end of a long tunnel at the moment.

The stupid people of which I speak are the woman who in her seventies without a child parked in a mother and baby spot when there was a disabled spot nearer the shop and general parking nearer as well. But even this was topped by the four lads who were in 2 cars parked up at a petrol pump who were smoking. They were in line for a Darwin award.

Now on to the reviews. Last Saturday night I went to see the latest Batman film, The Dark Knight. To say it was dark was an understatement. It certainly should have had a 15 certificate rather than the 12a it was given. Heath Ledger (below) was outstanding and assuming there are no other sick, simple or mad performances of equal stature this year he may be in line for awards.

It is worth seeing as it is excellent entertainment.

Saturday is an excellent day for avoiding exposure to sport if you so choose. There are three excellent films which are all excellent entertainment. The first recommendation of the day is The Mummy. This was the first film in the franchise and I actually watched it on DVD earlier this week. For pure entertainment and action this is an ideal film. The 12-certificate will probably have the kids getting annoyed but there is violence and death in it the certificate is probably about right. Rachel Weisz is stunning and Brendan Fraser is outstanding. With the third film in the series out shortly watch this first to get you in the mood. Later on there is The Sixth Sense. This film was famously ruined for millions in this country when a Radio 5 travel reporter blurted out the plot twist live on national radio. Fortunately I didn't hear this and was able to enjoy the film when I eventually got to see it. The twist is obvious from quite a way off but the film is entertaining and Willis and Hayley Joel Osment are exceptional not your run of the mill horror this one - you actually have to think a bit. Lastly there is Throw Momma From the Train. This is exceptional because it is supposed to be a comedy. Danny De Vito and Billy Crystal are outstanding but they are outdone by the deliciously grotesque performance of Anne Ramsey as Momma. This will have you howling with laughter and at the same time marvelling at the remake of Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train.

On Sunday there are two contrasting yet equally great films. The first is The Princess Bride. It is a wonderful family film. The children will love the fantasy and the adults will love the performances, comedy and one liners. If ever you meet anybody who does not love this film do not trust them they are dangerous people who have no soul and seek to take over the universe. By contrast there is Crimson Tide. This a post Cold War submarine thriller done in exuberant style by Jerry Bruckheimer. Gene Hackman and Denzel Washington put in outstanding performances and are ably supported by the likes of Viggo Mortensen. This is an exceptional thriller and will keep you gripped right the way through.

On Monday night we have I, Robot. Whilst it can never claim to be the greatest film in the world it is good entertainment. I have never actually read the book on which it is based so cannot comment on whether it is a good adaptation. On Tuesday we have yet more Bruckheimer fare with Armageddon in which Bruce Willis and his band save the world. Again if you are looking for thoughtprovoking entertainment this is not what you seek. It is a thrill ride.

Wednesday night we have an Elmore Leonard double bill - well sort of. We have Get Shorty and the sequel Be Cool. The first is one of Travolta's best performances. The cast that is put together is great. Danny De Vito, Gene Hackman and Rene Russo are all excellent. The story is fantastic and really does the original book justice. It is as with many of the films discussed tonight great entertainment. It is disappointing that the same cannot be said of the sequel Be Cool. Yes Travolta is good and is supported by Uma Thurman. Unfortunately we are also faced with Vince Vaughan and The Rock. It is good fun but not a patch on the first film.

Thursday night we have the history ignoring Scotland fest that is Braveheart. As with most Hollywood films it bears only a passing resemblance to real fact but is nevertheless a good diversion for an evening. Lastly on Friday night there is Lorenzo's Oil this is also based on true events but unlike Braveheart does at least tend to stick to them. This is one of those films which makes you feel good at the end but you may not want to watch it a second time.

More next week.

Films of the week

2008-07-31T11:22:00.001-07:00

Well here we go again wuth my pick of this week's films. For those of you not currently in the UK treat these as DVD recommendations if you like. Saturday night has three offerings. In descending order of merit we start with The Killing Fields. This was one of the first films I ever went to the cinema to see on my own. It is one of the most spiritually uplifting films I have ever seen but it is not an easy watch by any stretch of the imagination. That being said the ending is one of the most emotionally powerful scenes I have ever watched. Watch out for performances from John Malkovich who is as impressive as ever and the much maligned Julian Sands. The tragedy of this film is enhanced by the fact Haing S Ngor was killed in Los Angeles. From the sublime to the ridiculous now. Die Hard 2. Not nearly as good as its predecessor it is nevertheless a good couple of hours entertainment. Lastly we make the jump to ludicrous speed with Escape To Victory. This is The Great Escape meets Match of the Day. Whilst the appearance of Stallone as a goalkeeper is faintly ridiculous this film is a real cult hit.

Sunday is not exactly awash with films but there is one outstanding offering. Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story is an outstanding film. As to how accurate a portrayal of the day to day reality of the life of the film icon it is I cannot say. As entertainment it is top rate. Jason Lee is compelling in the title role. Earlier on in the day is A Bridge Too Far which with its cast of thousands of the great and good. As great war films go it is not the best but it is worth a watch. Anthony Hopkins is as usual excellent. If you are looking for truly light entertainment then go for Carry On Dick. I am not a big fan of the Carry On films but this is one of the better ones. On Monday the only film of note is Local Hero. It is a great quirky film featuring one of the few Hollywood stars who can do quirky - Burt Lancaster.

Tuesday's two film offerings are Unbreakable and Kickboxer. Unbreakable is an offering from the man who brought you The Sixth Sense. This film is not unfortunately in that league (you don't see dead people everywhere). Bruce Willis meets Samuel L Jackson again. Willis cannot be harmed and is 'unbreakable' Jackson on the other hand is practically made of glass. Jackson is ultimately the bad guy and Willis a force for good. It is an intriguing watch. Kickboxer is one of the few Jean Claude Van Damme offerings that actually made it into the cinemas. As an action packed violence fest it is actually not bad at all. It does nothing to dispel the opinion that Van Damme couldn't act his way out of a paper bag but is nonetheless a diverting evening's entertainment.

Wednesday presents a number of alternatives. Heaven Can Wait is a remake of the 1940s film Here Comes Mr Jordan. It is widely acknowledged as being one of the best remakes in cinema history. Well worth a look. Steven Seagal gets a look in twice with two formulaic offerings in Belly of the Beast and The Foreigner. If you have seen any of his offerings you will pretty much know what happens in both of these. Lastly is the End of Days. Arnie gets all apocalyptic. He gets acted off screen by Gabriel Byrne as Satan.

Thursday brings Mission Impossible 2 and Murder By Decree. The first is the big budget sequel to Mission Impossible. It is not nearly as good as its predecessor but then few sequels ever are. For trivia fans the villain in this film is played by Dougray Scott. Had this film not overrun we would never have had Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in the X Men films. Murder By Decree is a Sherlock Holmes solves Jack the Ripper story. Christopher Plummer is OK as the great detective. Unfortunately this focuses on the version of the myth that says it was the Freemasons covering up for the Royal family. It is about as plausible as Patricia Cornwell's version of the myth.

Friday night is the pick of the week. The outstanding offering is The Shawshank Redemption. This is without doubt the best adaptation of a Stephen King work ever committed to screen. OK it takes a few liberties with the story but it still works. The performances particularly by the two leads are stellar. But the supporting cast is also outstanding in particular Bob Gunton and Clancy Brown. Also outstanding this week is The Jackal. It is a remake of The Day of the Jackal. OK it shifts everything to the US it introduces the world to Richard Gere's terrible Irish accent but it maintains the good bits of the original. It is cracking entertainment. Also check out Wargames and Chicken Run. This final film is Aardman does The Great Escape. It is fabulous family entertainment.

Sporting success, bag ladies and other animals...

2008-07-26T12:00:00.000-07:00

A week before making his First Communion Tom was at his rugby club for the end of season awards. The club doesn't have a player of the year awards but gives an award to all players. They do however have a few special awards. These are clubman of the year and most improved player of the year. This year a new award was introduced for tag dedication.

The inaugural winner of this award can be seen to your left. His prize was a rugby ball signed by Martin Johnson captain of the world cup winning England team So Tom has held something touched by a world cup winner and clearly destiny awaits.

Tom's award came one week after his team won the SubStottie trophy at the Alnwick Rugby Festival. This was awarded for the battle of the 5th placed teams in his age group. It was his last tag rugby union game. However a month ago Tom represented his school in a tag rugby league festival. He was the only year 3 player in the first team. He did have the misfortune to be coached by his dad on the day but the team was still triumphant.

The reason that the photo is so blurry is that just as the team were starting their championship winning match the heavens opened and everybody was soaked. Tom has adopted his usual position of standing in the back row (he is on the right).

But what I hear you ask has Jenni been up to? In general it has been her usual idiosyncratic approach to life and the occasional bouts of total chaos.

Meet Jenni the bag lady...

Jenni the mistress of chaos...

and finally Jenni the style icon.

More to come soon.

At long last!!!!

2008-07-26T11:35:00.000-07:00

Well after much ado about very little here we are family pictures and recent ones too!!! Unfortunately due to a bunch of eager people who couldn't be bothered to wait this is about the best photo from inside the church that I could get. But you get the idea anyway. Tom is at the back left, just look up from the woman with the camera. This was on possibly the hottest day of the year and so most people were roasting alive inside the church. Everybody seemed to enjoy the whole event but it had to be done against the clock to get the next shift in.

Since chaos was ensuing at the church and the fact that I had gone all Nigella and baked flourless chocolate brownies and made summer fruit cheesecake the party repaired to chez Kirton for the photos. That is me in one of my new suits and the dark glasses (classy eh!!). Mum was none too happy about the photos but the public have demanded photos of the event.

Having been asked to lose the glasses we took this photo. To those of you who don't know the gentleman on the right is Emmett, Thomas' godfather who had come up from the deep south of the country especially for the occasion.

The Kirton men then gathered for this photo. It is not often that Dad and I are in the presence of sporting greatness but only a week before Tom had been awarded a special award for dedication at his rugby club. More on the future sporting great in a separate blog. If you look to the left on the slideshow you can see all the photos. Unfortunately the food didn't last long enough to be photographed.

More to come in a moment thrill seekers.

Bad Films

2008-07-26T07:17:00.000-07:00

This week I sat down to watch two DVD's one to see if it was really as bad as everybody would have us believe and the other to see if it was any good in the first place. The films in question were David Lynch's adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune and the second was Ultraviolet starring Milla Jovovich.

Dune is roundly condemned by critics the world over and provokes heated debate amongst those who have actually read the source material on which the film was based. When the inlay to the DVD itself tells you that a film is not that good you really have to worry. Is it is as bad as the critics would have you believe well no actually it isn't. Is it a good adaptation of the book. In parts yes in parts no. Whilst the use of a narrator is good the narration does not adequately explain who is who where they came from and why they are where they are. I found the script to be just terrible. The effects look decidely ropey which is never a help. Dune could, in the right hands, have become a masterpiece. Unfortunately it fails because the script and let's be honest some of the acting is dire. It doesn't matter how good an actor is if the material they have to work with is lousy. The later SciFi channel miniseries were better but only showed to a limited audience. It is with some trepidation that I have discovered that there is to be a new version out in either 2009 or 2010. Given the state of CGI today this could be monumental. But whoever makes this will have to get round the issue of script and explaining who everybody is ikf it is to stand any chance of success.

I hope that this along with another remaked in 2010, Highlander, are not condemned finally to the rubbish bin of the film world.

So then I sat to watch Ultraviolet. It appeared to me to be a kind of The Matrix meets Underworld meets Equilibrium. Unfortunately it is not even as good as the worst of these three (Underworld just in case any of you are wondering). The frightening thing is that this film makes Aeon Flux look good and that is really difficult. The script is lousy, the acting worse. To those of you who like vampire lore and vampire movies this really is one to avoid. The 'plot twist' such as it is can be seen coming after only a short while. To spare you the torture - the archcardinal is a vampire and his 'kid' ( who looks like Wesley Crusher) is not there to save humanity and end the war.

So if you are standing there in the video shop and all you can have is Dune or Ultraviolet get Dune it is at least bearable.

Movieweek w/c 26/7/08

2008-07-25T06:48:00.000-07:00

Well movie lovers here are my weekly choices and views on the films available via Freeview in the UK. For me on Saturday the clear film of the day is Die Hard. This film made Bruce Willis a superstar and showed how Alan Rickman could act Hollywood's finest off the screen. According to Channel 5 in the UK this film is the best disaster movie ever made. I'm not sure that I would go that far but it is fantastic entertainment. It also has one of the best catchphrases ever to come out of Hollywood "Yippee kay aye ...". An alternative but equally action packed choice is Broken Arrow. This is the John Woo film with Travolta and Slater in the starring roles. They are well supported and the film is a rollercoaster ride of just pure escapist entertainment.

Sunday night has a couple of offerings you may wish to consider. War of the Worlds is Spielberg and Cruise together again. Personally I wasn't that impressed. Whilst the film succeeds inasmuch as it is broadly faithful to the source material it just did nothing for me. Watch Top Gear instead is my advice. Earlier in the day there is Stealth. again it is a film which does not require much thought just sit and watch the explosions but worth a look. Last tip is Muriel's Wedding. Long before Mamma Mia this rode the popularity of ABBA music. It is a quirky little film and might float your boat.

On Monday there is only one real choice and that is Jaws. You can keep your current 'horror' films. They are only poor quality gore fests in comparison. This film works because you don't actually see anything. That is why all good horror works. You are allowed to make the image yourself you don't need it rammed down your throat. The cast is fantastic. In fact the only real let down is the shark itself. Today it would be CGI but this one was an animatronic monster that was forever breaking down.

Tuesday is something of a write off for me so let's go on to Wednesday. This is probably the best day of the week. For all you boys own types there is When Eight Bells Toll. Based on the Alistair Maclean novel this casts Anthony Hopkins as an investigative type. It hasn't aged well but is worth a look just once and then read the book. At 9 o'clock you are spoilt for choice. You can choose between Outbreak. Another film along with Die Hard and Broken Arrow which made it into that list of disaster movies. The cast are magnificent but the stars are Dustin Hoffmann and Donald Sutherland. This is a battle to save lives between scientists and soldiers. all the bother was caused by the monkey from Friends. I always said that program would lead to no good. At the same time there is Team America: World Police. I watched this one by accident once. I wasn't sure whether I should be laughing at some of it but just couldn't help myself. This one is from the team that brought you South Park. Lastly you might want to check out Jet Li's The One. Citizen Kane it isn't but who cares.

Friday night we are back with yet more action. The fourth Tom Clancy film and effectively the prequel to Hunt For Red October. It is a good film and The American cast a largely well supported by a great British one. Colm Feore plays a bad guy (when doesn't he?). The British play the Russians. Hollywood goes for bad guy get a Brit. Ben Affleck isn't bad.The American film industry does paranoia really well and this is no different. Check it out. Last film of the week is Rocky Horror Picture Show. Again I was no big fan of this one but if you like musicals and/or Richard O'Brien then check it out.

Catch you next week.

By the way to my family I promise I will put some other stuff that you might be interested in up this week.

Movies of the Week

2008-07-18T12:26:00.000-07:00

Well here we go again with this week's recommendations. Saturday night is not that great. But if you are looking for something to watch then check out the following two films. The Chronicles of Riddick is worth a look but is not a patch on its predecessor Pitch Black. As an alternative you could take a look at Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It is the film which launched the massive TV series. It patently is not as good but is mildly comic entertainment. The performances of Donald Sutherland and Rutger Hauer are a delight. Also look for a role by Paul Reubens (aka Pee Wee Herman).

Sunday on the other hand is a veritable feast for film lovers. If you like musicals and I don't then you have On The Town. But if it's escapism you love then there is Dr No. Connery (still the best Bond ever) makes his debut in the role that would make him a superstar. And then there is Ursula Andress and that scene. For the trivia nuts amongst you it is said that Enter The Dragon the iconic Bruce Lee pic is heavily influenced by this film. Follow this up with The Great Escape. One of the best war films of all time. Scripted by James Clavell who went on to write Shogun. as ensemble casts go they don't get much better than this. Late night entertainment is provided by Rutger Hauer in Blind Fury. OK the plot is mildly ludicrous but who needs a deep film for entertainment. Also there is The Wraith utter garbage in general terms but worth a look anyway. Who says 1980s straight to video films can't be good.

Monday night's standout film is True Lies. It is one of Arnie's best films and the cast clearly enjoyed the fact that this is just pure escapist nonsense. As was the case the bad guy is played by an English actor (Art Malik). Support comes from Jamie Lee Curtis, and Tom Arnold. There is also a cameo by Charlton Heston as Arnie's boss. As alternatives can I recommend the following films. Anybody who knows me knows that I cannot stand Ben Stiller and will avoid films with him in because I just don't see what all the fuss is about. However, there are always exceptions. Dodgeball is one such. Stiller is as terrible as ever but Vince Vaughna and his gang of misfits supported by Rip Torn are excellent. Eddie Murphy on his day is outstanding and generally his earlier work is better. 48 Hours is reasonably tolerable. Much better though is Crocodile Dundee 2. As sequels go it is one of the better ones I have come across. Alison, my wife, thinks that 50 First Dates is a good film I don't agree but I include the opinion just to show that I am magnanimous and open to editorial variety.

On Tuesday there is little of great value. Jurassic Park 3 and Star Trek Generations are the only films worth a look. Neither is great and the latter is an odd numbered Star Trek film and is thus doomed to be terrible.

Wednesdays films tend to be comedies that are worth watching. School of Rock is Jack Black at his best and as a rock fan the soundtrack is great. Bird On A Wire is also worth a look as is The Hunger. Avoid The Wicker Man which is in my humble opinion one of the most overrated films I have ever seen.

Friday has two films worth a look. The Shining is perhaps the best adaptation of a Stephen King novel. Jack Nicholson is just incredible as the man who goes insane. "Here's Johnny" and "Redrum" are memorable lines from this film which has an exceptional cast. Another adaptation of a novel is The Rainmaker which is an adaptation of John Grisham's book. It is workmanlike and the cast of Matt Damon, Mickey Rourke and Danny DeVito are excellent. It may be a Grisham by the numbers story but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable.

Movies of the Week

2008-07-09T12:05:00.000-07:00

If you look to the sidebar on the blog you can see my film recommendations of the week. Please find below my personal opinions on these and some other notable exceptions.

Shadowlands is underrated by many people who compare it to the stage play and the television adaptation with Joss Ackland. Set all that aside and watch this and enjoy a wonderful film. Anthony Hopkins is outstanding in this filmand is ably supported by an outstanding cast. I went to see this at the cinema and a large portion of the audience was in tears by the end.

Pulp Fiction this is quite simply the best film Disney ever made. This was a Buena Vista production. This will keep you intrigued right to the end. Travolta is outstanding and this film resurrected his career. Uma Thurman is stunning. There is not a poor performance in the film. Tarantino has a gift for this type of thing and this is possibly the best example of his work.

You may want to consider Once Upon A Time in Mexico as an alternative but you would be better off watching Desperado it is much better. If you like monosyllabic Schwarzenegger films then watch Conan the Barbarian on Monday night.

No Way Out on Tuesday is a rare thing. A good film with Kevin Costner. His performance is helped by the acting class given by Gene Hackman. This is a much underrated film and is a great thriller. On the same night is Saving Private Ryan but quite frankly I'd have shot Matt Damon if I'd just traipsed all over France to take him home. Also look out for Stripes with Bill Murray. This is one of his first outings and it has its moments but it is very much of its time.

On Wednesday watch Tombstone. This came out around the same time as Kevin Costner's Wyatt Earp. This is a masterpiece. Brilliant cast. Val Kilmer gives possibly his best ever performance, as Doc Holliday. There are cameos and voiceovers from Charlton Heston, Harry Carey Jr and Robert Mitchum. If you want something lighter go for Austin Powers. It's daft but it manages to be funny whilst spoofing something that was already an essential spoof.

On Thursday watch Papillon. This was based on the story of Henri Charriere and is far more accessible than the book which can be difficult at times. Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman are both excellent. Sci Fi fans look out for a small performance from Bill Mumy of Lost In Space and Babylon 5 fame.

Happy viewing.

Entertainment News

2008-07-09T11:27:00.000-07:00

This is a periodic feature. Periodic in the sense I will only add to it when I actually get out to have a social life or get something new to report on. In this first series of reviews we have four items.

Wanted

This was an enjoyable night out at the cinema. A couple of hours of mindless fun, mysterious assassins. If pointless entertainment is your thing then this could hit the spot.

Eddie Izzard is at his hilarious best. This is stream of consciousness of the highest order. His impersonations of Billy Connolly and Sean Connery are very amusing.

The Last Legion (12)

I saw this film advertised on a DVD trailer and so borrowed it from my local library. The film has many similarities to Highlander inasmuch as there is a large British cast. You will be going through the film recognising actors who you have seen in many other films and TV programs. This is a bit of a twist on the Arthurian legend, not an original one though. Good entertainment. The ending is a bit predictable.

3:10 to Yuma

This is a remake of a classic Western starring Glenn Ford. I haven't seen the original and so wasn't caught up with whether it was an authentic remake or not. It was a slow film to unwind and you certainly don't see the ending coming (or I didn't anyway). Christian Bale (who I am going to watch in the forthcoming Dark Knight) is in his usual excellent form. Russell Crowe demonstrates again why he is such a good actor. He excels at doing very little yet dominating the screen. This really is an excellent film and well worth your time. I hope to see the original in the near future.

Happy viewing.

Welcome

2008-05-25T07:44:00.000-07:00

Welcome one and all to the first post of this influential new addition to the world wide web. Forthcoming features will be photos, rants, pithy comment, movie reviews, tv and dvd recommendations and the occasional bit of gloating.

Please feel free to comment as you see fit but please also be aware no comments are guaranteed to reflect the opinions of the management or even of the writer depending on what mood he is in.

Forthcoming photos will include:-

Thomas' First Communion, Thomas' Tag Player of the year (dramatic license used here) and the horror of the entire family together in one photo.