kiwinavega

Not sure how to title this post...

2009-07-14T23:47:00.003+01:00

Just saw this story on the BBC so I'd like to take this opportunity to invite everyone around to kiwinavega's Giraffe, Octopus and Wallaby Park, kiwinavega's balcony, London.

Admission is free!

Take a look at one of my paintings...

2009-07-14T20:50:00.003+01:00

I'm quite new to painting but find it really relaxing. I don't think I have any skill but it doesn't really matter too much to me. It's just a way for me to try and be a little creative.

This one's called Number Two, and it's painted in acrylics on canvas.

Like it? Loathe it? I'd love to know what you think.

News International, Rupert Murdoch and the subversion of democracy

2009-07-11T10:13:00.006+01:00

Once again the dark side of News International has been brought into the light of the public glare.

Allegations have been made that a series of political and celebrity figures have had their phones illegally tapped by News International in order to obtain juicy gossip, scandal and details of their private lives.

Details of News International's illegal practices came to light a couple of years ago leading to the conviction and imprisonment of the News of the World's then Royal Editor and a private investigator hired by the paper.

Also documented are out of court damages payments to the head of the Professional Footballer's Association, while The Guardian also claims that a payment was made to the PFA's legal adviser (on condition a confidentiality agreement was signed).

This story is back in the news with a bang as it has been suggested that thousands of people have had their communications monitored by Murdoch's evil empire, notably key political figures such as John Prescott.

Since The Guardian released its story on Thursday there has been a massive tranche of coverage on this but there are a few elements of this I find especially disturbing and are clear examples of Murdoch's companies' longstanding efforts to subvert our democracy.

1. The IPCC have stated there isn't enough new evidence to reopen the investigation into this practice. Why not? This is a very serious matter and it has been revealed that, despite NI's claims that the earlier instance of phone hacking that led to one of its number being sent to prison was an aberration, it has come to light that it was far from a one-off.

2. Why were the IPCC so quick to dismiss this? It is absolutely in the public interest for this issue to be resolved and thoroughly dealt with.

3. If NI are so clear that they have nothing to hide why have they been so insistent on making payments out of court and linking these payments to confidentiality agreements? These aren't the actions of a company that is squeaky clean.

4. Why is Andy Coulson, well known as a NI man through and through, retained by the Conservatives as a Communications guru? Surely there is a conflict of interest here. It is well-known and obvious that NI has excessive levels of influence and through their publications (along with their Sky network, Fox etc) they can sway the opinion of the ovine British public. Perhaps that answers my own question...

This makes me so angry I really want to punch a Murdoch in the face. For years they have abused their position of trust and done their best to bend politicians, celebrities and the public to their will at the cost of personal liberty, national security and domestic and international harmony.

I know there really is no such thing as a fair and independent mass media but when I was younger journalism always seemed to me to be about finding and reporting the truth, however difficult or unpalatable it may be.

Now it is all about PR, dirty tricks, bullying, smears and invasion of privacy. It is an absolute outrage. However, nothing will be done about it. No public figure, no political party, will risk the wrath of the evil empire, with their power to destroy careers and lives. It makes me sick.

Why I love YouTube

2009-07-11T00:43:00.005+01:00

I don't know if people expect me to get soppy or emotional over online stuff or not but the fact is that sometimes I'm moved more than I expected.

Here is a case in point. Julia Nunes, known as jaaaaaa on youtube, has posted quite a few vids, many of them cover versions. I actually found her work by accident but here is something wonderful.

If a friend did this for my birthday I think I would cry! Need to watch it all to get it but it really is beautiful and funny!

Julia, you rule!

On the passage of time

2009-07-10T18:42:00.004+01:00

It's funny how quickly time moves on and things change. Obviously, it has always (and will always) move on at a rate of one second per second, but I think I mean how the passage of time in the longer term seems to accelerate and decelerate.

I've been getting involved (professionally) with social media a lot and revisited my dear, sweet little blog. Noticed I haven't written anything here since September last year. Ten months.

Doesn't seem quite possible somehow but there we are. I often hear people older than I am say that the years seem to go by much more quickly the older you get. So far, this seems to be the case for me too. I also note that when you are younger, you are far more inclined to question such received wisdom. I can't help but feel that that's still a good thing and perhaps I need to question things more often.

I think it is very easy to forget your dreams and ambitions as you get older. I've felt my life fall into a simple rhythm of sleep, work, home, sleep, work, home. Don't get me wrong - I have a good job which pays quite well (for my needs), live in a lovely flat and don't really have any difficulties in my life.

Maybe that in itself is a problem. I'm beginning to feel that this cosy, settled existence - almost anaesthetic in its nature - makes it so easy to be distracted from what it is I really want from my life. I can see how this can happen so often. We get settled (for now), decide that we'll do what we are doing for a bit because it's simple and we don't have any drama in our lives.

Perhaps our lives need drama. Perhaps settling for what life has given without a struggle is a sign of weakness. I never wanted to be a web monkey. I wanted (and still do want) to be a writer but the more I've settled into this comfortable, repetetive existence the more my motivation has diminished. Telling myself that the occasional poem, the odd concept outline, the painting every now and then is enough to keep my creativity alive is really self-sedating. Silencing my dreams by suppressing them, but telling myself it isn't so bad.

I wonder if anyone else ever feels like this.

I have...

2008-09-19T00:51:00.001+01:00

... plenty to think about.

I may have mentioned elsewhere, but my head hurts.

I wonder what is so good about...

2008-07-30T20:40:00.001+01:00

... the bee's knees and the dog's bollocks?

Does anyone know?

My blog is moving for a short time...

2008-07-28T23:20:00.003+01:00

I'm working on a new blog at the moment.

There may be some very infrequent posts here but my current blog - A slice of sobriety - can be found at www.asliceofsobriety.blogspot.com

Why not visit and find out what I'm hoping to achieve by not drinking alcohol for thirty days?

I've been growing a beard

2008-06-15T14:26:00.003+01:00

For the last six weeks or so, it's been getting longer.

Even if I say so myself, it was not a little luxuriant. It made me look something of a viking, especially when coupled with a "comedy" viking helmet at our office bowling outing a couple of weeks ago. It was also a little ginger.

It's been strange really, being bearded. There's no doubt that people look at you in a slightly different, and probably not altogether positive, way. You also view yourself slightly differently, I think. Mrs K, for example, hated it.

In a strange way, it made me feel more manly and masculine, although even if pressed I don't think I could quite explain how.

I've shaved it off now and my thoughts on seeing myself clean-shaven after all that time only served to remind me why I grew it in the first place...

Drinking on an empty stomach...

2008-06-14T09:37:00.000+01:00

... is a very bad idea.

For those who love new ideas...

2008-06-08T14:33:00.005+01:00

I've been reading an interesting book this week that I picked up recently in a charity shop for 50p.

It's called The Black Cloud and is a science fiction novel written by famous astronomer Fred Hoyle, perhaps most well-known for his ironic coining of the term Big Bang - ironic, of course, because he was a well known critic of the theory.

First published in 1957 it provides a fascinating insight into what astronomy and computing were like at the time, as well as serving to highlight the politics and international situation of the time.

The story itself is based around a giant cloud of gas arriving from outside of our solar system to position itself between the earth and the sun, creating an unprecedented global disaster. Further investigation of the cloud determines that it has intelligence and communication follows.

What I really wanted to share from this book is a narrative passage at the beginning of one of the chapters.

"It is curious in how great a degree human progress depends on the individual. Humans, numbered in thousands of millions, seem organised into an ant-like society. Yet this is not so.

"New ideas, the impetus of all development, come from individual people, not from corporations or states. New ideas, fragile as spring flowers, easily bruised by the tread of the multitude, may yet be cherished by the solitary wanderer."

Perhaps the best day of sport for some time...

2008-06-07T22:04:00.006+01:00

What an incredible day of sport it has been today.I'm really hard-pressed to think of a day previously that has had so many high profile events with such a broad appeal.

Needless to say, I've been glued to the TV and internet all day. Luckily for me Mrs K is understanding.

First of all I've been following the test match between England and New Zealand at Trent Bridge. I've particularly enjoyed England's bowling performances from James Anderson and Stuart Broad. An excellent display of swing bowling from these two players has put England in a position where they are likely to win the match tomorrow, needing just five more wickets.

Next up I enjoyed the women's singles final of the French Open tennis between Ana Ivanovic, the new world number one, and Dinara Safina of Russia. Ivanovic won an enthralling game in straight sets and although she was never really in trouble, she was made to work hard for her first Grand Slam title by the plucky and not unskilled Safina.

There was barely time to pause for breath as no sooner had Ivanovic won her title than it was time for one of the world's premier horse races, The Derby at Epsom. 16 of the world's finest racehorses lined up at the start of the mile-and-a-half (2400m) race which ended with the well-fancied New Approach winning in an exciting finish from Tartan Bearer. My tip, Rio de la Plata, finished a fairly respectable 7th. Thankfully I kept my money in my wallet.

A quick cup of tea and before you know it Euro 2008 kicks off in Switzerland where the Swiss face a competent team from the Czech Republic. Despite not being at their best, the Czechs win 1-0 in a game that, while not the most exciting, was absorbing and a good start to the tournament.

Finally, about an hour later, we have Portugal vs Turkey in Euro 2008. A good attacking performance from Portugal added further credibility to their status as genuine contenders for the trophy. They struck the frame of the goal several times on their way to winning 2-0 against a Turkish team that included a certain Colin Kazim-Richards in their midfield. Anyone who saw Kazim-Richards in the Premiership a couple of seasons ago wouldn't recognise him as the same player, he is very much improved and could yet have an impact in this tournament.

And to think that tomorrow we have the rest of the Test Match, more football, the men's singles final of the French Open between Nadal and Federer, followed by the Canadian Grand Prix...

Anyway, must end this here. I've got the highlights of game one of the NBA Finals to watch from yesterday...

How Hitler made me late for work... twice

2008-06-06T13:08:00.006+01:00

I live in the East End of London and a few days ago work on the 2012 Olympic site uncovered an unexploded bomb from World War II.

The bomb weighs around a tonne and has caused transport links in my area to be closed. The bomb will apparently be safely detonated today, although the situation is still dangerous as the bomb is reported as having started to tick while oozing a strange liquid.

It's over 60 years since the war ended and yet these things still crop up all the time.

I must admit to feeling a bit of a fool ringing in my office to tell them the situation:

"Hello, is that my boss? Yep, it's Mr K here. Look, I'm going to be late this morning. Why? Because of World War II. It's Hitler's fault."

Here's the full story

A possible green energy solution?

2008-06-03T21:45:00.004+01:00

I was just sat on the sofa with Mrs K, watching a programme on TV about mummies found in western China from 4,000 years ago (of all things!) when I dozed off, just as they were talking about deserts.

While I slept, which was only for about two minutes or so, a veritable catnap, my subconscious brain was obviously clunking away, because when I awoke I had a clear idea formed in my mind.

There is widespread agreement (although clearly not a consensus) that global warming / climate change is happening. I don't want to argue that point here, other than to say that we should all take environmental issues seriously and to all try and do our bit to find a more sustainable future and to tread lightly on the Earth wherever possible.

I digress. I thought of a possible, partial solution to provide large amounts of cheap, carbon neutral, sustainable and renewable energy. I wonder if anyone can give me an inkling of whether it could work or if it is viable.

Please bear with me while I try to explain.

We already have gas fields and oil fields where we extract fossil fuels, vast tracts of land or sea devoted to the production of energy, while the land could be put to other uses.

Is it possible that we could create solar energy fields in barren, uninhabitable hot places, such as deserts? According to wikipedia, the Sahara Desert, for example, covers an area of 9,000,000 square kilometers. Even if we assume that, say, 5% of this could be given over to solar energy production. This gives 450,000 squared kilometres of solar panels which I am sure can create an awful lot of energy.

I'm not a scientist so don't know if this could ever be done. I don't know if it could be cost effective, the energy used in creating the panels and installing an appropriate system would negate the benefits, whether it's just pie in the sky. But it's a thought. I may have to delve into this a little further.

What do you think? Could this ever work? Any ideas on where to go to find out? I'd really love your thoughts on this one, so please leave a comment!

Why Michael Johnson is a legend

2008-06-03T21:30:00.007+01:00

Michael Johnson, 200m and 400m world record holder and multiple world and Olympic champion, has announced he is returning one of his Olympic gold medals as a team-mate in the race was using steroids.

Antonio Pettigrew, who was one of Johnson's fellow members of the winning USA team in the Sydney Olympics 4x400m relay, has recently testified in court that he was using banned performance enhancing substances at the time.

Michael explained his decision to BBC Fivelive. "The medal was won unfairly. Relay is a team effort and one member cheated... The medal doesn't belong to me any more."

Many would agree that as an athlete, Michael Johnson was pretty much peerless. Even his running style was unique, along with his gold shoes. Nobody could get near him.

His decision to return this medal, which he now considers tainted and unfairly won, shows he is just as outstanding as a sportsman in the classical sense.

I went to Speakers' Corner the other day

2008-06-03T19:34:00.002+01:00

I've always wondered what this great institution is like and until this weekend had never actually been there to hear the speakers on a Sunday.

The most startling thing for me was that so many speakers seemed to have a religious obsession - in fact I can only remember three speakers that spoke on anything other than religion.

One man was talking about democracy and was doing quite well until he began contradicting himself, one moment claimin that America has nothing like a true democracy then went on to praise the American system.

One was a bloke aged around thirty standing with a placard which read something along the lines of "It's more difficult to pick up women doing this than I thought". Interestingly, he was surrounded by women.

Some speakers were lucid while talking absolute garbage, some speakers made a lot of sense when they weren't lucid at all. It was very interesting and I seriously recommend a visit.

I'm even tempted to give it a go one day myself...

The day I scooped The Sun

2008-05-28T21:29:00.004+01:00

I wrote a post on Sunday about the sad reality of our young people feeling unsafe, carrying weapons and killing each other and wondering how this situation can improve.

Two days later The Sun (a second-rate tabloid for those of you outside the UK) ran a front page spread about this, lamenting the escalating youth violence and urging action.

Coincidence? You decide.

Is this really who London needs?

2008-05-28T21:13:00.003+01:00

Four weeks after being elected as Mayor of London Boris Johnson has gone on a sailing holiday.

He was elected (though not by me) after promising to work night and day for London.

What has he done so far that is so tiring? Banned alcohol on the tube. Aside from making me wonder what I am going to about my breakfast, this must've been easy...

Boris: Right. Lackey? I want to ban drinking on the tube.
Lackey: Yes, sir! I can do that.
Boris (well known fan of Capt. Picard): Make it so, number one.

And the job is done. Two minutes flat. He's also got rid of freesheet The Londoner. Even if we are being charitable and allowing for a cheeky smoke break or two, a cup of coffee and a flick through the Daily Star it should have all been sorted by lunchtime on day one.

I think we deserve a bit better.

Why are our young people killing each other?

2008-05-25T10:42:00.005+01:00

Another London weekend, another bunch of reports of young people being shot, stabbed and killed.

A promising young actor apparently stabbed to death over a mobile phone. A seventeen-year-old boy was found in Camden with a gunshot wound to the head and lies in a critical condition in hospital. Another seventeen-year-old shot in the stomach in Archway is also in a critical condition in hospital.

I have been reliably told of a young man who was randomly stabbed in East London when a group of unknown young people pulled their car over to him, racially abused him (he is white) and attacked him. He ended up in hospital, gave details to the police who went on to explain that random acts of violence are on the increase and the perpetrators are unlikely to ever be caught.

A friend of a friend has recently sent their 16 year old son to a college in Spain for two years because they were so frightened of what may happen if they remain in London.

A story in the local newspaper detailed how local police received intelligence relating to a planned gang fight. They stopped a bus which they believed was taking young people to this fight and seized several weapons, including knives.

The list goes on and on and on. I really fear for all of our futures if this culture of violence continues to escalate. How can we solve this problem and what causes it?

First of all we know that young people are carrying more weapons on their person than ever before. I am sure that most of these kids do not go out with these weapons with the intention to seriously injure or kill people. This leads to the conclusion that they are carrying them for protection because they feel unsafe and under threat.

As more kids carry weapons, the more dangerous the situation becomes and the process widens and repeats, a classic vicious circle.

The police are trying to utilise new powers to search young people for weapons using scanners and metal detectors. Some groups are worried that this will result in increased incidence of stop and search, leading to increased alienation of our young people from the society that is supposed to be protecting and nurturing them, for their benefit and that of society.

This whole situation is made worse by the media which often sensationalises cases to increase consumption of their product, be it television, print, radio or online. Details become more lurid, reporting of these events increases leading to older people becoming more and more afraid of young people.

They aren't kids any longer and have become labelled as feral, yobs, chavs, youth... They are no longer seen as our responsibility, our future, our hopes for a better world. They are seen as the enemy and as a threat.

Until this mistrust and fear of young people is addressed things are only going to get worse. We need to work hard as a society to make young people feel valued again. We need to value their education, to make clear their choices, their rights and responsibilities and do what we can to help them make their way in the world.

We need to protect them from those who would do them harm with maximum sentences for violent offences in most cases. We need to identify youngsters at risk of becoming involved in crime, violence and drug and alcohol abuse at a young age and find ways to help them change their behaviour.

Most importantly I think we need adults to realise we are failing our young people, need to show by our examples better ways to live their lives happily, safely and responsibly.

How can we make the world a better place for our young people? I'd love to know what you think.

Wanting to write something worthy...

2008-05-16T23:16:00.002+01:00

... leaves me feeling as though I can't write at all. So many thoughts and feelings and yet I don't know what they mean or how I can express them or what they are worth.

Instead I'll just ramble and stumble and stuggle to type and hope that it all makes sense.

Continuing on an earlier theme...

2008-05-09T23:04:00.002+01:00

I created a post a few days about how an arrangement can completely change a song.

I want to carry on with this idea.

Barbara Lewis is a beautiful singer with a great voice. As far as I can figure out she is a doo-wop singer and her song Baby I'm Yours is one of my favourites. You can check it out below:

Now, I know the Arctic Monkeys have been subjected to a massive amount of hype. I actually like them a lot and think that, in particular, their rhyme patterns are interesting and clever.

Here is their version of the same song. It shows a real lightness of touch and delicacy that I really appreciate - partly because they wouldn't get credit for it so I'd like to step in, but also because they make it sound like a song of their own.

Barbara, Monkeys - Thank you.

You know what?

2008-05-08T19:52:00.002+01:00

I am a Londoner but:

I haven't written about Boris or the election

I haven't written about the credit crunch and its affect on house prices or whatever

I haven't written about the ban of alcohol on the tube

I haven't written about music

I haven't written about my relationship

I haven't written about my friends

I haven't written anything.

You know what? Fuck it.

Just fuck it all.

It's too hot for that shit.

I love London, but... Part three

2008-04-27T20:52:00.002+01:00

I last heard silence in 2004. I know, hearing silence is a contradiction in terms, but I am surrounded by noise. It only occured to me just now when I was sat on my sofa and I realised that I can always hear the busy main "A" road that is about 50 metres away from my window.

Even when there are no cars, the road always seems to make a noise. Whenever a vehicle goes past (frequently) there is a change in pitch but even when you can't hear the cars you can hear the road.

Maybe this is something that is a universal these days but there is never a moment of real peace and quiet.

Maybe silence is over-rated but when you realise you haven't had any for a long time, a craving for it develops.

Even now, I'm in another room in the flat. No TV on, no radio on, can't hear the road through the window. I can hear the plumbing next door, every couple of minutes there's the creak of the main entrance to the building. There's the gentle whirr of my PC, the kliklaklok of my fingers on the keyboard.

I wonder if I have ever really experienced silence?

One lyric, two arrangements, two great tracks

2008-04-27T13:56:00.004+01:00

I have always been a sucker for sweet, sentimental lyrics as long as the music is good enough to back it up. I'm thinking things like My Everything by Barry White, Say a Little Prayer by Aretha Franklin, Stand By Me by Ben E King - I think you know the kind of love songs I mean.

The two videos below use the same lyric but to dramatically different effect. Loving You, by Minnie Riperton, has a dreamy melody and really gorgeous vocals but it's the lyric I really love. She performs it well too, as you can see below.

Take the same lyric, give it a new singer and an ambient techno backdrop and this is what you get...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7YQ1oAAJn8

The Orb - A Huge Evergrowing Pulsating Brain That Rules From The Centre Of The Ultraworld. Alas, I can't embed this video. The link really is worth checking out, I promise...

Perhaps the point I want to make with this post is that something doesn't have to be completely new to be creative. You can do a lot with the things that already exist that is different and exciting.

I woke up with writing on my mind today

2008-04-26T10:50:00.002+01:00

It was the strangest thing. Usually when I awake there's just a bit of a fog of thought and cloudy memories of dreaming.

Today my thoughts were clear and clean as freshly formed ice crystals. Write. Write. Must write.

So here I am. Unhelpfully my subconscious didn't provide any notes or ideas. Dammit.

Writer's block is a wierd thing. The less I've been able to write lately (and I don't just write this blog, I have a thousand and one other projects on the go, all equally negelected) the more I become preoccupied with it. It's becoming an obsession and it's driving me nuts.

I am at my happiest when I write but I'm beginning to put serious mental pressure on myself. I'm thinking of little else but getting nowhere, ideas come to mind and then swim away as soon as I begin to focus on them.

I'm worrying that this little old blog of mine is going to turn in to a series of posts about not being able to write.

It's not like I am Natasha Bedingfield either, there's no way I am lucky enough to be able to forge a career based on writing about not being able to write.

It's lucky I still have a full head of hair because at the rate I'm pulling it out I'm worried it may not remain for long.

Why I love blogging... part one

2008-04-24T21:15:00.004+01:00

I'm so glad I decided to write a blog. It's been like a good friend to me, even though you can probably count my regular readers on the fingers of one leg (prove me wrong! Post a comment!).

It's cathartic, in a way, to have this random place to just write - knowing that it probably won't be seen by many people but that it is out there.

It's quite fun to pour some of your life on to a screen, via a keyboard.

Sometimes it is a cleanser, allowing you to get things off your chest, remove the weight from your shoulders for a bit.

Sometimes it can be exciting, the feeling that you may have just written something that can challenge the way people think, or encourage them to think about things they may previously have ignored.

Sometimes it can be quite emotional and make me think deeply about what is on my mind, clarifying my own feelings. I'm thinking of the post about a burger here...

Occasionally it's a vanity thing - I hope people love what I write and are left thinking "wow, this person can actually write".

But what I really love about it, more than anything else, is that it doesn't need to have a purpose. It doesn't need to be about anything at all, it needs nothing important, worthy or intellectual to say.

Like this post.

This really made me laugh!

2008-04-24T09:42:00.003+01:00

I stopped off in one of my local pubs on the way home from work yesterday as I was thirsty and needed to use their facilities. So, I grabbed a beer and sat at the bar with my book, having a little read before heading home for my tea.

A few minutes pass, I'm sipping my San Miguel and reading quietly when the barmaid comes over to say hello - she's about 21, pretty, blonde, flighty and flirty, the archetypal barmaid really. Flashing me a wide smile and leaning over the bar, she asks me what I'm reading.

"Well," I say. "It's a book called The Challenge of the Mind. It's about the essential Buddhist teachings of karma and the practical application of those teachings in real life. It's fascinating stuff."

At this point, her face freezes and she backs away very slowly, just as you may if presented with a dangerous lunatic. I didn't realise Buddhism was so frightening.

Hmm, now I've written that down it doesn't seem at all funny. But it made me laugh and when I told Mrs K the story she laughed as well, although she could've been humouring me...

Can someone please explain...

2008-04-16T19:54:00.002+01:00

... why it is that every time I've looked at the TV news coverage in the office today it's been beaming live coverage of the Pope in the US?

First of all, how the fuck is this news? Man goes overseas. Big deal. Pope or not, the majority of people couldn't give a flying fuck what he does, he's done enough damage already.

Secondly, it isn't even in this country, nor even the same continent. It's thousands of miles away. Again, even conceding it may be a big deal to some Americans, why the hell is it on UK rolling news coverage?

Thirdly, there is absolutely no way that could have ever been considered the most important thing happening in the entire world today. You have a decrepit old man riding around in a golf buggy with a ton of sheeple waving at him.

It really doesn't matter what his title is, the fact remains that the old man is the head of an organisation that to anyone with an ounce of realism is corrupt, indecent and has blood on its hands. It peddles lies and deceit with impunity, has contributed to the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS and played a major part in so many children being born into abject poverty and hopeless situations. It condemns whole swathes of society on the justification that some other old man hundreds of years ago made up a religious dogma to fit his own prejudices against gay men and lesbians. And yes, I can qualify those comments if you wish, every one of them.

I don't have a problem with the teachings of Jesus - they are very important and a lot can be taken from them (like the teachings of many religions) but the rest of the church is about power and control over people's lives. A religious fundamentalist going for a ride in a buggy is probably one of the least newsworthy things in the world today, and least deserving of my attention

So why have given it my attention to write this blog post? Ah, there's the clever bit - I have the passion for writing again, and this is a subject that makes me passionate. It feels good to be writing again :)

You see that button?

2008-04-04T10:29:00.003+01:00

No, not that one. That one. That's it, the big, shiny red one. The one with Self-destruct. Do Not Press emblazoned across it.

Enticing, isn't it? Well, I think I may have pushed it. Oops.

I wonder what is going to happen now.

Stem cell research - why such a row?

2008-04-01T10:20:00.005+01:00

I know I'm a little late on this one but I'm stuck indoors when I should be enjoying the myriad delights of London and feel in the mood for a bit of blogging. It's as good a subject as any I suppose.

Anyway, there's an awful lot of fuss over stem cell research, particularly from the various religious crowds - yes, I'm looking at you, Catholicism. There is this swell of theological noise about stem cell research being against God, about it being evil, twisted and mad science gone wrong.

I may have mentioned before, but I'm not a religious man despite an interest in the spiritual. I figure that religion is for people who don't really want to think about these things properly and want their soul spoonfed to them. I figure that if you live your life trying to cause as little harm and hurt as possible, you'll probably be OK.

Anyway, I digress. I have one thing to say to all those who oppose this research on religious grounds:

God helps those who help themselves.

Any thoughts?

Life just isn't fair sometimes

2008-04-01T03:35:00.003+01:00

I've got this week off work - hooray! But you can probably guess what has happened, this post being written in the middle of the night.

I've woken up to find that some gland or other in my neck has swollen to the size of a golf ball. It's huge and not a little scary. Am I going to have to isolate myself at home? Do I have some nasty disease? The NHS are going to ring me back and with any luck tell me I'm not dying.

Fucking typical. It could at least have happened when I was supposed to be at work. Now I just feel cheated, like someone has stolen my holiday.

I posted this because...

2008-03-23T21:44:00.003Z

... I didn't want my most recent post on this blog to be one that is self promotion of any kind.

I feel much better now.

What kind of imbecile...

2008-03-23T21:25:00.003Z

... writes repeatedly on his blog about building a website without giving its URL?

This kind of imbecile. Its at www.theragonline.com

Yes, I know, it's ugly as sin... but other than that, any thoughts?

Motivation is a funny thing...

2008-03-23T20:46:00.003Z

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I've been working on creating a website over the last couple of weeks, convinced that this was finally going to give me something to focus on creatively and to a certain extent it has.

Something has struck me as strange about my own behaviour though. Allow me to elaborate.

Before I bought the hosting, domain etc I was incredibly motivated on this project, totally determined to enjoy it - I'd taken annual leave from work to work on the project and I was using a lot of my spare time to create content, work on logos and designs, think about and prepare the information architecture, the lot. It was my entire focus.

Now I've bought the site, uploaded logos, posted content, built the architecture, etc. So where has my motivation gone? So many times over the last three days I've sat at the computer to work on the site, either creating new pages, uploading stories and other content and other bits and pieces but every time I've found an excuse to do something else. I'll just check my email. I'll just spend a few minutes playing this game to "get my mind working". I'll listen to the football commentary and then start. I'll just have a cup of tea and some toast. I'll just have a cigarette, then start.

I still want this site to be great. I still love the idea of a wider collaboration with a host of other people who will write, create and contribute. So why aren't I making the most of the opportunity this long weekend presents to get on with it? I really want it. So why aren't I doing anything about it?

When I think about it I realise that this has often been a pattern throughout my life. I could have excelled in the education system - but didn't take my chances because I wasn't motivated. I could have been successful professionally but didn't grab my opportunities when they came. So many things in life I have wanted, and had them in the palm of my hand too, but then blown them away with a breath, sending them scattering like grains of sand in a breeze.

Does this happen to everyone? Is the key to success or gaining what you desire simply one of maintaining concentration and focus?

I don't know. I wish I did though. I've racked my brains for a decent song about motivation. This one makes me laugh, although I wouldn't go so far as to say the cause of my problems is the same as the character in the song, but the same principles could apply I guess... And any excuse for a bit of Jay and Silent Bob...

Great song, great game...

2008-03-21T11:45:00.004Z

I don't know if I've written a post on video games for ages, if at all, and figure it's time for me to change that.

I found a game a few months ago called Fahrenheit (known as Indigo Prophecy in the US) and while I'm not usually one for hyperbole, it is the best game I have played in the last five years, without a shadow of a doubt.

The developers think of it as an interactive movie and I think that's a pretty good description. It's all about the decisions you make at various times, leading to several different situations and meaning the game and the story have several different endings.

The game begins with the main character, Lucas, carrying out a ritual killing in the restroom of a diner. Your first task is to extricate Lucas from the scene. Do you just run, take a little time to hide evidence, or try and do a thorough clean-up of the crime scene?

It turns out that Lucas was possessed when carrying out the killing. Your main task in the game is to find out how he was possessed, what the killings mean, why they take place and whether Lucas can find some redemption and purge himself of his demons.

You play as four different characters - Lucas, two cool and sassy NYPD detectives and Lucas's brother, a priest. By viewing the story through these different characters, the story gains a real depth and texture.

The greatest thing in the game for me is the story - it's beautifully written, involving the player at every twist and turn. It's also wonderfully paced - it is so easy to continue playing the game just to find out what heppens to the characters next. If you haven't played this game, go and buy it now. You will definitely not regret it.

The game also introduced me to a great band called Theory of a Deadman. If you were cruel you could liken them to Nickelback and similar stuff, but they are much better than that and certainly less annoying.

Their music is a perfect fit for the game in every way. One of the main songs is called Santa Monica, and it is this song that is shown on the video below. The video is almost like a trailer for the game and it gives a good impression of the drama and tension in the game. I really hope you enjoy it and would love to know what you think.

Is originality dead?

2008-03-12T12:47:00.003Z

I have been thinking a bit more about my last post and its origins. To be honest, I've thought of nothing since I posted it. I am going to rethink the whole thing, try and come up with a different scheme. I have a few ideas in mind, I'll have to check them out properly this time.

The reason for this post though is I've recalled a conversation I had with a friend fairly recently on the subject of originality and creativity.

She suggested that originality is dead. We mused on this for a while, and once I got my head around it I think I agreed with her.

I think I found my proof this morning. Perhaps the Internet has given the world the opportunity to check out the infinite monkeys at an infinite number of typewriters thing and it has proven that anything that can be done has been done.

Is it a decent hour to start drinking yet?

The importance of doing research...

2008-03-12T10:36:00.003Z

Dammit. I knew it was all going too well.

I had this idea for a little website a few years ago. Well, I put it to one side and all but forgot about it. Just lately though, I've been trying to find a creative focus, I realised that I'm at my happiest when I'm writing. This is something I knew years ago and neglected and seemed to forget about that as well.

A few weeks ago, I started playing around with this idea again - writing lots of content, sketching out ideas, inviting people to get involved, getting really motivated and excited that this project was finally going to happen.

Last night I finally took the plunge, bought some web hosting and a domain and finally started to build the site. I have a holding page up there this morning, I have content ready to go. Brilliant.

So, I have three days off from work to throw myself into this project with wanton abandon. I get started this morning, and out of curiosity I decide to have a search for my website using its name. Well - there are a few sites pretty much exactly the same as what I wanted to create, right down to the effing name.

To say I am upset about it is a gross understatement. The worst of it is that if only I'd done my research properly, rather than just entering couple of URLs and seeing what happened, this could all have been avoided. I now have lots of redrafts to do, lots of redesigning, not to mention trying to repackage my content ideas into a coherent form all over again and the money I've spent on the hosting.

That is my trouble - I've always been a thinker but I'm pretty impulsive and impatient too. Rather than controling my ideas I sometimes let them control me. Perhaps I should plan things out better - take a little time over these things.

That's for another day though. Today I just feel a bit empty.

Like a bolt from the blue...

2008-03-01T22:08:00.003Z

I wasn't planning on posting another blog today, partly because I think I'm a bit emotional right now, partly because I didn't think there'd be anything I wanted to write about.

However, I've just had one of those musical moments that happen once every few years at most and it excited me in a way that I was beginning to think wouldn't happen again with new music.

Mrs K mentioned someone called Duffy to me so I thought I'd give her a quick look on YouTube. Perhaps it's because my judgement isn't at its sharpest right now, but I think she has a voice like melted chocolate, like golden syrup, like crushed velvet. Don't take my word for it, have a listen. Cheers also to Jools Holland for introducing Mrs K to lots of great music she has been inspired by over the years.

You'll never walk alone...

2008-03-01T21:40:00.004Z

I've said goodbye tonight to one of the finest friends I've ever known. He's moving 12,000 miles, home to New Zealand.

This kind of thing happens in life, people move on to do different things, and goodness knows I've done it enough times myself.

I could talk for hours about the transient nature of human relationships, about the impact people can have on our lives in a short space of time.

I think it's better for me, at this time, to leave those things unsaid and post a simple video tribute to my friend, The Kiwi.

You'll be missed - but you'll never walk alone.

Full of the joys of spring...

2008-03-01T09:39:00.002Z

... or just a bit hungover?

I can't believe it is March already! Where have the last two months gone? Before you know it, the clocks will be turned forward, the weather will be getting warmer, jackets will be left at home and everyone will be just a little bit more cheerful.

Brilliant!

You're trying to sell me what?!

2008-02-27T14:51:00.003Z

I've just had a sales call from my telecoms provider. Not really anything unusual about that, you would think. They call me about once a fortnight to try and pester me into signing a longer contract for my telephone or my internet.

This, however, wasn't a call to sell me an upgrade, or cable television, or anything else you'd expect a telecoms provider to offer. This was to offer me the opportunity, as an existing and valued customer (of course I am...), to get a branded credit card from them. A fucking credit card! I had to ask the caller to repeat it as I couldn't quite believe what I heard.

They are pushing this card during the day when most people with jobs are at work. Would it be cynical of me to suggest they are targeting the poor and the elderly, using the lure of a saving on the phone bill to catch the desperate or confused? It's only through chance that I was here myself to take the call.

The best thing, that had me in giggles before I even knew why they called, was the caller confirmed my name and asked how I was. Before I could even issue a stuttering reply, she said: "Fantastic! Anyway, I'm calling from ... and wondered if you'd like a credit card from us." She even had the cheek to ask how many credit cards I had - the answer? "None of your business!"

I wonder if I'll be getting a letter from the Royal Mail offering to sell me a used car or one from the local council tax department giving me the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to buy a timeshare in Torremolinos. I'm particularly looking forward to my bank manager coming round to offer me double glazing.

Decisions, decisions...

2008-02-27T14:09:00.004Z

A friend of mine has a saying - that in life there are no answers, only choices.

I've always thought it to be a pleasing little phrase, but the more I think about it the more powerful it becomes. I can see that nothing is ever perfect, and I can also see that we have no idea what knock-on effect any decisions we make may have.

I also had an interesting conversation at work today about psychology, and in particular, the idea of synchronicity. I didn't give any thought as to how or why it popped in to a discussion about a corporate report (I think the gist of the report is "Yay! We are great!") but again, thinking for a moment, that could be what Jung calls a "meaningful coincidence" in itself.

There isn't time to go into great detail about synchronicity, other than to explain that the basic concept is that occasionally what appear to be coincidences are governed not by chance but by an underlying collective unconscious and that they have some deeper meaning.

I think about this because there are times where I've made bad decisions and not known why, mistakes, choices that perhaps lead to bad things. Often, however, these mistakes turn out to have a longer term benefit. We can learn from them, or they may lead us to take a course of action we may not otherwise have taken, leading to new opportunities and new situations.

Some, however, are just mistakes, like stopping for a burger on the way home from the pub. It's difficult to see any wider meaning in that one, and it's nigh on impossible to even believe that it will have a longer term benefit.

I wonder if it is possible that bad decisions are "governed" in the same way. Perhaps you want a day out of the office so take a sick day, then just happen to bump into your boss in the pub. You lose your job, but the next day when you would have been at work, something wonderful happens which more than makes up for it - you bump into an old friend, perhaps, buy a winning lottery ticket or you get talking to someone in the shop when you are buying a pint of milk and the meeting changes your life.

To what level are seemingly unconnected events connected? That's a puzzle to think about for a bit, but I am certain of this - stopping for that burger, although definitely a mistake, in a roundabout way has led me to think about my life and about how to make it better.

We are the champions!

2008-02-24T17:34:00.004Z

OK, it's taken me a while to post this, but better late than never!

Anyone who's been reading this little blog of mine will know that I play football and have been posting on the progress of my team in our league. Well, we had a pretty tough game on Tuesday against the team in second place, knowing that a win would secure the title with a game to spare.

After a long struggle in which I thought the opposing number 2 was constantly on the verge of exploding in anger, we won 2-0 and are champions! It didn't come easily though, and the goalkeeping of Safe Hands and great finishing by the Golden Boot were particularly important.

The whole season has been a fantastic team effort, and I am not sure if they read this, but every single player has played their part. It's great to be a small part of such a team, and I post this video for them.

Come on, come on...

2008-02-24T13:24:00.002Z

One of the finest performances by Janis Joplin...

I hope you love it as much as I do - why not leave me your thoughts?

A quick thought on education...

2008-02-20T22:45:00.007Z

It is not in the interests of the state or any fully functional society to have a fully educated population. The purpose of a state-run education system is not to educate people in order to expand their minds, inspire them to great achievements or to give them the skills to be happy, healthy and prosperous individuals. The purpose of a state-run education system is to prepare the individual for a life working within the state. No more, no less. The state identifies its long term needs and then focuses its priorities in terms of education around those needs.

One of the things that an education provides the individual with is aspiration. Were every individual in society very well educated, who would do the work that educated people do not want to do, or the work that the state always needs people to do?

I'll expand on this idea another time, once I figure out where it came from. I think it has the potential to be something I could run with...

Quite why I should think of this now when there is so much I want to / planned to write about, I'm unsure, but it's an interesting idea anyway. I think I could do with a cup of tea and a lie down...

Thoughts on artificial intelligence (or why we need more mad scientists)

2008-02-17T14:59:00.006Z

A leading US inventor has suggested that artifical intelligence will reach or exceed human levels by 2029.

Ray Kurzweil believes that humanity is on the brink of having tiny robots implanted to their brains in order to make them more intelligent.

It's been a while since we've had a mad scientist make such an odd proclamation, so I welcome this announcement wholeheartedly. If anything, we need more outlandish speculation in the realms of science, a la Professor Frink (right).

Whatver happened to the days when we were told that mail would be delivered by rocket, that we'd all get around in hover cars and live on the moon by the year 2000? Such wild optimism that I can't even understand what it must have been like 50 years ago, when science was exciting and we were indestructable.

I've grown up with the shadow of nuclear warfare, then the disappearing ozone layer, then we were told about the greenhouse effect, which has since become global warming and now climate change. Then there are other things like HIV/AIDS, ebola, H5N1 avian 'flu and all of a sudden everything is bad for us again and the world is once more a dangerous place.

Still, thanks to Ray Kurzweil, all of the gloom and feelings of impending doom are forgotten for a few moments. Cheers Ray!

One more thing though - if he'd ever visited the place I grew up in, he'd realise that the artificial intellegence in a teapot tends to exceed that of most humans already and has done for years.

As if the smoking ban wasn't enough...

2008-02-16T19:27:00.005Z

Never has the term "taking liberties" been more apt.

We can't smoke in pubs any more. I can kind of see the logic in this but I'm still annoyed by it.

Now some government jobsworth wants to make all smokers carry a permit giving them permission to buy cigarettes.

This is so clearly outrageous that I can't even be bothered to get worked up about it and go in to all the reasons why this is a further erosion of our liberty to exert our own free will.

Just how much longer are people in this country going to tolerate the propensity of our political "masters" to dictate our lives in endless ways?

New! Improved! Now with video!

2008-02-16T15:09:00.002Z

I've updated a couple of older posts with video. I thought I'd try it out and see what you thought. Why not view my older posts, have a look and let me know what you think?

I fell in love with a song...

2008-02-14T22:19:00.005Z

You might have noticed from previous posts, or perhaps my profile, that I love really beautiful, melodic, soulful, retro music. If you noticed it - well done! I do!

I love acoustic, folky tunes and meaningful lyrics. That's why I'm such a Paul Simon fan. I've just played Cathy's Song to Mrs K as she hadn't heard it. I love the haunting melody, the way that the singer/writer expresses his adoration for his Cathy. It's beautiful and poetic, just like the best art of any medium.

It feels like the singer is placing his lover on a pedestal, trying to express his need, his desire to throw himself at her feet, to show her how loved, admired, desired, respected she is. At the same time he is saying how he is unworthy of her love, how she is too good for him, how she is on a separate plane of existence. Paul Simon is so much more effective at communicating his feelings than I am.

This version is Art Gunfunkel performing the song. I couldn't find a Paul Simon version, so figured this is the next best thing.

Happy Valentine's Day.

I love London, but... Part two

2008-02-11T19:08:00.000Z

But it is so polluted! I think about this quite often and always give a sigh of relief that I don't live in Beijing (fine city, though I'm sure it is, what with the lack of press freedom, human rights, one party system and a dangerously expansionist attitude I reckon it would feel just like London). The pollution there hangs like a fluffy toxic cloud (which I suppose it is) whenever I see it on the TV.

Anyway, London. What really brought the polluted state of our fair city home to me was this. A few months ago my little brother bought me an NFL shirt. Fantastic it is, and one of the features of this fine piece of apparel is the double-stitched numbers on the front. The numbers were a dazzling white when I got this shirt not four months ago. Now, even though I've never worn it during any pursuit that poses what I would call a significant stain risk, the numbers are really grubby and black around the edges. When I say grubby I mean grubby like I'd been rolling around in photocopier toner even when it has just been freshly washed.

I've been racking my brains trying to figure out why then it dawned on me - it's the engine exhaust, the griminess of every part of the underground system (did I mention my loathing for the tube?), the filthyness of the streets and the general scuminess that hangs in the London air.

Everything in this city seems attract a constant film of grime and grease and gunk that just lingers there. It drives me potty.

The strange thing is though that the tiny street behind my flat, that has no shops, no through road and is barely used for parking, if at all, is cleaned four nights a week. Late at night. And every Sunday at 11pm. Before you can hear the sound of the cleaning truck you can see flashing orange lights atop its cab glaring intermittently through the window. It is the pretty much the same time every Sunday, usually just before 2 Good 2 Bad on Match of the Day 2. A nice bit of easy double time for the driver.

And for this and assorted other "services" my local council charges me over £1,000 a year in council tax, set to increase by several per cent imminently. Yet there is no council housing - at least not for me and Mrs K. There are a thousand other irritations that I won't go into - except one or two...

I went to the town hall once for a job interview. I thought it was a reporter's job for the local freesheet that the council gives out to local residents. Turns out it was to find out why people haven't had their freesheet delivered. The money for this was incredible. I wish I'd accepted it, even now. Anyway, I digress. Town Hall is like a palace. It's in an incredibly beautiful building, the lifts are all glass and chrome, there's marble on every surface. It's magnificent and more becoming of a modern day Roman emperor rather than council worker bees. My council tax pays for this too. It also pays for translation of every available council document (on request, surely...) into one of around thirty languages. It pays for the Olympics too. I'm struggling to think of any other essential services it pays for. Maybe some of it goes on policing, but I rarely see any police. I suppose it pays for traffic wardens, although they probably pay for themselves.

Anyway, enough! I'm going to give myself a coronary.

A belated league update

2008-02-10T17:45:00.000Z

So much for posting one of these every week!

We are still top of the league and still undefeated. The last two games have been very, very tight. We won 1-0 last week against a team we previously beat 7-1. We weren't at our best and the team we played were also much better than they were a few weeks ago. We hit the post three times and it was one of those games where you get the feeling it isn't your day but we came through with a late goal.

Two weeks ago we played the team that are probably the best we've played all season. It was 3-2 to us in the end - we got a penalty with about a minute to go (it was a definite penalty, to be fair) and Tom held his nerve to put it away. He scored a hat-trick that day including a goal with his backside.

So, we are top of the league with two games left this season. A win in our next game sees us win the league with a game to spare. Watch this space...

Let's get it on...

2008-02-09T14:33:00.001Z

I've not written so much lately for one reason or another (remember my post about blogger discipline?) so to keep things ticking over thought I'd make a post on some music.

I wrote a while ago about the buzz I get from sharing great music. I still get that but I'm a bit out of touch these days (a sentence guaranteed to make you feel old...) so I've been checking out some older stuff.

There's a great market stall in Petticoat Lane that is perfect for this - lots of stuff that isn't on copyright, lots of rare-ish live recordings... four CDs for £10 ($20). I've managed to bag myself some Dizzy Gillespie (man, he could play!), Theolonius Monk, Leadbelly...

Leadbelly is actually a really interesting figure. Many of his recordings were made in prison in the 1920s (I think) while he was serving time for attempted murder. Legend also has it that he managed to wangle his release by dedicating songs to the prison governor and singing for him. Kurt Cobain also cited him as an influence as well.

The music that has really blown me away though is a bit more recent. I got my mitts on a CD of Marvin Gaye live performances and it totally knocked my socks off. Just hearing the opening bars of Let's Get It On is enough to send shivers down my spine. What a voice he had. There's a great acapella version of Heard It Through the Grapevine on You Tube somewhere. If you have five minutes and need to hear something powerful you could do much worse.

I reckon a serious examination of soul, funk and motown is on the cards for me. I'm really also getting into Barry White, The Temptations...

Anything you think I absolutely MUST hear? Do tell!

I love London but... part one

2008-02-03T13:57:00.001Z

There just seems to be less and less space and more and more people and I think it is beginning to make me feel a little claustrophobic.

Take the tube, for example. I catch the Central Line twice a day. Some days the tube runs at a rate of a train about every 70 seconds or so. This doesn't mean that I only have to wait 70 seconds to catch the tube - often I have to let three or four pass me by because I simply cannot physically get on the train. Then when there are delays you find that people are waiting seven deep on the platform, like a crowded, understaffed bar on a Friday night. When you finally catch one it is so crammed that it would be physically impossible to fall over - the crush of bodies would keep you upright.

Then you have the bombardment on your senses that comes with being in such a confined space. There are about five or six people per train carraige that have their MP3 players and the like on so loud that you can feel the bass through your feet. You get the assault on your sense of smell from uncountable types of perfume, aftershave and deodorant - and that's before you add last night's alcohol, the petrol fumes and cigarette smoke that linger on people's clothes, BO and bad breath.

Of course, what makes it immesurably worse is the lack of personal space. Since moving to London I have become intimately familiar with around 27 distinct types of armpit and feel confident that I could write a scientific paper on this. The Armpits of London would be my specialist subject on Mastermind.

On top of this you end up covered in bruises from people not being steady on their feet when the trains turn, accelerate or slow down. Your feet get trodden time and again, books catch you in the back of the head. People rushing to get on or off the trains invariably catch you with a bag to the back of the knees at some point.

Even when you exit the train the hell isn't over. You get swarms of people buzzing around like worker bees in a hive (which I suppose is a very accurate comparison) in a temper because they are late, you have umbrellas swinging, people criss-crossing in front of you making you have to check yourself so you don't bump into them.

You have buskers as well, even first thing in the morning. Some are pretty good, others awful - there was one the other day playing Fake Plastic Trees by Radiohead at 8.40am. Everyone's heads dropped as soon as they heard it - definitely not what you need to put you in the frame of mind for a productive working day.

There's a scrum to finally get out of the station - the person you are behind in the queue for the ticket barriers invariably doesn't think to get their ticket or oyster card ready, as though it never occured to them that they may need it.

There's one final stress moment to negotiate - the run of the paper-givers. Whether it's a careers paper, a city news paper, a free magazine or a flyer, there are people who are on you before you've taken the last step out of the station.

That is just one aspect of the London nightmare. I'll write more about this another time.

A great weekend of sport! Hooray!

2008-01-19T09:47:00.003Z

All I can say is I'm excited, even though I'm sure Mrs K isn't!

Saturday morning and it's the Men's Singles at the Australian Open - Roger Federer in a five-set thriller against Janko Tipsarevic. It's a cracking game and Tipsarevic is giving as good as he gets - could we be on the verge of a shock? It's Fed serving, 6-7 down in the final set, if Tipsarevic can break here and win the match the whole draw will be blown wide open!

Once the tennis is finished, it's time for me to get ready to head over to watch the mighty Leyton Orient (my local club) play Luton Town at the Matchroom Stadium. Haven't been for a few weeks but to get a taste of the action yourself, here's a link to the best moment of football drama I've ever seen - Oxford United vs Orient, last day of the season in 2006. A win for Orient means they get promoted, if Orient fail to win and Grimsby do, they miss promotion, if Oxford lose they are relegated.

At the start of the clip there are seconds left. Orient (in red) are drawing 2-2, Grimsby are winning 2-1 against Northampton. Let's head over to the Kassam Stadium in Oxford to see what happened next...

Listen right to the end of the guy's reaction - well worth it! It's not me doing the voiceover by the way.

There's also the African Cup of Nations kicking off this weekend which I'm looking forward to - lots of great players on show that you don't usually get to see and often haven't heard of - should be fantastic!

The highlight for me though is the NFL Conference Championship games on Sunday. The AFC gives us San Diego Chargers at New England Patriots and in the NFC it's the Green Bay Packers vs New York Giants.

I can't wait for this, so much drama and intrigue - can the Patriots remain perfect and go to the Superbowl? Can the Chargers offence score enough points to give the team a genuine chance? How many interceptions will Antonio Cromartie get from Brady? In this game, my heart says the Chargers will do it with something special in the last two minutes. Sadly, however, my head says the Patriots will continue their ruthless progress. But will they win the Superbowl?

The game between the Giants and the Pack is a tough one for me to call. It's at Lambeau Field in Green Bay and there is lots of snow expected. The Packers were great in the snow last week against Seattle, but I think the Giants could cope with it better than the 'hawks did. Whether Eli Manning can keep it together in the biggest game of his life so far remains to be seen. For the Pack, there are no such doubts about their QB, the legendary Brett Favre. In what could be his final year as a pro, and one in which he has set all time NFL records, Favre will be desperate to get the big game one more time. I think Green Bay will win this by 10 to 14 points.

Which brings us nicely to the Superbowl, looking like it could be one of the best ever QBs (Favre) against who is often seen as the best in the game at the moment in Brady. Now that will be one for the romantics - the chance of a perfect 19-0 record for the Pats, and the chance to see one of the all-time greats retire with the trophy in his hands.

I can't wait!

The Grinch stole my sleep-in...

2008-01-19T09:43:00.000Z

...although perhaps it was Friday sobriety.

I'm usually one for a lie in on Saturday, espeially after a few glasses of wine the night before. 8am I awoke this morning and wanted to just get out of bed. Perhaps cutting down on the booze is a good thing. I actually feel like i have energy today and don't need a mountain of toast or a nice fry-up to get going.

Wow.

Doctor and the medics this isn't...

2008-01-17T22:23:00.000Z

Going up to the spirit in the sky... I loved that song when I was younger, and even now when I am more choosy with my music, I still concede that it is a catchy tune. Why don't we try to bring it up to date?

How about we substitute the spirit in the sky for the Server in the sky? That's the name given to a new project for the "coalition of the willing" - namely the US, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand.

For those of you who haven't heard of it - and the chances are if you don't monitor the news all day you probably haven't - Server in the Sky is a trans-oceanic project to link databases of the mentioned countries for the purposes of fighting terrorism.

Basically, the premise is to record data such as finger and palm prints, iris and retinal scans and DNA (where available) and share such data between partner organisations / states.

The data would be taken (presuming they find such people) from those who are the world's most wanted people (or those wanted most by the "coalition", at least) and anyone else who comes into contact with the authorities, for whatever reason. The information would then be shared so that member states of this imaginary coalition can fight an invisible and often non-existent enemy on our behalf.

I know all of the arguments that go along the lines of "those with nothing to hide have nothing to fear" but this is deeply troubling. I'm a pacifist but know for sure that just over 70 years ago a group emerged that was a threat to the kind of freedoms that those of my generation, and people older than I, take for granted. Ordinary people were thrown into extraordinary situations and did heroic deeds to preserve our freedom.

What was fought against in other countries is now happening in our own. We, the people, are seen as the biggest threat to our own government. The concept of "By the people, for the people" doesn't exist in the UK. No matter who we are, we are treated with the gravest suspicion by the very people entrusted - democratically, to a point - to do everything reasonably and legally in their power to secure our well-being.

Along with ID cards, biometric passports and the like I am beginning to feel less like an individual who is free to live his own life, protected by and bound to abide by the law, than I do a possession of the state, there to be monitored, controlled and exploited by it.

If only I knew what to do about it...

Any suggestions?

Top of the league, we're having a laugh!

2008-01-08T22:33:00.001Z

I've joined a new football team recently (soccer, for my legion of readers across the pond) and played my first league game tonight, the team's second of the league season. It's 5-a-side, which is not what I'm used to playing (haven't played for years, in fact) so wasn't sure what to expect.

I didn't know whether I'd be embarrassingly bad after so long without a game (not that I was any good to begin with actually) for a start.

I knew that we needed to win 2-0 to go top of the league on goal difference and was quite excited. There are eight games in the season, but to be top of the league - I've never been top of the league before although I was usually top of the class - would be really great.

It turns out that I'm not as bad as I could have been (although I'm not as fit as I should be) which was a great relief. Even better - we won 7-1! Brilliant! Even being honest, I don't think the other team were bad, I think we just played well (and had a fantastic goalkeeper - nice one Mr Brown) and deserved to win. I'll keep you posted as the season progresses. If we win the league, you may even get a pic of me wearing my medal!

There's still six games to go though, so I may get away with it...

Even-handed government...

2008-01-07T22:07:00.001Z

I heard today on the radio that the Government is looking to introduce new powers banning prison officers from going on strike. This is in light of recent pay disputes between the trade union that looks after prison officers' interests and the people at the Home Office (or is it the Justice Ministry? I can't keep up) who pay them.

In a show of incredible even-handedness our fluffy, tolerant Government have offered the prison officers a deal on this.

They have asked the prison officers to accept a voluntary ban preventing them from striking. Here's the good bit. If they refuse the offer - they will bring in a new law which bans them from striking.

Those guys better get their thinking caps on. The choice they have to make is clearly vital!

It's like someone coming round to your house and saying: "Go on, let me take your stereo. Because if you don't let me, I'm going to take your stereo."

OK, it's not. Well, just a bit. But you get the point, I'm sure.

When honey and lemon just won't cut it...

2008-01-02T17:49:00.000Z

It's early evening and I've just managed to drag myself out of bed. I've had a nasty little bug and it has got worse. Aching bones, a head that weighs a tonne, sneezes of all kinds...

I've been trying to force myself well since I got up, trying to awaken some wellness through sheer force of will, hence this blog - being one in a list of distractions I've tried to take my mind off this bug in the forlorn hope that I'll forget about it.

Rummaging through some of my old writings, I found this little rhyme I wrote years ago. I didn't think much of it at the time (though I'm not so self-critical these days - is that a good or bad thing?) but in some ways it fits the bill...

The 'Flu

My head is full of snot
My legs are made of lead
All I wanna do today is spend my time in bed

My body aches in places
That I didn't know I had
I really can't remember when I ever felt this bad

I cannot eat or sleep
I am struggling to write
I've taken loads of Lemsip but I still feel fucking shite

I'm severely lacking energy
I can't do bugger all
It's a Herculean, hellish task to make a simple call

And when I try to speak
All I do is sneeze and cough
I really, really wish my 'flu would rapidly fuck off!

A waste of police time?

2007-12-30T18:43:00.000Z

Mrs K and I went for a nice day out earlier in the week and one of the places we visited was the British Museum. Quickly realising the museum was full to bursting, we soon turned and headed elsewhere.

As we were leaving we saw several pairs of police officers wandering up and down the street outside the museum, looking very bored and slightly malevolent. Walking off, we passed another pair who were with a group of young people, perhaps from Spain. The police were writing out tickets and handing them out liberally.

Mrs K asked me what I thought they were for. I replied - half-jokingly (for I wouldn't put much past this country) - that it was probably an on the spot fine for something like littering, being used as an ad-hoc tourist tax. What must have happened is that the police clocked that they were vaguely foreign-looking and so decided to use the opportunity to get closer to their annual target.

We couldn't resist going back to find out what they were up to. I loitered for a minute, trying to overhear the conversation but noticed that their notebooks were stamped, in bold, black letters "Stop and Search".

I know all of the arguments about stop and search - they were suspicious, they were behaving oddly, our intelligence says, blah blah blah - but surely this is a waste of time when in the last few days, in south-east London alone, a few more kids have been killed by their peers. Street robbery - up. Violent crime - up. So many police in one street, making life awkward for innocent people, mostly tourists - because everyone knows, the average terrorist profile is based first and foremost on an interest in cultural history...

A Happy New Year in Brooklyn...

2007-12-30T18:25:00.000Z

No, I haven't taken leave of my senses and gone to NYC for NYE. Let me tell you a story...

Waking up the worse for wear the day after Boxing Day, I realised I had to go and buy a birthday gift for Mrs Kiwinavega. Planning ahead, I thought I'd check my bank balance using the handy telephone banking system kindly provided by my bank. As I have a withdrawal limit on my account, ATMs only tell me how much is available for me to get my grubby paws on - up to this amount, and not a total balance.

Imagine my giddy surprise when I discover my balance is four of the realm's pounds (sterling). Cue nervous laughter, slight nausea and sudden panic, all at once. I knew I'd been drinking and partying a bit lately, but surely not that much...

A quick chat to an advisor and it turns out my bank account has been drained in Brooklyn, several withdrawals over three days at the same Citibank ATM. Confirming that I hadn't ever contemplated visiting the US, much less even been there, I was asked to visit a branch for further help.

Trying my best to look presentable before going out, I made my way to my local branch. After queueing for an age I finally speak to someone. She was very helpful and very patient which was great because I was nervous about the whole thing. The bank has given me an interest free overdraft, cancelled my card and will arrange repayment to me of all money lost resulting from the fraud. She explained that my card had probably been cloned in a shop or bar somewhere local, the copy shipped to New York and the money drained off as quickly as possible. This could have happened to my card anywhere.

Curious as to how this process was so simple to rectify, I asked if this kind if thing happens often. The most recent case, she told me, was an hour ago. Someone living in the same area of London as me went into the same branch to find out where all their money had gone. The answer? Brooklyn.

Some dudes out there will be having a pretty good new year... Still, I can tell people in the pub that I am the victim of an international crime syndicate. That's not to be sneezed at.

Screamadelica, The Stone Roses and sharing

2007-12-18T18:01:00.000Z

I've been speaking with a colleague at work about music a lot lately. He's about six years younger than me, and we talked the usual greats - you know, Led Zeppelin, Curtis Mayfield, Primal Scream's Screamadelica album - and it was cool. Then I mentioned the Stone Roses - he knew hardly any of their stuff which just astounded me.

I took a couple of CDs in for him today - I can't help wondering if he is going to be as excited as I was after the first play of both the first and second albums. I hope so.

I remember when I first heard them. I came to music quite late myself, and was 15. It was 1994 and I was away on some school-based residential trip. I'd just started listening to the Evening Session (one for the late twenties indie kids!) and they played Love Spreads. It was the first time music knocked my socks off. I was so excited and inspired I remember telling everyone I saw that night about the band.

If there is a chance that you don't know them - my goodness. Your life will be all the better for listening to them!

I'd like to share some gems with anyone reading this as well. These are albums I'd listen to if I had very little time to live:

Screamadelica by Primal Scream - the best concept album ever made (it's about the ecstasy experience)
Central Reservation by Beth Orton - haunting beauty in her music, makes me feel joyous and makes me want to weep - simultaneously. Incredible.
Northern Exposure by Sasha & Digweed - I'm not really into too much trance or ambient or techno these days, but this is a double CD featuring incredible tracks. I really can't describe - so good. Makes me feel like I'm floating through space.

Enough! If you have any music you think my life is incomplete without let me know!

Blogger discipline >>>>>>>>> All other discipline

2007-12-18T17:40:00.001Z

As the title suggests, blogger discipl;ine is more powerful than any other discipline I have come across. I wish I had some.

It must take a certain type of dedication to maintain a decent, interesting blog that people visit time after time.

I must admit though that when I think about all of those activity based blogs out there - clubbing blogs, sleeping around blogs, blogs about blogging, blogs about any specific field at all really - I wonder how much time people can possibly find to get involved in these things, what with all the blogging and all.

I don't really go clubbing, I don't sleep around - in fact don't really get involved in much activity at all (unless pubs, poker and bickering with Mrs kiwinavega count) and yet I never have time to blog at all! Feels like it anyway.

So, how do all of these people find the time to party for three days straight, hold down a normal life, with a job, pets to feed and all the rest of it - and write every day, in the hope that someone reads it and wants to read more.

This is my first blog in ages. But then, i have wasted a lot of time lately...

Till death do us part... if we make it to the honeymoon

2007-07-11T13:00:00.000+01:00

The link is to a story I saw yesterday that really made me laugh and shake my head in wonderment.

Police were called to a wedding reception in Scotland where a newlywed couple, instead of enjoying their first night of romance and passion as husband and wife, decide to have a big old argument. The hotel room was trashed completely and the wife drove a sharp stiletto heel into her new husband's head, causing lots of bleeding and pain (and, presumably, some pretty ripe language).

When the police arrived, they found the bride, still in her wedding gown and far from being blushing, was crimson with rage. After a struggle, she was arrested and has just been fined a few hundred quid.

A few questions - what on Earth can possibly happen on your wedding night that would make you want to assault your new husband or wife? There's a conversation I would have loved to have heard - maybe it involved a bridesmaid? Did he ask her to keep her veil on?

What did they do with the honeymoon, which I assume they didn't make full use of - did they try and use it as a police bribe? More intriguingly, they are apparently still together, which also makes me wonder:

a) if they were going to stay together, why did hubby press charges?
b) would you stay with someone who, the moment they got you up the aisle decided to batter you with a shoe?
c) after the incident, was he the first man in history relieved to spend his first night of married life in hospital rather than in his marital bed?

I really wonder what goes through people's minds sometimes. Still, if we can't mock the foolish, we'd be in a right old pickle. I wonder if all shoe-related violence is that funny?

Now I know the world is screwed...

2007-07-09T19:06:00.000+01:00

So, now finally all hope is gone. The world is to end, the last bastion of innocence and gentle virtue is no more.

I write, of course, about Blue Peter. A children's show, adored by many, watched as a weekly televisual ritual by my mum's generation, my own and then my nephew's.

Blue Peter taught us how to cook, how to make toys and other fun things, how to garden, gave us little fun nuggets of science and history and was basically clean, good natured and wholesome. If you were lucky, you could win a coveted Blue Peter badge, although my rewrite of MC Hammer's U Can't Touch This for a competition to find an anti-litter song failed in this regard.

Now all that is for nothing. The makers of Blue Peter were fined £50,000 today for defrauding viewers of the show. There had basically been some technical problems with a phone-in competition so they couldn't take calls to find a winner. They then found a child in the studio who pretended to call in and win the prize.

Aside from the fact that it was a mistake made in the heat of the moment, a problem with a live broadcast that had to be fixed, this signals the end of everything sweet, kind and pure. In my day, there was no way that anyone involved in Blue Peter would have lied to the children - the presenters and the show itself were like kindly aunts and uncles.

And now it's gone. Nothing will ever be the same.

My first post - welcome

2007-07-08T09:26:00.002+01:00

Well, this is my first post. Thanks for looking in!

It's been an eventful couple of weeks here in the UK with all sorts going on. We've had, in no particular order, floods, a change of Prime Minister, terrorist threats, the introduction of a smoking ban in enclosed spaces, continuing investigations into government corruption (the cash for honours scandal) and so much else.

I could write for hours on any of these subjects, but I'm painfully aware that this would make for a tedious read, so I'll pick one - the smoking ban.

I should point out that I am an unashamed smoker - I love the taste, the smell, the hit of the smoke as it goes into my lungs. Delicious. But that doesn't automatically make me against the ban. In fact, in some ways I am very much in favour. Who wants to smell someone's Marlboro smoke while they are eating in a nice restaurant? And the idea of smoking being banned in most workplaces is also a good one. People should be free to work in a clean environment and not have to be surrounded by a heavy fug of blue smoke.

Even the idea of banning smoking in pubs and clubs is sort of OK, although surely it would have been much more sensible and reasonable to have some element of choice, allowing those who choose to smoke to be able to do so.

Really, the main problem I have with this ban is that there is a limited list of exemptions to the ban.

It seems to me that if there is a blanket ban, that is exactly what it should be. The government claims that it introduced the legislation to protect the health of people in the workplace, such as bar staff. By having exemptions, it is saying, very loudly, that they only want to protect the health of some people. Not only that, but I'll give you three guesses as to the most high profile exemption...

Did you guess correctly? It is none other than the member's bar at the House of Commons. Essentially, this says two things. Firstly, the government doesn't want people to smoke, but they can carry on regardless, blowing a big, fat smoke ring in the faces of everyone else, like an obnoxious parent saying to their kids: "Don't do as I do, do as I say."

The second thing this says is that the staff in the member's bar aren't worthy of the same protection of the law as everyone else. Imagine how you'd feel if you worked there and didn't like smoke and were worried about the effects of second hand smoke? There must be a constant temptation to spit in their drinks or hide little unsavoury nuggets of matter in the complimentary bowls of peanuts.

Like most political issues that get my blood boiling, this one is all about the blatant hypocrisy. There isn't even any attempt to disguise this any more, in fact, it feels to me that this is what we have come to expect, as though politics without a sizeable portion of hypocrisy is like chips without salt or Glastonbury without mud.

Perhaps we should aim our sights a little higher and expect a little better for ourselves. Surely we are worth a little more than we are given by our politicians, or do we really have such a low opinion of ourselves that we feel we get what we deserve? What do you think?