Amy Winehouse

Okay, here's my take on Amy Winehouse and its not a populist view!

I didn't like her and I think its her own fault that she's dead.

That doesn't extend to being glad she's dead. No-one would want that. But, lets face facts, everyone knew where this was heading and everyone knew it would end like this. She only had herself to blame. She was an idiot.

There were clearly plenty of people trying to help her pull herself together and she had plenty of chances to turn her life around, but she didn't take them. Even she must have known it was a well worn track; she knew her music history, but she never did anything about it.

So, today, we have been subject to the music world poring out condolences and tributes. They say her brilliance was due to the pain she felt, which was also the thing that contributed to her death. Pain, eh? The only pain she seemed to have is the one you get when you stick a needle into yourself. I've seen her Father on TV many times, and she seemed to come from a good family background. Sure, she had some up's and down's with her husband, but so has everyone. We don't turn to drugs. No, the only pain she had was of her own self making, brought about through over indulgence and narcissism. She got a taste for drugs and alcohol and the pain she suffered was from dealing with this.

They say she was highly talented and one of the all time greats. I don't agree. I didn't care much for her voice or music. It was too harsh for my liking. And, how much did she actually turn out? Not much, two albums. Wow!

I even heard one commentator saying that she loved music more than she loved herself. Well I'm sorry, but if that was really true she would have dedicated more of her time to actually making music, than pumping her veins/hooter full of crap! If she loved music more than herself, she clearly loved drugs more than music.

To me, she just seemed like a gobby, self indulgent idiot.

Unrelated.....a horse singing yesterday morning.

Barter

I'm sure my neighbours won't see this post (if anyone knows them, don't grass me up!) so I can come clean about the real reason I gave them a Kohl Rabi each, that I had grown, last night.

It was to subtly induce them into a barter scheme.

They all have plentiful vegetable plots with lots of produce and variety. Much more than I have in my little plot. And, what's more, there are only two of them in each house (in David's case only one!) They surely don't need all those vegetables!

I thought that by getting the first gift in, a very tasty and unusual vegetable that I know none of them grow, it might induce them into exchanging some of their produce with me, later in the year.

It doesn't make me a bad idiot, does it?

Kohl Rabi being used as a subtle bribe last night...

Watch this space for details regarding the success, or otherwise, of this strategy!

Twittiots

I was mooching around on Twitter this afternoon and came across what must be one of the most idiotic statements I've seen written on, and about, the micro blogging site. What's more, it was posted by someone from my industry who constantly acts on many other blogging sites like the very people he/she is criticising with their post. 

(No names to be mentioned here, as I don't want to get into an internet based slanging match, but the clues are here!)

So, this post slammed into Twitterers who have lots of followers but follow very few people themselves. The culprit to whom I refer stated of such people; “F**k you, Twitter is not your personal megaphone” and threatened to “publicly shame” people who carry on the practice! They went on to cite an example of someone who has 2000 followers, but only follows 7 people themselves. THE SHAME OF IT!!!

Now, I have a number of concerns here...

First, the internet is not a democracy. The internet is a free environment. That is the very beauty of it. People can (to a certain extent) do what they like, use it how they want and act how they like. If people want to use Twitter as their personal megaphone, then so be it! Why not?

There are many people, I'm sure, who have some very interesting, important or educational things to say, but don't have time to sit and read pages and pages of posts from other people. I myself would rather have more people following me than I follow myself, mainly because my Twitter feed gets too full of confusion I just don't have time to read.

I want to treat Twitter like my own personal megaphone!

Also, and lets take this to its logical conclusion, where does the balance between not following enough people versus the number of people who follow you rest? Does it have to be a 1 to 1 ratio? Does Lady Gaga have to also follow 11,674,009 other people......oh, sorry, 11,674,010.....oh....doh!

And finally, as I said above, the person in question does have a habit of rabitting and rabitting on, on many other internet forums which, in my opinion, they seem to regard as their “personal megaphones”.

Idiots in glass houses.......

A Turtle Twittering this afternoon.....

An idiots guide to the phone hacking scandal

An idiots guide to the phone hacking scandal

• Its gone on for years.
• Murdoch always has been a ruthless, unscrupulous, megalomaniac.
• Their methods have just adapted with technology.
• Politicians only have themselves to blame.
• The Police have turned a blind eye.
• The initial focus has been on Royals and other VIP's and the attitude has been that everyone else (low priority) could be “swept under the carpet”.
• News Corp, Politicians, Police etc. have all hoped “it will just go away”.
• No one should be surprised at the depths to which the Press have stooped to.
• Journalists are a bunch of arrogant, supercilious, nepotists.
• Events have moved faster than anyone could keep up with or predict.
• This goes right to the heart and core of our political system.

Spitting Images view of News Corp Journalists from the 80's

I've said for over 30 years (yes really) that Murdoch has cultivated an evil, manipulative, megalomaniacal, power-hungry, corrupt, repressive and tyrannical form of press. They claim this is what the public want, but no, this is purely what they serve up to the public. This behavior has been going on for years and it has simply just adapted to, and changed with developments in modern technology. The door stepping, bin-dipping, bullying and bribery has just been replaced by phone/email hacking and private detectives. Politicians have asked for this by being too prepared to cosy up to, be flattered and courted by Murdoch (for his own self interested reasons) and scared to “face up to” him. The Police have been complicit in their dealings with Murdoch (at best) and collusive with him (at worst). Journalists have proved they are just a bunch of nepotistic cronies, corralling round each other bleating about threats to the protection of the freedom of the press. Well, I'm sorry boys, but we do have a free press here, which is NOT under attack from the Government or anyone else on the outside. Its been eaten away internally and this is what it looks like when that's happened.

You've only yourselves to blame. You all sleep walked into this situation!

University Fees - "Man the barricades!"

Its not the students that should be out on the streets protesting about University fees, its people like me! We're the ones who will, inevitably, have to put our hands in our pockets and help pay for our kids to go to University. We're the ones who are going to be most impacted by this, not the current crop of students. In fact, next time there is a student demo against the increase in fees, I think I might very well be at the front of the march!

I am the classic middle ground! I'm neither rich nor poor. Yeah, I get by, but I'm not awash with money. I certainly can't afford to pay £9K per annum , let alone £18K for having two of them there at the same time.....and that's before I even look at helping them with their drinking living expenses. Yet, the government will look at me and deem that I have to pay.

“Us” in the middle ground are the core demographic for University places. We are the middle classes, the aspirational generation, the silent majority yet, as far as I can see, we are the ones who are going to be squeezed the most. The uber rich have always easily been able to afford to send their kids to University. Sure, the poor should be given opportunities to do so, and I think they always have had that opportunity. There have always been schemes to encourage them to go and the ones that deserve to usually do go. Most either don't care, don't want to go or are just not clever enough.

Every time I hear debate about fees, this issue of helping the “less well off” comes up. Frankly, I'm not bothered about the less well off! Well, actually, back track on that. I am because I will become one of the “less well off” if and when my two go to University.

I've always been intrigued with student protest. Its such a transient thing. Typically students are at University for 3 years; a relatively very short period of time. They become hot under the collar about specific issues for this short space of time and then move on, usually forgetting about them or focussing on something else. Frequently, however, these issues are more long term. Certainly longer term than 3 years. They ARE issues which deserve longer terms action and/or protest.

There are two examples which spring to my mind whenever I seek to illustrate this; both opposite ends of student life.

First, when I was at University there was a protest against a visit to the University by Leon Brittan. This was a high profile visit and the protest was very controversial. The Police essentially formed a wedge and marched into the crowd to clear the steps of the Student Union building, so Leon could go through the front door. There were arrests and accusations of mistreatment by the Police. Amongst these was a student called Steven Shaw. Through the course of his action against the Police he was (falsely) counter accused of Perverting the Course of Justice. It was a MASSIVE issue for students at the time and was a hot topic of debate, action and protest throughout the University environment. (Ultimately he was forced to flee the Country to escape arrest). However, I went back to the Students Union 2 years later and no-one had even heard of him. The whole issue had been forgotten, not for poor Steven though, I'm sure!

Secondly (and I did say this was on the other end of the scale) when I was at University, there was a big student party every Tuesday night at a club called The International. It was MASSIVE. It was packed every week, with huge que's and it was THE place to be seen. Two years after I left, I decided to go back one Tuesday night. I easily walked in, no que's and the place was deserted. The whole vibe had moved on. Forgotten. In only two years it had gone from hero to zero! The students had moved on and left it behind. Much as they do with the things they protest about.

I really do think the issue of student fees is one that effects a wider community than just current students and I don't think they are powerful enough or long termist enough to effectively fight it. It's the parents that are most affected and arguably are in a better position to be able to do something tangible about it, hence why I'm writing this.

So, next time there is a student demo, look out for me. I'll be the idiot at the front!

My Great Great Great Grandma Susannah Richards

My Great Great Great Grandma Susannah Richards was born Susannah Harper on 23^rd September 1827 in Old Swinford, Strourbridge, in what is now the West Midlands. Her parents, Thomas and Susannah Harper died when she was young and she was brought up, with her two elder brothers and younger sister, by her half brother John Harper and his family.

On 18^th October 1847 Susannah married Thomas Richards at Clent Parish Church near Bromsgrove. This was a village church in the countryside and there was a long tradition of people from the industrial grime of the Black Country travelling to this church for their weddings, essentially to have a nice day out in the clean country air. Witnesses at the wedding were Susannah's half brother John Harper and his wife Eliza.

Thomas was an Iron Roller, making boiler plates, and as such he lived where heavy industry took place. Following their marriage Thomas and Susannah lived in Brierley Hill, West Midlands, where she gave birth to a daughter, their first child, in 1848. Around 1849 they moved to Sunderland where Susannah gave birth to her first son, my Great Great Grandad Joseph Thomas Richards, in 1850.

Around 1851 they moved from Sunderland to Middlesbrough, where they lived with Thomas's elder brother, William, and his family. They briefly moved back to the West Midlands, living in Kingswinford, where Susannah gave birth to her second son in 1855. Around 1856 Susannah, her husband and three children moved back to the North East living in Stockton. Here Susannah had four more children, three sons and a daughter in 1857, 1859, 1861 and 1864.

In 1865 the family, now consisting of Susannah, Thomas and their 7 children moved from Stockton to Gateshead. Susannah had three more children in Gateshead, all girls, in 1866, 1869 and her tenth child, Caroline, being born in 1871.

Some time between 1871 and 1879 Susannah and family moved from Gateshead to Jarrow where Thomas worked at the famous Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company. The 1881 Census records Susannah as having an 11^th child, Walter Richards, being born in Jarrow in 1879. Susannah would have been 51 then and it therefore seems unfeasible for Walter to be her child. What is more realistic is that he was the illegitimate child of her daughter Isabella, who would have been 19 in 1879, and that Susannah claimed him as hers to protect the honor of her daughter. By 1891 it appears that Isabella was married and Walter was living with her as her son.

Susannah Richards was widowed when Thomas died in 1901, aged 71. Following his death she went to live with her youngest daughter, Caroline and her family and continued to live with them in Jarrow until she died in 1913, aged 84.

Susannah had a hard life. She was orphaned at an early age and diligently followed her husband up and down the country as he moved to find work. During a 23 year period she gave birth to 10 children and in the mid 19^th Century it must have been very difficult looking after and moving them round the country, often whilst pregnant. After being married for 54 years, it must have also been difficult living the last 12 years of her life without her husband but equally nice that she, herself, was looked after by her youngest daughter.

I would have loved to have met Susannah Richards and hope that she would have been as proud of me as I am of her.

The names of my Fish!

For some bizarre reason, I feel inclined to tell the world (as if.......who is really looking at this!) the names of my Fish. Well, I say for some bizarre reason! There is actually a reason.

On Lee Mack's TV show last night he chastised one of his guests for not giving his Goldfish a name (don't ask!)

My Fish do have names, so I thought I'd let everyone know what they are. Here goes:

Big Bertha

Gubbles

Fatty

Thiny

Middley

Brian

Scaredy

Fin

Gordon

I do have four other ones that don't have names (please don't chastise ME, Lee!), so any suggestions would be appreciated! If you need to know their vital characteristics before you can make said suggestions, just let me know and I'll tell you.

Overtaking and pulling out

Over the last few months, maybe even years, I've noticed an annoying phenomenon. People hate people overtaking them or pulling out in front of them to overtake someone else. There are also people who hate people who pull out of junctions as they are approaching and there are even people who frown upon other people daring to pull out onto roundabouts, before they have even reached said roundabout!

I give you exhibit A:

Tonight, I had just pulled onto the A19 and was driving in the inside lane, waiting for a gap in the outside lane so I could overtake the slow moving lorry I was behind. When I found a suitable gap I pulled out. However, the (and I can only describe him as this) knob jockey who was driving his Vauxhall Corsa some considerable distance behind, suddenly sped up and drove (thankfully, not literally) right up my arse for the next few miles, clearly unhappy that I had dared pull into the space in front of him.

I give you exhibit B:

We have a mini roundabout in town. Yesterday I was waiting to turn right at it and when I saw a gap in the traffic of about 15 meters I decided to pull out and drive round it. I was a good 5 meters out of it when I came level with the car approaching from the right, and the driver glared angrily at me, as I had had the audacity to pull out onto the roundabout as he was approaching. I wonder how far back he would have had to have been before I would NOT have got that glare??!!

I give you exhibit C:

Actually, I will not give you exhibit C because I'm starting to sound like a Daily Mail reader from Purley, but rest assured, there are many other examples I can think of which largely involve people speeding up whenever you pull out in front of them or who chase you for miles and miles just trying to get a chance to get in front of you, just to "show you that you can't mess with them"

So, I feel better having got that of my chest now, so I can now go and enjoy the rest of my evening!

Death of News of the World

I've just been reading the Internet debate regarding the death of the News of the World. Now, quite frankly, I really don't give a shit about whether the News of the World has closed or not. I rarely read it and I don't think its made either a cultural or intellectual contribution to English (er, I mean UK) society. However, what I am do want to comment on (and, it is a soap box subject of mine) is the way Journalists have started to rally around in defence of their NotW "colleagues". The BBC website is full of talk about what a sad day for journalism it is, Henry Winter is commenting on Twitter about how he never misses reading the articles of a clutch of NotW reporters. No doubt there will be more journalists taking up column inches going on about it.

My beef is that whenever news about the media or journalists happens, they become totally self absorbed and self obsessed. Its as if the whole world wants to know about what's happening to them and how terrible their lot is.

I give you exhibit A, BBC News Headlines tonight. Apparently today was the most momentous day in all the history of the media!

Journlists of all persuasions; Get over yourselves. Few of us care!