Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
This is an unusual book by design and it can be confusing and complicated in places, but that seems to be the author’s intention to reflect the absurdity of the war time situations that the characters find themselves in.
‘There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one's safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to he was sane and had to. Yossarian was moved very deeply by the absolute simplicity of this clause of Catch-22 and let out a respectful whistle.
"That's some catch, that Catch-22," he observed.
"It's the best there is," Doc Daneeka agreed.’
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Playing games…
Dark Matter D20 RPG
This RPG is set in a modern world where the supernatural and mysterious events are known to be real and hidden from the general public by complex lies and conspiracies. The players work for a shadowy organisation called the Hoffman Institute investigating the various bizarre events. We use the Fantasy Grounds virtual desktop and Skype to be able to play and communicate as if we were around a table.
StarWars - star ship battles
This a quick table top game that utilises the collectable Star Wars star ship miniatures, a playing surface showing a grid covered star field and some stat-cards and counters. Two players choose between the Imperial and Rebel forces and move their battle ships and fighters around the star field manoeuvring into positions to enable them to destroy the other’s ships. We also call this our ‘waiting for James to turn up game’.
BloodBowl
This is a fun game that should not be taken too seriously. Loosely based on Gridiron this table top game pits teams of various fantasy races (orcs, goblins, dwarves, elves etc) in mortal competition where the score line is often secondary to the death toll. Although strategy is an important attribute to the game a certain amount of randomness is guaranteed with the use of dice roles to decide outcomes of player’s actions. Teams have different abilities and specialities and so we have tried to pick several teams that have different characteristics to vary the game play.
Myth-Weaver PBEM (play-by-e-mail)
We have decided to start playing a variation of the old play-by-mail type of games utilizing modern technology and are going to use the Myth-Weaver site as a host. The scenario for this game is interesting as it will be a variation on the classic apocalypse setting; called Inherited Earth it depicts a modern world that has befallen the Rapture where the good have gone to heaven, the bad to hell and the ‘meek’ have inherited the earth, though for some reason fiends and angles still battle it out too.
This RPG is set in a modern world where the supernatural and mysterious events are known to be real and hidden from the general public by complex lies and conspiracies. The players work for a shadowy organisation called the Hoffman Institute investigating the various bizarre events. We use the Fantasy Grounds virtual desktop and Skype to be able to play and communicate as if we were around a table.
StarWars - star ship battles
This a quick table top game that utilises the collectable Star Wars star ship miniatures, a playing surface showing a grid covered star field and some stat-cards and counters. Two players choose between the Imperial and Rebel forces and move their battle ships and fighters around the star field manoeuvring into positions to enable them to destroy the other’s ships. We also call this our ‘waiting for James to turn up game’.
BloodBowl
This is a fun game that should not be taken too seriously. Loosely based on Gridiron this table top game pits teams of various fantasy races (orcs, goblins, dwarves, elves etc) in mortal competition where the score line is often secondary to the death toll. Although strategy is an important attribute to the game a certain amount of randomness is guaranteed with the use of dice roles to decide outcomes of player’s actions. Teams have different abilities and specialities and so we have tried to pick several teams that have different characteristics to vary the game play.
Myth-Weaver PBEM (play-by-e-mail)
We have decided to start playing a variation of the old play-by-mail type of games utilizing modern technology and are going to use the Myth-Weaver site as a host. The scenario for this game is interesting as it will be a variation on the classic apocalypse setting; called Inherited Earth it depicts a modern world that has befallen the Rapture where the good have gone to heaven, the bad to hell and the ‘meek’ have inherited the earth, though for some reason fiends and angles still battle it out too.
More of wot I have heard…
Amy Macdonald – This is the Life
It is nice to see more and more talented youngster who can actually play instruments and write a decent song. The new wave of singer songwriters are take influences from both new and old looking at current musicians and revisiting old standards. I think we are very lucky at the moment with the choice and quality of talent out there and Amy Macdonald is one of that group that is well worth investing in.
‘It's all Pete Doherty's fault. No, it's down to Red Hot Chili Peppers. Or do we finger Fran Healy of Travis? Nah, sod it, let's blame Ewan McGregor and Jake Gyllenhaal. They're movie stars, proper ones. They're used to shouldering serious responsibility.
If it weren't for these artists, Amy Macdonald wouldn't be the teen-sensation singer-songwriter she is now. She'd still be kicking round Glasgow, an undergraduate at university, studying social sciences with an emphasis on geography. The highlight of her year would continue to be her annual pilgrimage to T In The Park, whereat she and her mates would party under canvas for 48 hours, forget their own names, and maybe see some bands. Amy Macdonald would still be a nobody, instead of a somebody out of whom great songs just flood. Amy was 12 when her world wobbled on its axis. She was on a family outing to Rothesay on Scotland's west coast. Her gran gave her some money to treat herself. Instead of buying a tenner's worth of ice-cream she bought a CD: The Man Who by Travis. It was the first album Amy ever owned. She was blown away: simple songs (Driftwood, Why Does It Always Rain On Me?, Writing To Reach You), sung brilliantly, roaring powerfully in her ears and in her head.
Inspired, adolescent Amy picked up one of the guitars her dad had lying round the house. He never played them; he'd never been in a band and had only 'mucked about' on the instrument with his pals when he was younger. And Amy just taught herself how to play the thing. There were no genetic influences, nor even lessons. Just a good ear and few chord patterns found on the internet. And a huge, burning, raging desire to write and play songs.’
Pink Martini – Hey Eugene!
We were first introduced to Pink Martini by a friend who had their first album, Sympathique, and we intrigued by the diverse sound. When I heard the title track of their latest album I was hooked. Every song is different and shows the depth of talent that forms this ensemble group as they perform songs with French, Arabic, Japanese lyrics, orchestral, hot club, tea dance style with influences to many to identify. This band is captivating and eclectic and well worth trying if you like your music with a bit of class.
‘“Pink Martini is like a romantic Hollywood musical of the 1940s or 50s – but with a global perspective which is modern,” says founder and artistic director Thomas M. Lauderdale. “We bring melodies and rhythms from different parts of the world together to create something which is new and beautiful.”
The Portland, Oregon-based ‘little orchestra’ was founded in 1994 by Lauderdale, a Harvard graduate and classically trained pianist, to play political fundraisers for progressive causes such as civil rights, the environment, affordable housing and public broadcasting. In the years following Pink Martini grew from four musicians to its current twelve, and has gone on to perform its multilingual repertoire on concert stages and with symphony orchestras throughout Europe, Asia, Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Canada and the United States.’
Richard Hawley – Lady’s Bridge
I have heard of this artist for sometime, lauded by music critics as one of the country’s best singer-songwriters for those in the know. Richard Hawley is an artist that does not manufacture songs but hand crafts instant classics that once heard seem to have always been there.
‘In an era where next big things, scenes and in-sounds flash by and even our favourite tunes are listened to on shuffle we need music that will stick around for a while, albums that we can go on listening to in one sitting until they wear out like previous generations had done with their Johnny Cash, Frank Sinatra, The Beatles and The Smiths records.
Something real. Something timeless. Something proper.
Just as he did with the Mercury nominated Coles Corner, Richard Hawley has risen once again to the challenge of quality in a cheap thrills economy. Recorded between January and June this year his new album Lady’s Bridge is filled with enough classics to last you a lifetime. Great music doesn’t need hype, it makes its own friends. And Lady’s Bridge will find plenty.’
It is nice to see more and more talented youngster who can actually play instruments and write a decent song. The new wave of singer songwriters are take influences from both new and old looking at current musicians and revisiting old standards. I think we are very lucky at the moment with the choice and quality of talent out there and Amy Macdonald is one of that group that is well worth investing in.
‘It's all Pete Doherty's fault. No, it's down to Red Hot Chili Peppers. Or do we finger Fran Healy of Travis? Nah, sod it, let's blame Ewan McGregor and Jake Gyllenhaal. They're movie stars, proper ones. They're used to shouldering serious responsibility.
If it weren't for these artists, Amy Macdonald wouldn't be the teen-sensation singer-songwriter she is now. She'd still be kicking round Glasgow, an undergraduate at university, studying social sciences with an emphasis on geography. The highlight of her year would continue to be her annual pilgrimage to T In The Park, whereat she and her mates would party under canvas for 48 hours, forget their own names, and maybe see some bands. Amy Macdonald would still be a nobody, instead of a somebody out of whom great songs just flood. Amy was 12 when her world wobbled on its axis. She was on a family outing to Rothesay on Scotland's west coast. Her gran gave her some money to treat herself. Instead of buying a tenner's worth of ice-cream she bought a CD: The Man Who by Travis. It was the first album Amy ever owned. She was blown away: simple songs (Driftwood, Why Does It Always Rain On Me?, Writing To Reach You), sung brilliantly, roaring powerfully in her ears and in her head.
Inspired, adolescent Amy picked up one of the guitars her dad had lying round the house. He never played them; he'd never been in a band and had only 'mucked about' on the instrument with his pals when he was younger. And Amy just taught herself how to play the thing. There were no genetic influences, nor even lessons. Just a good ear and few chord patterns found on the internet. And a huge, burning, raging desire to write and play songs.’
Pink Martini – Hey Eugene!
We were first introduced to Pink Martini by a friend who had their first album, Sympathique, and we intrigued by the diverse sound. When I heard the title track of their latest album I was hooked. Every song is different and shows the depth of talent that forms this ensemble group as they perform songs with French, Arabic, Japanese lyrics, orchestral, hot club, tea dance style with influences to many to identify. This band is captivating and eclectic and well worth trying if you like your music with a bit of class.
‘“Pink Martini is like a romantic Hollywood musical of the 1940s or 50s – but with a global perspective which is modern,” says founder and artistic director Thomas M. Lauderdale. “We bring melodies and rhythms from different parts of the world together to create something which is new and beautiful.”
The Portland, Oregon-based ‘little orchestra’ was founded in 1994 by Lauderdale, a Harvard graduate and classically trained pianist, to play political fundraisers for progressive causes such as civil rights, the environment, affordable housing and public broadcasting. In the years following Pink Martini grew from four musicians to its current twelve, and has gone on to perform its multilingual repertoire on concert stages and with symphony orchestras throughout Europe, Asia, Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Canada and the United States.’
Richard Hawley – Lady’s Bridge
I have heard of this artist for sometime, lauded by music critics as one of the country’s best singer-songwriters for those in the know. Richard Hawley is an artist that does not manufacture songs but hand crafts instant classics that once heard seem to have always been there.
‘In an era where next big things, scenes and in-sounds flash by and even our favourite tunes are listened to on shuffle we need music that will stick around for a while, albums that we can go on listening to in one sitting until they wear out like previous generations had done with their Johnny Cash, Frank Sinatra, The Beatles and The Smiths records.
Something real. Something timeless. Something proper.
Just as he did with the Mercury nominated Coles Corner, Richard Hawley has risen once again to the challenge of quality in a cheap thrills economy. Recorded between January and June this year his new album Lady’s Bridge is filled with enough classics to last you a lifetime. Great music doesn’t need hype, it makes its own friends. And Lady’s Bridge will find plenty.’
More of wot I have watched…
The man who lost his head
This ‘made for TV movie’ just aired here in the UK, and it would appear at the same time in New Zealand as the NZ Herald review shows.
Not knowing what to expect as we aimlessly flicked channels on the weekend we were immediately attracted by the recognisable and beautiful scenery of New Zealand that shone out of our TV, though we were somewhat surprised to see Martin Clunes wandering through the countryside view.
This movie is not particularly challenging and the actors often play stereotypes, but for the UK audience the slightly exotic feel of the places, people and politics of a land on the other side of the world was refreshing when compared to our daily serving of reality/cooking/home-buying/soap shows. We thoroughly enjoyed the programme and felt uplifted by the sentimental and romantic storyline and would recommend it for light relief especially for old fashioned family viewing.
This ‘made for TV movie’ just aired here in the UK, and it would appear at the same time in New Zealand as the NZ Herald review shows.
Not knowing what to expect as we aimlessly flicked channels on the weekend we were immediately attracted by the recognisable and beautiful scenery of New Zealand that shone out of our TV, though we were somewhat surprised to see Martin Clunes wandering through the countryside view.
This movie is not particularly challenging and the actors often play stereotypes, but for the UK audience the slightly exotic feel of the places, people and politics of a land on the other side of the world was refreshing when compared to our daily serving of reality/cooking/home-buying/soap shows. We thoroughly enjoyed the programme and felt uplifted by the sentimental and romantic storyline and would recommend it for light relief especially for old fashioned family viewing.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Womad / Womud
This was our third Womad and the first time it has been at it’s new home in the Earl of Suffolk’s front lawn at Charlton Park in Wiltshire near Malmsbury. Unfortunately for everybody the rain came early (more than a month’s rain in 24hours) and turned the site into a mud bath. Still we understand it was not nearly as bad as Glastonbury, and considering the event population was a mere fraction of theirs, we were thankful. The worst of the weather came early on Thursday as we pitched tents and in the evening on Saturday, so it didn’t stop us getting out to the venue. Our party was boosted this year by three new recruits giving us a good, fun, group,
The mud did slow everybody down around the site and resulted in some stages being closed and some artists being stranded and the programme being changed, so we were not able to see all of the acts we would have wanted to. Nevertheless we did get to see a good few, including:
Blind Boys of Alabama and Solomon Burke – they have been around forever and are still going strong. These energetic performers had to be virtually restrained at times.
Dulsori – Korean drumming almost as a martial art, mad, frantic and full on workout.
Peter Gabriel – celebrating 25 years of Womad he was convinced to play this year.
Kronos Quartet – classical music as you have never heard it before.
Warsaw Village Band – folk music from Eastern Europe played with passion.
Ben Taylor – a very cool and mellow singer-songwriter.
Calexico – one of my favourite bands who play a Tex-Mex style.
Seth Lakeman – He is making British folk cool and is young and good looking at the same time.
The Imagined Village – A folk dream-team and the highlight for us at this year’s event.
Along with the music the site boasted a relaxation area (with many alternative therapies on offer), a cooking tent (with demonstrations of exotic fare), the Steam Powered Fairground, many worthy causes had stalls and of course the shop holders and food stalls. Again this year as previous the Pieminster food stall was voted our favourite (chicken Thai curry pie with mash and gravy being the most popular with our crowd). Naturally some drink was consumed too (rather more than any of us care to remember).
The weather and overindulgence combined with our middle aged frames took its toll and we decamped in the afternoon on Sunday rather than staying for another night, and we were glad to be home to a cleansing bath and comfortable bed.
One particular disappointment was not being able to get to see Te Matarae I Orehu, the Maori song and dance troupe. Paul managed to catch some of their act as we were at another tent and said they were brilliant. Young Tom spent much of the next day on the lookout for fearsome tattooed warriors with their tongues sticking out - like the picture in the programme (unfortunately to no avail).
There is a good chance that we will come back next year.
The mud did slow everybody down around the site and resulted in some stages being closed and some artists being stranded and the programme being changed, so we were not able to see all of the acts we would have wanted to. Nevertheless we did get to see a good few, including:
Blind Boys of Alabama and Solomon Burke – they have been around forever and are still going strong. These energetic performers had to be virtually restrained at times.
Dulsori – Korean drumming almost as a martial art, mad, frantic and full on workout.
Peter Gabriel – celebrating 25 years of Womad he was convinced to play this year.
Kronos Quartet – classical music as you have never heard it before.
Warsaw Village Band – folk music from Eastern Europe played with passion.
Ben Taylor – a very cool and mellow singer-songwriter.
Calexico – one of my favourite bands who play a Tex-Mex style.
Seth Lakeman – He is making British folk cool and is young and good looking at the same time.
The Imagined Village – A folk dream-team and the highlight for us at this year’s event.
Along with the music the site boasted a relaxation area (with many alternative therapies on offer), a cooking tent (with demonstrations of exotic fare), the Steam Powered Fairground, many worthy causes had stalls and of course the shop holders and food stalls. Again this year as previous the Pieminster food stall was voted our favourite (chicken Thai curry pie with mash and gravy being the most popular with our crowd). Naturally some drink was consumed too (rather more than any of us care to remember).
The weather and overindulgence combined with our middle aged frames took its toll and we decamped in the afternoon on Sunday rather than staying for another night, and we were glad to be home to a cleansing bath and comfortable bed.
One particular disappointment was not being able to get to see Te Matarae I Orehu, the Maori song and dance troupe. Paul managed to catch some of their act as we were at another tent and said they were brilliant. Young Tom spent much of the next day on the lookout for fearsome tattooed warriors with their tongues sticking out - like the picture in the programme (unfortunately to no avail).
There is a good chance that we will come back next year.
More of wot I have read…
The Judgement of Caesar by Steven Saylor
We picked this book up in the local Oxfam shop and didn’t realise that it is the last in the series of Roma Sub Rosa books. It is an entertaining read, especially if you enjoy historical drama and intrigue – it might be worth finding the first in this series and working from there – the book stands on its own, but it does make pointed references to previous stories.
‘In 48 B.C., Roman generals Caesar and Pompey have long engaged in a battle to rule the world. Now, as Pompey plots a reckless stand on the banks of the Nile, Gordianus the Finder-who has brought his wife Bethesda to the river seeking a cure for her in its sacred waters-finds himself suddenly at the heart of a series of treacherous and history-altering events.
While Caesar and Cleopatra embark on a legendary romance, Egypt remains ravaged by the brutal contest between the Queen and her brother King Ptolemy. Worst of all for Gordianus, his once-disowned son and Caesar's right-hand man, stands falsely accused of murder. Caesar's judgment will decide Meto's fate and it is up to Gordianus to somehow overcome colossal malevolent forces to reveal the carefully obscured truth and spare his son's life.’
We picked this book up in the local Oxfam shop and didn’t realise that it is the last in the series of Roma Sub Rosa books. It is an entertaining read, especially if you enjoy historical drama and intrigue – it might be worth finding the first in this series and working from there – the book stands on its own, but it does make pointed references to previous stories.
‘In 48 B.C., Roman generals Caesar and Pompey have long engaged in a battle to rule the world. Now, as Pompey plots a reckless stand on the banks of the Nile, Gordianus the Finder-who has brought his wife Bethesda to the river seeking a cure for her in its sacred waters-finds himself suddenly at the heart of a series of treacherous and history-altering events.
While Caesar and Cleopatra embark on a legendary romance, Egypt remains ravaged by the brutal contest between the Queen and her brother King Ptolemy. Worst of all for Gordianus, his once-disowned son and Caesar's right-hand man, stands falsely accused of murder. Caesar's judgment will decide Meto's fate and it is up to Gordianus to somehow overcome colossal malevolent forces to reveal the carefully obscured truth and spare his son's life.’
Friday, July 20, 2007
More of wot I have read…
Semi-Detached by Griff Rhys Jones
This is a sensitive and gently funny account of the early formative years of Griff Rhys Jones’s life up until the time he joined the BBC and became well known.
‘From birth through bell-bottoms to the BBC…
Semi-Detached is Griff Rhys Jones’s own account of his ordinary suburban childhood; of adolescent scraps and scrapes; of coming of age in the 1960s and 70s; of family and university life; and of times lost or at least fuzzy around the edges.
It’s a powerful, moving and above all touchingly funny memoir of how one of the nation’s most popular comics and personalities got from there to here…’
This is a sensitive and gently funny account of the early formative years of Griff Rhys Jones’s life up until the time he joined the BBC and became well known.
‘From birth through bell-bottoms to the BBC…
Semi-Detached is Griff Rhys Jones’s own account of his ordinary suburban childhood; of adolescent scraps and scrapes; of coming of age in the 1960s and 70s; of family and university life; and of times lost or at least fuzzy around the edges.
It’s a powerful, moving and above all touchingly funny memoir of how one of the nation’s most popular comics and personalities got from there to here…’
Monday, July 16, 2007
Beer by name and by nature…
This year Sue’s birthday coincided with the annual Albury Morris weekend adventure of traditional dance, music and of drink.
We drove down to Beer in Dorset with my Aunt and Uncle, stopping midway for a sandwich a pint and a then at the National Trust property of Lytes Cary Manor (misheard by me as Light Scary Manor) before arriving in time to meet up with the others for another drink before dinner (you can see a theme starting to emerge).
The village of Beer is quaint and retains much of the feel of the original fishing village, albeit sanitised and more affluent than when it relied on that trade. The proximity to the sea did mean that the restaurant we had our evening meal in had a great fish menu that was enjoyed by all. A local pub was selected for the ritual occupation as the massed Morris brought out their musical instruments and sang and drank into the night.
The weekend was superbly organised by Pete and included a tram ride between Seaton and Colyton down beside the bird spotter’s paradise of the Axe valley. We watched the Morris side dance and joined them in some cold refreshments at their allotted venues. A coach took the merry group on to Sidmouth where the dancing outside was put off by the increasingly inclement weather and the group again selected pubs at random to occupy. As alcohol levels increased the side became bolder and soon the regulars were in awe of the sight of several beery and unusually clad older men prancing around the bar alternatively waving hankies and bashing sticks together (having more members than is required for each dance means that the performers can alternate as they tire or require additional refreshment such that a constant barrage of concussive stick dances and percussive bells tied to the legs that accompanies the more musical concertinas, accordions and boron drives the landlord and any potential opposition into submission). Later it was back to Beer where we had some time to freshen up and relax before continuing on with the festivities. I came down to the dinner fashionable late blaming the headaches (I actually was watching the final Dr Who of the series – brilliant it has been too) where we ate some more, drank some more and, after the tables and chairs were pushed to side of the room, singing and traditional dancing ensued.
The following day we checked out and the group decamped arranging to meet at Lyme Regis where they danced on the Cobb as the sea spray plumed over the wall and then retired to a lovely pub at Axemouth for lunch and another dance before finally disbanding and dispersing quietly into the countryside from whence they came like the crack commando dance team they are.
We drove down to Beer in Dorset with my Aunt and Uncle, stopping midway for a sandwich a pint and a then at the National Trust property of Lytes Cary Manor (misheard by me as Light Scary Manor) before arriving in time to meet up with the others for another drink before dinner (you can see a theme starting to emerge).
The village of Beer is quaint and retains much of the feel of the original fishing village, albeit sanitised and more affluent than when it relied on that trade. The proximity to the sea did mean that the restaurant we had our evening meal in had a great fish menu that was enjoyed by all. A local pub was selected for the ritual occupation as the massed Morris brought out their musical instruments and sang and drank into the night.
The weekend was superbly organised by Pete and included a tram ride between Seaton and Colyton down beside the bird spotter’s paradise of the Axe valley. We watched the Morris side dance and joined them in some cold refreshments at their allotted venues. A coach took the merry group on to Sidmouth where the dancing outside was put off by the increasingly inclement weather and the group again selected pubs at random to occupy. As alcohol levels increased the side became bolder and soon the regulars were in awe of the sight of several beery and unusually clad older men prancing around the bar alternatively waving hankies and bashing sticks together (having more members than is required for each dance means that the performers can alternate as they tire or require additional refreshment such that a constant barrage of concussive stick dances and percussive bells tied to the legs that accompanies the more musical concertinas, accordions and boron drives the landlord and any potential opposition into submission). Later it was back to Beer where we had some time to freshen up and relax before continuing on with the festivities. I came down to the dinner fashionable late blaming the headaches (I actually was watching the final Dr Who of the series – brilliant it has been too) where we ate some more, drank some more and, after the tables and chairs were pushed to side of the room, singing and traditional dancing ensued.
The following day we checked out and the group decamped arranging to meet at Lyme Regis where they danced on the Cobb as the sea spray plumed over the wall and then retired to a lovely pub at Axemouth for lunch and another dance before finally disbanding and dispersing quietly into the countryside from whence they came like the crack commando dance team they are.
A vote for de-evolution…
We had a pretty good early spring this year, but that has since been overshadowed by a crappy summer so far. Floods have devastated parts of the country and everywhere else has become steadily waterlogged too. We are not too surprised with a certain amount of meteorological variability in this country, it being the stereotypical topic of choice here. It is expected that Wimbledon will be extended due to rain (why they don’t have a roof over central court is a mystery), that Glastonbury will be knee deep in mud and posh people will be paddling around the Hampton Court Flower Show, but we usually hope to see some sun in-between these events. Alas it is not to be this year and we, desperate for a chance to enjoy the great outdoors, look skyward for a little glimmer of light so that we can have a BBQ and use our new patio furniture. So it was that we took a chance and listened to tales that this weekend was going to be the hottest this year and made arrangements to cook over an open fire both Saturday and Sunday. We got away with it on Saturday when James and Nikala came over and we cooked Sue’s jerked pork and ate it outdoors and sat drinking and talking until nearly midnight. Sunday though was a different story and we pushed our luck by having a dozen people over (much too many to accommodate indoors) for the afternoon. Things started out promisingly as we had nibbles and drinks on the deck, but we noticed the sky darkening and occasional drops of rain as we started eating the prawn kebabs. Stoic British resolve was not enough and we had to repair to the house to consume the chicken kebabs as a thunderstorm passed overhead complete with dramatic lightning and tremendous thunder. Sue put the rack of ribs and sausages in the oven to cook and a short time later and a shout went out the sun had returned – so the brave and slightly damp folk returned to wipe down the furniture – determined to get back outside. By the time the food was cooked the sun had made a welcome appearance and we enjoyed the remainder of the afternoon as we steamed slightly under the sun’s rays. Unfortunately for us Sunday was St. Swithern’s day and tradition says that should it rain on this day then we are in for 40 days and 40 nights of more of the same. So I am considering de-evolution, as the concept of webbed feet and an ability to breathe under water sure could come in handy in the future. Still we don’t have a hose-pipe ban... ...at the moment.
More of wot I have heard…
Smoke of Home by Megson
We saw this duo live at the local folk club and we very impressed with their performance, so much so we bought the latest album. Megson are a talented young couple who manage to reinterpret traditional folk songs in a sympathetic, yet modern manner and also have written new and exciting contemporary folk that is more relevant to them and a modern audience. You are unlikely to hear much of them on the radio, apart from occasional specialist shows, but the do seem to be touring as much as they can at festivals and gigs throughout the UK and Europe. They are well worth checking out.
We saw this duo live at the local folk club and we very impressed with their performance, so much so we bought the latest album. Megson are a talented young couple who manage to reinterpret traditional folk songs in a sympathetic, yet modern manner and also have written new and exciting contemporary folk that is more relevant to them and a modern audience. You are unlikely to hear much of them on the radio, apart from occasional specialist shows, but the do seem to be touring as much as they can at festivals and gigs throughout the UK and Europe. They are well worth checking out.
Wot people say…
Some acquired names for company departments and activities…
The Jedi Council – The Employee Council
The Order Prevention Administration – Oracle Project Administration (the department the processes sales orders)
The Jedi Council – The Employee Council
The Order Prevention Administration – Oracle Project Administration (the department the processes sales orders)
More of wot I have watched…
Pick of Destiny
A very silly but mildly amusing film only recommended if you are keen on rock music and Jack Black at his maddest as he plays along with his TenaciousD colleague Kyle Gass. The official website is also mildly diverting if you have a few spare moments.
The Pursuit of Happyness
This is an entertaining movie that sometimes ladles the desperation on a little too thick (more than the real life story that it is based on) yet the interplay between will Smith and his real life son does touch the soul.
The Departed
The departed is a very good gangster movie that has enough intrigue and action to satisfy most fans of this genre. There is some very fine acting throughout with some wonderful actors taking on supporting roles, though occasionally the accents of a few jar a bit. Overall it is an edge of the seat rollercoaster ride that journeys quickly through the near two hours duration.
Casino Royal
Another James Bond movie can put of those who are not fans of the series, but this version has some significant differences that might attract those who did not like previous 007 stories and might put off those who did. This story is a darker and more authentic Ian Fleming retelling and the first outing by Daniel Craig is also dark and moody with more than a hint of the psychotic. As with most James Bond stories there are occasional plot holes and stretches of credibility but this film benefits from the new approach and from the film makers choice to use more ‘real’ stunts and less CGI (the parkour chase through the building sight is especially exciting). I enjoyed the film and I welcome more of the same from Daniel Craig.
Hot Fuzz
Hot Fuzz is a very good comedy movie from the makers of Shaun of the Dead and again staring the comedy duo of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. In a similar vein to Shaun of the Dead and horror movies, hot Fuzz simultaneously pays homage and pokes fun at iconic references in the action/cop movie genre. It is supported by a fantastic cast of veteran British actors who flesh out the silly capers with some style. The official website is nicely put together and entertaining.
A very silly but mildly amusing film only recommended if you are keen on rock music and Jack Black at his maddest as he plays along with his TenaciousD colleague Kyle Gass. The official website is also mildly diverting if you have a few spare moments.
The Pursuit of Happyness
This is an entertaining movie that sometimes ladles the desperation on a little too thick (more than the real life story that it is based on) yet the interplay between will Smith and his real life son does touch the soul.
The Departed
The departed is a very good gangster movie that has enough intrigue and action to satisfy most fans of this genre. There is some very fine acting throughout with some wonderful actors taking on supporting roles, though occasionally the accents of a few jar a bit. Overall it is an edge of the seat rollercoaster ride that journeys quickly through the near two hours duration.
Casino Royal
Another James Bond movie can put of those who are not fans of the series, but this version has some significant differences that might attract those who did not like previous 007 stories and might put off those who did. This story is a darker and more authentic Ian Fleming retelling and the first outing by Daniel Craig is also dark and moody with more than a hint of the psychotic. As with most James Bond stories there are occasional plot holes and stretches of credibility but this film benefits from the new approach and from the film makers choice to use more ‘real’ stunts and less CGI (the parkour chase through the building sight is especially exciting). I enjoyed the film and I welcome more of the same from Daniel Craig.
Hot Fuzz
Hot Fuzz is a very good comedy movie from the makers of Shaun of the Dead and again staring the comedy duo of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. In a similar vein to Shaun of the Dead and horror movies, hot Fuzz simultaneously pays homage and pokes fun at iconic references in the action/cop movie genre. It is supported by a fantastic cast of veteran British actors who flesh out the silly capers with some style. The official website is nicely put together and entertaining.
More of wot I have read…
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
‘Twelve-year-old Amir is desperate to gain the approval of his father and resolves to win the local kite-fighting tournament, to prove that he has the makings of a man. His loyal friend Hassan promises to help him – for he always helps Amir – but this is 1970s Afganistan and Hassan is merely a low-caste servant who is jeered at in the street, although Amir feels jealous of his natural courage and the place he holds in his father’s heart. But neither of the boys could forsee what would happen to Hassan on the afternoon of the tournament, which was to shatter their lives. After the Russians invade and the family is forced to flee to America, Amir realises that one day he must return, to find the one thing that his new world cannot grant him: redemption.’
‘Twelve-year-old Amir is desperate to gain the approval of his father and resolves to win the local kite-fighting tournament, to prove that he has the makings of a man. His loyal friend Hassan promises to help him – for he always helps Amir – but this is 1970s Afganistan and Hassan is merely a low-caste servant who is jeered at in the street, although Amir feels jealous of his natural courage and the place he holds in his father’s heart. But neither of the boys could forsee what would happen to Hassan on the afternoon of the tournament, which was to shatter their lives. After the Russians invade and the family is forced to flee to America, Amir realises that one day he must return, to find the one thing that his new world cannot grant him: redemption.’
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Fylde Fields website...
Fylde Fields Olive Grove and Gardens
I have been doing some more work on my parent’s website for their olive grove in New Zealand. Chris did a great job on the original site and I have tweaked and added information to make it a bit more comprehensive. There are still some areas that require more work to bring it up to scratch before I point their web address to but it this stage it needs some reviewing and constructive criticism. Have a look and tell me what you think.
I have been doing some more work on my parent’s website for their olive grove in New Zealand. Chris did a great job on the original site and I have tweaked and added information to make it a bit more comprehensive. There are still some areas that require more work to bring it up to scratch before I point their web address to but it this stage it needs some reviewing and constructive criticism. Have a look and tell me what you think.
Out and about...
Claremont Landscape Gardens
Claremont gardens are what is left of a larger estate that was once one of the most impressive properties in Surrey. The ground works, lake and expanses of tree-lined avenues are very popular with families of young children, who like to play in the park-like areas. We went up to the belvedere and looked out across the countryside from Heathrow to central London. The grounds are not too large and so after we had a stroll around we decided to continue on to the nearby Wisley.
RHS Wisley
We are RHS members and when we make the occasional visit to Wisley it is usually on the member’s only day. This time we went on a Saturday and we were totally taken aback by the numbers of other people their. Wisley are working on a program of works by adding a huge new glasshouse that is soon to open. And along with that they have greatly increased the car parking facilities to accommodate the expected visitors. The gardens were looking very good in their early summer colours and the walk around was very pleasant.
BBQ
Although we have not managed to have a BBQ at home we have enjoyed being invited to others. We had a nice afternoon at some old friends of ours that live near Redhill and had a good time catching up with everybody in the sunshine. Our new neighbours also invited us to a BBQ at their place and we had a lovely evening with the added advantage of only having to stagger next-door.
Abinger Fair
Summer in the villages means fates and fairs and we went recently to one near us. It had a friendly community spirit and was situated in the picturesque village of Abinger Common on the common itself between the church and the pub. It was a very pleasant experience, although we didn’t stay long as we had other things to do.
Claremont gardens are what is left of a larger estate that was once one of the most impressive properties in Surrey. The ground works, lake and expanses of tree-lined avenues are very popular with families of young children, who like to play in the park-like areas. We went up to the belvedere and looked out across the countryside from Heathrow to central London. The grounds are not too large and so after we had a stroll around we decided to continue on to the nearby Wisley.
RHS Wisley
We are RHS members and when we make the occasional visit to Wisley it is usually on the member’s only day. This time we went on a Saturday and we were totally taken aback by the numbers of other people their. Wisley are working on a program of works by adding a huge new glasshouse that is soon to open. And along with that they have greatly increased the car parking facilities to accommodate the expected visitors. The gardens were looking very good in their early summer colours and the walk around was very pleasant.
BBQ
Although we have not managed to have a BBQ at home we have enjoyed being invited to others. We had a nice afternoon at some old friends of ours that live near Redhill and had a good time catching up with everybody in the sunshine. Our new neighbours also invited us to a BBQ at their place and we had a lovely evening with the added advantage of only having to stagger next-door.
Abinger Fair
Summer in the villages means fates and fairs and we went recently to one near us. It had a friendly community spirit and was situated in the picturesque village of Abinger Common on the common itself between the church and the pub. It was a very pleasant experience, although we didn’t stay long as we had other things to do.
More of wot I have seen…
The Devil Wears Prada
In my opinion this is pretty much an uber-chick-flick with attitude. Sue enjoyed it probably more than I did, but then it is obvious that my understanding of fashion is limited. There is some more detail at Wikipeadia on this film too.
The Prestige
This was more my bag, and even though it has Hugh Jackman in it Sue couldn’t manage enough enthusiasm to watch it through. There are some loose threads and unanswered questions in the script which might be deliberate by the director (though if you read some of the discussion boards there are a lot of people who are over analysing this film). Some elements we a little overdone and some our skipped over too lightly, but over all it is a very good film. The highlight for me is David Bowie as Tesla. Wikipeadia on this film.
In my opinion this is pretty much an uber-chick-flick with attitude. Sue enjoyed it probably more than I did, but then it is obvious that my understanding of fashion is limited. There is some more detail at Wikipeadia on this film too.
The Prestige
This was more my bag, and even though it has Hugh Jackman in it Sue couldn’t manage enough enthusiasm to watch it through. There are some loose threads and unanswered questions in the script which might be deliberate by the director (though if you read some of the discussion boards there are a lot of people who are over analysing this film). Some elements we a little overdone and some our skipped over too lightly, but over all it is a very good film. The highlight for me is David Bowie as Tesla. Wikipeadia on this film.
More of wot I have heard…
Another Run around the Sun by Ben Taylor
This is another album that we bought on the strength of a single track. Sue was keen on a song that was being played on the radio and so we investigated and found his latest album. His sound will be familiar to any old folkies as it is very similar to his father James Taylor. The whole family is musically inclined as his mum is Carly Simon and his sister Sally is also a musician. It is nice easy going music even if it is just a little bit ‘samey’ throughout.
This is another album that we bought on the strength of a single track. Sue was keen on a song that was being played on the radio and so we investigated and found his latest album. His sound will be familiar to any old folkies as it is very similar to his father James Taylor. The whole family is musically inclined as his mum is Carly Simon and his sister Sally is also a musician. It is nice easy going music even if it is just a little bit ‘samey’ throughout.
More of wot I have read…
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
An interesting and quite odd little book that was nevertheless entertaining. I have heard that it has already been made into a stage show and is slated to be turned into a film. There is a cute website that acts as a promo for the book that is worth a visit. Wikipedia has more information about the Life of Pi including some of the controversy regarding the theme of the story and other similar books.
'By Suzy Hansen August 1, 2002
"Jesus, Mary, Muhammad and Vishnu, how good to see you, Richard Parker!" Pi Patel cries when he sees an old friend struggling aboard his lifeboat. Pi's scrambling of faiths probably won't win him the affection of any of those religious figures. But then again, in Yann Martel's "Life of Pi," our hero Pi (yes, as in 3.14, though his full name is Piscine, the French word for "pool") has just survived a sinking ship in the Pacific Ocean and witnessed the death of his family. Anyone in his position would be rejoicing to multiple gods at the sight of an old friend -- even if this feisty Richard Parker character is actually a 450-pound Bengal tiger.
And anyone facing Pi's outrageous plight -- a skittish zebra, vicious hyena and lumbering orangutan join the castaway party for what ends up being 227 days adrift in the (large) lifeboat -- would need the help of all the gods they could summon from the skies. Martel's "Life of Pi" might sound ridiculous, but by the time Martel throws Pi out to sea, his quirkily magical and often hilarious vision has already taken hold. (After all, this is, as Martel promises us, a "story that will make you believe in God.") Martel frames the novel as the reminiscences of an older Pi as recorded by the author and intermittently offers his own observations of this curious Indian man. The device works: Martel is so mesmerized by Pi that one can't help but be enchanted too.
As Pi explains, in his Indian hometown of Pondicherry, the local priest, pandit and imam, as well as Pi's parents, had many objections to his penchant for collecting religions. But as Pi reasons in his typically idiosyncratic way, "Hindus, in their capacity for love, are indeed hairless Christians, just as Muslims, in the way they see God in everything, are bearded Hindus, and Christians, in their devotion to God, are hat-wearing Muslims." When he observes how Muslims pray, he says, "Why, Islam is nothing but an easy sort of exercise ... Hot-weather yoga for Bedouins." His naiveté can be silly, but ultimately it's an open-mindedness, a way of turning things upside down to see them differently, that serves him well.
Eventually, Pi's family flees an unstable India, where his father runs a zoo, heading for Canada, and bringing various animals along with them on a Japanese cargo ship. It's on this voyage that their happy ark mysteriously sinks. Luckily, Pi possesses a nonreligious kind of understanding and faith that allows him to survive on the lifeboat with four animals not known for their compatibility. Pi's father taught him that the most dangerous creature in the zoo is "the animal as seen through human eyes ... It is an animal that is 'cute,' 'friendly,' 'loving,' 'devoted,' 'merry,' 'understanding.'"
Yet, while Pi knows about the ferocity of the beasts, he's also familiar with the quirks of the animal kingdom that often befuddle humans peering in from outside. Sometimes goats can get along just fine with rhinos. A mouse can live with vipers: "While other mice dropped in the terrarium disappeared within two days, this little brown Methusalah built itself a nest, stored the grains we gave it in various hideaways and scampered about in plain sight of the snakes." Likewise, if handled carefully, a ravenous and terrified Bengal tiger will spare the life of the only human in sight.
Pi's lost-at-sea story never drags. The slow journey is spiked with fascinating survival scenes, as when Pi and Richard Parker meet a school of flying fish: "They came like a swarm of locusts. It was not only their numbers; there was also something insect-like about the clicking, whirring sound of their wings." Pi attempts to catch the fish for food; the tiger is better at it: "Many were eaten live and whole, struggling wings beating in his mouth ... It was not so much the speed that was impressive as the pure animal confidence, the total absorption in the moment."
Pi's story is so extraordinary that when he finally makes it ashore, he offers a comparatively boring version of the tale to two researchers, acknowledging that humans don't have much of a taste for the miraculous. This played-down version makes Pi's true tale, thanks to Martel's beautifully fantastical and spirited rendering, all the more tempting to believe.'
The Constant Gardener by John le Carré
This is a good book from a master writer of political intrigue and conspiracy stories that is well written and believably detailed where the main characters are flawed and human and battle as much with themselves as they do with the frightening circumstances they find themselves in. I understand the film adaptation of the book is very good too.
While on location filming the movie the cast and crew decided to set up a welfare trust, called The Constant Gardener Trust.
‘The Constant Gardener is a magnificent exploration of the new world order by one of the most compelling and elegant storytellers of our time. The novel opens in northern Kenya with the gruesome murder of Tessa Quayle – young, beautiful, and dearly beloved to husband Justin. When Justin sets out on a personal odyssey to uncover the mystery of her death, what he finds could make him not only a suspect among his own collegues, but a target for Tessa’s killers as well.
A master chronicler of the betrayals of ordinary people caught in political conflict, John le Carré portrays the dark side of unbridled capitalism as only he can. In The Constant Gardener he tells a compelling, complex story of a man elevated through tradgedy, as Justin Quayle – amateur gardener, aging widower, and ineffectual bureaucrat – discovers his own natural resources and the extraordinary courage of the woman he barely had time to love.’
An interesting and quite odd little book that was nevertheless entertaining. I have heard that it has already been made into a stage show and is slated to be turned into a film. There is a cute website that acts as a promo for the book that is worth a visit. Wikipedia has more information about the Life of Pi including some of the controversy regarding the theme of the story and other similar books.
'By Suzy Hansen August 1, 2002
"Jesus, Mary, Muhammad and Vishnu, how good to see you, Richard Parker!" Pi Patel cries when he sees an old friend struggling aboard his lifeboat. Pi's scrambling of faiths probably won't win him the affection of any of those religious figures. But then again, in Yann Martel's "Life of Pi," our hero Pi (yes, as in 3.14, though his full name is Piscine, the French word for "pool") has just survived a sinking ship in the Pacific Ocean and witnessed the death of his family. Anyone in his position would be rejoicing to multiple gods at the sight of an old friend -- even if this feisty Richard Parker character is actually a 450-pound Bengal tiger.
And anyone facing Pi's outrageous plight -- a skittish zebra, vicious hyena and lumbering orangutan join the castaway party for what ends up being 227 days adrift in the (large) lifeboat -- would need the help of all the gods they could summon from the skies. Martel's "Life of Pi" might sound ridiculous, but by the time Martel throws Pi out to sea, his quirkily magical and often hilarious vision has already taken hold. (After all, this is, as Martel promises us, a "story that will make you believe in God.") Martel frames the novel as the reminiscences of an older Pi as recorded by the author and intermittently offers his own observations of this curious Indian man. The device works: Martel is so mesmerized by Pi that one can't help but be enchanted too.
As Pi explains, in his Indian hometown of Pondicherry, the local priest, pandit and imam, as well as Pi's parents, had many objections to his penchant for collecting religions. But as Pi reasons in his typically idiosyncratic way, "Hindus, in their capacity for love, are indeed hairless Christians, just as Muslims, in the way they see God in everything, are bearded Hindus, and Christians, in their devotion to God, are hat-wearing Muslims." When he observes how Muslims pray, he says, "Why, Islam is nothing but an easy sort of exercise ... Hot-weather yoga for Bedouins." His naiveté can be silly, but ultimately it's an open-mindedness, a way of turning things upside down to see them differently, that serves him well.
Eventually, Pi's family flees an unstable India, where his father runs a zoo, heading for Canada, and bringing various animals along with them on a Japanese cargo ship. It's on this voyage that their happy ark mysteriously sinks. Luckily, Pi possesses a nonreligious kind of understanding and faith that allows him to survive on the lifeboat with four animals not known for their compatibility. Pi's father taught him that the most dangerous creature in the zoo is "the animal as seen through human eyes ... It is an animal that is 'cute,' 'friendly,' 'loving,' 'devoted,' 'merry,' 'understanding.'"
Yet, while Pi knows about the ferocity of the beasts, he's also familiar with the quirks of the animal kingdom that often befuddle humans peering in from outside. Sometimes goats can get along just fine with rhinos. A mouse can live with vipers: "While other mice dropped in the terrarium disappeared within two days, this little brown Methusalah built itself a nest, stored the grains we gave it in various hideaways and scampered about in plain sight of the snakes." Likewise, if handled carefully, a ravenous and terrified Bengal tiger will spare the life of the only human in sight.
Pi's lost-at-sea story never drags. The slow journey is spiked with fascinating survival scenes, as when Pi and Richard Parker meet a school of flying fish: "They came like a swarm of locusts. It was not only their numbers; there was also something insect-like about the clicking, whirring sound of their wings." Pi attempts to catch the fish for food; the tiger is better at it: "Many were eaten live and whole, struggling wings beating in his mouth ... It was not so much the speed that was impressive as the pure animal confidence, the total absorption in the moment."
Pi's story is so extraordinary that when he finally makes it ashore, he offers a comparatively boring version of the tale to two researchers, acknowledging that humans don't have much of a taste for the miraculous. This played-down version makes Pi's true tale, thanks to Martel's beautifully fantastical and spirited rendering, all the more tempting to believe.'
The Constant Gardener by John le Carré
This is a good book from a master writer of political intrigue and conspiracy stories that is well written and believably detailed where the main characters are flawed and human and battle as much with themselves as they do with the frightening circumstances they find themselves in. I understand the film adaptation of the book is very good too.
While on location filming the movie the cast and crew decided to set up a welfare trust, called The Constant Gardener Trust.
‘The Constant Gardener is a magnificent exploration of the new world order by one of the most compelling and elegant storytellers of our time. The novel opens in northern Kenya with the gruesome murder of Tessa Quayle – young, beautiful, and dearly beloved to husband Justin. When Justin sets out on a personal odyssey to uncover the mystery of her death, what he finds could make him not only a suspect among his own collegues, but a target for Tessa’s killers as well.
A master chronicler of the betrayals of ordinary people caught in political conflict, John le Carré portrays the dark side of unbridled capitalism as only he can. In The Constant Gardener he tells a compelling, complex story of a man elevated through tradgedy, as Justin Quayle – amateur gardener, aging widower, and ineffectual bureaucrat – discovers his own natural resources and the extraordinary courage of the woman he barely had time to love.’
The prodigal son…
Jamie paid us a flying visit the other weekend so that the family could celebrate his 21st birthday and shower him and gifts before he returned to Uni. He came down with his flat mate and University Rugby friend Golly as he has the added bonus of having a car.
Sue and I went shopping before they arrived and filled the car to the gunnels and emptied the back account as we found all the treats that Jamie might like. As he was only with us for a couple of days he had to take most of it back to Hull with him.
We were planning to have a BBQ having bought new patio furniture and a BBQ, but as luck would have it was cold and wet so Sue did all the cooking inside and we had a great buffet spread. The chocolate cake Sue made was an enormous construction, three sponge layers high with chocolate cream filling and a thick covering of rich chocolate icing all over – Jamie left me a single slice and it took several days to finish just that.
Sue and I went shopping before they arrived and filled the car to the gunnels and emptied the back account as we found all the treats that Jamie might like. As he was only with us for a couple of days he had to take most of it back to Hull with him.
We were planning to have a BBQ having bought new patio furniture and a BBQ, but as luck would have it was cold and wet so Sue did all the cooking inside and we had a great buffet spread. The chocolate cake Sue made was an enormous construction, three sponge layers high with chocolate cream filling and a thick covering of rich chocolate icing all over – Jamie left me a single slice and it took several days to finish just that.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Rock on…
The Zimmers are the oldest rock group ever with a combined age of 3000, and the oldest member 100 years young, they are even older than the Rolling Stones. The group of OAPs came together to perform as a result of a BBC TV program called Power to the People, a three-part series of mischievous documentaries presented by Tim Samuels - who helps some of the most disenfranchised people in society make their voice heard. Their choice of the Who’s ‘My Generation’ as the single they have recorded is made more poignant when the 90 year old lead singer, Alf, sings the immortal line – ‘I hope I die before I get old’.
In an interview one of the women in the group expressed how excited she was to be flying to America to appear in a talk show. She said it would be the first time on an airplane since 1926!
In an interview one of the women in the group expressed how excited she was to be flying to America to appear in a talk show. She said it would be the first time on an airplane since 1926!
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