Total Fuckwit
Today I think I encountered the world's biggest fuckwit. Yes, I am talking about the driver of VW Corrola GK06GKU, an individual who's display of driving prowess this afternoon came as close as possible to killing me without actually committing the act itself.
Drivers, if you are not familiar with the concept of the cyclist, let me make something clear, WE GO SLOWER THAN YOU DO. Hence there may be times when you find yourself behind one of us and having to crawl along at snails pace because there is no room to over take. Some pieces of advice to bear in mind at this point.
1. Bringing your front bumper to within a mm of the cyclists back wheel will not get you where you want to go any faster.
2. If you hit said cyclist we are going to come off and probably go under your wheels.
3. That will result in my entrails or those of a fellow cyclist all over the underside of your car and we wouldn't want a nasty mess like that to clean up now would we?
4. So...... BACK THE FUCK OFF
When the time comes and you can finally get past us it is normally polite to give a couple of feet of space as opposed doing what VW man did and try and use my handle bars to shave a layer of paint off the side of his car.
In short, the driver of GK06GKU is a knob end and one that is going to get someone killed.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
No Room at the Inn
So after quite a bit of arms in the air ranting of late I thought I'd return to what this blog was originally intended for, the trials and tribulations of being a cub leader (or the state of never having got beyond the age of 12 as my Mum would have you believe).
So the new term is rapidly approaching, we have two camps next term, we have a small army of new kids moving up from beavers and we are trying some weird and wonderful new stuff including having a crack at Tai Chi! So after a few weeks of recovering I'm really looking forward to a brand new term.
There's a fly in the ointment though, and that is we are full, in fact more than that we are totally over crowded. And not as in we can't take anyone for a few weeks but as in we wont even take kids onto the waiting list, we will only take those coming up from beavers and that's not going to change for a couple of years as things stand. And we are not the only ones, other nearby groups are in the same positions, bulging at the seams and no sign of a change.
Now of course in many ways this is a good thing, if we are fighting the kids off with a stick then clearly we are doing something right, kids only come if they enjoy it.
What I don't like though is the huge number I have had to turn away. There was one today, there were two last week, more before that, all told I've turned at least 20 kids away this year so far. It's a constant stream.
This could be different though, if we (and I mean the scout association over all) had the adults to run things we could set up new groups and take these kids, we could do so much. And I believe in what we do, it's about the only thing I agree with in terms of the right wing press, ie that getting out there and doing something adventurous outdoors that might involve getting cold wet and muddy does kids the world of good, and what's more they love it! (By the way I totally disagree with the right wing press on their attitude to some of the fluffier sides of scouting but I guess we can't have everything).
So why don't people volunteer? Not just for us but for anything? It's something I can't get my head around. Why do people sit their and scratch their nuts in front of the tv when they could be out their doing something different? Yes it can be hard work but it's also a hell of a lot of fun as well. I know that I have made most of best friends through volunteering
So I'll be heading back in a couple of weeks with mixed feelings.
So after quite a bit of arms in the air ranting of late I thought I'd return to what this blog was originally intended for, the trials and tribulations of being a cub leader (or the state of never having got beyond the age of 12 as my Mum would have you believe).
So the new term is rapidly approaching, we have two camps next term, we have a small army of new kids moving up from beavers and we are trying some weird and wonderful new stuff including having a crack at Tai Chi! So after a few weeks of recovering I'm really looking forward to a brand new term.
There's a fly in the ointment though, and that is we are full, in fact more than that we are totally over crowded. And not as in we can't take anyone for a few weeks but as in we wont even take kids onto the waiting list, we will only take those coming up from beavers and that's not going to change for a couple of years as things stand. And we are not the only ones, other nearby groups are in the same positions, bulging at the seams and no sign of a change.
Now of course in many ways this is a good thing, if we are fighting the kids off with a stick then clearly we are doing something right, kids only come if they enjoy it.
What I don't like though is the huge number I have had to turn away. There was one today, there were two last week, more before that, all told I've turned at least 20 kids away this year so far. It's a constant stream.
This could be different though, if we (and I mean the scout association over all) had the adults to run things we could set up new groups and take these kids, we could do so much. And I believe in what we do, it's about the only thing I agree with in terms of the right wing press, ie that getting out there and doing something adventurous outdoors that might involve getting cold wet and muddy does kids the world of good, and what's more they love it! (By the way I totally disagree with the right wing press on their attitude to some of the fluffier sides of scouting but I guess we can't have everything).
So why don't people volunteer? Not just for us but for anything? It's something I can't get my head around. Why do people sit their and scratch their nuts in front of the tv when they could be out their doing something different? Yes it can be hard work but it's also a hell of a lot of fun as well. I know that I have made most of best friends through volunteering
So I'll be heading back in a couple of weeks with mixed feelings.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
England 2 Czech Republic 2
Why the fuck do I bother?
Ticket - £40
Train fair - £24
Pie and a pint £7.30
Total Spend to watch that pile of shite £71.30.
Tickets for the next England home game, a world cup qualifier v Kazakstan, go on sale next week, now can someone explaine why I should bother after the festival of tepid wank that the supposed cream of our national sporting crop produced tonight at Wembley? There were exceptions, Rio Ferdinand looked pretty solid, Jermain Defoe looked the only player likely to score in open play (both these players were inexplicably substituted) and when Bentley came on as a sub he added some life to an otherwise limp looking attack.
As for the rest? Barry and Lampard had identicle performances, both looked over weight, neither showed any class and neither did anything of note other than give the ball away. Rooney and Heskey were both anonymous and while Beckham worked hard he was woefully off the pace. Woodgate and Jenas were both totally out of their depth and the defensive howler between Woodgate and Brown that nearly let in the Czechs for a third was the stuff of utter farce.
England can play better, I've seen them do it. They were not helped by some rather odd tactics (why the fuck was Joe Cole played up front when he came on?) and even weirded substitutions but on the whole the players have only themselves to blame for producing a performance that was simply not worthy of the honour of playing with the three lions on their shirt. And with that performance is it any wonder there were 20,000 empty seats tonight?
They should be utterly ashamed.
Right, it's late and I'm going to bed.
Why the fuck do I bother?
Ticket - £40
Train fair - £24
Pie and a pint £7.30
Total Spend to watch that pile of shite £71.30.
Tickets for the next England home game, a world cup qualifier v Kazakstan, go on sale next week, now can someone explaine why I should bother after the festival of tepid wank that the supposed cream of our national sporting crop produced tonight at Wembley? There were exceptions, Rio Ferdinand looked pretty solid, Jermain Defoe looked the only player likely to score in open play (both these players were inexplicably substituted) and when Bentley came on as a sub he added some life to an otherwise limp looking attack.
As for the rest? Barry and Lampard had identicle performances, both looked over weight, neither showed any class and neither did anything of note other than give the ball away. Rooney and Heskey were both anonymous and while Beckham worked hard he was woefully off the pace. Woodgate and Jenas were both totally out of their depth and the defensive howler between Woodgate and Brown that nearly let in the Czechs for a third was the stuff of utter farce.
England can play better, I've seen them do it. They were not helped by some rather odd tactics (why the fuck was Joe Cole played up front when he came on?) and even weirded substitutions but on the whole the players have only themselves to blame for producing a performance that was simply not worthy of the honour of playing with the three lions on their shirt. And with that performance is it any wonder there were 20,000 empty seats tonight?
They should be utterly ashamed.
Right, it's late and I'm going to bed.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Ticket Touts
I really despise ticket touts, they pretty much sum up everything that is worst in capitalism. They buy up tickets for events people want to see, to see desperately, and then flog them on at extortionate prices.
Now I know the arguments about supply and demand and that if people didn't buy from them they would soon close down but we all know that is not going to happen. So in short, I hate ticket touts (I've never bought from one myself, even when disapointed).
Where's this going?
Tomorrow night I and 3 friends will be off to Wembley to see England v Czech Republic and being the anorak that I am I was interest in seeing how many tickets have been sold. I did a bit of googling (yes I know, it's tragic, but like I said, I'm an anorak, so get over it ok?) and while I didn't find the answer I wanted I did come across this site
Two questions.
Why do they have tickets available for England V Ukraine and England v Kazakstan when they haven't even gone on sale yet?
Why are they advertised at £85 when the most expensive seat to see England is £60?
A couple of clicks in and you find the answer, it's because they are in the club level, and don't cost £85 at all but £250! Now this means that people who have club wembley seats are selling their tickets on to people like this or else this company has snapped up a load of club wembley seats, something that is most definately not meant to happen. Club Wembley was, for the most part, intended as pretty much an England season ticket with the cup final and semi finals lobbed in for good measure.
To me this site stinks and I will be reporting it to the FA given that football tickets are not meant to be sold on above their face value. It sums up the vultures that prey on the ordinary fan, something football is infested with now.
I really despise ticket touts, they pretty much sum up everything that is worst in capitalism. They buy up tickets for events people want to see, to see desperately, and then flog them on at extortionate prices.
Now I know the arguments about supply and demand and that if people didn't buy from them they would soon close down but we all know that is not going to happen. So in short, I hate ticket touts (I've never bought from one myself, even when disapointed).
Where's this going?
Tomorrow night I and 3 friends will be off to Wembley to see England v Czech Republic and being the anorak that I am I was interest in seeing how many tickets have been sold. I did a bit of googling (yes I know, it's tragic, but like I said, I'm an anorak, so get over it ok?) and while I didn't find the answer I wanted I did come across this site
Two questions.
Why do they have tickets available for England V Ukraine and England v Kazakstan when they haven't even gone on sale yet?
Why are they advertised at £85 when the most expensive seat to see England is £60?
A couple of clicks in and you find the answer, it's because they are in the club level, and don't cost £85 at all but £250! Now this means that people who have club wembley seats are selling their tickets on to people like this or else this company has snapped up a load of club wembley seats, something that is most definately not meant to happen. Club Wembley was, for the most part, intended as pretty much an England season ticket with the cup final and semi finals lobbed in for good measure.
To me this site stinks and I will be reporting it to the FA given that football tickets are not meant to be sold on above their face value. It sums up the vultures that prey on the ordinary fan, something football is infested with now.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Poor Science Journalism
Although this is about a Daily mail article this is not about the Mail as such, it's simply a small example of the piss poor state of science journalism in this country.
Take a look at this story here
Relatively sensible in how it portrays the research but what is frustrating is its insistence on referring to these people being "immune" to cancer. You can't be immune to cancer, it's impossible. An immune reaction is something that your body produces in response to a foreign body, eg an infecting bacteria or virus. It involves the production of anti bodies, T cells and B cells (both types of white blood cell) in order to destroy that foreign body. Occasionally you can get an auto immune response, a disease where the body's immune system starts attacking parts of the body. eg some types of arthritis.
Cancer is when a cell in your body starts dividing and growing out of control, simple as that (although the causes are very complex). How can you be immune to that?
Now you could argue that in lay mans language "immune" is just taken as meaning that you can't get a certain disease. Fair enough, but surely the press have a duty to try and educate people in science? I don't mean lecturing them but simply ensuring that issues are explained using proper, if slightly simplified at times, scientific terms. Could this story for example have not been told in terms of a certain population having an extremely low rate of cancer and that this appears to be related to the lack of a certain gene that produces this growth hormone? that's quite simple isn't it?
It's a relatively minor example but it is indicative of the poor reporting of science in this country to the point where Jo Public who maybe hasn't been taught any science since they were 16 can be quite justified in not knowing what to think anymore.
This is just a short post as I have things to do but it is a subject that I feel the need to return to in the future. Watch this space.
Although this is about a Daily mail article this is not about the Mail as such, it's simply a small example of the piss poor state of science journalism in this country.
Take a look at this story here
Relatively sensible in how it portrays the research but what is frustrating is its insistence on referring to these people being "immune" to cancer. You can't be immune to cancer, it's impossible. An immune reaction is something that your body produces in response to a foreign body, eg an infecting bacteria or virus. It involves the production of anti bodies, T cells and B cells (both types of white blood cell) in order to destroy that foreign body. Occasionally you can get an auto immune response, a disease where the body's immune system starts attacking parts of the body. eg some types of arthritis.
Cancer is when a cell in your body starts dividing and growing out of control, simple as that (although the causes are very complex). How can you be immune to that?
Now you could argue that in lay mans language "immune" is just taken as meaning that you can't get a certain disease. Fair enough, but surely the press have a duty to try and educate people in science? I don't mean lecturing them but simply ensuring that issues are explained using proper, if slightly simplified at times, scientific terms. Could this story for example have not been told in terms of a certain population having an extremely low rate of cancer and that this appears to be related to the lack of a certain gene that produces this growth hormone? that's quite simple isn't it?
It's a relatively minor example but it is indicative of the poor reporting of science in this country to the point where Jo Public who maybe hasn't been taught any science since they were 16 can be quite justified in not knowing what to think anymore.
This is just a short post as I have things to do but it is a subject that I feel the need to return to in the future. Watch this space.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Thoughts on Brighton
So as you may have seen from the match report, Mrs Akela and myself spent a few days in Brighton this week and I just thought I'd share a few thoughts with you.
Brighton is a city of contrasts, a traditional Victorian seaside resort it has got everything that you expect to go with it, the pier, the seafront, the beach, the arcades, the tacky sea front shops etc. It is also of course the heart of Britain's gay scene and their are a million and one smart and very nice bars, restaurants, clubs etc and loads of funky little shops to go with it. Disappear into the north Laines area and you are in for a great time, especially if you love second hand book shops.
Those are the well known sides to Brighton and the sides that it is keen to emphasise, and rightly so. If it hadn't been for the dreadful weather it would have been a brilliant short break as it was it was a struggle just to keep warm, never mind eh? There is however a bit of a darker side to the place. Go off the beaten track and there is a constant feeling that there is some serious poverty under the surface that is somehow kept away from the tourists. I was shocked at how many people were sleeping rough, genuinely. They were everywhere. And others who were clearly alcoholics or into something stronger.
It is unfortunately something that you see in so many prosperous areas across the country. The centre may get regenerated but somehow there always seem to be those that are left behind and its a crying shame.
So as you may have seen from the match report, Mrs Akela and myself spent a few days in Brighton this week and I just thought I'd share a few thoughts with you.
Brighton is a city of contrasts, a traditional Victorian seaside resort it has got everything that you expect to go with it, the pier, the seafront, the beach, the arcades, the tacky sea front shops etc. It is also of course the heart of Britain's gay scene and their are a million and one smart and very nice bars, restaurants, clubs etc and loads of funky little shops to go with it. Disappear into the north Laines area and you are in for a great time, especially if you love second hand book shops.
Those are the well known sides to Brighton and the sides that it is keen to emphasise, and rightly so. If it hadn't been for the dreadful weather it would have been a brilliant short break as it was it was a struggle just to keep warm, never mind eh? There is however a bit of a darker side to the place. Go off the beaten track and there is a constant feeling that there is some serious poverty under the surface that is somehow kept away from the tourists. I was shocked at how many people were sleeping rough, genuinely. They were everywhere. And others who were clearly alcoholics or into something stronger.
It is unfortunately something that you see in so many prosperous areas across the country. The centre may get regenerated but somehow there always seem to be those that are left behind and its a crying shame.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Pig Bloody Ignorance
It was with great sadness that I read this story while scouring the mail website
Note, this is nothing to dowith him being a scout but simple sadness for the loss of a fellow mountaineer. Anyone that loves the mountains and being in them has something in common and when one dies we lose one of our own.
Also note that for once I can find no fault with article, none at all, it is simple reporting of the facts, something that journalism could do with a little more of, in my humble opinion. No, my issue is with the smug little gits who have commented, who have come out with some of these wonderful little gems.
"//'Tom was an experienced scout so it's a mystery why this happened./// Simple - he clearly wasn't that exerienced. No experienced walker/hiker would go off by themselves like this. That's Walking Rule Number One - the very first thing that you get taught. Simple case of him thinking he was more advanced than he was.
- Rob, Amsterdam, Netherlands., 14/8/2008 11:11"
Ah yes the Netherlands, reknowned for its mountains isn't it? Rob your ignorance is incredible, going off on your own does not make it any less likely that you have a simple trip or slip, as this appears to be. Yes it can hasten your rescue but it doesn't stop accidents.
After being ticked off by another poster Rob resurfaces
//Not a word of sympathy from Ann/Rob. You should be ashamed//. Yeah, fair point. It is indeed a tragic loss. But my main sympathies are reserved for the mountain rescue teams that place themselves in danger due to other people's recklesness and those that over-estimate their own abilities.
- Rob, Amsterdam, Netherlands., 14/8/2008 14:24
Once again Rob fails to grasp the point that being on his own didn't cause this accident or that mountain rescue teams are mostly volunteers who choose to do what they do and is a simple case of mountaineers rescuing their own.
i do not know why he took such a risk .
- pamela, weymouth great britain, 14/8/2008 14:33
Look Pam, the small risk walkers (and this is what he was doing rather than full on climbing) take is simply because they have a sense of adventure, something you clearly lack. Just accept that not everyone wants to just sit and home and piss their life away watching Eastenders.
no sympathy..he knew the risks and was out f his depth
- donny dehaviland, fleet ,hampshire england, 14/8/2008 16:01
FUCK OFF YOU LITTLE WANK STAIN, A YOUNG MAN HAS JUST DIED SO KISS MY ARSE YOU LITTLE SHIT. YOU MAY HAVE NO SYMPATHY BUT YOU DON'T FUCKING WELL SAY IT. THIS MAN HAD FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO HAVE JUST BEEN BEREAVED, WHO MAY WELL BE LOOKING AT THE MEDIA COVERAGE AND YOU TROT OUT ILL THOUGHT OUT GARBAGE LIKE THIS FOR THEM TO READ?
The utter ignorance shown by these commentators infuriates me. So I think I'll leave you with why I love the mountains, a picture of the central Scottish Highlands taken by me when I was 18. This is my screen saver, enjoy!
It was with great sadness that I read this story while scouring the mail website
Note, this is nothing to dowith him being a scout but simple sadness for the loss of a fellow mountaineer. Anyone that loves the mountains and being in them has something in common and when one dies we lose one of our own.
Also note that for once I can find no fault with article, none at all, it is simple reporting of the facts, something that journalism could do with a little more of, in my humble opinion. No, my issue is with the smug little gits who have commented, who have come out with some of these wonderful little gems.
"//'Tom was an experienced scout so it's a mystery why this happened./// Simple - he clearly wasn't that exerienced. No experienced walker/hiker would go off by themselves like this. That's Walking Rule Number One - the very first thing that you get taught. Simple case of him thinking he was more advanced than he was.
- Rob, Amsterdam, Netherlands., 14/8/2008 11:11"
Ah yes the Netherlands, reknowned for its mountains isn't it? Rob your ignorance is incredible, going off on your own does not make it any less likely that you have a simple trip or slip, as this appears to be. Yes it can hasten your rescue but it doesn't stop accidents.
After being ticked off by another poster Rob resurfaces
//Not a word of sympathy from Ann/Rob. You should be ashamed//. Yeah, fair point. It is indeed a tragic loss. But my main sympathies are reserved for the mountain rescue teams that place themselves in danger due to other people's recklesness and those that over-estimate their own abilities.
- Rob, Amsterdam, Netherlands., 14/8/2008 14:24
Once again Rob fails to grasp the point that being on his own didn't cause this accident or that mountain rescue teams are mostly volunteers who choose to do what they do and is a simple case of mountaineers rescuing their own.
i do not know why he took such a risk .
- pamela, weymouth great britain, 14/8/2008 14:33
Look Pam, the small risk walkers (and this is what he was doing rather than full on climbing) take is simply because they have a sense of adventure, something you clearly lack. Just accept that not everyone wants to just sit and home and piss their life away watching Eastenders.
no sympathy..he knew the risks and was out f his depth
- donny dehaviland, fleet ,hampshire england, 14/8/2008 16:01
FUCK OFF YOU LITTLE WANK STAIN, A YOUNG MAN HAS JUST DIED SO KISS MY ARSE YOU LITTLE SHIT. YOU MAY HAVE NO SYMPATHY BUT YOU DON'T FUCKING WELL SAY IT. THIS MAN HAD FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO HAVE JUST BEEN BEREAVED, WHO MAY WELL BE LOOKING AT THE MEDIA COVERAGE AND YOU TROT OUT ILL THOUGHT OUT GARBAGE LIKE THIS FOR THEM TO READ?
The utter ignorance shown by these commentators infuriates me. So I think I'll leave you with why I love the mountains, a picture of the central Scottish Highlands taken by me when I was 18. This is my screen saver, enjoy!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Brighton and Hove Albion 4 Barnet 0
Carling Cup Round 1
When you support a small lower division club like Barnet there are certain things that you have to accept. One of those is that there will be nights like this where, mid week, away at a small crappy stadium your team, made of nominally competent professional footballers, will turn in a performance of such woeful ineptitude as to leave you questioning whether they have perfected the art of walking and breathing at the same time. Make no mistake, it was awful.
So where to begin? Well first of all I would like to give you a blow by blow account of this debacle telling you where it all went wrong, but given that this farce took place at the Withdean this is not really possible. For the unitiated Brighton currently occupy a temporary home with a series of temporary stands surrounding an athletics track with a pitch in the middle. So given the shear distance of yours truly from the action I can’t give much detail on any individual.
The signs were not good from the start, a fairly harmless situation as Brighton attacked down the right lead to a cock up, then a shocking tackle which I think the Barnet player was lucky not to be sent off for, a free kick to the far post, no defending, no marking, no fucking effort what so ever and bang, 1-0, 90 seconds gone.
Still, plenty of time to come back eh? And so Barnet made some forays forward, most of which ended with the ball being given away. It was all quite turgid with the monotony broken only by a series of songs about a giant cuddly black and amber fish that some of the more enterprising members of the Barnet support had won on Brighton pier. One of those forays in the mean time became quite promising and saw a cross flash across the box and which no less than 3 unmarked Barnet players failed to connect with. It was the nearest we would come all night.
At least Barnet were trying to entertain but more in the Laurel and Hardy style of things as yet a other wayward pass let Brighton in for their second. To be honest I’m not quite sure what happened, I recall groaning in despair as the right back gave it away and next thing I knew the ball was in the net. At this point I realised just how long a football season could be and at this rate this could be the longest on record.
The comedy continued, Brighton made it 3 with an almost carbon copy of the 1st and at this point came the most entertaining point of the evening. One well known Barnet fan stood up and shouted moaning at the team, someone else told him to shut up, words were exchanged, the two individuals squared up and the two individuals were politely asked to vacate the premises by the stewards. As Brighton made it 4 without so much as whimper from the Bees they were called on again as someone collapsed drunk and incapable at the back. The awfulness of the performance driving someone to drink. The rest of us had taken to throwing around the cuddly fish, being far more fun that the drivel we were being invited to watch on the pitch.
The second half brought no further goals but it did manage 2 red cards. First for Barnet’s Kenny Gillet, and thoroughly deserved it was. A bit of off the ball pushing and shoving that needed no more than a talking to saw Gillet decided to nut the Brighton player. The red card was shown, Gillet walked, what a prat.
By this time the Barnet fans had decided to entertain themselves by singing The Final Count Down, Wonderwall, Lady in Red, Baggy Trousers and other songs so random that I was left speechless.
The next red card saw a bit more off the ball, this time a Brighton player pretended he had been nutted and was sent off for the trouble, again, what a prat.
The game dragged its sorry arse to an end and me and Mrs Akela returned to our hotel, very bored and very cold. The trouble is that despite this I know that it wont be long before I’m back on the terraces.
Don’t you just love football?
Carling Cup Round 1
When you support a small lower division club like Barnet there are certain things that you have to accept. One of those is that there will be nights like this where, mid week, away at a small crappy stadium your team, made of nominally competent professional footballers, will turn in a performance of such woeful ineptitude as to leave you questioning whether they have perfected the art of walking and breathing at the same time. Make no mistake, it was awful.
So where to begin? Well first of all I would like to give you a blow by blow account of this debacle telling you where it all went wrong, but given that this farce took place at the Withdean this is not really possible. For the unitiated Brighton currently occupy a temporary home with a series of temporary stands surrounding an athletics track with a pitch in the middle. So given the shear distance of yours truly from the action I can’t give much detail on any individual.
The signs were not good from the start, a fairly harmless situation as Brighton attacked down the right lead to a cock up, then a shocking tackle which I think the Barnet player was lucky not to be sent off for, a free kick to the far post, no defending, no marking, no fucking effort what so ever and bang, 1-0, 90 seconds gone.
Still, plenty of time to come back eh? And so Barnet made some forays forward, most of which ended with the ball being given away. It was all quite turgid with the monotony broken only by a series of songs about a giant cuddly black and amber fish that some of the more enterprising members of the Barnet support had won on Brighton pier. One of those forays in the mean time became quite promising and saw a cross flash across the box and which no less than 3 unmarked Barnet players failed to connect with. It was the nearest we would come all night.
At least Barnet were trying to entertain but more in the Laurel and Hardy style of things as yet a other wayward pass let Brighton in for their second. To be honest I’m not quite sure what happened, I recall groaning in despair as the right back gave it away and next thing I knew the ball was in the net. At this point I realised just how long a football season could be and at this rate this could be the longest on record.
The comedy continued, Brighton made it 3 with an almost carbon copy of the 1st and at this point came the most entertaining point of the evening. One well known Barnet fan stood up and shouted moaning at the team, someone else told him to shut up, words were exchanged, the two individuals squared up and the two individuals were politely asked to vacate the premises by the stewards. As Brighton made it 4 without so much as whimper from the Bees they were called on again as someone collapsed drunk and incapable at the back. The awfulness of the performance driving someone to drink. The rest of us had taken to throwing around the cuddly fish, being far more fun that the drivel we were being invited to watch on the pitch.
The second half brought no further goals but it did manage 2 red cards. First for Barnet’s Kenny Gillet, and thoroughly deserved it was. A bit of off the ball pushing and shoving that needed no more than a talking to saw Gillet decided to nut the Brighton player. The red card was shown, Gillet walked, what a prat.
By this time the Barnet fans had decided to entertain themselves by singing The Final Count Down, Wonderwall, Lady in Red, Baggy Trousers and other songs so random that I was left speechless.
The next red card saw a bit more off the ball, this time a Brighton player pretended he had been nutted and was sent off for the trouble, again, what a prat.
The game dragged its sorry arse to an end and me and Mrs Akela returned to our hotel, very bored and very cold. The trouble is that despite this I know that it wont be long before I’m back on the terraces.
Don’t you just love football?
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Barnet 1 Chesterfield 3
You sit and wait from may till August without any football to get excited about, your club gets rid of the dead wood, they bring in some promising youngsters. It's all looking promising.
And then they go and fuck it up on the first day of the season in spectacular fashion. Such is the lot of the follower of any club be it Arsenal or Accrington Stanley. Thankfully I wasn't there to whitness this debarcle. I'll be there on Tuesday though when we are away to Brighton and am expecting something a little better!
Football is back ladies and gentlemen, and not before time.
COME ON YOU BEES!!!
You sit and wait from may till August without any football to get excited about, your club gets rid of the dead wood, they bring in some promising youngsters. It's all looking promising.
And then they go and fuck it up on the first day of the season in spectacular fashion. Such is the lot of the follower of any club be it Arsenal or Accrington Stanley. Thankfully I wasn't there to whitness this debarcle. I'll be there on Tuesday though when we are away to Brighton and am expecting something a little better!
Football is back ladies and gentlemen, and not before time.
COME ON YOU BEES!!!
Saturday, August 09, 2008
Something a bit different
So me and Mrs Akela are just back from a wedding and what an interesting wedding it was.
I’m in that time of life where many friends are getting married and the last few summers have produced a huge crop of them. Most of them have been church weddings and of those all have been in Church of England churches. So how these things work is something I am quite familiar with. However yesterday was my first experience of a wedding at an evangelical Baptist church.
Now much of it I was expecting, a quite informal set up in terms of no alter to speak of, no pews, music provided by a full on rock band and some seriously enthusiastic singing from the regulars at the church. Like wise I was expecting quite a full on sermon. The couple getting married are seriously committed Christians, they met through both helping run a Christian youth group and so this was always going to be the nature of this wedding. And that should not be read in anyway as a criticism, it was their wedding celebrated their way and I am very pleased for them.
However, there were a couple of things that I was not expecting and indeed that in part left me feeling a little uncomfortable.
Firstly one of the readings was part of Ephesians and included Paul’s instructions that wives should submit to their husbands.
Now this is where me and Paul part company in our opinions. Lets remember what the book of Ephesians is, it was a letter from St Paul to the Ephesians in the 1st century AD that consists of Paul’s views on the teachings of Jesus. And I have never been able to fathom where Paul gets his views on women from, I really don’t.
Now if you are a woman and a Christian and you subscribe to Paul’s beliefs on that point then that is your choice and far be it from me to interfere. However I was surprised that this particular friend of mine has gone along with it. Maybe one day we’ll discuss it but I certainly didn’t think that her wedding day was the time and place to do so!
Second was the sermon. The sermon was all about a passage from the book of Solomon that describes love and to be honest the priest had some very wise and thoughtful words to say on it and made me think quite deeply. However the priest, in my opinion, let himself down quite a lot with comments that I think can be paraphrased as atheists cannot fully appreciate love because they believe that it is a purely biological function. Now I am not an atheist, I am Christian, but I have many friends and family who are and to say that these people cannot fully appreciate love is so wrong as to actually be offensive.
And that is frustrating because it further polarises the differences between those of faith and those of none. It is very similar to the way Richard Dawkins comes across. His aggressive form of atheism often repels the religious from exploring science when it actual fact is perfectly possible to be both religious and believe in evolution and the big bang. And so this priest’s attitudes risk alienating the religious from exploring the world of science. Both sides come across as arrogant and that does not help anyone.
To see two sides that simply wont listen or try to understand each other is incredibly frustrating when you have a foot in each camp.
So me and Mrs Akela are just back from a wedding and what an interesting wedding it was.
I’m in that time of life where many friends are getting married and the last few summers have produced a huge crop of them. Most of them have been church weddings and of those all have been in Church of England churches. So how these things work is something I am quite familiar with. However yesterday was my first experience of a wedding at an evangelical Baptist church.
Now much of it I was expecting, a quite informal set up in terms of no alter to speak of, no pews, music provided by a full on rock band and some seriously enthusiastic singing from the regulars at the church. Like wise I was expecting quite a full on sermon. The couple getting married are seriously committed Christians, they met through both helping run a Christian youth group and so this was always going to be the nature of this wedding. And that should not be read in anyway as a criticism, it was their wedding celebrated their way and I am very pleased for them.
However, there were a couple of things that I was not expecting and indeed that in part left me feeling a little uncomfortable.
Firstly one of the readings was part of Ephesians and included Paul’s instructions that wives should submit to their husbands.
Now this is where me and Paul part company in our opinions. Lets remember what the book of Ephesians is, it was a letter from St Paul to the Ephesians in the 1st century AD that consists of Paul’s views on the teachings of Jesus. And I have never been able to fathom where Paul gets his views on women from, I really don’t.
Now if you are a woman and a Christian and you subscribe to Paul’s beliefs on that point then that is your choice and far be it from me to interfere. However I was surprised that this particular friend of mine has gone along with it. Maybe one day we’ll discuss it but I certainly didn’t think that her wedding day was the time and place to do so!
Second was the sermon. The sermon was all about a passage from the book of Solomon that describes love and to be honest the priest had some very wise and thoughtful words to say on it and made me think quite deeply. However the priest, in my opinion, let himself down quite a lot with comments that I think can be paraphrased as atheists cannot fully appreciate love because they believe that it is a purely biological function. Now I am not an atheist, I am Christian, but I have many friends and family who are and to say that these people cannot fully appreciate love is so wrong as to actually be offensive.
And that is frustrating because it further polarises the differences between those of faith and those of none. It is very similar to the way Richard Dawkins comes across. His aggressive form of atheism often repels the religious from exploring science when it actual fact is perfectly possible to be both religious and believe in evolution and the big bang. And so this priest’s attitudes risk alienating the religious from exploring the world of science. Both sides come across as arrogant and that does not help anyone.
To see two sides that simply wont listen or try to understand each other is incredibly frustrating when you have a foot in each camp.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Many Thanks to Anonymous
Some of you may have seen my post about the flat earth website a couple of days ago. It seems that I should have read further as it seems that I fell for a brilliant peice of satire.
Go back and read the site though, it's utter genius!
Some of you may have seen my post about the flat earth website a couple of days ago. It seems that I should have read further as it seems that I fell for a brilliant peice of satire.
Go back and read the site though, it's utter genius!
Monday, August 04, 2008
Flat Earth Theory
The internet is a weird and wonderful place. Come up with the most odd ball of ideas and you'll probably find a site dedicated to it. (Someone did once suggest I googled John Prescott Anne Widdecombe porn but I have to confess that my nerve failed me) Over time I've come to just accept in a very strange way that people with some rather odd views (even Mail readers) need their place to go and converse. Yet even I was left stunned by this.
Read it, I urge you. Read every last word of this, savour it.
And why should you? Because it proves once and for all that the completely stark staring mental excentric is no longer a thing of the past!
Flat Earthers, if only for your completely unashamed determination to be different, I salute you!
The internet is a weird and wonderful place. Come up with the most odd ball of ideas and you'll probably find a site dedicated to it. (Someone did once suggest I googled John Prescott Anne Widdecombe porn but I have to confess that my nerve failed me) Over time I've come to just accept in a very strange way that people with some rather odd views (even Mail readers) need their place to go and converse. Yet even I was left stunned by this.
Read it, I urge you. Read every last word of this, savour it.
And why should you? Because it proves once and for all that the completely stark staring mental excentric is no longer a thing of the past!
Flat Earthers, if only for your completely unashamed determination to be different, I salute you!
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Random Ramblings
Not a huge amount to say today but just thought I'd share some random thoughts of no great consequence with you all.
This morning I found a fiver in my pocket that I didn't realise was there. How cool is that when that happens? You can earn a shed load but that extra fiver you find always makes you feel much richer.
I'll admit it, I was wrong about the Mail being all sarcarstic about the scout birthday award story. Hasn't stopped them being barstards towards us in the past though.
Somehow for the first time ever I've just seen the video for Club Tropicana by Wham. Tell me, explain, please, how did no one realise that George Michael was gay back then? How the hell did it pass everyone by?
I've just discovered a blackberry bush down the alley way that runs behind the back gardens of our street. Big, juicy, ripe, no pesticides or crap like that. Have picked a load this morning and will be back for more.
Does anyone know what snooker balls are made of?
I have tickets for no less than 3 football matches in August, can't wait for the season to get started, I really am feeling footy starved. Brighton V Barnet, England v Czech Republic and Barnet V Brentford. Pitty I'll be missing the first match of the season as I'll be at a wedding.
Tomorrow is my parents 40th wedding aniversary! Congratulations to Grand Akela and Grand Mrs Akela!
That was nice, makes a change from my normal ranting and raving doesn't it? Do you know I feel almost calm and scerene?
Not a huge amount to say today but just thought I'd share some random thoughts of no great consequence with you all.
This morning I found a fiver in my pocket that I didn't realise was there. How cool is that when that happens? You can earn a shed load but that extra fiver you find always makes you feel much richer.
I'll admit it, I was wrong about the Mail being all sarcarstic about the scout birthday award story. Hasn't stopped them being barstards towards us in the past though.
Somehow for the first time ever I've just seen the video for Club Tropicana by Wham. Tell me, explain, please, how did no one realise that George Michael was gay back then? How the hell did it pass everyone by?
I've just discovered a blackberry bush down the alley way that runs behind the back gardens of our street. Big, juicy, ripe, no pesticides or crap like that. Have picked a load this morning and will be back for more.
Does anyone know what snooker balls are made of?
I have tickets for no less than 3 football matches in August, can't wait for the season to get started, I really am feeling footy starved. Brighton V Barnet, England v Czech Republic and Barnet V Brentford. Pitty I'll be missing the first match of the season as I'll be at a wedding.
Tomorrow is my parents 40th wedding aniversary! Congratulations to Grand Akela and Grand Mrs Akela!
That was nice, makes a change from my normal ranting and raving doesn't it? Do you know I feel almost calm and scerene?
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