We didn't start the fire....

Billy Joel - We Didn't start the fire



Ist been quite a while since i posted my last blog, and the excuse for this is....



There's been a lot going on, but i've also not come up with a thought provoking blog until now, this isn't about my life, but how the world has changed over the past 20 years.


And this ties nicely into the song at the top of the page, if youv'e not familiar with the song - see here



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR-A4QFHZBA



The essense of the song is essentially world events from 1949 to 1989, 40 years of life changing figures, events and things that make up our history.



Its also got a very catchy tune with 114 events i total (I haven't counted)



So, in that essence, what if we took it over the last 20 years, 1989 - 2009.



If someone was to rewrite that song NOW, for those 20 years, what would be included ? Obvisouly my thoughts are going to be skewed towards the latter end of this period, my period of living memory, and no-way am i going to go for 100+, so lets see how i get on. (And these are in no particular order of significance)



1# Michael Jackson -



This man, as much as some people loath him for his personal live and general dilusional behaviour, was, a genius. His vocals, choreography and stage presence can be matched by very few. Unfortuantly, he has now passed on, through means fair or foul to being deceased.

#2 Barack Obama

I'll include Barak Obama (SP) Here because he's been so at the forefront of the media for the first "Black" President, prior US Presedential elections i have followed and stayed up for, but this one was something different, and although he hasn't done anything that i can see of great difference, he's none the less a personality and a statement of the modern times.

#3 Iraq

On this point i include 2 elements, both the reign of Saddam Hussain, and the invasion.
I remember vividly seeing the bombers taking off from RAF Cosford, and all over other parts of the country on BBC news to see planes taking off destined for their bombing run destinations.

#4 9/11

These posts arn't in any particular order of importance, but if it was, this would probably be in the top 5 significant events of the past 20 years quite easily. I remember exactly where i was when this happened, and all the commotion that it did cause. The images in my head are still engraved to this day of the Planes crashing into the towers.

Which brings me onto......

#5 Concorde

That plane ? My god it was beautiful, it was design at its paramount. It was the first plane to break the sound barrier followed by many...... Oh Wait... no other plane has smashed that barrier.. And the reason ? Well, its not technology or materials, because they've certainly advanced. The reason is costs, no longer are we willing to push the boundaries of science and transport, and instead focus on the boundaries of economy, thank you very much Ryan Air.

So thats 5, where now ?
I'm going to include a couple of sportsmen.

#6 Tiger Woods

What HASN'T this man for Golf ? Young, Good looking, Sponserable, Black, everything that was against the "mould" of a golfer, he practiced, brought in new training regimes, made golfers fitter and have diet plans. He CHANGED the sport, and dominated it for a long time before someone caught up.

#6 Michael Schumacher

Probably something thats going in here because of my love of F1, although the man is a genius, a competitor. But half of me thinks that its not all down to his training and drive, but actually down to his genetics. I read somewhere once that he only had a heart beat of 45bpm at rest and only 80 or so whilst racing, how can anyone compete with that ?

Where now....

#7 Bill Gates/Microsoft

I suppose i could put Sir Tim Berners-Lee here, but i feel this guy, the GOD of the geek has made a bigger difference to the way computers operate. Right now, i'm taking for granted really what he's developed, i know software, i know a bit of code. But how to intergrate that with a silicone chip. Well, its just mind boggling to me.

#8 Princess Diana

It pains me to put this on here, it really does, because I am nor a Royalist, nor do I follow any kind of religion, however i can't remember any death being as profound in my memory as this one. Even another death of a Royal (The Queen Mother) doesn't compare. It effected the country, even if it didn't effect me in any direct way.


#9 Eminem

Its only a fleeting thought that made me include Eminem, but i genuinley do think he has changed rap music, its crossed the Black/White race into far deeper territories than Raymond Van Winkle. And he seems a Humble guy too.

#10

It was acutally hard to get to 10, and the final one is something pretty significant. It may not have a dramtic effect on our lives now, but i can guarentee it will in the future.

And it is.

Dolly the Sheep

If this song was written by the great Billy Joel again, not all of these i'm sure would make the list. But its worth a think, what great things have happened in our lives, life changing events or great people, who knows. We could probably write another hit with all the ideas.

Anyone got any ?

Fin.

Go crazy from the moment i met you...

The Veronicas - Untouched

Who's gonna drive you home.....

Wishbone Ash – Blowin Free

Well. I’ve had a lot of time to think about what subject to write about this morning,

The reason why I’ve had a large amount of time to think, was the fact I was stuck in traffic, bumper to bumper, for around 0.75 miles.

So there I bring myself onto the chosen subject, the roads, the people that drive on them and the cars the litter the black tarmac across the country every single morning.

Now, this is not something which I normally have to go through every day, most days at work (Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri) I start at a godly Unsocial time of 12:30, leaving me a clear run straight to work, straight to a usual parking spot, and on the whole, its largely a pleasant experience, knowing that the variation of the traffic is as consistent as Manchester United’s performance in the Premier League (The occasional blip can be forgotten about)

Then there’s Wednesday, the stain on my weekly trip to work…… Start time.. 09:00.

Unfortunately, I’m a person that has a fear of being late, I cannot bear to step into a building in a rush, it has become something of an obsession.
I have actually had friendships break up because of my need to be moving at a pace faster than necessary.

So for a start date of 09:00, with my unnecessary need to be there in an amount of time. I have to set off, in my car at 7:55, and then progress into the drudgery of clutch, accel, brake, clutch (rinse and repeat)

People moan about people driving too fast to consume too much fuel, but this pales in the comparison to the amount of fuel wasted by the inefficiency of the British transport system.
And its not as if there’s a more effective bus route that could utilise a bus lane, no, if I wanted to get to work on bus/train/space hopper combination, I’d have to take a route which was as direct as a Gordon Brown speech on expenses affair, and therefore even worse in the long run of helping me get to work quicker, or whilst helping Mr Polar bear in the arctic circle.

So how has history taught us?
When the Romans came to England, they decided to use long stretches of limestone to make the corridors of England more effective, i.e Roads. They learned to have a prosperous economy, they needed to have an efficient system to transfer goods around the country.

We’re using roads, that are the same width now as 40 years ago, the roads needs widening, making more efficient, or.

Teach people to drive there cars in a manor which reflects today’s society, in go Karting, I’ve followed another karts bumper, at highspeeds flinging it round corners for over an hour, coming within a cats whisker of touching them. But because of the level of concentration, there was no real danger of ever hitting the leading car.

Imagine if everyone set off in pretty much succession in a morning, instead of fiddling with the radio, and actually using that right pedal in conjunction with the left. Not switching lanes to help their own progress, which in the most part… is minimal.
For goodness sake, learn to drive, progress society, and help the economy.

Test

Test


-- Posted From My iPhone

I Salute you!

AC/DC - For those about to rock,

Well truely, I do salute you.

Salute any person around me that has bothered to turn on the Radio, (And i do mean only Radio 2, and nothing else) since 1979,

Because that's where I feel i'm stuck, sure, I feel the benefits of the health system, and the denationalisation of everything has partially made this society better.

But on the course of music, bar the odd annoymally of a decent band. My music collection seems somewhat constrained to things pre concieved before i was born.

Let me highlight this by the last 3 band i've been and seen.

AC/DC
Metallica
Foo Fighters

Well, maybe a small exception on that list is Mr Dave Grohl et al, but lets be honest here. The former Nirvana drummer has hardly just handed in his English Anthology.

I'm looking at my top 40 "played" list on Winamp.

Iron Maiden,
Muse,
Chris Issak,
Lynard Skynard
Wishbone Ash
Be*Witched.


Now let me at least defend myself here, Be*Witched (C'est la vie if anyone's interested) was left stuck on repeat, so rapidly climbed the "Most played list" faster than MP's expenses.

So where are all the bands that inspire me these days ?

Is it because when they pick up a guitar, they're all pre influenced even subconsiously by music they've heard ?

Wolfmother for example, if they say they wern't influenced by Led Zep (They did say this).
Quite frankly they're lying.

I know The Beatles obsivously were so influential in this country, because all the Records that came across the pond were brought in there and they had the pleasure of esentially hearing first.

Imagine hearing the Bb Riff of Chuck Berry for Johnny B Goode for the first time ? Even thinking about things like that send shivers down my spine.

Thats the trouble, nothing is new before. We, as a generation havn't got anything in our mindset of being able to expand the musical spectrum. Now, i have to admit, given the 80's, where you'd be forgiven to think electric keyboards had just been invented, and the synthsier was going to cure cancer. You have to give them credit for trying, but thankfully this music is now limited to Flares throughout city centres on Weekends.

So people,

Please, pick up your guitars, and let me hear something i haven't heard before that has the experience of a sexual orgasm, before I actually start working on the Flux Capacitor to seek Keef and Mick, and generally stalk them up until.... Now ?

Many Thanks

When i ruled the world....

Coldplay - Viva La Vida,

Hi There!

It’s been a while since I’ve updated this blog, due to actual real life time constraints!

So a quick post before i start work this morning - "T Minus 16 Mins"



First of all,

The Song choice for today, is not one that I have purposely chosen, nor is it the song that I’m listening to at this moment in time. In fact, if that were true, it would be the Sound of Silence, previously said, I’m at work.

It was infact the song I was listening to on Radio 1 this morning (The enigmatic Scott Mills, taking over from Chris Moyles whilst he's swanning off somewhere, as seems to be par for the course for Radio DJ's)

And what’s special about this, is the fact i was listening to this in my car. Now, on most occasions this is usually unmentionable, a mere steady plateau on the struggle on daily life, but this time, its a bit more special.

Its a new car for me, something which has happened 5 Times over my 7 Year driving stint. And to give you a brief history of my car life.

1) Nissan Micra 1.0l Circa 1993

This thing was a battle ship, almost indestructible, taking it on Landrover tracks, getting 100mph (indicated) with another friend holding the steering wheel, felt like it was going into warp drive. I cared for this car, it was my first one, and i truley enjoyed the little cars Japanese lifeless soul.

2) Volkswagen Golf Mk2 Driver.

From the low levels of a 1.0l Car, to a massive 1.6! (Without fuel injection mind) This was when i was going through my boy racer stage, a Tornado Red Golf, Lowered (My back still laments that day i fitted it), sound system, alloy wheels etc etc.

3) Volkswagen Golf 1.8 Gti 8v

I sadly never got to drive this car, it was one i was going to turn into a track car, and genuinely enjoy it, but was sold briefly after buying......

4) Volkswagen Golf Gti Mk3 2.0l 16v.

I was lucky enough to land a decent job for my Sandwich work placement year, so i treated myself to this car, and owned it for 4 years. It was, and still is pretty nippy, but I’m afraid to say, as I’m getting a bit more sensible, its not exactly what is required, so its currently on eBay (Msg me for a link)


So what now,

Have i carried on the trend of a Volkswagen, maybe even sidestepped the Rhine, and gone BMW, Mercedes ?

No, I’ve made a long hall flight eastwards and bought.


a Skoda,

a Skoda VRS

a Skoda VRS Estate

Now, as everyone knows these days, Skoda are owned by the Volkswagen Audi group,

So whilst it may have been a fictitious long hall flight, it wasn't one which completely alienated my surroundings.

"But he's 24" i hear you cry.

I know...... Its a Skoda, and many people still suffer from the brand snobbery because of this. However it really is a fantastic car!

The 1.8t Engine is so much smoother, with the power delivery even throughout the rev range.

And then there's the practicality of the estate, its actually no real length longer than the saloon version, I can get the mountain bikes in the back, sleep in there if i end up in a drunken stupor miles away from home (Somehow in my car) and it even bears some kind of resemblance to the traditional hatchback I’ve been used to.

Hell, its even less practical over speed bumps than my last car thanks to the low front splitter. (Plastic bit under the bumper)

Yet sadly, driving the larger car, seems to have sent me further into the depths of grumpydom, because I seem to have lost the “spark of driving”.

I think I might just have to get Motorbike again, and go through that process of mid-life-crisis… But then I may have to go through the insurance process of motorbikes again… and that wouldn’t be fun for any concerned……..

24 ? Pah,

A little less conversation, a little more action please..

Song

Elvis - A little less less conversation

I write tonight/todays blog, with a feeling in my arms, a feeling of the fires of hill surging directly along my bicep with their soul aim, to make the "Position" of typing as uncomfortable as it can be.

Or thats so it seems.

You see, i've recently joined the gym. (February)

This is great i thought, body's getting a bit firmer, there's a bit around my tummy that doesn't move anymore. And its all getting "smoother".

Now, don't get me wrong, i've been at the weight of 11.5 Stone (72kg) ish for the past 8/9 Years, never budged anything at all off that mark, just shrunk in places, and expanded in others.

32" Waist, 6' Tall. Infact, my measurments have become so consistent. I am the ultimate Man Shopper, with either looking specifically for 32" Long Trousers, or Medium tops.

It was a given, it was something as consistent as gravity.

That was until i got obsessed with the gym, and improvment of my body!


When i started out at the gym, i maybe had ideas of looking like Christian Bale in Batman, or Pitt in Fightclub, after gurning in the mirror curling 10kg Dumbells a few times.

The reality of course is a much different story, I started off on a breif cardio trip, shed those unwanted bits, and a bit of light lifting. But over the past few months, (Month of April particuarly) I've become obsessed with fitness. Infact, if the Gov. o California walked in here right now, i'm sure i'd tell him that his whole fitness regime was wrong.

I've started buying Mens Health magazine, cooking new "Protein" recipies, just even tensing my muscles whilst at my desk at work.

Fortunatly now, i'm starting to look a bit better in that mirror, particuarly after a workout.

But why am i writing this anyway ?

Ah yes, the grump factor,

Because i am getting bigger Biceps, broader shoulders, and more defined chest. I've had to start actually "Shopping" for clothes, something which i'm sure the better half may be glad about.

But gone now are the days of a 5 Min trip into republic, I have to actually try clothes on, and if i order them online from ASOS, they'd probably have to go back.

Life just isn't fair.

:(

One Day Like this

Song -

Elbow - One day like this.


Only people who work with me may realise the significance of this song. :)

So, whats been my mission over the past 2 days ?

Getting a house.

I'm 23, bearing like an ethopian on PF Changs buffet on 24. Its getting closer, my hair is getting greyer, and i'm getting grumpier by the day, lord knows, i'll be doing "I don't believe it" in no time.


So whats made me particuarly grumpy today...... the process of buying a house.

I'm informed many years ago, when there was 2 moons, and dinosaurs like Jimmy Saville roamed freely, you approach Mr Bank manager with wife i tow/being towed, and you said.

I earn x amount, wife earns y amount, and they give you z amount.

Now, i've been informed on many occasions that this led you to eat a diet of primarily mince and onions for the forseeable future, with the only entertainment to lead the thrilling adventures of robinson crusoe under the moonlight, because you couldn't afford to turn the 35 watt bulb which hangs over your head.

So lets say for arguments sake, you earnt £5k a year, you could borrow (In a round aboutish figure) £15k. And paid it back at a rate of so much a month. Which in days gone by, may have bought you a similar property to the Mr Mital Kensington Palace residence.

But now its so much more complicated it seems, and the main reason for this is, NO-ONE can afford to be a first time buyer, unless you want to bend over and truely pay for it through the enameled calcium between the gums.

Take for instance a £100,000 house, the depoist for this house, at the standard 25% percentage value of property rate would be £25,000.... And heres my points, a £100,000 house should be in the reach of most people income bracket, partiucarly if living with the t'other half.

But not a soul that i know would even come close to this deposit required. Even with a few years saving.

So who can afford these houses ? One simple answer could be taken from medieval times, the evil Sherriff of Nottingham.

They have the money for the deposits, there houses are already paid off, which leads the fact that they can get some of the less fortunate people to rent the house, and effectivley pay the mortgage off for you, actually making his children obscene amounts of money over the course of their lives.

So thats whats made me grumpy, from all the rich bankers that royally fucked over the banking system, and therefore all the trust paid in it. They're the ones that can make the money off the poor by renting the houses that they can't afford back to them.

Its wrong....

Plain Wrong..

"Meh"

Everybody going to the party, have a real good time.

Song - System of a Down - B.Y.O.B


Morning all!

I don't want to make this into a regular occourance, updating early, or everyday, but i'm waiting to set off to 5-a-side football, so i'm making a relativley productive use of my time.

Last night, I had a few beers, nothing excessive, 7 Cans of Carslberg, and let me be the first to say. I WISH i hadn't. My mouth feels as if a rogue rabid infested pidgeon has flown directly overhead and shit in my mouth from a large height. Possibly after eating a diet of its own excrement/nandos chicken.

Its terrible, i feel lathergic, de hydrated, and generally OMG(Old Man Grumpy, you heard it hear first!). Why do it do it ? I'm sure drinking used to be cooler, and easier when i was younger.
But i feel these days, i cannot be relegated to the cheap "Supermarket Special" beer, which leaves me seeking out more exquisite beers, which unfortunatly lead to being more expensive, and usually have the properties of "Rocket Fuel" But at least they're suitable for Human consumption.

Which unfortunatly leads me to the question. Why do i drink at all ?

All the media hype shows that it should be
1) Make me more confident (Don't think i need this)
2) Tastes greeaaaaaaaaaaaattt (I disagree on the Carslberg)
3) Goes perfect with meals (Beers = Curries, Wine = Rest of it, Spirits = ?)

But on the above things i'm not inclined to agree with all the points, but there is a strange Aura around me, that i Have to drink, maybe its becuase i can't stomach people when they're drunk im not. (And i'm sure the feeling is mutual)

So, i'm going to cut down on the amount of Alcofrol i consume, particuarly in "Hoodie drinking binge sessions", and lead onto a path of self improvement, actually making use of my time. Hell, This might even win a Pulizter Price


Great company though, and fantastic Match of Day/Gears of War/South Park evening!

Remember,

Be Champions!

The new Era (Consider it like Star Wars trilogys)

In most cases, it thought it would be nice to blog, and list the "Song" i'm listening to at the time of starting to writing, so let this be the beginning of trend.

Song - Tenacious D - Wonderboy


Well, last night, as you can see from the last post, I was "Pretty" fucked off with work. Not just about the amount of work load that is being lumped on us by the "higher management", (You'll realise I like to use a lot of quotation marks, I find if you wish to be interactive. Do the speech marks with your hands whilst reading.)

But there was one situation, now, since October, i've been entrusted to look after one special area of customers, these known as the dreaded "IPS" customers, and in the most part, things have been running smoothly, unless the evil MoDocDocDoc get his hands on the work. (Consider him looking like the evil Mojojojo monkey from the AWESOME Powerpuff Girls)

The basis of this work, is that I have to deal with a different 3rd Party contracter, who are based in an offshore call centre. Which, makes getting the information from them like getting blood from the preverbial stone.

Now, in the best interests of our direct customer, and to give them valid information, I can only decsribe the best course of action as being "Forceful" with them. Not rude, brash or insulting. Just not taking no for an answer, consider myself the Donald Trump/Alan Sugar, of the call centre world.

And last night was no different then any other time, constantly asking "When is this customer going to be connected", now fortuatasly, I have been blessed with a very broad, tres loud, Yorkshire accent since pretty much since i could mention the word Whippet. Which, may i add, comes in very useful for attracting attention from Bar Staff in a club, or shouting for help when there's a call in the queue. PCA's Dead and gone.

But, last night, one of the lower-upper-middle-hierarchy, decided to question my line of approach after my conversation with this 3rd party contracter, describing it as rude, and if she was the person on the other end of the phone, she wouldn't feel very happy about it.

Now, lets take a step back, lets look at the bigger picture, the bits outside the 16:9 Widescreen TV we call o2.

The customer I was fighting for in this situation had been promised on 2 occasions that she would be Yesterday, and the reason i'm phoning Sundeep in India, is because she hasn't been. Because solely of the incompetence of Sunny, and Cherahmed.

So what would have happened if i'd have taken their word for it on the first instance without a thought of investigation. Well, this is loosely based on the chaos theory (See Jurassic Park Ian Malcolm for basic explanation)

Customer isn't happy, because he's been given "less than satisfactory information", customer cancels order, writes a letter to higher level complaints, customer gets good will compensation, filters down through the shit pipe to the people on the bottom level (us), customer is given a ring back and an explanation given, manager needs to authorise re-order, manager to investigate why customer connected (read Ithomso1 to investigate), and several hours are wasted all because I have a loud voice and wanted an answer for our customer.

To quote one Nathan R Jessop "I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom I provide and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said "thank you," and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest that you pick up a weapon and stand a post."

Which I think summises the situation very well, (However, i do not agree with me being court marshalled) for said offence.

Well, thats a rant out the way, I'll give probably a more "Broader" insight of my life in times to come.

Remember...

Be Champions!

The Beginning of an era.

Today,

With much inspiration by my good friend Gibbers ( http://thegibshow.blogspot.com )

I have decided to start writing a Blog, with the idea to not only create an on going account of my Thoughts/Views/Opinions, but also a way to vent anger about things that happen in my everday life.

Now, presumbaly, today must have been a pretty grumpy day, and indeed it was. When i actually get out of work, i'll come home to do a massive post in one day.