planet impiazzi

Stole this tv logo link from Planarchy. Then there's this LWT one. How about Tyne Tees?
And I just love this old schools programmes clock from the 70s.

You have to be English and at least 30 to appreciate them I think. There are more recent ones on Andrew Wiseman's truly excellent site though.

Feeling much better today, thanks for asking. My boss insisted I went home early though, so that I didn't tire myself out too much. Thats nice innit? And tomorrow is Friday. Still a busy day but the end of the week.

I've been having terrible trouble with my template. When I change anything on it, and try and save my changes, my template disappears! It just took me half an hour of repeatedly pasting my changed template into the box before the irritating thing accepted the code. Now I have a book reviews section in the column to the left. I dread finishing 'Property' though and having to add a new link. I think I will drop Blogger a line and find out whether its my problem or theirs.

Well, I woke up feeling really grotty this morning; full of cold. So after I'd got my son off to school I rang in sick and went back to bed. I slept til 1pm, then curled up on the sofas and read the day away. I'm feeling much better now, which is just as well cos I really must go to work tomorrow.
Anyway, like I said I've been reading. I finished Ben Elton's High Society last night, and this afternoon read The Curious Incindent of the Dog in the Night-Time.

Here's what I thought:

High Society by Ben Elton

“High Society” tells of three individuals – MP Peter Paget, pop star Tommy Hanson, and teenage runaway Jessie. Interweaving their stories, Elton highlights the fickleness of politics, the cult of personality and the desperate plight of the excluded.

Paget is on a crusade to legalise all drugs. His campaign and the experiences of Tommy with his rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, and Jessie forced into prostitution funded heroin addiction make a very powerful argument for taking control of the drug trade out of the hands of the criminal world and putting it under regulation and state control. Elton suggests that legislation will take away many of the dangers currently inherent in recreational drug use by ensuring a supply of unadulterated drugs supported by education and health care. Addiction wouldn’t go away, but the black market would. Girls like Jessie would no longer exist in a twilight world outside of the law at the mercy of drug dealers. While there are doubtless flaws in the argument, and drug use would never be a risk free activity – look at alcohol and tobacco – there are far more pros than cons in such an idea.

“High Society” is a well constructed, very readable novel. Elton alternates sections of narrative on each character, always leaving the reader keen to know what will happen next. Each section is well enough written to draw you away from the character you have just left and wrap you up in the story of the next. The reader is carried along – very willingly in my case – as the paths of the three cross and re-cross, to a conclusion that satisfies both fantasy and ‘reality’.

I would quite happily have read this from cover to cover in one sitting given the chance. Recommended reading. 9 out of 10.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon

This novel is written from the perspective of Christopher, a 15 year old boy who has Aspergers’ Syndrome, a form of Autism (remember Rainman?). Christopher tries to keep his world in meticulous order, strictly patterned and time-tabled. Any break from his routine causes him great distress. Mark Haddon demonstrates the inner world of an Aspergers’ sufferer, giving us a remarkable insight into a brilliant but very different individual.

Christopher discovers a neighbour’s dog that has been murdered and determines to discover the killer. Throughout the book Christopher challenges his own limitations, finding out more than he ever could have expected about his own abilities and the lives and relationships of the people around him.

I felt great respect for Christopher and his efforts to deal with a world he struggled to understand – and which doesn’t understand him either. Chapter 157 made me cry (the chapters aren’t numbered ordinally, but using prime numbers). I also felt admiration for the families of people (in the real world) who have to adjust their lives to accommodate the challenging behaviour of someone who insists on a particular order to every aspect of daily routine. For example, Christopher hates the colours yellow and brown, and will have nothing to do with anything those colours.

Thanks to being off work with a cold, I had the time to just sit down and read, and I read this non-stop in one afternoon. I give this book 10 out of 10. Read it.

Apologies to any students reading who might take offence at my suprmarket whinging - but I'm sure if you've ever been there after a hard day and you've come across similar you will understand. And yes, I know I could avoid all that if I stuck to Beano or Trade for Change but they don't sell oven chips. Thirteen year old boys tend to kick off if you try to feed them tofu more than once a year.

Today was ok til 5pm when I went to the supermarket. I really hate going there after work because it is always crammed with students shopping in groups. Usually I pop in before work when its nice and quiet. But if I have to buy frozen or chilled stuff it has to be an after work trip.
So I battled round, negotiating the aisles blocked with students having conferences about "pasta shells or spagetti?", or phoning up their mates to ask where the mayonnaise aisle is, and after half an hour had gathered about as much as I dared try to carry home. I queued patiently, and didn't get too upset when the bag of unrefined sugar I'd picked turned out to have a hole in it. It was the only one left on the shelf so I'll have to do without for now.
Then as I was packing my bags the next customer in line elbowed me out of the way and insisted the cashier start putting her order through. I politely asked her if she could wait one more minute while I got out of the way, but this woman had completely run out of patience - and manners - and informed me that there was a big queue and she wanted to get home tonight. Oh, and I didn't. I just love busy supermarkets.
I got out of her way and wheeled my trolley over to the trolley park, struggled to load myself up (or down) with my 4 bags, only to be shoved out of the way by a man on his way in to the shop. By this time I was a teensy bit fed up, so I refused to budge as he rammed his trolley into the side of mine. "Excuse me!" he demaded, expecting me to back up and let him through. "Excuse me", I replied as I put all my weight (I'm only little and weigh about 50kg) behind my trolley and shoved it into the row of parked trolleys. The man looked at me as if I was eating babies and said "You stupid woman. You're off your head. Must be on drugs!". I really couldn't be bothered to reply.
I stumbled out of the shop looking like a cross between Sherpa Tensing and a bag lady and staggered down through the city centre to my bus stop. On the way I was accosted by 2 separate beggars. The first one just got a dirty look. Did he really think I was going to stop - I had quite a momentum going by now, its downhill all the way to the bus stop - put down my bags, rummage in my pockets for change, smile sweetly at him while he went off to buy a can of Special Brew? I'm afraid I wasn't so restrained with the second beggar. "Fuck. Off" were my exact words. He said the same to me, but couldn't he see thats exactly what I was trying to do?
I got to my bus stop to find the queue winding off round the corner. Oh, well, its a service that runs every 10 minutes. Not. Twenty five minutes later my bus arrived. I was fortunate - I got a seat, but the driver crammed on so many people I though the bus would burst.
I really enjoyed the cup of tea I had when I got home!

But now I can feel the telltale rawness at the back of my throat that heralds a cold. I hope its a false alarm because I've got too much to do at work this week to take any time off.

Anyway, at least the weekend was good. Went to see a band on Friday night, and on Saturday checked out some of my local pubs, which was...interesting. And in between times me and Gav lolled around solving cryptic crosswords. This time we finished the Guardian Prize crossy on Saturday, and one of the Observer ones on Sunday. Azed's Sunday crossy beat us though. But I do like a challenge!

The Styx Valley in Tasmania has the largest hardwood trees in the world. Many are taller than a 25-storey building, over 400 years old and up to five metres wide at the base. Among the wildlife species you'll find in these trees are... Greenpeace activists. Three men and two women from Japan, Canada, Australia, and Germany are currently 65 meters high in the branches, in a solar-powered, high-tech tree-sit to save the Tasmanian forest from being turned into woodchips.

These forests are being logged using practices banned in the rest of Australia and seen only in developing countries. Old growth forests are clear-felled and fire-bombed from the air with petrochemicals. Grazing animals are then poisoned with carrots laced with 1080 poison. And the end product of all this destruction is nothing more than woodchips, the bulk of which are bought by Japan.

The activists have occupied their tree since November 12th, and are filing frequent updates at their weblog.

Babycakes

Over at Green Fairy there's a Top 10 songs thing happening. This is mine, today (in no particular order):

Patti Smith – Because the Night
Undertones – Teenage Kicks
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – (Are You) The One that I’ve Been Waiting For
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Straight to You
The Beatles – Hey Jude
Siouxsie & The Banshees – Hong Kong Garden
Norah Jones – Come Away With Me
Buzzcocks – Ever Fallen in Love
Patti Smith – Dancing Barefoot
David Bowie – Sweet Thing

I'd like to put The Clash, Radiohead, REM and Iggy Pop in there, but can't decide which track. And can't decide which of the 10 would be displaced.

Today 200,000 people marched through London protesting against the visit of George Bush. Thats 200,000 on a Thursday! Browsing a few news sources there are the usual disagreements on how many took part. Sky news say the police estimated numbers at 80,000. BBC say police reported 100,000, while the Guardian were told by Scotland Yard that there were 70,000 there. I think I'll stick with the organiser's estimate of 200,000.

Meanwhile, in Istanbul they are clearing up after more bombings and more deaths. Bush & Blair insist that the 'war on terror' will continue. But how successful is this policy? It seems to me that 'terrorist attacks' are increasing all over the world. Isn't it time Bush had a rethink? Maybe had a look at why some people feel the need to create such horror and bloodshed?

On a cheerier note, I went to Maplins this afternoon and had a chat with a nice man called Colin about my computer networking traumas. Apparently the problem is more to do with internet connection sharing than simply networking. Clever Colin said it is a nightmare task because I'd need to set up my pc as a server. He advised using a router instead, which is what the lovely Gav had already suggested. But it will cost me £80 for a router so I will have to start saving. I don't think Colin was thinking of his sales commission (if they get such a thing at Maplins, which I doubt) because he didn't suggest the router until I asked him about it.

Chasing Bush is working hard to let warmonger George know he isn't welcome here. Why is my government spending millions on entertaining and protecting that dangerous imbecile? Beats me. I can't get to London to voice my protest on Thursday so I'll be joining the local protest in Leeds tomorrow. Yesterday local peace campaigner Lindis Percy climbed the gates of Buckingham Palace to draw attention to her displeasure at Bush's visit. She has been active for years in the campaign against the US base at Menwith Hill. Keep it up Lindis!

Island by Aldous Huxley

I’ve read some Huxley before this – Brave New World, Doors of Perception, Heaven and Hell – and I’d heard of others, read bits about Huxley and his work, but I hadn’t come across Island until very recently.

Written in 1962, the year before Huxley died, this novel is as pertinent today as it was 40 years ago. Maybe even more so. It tells of the island community of Pala in the Indian Ocean, that has developed a unique society based largely on Buddhism but with elements of 20th century science and western philosophy woven into it. Huxley’s vision heralds the explosion of interest in Eastern philosophy that swept the West later in the 60s.

The island of Pala has its own philosophy, very idealistic – some of it really quite bizarre. While some of the ideas expressed within the book are eminently laudable, there are others which time has shown not to be so sustainable or worthy.

The society is explored by Will Farnaby, a journalist on a mission for a newspaper and oil tycoon. Huxley has various characters explain to Will about their culture and way of life, covering everything from art and religion to sex and the media. Will comes to recognise its value and see the dangers of the materialistic world he has come from.

Reading this novel from my personal green, anti-capitalist stance, I can easily relate to Huxley’s utopian vision. Looking at the world we have now, where consumption and greed threaten to destroy our environment, and where people die in their thousands from hunger or war, we could do worse than to take on board aspects of Pala.

If you are especially interested in Island Huxley's ideas, check out the Island website.

I've been following this story, about the murder of a skydiver earlier this year, because the Skydiving team from the Leeds University Union Student Activities Dept, where I used to work was present when the murder took place. A few of the team were actually in the plane from which the dead man jumped, and I believe members of the LUU team were first on the scene when he hit the ground. It was all very upsetting for all involved, and chaos in our office, with reporters ringing up for days and days. Now a man from Leeds has been arrested - though not yet charged, so I'm sure my former colleagues will be pretty busy again fending off media interest. The police haven't yet said whether the arrested man is from the University team.

Mondays are much better when you've had a good weekend, aren't they? Mine included new things. Tracy at work said, "New toy, new boy", referring to the bread making machine I just inherited and my new man. Or you could say, "New loaf, new lover". Groan!! Anyway, I feel well nourished. We even nearly finished the Guardian prize crossword yesterday, so my brain feels good too. I'd better shut up now.

Gav sent me this excellent link to The Meatrix movie. Go watch it!!

Saw a neighbour at the bus stop this morning. He had a big yellow bag with him. I asked him where he was going with his big yellow bag, and it turned out he was off for a weekend of skullduggery! He was on his way to Walworth Castle to act in their Murder Mystery Weekend. Ooh! Very nice - four poster beds too!

I went on an extremely dull training course today. It was part of my induction to the Social Services Department, and I didn't learn anything I didn't already know. But we were finished by 2.10pm, so it was an easy enough day. The best part of it was meeting this quite crazy woman who purported to be a clairvoyant radio presenter, alongside working at a local children's home. She barely stopped talking all day, which saved the rest of us the bother, and she was funny.

We were the only two who stayed in the building at lunchtime (because we had brought packed lunches with us - me because I refuse to pay shop prices for a sandwich when it only takes 5 minutes to make one, her because she has a gluten-free diet). Anyway, she had me as a captive audience for half an hour. She told me all about what a great car she had, then pulled out her camera phone and started showing me pictures of her mum, brother, cat, car, newly decorated flat - paying special attention to the wallpaper (suede effect), the chandeliers, what a long hallway she had etc etc.

The strange thing was the flat looked totally unoccupied. No bits and pieces, no clutter at all. Now I know some people are rather tidier than me, but all the same.... Anyway, I had a look at the website of the radio station she reckons to work for, but there is no sign of her. Nor is there any trace of her as a local clairvoyant.

Can't help wondering if she might be a social services client rather than staff.

What an amazingly frustrating couple of days with my pc. Total nightmare. Dontcha just hate computers?!!!!
Yesterday I installed a network card, or rather I tried to. But I kept getting a message that the device couldn't start. So today I asked at the shop where I bought the card, and they suggested using a different PCI slot, which I did. Great. Card worked. Cable didn't. But that was the least of my problems. At first I thought, oh well, looks like I need a new cable (someone gave me the old one). Never mind, I'll get another one on Monday. But then I found that installing the card had upset my internet connection. Stuffed up my ip address. Couldn't connect at all. So I uninstalled the card. Made no difference. Phoned up my ISP, fiddled around with settings, unistalled and reinstalled my broadband ethernet thingy. Nope. Then I restored the pc to before I installed the card - not counting on XPs propensity to sniff out new hardware and install it itself. Groan!!! I ended up having to remove the card completely, put it back in its little box. Was the problem solved? No. I have had to restore my pc twice more before it decided to play the game.
But here I am so alls well that ends well.

Have a look at this - make your own church sign. I really must upgrade so I can post pictures!

And here you can make your own snowflake.

Both courtesy of wamajama.

My son is downstairs watching Ronan Keating on tv. He'll do anything rather than go to bed!

I'm a day late for Remembrance Day, but that doesn't mean I forget all those killed by war. I wear a white poppy.

Funny story from the BBC:

A group of women searching for items for recycling heard a ticking sound coming from a rubbish bag.
Thinking it could be a bomb, they informed the manager of the Hermanus dump in Cape Town, Adolf Hansen.
"I thought I would just tear the bag open a bit, and then there I saw what it was - a vibrator, the batteries still working," he told the newspaper.
Mr Hansen said he told the women recyclers there was no danger of an explosion, and attempted to explain what the item was to the mystified group.
He recognised what it was immediately, he said, because he had seen vibrators "more than once" before. This one, he said, was "middle-sized".

Recycling can be fun!
(from A Blog's Life)

George Bush is visiting Britain Wednesday 19th to Friday 21st November.

The British Government has invited US President George Bush on our behalf on an official state visit to the UK. To those of us against war, the senseless loss of human life and the destruction of the environment, this invitation is unacceptable.

Bush's hardline regime has launched two wars since he came to power, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 13,000 innocent civilians. The US administration is heading the illegal occupation of Iraq and is now threatening action against Iran, Syria and North Korea.

Whilst global warming is a very real threat, Bush and his oil industry buddies continue to ignore global and scientific opinion and refuse to support global treaties to protect our environment.

Leeds Coalition Against the War, alongside the National Coalition, is organising events to show Bush and our government that the people of Leeds oppose Bush and his policies and do not want him here.

Wednesday 19 November

12pm Leeds students' protest march into town - meet Parkinson Building steps.

12.30pm Lunchtime demo and speakers outside Leeds City Art Gallery

So I'm going to ask for the afternoon off - I'm owed some time from helping out at the party on Saturday afternoon, and this seems like a good way to use it.

Read my review of Wake Up by Tim Pears on the BBC Leeds website.

On my way to catch my bus home from work, weaving through the people-traffic in the city centre, musing on my weekend and wondering how the land might lie with my Friend from the party, I looked up and there he was. Nice bit of synchronicity. We are going to go out on Saturday, though we don't know where yet. But he will remain anonymous in the blogosphere in case other random friends pass by, at least for now. Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to Saturday.

Someone came round the office today collecting deposits for the christmas meal. I paid my tenner, but couldn't resist a little light-hearted grumbling that my choice of restaurant wasn't favoured by anyone else. Thing is, the Ferret Hall Bistro, which won the vote, only offers one vegetarian meal, while the meateaters get to choose what they eat. Bah humbug. Apparently everyone fell for the Belgian chocolate and crystallised ginger tart served with whipped cream.

Monday already, and I'm still recovering from Saturday. I tend to forget when I'm out partying that I'm not as resilient as I used to be. A few beers can go as long way these days.
On Saturday afternoon we had a party for the foster carers, celebrating 20 years of the Fostering for Disabled Children scheme. It was in the Lord Mayor's Banquet Hall at the Civic Hall, and we had a room full of carers, past and present, along with their families, the children they foster, and some pirates. The children had a great time hunting for treasure.
Then in the evening I went to another party, this time to celebrate 10 years of Cornerstone Housing Co-op, which was an altogether different event. It was a fancy dress, and I met the likes of Little Bo Peep, a Bee-miner (excellent costume Cath!), one or two more pirates and several pixies. I was a sort of pixie pirate, because I only half got changed after the daytime do. I met up with quite a few friends who I hadn't seen for a while, lots of green & anti-capitalist activists, and generally had a really good time. I'm not telling you all of it though, because the person I'm not going to tell you about reads my blog sometimes. Suffice to say we enjoyed ourselves.

Oo-er! I've had hits from the US military and the US government.

The CEE Bankwatch Network's mission is to prevent environmentally and socially harmful impacts of international development finance, and to promote alternative solutions and public participation.

Despite failing to properly assess viable alternatives to the project and to apply its own policies (which are being violated in over 100 instances), on November 4 the International Finance Corporation approved $250 million in financing for the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline. The IFC's decision to grant public funds to the BTC project is the culmination of years of pressure by the United States to secure international support for an export route for the vast reserves of Caspian oil.

On November 11 the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is due to decide on its contribution of a further $250 million financing for BTC. Having witnessed the IFC's contempt not only for campaigners' concerns but also its own safeguard policies, the EBRD is shaping up to do likewise.

Please send an email or fax to the EBRD Executive Director from your country and EBRD President Jean Lemierre demanding that the bank delay funding for BTC until the blatant project breaches raised by NGOs are resolved or - at the very least - addressed.

Simon Ray (EBRD ED representing United Kingdom) at e-mail:
rays@ebrd.com, fax: +44-20-73386040

Jean Lemierre (EBRD President) at fax: +44-20-73386112

Go to the Bankwatch website for more information, and to register for their e-newsletter.

Finished Brighton Rock today - so here's what I thought of it:

This was my first Graham Greene novel I’ve got friends who love his work and have read every word he has written, but I have only just got round to him.

Published in 1938, I found the prose rather dated, but then I have been reading a lot of contemporary fiction recently. Anyway, Greene certainly gave me an insight into a different world – that of a rough criminal underclass in 1930s England. While Greene doesn’t directly describe the violence that is evident in the lives of his characters, his allusive writing powerfully conjures an atmosphere of danger.

The story, like the prose style, is bleak, full of pessimism. Catholicism takes a central role with guilt, the idea of sin and the impossibility of repentance shadowing every move of Pinkie and Rose. Just as neither of them feel able to transcend their poverty stricken backgrounds, so they harbour no real hope of escaping the brutality of the cut-throat, seedy existence that adulthood has presented them with.

Brighton Rock is a compelling – if somewhat depressing – novel. It left me with a feeling of sadness that for some not only is there no happy ever after, but even more pain just over the horizon.

Got this from Bud. I know I shouldn't have. But I had to do something while I waited for the fireworks to stop so I can walk the dog.

Interesting item sent to me by Gav questioning how much Israeli intelligence knew about the September 11th attacks.

Had a bit of excitement at work this afternoon when mainstream fostering asked us at 3.50pm if we could rustle up a carer for a baby that was due to be released from hospital at 4pm. We found two, after a bit of ringing round, and thought we might have to cut the baby in half, but then mainstream fostering found another baby, due for release from hospital tomorrow who needed a home to go to, so we didn't have to disappoint either of the carers.

Its Bonfire Night. Tonight people can legitimately let off explosives in the street. New legislation has been announced to try and combat the worst excesses of the firework season, but I don't think it goes far enough. Next year, the period of sale of fireworks will be reduced, and under 18s will be banned from having them. But how are they going to enforce the possession order when there are kids running around all over the place with them? The new laws mean that fireworks can't be set off after 11pm. Big deal. For the past month there have been explosions from 6pm-ish every night, but they've usually finished by about 10.30pm. Four hours of explosions every night for a month is more than enough. If the government is serious about tacking this kind of anti-social behaviour they should stop all sales to the general public, only allowing licensed displays.

Its my nephew's birthday on Saturday, so today I went book shopping. I've got a reputation as the family book buyer, and so far I've always managed to find something really good. Luke will be 9. I chose, from among many, many wonderful books, The Salt Pirates of Skegness, by Chris D'Lacey. I had my first non-parents holiday in Skegness, when I was 15, along with my sister and 2 friends. We went camping. The owners of the site had a son a year or two older than us who kind of looked after us for the week. Just as well really! I wasn't to be trusted, although the others were quite well behaved. I remember we met a bunch of lads from Nottingham but apart from a few late night, fairly tame games of spin the bottle, things didn't get out of hand, despite my best efforts.
The kids always look forward to seeing what book Aunty Gael has picked. I could quite happily have spent hours and lots of money in the Children's Section - and didn't dare go near the Adults books. I think I'll have to go back soon to shop for Christmas.

Last post before bed:

The US government aren't happy with terrorising citizens of faraway countries. They are also doing their best to close down Greenpeace. The Port of Miami is currently refusing entry to Greenpeace ship Esperanza. I thought America was a land of free speech? (Well, I didn't really believe that, but it is the myth held out to repressed minions in other countries, isn't it?)

Ah, PJ Harvey on 6 Music. That'll do nicely while I wait for Spamcop to acknowledge the spam I sent them. Yes, I'm still trying to get rid of the stuff.

A list is going round at work for each of us to choose where we want to go for christmas dinner. There's a choice of half a dozen different restauranty-bistro type places, with menus. By the time the list got to me most people had already ticked the Ferret Hall Bistro. Tempting, but to get there I have to catch two buses. And I'm a bit lazy. I chose Caffe Uno, (because its easier to get to, and the menu is rather good - but I didn't know til I looked it up online that its part of a chain) but so far no-one wants to come with me. Of well, maybe in this case 'uno' means I'll be on my own. I suppose I can take my mobile with me and keep in touch with the others by text.

Well done to Sir Ranulph Fiennes on completing 7 marathons in 7 days. But Yorkshireman Tommy Joyce ran 20 marathons in 20 days.

I've been avoiding the news because the British media has just been chock full of stuff about who is going to lead the Conservative party. I really don't care.
Then of course there's an occasional international story about yet more death in Iraq. Of course Bush & co knew what would happen, according to an article in the Guardian last Saturday -
According to the congressional resolution authorising the use of military force in Iraq, the administration is required to submit to the Congress reports of postwar planning every 60 days. The report, bearing Bush's signature and dated April 14 - previously undisclosed but revealed here - declares: "We are especially concerned that the remnants of the Saddam Hussein regime will continue to use Iraqi civilian populations as a shield for its regular and irregular combat forces or may attack the Iraqi population in an effort to undermine Coalition goals." Moreover, the report goes on: "Coalition planners have prepared for these contingencies, and have designed the military campaign to minimise civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure."

If I was a man, I might be tempted to go all hairy and enter the Beard and Moustache Championships, which apparently take place every ten years. The hairy faced ones gathered in Nevada last weekend to show off their tickly bits.