Stuff…
Felt better after that rant about reality TV. And fantastic news for all obsessive sad cases, Big Brother is back. Another 8 weeks of being able to watch people walk around a house. Not something you can see anywhere else. Of course, the benefit is that these people were utterly unknown to almost everyone in the country the day before the series began. Which makes them really intersting to watch, obviously.
Having conducted a thorough investigation into the effects on the stomach of consuming as much Pinot Grigio as possible in one evening (stomach lining dissolves, or at least feels like it), I tripped along to the launch of ‘The Weavers of Saramyr’ Chris Wooding’s first fantasy outing for Gollancz. Looks a decent read and Chris is going to be one to watch. Plays the guitar as well (and very well by all accounts). Got to hate talent like that in one so young (says bitter and twisted ex-air guitarist approaching 40).
It’s the bank holiday weekend. England are playing cricket, there are play off finals and all sorts of other goodness. I’m supposed to be in front of this PC writing. It may not be quite the productive weekend I’d hoped but time will tell. Weekend predictions are these: play off winners: Bournemouth (who have gone 3-1 up as I write this. Sorry, 4-1), QPR, Wolves. Cricket – England (obviously).
Here’s a thing. I heard someone asked on Radio 5 Live (a truly excellent radio station) whther they felt more at risk in London after the increase in anti-terrorist security measures. He thought that he did. But I disagree. I’ve lived in London sonce 1986. There has been a threat almost the whole time from the IRA or whoever. You just live with it. But you don’t get complacent. I feel we’re in danger of being infected with some form of panic from across the Atlantic. The Americans haven’t had to face up to the constant niggle before. Welcome to the real world. The one where when you throw your weight around, people don’t like it. Where despite your belief you are right, not everyone agrees with you just because you are an elected democracy. My advice – look harder at your foreign policy and don’t assume anyone else views the world in the way you do. Don’t get me wrong, I think there is appalling inequity in many places in the world and I think countries like ours can have huge positive effect. Sometimes tyrants have to be removed. The problem is, our politicians don’t appear to consider the consequences in a logical manner.
