I want to try a little social network experiment if you will all indulge me. After listening to apiece on the radio today about viral videos it got me thinking about how widely and how quickly something can spread online, just by the word of mouth of your contacts on different social networking sites and forums. I am not blogging anything that will be tagged with keywords, celebrity names or malicious gossip or innuendo, just a blog about my intentions
I use this blog, Twitter, Google Buzz and a ps3 gaming site called ps3coffindodgers.com. I have approximately 130 followers on Twitter, a regular core crowd of about 30 users on the coffin dodgers, I have 5 followers on Buzz and seven followers of this blog. I am not going to use Facebook for this experiment for reasons I would rather not go in to.
What I want is this. I am posting this blog and want to see how quickly, how far and how many people I can get to read this post in 24 hours. All I ask of you is to use the retweet function of Twitter or something similar on any other social network site to get this blog to your friends. I have a couple of Buttons at the bottom of the blog that allows you to forward/mail it to your contacts lists on various sites. I don't want people spamming this message, I just want to see how far this blog version of a "Chinese whisper" can go in a short period of time. blogger.com allows its bloggers to track traffic so I can get a fairly accurate picture in terms of geography and timeline.
If you have got as far as this, THANK YOU! Can I please ask you to briefly to leave a comment on this post, stating your name (username for any of the sites you use) and more importantly where in the world you are and who linked you to this. I would like to see how you came across this blog and who put you on to it
Thank you for taking part
Thursday, 23 September 2010
Saturday, 18 September 2010
Two years on
A little over two years ago I took the decision to have a major spinal operation done, after suffering from acute lower back pain for about 2 years. The problem had been there for several years before that, albeit intermittently. Initially it wasn't something I relished, but by the time I made the decision it was the only solution for me despite my consultant's reluctance to do it. The operation is known as a Posterior and Instrumented Lumbar Fusion, which involves removing the damaged disc(L5S1 in my case), inserting a titanium plate in its place, grafting bone onto the area then fixing the two vertebrae together with screws
I had the operation done two years ago tomorrow (19/9/08) and it was a complete success. The recovery period was astonishingly slow after an unbelievable first period of rehab. I was told that post-op I would be in a worse condition than prior to the proceedure for up to three months. This wasn't the case for me as I was able to spend three weeks walking around the Walt Disney World resort in Florida just eight weeks after the operation. I was on crutches the entire time, but even this was a major triumph when you think of the possibility of being practically bed bound for 12 weeks after the operation.
So, two years down the line and six months since I finally returned to work, am I really any better for having gone through the operation? I hated not being able to play with the kids before the op, it was just too painful to run around or roll around on the floor playing with them. The operation has allowed me to do all this which I am so grateful for. However, a noticeable and growing problem has shown itself over the last few weeks, ever since I boldly claimed to a friend how great it was to be pain free
On Monday of this week I stepped out of my work van to fuel up. As my feet hit the floor something went click..."CLICK" in my back. Your back is not meant to make audible noises to you. It left me in quite a lot of pain, without drastically altering how I do things. I have taken it easier, but that is more a case of being safe rather than sorry. What I couldn't prevent was the events of yesterday in work. Some arsehole tipped engine oil in our depot. Now, most people if they were to spill something would have the sense to clean it up. Not the fool who done this. Instead, they placed a piece of cardboard over it, just big enough to hide the evidence. It wasn't pressed in to the oil in a half-assed attempt to soak it up, just laid there. I stepped on this piece of card and before I even had time to realise what was happening I had slipped forward and upward, landing on my back about 5ft away from where my foot last touched the ground
I was physically sick from the pain of the fall but I managed to get through the day and get all my deliveries done. That is all I have managed since the fall though. I can barely move, I feel almost scared to, the tenderness is so bad in the lower back right now. I have not dressed today and didn't get out of bed until 11am. I wouldn't be able to tie the laces on my DM's so there is no point even attempting to go out anywhere.
This isn't a recurrence of my back complaint as that is an impossibility. I had the troublesome disc removed so it can not cause any more issues. What I am fearful of is it being the knock on effect of having the fusion. I was told in no uncertain terms by my consultant that there was every likelihood of me suffering another prolapsed disc 5-10 years down the line because once the offending disc is removed, it increases the pressure and work load on the next disc in the spine. Like I said, this was two years ago so I am hoping it isn't so bad a degenerative condition as to have impacted on me so soon. I do fear the worse though. The reason my consultant didn't want to perform the lumbar fusion in the first place was because it was "an old man's op" normally for people double my age. If my back can become so bad through wear and tear that I require the op at 37, is it inconceivable that may back could relapse so quickly now.
I do not regret for one second having made the decision to have the op done. I knew within two weeks, despite my post-op pains, that it had been a success. It got me back to work which was never going to happen if I hadn't gone under the knife. However, I would never choose to have it done again. Nothing can prepare you for the absolute loss of independence. Nothing can prepare you for the pain that comes with it. Having to learn to walk again, having to learn how to get out of bed. Being totally reliant on your loved ones to do everything for you. It is a horrible situation to be in, so hard not being able to give your kids a hug because you can not bend over to reach them, or allow them to come to you because you are so sore that any contact can cripple you with pain
Two years down the line and I am physically in a better place than I was two years ago. Psychologically I think I am worse off now than I was then. Back when I agreed to the op I didn't know what lay ahead, I assumed the op would be the cure to all my troubles. Now, two years on I am much more realistic about what my situation would be should I need to go under the knife again. I just hope it doesn't come to that any time soon
I had the operation done two years ago tomorrow (19/9/08) and it was a complete success. The recovery period was astonishingly slow after an unbelievable first period of rehab. I was told that post-op I would be in a worse condition than prior to the proceedure for up to three months. This wasn't the case for me as I was able to spend three weeks walking around the Walt Disney World resort in Florida just eight weeks after the operation. I was on crutches the entire time, but even this was a major triumph when you think of the possibility of being practically bed bound for 12 weeks after the operation.
So, two years down the line and six months since I finally returned to work, am I really any better for having gone through the operation? I hated not being able to play with the kids before the op, it was just too painful to run around or roll around on the floor playing with them. The operation has allowed me to do all this which I am so grateful for. However, a noticeable and growing problem has shown itself over the last few weeks, ever since I boldly claimed to a friend how great it was to be pain free
On Monday of this week I stepped out of my work van to fuel up. As my feet hit the floor something went click..."CLICK" in my back. Your back is not meant to make audible noises to you. It left me in quite a lot of pain, without drastically altering how I do things. I have taken it easier, but that is more a case of being safe rather than sorry. What I couldn't prevent was the events of yesterday in work. Some arsehole tipped engine oil in our depot. Now, most people if they were to spill something would have the sense to clean it up. Not the fool who done this. Instead, they placed a piece of cardboard over it, just big enough to hide the evidence. It wasn't pressed in to the oil in a half-assed attempt to soak it up, just laid there. I stepped on this piece of card and before I even had time to realise what was happening I had slipped forward and upward, landing on my back about 5ft away from where my foot last touched the ground
I was physically sick from the pain of the fall but I managed to get through the day and get all my deliveries done. That is all I have managed since the fall though. I can barely move, I feel almost scared to, the tenderness is so bad in the lower back right now. I have not dressed today and didn't get out of bed until 11am. I wouldn't be able to tie the laces on my DM's so there is no point even attempting to go out anywhere.
This isn't a recurrence of my back complaint as that is an impossibility. I had the troublesome disc removed so it can not cause any more issues. What I am fearful of is it being the knock on effect of having the fusion. I was told in no uncertain terms by my consultant that there was every likelihood of me suffering another prolapsed disc 5-10 years down the line because once the offending disc is removed, it increases the pressure and work load on the next disc in the spine. Like I said, this was two years ago so I am hoping it isn't so bad a degenerative condition as to have impacted on me so soon. I do fear the worse though. The reason my consultant didn't want to perform the lumbar fusion in the first place was because it was "an old man's op" normally for people double my age. If my back can become so bad through wear and tear that I require the op at 37, is it inconceivable that may back could relapse so quickly now.
I do not regret for one second having made the decision to have the op done. I knew within two weeks, despite my post-op pains, that it had been a success. It got me back to work which was never going to happen if I hadn't gone under the knife. However, I would never choose to have it done again. Nothing can prepare you for the absolute loss of independence. Nothing can prepare you for the pain that comes with it. Having to learn to walk again, having to learn how to get out of bed. Being totally reliant on your loved ones to do everything for you. It is a horrible situation to be in, so hard not being able to give your kids a hug because you can not bend over to reach them, or allow them to come to you because you are so sore that any contact can cripple you with pain
Two years down the line and I am physically in a better place than I was two years ago. Psychologically I think I am worse off now than I was then. Back when I agreed to the op I didn't know what lay ahead, I assumed the op would be the cure to all my troubles. Now, two years on I am much more realistic about what my situation would be should I need to go under the knife again. I just hope it doesn't come to that any time soon
Sunday, 12 September 2010
BBC - Iain Carter: Woods a dangerman like never before
Another great article from my favourite golf reporter/correspondent
Anybody else as excited about the Ryder Cup as me? Unfortunately I am unable to get the Friday off work now so I will be listening to the ever-fantastic BBC Fivelive coverage until I can get home from work
BBC - Iain Carter: Woods a dangerman like never before
Anybody else as excited about the Ryder Cup as me? Unfortunately I am unable to get the Friday off work now so I will be listening to the ever-fantastic BBC Fivelive coverage until I can get home from work
BBC - Iain Carter: Woods a dangerman like never before
Saturday, 11 September 2010
Roskilde Ten Years After: A Light In The Darkness | Pearl Jam - Ten Club
This is a wonderful, touching account of the aftermath of the Roskilde Festival tragedy where 9 people were killed during Pearl Jam's performance.
This article was originally published in Dutch, so some of the translation isn't precise, but the sentiment and feel of the story still remains.
Roskilde Ten Years After: A Light In The Darkness | Pearl Jam - Ten Club
This article was originally published in Dutch, so some of the translation isn't precise, but the sentiment and feel of the story still remains.
Roskilde Ten Years After: A Light In The Darkness | Pearl Jam - Ten Club
Thursday, 9 September 2010
Heroes
HERO
1. a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.
2. a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal: He was a local hero when he saved the drowning child.
After listening to a phone-in on this subject this morning, I thought it would be a nice idea to see where people stand on this subject. We all have people in our lives, or global figures, who have had profound effects on who we are, how we behave, act and react. But how many of them are true heroes? During our lifetime how many times have we described someone as a hero who would actually fit the description laid out in the beginning of this blog? Is that definition of a hero the only criteria to be regarded as a hero? Do heroes even exist, or are they just people who, through choice or circumstance, find themselves acting in a way that we wouldn't necessarily see ourselves behaving? Are they just acting out of duty?
During my life I have had heroes, at least I thought most of them were during a given period. Over the years I have re-evaluated my thoughts and come to the conclusion that it was more a case of simple admiration, rather than anything more substantial or reverential. The earliest "hero" I can remember was Steve Coppell, Manchester United's graceful winger from the late 70s. I knew nothing about him as a man so this was obviously misplaced, I just appreciated him as a player, nothing more than that. There must have been something about him, even back in the day, as I still have the utmost respect for him as a manager and a pundit.
Flawed characters also seem to play a part when it comes to adoration. Over the years I have had a fascination with people like Alex Higgins, Phil Lynott, Kurt Cobain. George Best. Each of them could arguably be described as a genius, but there was also a darkness to their character. Phil Lynott was my first genuine hero, to this day I still hold him up as the standard bearer for song-writing/story telling. The strength of character to deal with being one of the few coloured people growing up in Dublin in the 60s, breaking down the barriers and pre-conceptions of rock music where black artists are in the minority. There was a less savory side to the man too. Selfishness, drug addiction, serial womaniser. Not the ideal character traits I would like to see in a hero for my children but they were part of what made the man into the legend, the icon that I loved when I was growing up.
Outside of the obvious few people who transcend their chosen careers, I no longer have too many people who I would consider a hero. Forget the likes of Mandela who are global icons. It goes without saying someone of that standing is a hero to most people. I want something smaller, more personal, something to feel a real connection. The surgeon who performed my posterior lumbar fusion is one of these people. By operating on me he gave me my life back. Yes, he was "just doing his job" but there is something so admirable about a person who puts in the work and dedication to become so skilled as to be able to perform complex spinal surgery, or brain surgery, become a cancer specialist, or a nurse who will spend a whole working day caring for the elderly and infirm. I can not stress enough how wonderful my surgeon was for me. I couldn't walk more than 200 yards on a bad day. The last 2 months prior to my operation I wouldn't leave the house with a walking stick for fear of falling flat on my face. I was unable to lift my daughters or play football with my son. The surgery was incredible, I was able to spend three weeks walking around Walt Disney World in Florida just eight weeks after the surgery was done. Amazing man
As public figures, I can not look any further than the collective of Eddie Vedder, Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament, Mike McCready and Matt Cameron. Pearl Jam. Forgetting their music for a moment (I may have a bias when discussing their contribution to the music world) they do so much in the fields of charity, good causes, injustice, human rights, environmental issues. After the release of their second album "Vs" they abandoned the use of plastics on all future compact disc cases, opting for cardboard packaging to help with climate change. They spent almost two years practically unable to perform a live show in America when they boycotted Ticketmaster due to their overpricing and monopolising of concert venues. They even appeared in front of congress to argue their case. Eddie, for years has campaigned for justice in the case of The West Memphis Three. Mike McCready has fought vigorously to get the laws changed in America to help Crohn's Disease sufferers. The Restroom Access Law allows Crohn's sufferers special permission to use employee-only restrooms in public buildings. A massive step.
The list of causes that the band support is too numerous to mention. Here are five men who, instead of revelling in their fame and personal fortunes, use their names to bring influence and attention to people and places that need help. Nothing is done for their own self interest, it is for a greater good. Selfless. A great example of this is with Roger Daltrey's annual Teenage Cancer charity. Eddie appeared at one of the shows a few years ago to raise awareness and money. Some months later, Daltrey was present at the opening of a new teenage cancer wing in the North of England(sorry, I can not remember the name of the place)and completely unannounced Ed turned up. At his own expense he flew in from Seattle just to be there to lend his support for the great work the charity does
There are countless examples of this kind of thing. An example of this is the blog I posted earlier regarding Stone's closeness to the family of one of the children who tragically lost their lives at the Roskilde Festival. Compassion, passion, an absolute belief in doing what is right, ethical and moral, regardless of whether press cameras are present to publicise their work. I will not go on about them any longer in this blog. I am sure I will mention Pearl Jam again at some point in the future.
My final words on this must be saved for someone who I love dearly. My better half. She is the most wonderful, loving, caring person I have ever known. She is a true hero to me. We have been together 7 years now. When we met she had three teenage daughters. She had done the mothering thing, done it pretty much on her own for 13 years and done it well. She has since given me three children. It takes one hell of a woman to willingly go through all those sleepless nights and endless nappies and dirty clothes again. She done it. During my 2 years before the back op she had to cope with our children and deal with me being incapable of anything but the most basic of light duties around the house. In the weeks and months after the op she had to do everything for me. Wash me, dress me, cook for me, carry everything I needed as I was unable to do anything for 3 months after the operation. She was my chauffeur for about 8 months as I was not allowed to drive. All of this with never so much as a mutter under her breath about how hard she was working for us. We went to Florida eight weeks after the op, with me on crutches. Five suitcases, three children and a pushchair. My better half had to deal with it all. Around the Disney parks it was her that had to do all the chasing around to prevent the children harrassing the 6ft tall wildlife. She was everything to us on that holiday and I will never forget that.
She is an incredible woman, and I idolise her. It is that simple. She is my hero and I do not imagine I could ever find someone more worthy of that title than her. She is an amazing mother and wonderful partner. She has brought up three amazing and beautiful girls and she is doing a brilliant job with our three too. I couldn't or wouldn't want to be without her.
1. a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.
2. a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal: He was a local hero when he saved the drowning child.
After listening to a phone-in on this subject this morning, I thought it would be a nice idea to see where people stand on this subject. We all have people in our lives, or global figures, who have had profound effects on who we are, how we behave, act and react. But how many of them are true heroes? During our lifetime how many times have we described someone as a hero who would actually fit the description laid out in the beginning of this blog? Is that definition of a hero the only criteria to be regarded as a hero? Do heroes even exist, or are they just people who, through choice or circumstance, find themselves acting in a way that we wouldn't necessarily see ourselves behaving? Are they just acting out of duty?
During my life I have had heroes, at least I thought most of them were during a given period. Over the years I have re-evaluated my thoughts and come to the conclusion that it was more a case of simple admiration, rather than anything more substantial or reverential. The earliest "hero" I can remember was Steve Coppell, Manchester United's graceful winger from the late 70s. I knew nothing about him as a man so this was obviously misplaced, I just appreciated him as a player, nothing more than that. There must have been something about him, even back in the day, as I still have the utmost respect for him as a manager and a pundit.
Flawed characters also seem to play a part when it comes to adoration. Over the years I have had a fascination with people like Alex Higgins, Phil Lynott, Kurt Cobain. George Best. Each of them could arguably be described as a genius, but there was also a darkness to their character. Phil Lynott was my first genuine hero, to this day I still hold him up as the standard bearer for song-writing/story telling. The strength of character to deal with being one of the few coloured people growing up in Dublin in the 60s, breaking down the barriers and pre-conceptions of rock music where black artists are in the minority. There was a less savory side to the man too. Selfishness, drug addiction, serial womaniser. Not the ideal character traits I would like to see in a hero for my children but they were part of what made the man into the legend, the icon that I loved when I was growing up.
Outside of the obvious few people who transcend their chosen careers, I no longer have too many people who I would consider a hero. Forget the likes of Mandela who are global icons. It goes without saying someone of that standing is a hero to most people. I want something smaller, more personal, something to feel a real connection. The surgeon who performed my posterior lumbar fusion is one of these people. By operating on me he gave me my life back. Yes, he was "just doing his job" but there is something so admirable about a person who puts in the work and dedication to become so skilled as to be able to perform complex spinal surgery, or brain surgery, become a cancer specialist, or a nurse who will spend a whole working day caring for the elderly and infirm. I can not stress enough how wonderful my surgeon was for me. I couldn't walk more than 200 yards on a bad day. The last 2 months prior to my operation I wouldn't leave the house with a walking stick for fear of falling flat on my face. I was unable to lift my daughters or play football with my son. The surgery was incredible, I was able to spend three weeks walking around Walt Disney World in Florida just eight weeks after the surgery was done. Amazing man
As public figures, I can not look any further than the collective of Eddie Vedder, Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament, Mike McCready and Matt Cameron. Pearl Jam. Forgetting their music for a moment (I may have a bias when discussing their contribution to the music world) they do so much in the fields of charity, good causes, injustice, human rights, environmental issues. After the release of their second album "Vs" they abandoned the use of plastics on all future compact disc cases, opting for cardboard packaging to help with climate change. They spent almost two years practically unable to perform a live show in America when they boycotted Ticketmaster due to their overpricing and monopolising of concert venues. They even appeared in front of congress to argue their case. Eddie, for years has campaigned for justice in the case of The West Memphis Three. Mike McCready has fought vigorously to get the laws changed in America to help Crohn's Disease sufferers. The Restroom Access Law allows Crohn's sufferers special permission to use employee-only restrooms in public buildings. A massive step.
The list of causes that the band support is too numerous to mention. Here are five men who, instead of revelling in their fame and personal fortunes, use their names to bring influence and attention to people and places that need help. Nothing is done for their own self interest, it is for a greater good. Selfless. A great example of this is with Roger Daltrey's annual Teenage Cancer charity. Eddie appeared at one of the shows a few years ago to raise awareness and money. Some months later, Daltrey was present at the opening of a new teenage cancer wing in the North of England(sorry, I can not remember the name of the place)and completely unannounced Ed turned up. At his own expense he flew in from Seattle just to be there to lend his support for the great work the charity does
There are countless examples of this kind of thing. An example of this is the blog I posted earlier regarding Stone's closeness to the family of one of the children who tragically lost their lives at the Roskilde Festival. Compassion, passion, an absolute belief in doing what is right, ethical and moral, regardless of whether press cameras are present to publicise their work. I will not go on about them any longer in this blog. I am sure I will mention Pearl Jam again at some point in the future.
My final words on this must be saved for someone who I love dearly. My better half. She is the most wonderful, loving, caring person I have ever known. She is a true hero to me. We have been together 7 years now. When we met she had three teenage daughters. She had done the mothering thing, done it pretty much on her own for 13 years and done it well. She has since given me three children. It takes one hell of a woman to willingly go through all those sleepless nights and endless nappies and dirty clothes again. She done it. During my 2 years before the back op she had to cope with our children and deal with me being incapable of anything but the most basic of light duties around the house. In the weeks and months after the op she had to do everything for me. Wash me, dress me, cook for me, carry everything I needed as I was unable to do anything for 3 months after the operation. She was my chauffeur for about 8 months as I was not allowed to drive. All of this with never so much as a mutter under her breath about how hard she was working for us. We went to Florida eight weeks after the op, with me on crutches. Five suitcases, three children and a pushchair. My better half had to deal with it all. Around the Disney parks it was her that had to do all the chasing around to prevent the children harrassing the 6ft tall wildlife. She was everything to us on that holiday and I will never forget that.
She is an incredible woman, and I idolise her. It is that simple. She is my hero and I do not imagine I could ever find someone more worthy of that title than her. She is an amazing mother and wonderful partner. She has brought up three amazing and beautiful girls and she is doing a brilliant job with our three too. I couldn't or wouldn't want to be without her.
Monday, 6 September 2010
Is this news?
I am an avid listener to BBC Radio Fivelive, have been for about 10 years. The standard of programming, reporting and coverage is second to none. Almost to a man/woman their presenters are fantastic, bright, smart, witty and knowledgeable. In the last few weeks, however, they have increasingly covered stories involving sex scandals and and gossip revelations. Now, this isn't Fivelive turning into the broadcast media version of Heat magazine or any News International "news" paper, it is more a case of discussing what is driving the headlines on any given day.
This is where my gripe starts with the current media circus that is infatuated with reporting irrelevance and creating a news agenda that really hasn't anything to do with genuine headlines, public interest or brilliant investigative journalism. From the stories surrounding high profile divorces to infidelities, there appears to be nothing that can be spun into a news worthy story, whether there is any substance to it or not
Just look at the story that has engulfed William Hague and his wife in the last 7 days. I am not a conservative, never have been and never will be. I despise everything they stand for, everything they represent and their vision for where we should be as a nation. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to see them implode and disappear from the political landscape but I do not think the way Hagues have been treated is the way to go about it. I have no idea if the allegations surrounding Mr. Hague are true or not. More to the point I do not care. If they are true he is guilty of nothing more than poor judgement and infidelity. The fact that the accusation is that he may have had inappropriate relations with his male personal aide is NOT a story. Homosexuality is not, the last time I checked, illegal. He has admitted to sharing a twin room with the man during the recent General Election campaign which was incredibly naive of him, but nothing more.
It is an absolutely terrible indictment on our society that Mr. Hague should feel the need to have to issue a public statement denying any homosexual relationship. What is even more damning is his feeling to have to reveal how his wife, Ffion, has had miscarriages as they attempt to start a family. Why should anyone feel the need to disclose such painful, personal details in an attempt to get the hounds in the press to back off from a story?
Yesterday's gutter press reported that Wayne Rooney has had several secret meetings with a £1,000 a night hooker. This is not news!!!! I care whether Rooney scores for England. I want to know when he is in a rich vein of form for club and country. I do not give a flying f*** about who he is alleged to have spent a night with. It is not news. It is nothing more than gossip over the garden fence with your neighbour. These people praise the likes of Rooney, only to scavenge for the slightest piece of garbage to print about them to sell a few more copies of their filth. Rooney is reported to earn somewhere in the region of £35 million a year with his wage and various commercial endorsements. I would not blame him if he turned around and said "F*** you all" and call it a day. Is that what we want to see? He doesn't need the money, he as sure as hell could do without this kind of exposure and what difference does it make to how he performs on the pitch? That is what he does, he plays football. End of story. He is not a role model for myself or my son, nor should he be. My son loves watching him play but I would like to think if my son wanted a role model he wouldn't have to look any further than his own home for the inspiration he needs.
My favourite sportsman of all times is Tiger Woods. The man is a sporting genius, a man so gifted he defies belief when you see him in full flow. Graceful, supremely fit, athleticism that has never before been seen in the golfing world. A year ago his personal life became front page news, you may have heard about it. I know next to nothing about it, despite EVERY tabloid, broadsheet, magazine and internet forum speculating about his extra marital activities. I know he had one affair because he has admitted to infidelity and recently paid the price for it with his marriage ending. I do not know any detail about it. I do not know or care how many women he may have slept with. I have not tried to find out because that is not my business, it is not your business. It is between him and his wife. No one harps on about the good he does with the Tiger Woods Learning Center where he has built and funded schools to educate under privileged children. Nor has it been reported repeatedly that he hosts a PGA Tour event each year, The AT&T National, which raises money for local charities and various members of the armed forces are invited as special guests to honour the work they do. This is just as news worthy as lurid details of his private life, but charity doesn't sell, does it?
I can not remember the last time I picked up a newspaper. A constant barrage of filth and non-news, chitter chatter about "celebrities" who are famous for doing nothing more than prostituting themselves on tv just to be famous is draining me. What happened to the days where journalists done real work? Why aren't we seeing proper reporting that the likes of Bernstein and Woodward would be proud of? Where are the News International journalists who should be covering the developing story at No.10 where a former News of the World editor may have questions to answer with regards to the possible phone tapping done at the newspaper whilst he was in charge? Oh yeah, they are busy digging through the trash trying find the smallest piece of dirt with which to ruin somebody else's life.
I am sick of it
This is where my gripe starts with the current media circus that is infatuated with reporting irrelevance and creating a news agenda that really hasn't anything to do with genuine headlines, public interest or brilliant investigative journalism. From the stories surrounding high profile divorces to infidelities, there appears to be nothing that can be spun into a news worthy story, whether there is any substance to it or not
Just look at the story that has engulfed William Hague and his wife in the last 7 days. I am not a conservative, never have been and never will be. I despise everything they stand for, everything they represent and their vision for where we should be as a nation. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to see them implode and disappear from the political landscape but I do not think the way Hagues have been treated is the way to go about it. I have no idea if the allegations surrounding Mr. Hague are true or not. More to the point I do not care. If they are true he is guilty of nothing more than poor judgement and infidelity. The fact that the accusation is that he may have had inappropriate relations with his male personal aide is NOT a story. Homosexuality is not, the last time I checked, illegal. He has admitted to sharing a twin room with the man during the recent General Election campaign which was incredibly naive of him, but nothing more.
It is an absolutely terrible indictment on our society that Mr. Hague should feel the need to have to issue a public statement denying any homosexual relationship. What is even more damning is his feeling to have to reveal how his wife, Ffion, has had miscarriages as they attempt to start a family. Why should anyone feel the need to disclose such painful, personal details in an attempt to get the hounds in the press to back off from a story?
Yesterday's gutter press reported that Wayne Rooney has had several secret meetings with a £1,000 a night hooker. This is not news!!!! I care whether Rooney scores for England. I want to know when he is in a rich vein of form for club and country. I do not give a flying f*** about who he is alleged to have spent a night with. It is not news. It is nothing more than gossip over the garden fence with your neighbour. These people praise the likes of Rooney, only to scavenge for the slightest piece of garbage to print about them to sell a few more copies of their filth. Rooney is reported to earn somewhere in the region of £35 million a year with his wage and various commercial endorsements. I would not blame him if he turned around and said "F*** you all" and call it a day. Is that what we want to see? He doesn't need the money, he as sure as hell could do without this kind of exposure and what difference does it make to how he performs on the pitch? That is what he does, he plays football. End of story. He is not a role model for myself or my son, nor should he be. My son loves watching him play but I would like to think if my son wanted a role model he wouldn't have to look any further than his own home for the inspiration he needs.
My favourite sportsman of all times is Tiger Woods. The man is a sporting genius, a man so gifted he defies belief when you see him in full flow. Graceful, supremely fit, athleticism that has never before been seen in the golfing world. A year ago his personal life became front page news, you may have heard about it. I know next to nothing about it, despite EVERY tabloid, broadsheet, magazine and internet forum speculating about his extra marital activities. I know he had one affair because he has admitted to infidelity and recently paid the price for it with his marriage ending. I do not know any detail about it. I do not know or care how many women he may have slept with. I have not tried to find out because that is not my business, it is not your business. It is between him and his wife. No one harps on about the good he does with the Tiger Woods Learning Center where he has built and funded schools to educate under privileged children. Nor has it been reported repeatedly that he hosts a PGA Tour event each year, The AT&T National, which raises money for local charities and various members of the armed forces are invited as special guests to honour the work they do. This is just as news worthy as lurid details of his private life, but charity doesn't sell, does it?
I can not remember the last time I picked up a newspaper. A constant barrage of filth and non-news, chitter chatter about "celebrities" who are famous for doing nothing more than prostituting themselves on tv just to be famous is draining me. What happened to the days where journalists done real work? Why aren't we seeing proper reporting that the likes of Bernstein and Woodward would be proud of? Where are the News International journalists who should be covering the developing story at No.10 where a former News of the World editor may have questions to answer with regards to the possible phone tapping done at the newspaper whilst he was in charge? Oh yeah, they are busy digging through the trash trying find the smallest piece of dirt with which to ruin somebody else's life.
I am sick of it
Sunday, 13 June 2010
Sad days for all
Reading the comments on Twitter over the last few days,although not entirely unexpected, has left me with an incredible amount of sadness. And not an insufficient amount of contempt for some people. What we have all held dear since the moment we signed up to OldnRubbish has slowly been eradicated. I have only been a member of O&R since February 2009, so I can only imagine that the decisions made by some O&R members over the last few days has been even harder than my own decision to leave. In those 16 months I posted as much as anyone on that site. 3500+ posts (not including the posts I deleted while keeping my various sections clean). I loved the place because everyone gamed on there to have a laugh, win a few games and find people who weren't in it to pamper their own KDRs at the expense of less experienced or skilled players
The trouble began in earnest when Modern Warfare 2 came out. Now, don't get me wrong, I am not blaming the breakdown within O&R on MW2. Just hear me out on my own theory. We have a huge COD following on O&R and a lot of those players are fecking good at it. That is great for the game as those players could help the lesser players to learn the game, pick up pointers and the like. The trouble, in my eyes, came from the sheer number of O&R players using the O&R clan tag. When you carry that tag, you will get noticed. When 60-70 players are running with it, it becomes a beacon. I know this from my time in MAG. We have a good group of players on there and I have, on many occasions, heard people compliment our group. "Great, we have O&R with us, these guys are good" and stuff like that. It is fantastic to hear. Not because we are good at the game, but because we are good as a collective. As a result I have had no end of people PM me after a game asking to join my clan. That happens with just a core group of about 16 of us. Multiply that by at least 5 and you get the sort of attraction people see for MW2/O&R
As a result I think a lot of people got attracted to O&R thinking it was an elite gaming clan, rather than a community set up for friendly gaming nights. This, in my opinion, lead to a lot of people signing up and not understanding the absolutely essential, fundamental ethos of O&R. I don't care that these people came in with a KDR of 23-1, that only helps the other O&R players when they go up against The Unwashed. What I do care about is the mentality of someone with a KDR of 23-1. Do they really understand what it is like to be old and rubbish? Save that bullshit for the official forums where you can also go insult someone's mother about how shit she is at giving head when you pick her up drunk from the local bar. That attitude doesn't belong in O&R. Or, if it does, I don't belong in O&R
It brought the whole "death squad" nonsense to the fore. Seriously, how on earth can anyone with the O&R ethics ingrained in their psyche think, even for 0.01875 seconds, that putting the best 6-8 O&R in a team together and ask other old and RUBBISH players to challenge them would help maintain the peace and good natured fun? Then there was the unbelievable instances where people were accusing fellow O&R members of cheating. I have never thought anyone I game with on O&R was a cheat, I have read too many posts from people who berate those who cross the line. To accuse one of your own of doing this to win a "friendly" competition is simply inexcusable. If I had been accused of this, the thread wouldn't have just been locked.....it would have resulted in an instant ban because I would have gone nuts. My integrity is so dear to me, and from what I can see of our members, dear to them. If I hadn't effectively been warned never to post on the MW2 section (sadly I did receive this warning) I would have said something to all those who were accusing/counter accusing because to question the honesty of one of our group means an accusatory finger is pointed at all of us.
After my warnings I lost a lot of the love for the site. Mainly because it was a fellow O&R member who reported me for my views on the game. To see so many other people losing that love is a terrible scene. I wouldn't give a flying fuck if it was the new members leaving under a cloud of disillusionment but unfortunately it is the valued older members who are jumping ship. They see they changes in the site. The newer members still think it is grand because all they compare our place to is the Other Place.
I am not going to miss the site while the site remains in its current rut. I am truly grateful for every single moment I spent gaming with the people on there. I loved every second of being in Dublin getting drunk with them. I loved meet everyone (briefly) at Alton Towers. I got to watch Arsenal a couple of times thanks to one member, got to join another at a Pearl Jam concert. All memories I will cherish. Thankfully most of the people who I game with are on my Twitter account and on my PS3 friends list. I can keep in touch, want to keep in touch. Providing this doesn't change I will still continue to be O&R. In Spirit if nothing else
I really hope the powers-that-be can turn things around at O&R. I won't be returning, and in the grand scheme of things I am a relatively new member so will not be missed as much as someone like Bert, ST6 or Duca/gixa. But there are people out there who will love the PS3 like us, who do not yet know they are oldnrubbish. It would be a terrible shame for those people to not have O&R to discover. I know if I had never found it I would probably have never played any of my games online
The trouble began in earnest when Modern Warfare 2 came out. Now, don't get me wrong, I am not blaming the breakdown within O&R on MW2. Just hear me out on my own theory. We have a huge COD following on O&R and a lot of those players are fecking good at it. That is great for the game as those players could help the lesser players to learn the game, pick up pointers and the like. The trouble, in my eyes, came from the sheer number of O&R players using the O&R clan tag. When you carry that tag, you will get noticed. When 60-70 players are running with it, it becomes a beacon. I know this from my time in MAG. We have a good group of players on there and I have, on many occasions, heard people compliment our group. "Great, we have O&R with us, these guys are good" and stuff like that. It is fantastic to hear. Not because we are good at the game, but because we are good as a collective. As a result I have had no end of people PM me after a game asking to join my clan. That happens with just a core group of about 16 of us. Multiply that by at least 5 and you get the sort of attraction people see for MW2/O&R
As a result I think a lot of people got attracted to O&R thinking it was an elite gaming clan, rather than a community set up for friendly gaming nights. This, in my opinion, lead to a lot of people signing up and not understanding the absolutely essential, fundamental ethos of O&R. I don't care that these people came in with a KDR of 23-1, that only helps the other O&R players when they go up against The Unwashed. What I do care about is the mentality of someone with a KDR of 23-1. Do they really understand what it is like to be old and rubbish? Save that bullshit for the official forums where you can also go insult someone's mother about how shit she is at giving head when you pick her up drunk from the local bar. That attitude doesn't belong in O&R. Or, if it does, I don't belong in O&R
It brought the whole "death squad" nonsense to the fore. Seriously, how on earth can anyone with the O&R ethics ingrained in their psyche think, even for 0.01875 seconds, that putting the best 6-8 O&R in a team together and ask other old and RUBBISH players to challenge them would help maintain the peace and good natured fun? Then there was the unbelievable instances where people were accusing fellow O&R members of cheating. I have never thought anyone I game with on O&R was a cheat, I have read too many posts from people who berate those who cross the line. To accuse one of your own of doing this to win a "friendly" competition is simply inexcusable. If I had been accused of this, the thread wouldn't have just been locked.....it would have resulted in an instant ban because I would have gone nuts. My integrity is so dear to me, and from what I can see of our members, dear to them. If I hadn't effectively been warned never to post on the MW2 section (sadly I did receive this warning) I would have said something to all those who were accusing/counter accusing because to question the honesty of one of our group means an accusatory finger is pointed at all of us.
After my warnings I lost a lot of the love for the site. Mainly because it was a fellow O&R member who reported me for my views on the game. To see so many other people losing that love is a terrible scene. I wouldn't give a flying fuck if it was the new members leaving under a cloud of disillusionment but unfortunately it is the valued older members who are jumping ship. They see they changes in the site. The newer members still think it is grand because all they compare our place to is the Other Place.
I am not going to miss the site while the site remains in its current rut. I am truly grateful for every single moment I spent gaming with the people on there. I loved every second of being in Dublin getting drunk with them. I loved meet everyone (briefly) at Alton Towers. I got to watch Arsenal a couple of times thanks to one member, got to join another at a Pearl Jam concert. All memories I will cherish. Thankfully most of the people who I game with are on my Twitter account and on my PS3 friends list. I can keep in touch, want to keep in touch. Providing this doesn't change I will still continue to be O&R. In Spirit if nothing else
I really hope the powers-that-be can turn things around at O&R. I won't be returning, and in the grand scheme of things I am a relatively new member so will not be missed as much as someone like Bert, ST6 or Duca/gixa. But there are people out there who will love the PS3 like us, who do not yet know they are oldnrubbish. It would be a terrible shame for those people to not have O&R to discover. I know if I had never found it I would probably have never played any of my games online
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