Philosophy will clip an angel's wings,
Conquer all mysteries by rule and line,
Empty the haunted air, and gnomed mine
Unweave a rainbow
John Keats
English Romantic Poet
1795-1821
Last night I was round a mate’s house, we watched a programme about ‘hoodies’.
It was quite strange in the way it tried to present itself as a serious piece of documentary making and by the end I was not sure if the programme was simply part of the hoody damning media bandwagon or not.
On reflection I think its producers did a good job trying to look at all the angles and unpicking the presenting problems below the hoody covered surface.
There were two points I found most interesting in the programme. The first was by a fashion guru who spoke about the 'blandness of youth'; the fact that youth has bought into the corporate machine so much that it is not cutting edge or reactionary as the rockers, mods and punks were, but rather were simply buying 'off the peg' sportswear provided by multi-nationals in every high street around the world. The hoody is not a statement unless it is simply a statement of mediocre conformity. This I liked!
NOTE: It is worth mentioning that I have bought a hoodie or two over the past few years thinking that they were a statment against the prejudice targeting those who are normally associated with wearing them. I even went so far as to wear a hoodie to the first council meeting I attended after being elected a Tory councillor in May 2008, but again that is another story!
The second was when Piers Morgan narrated that (further reiterating his point in an article in the Observer on Sunday 25 September 2005):
"We are CCTV-mad in this country. I discovered in the course of filming this programme that Britain has 20 per cent of the world's CCTV cameras. Yes, 20 per cent. There are more cameras in Basingstoke than in New York City, where they are banned from places like the subway on civil liberty grounds."
"The average Briton will be picked up by 300 cameras a day, creating a pervading sense of paranoia. Cameras don't mug or stab you, though. And there is no doubt that a lot of hoodies cause a lot of problems for those who have the misfortune to live around them."
I thought that I would check out the claim and stumbled upon the following article on BBC News. I found it interesting and think that everyone should be part of this debate, before its too late.
Britain is 'surveillance society'
Thursday, 2 November 2006, 15:40 GMT
BBC SOURCE WEBSITE
Fears that the UK would "sleep-walk into a surveillance society" have become a reality, the government's information commissioner has said.
Richard Thomas, who said he raised concerns two years ago, spoke after research found people's actions were increasingly being monitored.
Researchers highlight "dataveillance", the use of credit card, mobile phone and loyalty card information, and CCTV.
Monitoring of work rates, travel and telecommunications is also rising.
There are up to 4.2m CCTV cameras in Britain – about one for every 14 people.
But surveillance ranges from US security agencies monitoring telecommunications traffic passing through Britain, to key stroke information used to gauge work rates and GPS information tracking company vehicles, the Report on the Surveillance Society says.
It predicts that by 2016 shoppers could be scanned as they enter stores, schools could bring in cards allowing parents to monitor what their children eat, and jobs may be refused to applicants who are seen as a health risk.
Produced by a group of academics called the Surveillance Studies Network, the report was presented to the 28th International Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners' Conference in London, hosted by the Information Commissioner's Office.
The office is an independent body established to promote access to official data and to protect personal details.
The report's co-writer Dr David Murakami-Wood told BBC News that, compared to other industrialised Western states, the UK was "the most surveilled country".
"We have more CCTV cameras and we have looser laws on privacy and data protection," he said.
"We really do have a society which is premised both on state secrecy and the state not giving up its supposed right to keep information under control while, at the same time, wanting to know as much as it can about us."
The report coincides with the publication by the human rights group Privacy International of figures that suggest Britain is the worst Western democracy at protecting individual privacy.
The two worst countries in the 36-nation survey are Malaysia and China, and Britain is one of the bottom five with "endemic surveillance".
Mr Thomas called for a debate about the risks if information gathered is wrong or falls into the wrong hands.
"We've got to say where do we want the lines to be drawn? How much do we want to have surveillance changing the nature of society in a democratic nation?" he told the BBC.
"We're not luddites, we're not technophobes, but we are saying not least don't forget the fundamental importance of data protection, which I'm responsible for.
"Sometimes it gets dismissed as something which is rather bureaucratic, it stops you sorting out your granny's electricity bills. People grumble about data protection, but boy is it important in this new age.
"When data protection puts those fundamental safeguards in place, we must make sure that some of these lines are not crossed."
'Balance needed'
The Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) said there needed to be a balance between sharing information responsibly and respecting the citizen's rights.
A spokesman said: "Massive social and technological advances have occurred in the last few decades and will continue in the years to come.
"We must rise to the challenges and seize the opportunities it provides for individual citizens and society as a whole."
Graham Gerrard from the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) said there were safeguards against the abuse of surveillance by officers.
"The police use of surveillance is probably the most regulated of any group in society," he told the BBC.
"Richard Thomas was particularly concerned about unseen, uncontrolled or excessive surveillance. Well, any of the police surveillance that is unseen is in fact controlled and has to be proportionate otherwise it would never get authorised."
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I find myself knowing the things that I knew
Stranger things have happened but for the past three days I have found myself listening to a whole spectrum of music, some good, some lame.
“Why is this relevant? So what?”
The following demonstrates how deeply one can change and how change however small can take you by surprise.
Now my lost love had a number of music ‘phases’. When we first hung out she was mostly listening to “The concretes”, as time went on top spot was taken by “The Magic Numbers” played over and over again for weeks/months at a time. I got into them and quite liked what I was listening to.
Then Joanna Newsom entered my life…..
She too was played again and again with no let up, over and over again; at home, in the car – everywhere. For whatever reason, I just found her quirky voice resonated in my head in every conceivable wrong way. It became an ‘issue’.
We would barter what was played in what order so that Joanna was heard sufficiently to satisfy and that anything might be listened to as a break between Joanna tracks to that I did not end up cutting my wrists.
At one point I bought (as a pathetic joke) a Halloween sounds CD from the supermarket to complement Joanna’s album, with cats screeching and ghouls chuckling to the background of squeaking doors and thunder. That joke did not go down very well as you can appreciate. Even though it was a silly joke, it really did seem to offend, which was never the intention. Looking back, for this I am sorry. I know that at the time I did not realize how hurting this must have been.
Anyhow, over the last week whilst clearing the shelf above the TV in preparation for the renters to move in to my house as I am off, I have been listening to a host of random (mostly rubbish music). I suddenly found myself upstairs on the laptop listening on iTunes to Joanna.
It occurred to me that even though I thought I was not keen on her, I actually profoundly missed her in the background and foreground of my life. Bizarre I know, but truth.
I listened to the 20 second extracts and knew all of them, they had settled into my subconscious as familiar as old socks rediscovered at the back of the drawer. I bought the album (The Milk-eyed Mender).
It’s been playing this morning and it’s a fact that there are some tracks I prefer over others (This side of the Blue/Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowie).
Generally her voice has not grated as it used to and I have even found myself listening to the language in the lyrics. Lyrics I had previously been completely oblivious too. In fact although unique, her tone is ethereal to me.
I just don't know what to make of it all. It could be another olive occurrence. You know, the kind of thing that you hate at first but then cannot get enough of. Maybe Joanna's voice is like a big sweet delicious acoustic olive (Although Cassiopeia is still just a little too bitter for my infant-like palate).
I suppose when I was first immersed head long
into the world of Joanna, it was done forcibly and against my will. I suppose too that my head was not in the right place to be ‘hearing’ her. My head did not need her.
Now, as if a switch has been flicked, Joanna is medicine and I celebrate the harp which in my mind is equal to the clarinet as my preferred instrument of choice.
Maybe in time I will be rid of this affliction and become normal again. Who the devil knows?
I once overheard the most tedious conversation ever, in Orpington near the entrance to the small Sainsbury’s supermarket.
Two people were pushing buggies toward each other and when one noticed the other said, “Alright! How you doing, alright?”
The other replied “Alright! We’re alright, you alright?”
The first confirmed, “Were alright.”
The second looking at the face of a mobile phone said, “Alright, well we gotta go, alright?”
The first, “Alright then, take care, alright?”
The second, “Alright, you too, see-ya”
The first, “Alright”
By the end of it, I was not feeling alright and a little dizzy, as in seven exchanges the same word had been used ten times and probably both participants would have agreed it was a ‘good chat’ having not seen each other for some time and maybe they had.
The English language is an incredible thing isn't it?
So there I was standing in an upstairs room in a house in New Cross during the Summer of 1997 where my best pals girlfriend at the time was being spoken about by two cretins standing next to me. They did not know who I was.
I sipped my chocolate milk and listened as they plotted the imminent beating of my mate and the molestation of his girl.
I casually left the room to find him. When I did, I informed him that we needed to leave really very quickly and that once he was safe, I would return for his girlfriend, incidentally whose name sounded remarkably like a venereal disease, but that is by the by.
As we started down the stairs these two guys said "There he is' pointing at my chum and making for the top of the stairs. Still not aware that I was with him, I acted like a bungling fool and and prevented their pursuit by blocking the stairs, whilst my pal made it through the front door, out the house and to my car.
I got out the front door and walked towards the car. I got in and explained that he was to remain in the car and not get out whatever happens. I was stuck in work mode and felt in control of the situation. I had none of the risk management tools in place but notwithstanding I felt as if i could 'manage the situation'. I knew that he was the target and that with him out of the picture, things might deescalate.
I got out of the car with the intent of going back into the party and finding the girlfriend. Further up up the centre of the road walked these three baggy trousered thugs. It reminded me of a western movie when there is a line up of goodies and baddies. In this episode there were three relatively short stocky baddies and me. We approached each other with them shouting abuse and gesticulating like they were vexed with me. When we got to a reasonable distance, one of them started literally bouncing his chest off of mine.
He was saying things like "Are you hard, are you?" and all such nonsense illuminated with obscene expletives.
Still in the work mode and I used the standard stock answers:
"I don't have an argument with you"
"Let's all try and calm down now"
"I haven't not sworn at you and so lets not use that kind of language"
Blah, blah blah. These guys were not hearing my words. They just wanted to give someone a kicking. It was pathetic.
Then out of my peripheral vision I remember a forth slightly taller person coming into my field of vision.
He said the six most memorable menacing words I have ever committed to memory:
"Do you know what this is?"
I looked and saw a knuckle duster was adorning his right fist which was raised and was already bearing down on me. I remember feeling my whole body shrink and I answered "Yeah" as it came crashing down on my left brow, which immediately opened, spilling claret down one side of my face.
I had never been hit that hard before and I recall concentrating on 'not falling over'. It seemed almost instinctive to know that had I lost my footing, the other three would start kicking.
Becoming aware of a vehicle driving behind me I turned and flagged down a white van. I spoke to the driver and asked that he just wait for a moment, just long enough for the threat to run off. No sooner had they walked from the tarmac, he was accelerating away. Who can blame him for not helping more? Maybe he was scared.
To cut a long story short, VD girl came running from the house. We got her into the car as the four thugs ran towards my car (at the time a little purple Nissan Micra). I rammed the car into reverse and at speed drove backwards about 100meters before doing a 180 degree turn as if in the films. Even though my brow was split and bleeding, i felt pride at my driving abilities and the responsiveness of the little car.
I dropped the guys home first and then took myself to hospital where I was super glued by a nurse.
That was a night to remember. These days I have a small shadow above my eyebrow when I raise it which means I recall the moment of impact whenever I look in a mirror.
Ever since I lost my love last year, eating has become a serious issue. I have to really kick myself in order to be motivated to prepare a meal. I used to weigh 15 stone (95.25 Kg), now I am about 12½ stones (79.3Kg). I have tried to explain to people that the weight loss is me working to a target and although some of this weight loss is good, on reflection, it is really easy to see how one can just, and without conscious thought taking place, not bother eating for days at a time. Maybe that is worthy of another thought at another time.
Knowing that other people are coming to eat is a good way of motivating me to cook and eat. So, I have tried to regularly get people round, creating the absolute necessity to eat and whilst I am at it, further attempt to combat introspective feelings of isolation and loneliness.
Anyhow, a few weeks ago I had a few friends round for a ‘Stew fest’. Stew is a great meal for the winter and I had been given my grandmothers recipe from my sister. I had ‘practiced’ once before and as it turned out, although it caught on the bottom of the pan, it was not bad grub.
It got quite late and my friends H&B had to leave. J&L were staying over (two brothers and both old friends of mine), and I brought out the cheese.
Seconds later there was a ‘rat, tat, tat’ on the window. It sounded like a ‘friendly knock and so I assumed that H&B had forgotten something.
As I flung open the door, there standing in the snow was a man. Tall and thin, his voice visible in the freezing night air, he asked if I knew where there was a B&B locally. I directed him to the Railway Hotel which invariably has rooms available and also gave him directions to a small B&B around the corner. He then asked if I might spare him a cup of tea. It felt unchristian to turn him away on a cold night and so I invited him in to sit at our table, whilst I made him a cup of tea.
I will refrain from giving his actual name and instead refer to him as ‘RazorShell’.
Standing at about 6’ with straight blond hair hanging to his jaw-line Razor said that he had worked in advertising, he spoke about writing and bands he is in the process of forming. He spoke about companies he is part of.
His speech and mannerisms put him somewhere between Bill Nighy and Ronny Woods. Wearing dozens of bangles on his wrists and with his fingernails painted black, Razor is the real thing. His problem is he’s just not rich or famous.
Now back to the story, after eating cheese, drinking tea and generally being entertaining, it got to the point where I needed to get some sleep and J&L had already crashed. I made it clear to Razor that he had to leave, and he did.
Over the next couple of weeks, sporadically Razor would turn up, banging on the door and asking if he could have a cuppa. In each case, I said yes and invited him in. The third time he turned up, as I opened the door, I noticed he was wearing my green hat with a feather in the band. I asked for it back and explaining its sentimental value (last present from lost love and feather from last farming world outing with her little boy), when he handed it over, I returned it to the hat stand I received a few years ago for Christmas.
The last time I saw Razor was on Saturday 13th in the morning. He came round and I again offered him a tea and chat. He was just as entertaining as ever and as he was about to leave, he asked if I could lend him my guitar. I asked him how long he needed it for and he said he would have it back an hour later; he just wanted to do some busking. I agreed.
Flamboyantly Razor said his goodbye’s and left. About two hours later, I looked toward the door recognizing that my guitar had not been returned. My trust had been broken.
Then I noticed something else.
My green hat with the eagle feather in it's band was missing.
By some slight of hand, Razor had stolen it, standing in full view of me as I showed him out of my front door, this dude had stolen my hat!
He has not returned since and I fear I will never see my hat again.
I parked in the underground car park, not two minutes walk away. I had not thought to check if parking was available outside the Kensington Gore entrance, but from now on, I will.
I wandered past the Tunisian Embassy before crossing Exhibition Road to the new front door of the RGS. I visited once before the 'unlocking the archive' scheme was complete but did not get too far into the building.
This time I had an appointment with Shane Winser at "Geography Outdoors". As I am sure most of you are still on the edge of your seats from last weeks post about the importance I had placed on the visit, the office occupied by Go which was formally the Expedition Advisory Centre is not only the same space, but also looks, feels and smells the same. If this can be used as a bench mark, then all in the world of the RGS is fine!
Shane listened to my 'no-plan plan' over a cup of coffee and when we parted provided me with two pieces of advice:
1) Look at the digital explorer book of 'Geoblogging for Travellers' (www.digitalexplorer.co.uk) – check!
2) get in touch with Rob from Escape the City (www.escapethecity.org) – who I telephoned on my way home – check!
Hoorah for the RGS!! Hoorah for the EAC and for its new incarnation – GO!!
Wednesday is day
filled with potential. I remember learning about supporters and
resisters, enablers and constraints. This Wednesday I have two
appointments with people who can provide information which will support
and enable or resist and constrain.
filled with potential. I remember learning about supporters and
resisters, enablers and constraints. This Wednesday I have two
appointments with people who can provide information which will support
and enable or resist and constrain.
I have an
appointment first thing with the Chartered Institute of Journalists and
I have confirmed a meeting with what is now known as 'Geography
Outdoors' with the Royal Geographical Society at 2pm.
appointment first thing with the Chartered Institute of Journalists and
I have confirmed a meeting with what is now known as 'Geography
Outdoors' with the Royal Geographical Society at 2pm.
'Go' as it
is now known used to be called the Expedition Advisory Centre (EAC).
It looks to me like the branding guys have come in and in order that an
acronym can be created encouraging people to 'Go!', the whole
department was renamed. Even in its 'New Labour' – 21st century guise,
I still need to seek information, advice and guidance for my no plan
plan.
is now known used to be called the Expedition Advisory Centre (EAC).
It looks to me like the branding guys have come in and in order that an
acronym can be created encouraging people to 'Go!', the whole
department was renamed. Even in its 'New Labour' – 21st century guise,
I still need to seek information, advice and guidance for my no plan
plan.
The
decision makers probably listened to facts and arguments that 'Go' is a
brand that will take the work of the department into the future or some
such. Maybe I am just a sentimentalist but the Expedition Advisory
Centre did its job in an unfussy way for decades and was well
respected.
decision makers probably listened to facts and arguments that 'Go' is a
brand that will take the work of the department into the future or some
such. Maybe I am just a sentimentalist but the Expedition Advisory
Centre did its job in an unfussy way for decades and was well
respected.
Having not
been up therefore some time, I expect it is now lit with full spectrum
fluorescent strips and having lost the old school wooden furniture,
thread bare carpets and cluttered common-room feel in its
modernizing. I certainly hope not. It was always strange knowing that
so many great explorers had been in the rooms and sat at the same old
desks gave inspiration.
been up therefore some time, I expect it is now lit with full spectrum
fluorescent strips and having lost the old school wooden furniture,
thread bare carpets and cluttered common-room feel in its
modernizing. I certainly hope not. It was always strange knowing that
so many great explorers had been in the rooms and sat at the same old
desks gave inspiration.
Maybe so long as the job fulfilled is done in the same manner and to
the same excellent standard, even if it is a sanitized un-cluttered
office, what does it matter? We'll see if the 'spirit' has been lost
with the old name.
the same excellent standard, even if it is a sanitized un-cluttered
office, what does it matter? We'll see if the 'spirit' has been lost
with the old name.
I will of course update you with how I get on.
"A Minor Incident"
There's nothing I could say
To make you try to feel ok
And nothing you could do
To stop me feeling the way I do
And if the chance should happen
That I never see you again
Just remember that I'll always love you
I'd be a better person
On the other side I'm sure
You'd find a way to help yourself
And find another door
To shrug off minor incidents
And make us both feel proud
I just wish I could be there
To see you through
You always were the one
To make us stand out in a crowd
Though every once upon a while
Your head was in the cloud
There's nothing you could never do
To ever let me down
And remember that I'll always love you
Lyrics of song by Badly Drawn Boy featured in the feature film About A Boy
With
a recruitment process dedicated to team dynamics, the immediate future
of Actual Reality looks like it’s being carried by its front-line
staff, whilst its board wrestles with the local authority to secure the
castles future.
In
a dramatic rally of support from over 5000 campaigners using the social
networking website, Facebook the work of a great team of instructors
might have been saved. Having joined the Facebook campaign and having
engaged in the discussion boards, I was passionate about the cause and
decided that I should ‘do my bit’.
"I was passionate about the cause and decided that I should – do my bit"
It
was one of those spur of the moment decisions that have punctuated my
life over the years. I decided to take part in a march in support of
the work of the company ‘Actual Reality’, an outdoor education provider
who operates out of a picturesque castle on the West coast of
Scotland.
In
recent months the activities of one of Scotland’s premier outdoor
education centres has been put under threat. The centre based at
Castle Toward, was closed by the building’s owners, Argyll and Bute
Council in November last year following a combination of both fire
stipulations and overdue maintenance needs not undertaken by the
council.
I
landed in Glasgow on Thursday and was keen to get to grips with the
issues at first hand. It was then that I was introduced to the
dedicated staff of Castle Toward. Uncertain about their professional
futures, the atmosphere was light and hardworking. I took
photographs of banners on the castle advertising the forthcoming march
and public meeting.
The
pressure applied by local community stakeholders together with the
‘Facebook 5000’ did make a difference and at public meeting, the
council made an apparent u-turn. The council representatives declared
their intent to work alongside Actual Reality to resolve the problems
and re-open the castle on 1st March enabling kids from all over
Scotland to benefit once again.
"the ‘Facebook 5000’ did make a difference"
The
closure threat to the outdoor activity residential education centre has
attracted almost 1,400 signatures on a petition calling for it to stay
open and the council obviously listened.
In
early January, following the closure and amid heavy criticism of Argyll
and Bute Council for its handling of the situation, local supporters
requested that South Cowal Community Council facilitate a public
meeting to discuss the situation, with council officers in attendance.
Representatives
of Argyll and Bute Council and Actual Reality Learning and Leadership
Ltd had a very positive meeting on 22nd January which cut ‘the Gordian
Knot’.
Following
a gathering of supporters around the bandstand in Dunoon, at a public
meeting on Saturday 30th January, Dr Chris Mason speaking on behalf of
the Directors of Actual Reality explained, “the 1st March opening date
is a great step forward and the company is now engaged in negotiations
with a view of buying the castle and a proportion of the estate from
Argyll and Bute”.
"the 1st March opening date is a great step forward"
Image courtesy of Dunoon Observer and Argyllshire Standard
Whilst
the Facebook campaigners are still gearing up to fight the rest of the
war in support of buying the castle, staff at the castle are fighting
their own battle at the front line leading up to the 1st March.
In
a push to complete remedial works required in order that Castle Toward
is fully occupied and used for residential accommodation, it’s all
hands on deck, with instructors swapping their paddles and harnesses in
favour of overalls and tools.
The
council released a statement saying, “If the agreed works are completed
to the satisfaction of both parties, Castle Toward will be able to be
used by Actual Reality for the delivery of its outdoor education
programme.”
In
an official statement released by Actual Reality it was confirmed
“Castle Toward is a beacon, a bright light on the radar of Scottish
education provision whose contribution to the skills, knowledge,
attitudes and understanding of countless young people is legend. We
are now all going to work together to carry that capacity forward for
future generations thus helping to develop the confident and
responsible citizens and contributors upon whom so much will depend as
we face more and more complicated options for a sustainable future”.
Pete
“Pedro” Clark, Senior Instructor for Castle Toward, overseeing an
18-strong team of outdoor educators said “It’s fantastic that everyone
has rallied so hard to get the place ready for the kids when they start
coming again.”
"It’s fantastic that everyone has rallied so hard"
Later
during the interview when describing how staff are recruited Pete
explained, “unlike some other centres up and down the country, it’s not
about being macho or testosterone fuelled, it’s not about whether a
person has the best kit or has the most qualifications. It’s about
whether they will fit in and contribute positively to the team.”
Reading
the comments left on the discussion board of the Facebook group, it’s
clear that the team make a big difference to 6000 or so kids who pass
through the centre every year before considering the secondary positive
effects the castle brings to the surrounding local community.
"my thoughts rest on the Castle Toward instructors and their battle I think they will win"
During
my limited time sitting in the staff room and sharing tea-breaks with
the crew, I left feeling inspired that the castle is in safe hands.
The front-line instructors are a light hearted and passionate bunch.
They are the heart-beat of the castle without whom, the castle just
turns into a Victorian pile of stone and mortar.
As
one member of the ‘Facebook 5000’ and reflecting on my experience
whilst on my flight down to Gatwick, my thoughts rest on the Castle
Toward instructors and their battle I think they will win.
For further information see:
http://www.actualrealitycentres.com
End.