Enjoy the Christmas meal

It's the day for the company Christmas meal, so we're off to London for the afternoon with a meal to follow in the evening. We're meeting up with some friends who run another business.

It's a time to eat our fill and toast a glass or two of wine to a prosperous 2011.

2010 has been tough, but you just have to get on with it, find new prospects, keep your current clients happy and always be looking to move your business forward. Plans have been made for 2011 which, if met, will push the business forward a notch or two. There's no point in planning for less.

But all that can wait for a few days. For today, it's time to relax and enjoy a relaxing meal with colleagues and friends in the buzzing surroundings of the capital.

Catch the eclipse of the moon if you can

There's an eclipse of the moon this morning.

That's when the shadow of the earth passes over the moon. It's not as spectacular as an eclipse of the sun (when the moon passes between the sun and the earth), but is still a fascinating astronomical phenomenon. You can see "a chunk" taken out of the moon as the earth's shadow comes across, turning the moon a purple hue. The moon doesn't usually totally disappear during the event.

The eclipse will last from 7.30am until 8.54am so there's plenty of time to catch it, but, of course, we need a clear sky. I live in the south of England where the forecast is for fog and snow throughout the day, so it seems unlikely that I and people around here will be able to see it.

Shame. Like so many other things these days: thwarted by the weather!

First Call lead the way for transport and logistics solutions

It's Friday, and every Friday I advertise a local business that I use, know, support or like, or all four.

Today it's First Call Employment Services of Ripley in Surrey.

First Call is a market leading supplier to the transport and logistics industry, providing temporary and permanent staffing solutions 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

They are a very reliable small business in a village not far from Guildford in Surrey.

If you're looking for transport and logistics solutions, give them a call.

And if you're looking for employment as a driver or another logstics role, give them a call too.

01483 210130

Say No to football at the Olympic Stadium

I'm a football fan, but the thought of a football club taking over the 2012 Olympic Stadium after the Olympics are done and dusted fills me with horror.

Both West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur have their eyes on the prize.

But I believe it would betray athletics and the the promise of a legacy made when the games were awarded to London.

Olympic athletes, including Kelly Holmes and Daley Thompson have sent an open letter complaining about plans for football to take over the stadium in north east London, and get rid of the running track.

"We urge the decision makers to ensure the track remains post 2012. [It would] bring to life a sporting promise made to a whole community for generations to come."

The Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) is the organisation responsible for the long-term management of the Stratford site.

Tottenham's plans are for an 80,000-seat stadium without an athletics track. That would break the original pledge for a world-class athletics venue after the 2012 Games.

West Ham's plans involve a 60,000-capacity arena for football, athletics, concerts and community use in a collaboration with Newham Council, a bid endorsed by UKA.

Wouldn't it be great to have a truly world-class athletics stadium in London? However, no doubt economic reality dictates that it's just not possible.

The West Ham option is better, but it would be even better if they both left well alone.

X-Factor winners are tossed away like Christmas wrapping paper

The problem with the X-Factor is not really for music lovers; it's for the poor winners of the thing.

The show comes in for a lot of (justified) criticism for its freakish route to apparent stardom for the contestants. The people that sing do not, say the critics, do their music apprenticeship. They don't play the pubs and clubs - they don't "put in the miles" as do bands who trudge round the circuit, plying their trade. These are the bands who really can play their own instruments and actually add something to the world of music by creating something new.

Who was the last X-Factor winner who wrote his (her) own song?

But the music industry will plough on, creatively, in spite of Simon Cowell's one-man marketing show. The fact is that the X-Factor adds little to the music industry, and takes little away (except the chance of someone else being Christmas number one (2009 being a notable exception when Killing In The Name by Rage Against The Machine enabled people to rage against the machine!), and who really cares who's number one in the singles chart any more?).

The problem with the X-Factor is the hopes and dreams it creates for thousands of would-be singers. Except that many of them are not would-be singers; they're would-be celebrities. "I wanna be famous," they shout, with arms crossed in X style, "a star on the screen." [Drive My Car - Beatles]

And the hopes are usually dashed. It is because we can all name Leona Lewis that makes her the exception. Where now for the original winner (2004) Steve Brookstein? Turning on the Christmas lights in Woking, dressed in his donkey jacket, followed by a tour of Caffe Nero - that's where. Shayne Ward (2005)? Three albums, each one sinking lower than the last. Leon Jackson (2007)? Dropped from hsi record label within three months.

The trouble is that the X-Factor is like a Christmas present. Unwrapped, marvelled at for a few moments, and then tossed aside as we open the next one.

How is Prince Charles connected to tuition fees?

However much one may agree with the right of students to protest against the rise in tuition fees - and we must protect the rights to freedom of speech - there is no way anyone can condone an attack on the car carrying the heir to the throne and his wife.

A window of the vehicle carrying Prince Charles and Camilla was smashed and paint thrown was thrown at the car as the royal couple made their way to the London Palladium to see the Royal Variety Performance.
Clarence House later said the royal couple were safe and attended the performance as scheduled.

What on earth has the royal couple got to do with tuition fees?

Sadly, this demonstrates the propensity for violence of large groups (mobs?), and the likely scenario that some of the protestors were bent on causing trouble from the outset, and probably couldn't care less about tuition fees or student debt, but just want to stir up trouble for the coalition government. Smashing up shops in Oxford Street is hardly going to bring them sympathy, is it?

If there is any group who should "ConDem"ned it is these worthless troublemakers.

Lennon's legend will live forever

Yesterday (8 December) was the 30th anniversary of John Lennon's assassination in New York. This, of course, has been covered in much more detail and in much higher places than my humble blog, but I thought it worth touching on.

Lennon was one of the Fab Four - the Beatles - whose music and style changed youth culture in Britain and the world forever. Culture may have changed eventually, but it did so in the Sixties, and the Beatles were one of the main catalysts.

Within the Beatles, Lennon was - just about - the leader, with his own music and personality having great influence on the band itself.

Some of his best work actually came after the Beatles - Imagine, Woman, and at this time of year, Happy Xmas (War is Over) - but he will inevitably be remembered primarily for his work and times in the group.

His campaigns for world peace - songs, sit-ins, lie-ins, were well meant - but he'd still have to do the same now, 30 years on.

Lennon was taken from us too early, too cruelly. But you can't remain untouched by John Lennon, even in 2010.

Lennon's legend, and his music, will live forever.

Go Stacey - a refreshing winner

You know the most refreshing about Stacey Solomon winning I'm A Celebrity on Saturday night?

It was that this "working-class" girl from Dagenham, previously famous only for failing to win X-Factor last year didn't play on any of that class nonsense.

As Richard Dreyfuss's character Matt Hooper said in the 1975 film Jaws, "I don't need this'working class hero' crap." Hear, hear to that!

Stacey has no airs or graces; she has no pretences; I'm sure she'd like to be successful and famous, but she's not calculating, and didn't play on her background to win this reality show. She was honest, likeable, and, although probably not academically brilliant, showed a caring wisdom beyond her years. She didn't aspire to anything greater than having fun, and being grateful for the opportunity; "Fank you," being her stock phrase.

Even when she had won, she felt most comfortable hugging her fellow contestants, Ant & Dec, and apologising for her breath - stale after three weeks in the jungle. "What the hell just happened?" was her comment on being crowned.

Never was there a more deserving winner!

Natural, inspirational photos

Kelvin Hudson is a Dublin-based photographer with a flare for natural, inspirational photos.

Originally from Surrey, Hudson moved to Ireland many years ago and set up his own photography business. He works mainly in the commercial area and has provided photos for many adverts you may have seen over the years.

Find his website at KelvinHudson.com.

Today it's the weather and the World Cup bid

There are only two stories out there today: the weather and the World Cup bid.

It seems that the news channels will be following the FIFA World Cup vote throughout the day, interspersed only by bulletins about how bad the weather is and the travel chaos it causes.

Our endless fascination with the weather in this country is amazing. We appear to love seeing pictures taken from a helicopter of a white screen, cut by dark lines - white fields, dark hedgerows! The kids get up early on snowy days - but only to check the local websites to see if their schools are closed! The parents hope the schools will be closed to avoid the dreaded school run on icy roads.

But after a few days we're fed up. Snow is either a slushy mess or compacted to ice; the kids are restless; the heating's been on too long; and we all need to get back to work to earn some money. Bring on the thaw!

It would be nice to think that our mood in the UK (well, England, anyway) will be brightened shortly after 3pm by an announcement that England will host the World Cup in 2018. We'll see.

Expatriate Property Investments

It's Friday, and every Friday I advertise a local business that I use, know, support or like, or all four.

Today it's Expatriate Property Investments.

Concentrating on the expatriate market these guys find residential property across the UK and in parts of Europe.

Expatriate Property Investments offer a service to UK expatriates and UK residents to invest in property for both capital growth and rental yield. Having gained experience in the north-east and north-west of England in Newcastle, Sunderland, Hull and Manchester finding mortgages for high-yielding and growth properties, they broadened their outlook to eastern Europe, and specifically, currently, Prague. They are in the process of exploring opportunties in Budapest, Bratislava & Warsaw. You get guidance through every step of the way with experts with local knowledge.

So, if you're interested in property investment, and you're an expat, give EPI a try.

Snow! We love it and hate it!

Snow is promised for the UK at the end of November. I live in the south east of England, so our chnaces of getting snow are, mercifully, only small.

However, everyone is noticeably twitchy as we get nightly warnings of snow, and memories of the disruption caused by the white stuff earlier this year come flooding back.

And yet, we have a fascination for the stuff. It's magical as it falls, exciting as it settles, thrilling as it gets deeper - and then disruptive when we have to go out in it!
We love it. We hate it. We're definitely affected by it!

This was our back garden in January with almost six inches of freshly fallen snow whiting everything out.
This is a prettier image of trees in the same month, but on a sunnier day.

Get Gillian Out Of There

'I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here' is a guilty secret of mine. I spurn nearly all the other reality shows, from the horrendous 'Big Brother' to the now self-parodying 'X-Factor'. But IACGMOOH has always been fairly amusing - in no small part, of course, due to the presenters Ant & Dec who do an excellent job fronting the show.

It is obvious that one of this year's participants - TV food nutritionist Gillian McKeith - has never watched a minute of the programme before. She seems totally unprepared for everything the show throws at her. And in being such a dismal competitor - unable to face anything from eating bugs, to being showered with them (and struggling most days even to cross the wooden 'rope' bridge) - she, of course, is voted by the cynical British viewing public to do the trials every day! She was only replaced as triallist in last night's show by Linford Christie because she apparently fainted at the very thought of being at the mercy of flies, mealworm, spiders and cockroaches once again!

What was her agent thinking of? Did (s)he tell Gillian what the show was all about? Did (s)he ask Gillian if she was afraid of anything (perhaps (s)he got the apparently humorous response, "everything", which turns out to be true).

Why the public keep voting for her is a bit of a mystery. After a while, it's just boring, watching such dismal failure.

But surely the agent should have done more research and enlightened poor Ms McKeith as to what she might be letting herself in for. For goodness sake, Get Her Out Of There!

The Christmas festival is about to begin in earnest

It's the Christmas lights switch-on in my local town, Woking, this evening. This will be performed by the leading players in this year's pantomime; they are Gareth Gates, Claire Sweeney and Cliff Parisi, starring in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Christmas items have been creeping into the shops and garden centres for weeks, but the switch-on of lights in a town really signals the start of the 'festival', for such it has become, running for over five weeks to Christmas Day - and indeed, well beyond if you take into account the fact that the panto runs until 16 January (I've never quite understood why pantos run so far into the New Year - can anyone help me?).

But let's join in the spirit! Happiness is in short supply these days, so don't spurn Christmas and its excesses - embrace them (well, not too many of the excesses)!

So, I will be going to watch the lights being switched on (it's indoors so no fear for weather's intrusion) with my wife. The shops will be dressed, the short-term Christmas shops will have appeared, and we'll hear the first airings of all those old Christmas hits.

It's a bit of fun. May I be the first to wish you ...

Let's leave the engaged couple alone

So Prince William is to marry long-term girlfriend Kate Middleton in summer 2011.

The pair of 28-year-olds became engaged in October while on holiday in Kenya. They have been dating since meeting in 2002 at St Andrews University in Scotland.

The TV media have already set up camp in north Wales, where William is serving with the RAF, and at Miss Middleton's tiny home village of Bucklebury in Berkshire. One hopes, however, that they won't remain there until the wedding day!

I'm not sure what the public reaction will be, but I can't see it being as intense as it was for William's mother, Princess Diana, when she first started seeing Prince Charles back in 1981. Nevertheless, whether the public shrugs a shoulder at the news, the media - TV, radio, newspapers, glossy magazines - will try to convince us that we should be following the pair's every move for the next seven or eight months (no wedding date as yet).

I wish them well - but leave them alone, eh?

It's so simple to get yourself an ebook

It's Friday, and every Friday I advertise a local business that I use, know, support or like, or all four.

Today it's ebook-library.net.

This small library concentrates on books written by private individuals or new talent. Most of the books are every reasonably priced.

Buying from the site is easy, with just one click taking you to your PayPal payment page. No registration or logging in - it couldn't be easier. The email enabling you to download the book to your computer arrives within seconds, and the book's all yours. Simple!

Here are five of the best books on offer:

• Memories of Pauline Percina - Pauline Baldock - £5.99 - Memories of posr-war childhood in North London.
• In Ribbons - Duncan Brown - £5.99 - Modern poetry.
• The Guide to Superfoods in Your Kitchen - Silvertown - £9.97 - A guide to healthy eating with what's at hand,
• One Dog and His Man - Mike Henley - £7.50 - Humorous fiction about a dog and its owner.
• The Truth About Sales - John Hulme - £1.99 - The drudgery of being a salesman.

Check out the site and see what you can find.

Traffic hold-up misery

I travelled from Woking in Surrey to Leeds in Yorkshire to see Leeds United v Hull City in a Championship match. As a Leeds fan the trek to Leeds is about once a season, and a night match seemed an interesting variation.

It's a journey of 212 miles.

We left at 2pm and took our seats at 7.50pm - five minutes AFTER kick-off. That's five hours fifty minutes or 350 minutes. We had a couple of stops, but the journey was slowed down by:

• several miles of roadworks, first on the M25, then on the M1.
• accident south of Sheffield
• queue to get into the car park at Leeds United, mainly caused by more roadworks.

The journey was pretty soul-destroying. 350 minutes looks a fair amount of time for a 212 mile journey, but not so.

Is there anyway you can travel without such hold-ups in Britain these days?

Cleaning services in Surrey and Hampshire

It's Friday, and every Friday I advertise a local business that I use, know, support or like, or all four.

DLT Cleaning Services of Surrey and Hampshire provide commercial cleaning services.

Friendly and efficient, they are licensed, insured and ready to handle all your cleaning and janitorial needs.

Founded in 1999, DLT has grown into an established service throughout Surrey and Hampshire, offering a comprehensive range of professional cleaning services to both the public and private sectors.

If you have commercial cleaning needs, try DLT now.

Swimmers take the Channel risk

The French coastguard is trying to ban swimmers from trying to swim the English Channel (he probably said "La Manche").

Deputy director of the French Coastguard Jean-Christophe Burvingt told the BBC that he feared there could be an accident.

Mike Oram, of the Channel Swimming and Piloting Federation, claimed that the swim crossings were safe and well organised, despite the fact that as many as 500 vessels pass through the shipping lane each day.

It's the "nanny-state" again.

If Mr Oram and his organisation take as many precautions as they can (and, by all accounts, they do), then let us leave the swimmers alone. There is, after all, a risk in undertaking the challenge with or without ships passing by.

The trouble is, these days, there's too much mollycoddling to safety concerns where there is adventure and some risk. The swimmers know the risks.

Having said that, I wouldn't be too happy if a bunch of people decided that running across the M25 was a fair adventure.

TV trailers - a very bad idea

There is an article in next week's Radio Times by Alison Graham bemoaning the now ubiquitous trailer that is the blight of current TV dramas.

As she quite rightly says: "... telly goes out of its way to spoil our pleasures with some astonishingly revealing trailers." Spot on. Recent examples of this terrible scourge have been Thorne (Sky1), The Little House (ITV1), Spooks (BBC1), Single Father (BBC1).

What I can't understand is why someone in TV-land thinks this is a good idea. Why do they think we want the next episode of what (hopefully) is a compelling drama ruined by them giving almost so much away that we needn't bother to tune in next week at all?

IT IS A BAD IDEA. Get rid of it. Perhaps Ms Graham's article will be noted by progamme makers. I expect a glut of "letters to the editor" in next week's RT agreeing with Ms Graham.

Whenever the words "...next time" appear on the screen, there is a scramble for the remote control in our house to change the channel to avoid the next episode being spoiled.

Hmmm, the TV companies might want to think about that. I'm going to tune in next week to see what happens in the next episode, but I change channel when their precious trailers hit the screen!

No booking, no business for restaurant

I had recently had the need to book a restaurant for a Saturday evening for a birthday meal for 22 people.

The person for whom I wanted to book the meal wanted to go to Nando's. Checking on their website I saw that they do not take bookings, but would consider doing so for a large party (22?) and/or a birthday party (yes). I rang, but the answer was no. I went into the restaurant, but the answer was no. No - to 22 people for a birthday party. Why the hell not?

I went down the road and booked a table for 22 at Frankie & Benny's - no problem, no hassle, no "no".

Nando's - I don't get it. And neither did you get our business.

Get smart, eh?

Life by Keith Richards (not as we know it!)

Keith Richards has a new autobiography out, and doctors are marvelling at how he has survived the excesses of drug abuse for so long!

Now 66, Richards only gave up cocaine four years ago, after he fell out of a tree and split his head open. Before that he gave up heroin in 1978.

Richards (who changed his name from Richard because everyone kept pluralising his surname) must have,

according to addiction expert Dr Robert Lefever, "the constitution of an ox" to have survived for so long.

The book is called Life (given the discussion, maybe Richards foresaw the irony), and it was released on Monday.

Dr Lefever warns that the lifestyle should not be copied. "It's not something you can take for granted. For every Keith Richards, there are many, many more who die," he said.

Writer and music journalist David Quantick noted the deaths of fellow musicians of Richards - such as Gram Parsons and fellow Stone Brian Jones - and said: "It's almost as though others die so that Keith Richards may live."

"Still, it's not as though any children are going to think he's a good example. Just look at him: He's got a face like a prune's wallet."

Happy shoppers flock to Westfield

I visited the Westfield shopping centre in London's Shepherd's Bush yesterday. I don't know much about it. I've not been there before. I see that it's been open for just about two years.

I also read that the development is on a brownfield site used for the 1908 Franco-British Exhibition and as a  railway depot, which remains, excavated to a lower level and built over.

Two things I did notice: Westfield is massive and it was packed.

The area is big, the centre consists of large spaces and large stores. A shoppers' paradise, no doubt.

Another thing struck me. Despite recessions, unemployment, strikes and cuts, the British appetite for retail continues unchecked. The stores were full (OK, maybe not everyone was buying), but the restaurants and coffee shops were full of queues. Half-term may be a reason why the shops thronged, and of course this is the supposedly affluent south.

But life looked pretty good for these happy shoppers.

Eye-watering mistake not part of government cuts

This news article on the BBC website caught my eye (and brought a tear to it too).

"Surgeon cut off testicle 'by mistake' at Bury hospital " read the headline. Ouch.

A hearing for the General Medical Council (GMC) was told that a surgeon cut off a patient's testicle by mistake. Only supposed to remove a cyst, Dr Sulieman Al Hourani cut off the whole right testicle in error.

He is accused of misconduct and also of stealing medication.

It is also alleged that the doctor injected himself with a drug meant for a patient.

The hearing was adjourned until Tuesday.

I can't bring myself to make a joke about this - do your own - but one hopes this is not the start of some government cuts that really would bring tears to the eye.

CMB Partnership - accountants

It's Friday, and every Friday I'm going to advertise a local business that I use, know, support or like, or all four!

Today it's an accountant in Guildford, Surrey, UK: CMB Partnership.

CMB Partnership  is an independent firm of accountants based in Guildford, Surrey giving accountancy and business advice. They offer the following services:

• accounting
• auditing
• bookkeeping
• business tax
• financial statements
• PAYE
• personal tax
• VAT

Although based in Guildford in Surrey CMB Partnership are happy to discuss your requirements wherever your business is located and whatever size it is.

For a friendly, understanding accountancy service, CMB Partnership is just right.

Row Barge, Guildford - music venue

I play bass guitar in two bands: Sidewinder and MP5, both based in Surrey in the UK.

Here's a recent picture of me in action for Sidewinder.

Last night I went along to an Open Mic night at the Row Barge pub in Guildford with the lead guitarist from MP5, Malcolm Packer. Never been before, but it's a splendid setting for live music, with a small stage, permanent PA and lights. If you live in the Guildford area I'd recommend you check it out for live music.

We didn't join the participants last night, but we aim to take MP5 along there one Wednesday soon to play a few songs at an Open Mic night, and hope to get a weekend gig there in the near future. Check us out!

Remember the charts?

If you are over 30, you'll remember that the music charts used to be important. What was "number one" was an critical matter to youngsters each week. And they used to buy their "7 inch vinyls" regularly.

Does being number in the singles chart matter any more?

Number one this week is "Forget You" by Cee Lo Green. I wonder how many "records" (i.e. single CDs, downloads) you have to sell these days to make number one. Cee Lo is chased in the charts by Bruno Mars, Duck Sauce, Swedish House Mafia Vs Tinie Tempah and Tinie Tempah (on his own).

In days of yore, listening to the chart announcement on a Sunday evening on Radio One was a crucial part of a teenager's week. Although I'm way past being a teenager, I can't imagine it's the same these days.

Maybe the album chart is more important in the modern era (and that's probably no bad thing). Number one this week is Robbie Williams's album "In And Out Of Consciousness: Greatest Hits 1990-2010". He's followed by albums by Tinie Tempah, Cliff Richard, The Script and Magnetic Man.

I'm delighted that live music appears to be more important and prevalent these days. the number of festivals around the country has exploded in recent years. Live music is always a good thing.

But I can't help mourning the fall of the charts.

Are you an arborphile?

Apropos of nothing, this tree is famous in England.

Can anybody say why, what it is and where it is?

No prizes.

There is no word for a tree lover, but I guess if there were, it would be arborphile.

Blair's Journey is an interesting insight

I've just finished reading Tony Blair's memoirs in "A Journey". I've never read any political memoirs before. I'm not a particular fan of Blair, but thought that his book would be interesting. I was right - it is.

It outlines his thoughts and reasoning on decisions and events throughout his time as prime minister, as well as before and after, but it avoids the boredom that we might have got from chronological list (i.e. diary). Of course, as we are enticed as a reader, it is very easy to agree with much of his thinking about New Labour and the policies it pursued over 10 years of his tenure (as well as the build-up to power prior to 1997).

He knew his old mate, but latterly not so chummy, Gordon Brown would not pursue the New Labour path, and would end up in failure (mind you, hindsight is, of course, a wonderful thing).

Blair's thoughts on the media are cystal clear: he thinks they have way too much influence without accountability on politics (on everything really), and if they're out to "get you", then they will stop at nothing until they do.

It's a fascinating insight into Blair's years as premier, and I would recommend it - especially as the proceeds are going to the Royal British Legion (so you don't have to wrestle with a conscience that doesn't want you to line Blair's pockets!).

I also get the feeling we may not have heard the last of Mr Blair. He feels he has unfinished business.

Bisley Wedding Cars

Are you in the UK? Surrey? Near Bisley?

Are you on one of yours getting married?

You'll need a car.

I unashamedly recommend these guys: Bisley Wedding Cars.

Here is their Rolls Royce Silver Shadow.

It's just been resprayed and looks wonderful, but is not their only car. They have several others, all fit to make your wedding the memorable occasion you would want it to be.

Speak at Speakers' Corner - or here

Here is a picture of Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park, which I found in my picture library.

Famously, of course, it a place where public speaking, debate and discussion can take place.

As long as deemed lawful by police people can speak on any subject.

It made me wonder about physical things and places like this. Are they becoming outmoded by the Internet, where people can and do write and 'chat' about anything and everything - not all of it lawful?

Rescue of Chilean miners lifts the spirits

What a wonderful and literally uplifting story is the rescue of the 33 Chilean miners from the San Jose mine in the north of the country.

It is Chile's "Apollo 13" moment.

As I write (0845 BST on Wednesday 13 October) five of the miners have been brought to the surface, with 28 still to come. At just over an hour per rescue, it will be Thursday afternoon (BST) before the last of the miners is finally brought to safety. Let us hope all goes well.

The pictures of the miners emerging from the humble 23" diameter rescue capsule truly lift the spirits. Their loved ones stand by, waiting for the signal to say they can go forward and greet their man - still clad in safety gear, helmet and dark glasses to protect their eyes against the lights (TV lights so far in the night, but sunlight later on).

The human spirit is rarely stronger than when triumph overcomes disaster.

We salute those brave men.

These books are dead good - Peter James's Roy Grace series

I like to read. Every day.

One series of British detective fiction I must bring to your attention is PETER JAMES's "DEAD" novels featuring DSI Roy Grace.

So far there have been six:
Dead Simple, Looking Good Dead, Not Dead Enough, Dead Man's Footsteps, Dead Tomorrow, Dead Like You.

Set in and around the Brighton area on the south coast of England, these books are compulsive reading. Once started, you really can hardly put them down. You simply have to know what's going to happen on the next page.

James had several novels published prior to the Roy Grace series, but he has really found his mark with these.

Personally, I can't wait for Roy Grace to join DCI Banks (author Peter Robinson, on ITV) and Thorne (Mark Billingham, on Sky One) on TV in the near future.

Or perhaps they're reserving Grace for the Big Screen. Oh yes.

Grab yourself a "Dead" novel athe first opprtunity. You won't regret it.

A blog for contemplation

Hi, I've got two other blogs - The Beautiful Game (about football, or soccer, if you will), and The Game of Business (about business), and I update them fairly regularly. The trouble is they're quite specific to their fields.

So I've created this new one, where I can sound off about anything, bring anything to your attention, or say anything. Having said that, it will always be clean and free of all the -isms that we should righly avoid these days.

I'd like you come back and visit as often as you will.

Here's a picture of a windmill in England. Does anyone know where it is?