I often - and I guess I'm not the only one in a blog - moan about stuff on here. It's a chance to let off steam. But I thought it would be nice to write about something that pleased me.
I like to read and I'm not happy if I haven't got a book on the go.
I've just finished reading The Confession by John Grisham. Grisham's an easy read and I've read all of his books. I thoroughly enjoyed The Confession. Obviously based on his experiences researching his non-ficiton book The Innocent Man, The Confession is a tale of a man accused of a crime, his forced confession and his death at the hands of the State of Texas, just before it is proven that he couldn't have done it.
The book takes you through the range of emotions - despair, hope, pride - which is what a good book should do.
Give it a try. As I say, it's an easy read and I found it immensely satisfying.
Wednesday, 18 January 2012
Friday, 13 January 2012
Recruiting for the Emergency Services
I have just completed a website for recruiting for the Emergency Services in the UK. It's called EmergencyServicesRecruit.co.uk.
It seems that trying to find a job with the Emergency Services is not that easy. The police force and the fire service recruit every 12-18 months when enough people have left the service. However, dates for recruiting are not set and could occur any time in any area. Potential new recruits have to check their websites for vacancies every week - every day, really. In addition, each different area has its own force or service and these will all recruit at different times. It is not an easy system to work.
The purpose of the new site is to stop all that pain and give you peace of mind that no matter when your service recruits you will know about it! It's not a free service, as paying for research staff and overheads means that there are costs involved.
I think it's a noble idea and I hope it meets with great success.
Access it here: www.emergencyservicesrecruit.co.uk.
It seems that trying to find a job with the Emergency Services is not that easy. The police force and the fire service recruit every 12-18 months when enough people have left the service. However, dates for recruiting are not set and could occur any time in any area. Potential new recruits have to check their websites for vacancies every week - every day, really. In addition, each different area has its own force or service and these will all recruit at different times. It is not an easy system to work.
The purpose of the new site is to stop all that pain and give you peace of mind that no matter when your service recruits you will know about it! It's not a free service, as paying for research staff and overheads means that there are costs involved.
I think it's a noble idea and I hope it meets with great success.
Access it here: www.emergencyservicesrecruit.co.uk.
Friday, 30 December 2011
2012 promises to be a momentous year!
2012 has the potential to be an exciting year. Well, it has if you're an England-based sports fan.
In June we have the European Football Championships based in Ukraine and Poland. Although I hold out no hope at all of England doing well (they NEVER do), it should still be an interesting tournament, and - unlike the World Cup - there are no easy games, and competition will be fierce. Expect the usual over-hyped expectations of England's chances from a hysterical media, who will also do their best to undo any chance we might have as they go in search of any scandal at all. The bottom line is actually that everything depends on the players and sadly, they're neither good enough nor disciplined enough to do any good in the tournament.
And then in late July and August we have the London Olympics! Truly exciting, once-in-a-lifetime stuff. Despite the doom-sayers and negative words of the vocal minority, the fact is that England (and Britain) has already embraced the Olympics and will continue to do so right through to the end of the Paralympics. The fact is - we love the Olympics coming to London!
Stadiums are mostly ready, tickets are nearly all sold out, merchandise is selling well - it's going to be a momentous occasion. I have no doubt that - unlike our footballers - our GB athletes will find the crest of the wave and be carried on in to unprecedented success.
The mood of the nation will be lifted by the excitement of the occasion and the gold medals that we'll win. Let's hope the weather doesn't spoil it!
In June we have the European Football Championships based in Ukraine and Poland. Although I hold out no hope at all of England doing well (they NEVER do), it should still be an interesting tournament, and - unlike the World Cup - there are no easy games, and competition will be fierce. Expect the usual over-hyped expectations of England's chances from a hysterical media, who will also do their best to undo any chance we might have as they go in search of any scandal at all. The bottom line is actually that everything depends on the players and sadly, they're neither good enough nor disciplined enough to do any good in the tournament.
And then in late July and August we have the London Olympics! Truly exciting, once-in-a-lifetime stuff. Despite the doom-sayers and negative words of the vocal minority, the fact is that England (and Britain) has already embraced the Olympics and will continue to do so right through to the end of the Paralympics. The fact is - we love the Olympics coming to London!
Stadiums are mostly ready, tickets are nearly all sold out, merchandise is selling well - it's going to be a momentous occasion. I have no doubt that - unlike our footballers - our GB athletes will find the crest of the wave and be carried on in to unprecedented success.
The mood of the nation will be lifted by the excitement of the occasion and the gold medals that we'll win. Let's hope the weather doesn't spoil it!
Friday, 25 November 2011
What's in a name, Staines?
When you read a headline, as there is on the BBC's website in the south-east today, that says: "Staines name-change moves forward", you think you can guess what the story is about.
Ah yes, you'll nod to yourself knowingly, they've finally decided they can do without all the bad jokes and innuendo coming from such a name and they're going to change it to Runnymedesville or something.
But no!
Reading beyond the headline into the article we find that the name change proposed is to make it "Staines-upon-Thames".
Well, that's better, isn't it!
Who am I to cast aspersions? Nobody.
So I say, good luck to the councillors and the people of Staines, and I hope the name change serves them well; I cast no "stubborn dirty mark" on their character.
Ah yes, you'll nod to yourself knowingly, they've finally decided they can do without all the bad jokes and innuendo coming from such a name and they're going to change it to Runnymedesville or something.
But no!
Reading beyond the headline into the article we find that the name change proposed is to make it "Staines-upon-Thames".
Well, that's better, isn't it!
Who am I to cast aspersions? Nobody.
So I say, good luck to the councillors and the people of Staines, and I hope the name change serves them well; I cast no "stubborn dirty mark" on their character.
Friday, 18 November 2011
When it comes to bin collections, who IS the customer?
I'm sure this makes many people cross. It's made me cross for years.
Why is that we, as CUSTOMERS, have to put our rubbish bins in exactly the right place - right at the edge of our property - whereas the bin people (SERVICE PROVIDERS) can leave the bins wherever and however they like?
Why is that we, as CUSTOMERS, have to put our rubbish bins in exactly the right place - right at the edge of our property - whereas the bin people (SERVICE PROVIDERS) can leave the bins wherever and however they like?
Before: 
After: 
What is going on here? Why is it SO important that we have to leave our bins in exactly the prescribed place, whereas the bin people can chuck them wherever they like with no regard for neatness, safety or access?
There may be good reasons (I doubt it), but one thing's for sure: they've all lost sight of who the customer actually is here.
Thursday, 10 November 2011
The Litherland Moment
Struggling bands are always looking for the “break-through”, when they “make it”. Most play pub and clubs and never have a break-through gig.
Even The Beatles played hundreds of gigs before their break-through. For them it came on Tuesday 27 December 1960 at the Town Hall Ballroom Litherland, near Bootle, Liverpool.
It is described by Mark Lewisohn in his book The Complete Beatles Chronicle: “If any one live performance in the Beatles’ career could be described as the turning point it would be this, their penultimate engagement in 1960. Their career was not without hiccups in the future, but, really, the group never looked back after this night.”
Wow! The Litherland moment .
The Beatles (who had only just changed their named from The Silver Beatles) had a line-up of John Lennon, Paul McCartney (still on guitar at this time), George Harrison, Pete Best (drums) and Chas Newby on bass (he only played one more gig, four days later).
There can’t be anyone who doesn’t know how the story developed after that.
The Beatles were, of course, unique, but I’m sure many other bands have had similar break-through moments.
My own band MP5 (www.lemonrock.com/mp5) never expects to have one (we’re too old!), but we still strive to please the crowds as much as we can!
The Litherland moment – what all bands dream of.
Thursday, 20 October 2011
We dread the Westlife reunion tour
What a cynical world we live in!
It seems that no sooner had Westlife announced their retirement than people were forecasting their reunion tour in a few years!
The trouble is that so many others have decided to reunite and tour again, the prime ones being, of course, Take That.
Neil McCormick of the Daily Telegraph sheds no tears for Westlife (http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/culture/neilmccormick/100057112/westlife-good-night-and-good-riddance/) and would dread their return. I have to say I agree with him.
Let's hope the cynics are wrong and Westlife are gone for good. We don't need them.
It seems that no sooner had Westlife announced their retirement than people were forecasting their reunion tour in a few years!
The trouble is that so many others have decided to reunite and tour again, the prime ones being, of course, Take That.
Neil McCormick of the Daily Telegraph sheds no tears for Westlife (http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/culture/neilmccormick/100057112/westlife-good-night-and-good-riddance/) and would dread their return. I have to say I agree with him.
Let's hope the cynics are wrong and Westlife are gone for good. We don't need them.
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