Not Elected

The Queen has been in the news a bit lately, the recent visit to the Vatican and the recent visit by Irish President Michael D Higgins to the UK.

As much as I loathe the Catholic church at least the Pope is elected, as is the Irish head of state. Our royal relic, the queen is also the head of state but not an elected one, she and her family are there regardless of if like it or not.

Charity Choices

The 'charity' word seems to be a daily occurrence these days. Turn on your Tv set and you're greeted by adverts asking you to donate to a whole multitude of charities and institutions. Walk through town and usually you'll notice someone with a collection tin or more often than not these days a clipboard who wants you to part with money or donate it via monthly direct debit. Retire to your home or the local pub and there's still no respite, a Tv application on my ipad now has charity appeal adverts before the app starts and pubs often have charity tins or events. Basically charity appeals are everywhere.

As a nation the British are very generous, we give millions unquestioningly away every year to countless charities. Many are very just causes and we all identify with different charities because of how life has shaped us whether it be having lost a friend or family member to cancer or a love of wildlife and pets. I don't have a problem with people giving to a charity but I certainly do object to how in your face charities are these days from the above examples to 'chuggers' (slang for charity muggers) chasing your through a town centre to coerce you using simple psychology or fake bonhomie to part with your cash. Charity is big business nowadays, high streets are lined with their shops staffed by wage free volunteers with our second hand items marked up at a handsome price. Such shops even get tax breaks and incentives so invariably profits rise. I'm not knocking charity shops, I've bagged many a bargain in them but a recent radio debate about them highlighted just how they are making it pay with prices comparable to some high street chains.

How many billions have we given to charity to save malnourished or diseased Africans over the decades and yet the suffering still goes on. Many questions boil down to ethics. Are we actually solving matters at the root of the problem or just stemming the tide? The moral philosopher Peter Singer once said;

'The interests of all persons ought to count equally, and geographic location and citizenship make no intrinsic difference to the rights and obligations of individuals'.

As I mentioned earlier its not unreasonable to question peoples reasons for giving but do we always give to causes in the greatest needs? And how can we with so many? There's other ethical reasons like should we give to charity as it can interfere with the autonomy and self determination of the recipient or they may live in a country who has a questionable regime?

Dr Neil Levy argued that charity can be self defeating if it allows the state to escape its responsibilities. Another good argument by Reinhold Niebuhr in his work 'Moral Man and Immoral Society' raises the point that negro schools (back in the 20s/30s) were good at addressing self realisation and learning but no good at solving social injustices negro's suffered at the time.

Moving on from heavy ethical or utilitarianism arguments to me charity has to be something tangible, I need to see or at least feel that my money is making a difference. An example? Well last week I was asked to donate to Sport Aid and politely refused. Although there were incentives such as a raffled prizes I often feel such circumstances that I'm not really sure where my money is going. Later that day I donated a small amount to a local bird sanctuary that often displays the wild birds it cares for on my local market place. The point being in donating to the latter I can see the birds are being cared for, I can readily see where my money is going. Lastly I'd like to add regarding Sport Aid that how many top earning football stars donated a weeks wages for it?

Returning to the Africa subject. I once had a chat with a civil engineer guy who was working out there and had been responsible for installing water wells in remote villages. They instructed the tribes people to use the water when needed and not leave the well tap running. On returning a few days later they found the well almost bereft of water and more alarmingly noticed people drinking water from the ground of the partly flooded village, even worse on turning a corner they noticed a man defecating nonchalantly just yards from where children were drinking water from the ground. This goes back to the earlier point of solving the root of the problem or just stemming it.

Ironically we can send money to distant African nations to seemingly apathetic people we see on the tv screens yet we vilify our own poor, many of whom are having to go to food banks because of financial hardship or economic circumstance. 

My grandmother always used to say the phrase 'Charity begins at home' which is derived more from John Wycliffe and John Fletcher than as some claim - The Bible. In these times of austerity and economic hardship I feel that more than ever we need to stop and think where our money is actually going and what exactly its being use for. I do empathise with people in the third world, in fact I like to think I empathise with people the world over but I won't be cajoled or made to feel I have to give to charity just because others around me are, for me its about an informed choice and a personal one.

London: A Mercurial Mistress

I have a strange relationship with London. It's an ever swinging pendulum of love and hate. So as the train pulled out of my sleepy town station on a cold late January morning I mused to myself what this visit would bring?

The 9:17am train left without incident, the carriage was half full and we had table seating which I always prefer. It had been a year since I'd visited the capital, the last trip being to meet with online gaming friends. On this visit I was travelling with my friend Gary who was over from Hong Kong and also meeting my friend Jane who was travelling up from Plymouth, a great chance to spend time with them both.

We pulled into Kings Cross on time and Gary began to notice the recent changes to the station, I pointed out the new extension at the side and we headed for the underground. As Gary doesn't visit the UK much and I've been to London a good many times I play Passepartout to his Phileas Fogg, he's far more travelled than me globally but I seem to be a good guide locally and I'm more than often his travel companion when he returns. Alas I seem to have suffered a memory lapse and failed my first Passepartout moment by forgetting the underground entrance is now located outside of Kings Cross!

Heading underground I come into my own, get Gary sorted with an oyster card and we head down to Oxford Street. We browse a couple of big shops there, one being a Japanese clothing chain Gary is familiar with. Shortly after I guide us away from the hustle and bustle into Soho. We head down Berwick Street, incidentally one of my favourite streets in London because it has some really good shops. Sister Ray is a record/music shop similar to Selectadisc in Nottingham before it shut down, as its decked out the same there must be some connection, or was at some point. It's an indie shop with a great selection of cds and vinyl and is a lot cheaper than the big chains such as HMV that are on Oxford Street. After a perusal of cds we head further down the street, try a few silly berets and bowlers on in a hat shop and then wind our way through the small market at the bottom before you hit the peep show/sex shop area. It's at this point I head into Underground shoes, I purchased some suede creepers from there last year and wanted to see what they had this time around. I wasn't disappointed, their usual range was there along with a fair few new styles. Then I see them, the most gorgeous shoes I've ever set eyes on! Black leather with a silver buckle across the middle mounted on really chunky soles that had screws in the bottom, I was transfixed with them... the price, £200 ! My hand moved to my wallet and I pondered getting them on my credit card. The guy in the shop said they only had certain sizes in though, I'm usually a 5 but he recommended a size shorter, the nearest size he had to me was 3 and a half which I could get into but it was very tight, I needed a 4 and they were currently out of stock but a new batch were being made for Spring. Leaving the shop dejectedly we headed off towards Brewer Street.

There's a fantastic little retro/film memorabilia shop along here which I always call into, Gary is a fan too, so we spend 20 minutes in there before heading down Great Windmill Street and over Shaftesbury Avenue towards the Trocadero centre which sadly is a shadow of its former self. We didn't spend much time there, only a couple of half decent Jap/Mango shops seem to grace it now. We head down Coventry Street towards Leicester Square but stop in the sprawling M&M confectionery store so Gary can take some photos for his kid. After that we check out a nearby comedy theatre as we plan to take in a show whilst here but undecided on which show to go for we briefly tarry in China town before catching the tube up to Camden.

I must confess I used to love Camden, part of me still does but for its diversity, vibe and range of quirky shops and stalls but you have to dig deeper these days and search around for the better ones as quite a few of the stalls contain cheap t-shirts and gifts purely aimed at the tourist trade. I recommend you persevere though, there's still some remarkable stalls and shops that have lots of new t-shirt designs and unusual new items of clothing etc. The Stables market is a great place to discover such shops and with it being January bargains were to be had. Alas one of the shops I used to buy from has seemingly closed but such is the nature of the area, on the positive side new ones seem to open up.

At this point we need a rest so we slurp coffee and munch on a croissant in the Elephants Head on the main high street whilst awaiting the arrival of Jane who has texted to say she's close by. After meeting up, refreshments and introductions we do some more shopping and munch some chinese food later before catching the tube southwards towards our hotel located in Southwark. I'd been to this hotel the previous year and liked the location, though it is south of the river Thames is close to everywhere and has good tube links and facilities nearby including a very nice pub called 'The Ring'. Added to this its one of the more quieter Travelodges I've stayed in despite the location and has a nice cafe beside which is handy for that important morning breakfast.

We rest up in the late afternoon before heading out in the evening. At this point we have no idea what we are going to do so head back to Leicester Square. We aren't there very long before a large friendly black guy hands us a flyer for a nearby comedy club that's only £5 entry and has cheap drink offers. It does seem too good to be true but as we are handed more flyers for similar though more expensive shows, we decide to chance the cheaper initial one. Its a ten minute walk through the Covent Garden area so we head off through Long Acre towards Drury Lane. We find the comedy club easily (Called The Secret Comedy Club), its located in a basement below an Italian restaurant. In all honesty its nothing flash, plastic chairs flanking a low stage but drinks bought and comedy started it seems our money was spent well. Three out of the four comedians were very good and every seat was full. The only downside was two guys very drunk and loud sat in front of us who were more interested in hugging each other and talking loud than to listening to the show, this was a bit distracting but thankfully they soon left. The show ended about 10:45pm and as we navigate our way back to catch the tube I noticed there seemed to be some excellent pubs we were passing but it was getting on, we were all weary so they'd have to wait for another time. We did however grab a drink in The Ring on arriving back before getting some junk food to take back to our rooms from a 7/11 store next to the hotel.

The next day soon came, a dull sky swollen with grey rain clouds producing periodic drizzle. Breakfasting next door before we head I we all felt like we where on on the set of The Apprentice as a group of people sat next to us in their mid twenties received a pep talk from the female head of the group. With a foreign accent (no idea what) she urged the group to beat Team B and her recurring catch phrase seemed to be something like 'Today I will be awesome' as she urged the team on to greater sales, I found it both amusing and nauseating!

Jane had missed some of the previous day in Camden as she arrived later than Gary and myself so we headed back there after eating. In summer time Camden can be hideously busy but in January its a lot more easy to traverse. This time after trying some regular stalls and shops we hit the more open market area opposite the Stables Market that's adorned with large brass lions statues and canopies lined with old scooter/moped bodies where you can sit and eat. Many stalls are closed due to the time of year but Jane returned to one we'd been before that sells clothes she likes and bagged a few choice bargains. The rest of the morning is taken up with retail therapy and we all get some bargains and unusual t-shirts. The good thing being with Camden being out of season so to speak you can haggle more so than you can in summer time. Grabbing coffee and croissant again at the Elephants Head we vote to head to Covent Garden, mainly because its an area Gary is unfamiliar with and secondly there's some great shops there. It doesn't take Gary long to notice the huge Apple store, being something of an Apple sycophant he's drawn like a moth to a flame immediately. Myself and Jane like Apple too but not quite to Gary's degree so we all enjoy having a look around its very huge and contemporary store on James Street. After this we dally with the human statues at the bottom of the street/piazza area before entering the Covent Garden market. We spend a fair bit of time in the shops there before heading back up to the Long Acre area and bigger chain stores in which we bag yet more bargains in the seemingly enduring London late January sales.

A large portion of the day has seemed like one long relentless shopping trip, though content with our bargains come 3:30pm we are all fading fast so decide to head back to recuperate and ready ourselves for a Friday night in .... you guessed it - Camden!

Gary has never done Camden of an evening before but Jane and I had sampled its busy delights before. It was a Friday, it was pouring with rain but thankfully when it comes to pubs Camden is quite compact. Arriving we hit the ATM machine for some ready cash, as there's always a lot of people in London, many just waiting around I'm always wary of withdrawing cash, as I wait for Gary some black guy slaps down on my hat hard, I turn, he gives me a friendly smile, I put it down to a bit of good natured exuberance, either that or he was off his head on something! First off we hit the humongous Worlds End pub opposite the tube station. It's probably the biggest pub I've ever been in and on a Friday its rammed to the rafters. Getting the attention of the bars staff is a feat alone as Londoners seem to think its every person for themselves. Ok, so you can get this in any busy pub but for some reason the London mentality comes into its own here. Persistence pays off, we find a smaller cosy room and sip our drinks. I notice a girl behind me with long blonde hair sat in a wheelchair and I have to say she was the most delightful fairy type, beautiful elfin features, slender and with an aura about her, one of those few people that stop you dead with their presence. Braving the rain we head off though, first to the Good Mixer on Inverness Street, a favourite no frills pub of mine before turning the corner and having a drink in the Oxford Arms. It's in here a man decides to question my eyebrow piercing, albeit in a nice manner. A girl with an hour glass figure shimmers along the bar, her skin tight leggings have the appearance of newspaper and believe me she's reporting all the curves. As we leave I bid farewell to the guy that didn't like my piercing, he smiles and remarks I'd look better without it, he's had a drink or two but there's no malice about him and we shake hands warmly. Next my merry band crosses the road to the Elephants head opposite. I did want to try the nearby Hawley Arms, an old haunt of Amy Winehouse but we manage to get a seat in the Elephants Head and stay put for a few drinks, Gary and Jane periodically popping out for a cigarette. An odd guy comes and talks to us, he's bereft of a drink and wants someone to mind his bags, he seems to be an elderly back packer of sorts, we tell him we may be leaving soon but he still drops his bags near us.

Time passes more quickly in London for some strange reason, especially on nights out so we play it safe and head back for the tube, unfortunately in the jostle for getting on the train we lose Jane. As it pulls into the next station it becomes clear (even though we've consumed a fair bit of alcohol) that Gary and myself have boarded the wrong tube train, this is because the northern line splits in two after Camden and we've unwittingly caught the wrong branch line, we laugh and soon rectify our mistake a couple of stops away and I text Jane to tell her we'll meet her at the Ring Pub near the hotel which is across from the tube station. Ironically Jane gets lost too but like us manages to sort it though she appears a good twenty or so minutes after us. Relaxing after our Camden jaunt I strike up a conversation at the bar whilst waiting to be served, the guy beside me pulling up just before me yet the bar person goes to serve me first. I indicate its him before me and he seems quite surprised and thanks me, it turns out on asking me where I am from he studied up at Nottingham near me. Soon it was time to sleep and with stomach full of Jack Daniels it didn't take long!

Saturday came and the sun was showing its face in between a vast swathes of clouds. After a late rise we had breakfast and it was time to pack and say goodbye to Jane at the tube station as we parted ways to come home. I did want to meet my London friend Pat for a coffee but he didn't get my text for some reason, so maybe next time. Having an hour or so to wait still I suggested we get off at Euston and walk to Kings Cross. Drinking tea in the upper deck of the new Kings Cross departure area myself and Gary digested the trip before boarding the train back northwards.

Time in London always passes by at an unforgiving pace. I always want to explore more and for this trip I'd even purchased a book on unusual places in London to visit. Gary though is rapacious in his shopping, in fairness he rarely visits the UK so winter trips are more retail than our touristy summer sojourns. It's always been a city I want to delve into more yet I'm always happy to leave, the pace of London, the crowds, the prices and the noise always leave me feeling happier in my quiet market town yet I can't help wondering what I would think given more time in the city, in truth I probably wouldn't like it. For now I'm happy with my periodic jaunts to London though I know it still has much more to discover.

Oh yeah and I still think tube sucks, if it isn't one line down or a station closed - its another!

Let's Rock !

On Saturday night I went to see the Vampire Rock show at the local theatre with my friend Gary who is over from Hong Kong on holiday. I've seen the show before so knew pretty much what to expect, loud rock music, scantily clad babes and pyrotechnics. Last time I caught the show Toyah was in the production but this time it was the usual show format.

Not long into the show the guy next to me produced his mobile phone and began texting which was pretty distracting as I was trying to watch the show. The last thing you need is bright light waving about at the side of you especially when the theatre was in darkness for the show. Then he actually tried to make a call which amazed me as the show was anything but quiet!

I shot him a couple of hard looks and I think he got the message as he slipped his phone away and then made the call at the interval. I just don't understand these people that go to the theatre or cinema and have to mess about with their phones. 

Anyway the show was excellent and for the last few songs the whole theatre was on its feet clapping and singing along.

Spatial Awareness

If there is one thing that really irks me these days is people and their spatial awareness. Walk down a town or city centre street these days and people are usually doing everything except looking where they are going. 

One of the main culprits that lends itself heavily to being spatially inept is the mobile phone as people walk headlong at you whilst staring into their phone screen. Another spatial awareness crime is walking out of a shop straight into the throng of passing people without even a cursory left or right glance. Would you pull out onto a busy road without looking? Or course not. People would benefit from actually applying the rules of the road to walking in busy pedestrian areas. 

Not being the tallest person I try plan ahead slightly when walking, crowded areas can be problematic though as the view of possible horizons can be obscured thus I try to scan ahead and read what's going on, though like anyone I can make mistakes. These days walking from A to B isn't easy, distractions, people in a hurry, others just sauntering and lunatics on bicycles in my town (which is very flat) all add to making walking a chore at times. Let's not forget old people too, who can be very zombie apocalypse in the way they gravitate towards you at times or the ones quite willing to take you out with their mobility scooters.

Old Hobbit's Never Die, They Carry on Blogging.

So here I am, still blogging. My old blog that ran from 2004-14 had become somewhat old, tired and I'd lost my mojo with it to be honest. Looking at it I felt it represented a different me and now after ten years I'd changed as a person quite considerably. So, time to take a new direction I set to work.

Deciding to change the look and feel of the blog I experimented with templates and editing HTML code which resulted in something of a disaster as my HTML knowledge is very amateur and seemingly changing templates resulted in lots of broken links to images and videos. Whilst it still exists and has a link to it I may well archive it in time and remove it from the net.

Instead of letting the old site name/page slowly die I decided to start a new blog with an almost identical name and a fresh new look. This new project will hopefully represent ten years blogging experience, has a new simpler format that's less cluttered and easier to read. I want this blog to contain lots of life experience articles but also have shorter, snappier and straight to the point posts. As an experienced blogger I felt that the two main incentives for me when reading other blogs was an easy template on the eyes and posts that don't waffle on forever. I'm guilty of both in my last blog, the first template was white writing on a black background and I was partial to long posts on occasion. I guess you live and learn and listen to feedback from friends.

Just like a phoenix rising from the ashes the hobbit's journal continues albeit it more of a part deux. Expect more political content (the times they are a-changin'), candid opinions, personal musings, life events and no doubt the odd bit of controversy!

So please bookmark me and hopefully like the last blog this one will last ten years or longer. Thanks for reading.