Author: jon

Jon Curnow writes on curnow.org about things that interest him. The site has been around for many years in various forms and he always wants to write much more here than he does.

Fast Lane on Foot

I haven’t spoken of London’s traffic problems for a while now. This is because it’s a bad story and I am trying to be positive. I have not been overly delayed for sometime (although every taxi I take tries to navigate Trafalgar Square which is a automobile no-go zone at the moment).

I also realise that London is a big city which is home to many millions of people who all travel. It stands to reason then that, if the system should fail one day, movement will be difficult. I know that an integrated public transport system run (efficiently, effectively) for the people is a (very) long way off.

Still, it did amuse me to read that,

London’s road traffic is travelling at its slowest ever pace, averaging less than walking pace, according to a new report. [Yahoo]

Celebrities in Space

Ah, ITV (Britain’s original commercial televison network). From their website:

This channel – which has done more than most to build the cult of celebrity – has taken its first step toward atonement by placing a group of celebs (the type who take a bow each time the fridge light goes on) and place them in the Antipodean wilderness.

The programme is I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here, which should be worth watching for the title alone. It’s made my day.

Now, when celebrity Lance Bass shouts, “I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here”, it takes on a whole new meaning.

Lance, a member of boyband N’Sync may actually go into space. I thought this was a wind up when I first heard about it, but apparently not:

He is being sponsored by a consortium of major companies and Hollywood producer David Krieff, and has signed a preliminary contract for the mission – but recent reports have suggested that he has missed deadlines to pay the $20m flight fee. [BBC]

Half-Hearted Bollywood

You know when you don’t go to the cinema for, what seems like, an age and then you suddenly go quite a lot? No, well, I do this on-off thing with cinema quite a lot. Yesterday, following on from my Men In Black II experience, I went to see The Guru at The Clapham Picture House (which, if you live in this part of the world, probably ranks as one of the better cinemas and it’s not part of an overly large chain – although there are more of them then you would imagine).

The people I was with, loved it. They laughed (a lot). Many people in the cinema was laughing too. I smiled occasionally and there was the odd laugh but on the whole I was pretty quiet. So, to validate my lack of enthusiasm for the film (which seems to be generally well received) I got as far as The Guardian’s film site (which, I am sure was Film Unlimited at one point). Peter Bradshaw reassures me with,

There’s no bite or edge to this movie, though; it’s goofy, soft-centred romcom slush, with some very half-hearted Bollywood pastiche

and

… these moments don’t really justify the admission price [Full Review].

Now, I am using the web to reinforce my own opinions. This can’t be a good thing.

Not Hilarious or Surprising

Men in Black 2 posterStrange, zany, generally amusing and very likeable without actually being all that hilarious or surprising, Men In Black II relies heavily on familiarity with and affection for the original. Fans of that film, who are simply content with more of the same, should’n’t be dismayed or too seriously disappointed by a pleasantly insane bit of nonsense. [Empire Online]

This review tells almost all about my night last night. I went to UCI Sutton to see Men In Black II. I had enjoyed the first in a wash-over-me kind of way. Interest wanes at twenty minutes.

Around The World

A colleague of mine left work yesterday to go travelling and I was sad to see him go. He’s joining an ever growing list of people I know who are purchasing a back-pack and buying a ticket for six months. Three of my friends/acquaintances are in Australia travelling. One of my clients is off travelling.

What am I doing wrong?

Is it a coincidence that they all work in new media environments? And this morning I find that over at Jase’s homepage he links to this great travelling blog. The world is trying to tell me something!

Not About Me

I don’t talk about my blog. It’s a private thing I do, but I am not sure why (I would suggest points 2 and 3 here as a starting point to try and answer that question).

Yesterday I went for a very nice meal at Orso when the conversation turned to weblogs. I was somewhat shocked that my dining companions could not grasp the “why” of the blog concept. Why read them? Why write them? But I still didn’t speak about my blogging. It’s very odd but I do not feel compelled to actually talk about this.

I realised I do not talk about me to anybody very much. I discuss events that involved me. I talk about other people and tell people about my work. I express options with the best of them. But I don’t really discuss myself too often – at least by this I mean, I guess, emotions and my private life. It’s odd because I think people who know me would say I do talk a great deal, but I know I hold things back. Why is that?

So why to I carry on writing this? I have said before that it started out as a challenge to myself. Can I blog for a whole month with no interruptions? I did that. And still I find myself here!

The **** Of All Snacks

Remember the slag of all snacks?

I do like the sensitive side of this country! Today’s Media Guardian web site reports that “Pot Noodle’s controversial adverts using the line the slag of all snacks have been banned from appearing on TV after more than 300 viewers complained”.

300 people actually bothered to complain about a television advertisement. I would really love to know whey they felt this was inappropriate. I thought they were some of the funniest commercials that I have seen in a long time and the word was used in a humours, self-deprecating way. How can calling a plastic pot of fast food be that offensive. Such a shame they were pulled. However, I don’t really see the point as most people have seen them anyway.

Anyway, here is a gratuitous link to the most offensive words in the English language! Wonder if any of the complainers have a web site where they outline their complaints. I’d love to know. [Ref: Media Guardian]

BBQ Frenzy

Well, I’ll eat my words (as well as much of the food). It was marvellous, although I doubt I will convert.

I went to a barbecue today which is no amazing thing (although spelling barbecue is, for some reason, one of those words that I should not even attempt to spell).

Our hosts had a gas-barbecue (something I have always been very skeptical of – it’s not real barbecue cooking is it?). Well, I’ll eat my words (as well as much of the food). It was marvellous, although I doubt I will convert. There is something strangely masculine about fighting with coals rather than turning the gas on.

I suspect my life in turning into a bad episode of an Australian soap-opera for I am constantly saying we should have a barbecue. I am becoming obsessed. Yesterday it was kebabs on the barbie. Today, burgers. Or is it just a sign of summer? G’day.

In Short, Things Are Grim

Sometimes, I find the web addictive. I should be doing something else. I want to talk about this but I’ll let Metafilter do the job. Saves me typing on a Saturday.

For those who don’t want to click:

The World Summit on Sustainable Development, aka “Earth Summit II,” will start soon in Johannesburg, ten years after the Rio Earth Summit. Have things improved at all in the last ten years? [Metafilter].

The Art of the Blog

I have been thinking some more about this whole blogging lark. I have always said that the most fascinating part of the online community has been personal homepages. They drawn me in like some crazed stalker. However, you put it there for me to read so, perhaps, stalker is not the appropriate term (I mean how many people invite stalkers?). Still, read them I do. So, I was interested in the book We’ve Got Blog. Now, here is a handy link to some of the books contents.

Elsewhere: When Love Comes To Town

My latest book review is now over at Amazon.!!

When Love Comes To Town by Tom Lennon

When Love Comes to TownThere are many fictional coming-out tales to choose from, so why this read Lennons?

Firstly, there aren’t that many set in contemporary Dublin. Secondly, there are not too many told with the humour and compassion of When Love Comes To Town. Finally, there are not that many that are such a good read.

Let me also be honest. There are few new takes on the coming-out dilemma, so don’t expect total originality.

Neil Byrne is a top class student who has realised he isn’t like all his coupled-up (straight) friends. The story takes us through Neil’s tentative steps into Dublin’s gay nightlife and his introduction to the characters of The Scene. Neil’s first love and family’s reaction are all covered and his confusion, pain, hopes & desires are well described.

The family’s response is not a model reaction, so don’t read this book if you are looking for a reassuring, positive take on the acceptance of loved ones to the news that one of their own is gay.

The book’s climax is certainly one of the more surprising aspects of the tale. In a dark moment Neil realises what he needs to do to survive the next few years of his life in an intolerant community. This ending results in a fine piece of writing that conveys the emotion of the final scene remarkably well and, I suspect, brings a lump to the throat of many readers.

Given a less positive ending than many similar books, I found this to be a refreshingly honest story. It is certainly a welcome addition to the genre.

Click here to buy it at Amazon

Don’t Call Me Stupid

If you believe the old-timers then the nation is becoming stupid. Perhaps not actually the nation but then a good proportion of the people are less intelligent than their counterparts in previous generations. Every media is dumbing down because we are all too thick to understand long words.

Well, thank goodness for yesterday’s Observer (second reference to it in a row).

I am a dolt. You are a poltroon. I am a fool, and you are an imbecile. We are, collectively, being British people in the summer of 2002, thicker than a whale omelette. I am dumb, and you are, astonishingly, dumber.

Euan Ferguson argues that this is not the case [Observer]. We are intelligent again!

State Of The Town

Jonathan Fenby wrote an excellent piece in today’s Observer (which thankfully I have found online and can link to) about the state of the British capital? I admit that I hoped Ken would help sort some of the mess this city is in. An integrated public transport system, clean and safer streets etc. I bought into the whole idea of new vision for London. But, as Fenby writes, “The snag is the man who should be providing it shows himself better at getting elected mayor than giving his city a new start.” Perhaps it is too much to hope that one man could change the attitudes of the society in this city. Many people just accept the way it is and perhaps, if most people are OK with the state of London, then this is the way it should be.

I know that I am talking very generally. What should I add to The Observer piece? London transport is over-crowded, dirty and smelly. When it runs it’s acceptable but when it doesn’t run then the whole system falls apart. Last week’s rain brought large chunks of the system to a halt. Rain, for goodness sake, it’s the one thing we know we are going to get here. Yesterday, I was stood on the Northern Line and there “there is no service” announcements must have gone on for ten minutes.

Ah, and I survived the party quite well – although I did feel a little rough this morning. It didn’t finish until gone two in the morning and ended with us watching old episodes of The Tube. Perhaps I should have left earlier.

Survival

Well, now I know that a champagne hangover isn’t very bad.

Or perhaps I took my own advice for I am feeling OK this morning. The night was good – lots of champagne (bought in advance during the Happy Hour) and only the two bottles of wine at the end were a bad sign (and there were a large number of us). Met a crazy woman with purple nails who kept telling me and PY that we were wonderful (she was, quite possibly, drunk) and handed my business card to her (possibly not the wisest move on in the world as she may be some kind of crazed stalker that tracks people down).

Still, another all-day party begins in Walthamstow at three this afternoon. Am I ready for more punishment?