July 2008 Archives

At work today, a colleague invited me to accompany him and a few colleagues to The Temple Church featured in The Da Vinci Code. The purpose of the visit was to listen to the very animated Master of the Temple The Revd Robin Griffith-Jones give a half hour talk on the history of the church which has been around since the 12th century.

On the way back to work, I saw a former colleague snogging a woman I knew was definitely not his wife. I was so surprised that this person who I admired and greatly respected was cheating, that I actually did a triple take and was even tempted to go across and say hello -- but I resisted. I didn't want to embarrass him. But it all just made me wonder, can a man remain faithful to one woman after say 15-20+ years of marriage? Clearly this guy wasn't!

Intimate relations with a sibling under any circumstance is just not right. Thus, I was really surprised to read an article in The Times titled: I had sex with my brother but I don't feel guilty. What was even more shocking than reading this article were some of the comments that classified the article as brilliant, enlightening and progressive. This is just downright disturbing and wrong! wrong! wrong! Incest or sexual abuse in any form even if the parties want to say it was consenting should be condemned and definitely not encouraged in any manner.

I have done the unthinkable. Somehow I find myself watching and following the trials and tribulations of the less than beautiful people in an English soap opera that shall remain nameless. Why is this a terrible thing? Well English soap operas are just downright depressing. This one is particular focuses on the down trotted who all congregate on a regular basis in a local pub drinking away their sorrows. No one in this working class area of East London is doing well -- at least not for any significant amount of time. So it’s all a bit too real and raw and in no way could be classified as escapism television.

So why am I watching? Really, I have no idea. I avoided this show and all others of similar format for the first couple years I've been in London. Yet in the last six months, I've found myself watching it with some regularity. Interestingly enough, I don't see the show when it is first broadcast as I'm never home at that hour. I usually watch when it’s rebroadcast on the weekends. So even more depressing -- particularly as this show is in no way similar to the American soap operas I use to follow in high school.

I mean, CBS daytime soap operas like The Bold & The Beautiful, As the World Turns, Guiding Light and The Young and The Restless have their share of dysfunction and craziness but at least the houses and people are all beautiful and very much in line with what escapism television should be.

A week ago I walked into my manager's office and resigned from my job. I caught her completely off guard. She knew I had working long hours but she no idea in regards to the magnitutude of my resentment. How could she really? She herself left early (around 6ish everyday) and I kept everything close to my chess as I knew that I wasn't interested in ways to work smarter at the firm; I simply wanted out.

Why? Well despite the fact that the people for the most part were lovely, I knew that things wouldn't really change. I would always be a slave to my blackberry and the 200+ emails a day. Plus the demands of the partnership meant that I never really left the office feeling like I'd accomplished much of anything as there were always more projects and iniatives to the followed through on. So I wanted out - now -- before I got in too deep; before even finding another new job or fully commiting to the business opportunity I've been exploring!

Lately there has been a wave of killings across Britian due to knife crime and the government’s response is to have those caught with a knife "visit accident and emergency wards to see the impact of knife wounds." Seriously! Is this the best they could do? Granted it is a start, but the punishment needs to be more severe. It needs to show these mugs that there will be no tolerance for anti social behaviour. Thus, I think it is time to bring on some American justice. So anyone caught with a knife where the police can show intention to commit a crime needs to spend some time in prison -- heck if only for a few hours or weeks -- perhaps even years. Cuddling these teenagers who have no respect for human life is not the way to go.

As I wrote over at Afrobella's blog, Michelle and Obama need to protect their children from the limelight, but it was good to see the young girls. They are so confident and self assured. Overall, a near perfect picture of a lovely black family.

Speaking of families and the wider black community, I am hoping that CNN streams online their upcoming Black in America documentaries also mentioned on Afrobella's blog. The previews for The Black Man (to be shown on 23rd July) and Black Women and Family (to be shown on 24th July) both look really interesting!

Since I moved to London a few years ago, I do not buy as many books. The main reason is that I just do not have the space to house them. So while I still spend a fair bit of time lounging at book stores, I just look longingly at the books for the most part. As a result, you'd think I'd be interested in an ebook. However, like Nick Hornby, I just would not be caught reading with one. Why? Well at £400 the borders version is bloody expensive! Plus for a book lover like myself, part of the euphoria of reading is actually holding the book and turning the pages. Thus I doubt I'll get that same feeling from holding an ebook.

I’ll never be caught reading an ebook
Borders is struggling to sell its iLiad ebook reader. What a surprise

Nick Hornby

In branches of Borders, they are trying to flog us their ebook reader, the iLiad, for £399. In my branch last week the iLiad was piled high on the left, just as you walk in; on the right was their wall of bestselling paperbacks, many of which are being sold at half price. It was a quiet Monday morning, and there didn’t seem to be too much interest in the 400 quid ebook reader; what was striking, though, was that there didn’t seem to be too much interest in the four quid books, either.

Attempting to sell people something for £400 that merely enables them to read something that they won’t buy at one hundredth of the price seems to me a thankless task. (A member of staff at Borders told me that he had attempted to persuade a young and famous comedian to buy an iLiad last week. He seemed interested, until he was told the price, at which point he swore loudly and walked away. So at the moment, they are priced too high for millionaire showbusiness entertainers.)

The last few months have left me frustrated with work. So I've been trying to think of an alternative ways to may a living without having to work 14+ hours in the city. Thus, after some extensive research, I've put together a business plan with a view to presenting to the bank for the loan. I've been a bit weary as with the economic downturn, I know that the lending criteria have tightened. Thus, I was a bit surprised and most pleased that after about 30 minutes with my bank manager, I walked away with the loan amount requested. She herself was a bit surprised by how quickly it all happend and even ask: "what credit crunch?"

Now I just have to execute on the plan -- the first part of which will be to confirm to my boss that I am definitely quiting my full time job. So frustrated have I been with things that I quit before I even knew the loan was approved and for a week now, management has tried to talk me out of it. They actually gave me a few days off with the hope that I'll change my mind after a period of reflection. But no such luck, I am definitely going through with Plan B. I have no dissolutions about the difficult road ahead, but for once, I'm doing something for myself. Thus, if I'm working 14+ hours a day, I'm doing it to buid a better future for myself, not to make some large corporate even more profitable.

I am not sure that British homeowners (myself included) and the general public at large are ready for the reality to come in the next few years. Especially since the Labour Party led by Gordon Brown seem to be completely incapable of doing anything to make the situation better; same for the opposition leader David Cameron and the rest of the Conservative Party who are all hype and no substance.

The credit crunch
Britain’s sinking economy
Jul 3rd 2008
From The Economist print edition

It is going to get nasty; exactly how bad depends on the Bank of England and, especially, Gordon Brown

The portents are increasingly gloomy. More and more signs are pointing to a punishing slowdown—with a recession looking likelier by the day. After 16 years in which Britain’s GDP has grown without halt, a downturn will come as a painful shock. Yet what may matter more is how Gordon Brown’s enfeebled government responds to the bad times ahead.

A stream of unwelcome news has reinforced fears that the British economy, still the fifth-largest in the world in 2007, is set to shrink. Those concerns were crystallised on July 2nd when two large firms reported serious setbacks. Taylor Wimpey, the country’s biggest homebuilder, revealed that it had been unable to raise the extra finance it needs to shore up its balance-sheet. Marks & Spencer, a food and clothing retailer, reported falling sales and Stuart Rose, its chief executive, gave warning of “stormy times ahead”. Both companies’ shares, especially Taylor Wimpey’s, tumbled heavily in subsequent trading, and the pound also fell in response as foreign-exchange dealers became more fretful about Britain’s prospects.

The markets are pinpointing two areas in which the economy is most vulnerable to a downturn: housing and retailing. Just as America’s growth has been dragged down since 2006 by falling residential investment, so Britain is now suffering a sharp contraction in homebuilding. That forms part of a broader slump in the housing market, in which turnover is shrinking because mortgage finance has dried up and house prices are tumbling (see article). Households are already being squeezed by the soaring costs of fuel and food. Now they are feeling even poorer as their homes fall in value, which makes them reluctant to shop.

A few weeks ago, I was invited by my former colleague and friend who got approval from boss for me to join their corporate hospitality tent at Taste of London. I was quite pleased because I had actually set the whole thing up before I left.

On the night of the event, the weather was just gorgeous and this brought out the gluttonous nature in me as I eat way too much food cooked by supposedly “celebrity” chefs. Oh, and let’s not talk about the Champagne and other assorted wines I drank -- it was all a bit over the top.

Upon reflection, this has me thinking about the Taste of Chicago which definitely caters more for the masses (not that there's anything wrong with that!). The restaurants and other food exhibitors at the London event were all upmarket as there was no sign of any fast food restaurants.

However, since the Taste of London event, I have developed a craving for one of those Flintstone size turkey legs that are a tradition in the Chicago event. It’s way more meat that one person should eat in a sitting but the carnivore in me thinks its oh so yummy!

Its official, I have gone suburban. During the week I commute to inner London and return to my home in one of the outer boroughs. Then on the weekends, while I know fun activities beckon back in the city, I couldn't be bothered to make the trek in. Furthermore, I'm getting more and more interested in gardening. This is really surprising since my garden is quite small and I can't even identify half the plants and flowers currently growing. However, I recently discovered that I have a cherry tree at the bottom of the garden. And what's really cool, is that the cherries are really sweet and juicy!

So really, what is the point of the United Nations if they will not act when a rogue dictator such as Robert Mugabe continues to destabilize the country of Zimbabwe? Oh wait, don't answer that. He was fairly elected to a 6th presidential term (Not!).

Note: Other Peter Brookes' cartoons -- all of a political nature can be view at Times Online.

There are times during ones life when a situation for whatever reason simply isn't working out and the best thing to do for both parties is to just walk way. I was hoping to do that today -- but alas I must wait until next week.