Doobs' musings

Dragons roar as roses wither

2011-10-12T07:42:00.003+01:00

Bucket loads of bacon butties and copious cups of tea (or something stronger) were the choice of rugby fans last Saturday morning.

But while Welsh supporters were savouring the refreshments and the rugby on offer, those to the east of the Severn estuary were left with a bad taste in their mouths.

Wales’ win over an experienced Ireland side took them to their first World Cup semi-finals since the inaugural tournament 24 years ago. Former champions England looked a shadow of their former selves against a well-organised French team.

The contrast in the desire, dedication and discipline between the English and the Welsh squads couldn’t have been greater. It’s a timely reminder that in sport – indeed in all realms of life – success doesn’t just happen; it requires hard graft and the right attitude. To quote wise Solomon: ‘If the axe is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success’. (Ecclesiastes 10: 10)

If only England’s axe had been sharpened for battle. Instead it’s been a month to forget. It kicked-off with alcohol-fuelled celebrations involving a number of players including Mike Tindall, who was caught on CCTV kissing a local woman.

Two players were banned for dangerous on-field play, whilst two management team members were suspended for illegally switching balls against Romania. Even since Saturday, there has been more negative publicity: Manu Tuilagi received a police warning after jumping from a ferry in Auckland.

As for Wales, its passion for the national sport has never been in question. But now, with a pool of focused and talented young players captained by Sam Warburton and coached by the wise Warren Gatland, the Dragons might just reward that enthusiasm. The days of heavy drinking and bad behaviour (and that’s just Gavin Henson) have been traded for 4am starts for summer training, a refreshing team spirit and an alcohol ban.

James Corrigan wrote in The Independent on Sunday: ‘Only one in five in Wales speaks Welsh. So many more speak rugby. They will talk it all week, about the parties they will hold if the dream comes true’.

As the fried breakfasts are served for the match against France this coming Saturday morning, Welsh rugby fans will be hoping they don’t end up with egg on their face, but rather that they’ll be on a roll all the way to the World Cup Final.

This article was written for The Baptist Times Sportsweek column

Tennis’ next rising star

2011-06-16T08:20:00.002+01:00

We’ve had Henman Hill and Murray Mound but is James Ward about to reach the peak of his tennis career in London SW19 in the next fortnight?

You may well be asking who James Ward is. Well, so were most sports fans until last weekend. That was until the 24-year-old, ranked 216 in the world, beat the odds to reach the semi-finals of the Queen’s Club Championships. (Photo: Dave Sandford)

Ward’s dogged performances at Queen’s – including victories against the defending champion and the world number 14 – have propelled him into the spotlight and raised hopes of British success at Wimbledon beyond solely the magic of Andy Murray.

Our nation loves a sporting underdog and Ward will no doubt feel both tremendous support and unbearable pressure next week. But will he be mentally and physically strong enough to cope and not crumble, especially if he grabs a few victories.

His coaches certainly believe so. Curiously, it was revealed that Ward has been helped by a former cage-fighter who has been putting him through his paces in recent weeks, rapidly improving both Ward’s physique and psyche in recent weeks.

Kevin Mitchell, tennis correspondent of The Guardian, fears for Ward at Wimbledon, however, pointing to disappointments of the past. ‘History, sadly, suggests the journey will be pot-holed,’ writes Mitchell. ‘Behind him on that road lie such briefly illustrious names as Jamie Delgado, Arvind Parmar, Barry Cowan, Martin Lee and Luke Milligan.’ A quick web search of these names reveals some near-misses; ten years ago, Cowan took Pete Sampras to five sets whilst Delgado snatched a set off Andre Agassi.

We’ve seen many times how fans’ enthusiasm and the media’s hunger for a hero (or celebrity) can be a major factor in British sportsmen and women failing on the biggest stage. Just look at any England football team in the recent past. If only we learned to lower our expectations, cherish small successes and understand that there’s more to sport than only winning, then perhaps we might enjoy watching sport again. Our footballers, cricketers and tennis players may just play with a smile on their faces as well. Even Andy Murray.

I hope that James Ward doesn’t enter the ‘if-only’ annals of British sporting history and that he rises admirably to Wimbledon’s challenge. It could be a steep slide from the summit if he doesn’t.

See BBC Sport's article on a similar subject.

Fifa all at sea

2011-06-09T08:16:00.000+01:00

As Sepp Blatter was controversially re-elected as president of football’s world governing body Fifa last week, he used marine metaphors, claiming that he was ‘the captain weathering the storm’ and that ‘our ship has drawn some water’.

Many in world football have been left seasick by recent corruption allegations – so much so that it’s difficult to see how Fifa can steer itself to dry land again.

After claims of bribery linked to awarding the 2022 World Cup finals to Qatar, two key figures in Fifa were made to walk the plank: suspended just days before the Zurich congress. One of these men, Mohamed Bin Hammam, was due to stand against Blatter for the Fifa presidency.

With Blatter the sole candidate, the English and Scottish Football Associations called for an election postponement but, with only 17 member associations supporting this motion, Blatter sailed back into the president’s chair for an unprecedented fourth term.

Worse still for English football – still reeling from failing to land the 2018 World Cup finals and with enough internal troubles of its own – several other member bodies publicly criticised their opposition. The head of Argentina’s FA said, ‘It looks like England is always complaining… leave the Fifa family alone, and when you speak, speak with truth’.

Blatter’s supporters say that, during his reign so far, he has been a driving force in increasing revenue, protecting players’ welfare, organising excellent tournaments, improving game rules and, most notably, recognising Palestine (when the UN hasn’t) and supporting projects in poorer countries (to the tune of £600 million).

So, was David Bernstein, England FA’s chair, right to try and break up Fifa’s family home? For an organisation claiming to be democratic and transparent, Fifa appears to now have lost its way. Blatter appears untouchable; surely fresh blood is now needed after his 13 years in charge? Credibility is compromised yet Fifa won’t appoint an independent external party to improve accountability. So often it seems decisions are not truly made ‘for the good of the game’ (a Fifa motto), but rather to boost the coffers.

Forget the big business and the bribery: at the heart of football are people like those in Aberdeen who recently played a remarkable 24-hour football match to raise £12,500 for a Christian education trust working in Malawi.

Perhaps Captain Blatter should climb down from his crow's nest and spy out what's happening at sea level for once.

This article originally appeared in The Baptist Times

Photo credits: Duncan C & Josephi

Prehistoric presenters

2011-01-24T20:51:00.006Z

You've got to be very careful what you say (or write) these days. Hardly a week goes by without some famous figure getting in bother for making controversial comments in an interview or on social networking medium such as Twitter. Everything is scrutinised and, once the media, gets a whiff of it, it snowballs.

This week's Kings of the Gaffe are former footballer-turned-analyst Andy Gray and former bland breakfast telly anchorman-turned-number-one-footy-presenter Richard Keys.

The pair were at Molineux on Saturday lunchtime for Sky Sports' coverage of the Wolves v Liverpool game and, before kick-off, talking off air but still being recorded, made sexist comments about women officials in football.

The main target was Sian Massey, who was one of the female assistant referees on Saturday, but another official, Wendy Toms (who was the first female Premier League referee) and West Ham's vice chairman Karren Brady, also got honourable mentions!

Some insider got hold of the recordings and made them public - and Gray and Keys have ended up with faces the same colour as the Liverpool shirts. The duo have been widely criticised by a variety of people in the game and were relieved of their duties for this evening's Sky match.

In truth, the broadcasters' views are nothing new for football; women have had a rough time for a while. In 1999, Gordon Strachan was outraged about Toms' decisions for a match involving his team (and mine - and Richard Keys'!) Coventry City, saying that the FA was being politicially correct for the sake of it and that she simply wasn't good enough.

Luton manager Mike Newell said something similar about Amy Rayner four years ago (calling it 'tokenism') and got hit with a £6,000 fine. Off the pitch Jacqui Oatley, received a very mixed reaction when she became BBC's Match of the Day's first commentator in 2007.

But, it's a real shame that, in 2011, we've not moved on from the negative, unhelpful and even spiteful comments from the past. More and more girls and women are enjoying football - it's no longer solely a man's domain. A third of all new Premier League football fans in the last five years are of the female variety.

Now, I'm not saying female referees and assistants should be spared the criticism that their male counterparts regularly get (no matter how bitter and unsporting this actually is) but the thoughts of people like Keys and Gray do nothing to help promote equality not just in sport but in society in general. It's like they are stuck in a timewarp.

Everyone and anyone, no matter their gender (or race or background for that matter), should have the opportunity to reach the level they desire in life. And if they are good enough - and Sian Massey is proving how competent she is - they should be supported, encouraged and treated in the same manner as anyone else.

Given the negative comments and prehistoric opinions in certain quarters, perhaps football is in need of a anti-sexism drive in the same vein as the successful 'Kick racism out of football' campaign?

Just as people hopefully now don't think twice about separating skin colour when it comes to footballers, so those in the game of football need to stop treating women as second class citizens.

I think the best outcome for this would be to stick a few female presenters in front of the camera for Sky Sports' next coverage - while Mssrs Keys and Gray 'run the line' for the match... assuming they're fit enough to keep up!

(Image credit: Zawtowers)

Politicalamity

2011-01-10T20:21:00.007Z

The shooting in Arizona on Saturday which left six people dead and the congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords seriously injured (plus 13 others injured) was a deplorable act of violence from a crazed individual.

Today, the whole of the USA has been mourning those killed in Tucson , who include a nine year-old girl born on the day of the 9/11 attacks. Giffords remains in a critical condition after being shot in the head. (Photo credit: SearchNetMedia)

Although at the time of my writing, nothing has been confirmed, it seems safe to assume though that the actions of Jared Loughner had some sort of political motivation - why else would Giffords be targeted, particularly as she hosted an open-invitation meeting with constituents? Evidence has been found to support this in Loughner's home.

It's the most serious incident so far in a country which hypes its politics to the maximum. As soon as the shootings happened, people on both sides (Republican and Democrat) started viciously pointing fingers at each other; the internet has been alive with a frenzy of opinion. Sarah Palin is being blamed by many after her infamous 'cross-hairs target list' image last November, which 'targeted' Giffords' district.

As unwise and inflammatory as Palin's war-style imagery was she really is not the only guilty party. No one party or group is blameless, but anyone who is fuelling the political fire in America at the moment (and that's an awful number of people) needs to use Saturday's terrible incident as a warning.

People need to stop, take stock and see that the style and content of 21st century politics in the West's most powerful country is doing far greater harm than good. The majority of this politics is, I believe, for self-gain rather than for the good of the public, and for the good of the nation.

The County Sheriff of Pima, Clarence Dupnik, put it simply but powerfully (but still managed to make enemies) when he said, "The anger, the hatred, the bigotry, that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous." I just hope what we've witnessed on Saturday is not the beginning of a growing trend and a increasingly intense political tit-for-tat. I fear it might be.

One last thing about what happened on Saturday. As terrible as it was, the media hype that has followed has been incredible and, I believe, ridiculously over-the-top. It's been yet another example of unequal news agendas: of how such an incident in the West warrants pages of newspaper inches, hours of TV news coverage and oodles of web space... whilst, in my opinion, much more serious events (in terms of numbers killed and the national ramifications) in places such as Tunisia and Mexico have barely been mentioned in the media.

I'm certainly not belittling the shootings in Tuscan in making this statement, and I pray for the victims' families and Gabrielle Giffords' recovery - but we must understand, again, that this world is not only about the fortunes of one nation.

(Blog title taken from a track by the US rock band Extreme)

Stage presence

2011-01-03T20:30:00.008Z

"You should blog more!" a good friend said recently. He's right; after all, my last musings were over six months ago. It's just as well I don't do this for a day job...

And so, in classic new year's resolution fashion, I'm going to try and be a little more consistent at this blogging lark. And the way to be regular, as I see it, is to be concise and punchy...

My new year was spent at the in-laws in Kent. They live in a hamlet just outside the village of Crockham Hill, a stunning setting in the Garden of England, with Churchill's home of Chartwell on the doorstep.

The village is close-knit and caring, and the epitome of an old-fashioned English community - a true rarity these days. In many ways, visiting Crockham Hill is like a step back in time.

And they certainly know how to put on a show! Every year they present either a pantomime or a play and, in the week after Christmas, the Crockham Hill Infant PlayerS (CHIPS) performed 'The Legend of Froghole' on five occasions to a total of over 500 people.

I was thoroughly entertained at the Saturday matinee by some comic acting, cute kids, awful puns and generally fine spirits by performers and audience alike. I was totally 'booed' and 'hissed' out at the end. The months of practising and preparing paid off.

It showed to me what a community, working together, can do. It may seem old-fashioned and uncool, but togetherness is something many parts of the UK needs now more than ever. And it can work as well in a block of flats as in a chocolate box village. (Image credit: crockhamhillevents.co.uk)

One man who never needed to turn to pantomimes for a living was the great British actor Pete Postlethwaite, whose life was cut short yesterday. He was aged just 64.

Tributes have rightly flooded in. Steve Spielberg once described him as "the best actor in the world" whilst Julie Walters called him "the most exciting, exhilarating actor of his generation".

I found that Postlethwaite could turn his hand to any and every sort of character - and he always kept appearing in quality films. In fact, it seemed like he was in almost every great British film (and television drama) of the last few decades! He was great at being equally intense and humorous and, in particular, I thought he was fantastic in Brassed Off, The Usual Suspects and The Constant Gardener.

Had illness not got him, I'm sure we could've seen Pete starring in fine films for another decade or more - and perhaps getting the Oscar which eluded him. (Image credit: Spanner Films)

Finally, from an understated actor to an over-the-top sporting exhibition in a nation we've heard quite a lot about recently. The sight of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, practising on a specially constructed court, floating on water in Qatar, really made me cringe.

The top two male tennis players in the world were promoting a forthcoming tournament in Doha and follows on from a similar display on the top of the world's tallest hotel five years ago. It was typical of the money-grabbing behaviour of the big-hitters in the Middle East - and we all know about Qatar's pulling power after their success in be crowning hosts of the football World Cup in 2022.

I'm sure Nadal and Federer were paid well for getting their trainers wet - but it was all rather silly and demeaning to be honest from a sport that should know better. I just hope neither players pulled a muscle in the wet conditions. Let's get the covers on and get on a proper court! (Image credit: GoToTennis.com)

Bangkok ablaze

2010-05-20T08:14:00.004+01:00

Almost exactly a year ago I was in Thailand on a fortnight’s filming trip with work, experiencing stunning scenery, meeting really friendly people and enjoying all that you get from a different culture.

Now, that country – and Bangkok in particular – is an ugly place, bereft of the beauty I witnessed. It’s a place of anger, symbolised by the countless fires across the city and black smoke billowing out of the high-rise landscape.

I’ve been saddened to see the protests by the anti-government Red Shirts group escalate over the last few weeks.

The last few days has seen violence, bloodshed (including the killing of a renegade general who backed the protests) and swift action by the Thai authorities, who have hit back to try and bring Bangkok under some sort of control again.

On Wednesday, a night-time curfew was put in place in the city, and across 23 Thai provinces, and that has been extended to three more nights.

And it’s that ‘control’ which the Red Shirts are so opposed to – they want to bring the government down, claiming there should be fresh elections. Their ‘leader’ is the former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by a military coup in 2006.

The majority of Red Shirt protestors hail from the north of Thailand and they benefitted from Thaksin’s populist policies when he was in power.

The Red Shirts desires for deep-rooted change led them to literally camp on the streets of Bangkok and, when skirmishes with the army increased, so did their acts of lawlessness. Someone I met whilst in Bangkok e-mailed yesterday saying it is ‘not unarmed civilians peacefully protesting but rather guerrilla warfare that has got out of control’.

I fear what has happened in Bangkok over the last few days is just the start; it’s going to get worse before it gets better. Violence is already spreading to other part of Thailand, including the popular, and serene, tourist destination of Chiang Mai (where I stayed last year).

The damage being done is immeasurable – to social structures, to the infrastructure and to the tourist industry which the country so relies upon.

The situation in Thailand is just one place in the world of where ‘the masses’ are publicly showing their feelings against the establishment – where people want radical change and justice. We see it in Greece too at the moment and with the global economic crisis, especially in Europe, expect more of the same in other places too.

The feelings of anger, injustice, hatred, bitterness so openly expressed in Thailand and elsewhere originate, I believe, from people’s self-centredness – from our greediness, from our desire to be better than our neighbours, willing to do anything to be in a better place, with a higher status.

For example, although the Red Shirts are a group, it’s being reported that there are factions between members leading to ‘in-party fighting’ – it seems that individuals there are more in it for themselves than for the good of the community and the group.

I hope and pray that some sort of reconciliation between the Red Shirts and the government (and their support group) might be found in Thailand – but fear this is some way off yet. Before the talking begins, the action must stop – otherwise this beautiful country may never fully recover.

(Photo credit: Timo Kozlowsk)

All to play for

2010-03-12T08:27:00.004Z

Fulham, Bolton, Middlesbrough or even Charlton in the UEFA Champions League?

Well, if the proposed Premier League play-off idea had been in place over the last decade, we might have seen such a dream become a reality!

The idea was that those finishing between fourth and seventh should meet in end-of-season play-offs, with the victor handed the final English Champions League place currently secured by grabbing fourth.

The Premier League board voted against the plan with West Ham chairman David Gold admitting there’s simply not space in the football calendar.

Unsurprisingly, managers at Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal weren’t in favour of the proposal (Wenger and Benitez were especially jittery) whilst bosses of teams currently just outside the ‘big four’ were more open to it; Aston Villa’s Martin O’Neill believed it was something ‘people might go for’.

You bet they would! I think it’s an idea would help share the wealth and bring a genuinely exciting end to the season for more teams, as seen in the successful Football League promotion play-offs year-on-year.

You can’t really argue that we should ‘protect’ the quality of the Champions League either. Although it may have originally been established for title winners, its format now shoehorns in all the big teams from Europe’s best leagues; it’s not only for true champions. Liverpool, for instance, has tasted glory in Europe without really getting near to winning the Premier League.

Play-offs are prevalent in American sports and pretty ruthless too, with league winners decided not by how they fare over several months but ultimately by their form in an end-of-season knockout cup.

Rugby union in England followed suit eight years ago, introducing a similar system for its top four. ‘Winning’ the Guinness Premiership at the season’s end doesn’t necessarily mean a trophy. In fact, only two teams (Sale Sharks and Leicester Tigers) have followed up being top during the regular season by going on to triumph the play-offs.

For now, the Premier League play-offs plan looks dead in the water. Those hoping for Birmingham City versus Barcelona will have to keep dreaming.

This article first appeared in The Baptist Times, 11 March 2010

(Photo credit: Music0man)

Going for gold

2010-02-24T21:48:00.005Z

For two weeks every four years, sports fans – and those who usually couldn’t care less – go barmy for bobsleigh, crazy for curling and mad for moguls (bumpy skiing for the uninitiated!)

The Winter Olympics in Vancouver comes to a close this weekend and it’s been a fantastic fortnight showcasing speed, strength and agility on the Canadian snow and ice.

The death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili, fatally injured in practice on the eve of the games, was a tragic way to start proceedings and demonstrated just how dangerous winter sports are.

On a positive note, Amy Williams’ achievement in the women’s skeleton last week was brilliant. She hurtled at 90mph on her trusty sled named Arthur and grabbed Britain’s first individual gold medal for 30 years (above). All the practice on specially-cut runners at Bath University has paid off.

Then there’s been the weather. First, there wasn’t enough snow and tonnes of the white stuff had to be imported. Then, a mix of warm temperatures, snow, rain and fog led to some events being postponed. And we thought the UK winter had been unpredictable!

Behind the scenes, three thousand Christian volunteers with the More than Gold ministry have been reaching out to both athletes and visitors in Vancouver which, significantly, has the lowest church attendance of any city in North America.

John Boyer, Baptist minister and chaplain of Manchester United, is part of the multi-faith chaplaincy team at the games. In both the highs of gold medals and the lows of human tragedy, John says that he and others are there ‘to weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice’.

Finally, I’ve been reading testimonies of some Olympians who follow Jesus. American speed skater Chad Hedrick was a brash bad boy when he won three medals in Torino four years ago. However, Chad has since found faith and it has transformed his attitude.

He’s been competing in Canada with ‘CGIM’ emblazoned on his skate blade – standing for ‘see God in me’. God blessed Chad with a bronze in the 1,000-metre event last week.

This blog first appeared in The Baptist Times, 25 February 2010

Photo credit: The Last Minute

Tarnished Terry

2010-02-03T20:43:00.005Z

It's World Cup year and, just to help England's preparations, there's negative press again flying about to deflect from the football.

Usually it's in the month before the tournament (think the dentist chair of 1996 and the many metatarsal injuries) but this time at least we can let the hype cool before June.

I'm talking of course about John Terry, whose name has been 'mud' since the revelations of his private life were published last weekend. The fact he's not just any run-of-the-mill England player - he's the captain of the side, a leader, a role model - has made Terry's affair with Wayne Bridge's model girlfriend a national scandal, so it seems.

Before this 'news' hit the headlines on Saturday morning and stayed there since, after Terry had legally failed to keep it out of the papers, the Chelsea player was considered a top professional and all-round nice guy. On the pitch he was a hero; off the pitch he was 'dad of the year'. But now he's public enemy number one and debates are raging among people who don't even like football as to whether Terry should remain England skipper at the World Cup finals in June.

I must admit I feel a little sorry for Terry. What he did was very wrong, no doubt. But it's a private matter, not one for every Tom, Dick or Harry Redknapp in this country to judge him on. He's the not first human - let alone footballer - to make a mistake and he won't be the last. Former England legend Stuart Pearce spoke out today not so much in Terry's defence, but trying to keep a lid on the hype, saying this "witch hunt" is wrong.

I totally agree with 'Psycho' - let's not forget what a great footballer and leader JT is and let's separate his professional career from his private life. I hope he remains as England captain. And in getting off Terry's back and concentrating on real news (Afghanistan, Haiti, this year's general election), the British public might even give his marriage a chance of reconciliation too. So, I'll leave my blogging here and not mention it again!

(Photo credit: Downing Street)

Made in China

2010-01-10T19:54:00.003Z

The chances are that at least one of your, or your children's, Christmas presents were manufactured in China. Maybe even all of them!

And in buying products such as ipods, computer games, toys and shoes from that nation - whether or not you knew it - you've helped make it the world's largest exporter, overtaking the mighty Germany, who'd been top dog for most of the last decade.

The rise has been almost overnight for China. After a 13-month decline in trade, they had a brilliant December, with an increase in exports of 17 per cent. Many are praising China's manufacturers for their resilience in the face of the economic downturn, but others, especially China's competitors such as the US, claim their success is only because of their undervalued currency - the government has deliberately weakened the Yuan to make its goods cheaper.

Well, it may be dirty tactics on China's part but it's certainly worked. This news is significant but is hardly a surprise. The rest of the world has been buying products from earth's most-populated nation for some time and their influence has also been growing in Africa in recent years too.

My concern about all of this is people's desire to buy dirt-cheap stuff from China on a whim without thinking about the consequences. Our craving for a bargain, and for the latest technology, takes priority over considering the impact on other people,resources and the environment.

We have questions to answer. Has our product from China been made by people who are being underpaid and overworked in a 'sweatshop' environment? Is it fairly traded and correctly sourced? How much pollution was created in making it? Could we have bought something similar from our own country? And, probably the biggest question of all: 'Do we really need this product?'

Sadly, I believe China's rise to the top is a clear indicator of humankind's greedy, selfish and materialistic nature and, whilst there's no denying their power in world economics (it's not all about the West anymore!), some caution is required. China's success, unlike their products, comes at a price.

(Photo credit: James Sann)

It doesn't rain - it snows! After my previous post about the wintry weather in the north, the heavy snow made its way down to my neck of the woods - Oxfordshire. This time of year is usually rainy, windy and relatively mild, so the 20cms snowfall in 24 hours here last Tuesday and Wednesday was a bit of a shock to the system.

What's irritated me though has been the hype and how 'newsworthy' of it all. There's been too much of a focus on health and safety, meaning schools stayed closed longer than they should have done and sporting fixtures were unnecessarily called off. The idea of panic buying makes me mad too - but that's because of the media frenzy. Let's just get on with life, even if it's slightly harder work!

Finally, a couple of positives. The way the rail network has responded has been a pleasant surprise. Without making a fuss, the majority of trains in most parts have been running. I've been grateful for that. Plus, we've had our milk delivered, so praise to that service too.

The ultimate lock-in

2010-01-04T19:27:00.004Z

How did you celebrate New Year? Staying in watching tedious telly reviews of the past year and decade? A wild night out in a big city with fireworks, silly hats and Auld Lang Syne? (Me? I settled for champagne, a rental film and bed before midnight... sad aren't I?)

Well, 30 guests at the highest pub in England certainly got more than they bargained for - and had a New Year's celebration they'll never forget. They planned on staying overnight at The Tan Hill Inn in the Yorkshire Dales - and ended up staying three days because of the wintry weather.

The resident DJ told BBC News that people's spirits were kept up (gin, vodka, brandy, sherry no doubt) and that it was a "heart-warming" experience - again, probably helped by the copious amount of alcohol quite literally 'on tap'. Everyone mucked in, doing chores around the inn, which stands at 1,700 metres above sea level in Swaledale.

It must've been quite a community - the ultimate 'big brother' experience (without the cameras!) Among the group were students from Leeds University and one summed it up by saying, "It's been fun - the ultimate lock-in!" I'll raise a glass to that!

No doubt when snow ploughs got through the seven-foot drifts on Sunday and it was time to finally head downhill and back to reality, some of the guests felt a little sad. I wonder if a local bobby was on hand with a breathalyser at the bottom of the hill - it would've made for interesting results.

I've enjoyed a relaxed, family Christmas and New Year. The week spent with the in-laws in the Kent countryside was fantastic, though it was a shame my father-in-law was only just recovering from a knee operation and not on best form. He's a very active guy usually, so being stuck on the sofa and struggling with sticks was frustrating for him to say the least.

Seeing him certainly made me wonder how I'll be in 30 years' time - and made me appreciate my working joints. My mother-in-law certainly made the most of it, getting me to shovel snow and ice and collect logs for the fire. Hope you're back on your feet properly again soon, Alan!!

Finally, one resolution for 2010 - to ensure my blogs are more regularly written. This is my first 'muse' for six weeks and I'll endeavour to add more in the coming weeks. And for those on Twitter, you can follow me at www.twitter.com/andrewdubock

A bridge over troubled water

2009-11-23T08:13:00.003Z

As a new working week begins, people living in parts of Cumbria are opening their curtains to see something that resembles a disaster zone.

Floods from unprecedented rainfall have destroyed the infrastructure in places such as Cockermouth and life is very different to normal, with schools and workplaces closed and travel severely disrupted. Hundreds of people are homeless, staying either in temporary shelters or with friends and family.

Bridges that have stood for hundreds of years have either already collapsed or are in serious danger of falling, and all 1,800 bridges in Cumbria (that's more bridges than a Westlife song!) are getting vital safety checks. One remarkable thing I read is that, because of bridge problems, people in Northside face a 40-mile detour just to get to the town centre... a journey which usually takes a matter of minutes.

This is the sort of thing we read about happening in other countries, particularly in the developing world. And, whilst we are undoubtedly richer and better resourced to face disasters such as this than in countries such as Bangladesh, the scenes in Cumbria remain truly devastating.

Families will be without basic essentials. Businesses will be forced to shut. Children's education will be disrupted. Sitting here safely in Oxfordshire, I count myself fortunate (though this region has had its fair share of floods in recent years.)

I believe climate change is to blame for record rainfall like that in Cumbria on Friday and Saturday. On a world level, we need leaders committed to tackling climate change - the forthcoming Copenhagen summit is crucial. In the UK, we need to better equipped - the government and county councils across the country need to take flood prevention more seriously, and have solid plans put in place for situations like this.

We also need to monitor levels and trends on all rivers better (some residents in Cumbria say they were not sufficiently warned) and BBC blogger Mark Easton says that "the River Eden, for example, had been behaving entirely normally for the past few months".

My thoughts go out to those most-affected by this situation - but I hope that experts are understanding that words like 'freak', 'unique' and 'unprecedented' can't keep being rolled out - bad weather is now all too common.

(Photo credit: Peter Thody)

Nasty Nick: fair show or not?

2009-10-23T11:21:00.006+01:00

There's been one story that has dominated the newspaper columns and TV news bulletins in the last couple of days, culminating last night.

The decision by the BBC to invite British National Party leader Nick Griffin onto Question Time has sparked all sorts of emotions amongst people, including those who protested (some violently)outside Television Centre during the recording of the programme yesterday evening.

I managed to catch most of the show and feel it gave Griffin far too much publicity, a special treatment, and was far too much about him rather than politics and issues. He was verbally attacked, bullied you might say, by members of the audience and others on the panel, including the chair David Dimbleby and, whilst I would wholeheartedly agree with their sentiments and totally stand against what the BNP stand for, it wasn't particularly balanced, fair and democratic.

What needed to happen, more fully than it did, was for each topical issue - such as immigration, the recession, workers' rights - to be explored and addressed to each of the politicians there, particularly Jack Straw as a member of the ruling Labour party. Instead, it turned into solely the Nick Griffin show. And in that he lied through his teeth, contradicted himself and came out with some stunningly outrageous statements, which showed exactly why people are so passionate in being against him and the party he leads.

I tried to glean positives as I watched it, and one was the fact that the audience was multi-racial, including people of different ages and backgrounds, and almost to a man/woman standing together against fascism, racism and ideologies that tear communities apart and are ultimately about hate, and not love.

Whether we like it or not, God loves Nick Griffin as he loves each one of us. As a church housegroup last night we prayed for Griffin, and I pray for him as I type this - that God would reveal his love in some way to him, that he would repent from how he has acted, and see that there are better ways to go about being politics - and life.

(Photo credit: Rex Chen)

We're not watching anymore

2009-10-06T08:19:00.002+01:00

I suppose it was inevitable given the fast-moving 'digital revolution' and the way in which the web rules over everything.

Plus, it's already happened in other areas of interest such as music... but, football - really?!

Yes, the news that England's match in Ukraine this Saturday will only be shown live on the internet - and for a fee - has not been warmly-received by fans. Rightly so too in my opinion.

OK, so England have already qualified for next year's World Cup finals, but this is still our national team playing a competitive match and hugely popular with football fans, as viewing figures show. We love to watch Rooney, Gerrard et al put on the white shirt and (hopefully) play with pride! We're on quite a roll at the moment too.

However, the 'powers that be' - whoever they are, and apparently it's not the Football Association - have deemed that supporters must fork out at least a fiver for the privilege. And it won't be shown in pubs - where most England fans (who aren't travelling) watch matches because of the atmosphere. There will be grumpy landlords up and down the country this week. Some cinemas have been selected to show the game - but can you really see football fans wanting to do this?

It's really sad that none of the terrestrial channels wanted to show this match. It came down to money apparently, but I think England supporter is right when he says, "Fifa and Uefa should insist as a condition of entry that all nations sell their games to terrestrial stations, whether it's the home or away market."

And all this in a country where, it was announced last week, there is a relatively poor broadband service (we're behind the likes of Bulgaria and Latvia in terms of quality and speech). You can see it now: you tune in to watch and the little circle spins on a black background or England are about to score on Saturday and the screen freezes. This won't work - not yet anyway.

I hope England get another win on Saturday to keep up their great record - but I won't be watching.

Paper talk

2009-09-30T08:21:00.004+01:00

"It's The Sun Wot Won It" was the famous headline from Britain's favourite newspaper (apparently) after the Tories won the general election in 1992, and The Sun claimed a big part in helping them do so.

And now, this morning, 17 years on, we wake to read that The Sun are making their political persuasions and election predictions fully known once again. This time, they are withdrawing their support from the government, claiming that "Labour's lost it".

It's a bold and damning statement, though Gordon Brown and co claim they are not getting too worried by it, saying it's not newspapers that win and lose elections, but that it's "It's the British people's views I'm interested in."

I feel Gordon is being a bit naive there and, although he won't admit it, I'm sure he is hurt by this deliberate move against his party from a newspaper read by three million voters every day, and many more non-readers will be influenced by this statement too.

In many ways, none of this is very surprising. The Sun is really only jumping on the bandwagon (and seeking publicity) of a swell of public opinion. Labour's been on a downward spiral since the heady Cool Britannia days and 'things can only get better' in 1997. Decisions made over matters including terrorism, wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and health cuts have turned the British public against Labour, and Gordon Brown, in my eyes, isn't a strong enough leader for this country.

The alternative, however, is David Cameron and a Tory party with lots of unanswered questions and a history of failing the nation. They are sitting in pole position as we edge towards a general election next year. It's a shame, in my opinion, that the refreshing and forward-thinking Liberal Democrats aren't closer in the reckoning.

The Sun won it for Major in the early-90s; it's very likely they will do Dave a favour in 2010.

News week

2009-09-18T20:26:00.002+01:00

In a break from the norm, here are five news items that have especially caught my eye this past week.

Ade goes crazy - The football story of the week (Coventry's glorious victory apart), the day that Man City Emmanuel Adebayor went nuts, stamping at a former teammate and then running the length of the pitch to goad fans who used to love him. A silly boy - he deserves being banned. Premier league footballers are paid oodles and should remain professionals at all times in my view. I'm sure other players have had worse aimed at them and managed to keep it together.

Could Elton sacrifice it all for an orphan? - We've had Brad, Angelina and Madonna and now Elton John wanted to get in on the act. Old Reg Dwight wanted to adopt a one year-old Ukranian orphan who had "stolen my heart" - but was turned down flatly because of his age and marital status. Celebrities shouldn't be allowed to do things like this on a whim. Could you really have seen him give up his lifestyle so that that little boy gets the attention he deserves? Much better to give money to Ukranian couples who can't have kids so that they can adopt the lad instead.

A sick fantasy goes unpunished - I read in disbelief this week that two teenagers have got away Scot-free (apart from six months remand) from their 'fantasy' plot to bomb their school in Manchester. A jury cleared Matthew Knight and Ross McKnight from potential murder - despite their obsession to copy the Columbine killings. I've heard a number of cases recently where officials (social workers, police, etc) have failed to spot warning signs in people who've then gone onto do terrible things. I really hope this isn't one of those situations. These are not good fantasies to have.

Sunny day for Vera - The news that wartime favourite Dame Vera Lynn has become the oldest singer to reach the top of the UK albums chart is a heart-warming one. The 92 year-old quietly snuck in to beat all of the The Beatles' (much-hyped) remastered albums to the number one slot. Whilst her music does nothing for me personally, people seem to still enjoy the golden oldies. Gives the likes of Cliff, Status Quo and Robbie Williams hope doesn't it?!

Tall order - (And finally...) Turkish giant Sultan Kosen has strode into the record books this week as the world's tallest person. Standing at a staggering 8 foot 1 inch tall, Kosen came to London - in search of love it seems! He hopes his new-found fame will find him a girlfriend. A lady with her own stepladder would fit the bill best. At a reasonably tall 6ft 3 myself, and lanky with it, I struggle with certain things in life (insufficient legroom and regular backache are just two) so I really feel for Kosen. Still, as the BBC piece says, at least he can change a lightbulb easily, eh!

Is Derren's number up?

2009-09-12T19:26:00.003+01:00

Amazed. Intrigued. Baffled. Disappointed. There's been a wide spectrum of reactions to the latest high-profile trick of Derren Brown, the celebrity illusionist.

On Wednesday, Derren (surely either a stage name or a typo on his birth certificate!) predicted all six main balls of the National Lottery and then last night presented an hour-long show that showed how he did it - and how we can too (yeah, right).

I tuned in to see 'the solution', and I found it interesting and watchable although a little tenuous and long-winded in places. I remain unconvinced by the method Brown used, which involved using 24 volunteers (who became very friendly through bonding exercises) coming up with random numbers and then finding the average to get the numbers.

The whole thing was a wind-up and cleverly marketed - a bit of harmless fun (except for the loose handwriting techniques to draw numbers, which was dodgy and weird). It leaves us still trying to work out how he did... or if he really did.

Illusionists are all about trying to tap into the way people naturally perceive events, and play on doing cleverly doing something while our eyes are fixed somewhere else - slight of hand.

Maybe Derren Brown somehow messed around with his balls while the watching public looked elsewhere. I do hope we've not been duped by computer technology.

Whatever the real outcome, it's certainly got people thinking and talking about maths, probability - oh, the greedy cry of 'How can I win the lottery too?!'

(Photo credit: Dominic Campbell)

Pudding-brains (can I say that?) change dessert's name

2009-09-08T20:58:00.005+01:00

First it was 'rainbow sheep' instead of that famous nursery rhyme. Then it was swapping the term unemployed to 'unwaged'.

Oh, there have been many more - but today a new example of "political correctness gone mad" (the stock phrase wheeled out for times like these) caught my eye and is currently the sixth most read thing on the BBC website (beating the divorce of Katie Price and Peter Andre, no less!)

The much-loved (not by me, but by many others I'm assured) pudding, Spotted Dick, has been taken off the menu of a council canteen in Wales - and replaced by the less-accurate and more-tricky-say-quickly Spotted Richard. Oh, and the even-less-impressive Sultana Sponge too. Apparently childish comments by 'a small number' of staff members led to the change.

A local councillor is outraged, calling the decision 'ludicrous' and claiming decision-makers would be 'frightened by their own shadow' - a little OTT and harsh, methinks.

It's crazy that we've turned into a country where people are so concerned about frightening others by what is said or written. You're never going to please all the people all of the time, so why - in this case - even contemplating changing the name of a pudding that's been called a certain name for 150 years - just in case some people (whoever they are!) are offended in some way. Dicks refer to 'dough' in this case and have nothing to do with men's genitalia.

Why don't we go through every element of the English language and English culture to come up with new words and new phrases that are meaningless and dull? We don't because all of this is so, so trivial. It's fodder for terrible newspapers like the Daily Mail and dangerous organisations like the BNP.

In fact, why am I spending so much time writing this and thinking about it... (because I find the whole situation hilarious, that's why!) And your comments are welcome please - as long as you don't offend me and that you PC-spellcheck every word!

(Photo credit: Chuck Coker)

The Arctic: a hot topic

2009-09-05T20:14:00.003+01:00

Been a bit blowy in the UK this week, hasn't it? Strange for early September. But down under, Australia has been experiencing its hottest-ever winter, with some places getting higher temperatures than in summer! Barmy!

However, if you need a true indication that climate change is happening (and it is... quickly), take a look at the Arctic. It was revealed this week that Arctic temperatures are now higher than any time in the last 2,000 years.

Fancy graphs show that there have been peaks and troughs of warmer and cooler times in the Arctic - but it's never been as bad as now. And what happens there is not merely a local or global problem - there are ramifications for the whole world in terms of rising sea levels and changes to ocean currents.

I've been recently reading about the Arctic in New Internationalist magazine - fascinating articles about the importance of that white splodge at the top of the spinning globe, which is often overlooked. The area contains a quarter of the world's remaining oil and gas reserves, and superpowers and energy giants are squabbling over these precious resources without a thought for local people and wildlife.

I very much hope the plight of the Arctic - and the impact on the rest of the world - is a focus at December's UN climate summit. UN General Secretary Ban Ki-Moon visited the region last week to see the crisis first-hand - I trust his reports will influence others in taking positive action on carbon emissions. The situation has a real feeling of now or never about it.

(Photo credit: P J Hansen)

2009-09-01T13:35:00.002+01:00

Don't you just love official reports? I've just been reading a BBC article about one generated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development called, a little cheesily, 'Doing better for the children'.

It compares the well-being of children in different countries - and the results for the UK are a mixed bag.

According to the report, our kids are generally not bullied too much, enjoy a high quality of school life and don't experience a great deal of poverty. But before we pat ourselves on the back too much, the report has discovered that we have more underage drunks (and especially girls) than any other country, more than double the rate than the US, France and Italy. It also highlights the UK's well-publicised high teenage pregnancy rates.

First-off, I'm a little skeptical about reports like these, querying where OECD get their precise percentages from. In this case, are they actually out on the streets counting the teenagers that gather to drink their cider (and do other things besides)? I doubt it. It's probably done by doing a small survey and multiplying up - dodgy stats!

Not that I am denying the drink and pregnancy problem among youngsters in this country, which is a real issue. I actually feel the schools are doing what they can in educating today's teenagers - and it's actually down to parents being better role models for their children, particularly in alcohol consumption, doing a little better in keeping tabs on where their offspring are on a Friday night - and providing safer alternatives.

Of course, all of this is easy for me to say. My eldest starts school for the first time tomorrow (whilst my youngest reaches the grand old age of two later this month) so I have years before this becomes real issues for me and my parenting skills - I hope! I shudder to think of the state of this country by then.

(Photo credit: Bernard Laguerre)

Don't look back in anger, Noel

2009-08-29T19:19:00.003+01:00

After 16 years as one of Britain's (if not the world's) best-ever rock bands, the end is nigh for Oasis. Noel Gallagher - the driving force behind the group - told fans yesterday that his feud with brother Liam had reached a point of no return.

I've followed Oasis since pretty much the beginning, so I feel some sadness at the decision - though not entirely surprised, as there's been signs of this in the past.

The band's first album, Definitely Maybe, is undoubtedly their best, mainly because it's raw and unpretentious. The follow-up What's the Story (Morning Glory)? spawned Oasis' greatest hits - anthems for a generation.

I've continued to buy their albums, which have been a little hit and miss generally but with some real gems along the way. I wish I'd got to see Oasis live as I understand them to be one of the best touring bands around. Their Electric Proms performance last year was amazing.

Noel is a very talented individual, as a singer, musician and songwriter, and has carried Liam to be fair. Noel will be back as a solo artist: no doubt about that. As for Liam - expect him to drift out of the limelight and probably become quite elusive.

That's the future, but for now, let's celebrate great music of one of the finest bands to come out of this country in the last two decades... definitely (not maybe).

(Photo credit: Silvio Tanaka)

Football violence kicking off again

2009-08-27T21:35:00.005+01:00

The scenes inside and outside Upton Park on Tuesday night were disgusting and disappointing - but I must admit that I wasn't totally surprised.

Unrest, unsociable behaviour and outright violence has been continuially bubbling along 'under the surface' (and away from the radar of the media) between football fans up and down the country since the bad old days of persistant hooliganism of the 70s and 80s. I've seen it first-hand and even got a rogue punch out of the blue by a Manchester City fan in the mid-90s.

Experts agree, saying that the police constantly try to stop violence away from football grounds - at places like railway stations and pubs - and that there are high-risk games, such as the West Ham-Millwall one, which require careful planning (changes to kick-off times and limiting attendance). Sadly that didn't happen this week, making it a disaster waiting to happen.

How should West Ham be punished? Well, I'm not sure they should be - it's not really the fault of the club that a bunch of mindless idiots decided to act as they did. Bans for supporters identified by the many cameras must happen - and will I'm sure.

I very much hope that this violence will ultimately lead to a positive outcome: that each club will act in reviewing how they deal with trouble and their relations with the police. If only football could follow in the footsteps of sports like rugby union where supporters stand side-by-side at matches - finishing the game with a firm handshake rather than a punch to the head.

(Photo credt: Toastbrot81)

Fred & co revive feelgood factor

2009-08-23T20:37:00.005+01:00

At 5.50 this evening, joy and pride returned to English sport once again, as our cricketing Lions regained The Ashes from Australia once again.

Proving the heroics of 2005 weren't a one-off, and banishing the horrors of the 5-0 drubbing by the Aussies down under two years ago, Andrew Strauss' men overcame the odds and responded positively to media pressure to pull off a terrific victory.

And just like four years ago, this series has been full of really exciting twists and turns with some remarkable individual performances and sterling team work. With it being his last Test series, all eyes were on the talisman 'Freddie' Flintoff and he didn't let us down on the final day with a brilliant throw to ensure Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting walked.

And while Fred was great this summer, his was a cameo role in truth as the likes of Broad, Swann, Trott and captain Strauss all excelled. This last test match in particular showed signs of a promising few years ahead for England cricket.

Like many others in this country no doubt, I tend to really only watch England's big cricket matches - and they don't come any bigger than The Ashes. And, if 2005 is a benchmark, this sporting achievement will lift the whole of England in the coming days and weeks ahead. In this tricky time of recession, it will do us all - whether cricket-lovers or not - the power of good.

(Photo credit: Luke Redmond)

Speaking the truth

2009-08-19T17:56:00.004+01:00

Aged just 31, Malalai Joya is the youngest MP in one of the world's toughest political arenas in the world right now: Afghanistan.

She's a remarkably bold and tenacious woman who is not afraid to speak out against the corruption under President Karzai's government - so much so that she's survived five assassination attempts. She states: "My enemies are trying to eliminate me. I'm not the first but I believe no power is able to hide the truth."

That truth, according to Joya, is that the nation currently has a "warlord, drug-lord government" which rules over a population where 18 million people are living on less than one dollar a day and where there is "injustice, insecurity, joblessness, poverty and corruption."

Tomorrow, Afghanistan holds massively important elections. The eyes of the world have been on the nation so much of late and will stare even more so in the days ahead. Is there a chance of a brighter future? Joya is skeptical - she thinks the elections are a "showcase of the US government" with the next Afghan president being "selected behind the closed doors of the White House".

Reading about her on the train home and on the internet since, I believe for there to be peace in Afghanistan, the country needs more Malalai Joyas: people willing to stand up against the injustices in that place. Of course, it's a hugely dangerous thing to do, which can cost the lives of you, your familyand your friends.

I hope and pray that a wave of change might come about in this beautiful and misrepresented country - and that truth might be the real winner of these elections.

Read 'The big lie of Afghanistan' by Malalai Joya in The Guardian by clicking here.

Photo credit: AfghanKabul

Much ado about nothing

2009-08-17T19:26:00.003+01:00

I thoroughly enjoyed studying Shakespeare for my A-levels. Perhaps it was partly to do with my teacher, who was excellent, but I really got stuck into Old Will's plays and came out with an A grade, of which I remain very proud.

Every year at this time, there's the usual debate over whether exams are getting easier as more and more pupils achieve high grades with both A-levels and GCSEs.

However, today's headline in the Metro - 'Even monkeys' can get A-levels - which quoted a director of A-levels in the north west, went much too far in my opinion. Another teacher stated they were 'Mickey Mouse' and called the situation an "absolute shambles". Shame on these people for these unhelpful comments.

Yes, there are now double the number of A-level students who attain A grades compared to nearly 20 years ago, but the truth is the exam system has changed to be less about how much knowledge you can retain and how good your memory is to being much more about informed decision-making and creativity.

And surely this can only be a positive thing because that reflects much more fairly the way their future life and work will be.

Employees aren't generally asked to recall facts and figures on the spot in a smelly sports hall for three hours - but rather, in my experience, it's about quality research, knowing the best way to achieve results and how to be as creative as you can, working to a set deadline.

Having a modern, relevant exam system is the way forward and if that means teenagers are succeeding, then surely that's worth celebrating. Rather than throwing slings and arrows at them.

(Photo credit: C Carlstead)

Camping it up

2009-08-15T19:51:00.006+01:00

I've been away from my laptop, and blogging, for the last few days because I've been 'at one with nature', camping it up in a trailer tent in the New Forest!

Having never camped whilst growing up (static caravanning was the nearest I got!), my girlfriend - now wife - Sally and I went on a tenting holiday around France 11 years ago. Since then, we've always had walls around us on holidays. Until now!

We bought a second-hand trailer tent a few months ago, bought some essential equipment and got planning where we'd go. With two young daughters in tow (well, they were actually in the car), we headed south for a few hours to Hordle in the New Forest for a three-night try-out.

Despite my reservations and apprehensions, the experience went well. It was great to be a family all so close together, to leave pressures and distractions from home behind and the kids loved having lots of green space around them when they stepped out of the awning. They slept brilliantly through the night too - all that fresh air! We learnt what worked and what didn't - getting organised seems to be key.

One thing I'll need to get to grips with is the mindset of the camping community - the oddities and quirks of people staying near us. One guy we met was a particular oddball - we dubbed him Mr Baguette because his instructions of how to get to the best beach included going via Tesco's to pick up a baguette,"if you're like us". (Which we definitely weren't!)

He talked with eyes shut (really annoying!), had stayed in his caravan for THREE weeks (does he not like his home?) and was a Mr Know-it-all when it came to camping and the local area. He came over to us before we even got through the gate. One night he and his wife entertained three other couples outside their caravan. He was overbearing and odd.

I think you've got to be a sort of person to remain happy living with life's simple things in such a small space. Can that really be me? My fear is I'll turn into Mr Baguette. That said: we're off to the Cotswolds in October...

Snakes alive

2009-08-09T19:58:00.004+01:00

Knife and gun crime are a serious problem in city culture - it's horrific to hear of young boys (usually) killing people of their own age with this weapons. Gang warfare is a very real issue and local authorities in places like London are doing their best to tackle it.

But police near Bristol might have to set up an 'adder amnesty' and establish a 'black mamba special branch' after news today of a youth gang in Bradley Stoke attacking a boy with a one-metre green python. The boy was bitten and taken to hospital - with specialists from Bristol Zoo brought into to advise.

It's a remarkable and curious story and shows that bullying takes on many forms and that gangs will stop at nothing to hurt others. Where did the lads get this snake from - and how do they manage to hide it from their parents... unless it's a pet? I don't only pity the boy who was obviously shocked by the ordeal but the poor snake is being mistreated and I'm sure the RSPCA will be monitoring the situation.

And since my sister and brother-in-law live quite close to this incident, I'll make sure they're aware to check their garages and sheds when they get back from their hols...

(Photo credit: Wolfgang Wedenig)

"We're gonna win the league!"

2009-08-06T20:29:00.004+01:00

Aberdeen getting thrashed in Europe. Fulham entertaining the masses on ITV4. This can only mean one thing: football's back!

Whilst the rich fancy dans of the Premier League start on the 15th, the football league kicks off proceedings this coming weekend, with Middlesborough v Sheff Utd being the curtain-raiser less than 24 hours away from when I'm writing this.

It's great news that the BBC is going to be showing lots of football from every team. Every Saturday there will be Football League highlights following Match of the Day, with some live Championship games thrown in along the way. It's about time free-to-view channels got a bit of this: the likes of Mansfield matter just as much to football just as much as Man United.

United's rivals, Man City, have splashed enormous wads of cash this summer. In this time of economic difficulty it's almost scandalous the amount they've thrown about - and on not on the best players either: Adebayor for £25million... gulp! I just hope league clubs can survive in the current climate - many are having to watch every penny to avoid administration.

All in all I'm very excited! But then I always am at this stage. I always have hope and optimism - this could be (my team's) Coventry's year. "We're gonna win the league!" But this time around the edge has been taken off by selling some of our best players and being left with a small squad, with fans getting disgruntled. Roy Keane's Ipswich at home on Sunday to start with. Maybe I'll hold off on that bet just for now...

(Photo credit: UmbroFootball)

Back for good?

2009-08-05T20:38:00.005+01:00

Britain's biggest showman is making a comeback! No, not Norman Wisdom, but Robbie Williams. Having flopped three years ago with his last album, Rudebox, Williams has lived in LA and stayed out of the limelight. But today, he's announced his new "killer" (in his words) album will be released in November, with the first single from it out in October.

Yes, I admit it, I own some of his albums! He's made sing-a-long,perfect pop songs that has appealed to children, men and women of all ages (though he really shouldn't try rapping again). Despite having an ego the size of Saturn, he has a cheekiness and likeability that you can't help warm too, and he's a down-to-earth bloke at heart - you can take the boy out of Stoke-on-Trent, but you can't take Stoke-on-Trent out of the boy. As they say...

But with this imminent return to Popville - will it ever be the same for Robbie? I very much doubt it. He's hit amazing heights in his career both as a solo artist and with Take That, and I can't see him getting anywhere near it. The music world has moved on since he was top dog. Many of his fans will have done too. And will he actually be willing to work hard enough or will he be too complacent and cocky?

My fear is Williams will believe his own hype, release the album and sit back - but if he gets on tour, does some live shows, tries to be original and himself... then maybe Britain will welcome Robbie back into its bosom again.

(Photo credit: Stefan G)

Heaven is a halfpipe

2009-08-03T18:25:00.007+01:00

Scouring the BBC News front page today, the word 'Jesus' surprisingly jumped at me. Don't usually see that, I thought! A few clicks later and I was watching a great video about a 'ramp camp' in the USA, which is spreading the gospel through skate-boarding. It opens with a sticker which said, "Jesus walked on water. What's your best trick?" Genius!

I must admit I usually watch Christian stuff from the other side of the Atlantic with a little scepticism and embarrassment but this initiative is really inspiring - this group is meeting the children where they are at (on the ramps!) and making the Christian faith interesting and relevant for kids who wouldn't usually step inside a church. There are some great testimonies from the kids in the video.

I reckon UK churches might learn something from this sort of scheme - and some probably try and do things . Take a look around your community - especially during this school holiday time - and you'll either see bored kids just hanging around or groups doing things like skateboarding, bike-riding or listening to their ipods together.

Christians shouldn’t be looking to get teenagers into a church building; they should go to where the youth are, and set up sports or music clubs aimed at forming relationships, having fun - with a Christian message woven through it. Going to the people, being relevant, honest and loving: Jesus was pretty good at that!

(Photo credit: SkyB)

Flash, bang, wallop

2009-08-02T20:04:00.005+01:00

"Oh, look out, I can see another one!" That little luminous yellow box on the horizon looms larger... time to slam on the brakes. Speed cameras are the bain of a motorist's life and getting caught out by one (flash, smile please!) is frustrating.

However, according to research, over a four-year period, 100 lives were saved annually because of them, with a 40% reduction in the number of injuries and deaths on roads with them.

Given this, the news on Friday that Swindon has switched off its five fixed speed cameras because they are costing too much has been met with horror by road safety groups - they're calling it "reckless". In defending the decision, Wiltshire police has said the money will be reinvested into more effective road safety measures and that they will continue to use mobile speed cameras.

I think that Swindon reviewing their road safety measures is actually a good thing and other local authorities would do well to take stock of their situation. I do question whether speed cameras are actually in the best position and on the correct roads.

And, instead of catching someone out who is doing 34mph in a 30 zone (though I realise fatal accidents can occur at this speed), I'd rather police did more to try and catch the countless speed-loving drivers who hare down the fast lane of motorways in excess of 100mph, tailgating, flashing and using other bully tactics to get to their destination five minutes quicker. In my opinion, they are accidents waiting to happen - take a photo of them!

(Photo credit: Topsy Grewlike)

We've lost a legend

2009-07-31T13:28:00.004+01:00

I'm really sad to hear this morning that Sir Bobby Robson has died. He was undoubtedly England's most successful manager since Sir Alf Ramsey, leading us to the quarter-finals of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico and the semi-finals of Italia 90. Will any England manager in the future be able to match that?

I especially remember Robson's team that came within a whisker of reaching the final 19 years ago because it was at a time that I was really getting into watching football. I was 13 at the time. It was such a memorable tournament,which England performed below average for in the early stages, and might've even got knocked out by Cameroon in the quarters, but showedfighting spirit and, in the days before inflated ego, star players (and before WAGs!) it was a very good team performance - inspired by Bobby. Those semi-final penalties were indeed heart-breaking.

Back to Bobby and, from what I've read about him - and there will be plenty of tributes in the coming days - he was a true gentleman and manager who was fair and sporting to players, managers and the media. We've lost a true legend of the national game today.

Photo credit: ChelmsfordBlue

What summer?

2009-07-29T14:52:00.003+01:00

I’ve just returned from a lunchtime break with my shirt soaked by heavy rainfall. Yes, it’s July and, rather than the warm, sunny days we hope for at this time of year, normal service has resumed and it’s wet, wet, wet.

The Met office has today revised its prediction of a barbecue summer and says that August will be unsettled. It seems the week-long heatwave at the back end of June was the closest to summer we’re getting this year.

We Brits love to make small talk about the weather – mostly how bad it is… too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry. We’re never happy! But for the majority of us, it never really inconveniences us or stops us doing what we want.

Spare a thought though for those living in desperately poor conditions who must deal with really extreme weather which doesn’t just mean they’ve got to stick on a pair of wellies or put up a brolly – floods, drought, freezing conditions affect their health, homes and livelihoods.

Then we’d have reason to grumble.

Photo credit: Hamed Parham

Churches scrub up for swine flu

2009-07-28T07:54:00.003+01:00

You can't move anywhere in the UK at the moment for talk of swine flu. There is simply nowhere to hide. Not even church.

Attending my local Anglican church on Sunday morning I received, in the weekly bulletin, a double-sided leaflet outlining the precautions that churches are being advised to take during the current 'pandemic' (is it officially one yet?)

The guidelines include not sharing the peace, ensuring the bread and wine givers 'scrub up' before communion and not passing one big cup of wine around everyone for fear of spreading all those nasty germs. And if it all gets worse, we might have to cancel church altogether and other such mass gatherings.

Whilst I'm very sorry for those families who've lost loved ones due to swine flu and while I wouldn't wish anyone to end up in bed feeling awful for a few days (unless they wanted to avoid going to work), I do feel the whole situation has been hyped up beyond belief these days. Any big news story is the same these days.

Let's keep it in perspective folks - if we get it, the vast majority of us will get better fairly quickly just like we do when we get 'normal flu'. We are so fortunate in the developed world - spare a thought for those living in seriously poor communities facing seriously dangerous illnesses like malaria, TB, Aids, and those suffering from malnutrition and dehydration.

Maybe the Church of England need to think and pray a little more about that and less about which sort of vessel to use for communion.

(Photo credit: Paul Johns)

F1 going off track

2009-07-27T08:04:00.006+01:00

Motor-racing (Formula 1 to be precise) is one of those sports I dip in and out of. It depends on whether a Brit is doing well or if it's a particularly exciting season – or if I'm spending time with my father-in-law!

This season has been particularly crazy for F1 and unfortunately it's been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. After Lewis' brilliant win last October, snatching the title in the final seconds of the season, it's all gone a bit wrong for F1.

Before the season started, proposed rule changes got laughed out of becoming a reality. When things got underway Lewis Hamilton and MacLaren got into a lying scandal after misleading race stewards in the opening race in Belgium. Then last month, eight of the major F1 teams announced they are planning to set up a breakaway championship next year.

Sadly, F1 is all about the money and the greed – just like every sport. Where's the sportsmanship gone? My father-in-law is lamenting the decline of F1 – "it's not like the good old days" is often wheeled out at occasions like this but it's oh so true with this sport.

The injury to Felipe Massa on Saturday puts all of this nonsense into perspective – and raises questions about the safety of this high-speed, high-risk sport. As I write, Massa's in 48 hours' sedation following emergency surgery on the fractured scull he sustained during the freak accident in qualifying. I really hope his recovery goes well and that he's back on the track soon. And when he returns, presumably in 2010 now, F1 might look a very different sport.

(Photo credit: B Givens)

In training

2009-07-25T19:41:00.008+01:00

Seven years ago I took part in the Great North Run - a truly amazing event on Tyneside. I found doing a half-marathon pretty tough, mentally and physically,but the support of local people really spurred me on. It was a pleasure to raise lots of money for the Cleft Lip And Palate Association, an organisation that has really helped my cousin since he was born.

(Photo credit: Patries71)

I put my trainers down and didn't contemplate doing any more running until last year, when I did the 10k Two Castles Run between Warwick and Kenilworth Castles, raising money for BMS World Mission. Encouraged by my run-loving brother-in-law, I was really glad to have done it - again local support was brilliant, the sun shone and it was a manageable distance. I did in 54 minutes, which I was chuffed with.

Well, 10K running has now turned into an annual event - as I'm back for another run this September and have started my preparations on the streets of Abingdon. I'm doing the Run10k event at Blenheim Palace in September to raise money for Cancer Research UK, along with my bro-in-law... though I'll be in his dust at the start line no doubt.

So, today I was out for the third of my two-mile runs (just under a third of the total distance on the day), just to get back in the swing of it really. And blimey, it was hot. My knees also felt it and it took me a while to recover from what it not really very far. Need to get that fitness up - and I have two months to do it!

(If you feel you would like to sponsor me for this run, that would be great - you can do so online at: www.run10ksponsorme.org/andrewdubock)

The first post

2009-07-24T15:40:00.001+01:00

Today, I'm bravely entering the blogging world. Why, I'm not so sure. I think I'm trying to embrace all this new technology and fast communication. So, welcome to 'Doobs' musings' (suggestions welcome for a better title!) – and here we go...