Reasons to be Cheerful

Posted on May 12, 2010 by

My need to express myself over the recent UK election have led me to bringing this blog out of hiatus … 140 character chunks just won’t cut it. Naturally it won’t make much difference to anyone but the few people who I could probably express all this to over a beer … but that could be said about twitter as well, and that’s never stopped me.

This election has been extraordinary. It’s been frustrating (the press), thrilling (cleggmania, debates) and exhausting (the election night itself). And just when we thought it was all coming to an end, it turned out we didn’t have a result. No actual result that could form a government at least.

To say I was disappointed in the number of seats that the Lib Dems gained would be understating it. Even though the polls had shown the support slipping away, I had been sure that they must be wrong, and that LibDem representation was about to soar. I was particularly disappointed for Dr. Evan Harris, particularly when you consider that Oxford as a whole voted more for LibDem than any party, but wound up with a Labour and a Tory MP.

But as it is, I think that actually this has proven to be a very fortuitous set of results. By having the Lib Dems and Labour combined seat count below that necessary to form a majority, there was only one coalition option available. And thank goodness for that. A rainbow coalition would have been a disaster. Not only would they have been rubbish at running the country (so many narrow interests to maintain, creaking, entitled labour MPs welded to their desks), it would have fallen apart rapidly with such a slim majority. A coalition falling apart is the last thing an ardent PR supporter like myself wants to see. Nevermind the impact on the country to have another election (which neither Lib Dems or Labour can afford) when we’re supposed to be getting our house in order.

(as an aside, I also don’t think Labour “deserved” the opportunity to be the political reforming party when they’ve spent 13 years doing fuck all about it)

I also felt that people arguing for the coalition because x% voted against Tory etc was utterly ridiculous. You can’t interpret the will of the people like that at all. My LibDem vote wasn’t anti-tory or anti-labour. It was pro-LibDem. As were many of the lib dem voters that I know. If you add up Lib Dem and Tory votes, then y% are anti-labour. You have to do the maths based on the electoral system in front of you.

(aside number two: I don’t support PR because it would give Lib Dems a stronger power base. I support PR because I believe we live in a society that has a plurality of views that cannot be adequately represented by a winner takes all system. PR is more representative, democratic and reasonable. It’s proportional FFS)

(aside to aside number two: anyone who complains that PR gives representation to extremist views … you’re right, it does. But do you know how they grow their support? By claiming they are ignored. The bright light of exposure should be shone on extremism to show everyone how rubbish it is. If you brush shit under the carpet, your house still smells of shit)

My biggest fear was that the Lib Dems would turn their back on forming a majority government with the Conservatives. In one clear moment, they would have demonstrated all that was bad about coalitions, and so PR. But more important than that. They would have shown that so many critics were absolutely right. A vote for Lib Dem was a wasted vote. That they weren’t ready to govern.

Instead, they’ve stepped up to the plate, negotiated sensibly, and we now have a coalition government with a majority.

(aside number three: there was absolutely nothing wrong with them speaking to Labour. If for no other reason than it seems to have triggered just a slightly bigger movement on electoral reform from the Tories, and also because it will have been a useful manouevre in keeping the left of the party on board. Any Tories bitching about such politicking should consider the right wing fringes of their party, and maybe have a little more empathy)

That’s a majority government, implementing Liberal Democrat policy. And taking the rough edges off some of the Conservative policies. We are looking at electoral reform (details wobbly, but it’s better than nothing), civil liberties restoration, a fairer tax system (bye-bye inheritance tax changes, hello to tax free low incomes!), the pupil premium and banking reform.

Of course, I am concerned about Tory cuts and their immigration policy. Im not that happy about keeping Trident. And I’m concerned that it might not last because of splits in either party. But the Lib Dems have proven their naysayers wrong. They are ready to govern. They are ready to step up and behave sensibly when the need arises. And they’re in a position to prove that coalition politics can work, and that PR is not such a terrible idea.

Labour had a good run and did some great things (dramatically improving hospitals and schools, minimum wage, civil partnerships, sure start) but they also oversaw the war, increasing gap between rich and poor, and failed to diversify Britain’s economy or regulate the financial services adequately, as well as fucking up our civil liberties, and being complicit in torture(!!).

It’s been a very unusual few days in British politics but I do think all involved have conducted themselves admirably. A change of government is reason to be cheerful. People behaving responsibly and maturely is reason to be cheerful. Lib Dems in government is definitely reason to be cheerful.

So go on, I dare you, be cheerful!

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The Power 2010 pledge

Posted on February 24, 2010 by

I just signed up to the Power 2010 Pledge. As the site says:

They are a people-powered grassroots campaign who are organising for change in the UK. Over 100,000 votes were cast to decide their priorities – and the five most popular are now the basis of the campaign: the POWER Pledge.

The campaign will take these ideas to every candidate from every party at the election – real grassroots change in action.

I was literally just listening to the radio and despairing once more at the state of politics in this country (for reference, it was hearing about Alistair Darling now briefing against his own party) when I got the email of the pledge through. When you sign up to the pledge, it asks for your reasons (you don’t have to give them), which I thought might form an interesting blog post. They’re a bit abbreviated as I am supposed to be going out, but wanted to get this done first. I encourage you to check it out and sign up!!

1) Introduce a proportional voting system.

I support PR very strongly. Secondary parties are unable to garner greater support because of the idea of the wasted vote, given that the election is so often considered to be a two horse race. With PR, it’s possible to vote for what you actually believe in, and also voice your compromises.

2) Scrap ID cards and roll back the database state.

ID cards and the database state are a terrible idea. We have seen so often how difficult it is for government officials to keep information secret and safe, and any system is only as strong as its weakest link. ID cards will do nothing to reduce terrorism or crime – any piece of hardware can and will be forged if the incentives are there. Identity theft becomes easier rather than harder. It’s defining an infrastructure for even greater interference in our day to day lives, which no government will be able to resist – particularly when the next terrorist event occurs, and they need to be “seen to be doing something”. And it’s a horrendous use of our money as well. Terrible idea.

3) Replace the House of Lords with an elected chamber.

I am conflicted on the idea of an elected chamber in the House of Lords. Whilst representation is important, the second chamber has been a force for good against various dubious legislative ideas. The benefits of a long term tenure and reduced political/party agenda is a huge boon for a review process. I am concerned that if we simply have another chamber that is elected, we could lose this maturity and insight.

4) Allow only English MPs to vote on English laws.

I am disheartened by the process of devolution, as I think we greatly risk reducing the strength of our Union. That being said, I think that there is a growing risk caused by the disparity between scottish (and to a lesser extent welsh) votiing powers, vs English powers. So with a heavy heart I support the idea of only English MPs voting for English Laws.

5) Draw up a written constitution.

A written constitution would be a very good thing, but I am worried that it will turn into a horrendous, committee driven tome that is impenetrable and impossible to support. If we nicked the American’s and just dropped the whole thing about bearing arms, it might work? In principle a sound idea, but the process does worry me …

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So Much to Say

Posted on February 12, 2010 by admin

So little time to say it. I don’t quite understand how I can be in a position where I’m my own boss, but don’t seem to be able to find time to keep my blog up to date. I suppose one of the impacts of twitter is that my need to spout off in public is served, without any of that tedious mucking about with writing coherent, cogent sentences.

Anyway, enough excuses, this is just a quick catch up to distract me from the process of colour grading November Rain, which is proving a little tricky with some of the lighting. So what’s been going on since the half marathon?

Alright, I admit it, my running has taken a bit of a hit, I only managed 3 runs between the half and the end of the year, and my much hoped for reboot this year has been something akin to watching Windows load on a knackered but much loved computer. Takes a long time and full of false starts. But I have also begun the One Hundred Pushups training programme, which is going surprisingly well so far.

On the creative front, I’ve been keeping myself pretty busy. I’ve finished the first draft of my feature horror(ish) film, and am about to embark on the second draft. I’m a little nervous of the process, but just need to get stuck in really. There’s the possibility of a producer being interested, which is good, but scary at the same time (external judgement, could be painful!!).

A sitcom that I have been co-writing with a friend of mine has made it through to the second round of a competition (down to the last 32 from 500 entries apparently!). There’s a read through tomorrow, so am looking forward to watching that and (hopefully) progressing to the next round. Writing the second episode (after we got through on the strength of the first) was great fun, and I’m really pleased with how the characters seem to be finding their voices now. I’m avoiding getting my hopes up, but would (obviously) love to progress further.

And finally, November Rain, the short film I wrote and directed at short notice back in November (hence the working title), is nearing completion. Well, I say that, but even once I’ve done the grade, we still need to sort the music, and there will possibly be some additional sound pickups for it. But it’s starting to take shape, and I’m really looking forward to showing it to people. I have been struggling with a final title for it. I have one which I used during the shoot which I do really like, but I’m concerned about how much it reveals about the story before you’ve watched it. Trouble is, nothing else I’ve come up with is even half as good really. I hate coming up with titles.

So those are the main projects. Christmas was great, lots of family, lots of food and booze, and generally a good time had by all. A little too much sleeping on inflatable mattresses, but you can’t have everything! I’m also starting to do a bit more programming work here and there, which is proving interesting. I’m lucky that I have a skill set that enables me to dip in and out of work as a contractor, as well as the friends that are willing to help me do that.

Other than that, not much else to report. Oh, maybe a quick recent films list is worth going through:
The Last King of Scotland – really enjoyed this, particularly in tandem with the documentary that helped separate fact & fiction. Forest Whitaker is brilliant.
Synecdoche, New York – off the scale amazing. Desperately need to watch it again, as it is bloody confusing. But stunning all the same.
G.I. Joe – utterly fucking awful. Even in the state I was in, very difficult to find much to enjoy … asides from the fight in Paris. That was quite cool.
The 39 Steps – the Alfred Hitchcock version. Really very good. I was a bit worried it wouldn’t be, especially as the comedic adaptation I saw at the Criterion was so good – I thought without the stage gags, the story wouldn’t hold up. But it does, and it has a good sense of humour all of its own.
Yes Man – yes, yes, yes man! Was in the perfect mood for this when I watched it, properly life affirming and fun.
The Wrestler – worthy of all the plaudits sent in its direction. Mickey Rourke is a genuine revelation.
Sherlock Holmes – honestly? I enjoyed it. Don’t remember much about it (not cos of inebriation, but because it’s that sort of film), but I did have fun. Which surprised me.

Right. Think I can face fiddling around with colour balance and the like again now. Till next time …

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Marlow Half Marathon, a novice perspective

Posted on November 3, 2009 by admin

A few months ago, I competed in my first 10k, and I enjoyed the experience so much that I decided I was capable of upping my game even further, and began toying with the idea of doing a half marathon. Unfortunately my brother took my toying seriously, and badgered me until I signed up for the Marlow Half Marathon, which it transpires is quite hilly (he was quite quiet about that).

Of course, whilst you can predict the course, you can’t really predict the conditions. I hadn’t really given much thought to the fact that we would be headed well and truly into winter for this race, but the forecast last week was a definite reminder – heavy rain and wind. Given the usual reliability of weather forecasting, I spent much of the week clinging to the hope that the forecast would be proven wrong. Sadly a text message from Dave on Sunday morning pretty much demolished that hope, and I set off for Marlow with a mild sense of dread in my heart.

In a surprisingly short period of time, Dave, Matt and I were being chivvied out to the holding pen for the start, listening to the Man from Marlow chatting to random runners over the tannoy system. The rain was coming down, but the gathering of so many bodies in a small space gave off a small glow to keep the chill at bay. We were soon herded out of the school playing field into the small road, quickly filling it up. I saw a couple of people shivering, but I was fortunate enough to remain feeling pretty comfortable. Small talk and banter continued for a couple of minutes, and then the rocket for the start shot into the sky with a fizzle and a small trail of smoke.

13 Miles in the wet

As we slowly made our toward the start line (we were a fair way back)I was surprised to find Dave and I running at a similar pace. I had rather assumed he’d be off ahead of me almost immediately but we stuck together for a while. I couldn’t say when we did eventually split, but I do know that it was a very slow departure as I kept catching glimpses of his bright yellow top getting further and further into the distance. That or he was shrinking in the exceptionally wet conditions!

As we plodded along for the first few kilometres, I was relieved to find that it wasn’t all uphill, enjoying the occasional gentle downhill respite. The rain was heavy, with small rivers running down the roads in places, making sure that we were all getting wet from top to bottom. As I began to heat it up it had the unusual effect of feeling like I was slicked with sweat; my body couldn’t determine the difference between nature’s contribution and my own to the overall dampness I was experiencing. My socks were soon saturated, giving the unusual sensation of running in pockets of rice pudding,

That being said, one of the most surprising thing was how little the weather actually bothered me. In some ways it may even have been a benefit, as I felt a comfortable temperature the whole way round, and there was no sense of a build up of discomfort from sweat; once you get to a certain level, you can’t really get any wetter. That didn’t stop the weather from trying though, one particular moment stands out in my mind as I emerged from a fairly sheltered point right out into some exceptional wind, a sheet of rain hitting me from head to toe in one hit.

The advice I received from YiShun proved sound as I reduced my stride length to get up the hills. I was determined that I wouldn’t slow to a walk, in spite of the number of people who did so. I had it firmly in my head that to do so would be an admission of defeat, so I had the fun of overtaking quite a few people on the hills (I think most of them overtook me back later on, but it felt good at the time!). The downhills presented an entirely different challenge, the steepest hill just after the 8km point was my first realisation of how difficult it could be going down! You’re worried that you’re going to slip on the greasy wet leaves, trying to keep your pace up without losing control (a whole different set of muscles and sources of pain), and all the time trying to make sure you’re not too close to your fellow runners who are trying to do the same thing.

Another surprise was how comfortable I felt most of the way round. I did have the occasional twinges of pain, getting foot sore for a kilometre or so at a couple of spots, and between 16km and 18km my right leg was in serious danger of cramping up (I developed a weird sort of straight legged gait on the downhill bits to stretch it out a bit, which seemed to help), but cardio-wise I never felt massively out of puff, and I don’t think there was ever a moment where I thought I might not make it. As I neared the end, I was very pleased to realise how well I had paced it. My legs (in particular my calves) were really starting to tire, and I knew that had I pushed myself much more at the top, they would now be starting to give out. As it was, I was able to push on through, and really enjoy the last downhill section (the beginning in reverse). I was able to gradually up my pace, and for the last bit, even managed to squeeze in a bit of a sprint finish.

I was really impressed with how well it was organised. I don’t think you went more than a few hundred metres without seeing at least one (usually more) marshall, and they were unfailingly encouraging, continually lifting the spirits of the very wet runners splashing past. Good on them for remaining enthusiastic for us, it really made a difference. It was particularly nice to hear my name being announced on the tannoy as I came down the home stretch.

Dave and Matt were there to welcome me home at the end, a cup of the sweetest tasting squash ever (I think even beating the amazing drink we got in Thailand). Claire was there, and it really meant a lot to see her at the final corner, cheering and taking a snap of me (hence the grin on my face!).

Mike on the home stretch

My official time was 2 hours, 9 minutes and 23 seconds. I had 22 seconds on my watch, but either way I am very chuffed to have not only finished my first half marathon, but to have done so with a pretty respectable time, on a difficult course, in difficult conditions.

Overall it was a fantastic experience, and I am definitely up for another one. A few people have already asked me if I am considering a marathon. Right now, I am not. But, I am definitely planning on doing another half, maybe two, as I really want to get my PB down under two hours. And then who knows, if I continue to enjoy the training, maybe I’ll give a marathon a shot. I did apply for London after all …

Oh, and if you haven’t already, please consider sponsoring me

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Recent edits

Posted on October 20, 2009 by admin

I recently did some editing work on a couple of short sketches for together.com as part of their 1431 campaign. Obviously I didn’t write them, but I think they’re both pretty funny, and I’m pleased with the work I did. Check ‘em out:

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