The State Of The Nation UK

Edinburgh at night

2012-01-28T08:05:00.000Z

I have been in Edinburgh for a couple of days, working hard of course. I had a stinking headache when I finished on Thursday, so I decided to take a couple of painkillers and go for a walk in the cold evening air to clear my head. I took a few pictures en route...

Remakes

2012-01-26T06:04:00.002Z

What if... some of the top films in recent years had actually been remakes? Artist Peter Stults has taken this thought and designed posters for movies that could have been made decades ago, but were not. Brilliant idea!

Fund managers... it's mainly guesswork

2012-01-25T10:34:00.007Z

With the announcement today that economic growth in the UK has stalled badly, despite the experts forecasting and re-forcasting constantly that we were out of recession, here is a financial blog post.

The facts tell us that only a third of UK Equity fund managers will outperform the market. That means, if you choose "active" investments (and many aren't that active), you have more chance of underperforming a low cost tracker than outperforming it. It makes you wonder why anyone would choose a fund manager and not go passive. Anyway, that's a big topic and one for another day.

The reason for this posting is that, working in financial services, I like to look back sometimes and see what the so-called experts said in the past. The FTSE 100 index finished 2011 at 5,572. Have a look at the chart below of predictions printed in The Standard in December 2010. 100% of the experts were way out - the least wrong was still very wrong and UBS incredibly wrong!

So these highly paid people were poor in their predictions and have been wrong year after year after year. Amazing!

Answers on a postcard please

2012-01-24T10:41:00.002Z

I was stuck in a jam on the M25 yesterday morning (in fact, every time I have been on the M25 this year). I was parked next to this truck and someone had written in the dirt on the rear doors.

Does anyone know what it means?! It made me smile anyway.

TQ1

2012-01-23T17:11:00.002Z

Well the first posting of 'The Question' was more successful than I had expected. A varied group of contributors and comments flying about. It was interesting to read that some people answered with something personal, others with the aim of helping others and some a little strange!

Thanks for playing... we'll do it again this time next month. If you have any suggestions for the next Question, please leave a comment.

Q1 - January 2012

2012-01-22T01:01:00.021Z

Welcome to 'The Question'... a single question to be answered by bloggers on the same day, with the aim of sparking some conversation, debate and shared experiences on various blogs around the world. If you choose to answer The Question, please add your link to my page and therefore, I hope that responses will then be compared.

The question this month is:

What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?

Although I am more than comfortable with my sexuality, I still have those moments where I am not totally honest about it. It's just easier to avoid 'that conversation' about being gay sometimes and that's wrong for many reasons. Whether at work or in a social setting, if I had no fear and knew that the outcome would be positive, I would be far more honest and open.

A far less serious situation would be... busking! I can play the guitar to a sufficient amateur level and I am pretty sure my singing is (just about) listenable. So if I knew that no-one would judge me, I would play for the passing public.

Both situations revolve around confidence of course. Some days I am low on confidence and much of that is about worrying what other people would think or say about me. There was a time when none of us cared what other people thought. Take the time when you were learning to walk. If you worried about people laughing when you fell, time and time again, you would have given up trying! So perhaps, it's time to take a risk - just imagine that you can't fail and try it anyway...

360 from The Shard

2012-01-21T12:30:00.001Z

The Shard, for those who don't know, is a stunning skyscraper that is currently emerging from the ground in London. Not that long ago, it was a concrete tower surrounded by cranes. It is now a glimmering construction that can be seen from 20+ miles away and is nearing completion.

Once finished, it will house offices, a hotel, homes (for very rich people), restaurants and a viewing deck. I understand that it will cost £20 to get to the top.

In a year or so, the building will look something like this...

A brilliant photographer called Will Pearson has taken a 360 image from the top of The Shard. It's an amazing photo and well worth checking out HERE. I am not sure exactly how he did it, though it was obviously multiple images, but I am glad he did! The image below is a very small part of the photo:

Not safe for work

2012-01-19T17:21:00.002Z

Clothes designer Andrew Christian has made a video to promote his underwear featuring some nice looking guys. It took me a while to track down the uncensored version, but here you go - definitely not safe for work!

Mountweazels

2012-01-17T06:30:00.039Z

When I worked with Andrew, I used to write a lot of internal communications (which I am sure he loved to read). One "trick" that I used occasionally in longer emails/attachments was to put something in the text to see if people had read that far. Sometimes I made an obvious error and waited for someone to spot it. At other times I would write something like "The first person who has read this far and emails me will win a prize!".

What I didn't realise was that there is a term for such entries; they are called Mountweazels. The main reason that Mountweazels are added to text is to help spot plagiarism - i.e. a copyright trap.

There are lots of text Mountweazels but also some graphical ones too. Some street maps have rogue streets included to help with copyright control.

There are said to be many fictitious entries in various Encyclopaedias and books, including The New Columbia Encyclopedia from 1975 contains a fictitious entry on Lillian Virginia Mountweazel (1942-1973). Her biography claims she was a fountain designer and photographer, best known for Flags Up!, a collection of photographs of rural American mailboxes. It was all a lie!

Torres still rules

2012-01-16T06:09:00.003Z

It's been a long time since I found an excuse to share some pictures of the super-sexy Fernando Torres. OK, I don't need an excuse... he cant score a goal these days, but he's still gorgeous. The second one looks like fun, but I particularly like the last one. :-)

Frosty morning walk

2012-01-15T14:23:00.001Z

Yesterday in North Hertfordshire was a beautiful winter's day. With deep blue skies and a frost overnight, we decided to go for a 7 mile walk across the fields and through the woods to Pete's Mum's house. We cheated and got a bus home as it got cold in the afternoon!

We stopped off in town for a coffee and to buy lunch and despite a couple of long hills, it was a fine walk. Here are a few images from the morning. If you look very carefully at the last picture, you will see a Stag in the woods.

Spot the difference

2012-01-13T11:53:00.001Z

Pete's 85 year old uncle enjoys painting watercolours (and he's very good at it too) and for Christmas 2010, he gave us this original painting of a square in Paris. At Christmas we tracked it down and I took a close(ish) picture to show him.

January movie update

2012-01-10T17:43:00.001Z

Here are the films that Pete and I have received from Lovefilm.com and watched on TV and DVD over the past few months in reverse order, with my ratings out of ten from my movie list on the IMDB.

Adventureland (2009) 7

Witty comedy with a great 80's soundtrack.

Son of the Bride (2001) 7

An Argentina comedy drama (don't we all just love a comedy from Argentina?!) that follows a stressed out restaurant owner who wants to escape the ratrace.

The Hangover Part II 2011 3

I found the first film mildly amusing, but this was awful. It's just a rehash and the fat character is simply annoying. Nobody would call him a friend. Very weak trash.

Bolt (2008) 8

Great animation and storyline that zips along.

Cowboys & Aliens (2011) 6

It was OK, but ran out of ideas and drifted to a finale.

Orphan (2009) 7

A horror thriller that is quite disturbing. A 7.5 really.

New Year's Eve (2011) 6

We watched this in Paris on Christmas day. A bit too much rah rah American screaming - but watchable. Is the ball dropping in Times Square really that interesting?

Unknown (2011) 7

Thriller set in Berlin. If you can ignore mistakes with locations, you'll be drawn in.

Super 8 (2011) 7

Another 7.5 - a bit of Spielberg alien fun with some great acting from the kids.

The Salt of Life (2011) 6

Italian comedy.

I Am Number Four (2011) 7

Features the sexy and gorgeous Alex Pettyfer. 'nuff said. Actually, I enjoyed this film!

Magnum Force (1973) 8

Classic Clint Eastwood. Brilliant thriller.

Brick (2005) 7

Would have received an 8 if I could have understood what they were talking about.

Thor (2011) 4

A bit stupid and saturated in CGI which spoiled many scenes for me.

The Last Picture Show (1971) 7

Another classic film that I had not seen until now. I loved the atmosphere, though it was a little long. I cant understand how lead actor Timothy Bottoms (yes, a bad name!) did not become a huge star.

Life is a Long Quiet River (1988) 6

Babies are switched at birth - watch the outcome once it comes to light.

Same Time, Next Year 1978 3

Very obviously based on a play - too many long speeches. Alan Alder is a great actor but this film failed on many levels.

The Girl Cut in Two 2007 5

Very average French film.

DIY 'n' stuff

2012-01-08T17:50:00.000Z

Yesterday I spent much of the day finishing off the 'special' room that I have built at the end of the garage. I have mentioned this room before and it was pretty much complete apart from the wall under the window. So I built a wooden frame, added insolation, covered it and connected a windowsill! And finally, I put up some blind. Not being a pro at DIY, it took most of the day.

The room could do with painting, but now it's a fully usable room with insolation better than a Norwegian ski lodge and has carpet, TV and some gym equipment. I am very proud of building a new wall and false walls, ceiling, moving plugs and lights etc, but do realise that it's taken too long to finish and is a bit... errrrm... amateur in places!

I was aching this morning from all the manual labour! Even so, I had promised Pete that we would go for a bike ride. We cycled to his Mum's house and back (16 miles-ish). There are some horrible hills en route. I have figured out that, despite running a bit lately, cycling uses very different muscles!

I therefore think that it could be a good idea to cycle as well as run, to build up my leg muscles. Anyway, I took a picture of this hairy chap while we were out.

London

2012-01-07T07:41:00.002Z

I was in London yesterday for work and it was a beautiful sunny day in The City. I was lucky with transport links, so I was a bit early and wandered around for 20 minutes taking some iPhone pics and putting them through Instagram and took a few on the way home too. This was my day...

__________________________________________________

Coming soon to a blog near you...
The Question.

Amir's chest

2012-01-05T06:01:00.007Z

I have little interest in boxing. I don't quite understand the thrill of watching 2 guys try to beat each other up. In fact, here's a quick fact for you: the boxing glove actually makes it easier for a guy to kill another guy, compared to bare knuckle fighting. When fighting without gloves, you have to be careful not break your hand so your don't punch as hard. Therefore, far more men were brain damaged and killed once gloves were invented.

Anyway... I may not like boxing, but I know a sexy boxer when I see one. For years I have fancied Amir Khan and as I saw him on TV last night, I thought I'd share some pictures. He has lovely eyes, obviously fit body and is always so polite when interviewed. However, I have noticed that someone sees fit to shave his chest sometimes - if he wants a volunteer, he just has to call!

And this image doesn't leave much to the imagination!

__________________________________________________

Coming soon to a blog near you...
The Question.

Hump day

2012-01-04T16:44:00.004Z

It's Wednesday already and the start to the working year has been fine so far! A new year tends to make me focus on the future. I have made the error of announcing resolutions on this blog before. Making very specific resolutions can sometime lead to stress and pressure when I don't fulfill them! So let's keep it a bit more generic this year. I want to "do more" this year... as simple as that. In other words, I intend experiencing a few more things and stop procrastinating.

If I must specify one... it would have to be continue the process of "coming out" at work and be even more open out of work.

Good luck with your own resolutions!

__________________________________________________

Coming soon to a blog near you...
The Question.

Coming soon to a blog near you... The Question

2012-01-02T20:11:00.002Z

The end of '5 on the fifth' meant that I am no longer part of a wider regular blogging community. Therefore, I propose a new monthly posting called 'The Question'.

I will post one single question (probably suggested by one of you) and if you want to take part, you can post your answer on your own blog. You can add your link to my page and therefore, I hope that responses will then be compared and spark some conversation, debate and shared experiences.

You could call it a limited meme, but I hope it will be more than that. Some questions may be simple, some indepth, some innocent, some reaching, some lighthearted. For example, the first question could have been Do you have any New Years resolutions and if you wont be making any, why not?

Please suggest a question for the first posting later this month by adding a comment. I am really looking forward to hearing your ideas. I thought I would run this for a couple of months and get your feedback.

55 amazing facts

2012-01-01T06:00:00.004Z

To start 2012, here is the longest blog posting I have ever published! I yoinked it (and edited) from the BBC... Happy New Year!

1. Birds binge drink - birds that were thought to have died from avian flu in Romania instead apparently drank themselves to death on grape waste.

2. Women's tears reduce sexual desire in men.

3. Princess Diana had two wedding dresses - one a back-up design in case her first choice was revealed before the big day.

4. Huskies can smell thin ice.  

5. Good cops are better at getting confessions than bad cops.

6. The average hug lasts three seconds.

7. Elton John has no mobile phone.  

8. Incan brides had to peel a potato to prove they would be a good wife. 

9. UK postal workers get through two million red rubber bands a day.

10. The ransom paid to release Richard the Lionheart, captured in 1192 on his return from the Crusades, was the equivalent of about £2bn in today's money. 

11. People with full bladders make better decisions.

12. About 40% of skyscrapers due to be completed in the next six years will be in China.

13. YouTube's first video was called "Me at the zoo". 

14. The average person uses 20,000 words, with another 40,000 in reserve. [The average chav uses 100 words]

15. One in six people live in India.

16. The word "loo" dates from medieval times, thought to have derived from the warning shout of "gardez l'eau!" given by those tipping chamber pots out the window. 

17. Seat belts are banned on some roads in Estonia that cross frozen lakes and rivers.

18. Male humpback whales play "Chinese whispers" across 6,000km.  

19. Swearing relieves pain. 

20. A rare version of God Save the Queen by the Sex Pistols is the most valuable record of all time.  

21. French police are currently allowed 25cl of wine or a small beer with their lunch while on duty.

22. The perfect nap lasts 26 minutes.  

23. New York taxis used to be red and green, but in 1907 were all repainted yellow to be visible from a distance.  

24. It costs $60,000 to train a Navy Seal dog - like the one that accompanied US special forces on the Bin Laden operation.

25. Humans stare longer at people with bad reputations.

26. There are only two beret factories left in France.  

27. It is illegal to sell moon rocks in the US.  

28. Vultures are better than sniffer dogs at searching large, overgrown areas for dead bodies.  

29. The odds of scoring two hole-in-ones in the same round of golf are 67 million-to-one.

30. Chimps can outperform eight-year-olds in solving problems.  

31. Sonic the Hedgehog's shoes are based on Michael Jackson's footwear in the Bad video.  

32. Half of Britons have German blood.

33. The US only got its first roundabout in 1990, in Nevada.  

34. The male water boatman insect sings with its penis.  

35. California has drawn up a legal definition for the hot dog.

36. Cows have best friends.

37. Apple has more cash than the US government.  

38. Uganda's national anthem is the world's shortest. 

39. Singing sparrows are actually trading insults.

40. Asda Illustrated is the UK's top-selling magazine.  

41. The average Briton suffers 726 hangovers in a lifetime.

42. The world's atmosphere is worth £4.3 quadrillion, going by the air we breathe in and the price of CO2.

43. Women remember men with a deep voice more than those with a high voice.

44. Australians have a third choice when describing their gender on passport applications.  

45. Yawning cools down the brain.

46. Letters addressed to Kabul include directions - there are few street names and numbers, and no postcodes.  

47. Preston bus station is on this year's list of at-risk cultural heritage sites, along with the Nazca Lines in Peru and a Greek cemetery.

48. One in six mobile phones in Britain is contaminated with poo.  

49. Rival rugby teams face a fine if they stray over the half-way line while the All Blacks perform the haka.

50. Thierville in Normandy did not lose any service personnel in France's last five major wars.  
51. Until 1912 there was no set design for the Stars and Stripes.  

52. In the fifth and sixth decades of life, you are less likely to die over the coming year than at any other time in your life.  

53. Wasps recognise each other's faces.

54. The girl on the classic British road sign "children going to or from school" is based on a school photo of its designer Margaret Calvert.

55. Alcohol tastes sweeter when loud music is playing.

The past month - December 2011

2011-12-31T06:00:00.003Z

Here is a selection of the best bits from my blog over the past month:

The month started in amazing fashion with Crystal Palace beating Manchester United at Old Trafford. The opening goal was stunning.

The first weekend was really busy - visiting a number of parts of the country. In Cambridge I took this picture of a truly crazy busker.

The final '5 on the fifth' went live - it was sad to say goodbye to this monthly posting, but it had come to a natural end in my opinion.

Need I say anything about the gorgeous Dan Broughton? Mmmmmm. And I included a posting about Charlie Siem who Pete is currently obsessed with!

I think one of my favourite images of the month is the one taken from France looking towards England when we went for the weekend early in the month.

Harry Judd won Strictly Come Dancing and he appeared on the front of gay magazine Attitude with a bulge that was just a bit eye catching! And speaking of bulges, I included a posting on Olympic Hopeful Liam Tancock.

And after a break, I posted a 30 Second Movie from our Christmas in Paris.

And the year ends with a record number of blog postings in a calendar year. Roll on 2012.

30 second movie #6

2011-12-28T21:22:00.000Z

Here is the latest 30 Second Movie...

This is further to my previous posting about our trip to Paris. At lunch, we had a great meal. As we finished our main course, an older man started playing the accordian. A few minutes later, another man joined in. Then an old lady started singing and a couple danced between courses! We ordered more wine. A guitarist turned up, followed by a flute player and another accordion player!

I filmed a little (in HD!) of this unexpected entertainment to share with you:

Dans Paris

2011-12-27T20:34:00.002Z

I am back after 4 days in Paris which was a gift from me to Pete - an early birthday present for his 40th.

We got up at 4am(!) on Christmas Eve to get to the airport, arriving at the hotel near to the Eiffel Tower late morning. We started exploring - there was plenty going on including Christmas markets.

On Christmas day we had a leisurely breakfast and began a slow walk through the quiet city. A few cafes were open and even a few shops. We walked for a couple of hours and after a beer or two, had lunch on Rue Mouffetard. It was a fun, crazy and memorable long lunch - I will explain more on the next blog posting.

We then went to the cinema to see the average but watchable New Years Eve (Zac Efron has a small part). Its surprising, but there are so many cinemas in Paris - far more than London. Afterwards we walked up the Champs Élysées enjoying the market along with several thousand other people! It was packed and the traffic at a standstill. Absolutely nothing like Christmas in England!

On Boxing Day, it was warm with blue skies and we rented bikes and cycled miles and miles. It's a great way to see any city as you take back streets and experience so much. We cycled along the canal and went into the cafe on Rue Le Pic (the one where they filmed Amelie). The staff there looked like models! We cycled all day and were knackered at the end of it. At dinner, there was an annoying 50something American guy who talked loudly so that everyone could hear, disturbing all in the small restaurant and who looked a complete twat with curly hair down to his waist and big bushy moustache - he looked like the Lion from the Wizard Of Oz!

Today we have taken it easy with a walk around the cool area called Passy and lunch near the Pompidou. As I type, we are on our way home.

For those who don't know Paris, it still surprises me how much graffiti there is, homeless people and a lot of aggressive beggars, especially groups of Romanian women hassling you.

Anyway, to sum up... we ate a lot, we walked a lot, we had fun! Here are a few Instagram Pictures to being going on with:

Olympic hopefuls #5 - Liam Tancock

2011-12-23T09:32:00.000Z

In the latest of my series of fit and cute Olympic hopefuls for team GB, let me introduce you to 26 year old, Liam Tancock. It's fair to say that Britain hasn't had much success in the pool in the recent decades - but perhaps 2012 is the year. Liam swims backstroke and has set a couple of world records!

I wonder if he regrets that last picture...

Woof

2011-12-22T08:35:00.000Z

On Tuesday, I was in London for a "meeting" with my local colleagues Dan and Adrian - starting at 2.30 in the afternoon. As we had finished as the top region in the country, we felt that we deserved to celebrate our success. We had far too many drinks for my levels of control and a ****ing hot curry. I was, to put it mildly, really pissed come 10pm as I got a train home.

We had a really great time chatting - some silly, some very serious and some random conversations. I am lucky to work with interesting and witty people.

Wednesday was planned as a "working from home day" and I sat sorting spreadsheets for several hours while my head reminded me that beer is not always my friend. I was also dog sitting for Pete's brother. This isn't the greatest picture due to the low light and not wanting to use a flash, but this is Max. He sat next to me for the whole day and having known me since he was 6 weeks old, he's more than happy at our house (he even knows where the dog biscuits are kept!)...

This is your life

2011-12-21T17:47:00.000Z

So long Kim

2011-12-20T06:00:00.002Z

As you will have heard, North Korean oppressive dictator Kim Jong Il passed away over the weekend. He was just 69 years old, but laid claim to golfing skills that would make greats like Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Walter Hagen weep with envy.

In 1994, the man "set a record" that is likely to stand forever. Playing his first round of golf on a regulation PGA style 18-hole course, Kim Jong Il scored 11 holes-in-one while he carded a stunning 38 UNDER par. Seventeen bodyguards were on hand to witness and attest the score.

Sadly, the golfing world outside of North Korea has yet to accept this round of golf as legitimate.

Quick quiz

2011-12-19T19:49:00.000Z

I heard this is on the radio today and was surprised... Don't look up the answer - have a guess first and I will post the answer as a comment in due course:

You are sailing from the Caribbean to the Pacific ocean via the Panama Canal. When you travel along the canal, what direction are you travelling in?

Gaydar in need of a service

2011-12-17T16:21:00.001Z

We had a team meeting in Edinburgh on Thursday (though I went up on Wednesday morning for more fun fun meetings). The usual 30(ish) was augmented with guests from other departments. We had various presentations and some lighthearted quizes in the afternoon.

At the end of the day, I was presented with one of three awards up for grabs as the "best overall contributor to the team in 2011". As you may have picked up by now, I do enough to get by at work, but this year I had a little luck with being involved in a couple of important projects and also looking after some of our most important and successful clients. The nice thing is that the award is for voted for by everyone in the room.

In the evening, we went out for a meal and then on to a bar. The attendees by this point included one of the days guests: he is 23, blond and cute. He is on a graduate placement with the marketing dept and was ultra confident. We chatted about films and the year he just spent in Paris. He was a bit camp with a lovely local Edinburgh accent, fit and with a gay ribbon on his coat. Now I would have betted money on him being gay, but I was wrong! He explained how he met his girlfriend in Paris. The guy was straight! My gaydar was way off. Calibration required I think.

Friday was a crappy journey home, with delays at the airport. I was glad to get him... very tired and in need of sleep catch-up.

Charlie

2011-12-15T06:55:00.000Z

Pete went to a classical concert recently as a guest of one of his clients and bowled over by the guest violinist - Charlie Siem.

Now poor Charlie has so little going for him: he's an Eton educated guy who is a renowned musician that plays priceless violins, is a model for Dunhill and drives a Porsche with Swiss plates (Pete saw it). How sickening that my genes weren't as nice as his! He sure is talented - there is a BBC News clip here.

Ye olde thorn

2011-12-14T06:28:00.004Z

You learn something new everyday...

When you see a cliched sign that says "Ye Olde Shoppe", we are all tempted to pronounce the first word "yee". However, the "y" is actually a tudor letter called thorn that was sometimes shown as the strange letter shown below. The sound of thorn was a "th", thereby turning "Ye" into "The" that we use today.

Harry with a little Attitude

2011-12-13T06:13:00.000Z

I've found out that Harry Judd isn't the 'nice bit of rough' I thought he was - he went to the very very posh private school at Uppingham. Anyway, he's still very sexy and appearing on the front of gay magazine Attitude. You could take someone's eye out with that bulge!

Calais and beyond

2011-12-11T20:19:00.000Z

Pete and I have spent the weekend in France, mainly eating. As I am far too tired and full to type, here as some pictures I took yesterday on a beautiful crisp December day - including one from the top of the cliffs at Cap Gris Nez looking across to England...

Playing the game

2011-12-09T06:16:00.001Z

I had my end of year review with my manager yesterday in London. He is a big fan of challenging people in meetings and had some interesting and also silly questions for me. Sometimes I feel like I am playing the game to get through these ever lengthening meetings. I am probably not an easy person to manage - I have opinions on how we do business and am vocal in team meetings. I have found working in a large company to be too restrictive, but it's a job in recessionary times and worth keeping for that reason alone.

However, I am the enviable position of working in the region that will finish top in 2011 (out of 8 regions) and I also look after more top clients than anyone else. This will change in 2012 with new targets etc, but for a few weeks, I will milk it!

In other news... Pete and I watched a film called I Am Number Four. It's not high art, that's for sure, but it did feature the stunningly gorgeous Alex Pettyfer. He acting skills are not great, but I could look at him all day! For the record, the film was quite watchable and I assume some would compare it to the Twilight films - but it's far better than the story-lacking Twilight series.

Dan Broughton... beautiful

2011-12-07T06:18:00.000Z

I mentioned in a previous blog that I had found Dan Broughton. He's currently the "house boy" on the Englishlads website so if you pay your money, you get to see everything. He started public life as "Mr Gay UK 2007".

He is one of the most beautiful guys ever! Enjoy!

The miracle of t' 'net

2011-12-06T13:37:00.001Z

A big thank you to everyone who took part in the final '5 on the fifth'. There were some great photographs shared this month and I was pleased that the final posting had some old names contributing. When you look at the locations across the world that have taken part over the past couple of years, it shows how the internet is just a stunning piece of technology. People in the USA, Columbia, France, Australia or just down the road in London have the opportunity to come together.

So what's next? My plan is to introduce the replacement for '5 on the fifth' in January and will ask you for ideas for its ongoing content shortly. I am currently struggling to name it - so watch this space!

Five on the fifth #30

2011-12-05T01:00:00.015Z

Welcome to last '5 on the fifth'. Remember to mention my blog on your own blog, so that your visitors can find the other contributions. You can take 5 random pictures or follow my suggested theme: WINTER WEEKEND.

Complete the form below including your name and location in the 'link title' field and like magic, you will appear in the list of contributors.

My final 5 images are all iPhone images. My winter weekend featured a little shopping, a peruse around an old bookshop, some coffee and a run in the country at sunset.

Last weekend

2011-12-03T06:48:00.001Z

Here are some images that I took last weekend that I thought I would share...

- Dog in Oakham
- Busker in Cambridge
- Essex coastline

December movie update

2011-12-02T06:02:00.004Z

Here are the films that Pete and I have received from Lovefilm.com and watched on TV and DVD over the past few months in reverse order, with my ratings out of ten from my movie list on the IMDB.

Pitoche (2010) 7
Funny French comedy starring the great Catherine Deneuve as a trophy wife who takes over her husbands business when he falls ill.

Retreat (2011) 7
A thriller that didn't quite hit the mark despite featuring a very fit looking Jamie Bell.

Shutter Island (2010) 8

I enjoyed this and understood the ending perfectly. Why are people confused?

Happy Endings (2005) 7

A surprisingly good comedy with a few nice twists.

You Again (2010) 1

Awful, rubbish, stupid, lazy, shit.

Ghostbusters (1984) 6

Not quite as good as remember, but fun all the same.

The Girl Cut in Two (2007) 5

Silly story.

Chico & Rita (2010) 7

Interesting animation and great soundtrack - though the story could have had been structured far better.

Shine a Light (2008) 7

Rolling Stones documentary/performance film.

The Line of Beauty (2006) 7

Gay TV mini-series. Strange ending.

Water for Elephants (2011) 5

Bad acting, rubbish story. It gets a couple of points for the CGI elephant.

Star Trek (2009) 6

Hmmm - still not sure.

Rango (2011) 7

Amazing animation and not bad story.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) 7

A fitting end to the saga.

I've Loved You So Long (2008) 8

Depressing French film - but clever and well acted.

Attack the Block (2011) 7

Pretty funny horror. Loved some of the characters, especially Pest.

Morning Glory (2010) 5

Full of cliches and stupid over-acting.

Goooooooaaaaaal

2011-12-01T06:27:00.000Z

Following a football team that has almost gone out of business twice, constantly has up-and-down seasons and disappoints at inopportune moments can be tough. However, last night was very special. Crystal Palace travelled to Old Trafford to play a Manchester United team that featured 8 full internationals in the Carling Cup. The Eagles won 2-1. A fine win whichever way you look at it and certainly not a lucky one.

The first goal, from a team that hasn't scored in 5 games, came from Darren Ambrose - a player who can be brilliant, but often ineffective this season...

The past month - November 2011

2011-11-30T17:28:00.001Z

Here is a selection of the best bits from my blog over the past month:

I continue to enjoy watching the modest, yet sexy Harry Judd on Strictly Come Dancing.

I complained to H&M about their pants. They did reply by the way - but just a placating email!

The dull and uninspiring official Olympics posters were launched this month. I expect the Games (and build up) to be far more exciting!

I blogged about our trip to Windsor Castle and various pubs. One of my favourite photos of recent months was featured:

Another famous coming out - professional footballer David Testo.

Pete and I attended Ladies Night, as hosted by my Mum - you got to see a nice picture of us with real bow ties!:

After a long gap (and a lot of nagging), I had a guest blogger - James all the way from Argentina.

And a rant all about the out of date public sector pensions.

As one door closes

2011-11-28T21:29:00.000Z

I am mulling over a new idea to replace 5 on the fifth, which ends next Monday. I hope that you will consider being part of the new challenge - watch this space!

We may be upset, but we must battle on to the 5th of December and share our 5 photos with the world. So, the final '5 on the fifth' needs to feature as many people as possible! Just take 5 photographs on the days leading up to the 5th and publish those on your own blog and then add the link to my blog so that others can find your images.

As always, you can either take 5 random pictures or follow this months theme:

Winter Weekend

Guest Blog #6 - James in Argentina

2011-11-27T10:27:00.002Z

This is by my latest guest blogger (it's been a while!). My friend James is currently living out an adventure working in Argentina for a year (don't mention the war!). I'll explain all about James another day, but here are some initial thoughts on his life 7,000 miles away:

My first impression of Argentina when I arrived was that it was cold, crisp and with lots of really nasty concrete high rises on the way from the airport into town. Queen were playing on the radio in the cab and not a day goes by without my hearing an 80's anthem....

In the city center there are huge expansive roads and large blocks of buildings clustered together. On foot, the city sprawls and is full of surprises, grand architecture of all different types and influences, mostly really scruffy, way past its prime. Lots of litter, smashed pavements, graffiti and murals break up the spaces between different buildings. Tourist maps are very deceiving. Places look clustered together, but the amount of pavement to cover is considerably more than meets the eye. I must have walked for 3 hours at least to make way from the serviced apartment into the financial district and back again. I passed many independent shops and cafes on the way. One of the charms if you like, is that there are very few chain stores - Tesco has yet to make its ugly way here and dominate an otherwise healthy mix of family run businesses.

The strangest thing I have seen is the people who pick through bins outside the office at the end of the day. Small armies of guys efficiently pick through bins wherever they happen to be, for plastics, paper, electrical, cardboard etc and take the good stuff away with them. Weekly there are marches through the financial district and around the political centre, really big drums, fireworks that sound like bombs - this took some getting used to.

I recently saw a podgy little kid who walked through a pretty packed train carriage with a satchel and a well rehearsed speech, that I could not make out. He then produced 4 juggling balls and then effortlessly went onto skillfully throw these things into the roof of the train and catch them on his head as they fell, whilst juggling others and catching those on the back of his neck in a 2/3 minute rendition that left me speechless, all the while the train was moving and lurching around - it did not distract him one bit. I wish I had filmed it and put it on YouTube - his skills were incredible!

San-Telmo, whilst not strange per se, it is in a time warp - it has the largest collection of brick-a-brak imaginable. Huge indoor markets full of stuff. Old stuff. The type of stuff usually only found in the odd shop found in Greenwich, Brighton or Crystal Palace. There is a whole indoor market that sells old stuff, clothes, watches, records, furniture etc but also has butchers and green grocers set up in the same market also - an unusual combo!

I'm missing the British staples of Indian and Chinese takeaway. The Argentines know absolutely nothing about spice nor flavour! Most food is unseasoned but of good quality and generous portions, but almost always bland! Apart from the ice-cream which out here is second to none. I never knew about Dulche du Leche - it's on every menu and is hard to avoid if you find it too sickly sweet - which it is really. It's true also what they say about the steak and red wine, great steaks! Different cuts of meat that you cannot get in the UK. The flesh of the cow is the same (obviously) but butchered differently to give cuts that I think just simply do not exist back home. It's true also though that they over cook, a rare here is really a medium and if you are not careful they go for well-done 9/10. I also would not order a 'Don Pedro' as a dessert again - look it up!

My boy

2011-11-26T07:59:00.000Z

I came across this very old picture a couple of days ago by accident. My cat was called Gnasher (he used to bite a lot as a kitten hence the name) and we had him for about 14 years. He died 9 years ago.

He was delivered to us late one night along with his sister Miff. They were only a couple of weeks old and the nasty owner was considering something horrible for them. My brother made the decision to take them straight away. We placed the tiny kittens with our two Golden Retrievers and they were inseparable from that moment on. I often wondered if the cats thought that they might be dogs themselves.

Gnasher loved people and would come when called every time. He was a great cat and a wonderful pet to come home to. His sister was aloof and did her own thing!

I still miss him. Silly eh?!

Public sector pensions

2011-11-24T20:15:00.000Z

Unlike many rants, this one is coming from a position of knowledge... Next week we will see a huge strike of public sector workers who have been lied to by the unions.

In the past, public sector wages were lower than those in the private sector. A generous pension scheme offered to public sector workers was said to have compensated them for this lower income. In some ways, it made sense as the workers contributions were actually paying for those in retirement and therefore the schemes were self funding. But now, the cost of the various schemes is significant and growing dramatically. They are unjust when compared to benefits received by the taxpayers who are now funding the schemes.

Times have changed and public sector workers have wages broadly equivalent to comparable jobs in the private sector (something the unions overlook). The big difference is that public sector workers enjoy pensions that are guaranteed and worth the equivalent of over 15% of salary per annum to fund... Private sector workers can only dream of such benefits, with most receiving around 5% of salary into a pension that has no guarantees.

The plan by the Government is for a reduction in public sector benefits, but still a very fair scheme - far better than 95% of private sector workers. Remember that the unions have negotiated wage increases for the public sector people when the rest have static wages or even reductions. Yes, the Government is asking for workers to contribute more for lower benefits - it seems unfair on the face of it, but it is not. Accrued benefits are maintained and the eventual retirement income will still be impressive and guaranteed. In addition, those on lower incomes are unlikely to see much of a difference anyway under the plans.

The fact is, if you were to construct a public sector pension scheme today, you would never consider the current terms. They are too costly and too generous. Something has to change.

I believe that the unions have misled their members to promote their power. They have provided poor information knowing that most people don't have the true facts to hand. I do not support the strikes, especially knowing that negotiations are still ongoing. I hate blackmail and I hope the unions fail.

Olympic hopefuls #4 - Aaron Cook

2011-11-23T06:07:00.000Z

In the fourth of my series of fit and cute Olympic hopefuls for team GB, let me introduce you to Aaron Cook. Twenty year old Aaron is a Taekwondo master and like so many other young guys, has the obligatory mobile phone self-portrait online.

Some hatred in the world

2011-11-22T06:25:00.001Z

I came across this image on Instagram and it enraged me. I left a comment, along with a few others, stating how we found this picture a little insulting. The God loving owner deleted the comments and started quoting the Bible. Amazing how Christians pick and choose the parts of the Bible that suit them and ignore the many parts about stoning women for doing almost anything normal.

If you have an iPhone and use Instagram, please leave a few comments. She obviously loves reading them: http://inkstagram.com/#/photos/354081969_6423368

Yes it's Ladies night

2011-11-21T07:37:00.001Z

It's been an exhausting couple of days - but a lot of fun. On Saturday morning, Pete and I drove to my parents house in Kent (via Bluewater for a couple of hours) for a special black tie event.

My Dad is the current Top Dog in his Masonic lodge and Saturday night was 'Ladies Night'. My Mum had to make a speech to the 120+ present. She was terrified having never made a speech before, but she was witty and sounded confident. Dad made his speech as well and Pete got a mention as he had counted a paltry 4 real bow ties in the room and 2 of those were me and Pete!

We had a great time with some OK food and some excellent music and dancing. Pete and I looked after the raffle at the start and raised an amazing £740! This was far more than I was expecting to raise and all of the profit goes to Guide Dogs For The Blind - a very worthy charity.

We both had hangovers on Sunday, but I decided to go and see one of my nephews play in a football game...the team lost. In hindsight, I should have to gone to see my youngest nephew play as his team won 16-3!

Here are a few pictures from the evening - the first is me and my Mum. We both lost it at this point and were almost crying with laughter over something very silly. Then it's me and one of my brothers and finally, Pete and I.

Ha, Ha, Shock, Wow #9

2011-11-17T12:01:00.001Z

Following on from these previous postings, here are four more random items from the 'net for your pleasure and entertainment...

Three guys, stranded on a desert island, find a magic lantern containing a genie, who grants them each one wish. The first guy wishes he was off the island and back home. The second guy wishes the same.
The third guy says "I’m lonely. I wish my friends were back here."

SHOCK

On April 6, 1925, the first in-flight movie was shown.
It was a silent film and appeared on a Deutsche Lufthansa flight

WOW

I am preparing a whole blog posting on this guy - but here's a teaser.
I think he is one of the most beautiful guys I have seen!

The Australian approach

2011-11-16T12:39:00.000Z

They don't much about with stupid sales tactics in Australia. They get straight to the point...

I got those lonely boy blues

2011-11-14T21:10:00.000Z

There is something really depressing about eating alone in a restaurant but tonight I did just that.

I have ended up in Hereford tonight on business. This is a rare occurrence thankfully, but I am staying in a sterile hotel on the edge of town. There is nothing close by, not even a pub; so I had to drive into the city centre and as I type this, my food is being prepared. You have to do something when sitting alone - you cant just stare into space!

It's depressing being here especially in this dark lifeless town. Oh woe is me!

The only good news is that I don't have to go far in the morning as I am presenting at a clients team meeting in the same sterile hotel. I was lucky to be allowed to book it.

The major downside will be the 3+ hour drive home. I need to get something positive from this and will catch up on podcasts I think.

And in other news... I went out for a run yesterday in the lovely sunshine and managed to hit a low hanging branch with my head. Stop laughing! I now have a red swollen mark on my forehead. I look like a Harry Potter reject.

At the castle

2011-11-13T17:29:00.004Z

We've had a busy weekend. On Friday we have 3 people round for dinner - Pete made Carbonnade Flamande (fancy beef stew!) and I made a cheesecake. Both were very yummy.

On Saturday we met two friends Trudie and Jonathon and travelled to Windsor. We spent hours looking round the castle - which was actually far more interesting than I thought it would be. One fact amazed fact - the Windsor collection has 600 Leonardo Da Vinco sketches!

We had a walk along the river and then went to a working mens club - yes, you read correctly. Jonathon is a beer fan and had found that this 'club' had a great choice of beers. It was not too bad, but not a place I will go back to! We then travelled to a couple of pubs (I was not drinking alcohol) and decided on a remote pub for dinner and beer. We arrived to find the place in virtual darkness due to a power cut. It was impressive however as the candles added to the atmosphere - but the food was off and we had to go elsewhere.

To say that history is everywhere at the castle is an understatement. Henry VIII is even buried in the chapel.

I took a few pictures, including a favourite one of a cute fit soldier. Yes, I am old enough to be his father. Shut up.

David Testo

2011-11-12T07:55:00.002Z

Another professional coming out story emerged yesterday. David Testo, a recently retired US footballer came out publicly. Welcome out David!

Former pro soccer player David Testo has only one regret about going public with his homosexuality: He wishes he had done it a long time ago. “I really do regret not coming out publicly earlier,” the 30-year-old midfielder, who also played with the Vancouver Whitecaps and Richmond Kickers of the USL and Columbus Crew of the MLS, told Radio-Canada.

“It’s like carrying around a secret, you know, and carrying around luggage and just never being allowed to be yourself.”

The North Carolina native said he now feels more confident and mature and is ready to speak publicly about his sexual orientation.

Testo said he had wrestled with making his sexual orientation public for a long time. He added that he was also regrets not thanking his partner as he accepted the team’s most valuable player award in 2009.

“The one person I wanted to thank the most, I couldn’t,” he said. “I just didn’t feel comfortable at the time.”

Testo said his sexual orientation wasn’t a secret among his family, friends or teammates. In the interview, he talked about the difficulty of being a gay athlete, both for himself and his teammates.

Yoinked from Twitter #1 - #childrensbooksmademoreexciting

2011-11-10T06:09:00.001Z

Children's books made more exciting...

Bi-Curious George

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Bone

Paddington Bare

Little Red Riding Ho

The Bi-Polar Express

Charlie Sheen and the Chocolate Factory

The Cat In The Hood

Peter Porn

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Taliban

Charlotte's Webcam

Posters for 2012

2011-11-09T06:23:00.002Z

We found out this week that the Olympic torch route passes a couple of miles from our house next year. It will interesting to see what event is planned for that particular part of the route. And of course, that question that we all ask has been answered: what happens if the flame goes out?!

Last week, a range of official posters were released and I have to say that I was disappointed and underwhelmed. We had an opportunity to 'wow' people and yet we have some bland offerings. One of them by Howard Hodgkins looks like a 2 year old baby painted it. And this one by Martin Creed is just boring!

However, there are a couple of interesting ones:

5 on the Fifth - announcement

2011-11-07T06:51:00.002Z

After 29 months of people around the world sharing their photographs on the 5th of every month, it's with a sadness that I must let you know that the December '5 on the fifth' will be the last for the foreseeable future.

Despite support from loyal bloggers sharing some amazing photographs, I feel that the time has come to mothball this monthly posting. It's not necessarily the end... but for now it's time to try some new blog ideas out.

If you have any suggestions for the December theme, please leave a comment.

Remember...

2011-11-06T10:09:00.000Z

Remember remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
Should ever be forgot...

Five on the fifth #29

2011-11-05T01:01:00.002Z

Welcome to '5 on the fifth', a posting where you share 5 photographs taken on the days leading up to the 5th of the month. Remember to mention my blog on your own blog, so that your visitors can find the other contributions. You can take 5 random pictures or follow my suggested theme: MOVEMENT.

You no longer have to leave a comment with your details (though comments are welcome) - just complete the form below including your name and location in the 'link title' field and like magic, you will appear in the list of contributors.

My images are below:

Dear H&M

2011-11-03T20:11:00.003Z

Call me petty...

Dear Sirs

There are many great quests in a man's life: scoring that first goal, finding the right partner and even seeking out the perfect Mojito. One quest that I thought I had completed successfully was that of finding the perfect underwear - courtesy of H&M.

A few years ago, I found that your boxer-briefs (the ones with 95% cotton and 5% elastane) were near perfect. Excellent support and comfort! The 'large' waist size was just right, especially after shrinking a little in the wash. And the added bonus was that the pants latest well.

However, over the past year or so, every pair I have purchased have worn badly at the crotch and within months, have been thrown away due to the hole. And also, the waist size for 'large' pairs has been decreased by around 1.5 inches, making them a little bit too cosy.

Please investigate the decrease in quality and size. Don't push me into the hands of Sloggi!

I'm just wild about Harry

2011-11-02T05:31:00.000Z

I tend to dip in and out of Strictly Come Dancing on the BBC (I loath the X Factor and everything it stands for - so wont watch ITV on a Saturday night). Anyway... this year has the completely and utterly gorgeous Harry Judd dancing with a professional. I have no interest in McFly, the band he is drummer for, but I just cant get enough of Harry!

For those not in the UK, Dancing With The Stars is based on the BBC programme Strictly Come Dancing which in turn was based on a programme called Come Dancing which ran from 1949 to 1998 (which also inspired the Kinks song Come Dancing).

Here's Harry... enjoy viewing the images (especially the last one)! I should probably have said in the title that this posting isn't safe for work. Oh well.

5 for November

2011-11-01T07:03:00.001Z

We are just a few days away from the next '5 on the fifth'. Take 5 photographs on the days leading up to the 5th and publish those on your own blog and then add the link to my blog so that others can find your images.

You can either take 5 random pictures or follow this months theme:

MOVEMENT

Olympic hopefuls #3 - Nathan Stevens

2011-10-30T08:00:00.007Z

In the third of my series of fit and cute Olympic hopefuls for team GB, let me introduce you to Nathan Stevens. Nathan is hoping to compete in the Paralympics and at 21 years old he is Junior World gold medallist in all three of his field events: F57 Discus, Javelin and Shot Put. He has now moved away from Shot Put to concentrate on F57 Discus and Javelin.

Friday and the changing world

2011-10-28T19:46:00.000+01:00

Thankfully it's Friday and time for a glass or two of wine I think.

I had to travel to a village (nice) near Bracknell (not nice) today to see a client. The company I visit is small, but the owner is a really nice guy - very loud and funny with it.

I was a little early, so parked up and saw a few people taking their dogs for a walk in the morning mist. I took this picture as I waited.

Yesterday I was in the Gherkin in London for a team meeting. I had been "volunteered" to present a short session on social media. I attended a fascinating 3 hour seminar on the topic last week and it blew my mind to be honest. The world of marketing is changing rapidly and the way that we will be "sold" to in future is changing too.

I ended my session with this video clip. To say that the information it contains is staggering would be a slight under estimation! Watch and enjoy - my colleagues loved it.

Going to pieces

2011-10-27T18:13:00.000+01:00

I was playing around on the computer the other day and came up with me going to pieces. If you like similar images, you can see more at Instagram (app on the iPhone) or a feed such as Inkstagram.

Top commandments for men #2

2011-10-25T05:55:00.004+01:00

Here is the second and final part of the 'commandments for men' - as swiped from GQ.

1. The slower you move, the faster you die.

2. Learn to trust your instincts. Only the dead go with the tide. Only the living go against it.

3. Routine is good. Routine sets you free. Routine gives structure to the unholy messiness of your existence. Never develop a routine that you cant walk away with 5 minutes notice.

4. Only fat people skip breakfast.

5. At the end of the day, you should avoid cliches like the plague.

6. Be decent and kind to all people who can't do anything for you.

7. Drugs should be behind you by the time you are 25, unless your day job is playing guitar for the Rolling Stones (lead or rhythm, not bass).

8. The best cure for jet lag is sunshine. The best cure for a hangover is the Black Doctor (coca-cola regular, not diet). The best cure for diarrhea is live yogurt. The best cure for a broken heart is another trip to the moon.

9. If you do not have regular orgasms, you will die. When the coming stops, the breathing is never far behind.

10. Never trust a politician, prostitute or someone who wants you to change your mobile phone, energy plan or true love for absolutely no charge. There is always a charge.

11. Do not become a father until you are willing to put another human being before yourself.

12. Public speaking and practicing safe sex are two skills you need to master. You will be expected to do both, sometimes at the same event.

13. Self-pity is more destructive than heroin.

14. Do not waste your time on jealousy, hatred or watching Wall Street, Money Never Sleeps.

15. Enjoy every sandwich.

How to wind up your boyfriend

2011-10-23T17:25:00.000+01:00

Today Pete and I went into the newly opened Poundland in the local town. To be honest, there are some amazing bargains in there, which surprised me. I have always been a bit of a snob about such stores. I couldn't resist winding Pete up a little in a conversation that went something like...

Me: How much is that bleach?

Pete: £1

Me: How much is that iphone cover?

Pete: £1

Me: How much is that toothpaste?

Pete: (sigh) £1

Me: How much is that Toblerone?

Pete: (slightly raised voice) £1!

My job was done!

In the next blog posting, I will publish the second part of the 'top commandments for men'. Watch this space.

What's that in your shorts?

2011-10-22T06:49:00.004+01:00

Fernando, don't tease me like this! Need I say anything more?

Top commandments for men #1

2011-10-20T06:04:00.001+01:00

Further to my previous posting, here are selected entries from the list featured in GQ - some clever, some thoughtful and some witty thoughts. Copyright Police, come and get me!

1. Money spent on dental work and travel is never wasted. Plan to die with good teeth and great memories.

2. You can skip anal sex and bondage, but you should try a threesome at least once. Expect a large part of it to be someone staring out of a window. Probably you.

3. Never hit a woman, a child, an animal or a man who is incapable of breaking your jaw.

4. Never hit anyone you are not prepared to keep hitting.

5. Good manners are important. There is never an excuse for rudeness. The quality of a life is largely about small human transactions, and politeness makes human existence bearable.

6. You will sometimes fail. There will never be a point in your life when you are too successful, too old or too wise to fail. Expect failure and let it put steel into your soul. Be made strong by your failures and be made grateful by your success. Like night and day, both will surely come to every life.

7. If you and your woman/man have loud arguments, then you are with the wrong woman/man.

8. Learn which bridge to cross and which bridge to burn.

9. Never walk past someone selling The Big Issue without buying a copy. It’s not charity, it’s a job.

10. When possible, get there by walking.

11. If you do not have regular orgasms, you will die. When the coming stops, the breathing is never far behind.

12. Love your work. Try to make your great passion and what you do for a living impossible to tell apart. This will make for a happy life.

13. Strain every fibre of your being to resist hating someone you once loved.

14. Stun them with your talent. Dazzle them with your genius. Never be half-hearted. Never be lukewarm. Attempt to knock every ball out of the park.

15. Happiness will come and go- the important thing is to recognize when it is here.

Men's mags

2011-10-18T19:01:00.000+01:00

I have mentioned this before, but I have a problem with magazines like Esquire, FHM and GQ. They have a tendency to have many poor articles that you have to sift through to find some good ones.

The biggest issue is when they have fashion and accessories that cost the earth but write as if we all spend hundreds of pounds on socks. On one page, they show a range of watches that 'every man should own' - the cheapest being £2,500. The other thing that they do is to include 'fashion' shots with stupidly expensive clothes that would make any man look like a complete twat. Here is the proof Your Honour... from the latest Esquire:

However, on the way to Nice, WH Smith at the airport had a great deal on magazines - any 3 for £10. So I bought a photography mag, Mens Health and GQ. In the copy of GQ was a lot of rubbish, including half of the magazine being adverts. There was a clever list of 'men commandments', so in the next blog entry, I will choose a few to share with you.

The return

2011-10-17T10:06:00.001+01:00

So I am back from holiday and feeling low already!

Before normal blogging resumes, here is a picture that I took on our visit to Italy on Friday (it's a short train ride from Nice). This young guy was serving Pete on a market stall and he had the most amazing eyes!

Three

2011-10-14T06:40:00.000+01:00

This week I witnessed three things you wouldn't see in England... all with three participants:

- Three lads aged around 19, one of which was very cute, sitting in a bar after college\Uni chatting and drinking a bottle of Rose. Friends, both male and female, come over and all are greeted by kisses on both cheeks. Very mature and cultured.

- Three cheeky teenage boys on the bus playing the fool and as each leaves at his stop, they all politely shake hands to say goodbye.

- Three middle aged men sat in the bar drinking beer and drawing pictures! They take it in turns to draw with a black pen on a piece of paper. The result was a truly abstract image. Once finished, they order another beer and get a fresh piece of paper.

So very different from England. Anyway, here are some images from the past few days including the first one - a tall white guy showing his arse...

Language

2011-10-13T17:35:00.000+01:00

From my oldest brother's Facebook update - a clever use of language...

A linguistics professor was lecturing to her class one day.

"In English," she said, "A double negative forms a positive. In some languages, though, such as Russian, a double negative is still a negative. However, there is no language wherein a double positive can form a negative."

A voice from the back of the room piped up, "Yeah, right."

Nice, Grasse, Vance and beyond

2011-10-11T17:40:00.000+01:00

Here are a couple of images taken over the past 2 days in the South of France... including some beach totty. There are so many sexy French guys around! :-)

Street photography - Menton & Monaco

2011-10-10T08:05:00.000+01:00

Pete and I are in Nice for a few days. We took the bus to Menton yesterday and then another to Monaco. It was a wonderfully warm day (my head got a bit burned!). Here are a few 'street photography' style images - i.e. candid shots of people...

A couple of random images

2011-10-08T08:13:00.000+01:00

Here are a couple of photos that I have taken this week that I thought I would share with you.

I was playing around with the camera a couple of days ago and came up with this shot; it's a bit flawed in places but I like it anyway...

And taken on the tube, some clever person has amended an Underground warning sign...

Jacob Von Hogflume

2011-10-07T06:33:00.000+01:00

Pete came across this image yesterday and I thought it was brilliant.

Jacob Von Hogflume was said to have invented time travel and has been honoured with a blue plaque and was known to have lived in various parts of the UK before his death and after his death as well.

Actually, Jacob Von Hogflume is the fictitious inventor of time traveller, as well as a former and future resident of London. Invented by Dave Askwith and Alex Normanton, and documented in their book "Signs of Life", the Von Hogflume sign proclaimed to mark the residence of the 19th century inventor. This sign was one of many signs created by the duo.

Other made-up signs from their book are below:

The Tube

2011-10-06T08:46:00.000+01:00

Over on Andrew's blog, he occasionally highlights an iconic image. One of the most iconic is the London Underground logo, which the organisation cherishes and takes legal action all over the world to stop any abuse. The roundel was designed in 1908 and the simple shape, colour and font are instantly recognisable.

If you want to buy the real thing, made by fusing glass particles to sheet metal, the London Transport Museum can arrange it for you... for a price!

The metre squared option (i.e. those used on the platforms) is a snip at £895. A slightly smaller version at a bargain £795.

Due to the price, we will stick with our own much smaller version that is on our bathroom door...

Five on the fifth #28

2011-10-05T01:00:00.007+01:00

My images are below:

A place that gives me a lot of pleasure is a mile or so from my Parents house in Kent. It's a Neolithic burial site called Coldrum, that sits just below the North Downs and it's a strange place to visit. There is something "different" about it that I have never been able to put my finger on - it has a presence about it. Along the route to it are a few seemingly random stones (about 3 foot across) just laying on the ground - these are clearly marker stones put in place 4000 years ago to link other burial places, including a long barrow in the village my parent live. I took these pictures on Sunday during a heat wave in England...

Poor service

2011-10-03T17:43:00.001+01:00

Customer service data over many years tells us that when we receive good service from a business, we tell 5 people on average. When we receive bad service, we tell 9 people.

So here I am telling my 9 readers about Tesco Mobile. :-)

Pete has had a contract for a little under a year but around 2 months ago, his mobile phone stopped working. Basically, people could barely hear him though he could hear them.

After sending the phone back THREE times and it being returned without being fixed, they now want him to send it back again. He has refused and demanded a replacement... which they will not do. Now I believe that they are breaking several consumer laws, but who do you complain to? The call centre staff are simply defensive and are unwilling to help.

The staff have cared little all through the process and one even refused to pass him to a manager when asked. He has now cancelled his plan and will be going elsewhere.

As we know, Tesco is huge and is trying to take over the world. I am sure that they couldn't give a damn about one small mobile contract. However, I will avoid their shops and petrol stations for a while to dent their profits by a few pence!

30 second movie #5

2011-10-01T08:10:00.002+01:00

A silly video filmed last Saturday featuring Pete and Sonny discussing a waste of food - I used an iPhone app to make the recording look like a Super 8 film from yesteryear...

5 for October

2011-10-01T07:22:00.001+01:00

Here we are again just a few days away from the next '5 on the fifth'. Take 5 photographs on the days leading up to the 5th and publish those on your own blog and then add the link to my blog so that others can find your images.

You can either take 5 random pictures or follow this months theme:

PLEASURE

September movie update

2011-09-29T06:44:00.004+01:00

Here are the films that Pete and I have received from Lovefilm.com and watched on TV and DVD over the past few months in reverse order, with my ratings out of ten from my movie list on the IMDB.

Echo Park, L.A. (2006) 6

Gay themed movie - OK in parts.

Beastly (2011) 6

Certainly not high art, but starred the yummy Alex Pettyfer - so that's worth 6 points alone!

A Single Man (2009) 8*

I first saw this on a flight and watching on a proper screen helped to move the score up one point.

Killing Bono (2011) 6

A black comedy that didn't quite work, despite featuring the gorgeous Ben Barnes and the strangely interesting Robert Sheehan (From Misfits).

Submarine (2010) 7

An interesting film with an indie feel set in Wales.

My Dog Tulip (2009) 2

Awful animation about a man and his dog. Some parts were distasteful.

Definitely, Maybe (2008) 3

Crap romcom. When will I learn?!

Departures (2008) 6

Very weird Japanese film about a traditional undertaker.

Little White Lies (2010) 7

French film about money, jealousy, selfishness and friendships that perhaps are not as true as they should be.

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (2010) 6

A Woody Allen film that doesn't suck! Full of lazy writing and cliches though.

Battle: Los Angeles (2011) 7

Throwaway action movie - great fun!

Source Code (2011) 8

I really liked this (I know some do not) - silly science fiction, but entertaining all the same.

Kaboom (2010) 7

Sexy movie that is a bit bonkers. I find Thomas Dekker (who plays a bi guy) extremely sexy.

How Do You Know (2010) 5

Not good - perhaps 5 is actually generous.

Limitless (2011) 8
Flawed storyline, but kept me interested throughout.

London weekend part 2

2011-09-27T15:19:00.000+01:00

As I mentioned on a previous post, Pete and I were in London for the weekend with my friend Sonny. We started with a walk into the West End via the South Bank (there was a food fair on) and had a few drinks en route as we walked through Covent Garden, Soho and St James. We then went to see a play in Old Street, which is a bit of a trek from my friends flat, especially with the Northern Line closed for engineering. The play was awful so we left at the break! We walked around Hoxton and Shorditch - the new trendy areas of London. It was packed with people and the pubs/bars/clubs were buzzing. We ended up at Spitalfields for dinner.

On Sunday we walked through the near deserted streets to Tate Modern, had breakfast, looked around that ever-stunning museum before taking a slow walk along the Thames.

After a bit of shopping, we headed home getting stuck in some bad traffic jams. You gotta love London!

Here are a few random images from the weekend: A nose on Admiralty Arch (see here for more information!), graffiti artist under Waterloo Station (its legal there), book fair on the South Bank, the unfinished Shard, Sonny and Pete at Tate Modern.

Chav alert

2011-09-26T18:40:00.000+01:00

I was in St. Albans today and I saw the perfect chav - she was walking along the street thinking how to spend her 'hard earned' benefits and was the perfect representation of this species...

The female chav:

Scraped back hair ✓
Ponytail ✓
Football shirt ✓
Tracksuit bottoms ✓
Fat arse ✓
About 16 ✓
Smoking ✓
With a baby ✓
Walking with a pitbull ✓

All boxes ticked - amazing!

London weekend

2011-09-25T20:18:00.001+01:00

Pete and I spent the weekend with our friend Sonny in London - I'll tell you more about what we did when I find 10 minutes, in the meantime here is an Instagram collage showing a few things we did and saw...

Olympic hopefuls #2 - Daniel Keatings

2011-09-24T06:51:00.000+01:00

In the second of my series of fit and cute Olympic hopefuls for team GB, let me introduce you to Daniel Keatings. He is a 21 gymnast and hopes to represent us in the all-around event - i.e. he needs to be good at many different things!

Sad news

2011-09-23T13:13:00.004+01:00

I was very sad to read that REM have announced that they are splitting. As a big fan, I can't believe that I wont get to buy new music as soon as it's released! Here is the official statement and edited comments from the band:

"To our Fans and Friends: As REM, and as lifelong friends and co-conspirators, we have decided to call it a day as a band. We walk away with a great sense of gratitude, of finality, and of astonishment at all we have accomplished. To anyone who ever felt touched by our music, our deepest thanks for listening."

MIKE
"During our last tour, and while making Collapse Into Now and putting together this greatest hits retrospective, we started asking ourselves, 'what next'? Working through our music and memories from over three decades was a hell of a journey. We realized that these songs seemed to draw a natural line under the last 31 years of our working together."

MICHAEL
"A wise man once said--'the skill in attending a party is knowing when it's time to leave.' We built something extraordinary together. We did this thing. And now we're going to walk away from it. I hope our fans realize this wasn't an easy decision; but all things must end, and we wanted to do it right, to do it our way."

PETER
"We walk away as great friends. I know I will be seeing them in the future, just as I know I will be seeing everyone who has followed us and supported us through the years. Even if it's only in the vinyl aisle of your local record store, or standing at the back of the club: watching a group of 19 year olds trying to change the world."

A while ago I posted a list of my favourite REM tracks - you can find that posting HERE.

Jonathan de Falco

2011-09-22T06:05:00.001+01:00

A few months ago, I blogged about the cute and supremely confident Anton Hysen - a professional football who is out and proud. He's enjoying gay life to the full it seems (via his blog) - appearing in magazines, on radio, lots of TV, film premiers, working with clothes designers, etc etc. I like the guy and it seems he is really genuine.

With footballers in mind, there is news of another footballer coming out, but this time there is a twist to the story...

A professional footballer has made a new career using his tackle, by becoming a gay porn star. Former Belgian professional footballer Jonathan de Falco, formerly of Racing Mechelen and Oud-Heverlee Leuven, has assumed the name Stany Falcone to follow his dream of becoming a gay porn star.

The 26-year-old told the Antwerp Gazette: "I felt more and more content with who I really was. I had to really go on, but after a conversation with the club, we agreed that I should leave the club earlier and I would change my life. The football world is not ready for gay players. There is too much prejudice and generally low tolerance. Since I was 20 I have been in gay circles, but when I played soccer, nobody noticed anything. If my orientation would have been known, there would have undoubtedly problems."

So I have have been thinking. There are around 4000 professional footballers in England. If I use a very conservative 3% gay ratio (the gaytio*), then that means there are 120 closeted guys playing football. It saddens me to think that there are so many guys who have to live a lie, cant be themselves and ultimately cant be happy. I hope that the experience of Anton Hysen will be positive enough to allow some guys to say "I'm gay, I play football, so what?!".

* Copyright Stephen Chapman 2011

Travellers

2011-09-20T06:04:00.019+01:00

In recent days, reports in the media have focused on Travellers and their illegal occupation of land in Essex. Some of the stories are balanced, some not so. The broad range of articles usually look at how Travellers occupy land illegally and how local communities living in fear of being overun by Travellers, negatively affecting their lives.

For many, the perception of Travellers making their home on a site nearby, whether legal or not, is highly unfavourable. Whilst I have my own views and experiences, it seems that it is difficult to obtain the full facts to allow all of us to make informed decisions and furthermore, it appears that anyone who criticises Travellers is accused of being racist.

I would therefore be interested to know the truth, as my views are not positive and I feel that we could all benefit from knowing whether Travellers are disruptive or merely neighbours living unconventional lives. Ideally, this should be investigated by the media, but failing that, I would like to hear some feedback from my readers; not hearsay or rumours, but actual experiences on the following areas of concern when Travellers move in:

Some perceptions of Travellers sites:

Increased crime in the local area, including theft, damage and car crime.
An increase in anti-social behaviour
Mess and damage during and after occupation
Planning laws flouted on official sites
Travellers pay no income tax and council tax, yet always seem to be driving shiny new cars
Travellers still make use social benefits and local council services
Traveller groups are buying land and illegally living on it - where do they get hundreds of thousands of pounds to purchase the land?
House prices are negatively affected near to sites.

These are just a few 'perceptions' - so what is the truth... if its out there?

Buddy

2011-09-18T16:18:00.001+01:00

We made the mistake of agreeing to look after our neighbours dog. He's a 13 month old Labrador and I hadn't quite appreciated how little he has been trained!

Coming from a home that has always had dogs (and trained at that), it has been an exhausting weekend trying to keep up with this powerful beast. We have lost 2 balls that other dogs like to play with, some driftwood and very nearly lost the goldfish from the pond as Buddy clearly likes water!

We drove to Pete's uncle and aunt in Oakham for a lovely lunch and then walked around part of Rutland Water where we stayed last year. We couldn't take him off the lead as there is algae in the water at the moment that is poisonous to dogs. So he dragged us for a few miles to the Finches Arms pub. While we sat having our beer, I said to Pete: "be careful, I think you have let go of Buddy's lead". He had not, Buddy had just chewed through the leather lead! My shoulders ache from pulling him back every few seconds.

Here is a view of the depleted Rutland Water reservoir:

Today we took the mad dog to Pete's Mum's house and then for a walk with Pete's brothers dog (Max). It was hard work again, but this time I thought I would introduce him to the concept of "heal" and how to walk with a lead on. He was actually getting the hang of it, but very slowly. I took this picture of Max this morning as he ran through the long wet grass.

New member of the family

2011-09-17T08:13:00.000+01:00

It has been such a strange weather year with drought in the spring, followed by the wet and mild summer.

Despite the huge potato crop that we have enjoyed, the unusual weather has meant that the tomatoes are only just ripening, the peppers didn't grow at all, neither did the courgettes - however, of the 10 chili plants I grew from seed, 4 have produced babies.

Here is red chili pepper number one. I wonder how hot this little guy is going to be?

Back from Edinburgh

2011-09-16T13:19:00.003+01:00

I've been working in Edinburgh for a few days and the trip started in a strange way. I parked the car on the medium term car park at Luton Airport and as I got my belongings together to make my way to the bus stop, I noticed a shiny spoon on the ground. A closer look showed that it had no handle and had clearly been used for drugs!

The usual bad sleep pattern continued for a couple of nights. In the meantime, we had some good meals and even the work was OK. I am making the most of it as expenses are being scrutinised heavily.

The moral of the team is at an all time low with a few people having left recently and other internal changes are having a negative impact. Also, the reality that some underperforming colleagues are still being paid more than us is starting to grate. I am a little pragmatic with regard to the situation as in these money-strapped times, having a job is a luxury!

And to finish, here is a picture I took of an old Victorian entrance to a bank - stunning!

Can someone please explain...

2011-09-14T07:12:00.001+01:00

I have a couple of things in my mind that I just don't understand and would like someone to explain, if they can. Here is number 1:

I appreciate that there are some major underlying issues, but in simple terms, why are Muslim terrorists killing fellow Muslims in places like Pakistan and India?

They are achieving nothing by killing these innocent people and don't appear to have any aims other than to disrupt the country. These so-called religious followers are also going against all Islamic teaching, e.g. "A Muslim is the one who avoids harming Muslims with his tongue and hands". If that's to be believed, they are not going to heaven after killing people.

I could sort of understand if the attacks were directed at foreign nationals, foreign companies etc, but killing their own confuses me.

So what do they hope to achieve?

A pleasant surprise

2011-09-12T06:05:00.009+01:00

Many (many) years ago, there was a boyband called Bad Boys Inc. Whilst I cant remember any of their music, I can recall having a few "fantasies" about one of the singers called David Ross. He's the one on the left in the picture below.

I haven't seen this guy for years, but was watching a gay(ish) themed film called Echo Park L.A. and I recognised me straight away! He's now an actor and looking up his details, I find out that he is gay and is a writer of gay fiction and film maker.

He still looks pretty good these days!

Catch a falling moon

2011-09-10T22:15:00.000+01:00

This image was runner-up in the Astronomy photographer of the year competition held by the National Maritime Museum. It made me smile...

It is called Hunting Moon by Jean-Baptiste Feldmann from France. The website calls it "a playful silhouette places an Earth-bound Moon-catcher in pursuit of the waxing crescent Moon in the early evening sky on 6 April 2011."

Let the rugby begin

2011-09-09T09:21:00.000+01:00

And so the world cup is with us again, this time from New Zealand. Can England get to another final? Will the South Africans triumph again? We will know in a few weeks time.

England kick off against Argentina tomorrow and we rarely start these competitions well, but we shall see. Given the time difference, it will be back to watching rugby over breakfast - all very strange! The local rugby club has been very imaginative and has a full day of events tomorrow: the England game, training sessions, other world cup games, local derby in the afternoon, evening party, etc. Good for them - great idea.

And it wouldn't be right to miss the opportunity of sharing some images for your viewing pleasure - England's pride (and most look like ugly bouncers, so this is the pick of the bunch!):

Jonny Wilkinson
Richard Wigglesworth
Tom Wood
Ben Foden

Random London

2011-09-08T11:29:00.001+01:00

On Tuesday, I was in London for a meeting at The Gherkin and afterwards went into the West End to meet Pete. Whilst enjoying an overpriced coffee in Bar Italia, we briefly met our friend Melissa who was off to see the wizard at the Palladium. A few minutes later, in walks 80's pop star Paul Young and Melissa almost fainted with joy - and she just had to go and get a photo taken. After that, we went to a lovely Turkish restaurant that is so cheap and so tasty. I cant see how they make money!

Here a a couple of Instagrammed images from the day (The Shard was taken from the 34th floor of the Gherkin), ending with the shot of Paul Young, Melissa and me!

Michael Thalassitis

2011-09-07T06:41:00.005+01:00

Our local paper reports on Stevenage* FC games and this picture of their 18 year old youth Striker Michael Thalassitis jumped out. Very cute with stunning eyes!

*For the record, Stevenage is a "new town" built in the 1950's and although it has a great road system, it's a bit of a dump with non-descript housing estates and a terrible concrete town centre. The whole town can be described as "rough" including many chavy people. These are only my opinions of course, but people from the town I live in would never shop in Stevenage... ever!

Five on the fifth #27

2011-09-05T01:01:00.005+01:00

My images are below:

This doesn't help

2011-09-03T09:31:00.000+01:00

In the Scottish Sun this week, Scottish cycling champion Graeme Obree, encouraged other gay athletes to stay closeted. Obree, who is now retired, came out in January 2011. The article said:

I don’t think being gay and an active sportsman is a good thing. While I was competing and in a changing room environment there was no way I would come out. You’d always be worrying if other people were thinking, ‘Is he checking me out?’ There are SPL footballers who are gay, I know that for a fact. But if I was in their position there is no way I would come out. It would be too awkward in the dressing room. You need to be retired first.

I have to say that I don't quite agree that staying closeted and lying to everyone and yourself is ideal for anyone. If a few sportsmen were out, the gay "stigma" would be reduced and after a while, the press would even move on. Being in the closet is stressful enough and doing it in public must be even worse.

I appreciate that Graeme was in a great position to judge whether to have come out, but I am convinced that nothing will change until a few brave guys say: "I am gay, I am a professional sportsman, get over it". Views???

I've spoken about the ever cute Anton Hysen before who is a bit crazy on his own blog. He is a professional footballer, gay and out. He seems to be enjoying the whole coming out experience, appearing in magazines and on TV and radio. He says that his team mates have no problem and doesn't care when rival fans shout those oh-so-funny chants from the stands. Let's end with a picture from Anton's blog from a couple of days ago - he reckons after shaving that he looks 10 years old!

Guitar hero in the making (repeat posting)

2011-09-02T21:02:00.001+01:00

I have been saving this YouTube clip, which my eldest brother brought to my attention, for a while now. As a guitar player (or sorts), I was blown away by the playing skills of Sungha Jung, a mere child from South Korea. Have a look on YouTube for many many other recordings including The Beatles and classical pieces that were added over a number of years, since he was 7!

I chose California Dreamin' as the clip to highlight his skills that include some complex chords, finger plucking, pulling, bending, harmonics and hammer-ons. He is likely to be a huge star one day.