Monday 11th July 2011, nearly a week ago, started badly for me when I woke at 3.30 am, not an unusual occurrence, although I had got up and made myself comfortable on two occasions since going to bed a little after 10.30pm the previous evening. After returning to bed I found breathing difficult in the prone position something which only happens when I have a head cold. The room was cooled by the night air with having two upper side windows open so I dressed and although feeling tired and uncomfortable I went downstairs opened the rear door and found the night air refreshing. I also took not one but two indigestion tablets and also returned to the loo.
Going back downstairs I switched on the desktop and also the TV, catch up with the news broadcasts which were similar to those seen before going to bed. I started to work on the final version of the first piece on Mr Murdoch and the News of World, deciding to radically change the structure and to delete about 20% which although interesting was not as relevant to the thrust of what I was trying to say.
After the first hour I was so engaged that I had to stop to appreciate that I felt as normal as usual and no longer tired. However the possibility that I could have been experiencing something more significant, even terminal stayed with me. I have a sense of time running out, of being unable to complete individual components and the overall artwork project, and this saddens.
One part of me wanted to abandon interest in what was happening around me and focus on making progress in the general work or tackling the book which I know will involve three to six months single minded intense working if not more. However additional accusations and revelations about the level of criminality meant I wanted to concentrate on what can be described as the person on the Clapham omnibus versus the greed and behaviour of an International Corporation, corrupt police and national politicians who allow wrong doing to flourish. I was yet to grasp the reality of what had been known and when, and by whom, and the extent to which we were witnessing an orchestrated public event of significant party political proportions which realigned the Labour and Liberal Democratic Parties in the public good humour compared to Prime Minister and what can best be described as bedrock Toryism; moreover at a stroke the two political parties has also realigned themselves with the ‘no alternative’ government help not just against a naturally hostile written media of the UK, but international corporate power, as well as achieving a more balanced relationship with senior officers of the Metropolitan Police.
I became quickly caught up in the various statements, interrogations and debates in the House of Commons and then in the House of Lords, the hour by hour revelations and developments in the UK news travels and the acres of fresh print. No one was able too predict what was to come next and attention was gripped but there was also need to remember that the frenzy, as with all others, would come to a sudden end which I anticipated would be with the Parliamentary recess Tuesday week. There might be further arrests and reports when individuals of public interest or whose stories would become of public interest were told by the police or someone that illegal surveillance had been kept on them or that they were on a list for surveillance.
I have needed to unwind and experience other aspects of life but it has been difficult with only one film watched in its entirety during the week.
Last Monday although up since 3.30 am I went for my early morning swim arriving at 6.20 am to find the one regular 6 am swimmer was not there or anyone else and I was able to swim for as long as I wished on my own. I was then able to read the Daily Telegraph and the Times at leisure. The approach of the two papers over several days illustrates the difficulties an individual will have in forming an objective view as the Daily Telegraph appearing more open, frank and direct about the scandal than the Times whose coverage has been limited and emphasis less critical. Ms Brooks was to be interviewed by the police as a witness and not as a suspect. The subtly of the difference will be lost on Sun and former News of the World readers and in fact the outcome can be the same. Interviews as a witness does not mean that one is therefore immune from being charged and prosecuted if grounds for doing so emerge and being arrested and cautioned does not mean you will be charged and prosecuted.
After the swim and newspaper reading I arrived at the supermarket before 8 am, forgetting the Monday opening time so listened to the radio until the door opened before going for milk, fruit and to see if they replenished their stock of liquorish sticks. I took a basket then realised I would be needing some transparent pockets and purchased two 100 packs at around £1.80 and noted they some of fist size folders in blue for events and purchased four, filling one with 6 sets of writings and research on the scandal with material to complete the major part of a second volume.
The milk purchase was straightforward settling back for the two pint conversions as managing the cheaper 2 4 pint containers for less than half the price per unit proved wasteful. In this land of variable pricing and different offers, I decided to check the comparative weights of £1 and £2 cartons of raspberries anticipating that there would more in the £2 carton than the £1 when in fact the position was reversed with 300 grams when spending £2 on separate £1 cartons and 250 grams when purchasing the £2 cartons placed prominently at the end of an aisle with the better value versions towards the end away from the less value. I have since returned to purchase another two £1 cartons to enjoy this weekend
There were no 68 pence 275 gram packets of the supermarket branded liquorice twists but they had reduced the price of Henry’s Goode’s from £1.90 to £1 for 350 grams of more tasty and morish excellent value in the circumstances. I have returned and purchased five more packs noting that the twist packs have also been replenished
Then I went for the 60 piece platter of small doughnuts choc lair éclairs, profit role balls and a chocolate something as yet to be sampled for £5. I enjoyed three profiteroles with a Snickers ice cream, cherries and raspberries to supplement a prepared salad with shelled prawns added and a platter of chicken wings, onion rings, breaded mushrooms and potato wedges plus four small Indian onion bhargi. I am enjoying a plate of two mini doughnuts, mini profiteroles and mini chocolate cakes and will soon make a cup of tea.
During the week for main courses I enjoyed the second pack of fish and prepared chips at £1.50 plus some sweet corn and broad beans, a chicken Balti curry where I also added some broad beans, sweet corn and chopped new potatoes, one platter mixture of prawns in batter with some Chinese an Indian starters, and a lamb chop with peas, corn and new potatoes. At the cricket I enjoyed two salami filled brown roles which I also enjoyed as a second meal earlier in the week, with prepared salad and prawns one day and prepared salad with sardines on another. For puddings there have been picola cherries as well as the raspberries. For breakfast there has been fruit and nut cereal, one bacon roll, and two already prepared all day breakfast platters. There has been lots of diet Pepsi replenishing stock with two 30 packs for a £15.
I watched Durham lose an important Cricket game on Television and then went to the Riverside and experienced the best of their 20 over performances when it mattered for the past two years. I listened to the Internet relays for the game against Yorkshire at Scarborough having decided against attending and was gripped by the fight that Worcester made to pip Durham for the fourth place in the Northern league to qualify for a quarter final place, albeit as the visitors away from home. As previously mentioned the home game against Yorkshire was rained off without a ball being bowled. I made the good decision not to set off although some 6000 tickets were sold for what was to have been the best home crowd of the season.
I had considered going by the club arranged coach for the Scarborough game as although I visited the ground before the recent refurbishment I have not been to see a first class contest there and it is getting on for a decade since visiting the seaside resort. Yorkshire won in the final over but my impression from the radio commentary was that Yorkshire was in the driving seat. Durham were invited to bat first made 144 runs after a disastrous start 39 for 4 with only Miller back from South Africa making 54 supported by man of the seasons Benkenstein with 33. I felt the total was not enough although with Yorkshire 86 for 5 my mood changed. The problem was Claydon who went for 48 in 3.3 overs. Collingwood 2 for 15 in 4 and Benkenstein 2 for 14 in four created the opportunity which other bowlers failed to take.
On Monday evening the game at Birmingham was televised by Sky and again the toss was loss and Durham were asked to bat and again the opening order collapsed to 44 for 4. Benkenstein again came to the rescue 50 not out this time with Breese 31 not out after Collingwood had gone for 24. When Plunket got opener Chopra at 16 there was hope but Carter, Maddy and Troughton all made runs and although Claydon made up for the Yorks debacle with just 6 runs from his two overs Collingwood went for 24 runs off his 2. It was young Borthwick who brought hope with 3 for 19 from 3 at the end. The game became exciting as Warwickshire needed 1 run to tie and two to win off the last ball after 2 wickets had fallen to Borthwick in the last over. Sadly Woakes had the stroke and hit the ball for 4.
With the weather fine but overcast I made my way apprehensively to the ground on Thursday evening setting off with the intention of arriving an hour beforehand to ensure a good seat on the balcony with a view of the electronic scoreboard. There was heavy rush hour traffic leaving Shields and then on reaching where the Shields Spur joined the main motorway from Newcastle there was very slow to stationery traffic.
I had the idea of taking the A 195 which leads off from the service area and then running parallel with the motorway until reaching a the major junction off the motorway about a mile later where four other roads led from the large roundabout. Unfortunately a lot of other drivers had the same idea and unbeknown to me the accident was on the motorway above the roundabout so traffic was coming off with right of way which made joining in from the road I was on difficult to impossible. The sub was very warm and I was grateful for the cold drink I had planned to take into the ground. I arrived and parked only a few minutes before the game commenced but managed to finds a seat on the balcony in a good location.
I must confess that I was not happy with the Durham batting after they elected to go first 25 for 2 and 87 for 6 again it was Benkenstein who had impact in the final overs making 31 not out while Miller made a quick 30. Mustard 20 and Breese 18 help to make a total which provided a challenge 144 but I was far from confident that this would be enough. I did not anticipate was to become a brilliant bowling and fielding performance which skittled the visitors out for the lowest ever total in the history of he competition 47 and with the last six wickets falling for a mere 8 runs. It was Miller who dived forward in great anticipation to scoop up an edge before it reached the ground and then Benkenstein held a rocket at close range which most fielded would have just got out of the way. It was one of he great catches at the ground. But more history was to come. In one over Collingwood took four wickets, including a hat trick with the second and third balls clean bowling the arrivals at the crease. I cannot recall such passionate excitement from a Durham crowd. Paul finished with five wickets for six runs and Claydon was full rehabilitated with 3 wickets for three runs of 3.5 overs taking the last two wickets in his final over.
We all had then to wait for what happened as Nottinghamshire played Worcestershire at Trent Bridge the following evening under floodlighting. Lancashire was certain of a home tie in the quarterfinal round while but would head the table if they won while Worcestershire had to win to take the fourth place from Durham. Notts batted and made 167 runs which was not as awesome total on this ground as it would have been at the Emirates. Voges made 55 and several others made starts but could not sustain their innings. Worcestershire did not start well losing 4 wickets for 36 runs but they recovered well with opener Ali putting on a good stand with Mitchell 41 and 45 respectively. However when they were out the innings quickly folded and although the game continued until the 20th over they were 26 runs short when the last wicket fell and Durham had been given a quarter final tie at Hampshire over the first weekend in August with all the games likely to be shown on Sky over three days with two on the Saturday evening, one on the Sunday afternoon and one on the Monday evening. While Durham has not performed well in 20 20 games away from home and Hampshire facing relegation will be desperate to give their supporters a place at finals weekend in Birmingham. I have hope still. Durham are playing Hampshire at the Rosebowl in a 40 over innings game on Tuesday evening which is also being televised so that should give a good guide to the quarter final
To day Sunday 17th July Durham played Surrey in the first of 40 over games in this second part of the season. Because it was being shown on TV and I wanted to watch the News, write and have a good lunch I had decided to watch the game from the comfort of my downstairs work room. It was a wise decision as rain prevented any play. There was an excellent interview with Graham Onions expressing his joy at being able to bowl again and his recognition that there were now a number of other bowlers competing for a position in the national side. There was an even more extensive and interesting conversation with the coaches for Durham and Surrey which included the admission that winning the championship three times in four years was the main focus although getting to a 20 20 was exciting for everyone including the players as well as for the man in the suit. Both men were at ease before the camera and talked fluently and engaged contributing on such subjects as the nature of the game now when they played three decades before, the challenge of switching between different formats over a short period, and the problem of having players on national duty and of their fitting in to the dressing room on the rare appearances when they were temporarily allowed to return.
There is also time to mention the excellent 28 to 16 win Warrington achieved over Huddersfield last Friday and shown on Sky while today they had another excellent win 54 24 away at Harlequins. They are still second in the table to Wigan despite having won one more game they lost more games in the early part of the season when Wigan were able to draw. However with 35 and 34 points respectively they have opened a gap of five points over St Helens all playing 22 games todate.
The cultural highlight of recent weeks has not been a film or TV series but two performances of young people with first that of just nineteen year old Benjamin Grosvenor playing a Liszt one movement Piano Concerto. It contained no well known tunes but enabled Grosvenor to demonstrate his amazing dexterity which can switch in a moment from great power and force to the lightest and gentle of touches. Unsurprisingly he received great cheers and ongoing standing ovation which he rewarded with a spectacular solo encore which only reinforced the recognition of a new British star. The programme ended with a large orchestra and choral work, which included a solo on the restored monster organ -Janácek’s Glagolitic (whatever this is) Mass. I like Masses and I have all those of Mozart and Bach, including the Requiems of Verdi, Fauré, Durfuflé, Rutter and Mozart. I also have Rutter’s Mass for Children and three Masses by William Byrd. I do not play them regularly but have bouts of preparing for my end
I came across Benjamin Grosvenor when he was 12 and won the Piano section of Young Musician of the year in 2004. He then as now lives by the sea. He has four brothers and Piano Teacher mother and English Teacher father. In 2010 aged 18 years he was selected as a BBC new generation of artists which has opened doors and led to a recording contract and invitations for soloist performances. The interesting aspect is that born into a musical family with his older brothers all playing musical instruments he did not enjoy playing the piano until he started to perform and then made up his mind that being a soloist was what he wanted to do. He is still learning his craft in a music degree at the Royal College which he commenced aged 16 years. I believe he will become more like Lang Lang than the violinist Nigel Kennedy, both who will play at this year’s seasons of concerts.
The second performance is that of a freak but one of the nicest and normal freaks one can ever hope to see, Jackie Evancho was only aged ten years when she first appeared on the fifth season of America’s got Talent which is being shown again an ITV channel. The freak aspect is that she has the mature rounded operatic voice of a 30 year old and one judge did not believe she was for real when she first appeared singing I mio babbuno caro by Giacomo Puccini. Later she sang Time to say Goodbye and in the Final Ave Maria. Surprisingly she only came second but this has not prevented an immediate career of performances and albums and has already appeared on the Jan Leno and Oprah Winfrey shows. She has already sung with Katheryn Jenkins and at the final of this years Britain’s Got Talent. There will be those who will react to my use of the term freak or to my saying that her voice is unnatural, but it is for someone of her tender years. However it is truly amazing, wondrous and a joy to listen to and she appears to enjoy being on the stage like Benjamin. She also appears to have a family and advisers aware of the risks can beset someone so talented so young.
Police and Civil corruption at the highest levels appears to be coming to a conclusion in Chicago Code. This week in Bathhouse and Hinky Dick the head of the City’s Refuse and transportation Department was forced to execute a juror who he had arranged to be nobbled via a gangster drug trafficker with links to the Alderman Head of service. The juror had played the clever game of persuading others that the evidence was not strong enough to convict but then voted guilty so as to avoid suspicion about his role. Fortunately the murder was witnessed by the undercover cop who was then able to get sufficient evidence to link the Alderman to start a grand jury indictment with warnings that should they fail then the their lives and not just their jobs would be on the line. There are three more episodes to go in this one season only series. This is why the corruption case is being brought to an end rather being stretched over one or more seasons. The Second season of the Sopranos is also drawing to a close and it will be interesting to see if Atlantic goes straight into the third as it did with the second after the conclusion of the first. I cannot remember if I have already noted the 22nd episode From where to Eternity which concentrated on the recovery of Christopher in hospital after he had been declared dead for one minute and revived and then advises Tony and Paulie that he remembers going to hell and meeting up with of their victims who utter the warning “Three O’clock.”
Relations between Carmela and Tony deteriorate again after she hears from the wife of an associate that her husband has recognised an illegitimate child and Carmela urges Tony to have vasectomy rather than create a similar situation. Tony is affronted but as the episode ends offers to have the operation which Camilla decides against so Tony then suggests they try for another child. Pussy is still trying to avoid a life sentence for drug trafficking by giving the FBI some information, but sensing Tony’s continuing suspicions he provides info on the missing other punk involved in the attempted killing of Christopher. Together they kidnap and kill the individual. The two celebrate at a steak house and question about belief in God. Pussy says he believes God has been very generous with him and Tony concurs.
In Bust Out a witness to the murder comes forward and is told by the police he has witnessed a dispute among drug traffickers and picks out Tony from a profile book. Tony believes he is going to be convicted and imprisoned for the murder and makes arrangements for his wife and family to be financed by giving cash to his lawyer. When the witness learns that that Tony is Mafia he withdraws his witness statement. Tony and Ritche Aprile decide to milk their hold over David Scatino’s store until his pays off his gambling debt. They use store credit to purchase a large range of goods which they either keep for themselves or sell on the street. Eventually their actions force the store into bankruptcy and its owner considers suicide. He eventually appeals for help to his wife’s family who agree to finance the son through college and support the wife on the basis that Scatino goes out of their lives. Aprile is angry at the cut he gets from Tony for his work with the syndicate. He discusses getting rid of Tony with Junior who he reminds previously tried to have Tony assassinated.
Meanwhile Carmela gets the hots for the widowed brother of a friend who she invites to undertake interior decorating. He is warned not to get involved because of who the husband is after a passionate kiss in a cupboard. Carmela invites the man for a special meal and although he agrees he then send his associate. Tony tries to establish better relationships with his children as Meadow prepare for college and A J wants to hang out in the Mall with his mates. Tony repairs the relationship with A J when he takes him out in the family boat and capsizes two men in a canoe. A J thinks this is great.
I decided that the rest of Mildred Pierce did not appeal and that there was no time to continue with the Kennedy story, but Camelot has become a regular Saturday night fixture. In the 6th of the 10 episodes of what looks like being one of several series, there are three stories. Guinevere is advised her father is dying and sets off on her own so Arthur accompanies without escort with the natural consequence the feelings for each other deepen. Meanwhile Arthur’s foster brother and Guinevere’s husband go off in search of the family’s library even more unlikely and ludicrous than the unescorted trip of the King. Meanwhile the nun is challenged by a woman whose daughter died in the fire which destroyed the convent and which she claims was started by the nun. Morgan is forced to try the nun who admits the crime claiming she was acting in the greater good. Morgan avoids killing the nun by forcing the woman’s hand into burning flames knowing that her tutor has the power to overcome the pain. She is rewarded by being transformed by the nun with the ability to shape shifting after she has effectively died and been recreated.
In last night’s episode there is the build up to the first season finale as Arthur and his closest associates, his mother and Guinevere accept an invitation for a dinner party at Morgan’s castle because she has alcohol and a table. The plot does not make sense. She tries to get the guests including Arthur drunk and enjoys a night of fornication and is put out when Arthur refuses. Then the castle appears to be under attack by someone with many men on his way to control a pass which will make Camelot vulnerable and unable to effectively govern. For some reason she sends her men out without anyone noticing to assess and tackle the advancing enemy but only one person returns saying they have driven off the attackers but everyone else was killed in doing so. It all seems pointless until Morgan shape shifts into her step mother and returns with Arthur to Camelot as part of some devious plot to unfold. For some inexplicable reason Merlin who see all and so far has appeared a waste of space and has became close to the former King’s widow, does not immediately spot the shape shifting fraud. I am tempted to John McEnroe, you cannot be serious.
Despite the vivid orgy of bloodletting, nudity and sex of Spartacus, Blood and Sand. The series attempts to portray Roman society and language as it was. In the first of the two recent episodes Spartacus is forced to kill his best friend and fellow gladiator Varro, in an exhibition match celebrating the coming to manhood of the Capuan magistrate's son, Numerius. Ilithyia, who has hated Spartacus since he embarrassed her husband Glaber by his mutiny, seduces the young man and convinces him to demand death for the loser of the match. Spartacus wins (as expected), and when the young man gives the "thumbs down", Batiatus, wishing to ingratiate himself with the boy's powerful father, forces Spartacus to comply and kill Varro. This has three consequences.
Spartacus decides to donate all his combat winnings to Varro’s widow and as yet unborn son. He becomes fever ill from an untreated wound and finds out that the ludus owner Batiatus arranged for the death of the wife of Spartacus when promising to find and deliver to his champion. Spartacus now seeks revenge without knowing that it was the wife of Batiatus who insisted on the murder. Batiatus is filled with guilt and anger because he agreed to lose one of his valuable gladiators in order to gain political and social advancement from the boy’s father, the Magistrate who then only laughs at the request. Batiatus arranges to kidnap and kill the magistrate and to implicate his rival Gladiator impresario in the death. Meanwhile Crixus has recovered his health and with Spartacus ill has re-established his position with the crowd by a great win in the arena. He continues to have sex with his jealous Mistress while developing his relationship with the woman’s slave personal assistant. Crixus and Spartacus appear set on confrontation.
The extra terrestrial supernatural Torchwood is back although for newcomers much of the fist episode will have been meaningless. The remaining Torchwood survivor ands heroine is now living in isolated seclusion with her straight husband and their first child without even having contact with their respective parents. The problem is that everyone stop dying everywhere on earth with the obvious repercussion as people do not stop having major accidents. The problem is highlighted when a murdering child sexual abuser survives a lethal injection which would have instantly killed in normal circumstances. He is freed and his future roll appears to be tied in or up with the failure of anyone to die. The USA become involved after learning that communities had started to chant Torchwood and that nothing is on file about the organisation or the reasons why everyone connected was eliminated. First a clever research worker finds out sufficient to enable her boss to track down and apprehend the missing worker as she returns to the city to visit her missing father. The extra terrestrial always young saviour returns although he too finds that he had become mortal. All four, that is the super being the worker, her husband and child are then carted off to the USA.
New Tricks has also returned for a new series. In the second episode, I cannot remember anything about the first, the team investigate the murder of an unknown tramp on a Metro train and eventually find out that the killer was a younger brother who found out that that there was a male nephew who would inherit everything which he was able to do after his brother had been declared missing. The team were unable to arrest the man as the only witness died but DNA sampling in proving that the man was not the son of his legally declared father and therefore the grown up nephew would be able to make a successful claim for the inheritance. The programme also educated about the life of homeless men who use the Metro trains as well as others who still sleep on the streets. The programmes are always enjoyable and engaging because the three former policemen and their present day boss remain the same excellent actors.
The nonsense film Knight and Day has Tom Cruise as a USA secret agent James Bond with even more amazing skills and a gentlemanly approach to the ladies, in this instance Cameron Diaz who has booked onto a flight to attend the wedding of her sister in their home town. The back story is that Cruise is protecting a geek genius who has invented a nuclear type cell battery that never requires recharging thus solving the world’s energy crisis. Cruise has also discovered that his partner assigned to protect the inventor and invention has decided to sell the battery to the highest bidder and for someone reason the emphasis is on the single battery rather than the inventor and the research work.
Also unexplained is that everyone else on the flight, pilot, security, staff and passengers are all in the pay of the rogue agent and his boss who believes that Cruise is the double dealing rogue and so has provided the real villain with all the forces and intelligence that he needs. Cruise first slips the battery into the luggage of Diaz to pass through customs and then attempts to stop the girl getting on the flight as does the check in girl but somehow she manages not only to get on the flight but spend such time in the loo that she misses Cruise killing everyone else on board so he has to crash land the plane in middle of nowhere America. However he manages to not just drug the girl but get her to home in time for her wedding but without any memory of what happened except to warn her against getting into a car with the secret service and to run for her life if they start to use words like safe and secure.
This she totally ignores which leads to the by now customary unbelievable car chasing thrills which American and European weekend cinemas goers have come to adore and the more preposterous the better. In the next phase of the film she finds herself on the secret home of Cruise, a tropical island atoll from which she accepts a mobile phone call despite Cruise have removed her clothing and placed her in a bikini he has left the phone in her purse. They are attacked by an armed drone plane and escape in his helicopter. She then finds herself on a train in Austria meeting up with the genius and as kind of Jaws character who nearly does for them both.
When in Austria and Salzburg Cruise again plays the gentleman but with the unintended consequence that Diaz appears to yield up Cruise to the boss of the secret service who still believes he is the rogue and not her number two. They then all end up in Spain after Diaz having found out that Cruise appears to have a home in the states which she visits and finds that it is the home of his parents who believe that their amazing son of extraordinary abilities and achievements had died in Iraq serving his country. This makes her realise that he has cared for her all along in an empathetic way which immediately makes her want to drop her knickers. The next best thing is to pretend that she has the battery and is kidnapped by the Spain based rogues who are about to do a deal with the rogue government agent who has the geek inventor. As she know she will be rescued by Cruise who takes a bullet to save the life of the geek as the sea plane taking off with the battery explodes from its instability.
The secret services chief thanks cruise for cleaning up her act killing untold honest American serving men as well as untold villains in the process but say he has to abandon the idea of having a normal life with Diaz because of the national expenditure in his training and ongoing operational support.
This is where Diaz has the last word. Over the course of the film she finds that she has developed the ability to defend herself by a mixture of weapons and quick reactions. She now breaks Cruise out of the hospital. Her father had a souped up speedy roadsters which she had planned to pass on to her sister as a wedding present. But on learning this was to be sold to buy a house, she changes her mind and now uses the vehicle to head for the Cape of Good Hope in South America from where they send plane tickets to his parents. It is great fun nonsense.
Through all this time babies and children have been dying of starvation in Africa in greater quantities than usual.
Going back downstairs I switched on the desktop and also the TV, catch up with the news broadcasts which were similar to those seen before going to bed. I started to work on the final version of the first piece on Mr Murdoch and the News of World, deciding to radically change the structure and to delete about 20% which although interesting was not as relevant to the thrust of what I was trying to say.
After the first hour I was so engaged that I had to stop to appreciate that I felt as normal as usual and no longer tired. However the possibility that I could have been experiencing something more significant, even terminal stayed with me. I have a sense of time running out, of being unable to complete individual components and the overall artwork project, and this saddens.
One part of me wanted to abandon interest in what was happening around me and focus on making progress in the general work or tackling the book which I know will involve three to six months single minded intense working if not more. However additional accusations and revelations about the level of criminality meant I wanted to concentrate on what can be described as the person on the Clapham omnibus versus the greed and behaviour of an International Corporation, corrupt police and national politicians who allow wrong doing to flourish. I was yet to grasp the reality of what had been known and when, and by whom, and the extent to which we were witnessing an orchestrated public event of significant party political proportions which realigned the Labour and Liberal Democratic Parties in the public good humour compared to Prime Minister and what can best be described as bedrock Toryism; moreover at a stroke the two political parties has also realigned themselves with the ‘no alternative’ government help not just against a naturally hostile written media of the UK, but international corporate power, as well as achieving a more balanced relationship with senior officers of the Metropolitan Police.
I became quickly caught up in the various statements, interrogations and debates in the House of Commons and then in the House of Lords, the hour by hour revelations and developments in the UK news travels and the acres of fresh print. No one was able too predict what was to come next and attention was gripped but there was also need to remember that the frenzy, as with all others, would come to a sudden end which I anticipated would be with the Parliamentary recess Tuesday week. There might be further arrests and reports when individuals of public interest or whose stories would become of public interest were told by the police or someone that illegal surveillance had been kept on them or that they were on a list for surveillance.
I have needed to unwind and experience other aspects of life but it has been difficult with only one film watched in its entirety during the week.
Last Monday although up since 3.30 am I went for my early morning swim arriving at 6.20 am to find the one regular 6 am swimmer was not there or anyone else and I was able to swim for as long as I wished on my own. I was then able to read the Daily Telegraph and the Times at leisure. The approach of the two papers over several days illustrates the difficulties an individual will have in forming an objective view as the Daily Telegraph appearing more open, frank and direct about the scandal than the Times whose coverage has been limited and emphasis less critical. Ms Brooks was to be interviewed by the police as a witness and not as a suspect. The subtly of the difference will be lost on Sun and former News of the World readers and in fact the outcome can be the same. Interviews as a witness does not mean that one is therefore immune from being charged and prosecuted if grounds for doing so emerge and being arrested and cautioned does not mean you will be charged and prosecuted.
After the swim and newspaper reading I arrived at the supermarket before 8 am, forgetting the Monday opening time so listened to the radio until the door opened before going for milk, fruit and to see if they replenished their stock of liquorish sticks. I took a basket then realised I would be needing some transparent pockets and purchased two 100 packs at around £1.80 and noted they some of fist size folders in blue for events and purchased four, filling one with 6 sets of writings and research on the scandal with material to complete the major part of a second volume.
The milk purchase was straightforward settling back for the two pint conversions as managing the cheaper 2 4 pint containers for less than half the price per unit proved wasteful. In this land of variable pricing and different offers, I decided to check the comparative weights of £1 and £2 cartons of raspberries anticipating that there would more in the £2 carton than the £1 when in fact the position was reversed with 300 grams when spending £2 on separate £1 cartons and 250 grams when purchasing the £2 cartons placed prominently at the end of an aisle with the better value versions towards the end away from the less value. I have since returned to purchase another two £1 cartons to enjoy this weekend
There were no 68 pence 275 gram packets of the supermarket branded liquorice twists but they had reduced the price of Henry’s Goode’s from £1.90 to £1 for 350 grams of more tasty and morish excellent value in the circumstances. I have returned and purchased five more packs noting that the twist packs have also been replenished
Then I went for the 60 piece platter of small doughnuts choc lair éclairs, profit role balls and a chocolate something as yet to be sampled for £5. I enjoyed three profiteroles with a Snickers ice cream, cherries and raspberries to supplement a prepared salad with shelled prawns added and a platter of chicken wings, onion rings, breaded mushrooms and potato wedges plus four small Indian onion bhargi. I am enjoying a plate of two mini doughnuts, mini profiteroles and mini chocolate cakes and will soon make a cup of tea.
During the week for main courses I enjoyed the second pack of fish and prepared chips at £1.50 plus some sweet corn and broad beans, a chicken Balti curry where I also added some broad beans, sweet corn and chopped new potatoes, one platter mixture of prawns in batter with some Chinese an Indian starters, and a lamb chop with peas, corn and new potatoes. At the cricket I enjoyed two salami filled brown roles which I also enjoyed as a second meal earlier in the week, with prepared salad and prawns one day and prepared salad with sardines on another. For puddings there have been picola cherries as well as the raspberries. For breakfast there has been fruit and nut cereal, one bacon roll, and two already prepared all day breakfast platters. There has been lots of diet Pepsi replenishing stock with two 30 packs for a £15.
I watched Durham lose an important Cricket game on Television and then went to the Riverside and experienced the best of their 20 over performances when it mattered for the past two years. I listened to the Internet relays for the game against Yorkshire at Scarborough having decided against attending and was gripped by the fight that Worcester made to pip Durham for the fourth place in the Northern league to qualify for a quarter final place, albeit as the visitors away from home. As previously mentioned the home game against Yorkshire was rained off without a ball being bowled. I made the good decision not to set off although some 6000 tickets were sold for what was to have been the best home crowd of the season.
I had considered going by the club arranged coach for the Scarborough game as although I visited the ground before the recent refurbishment I have not been to see a first class contest there and it is getting on for a decade since visiting the seaside resort. Yorkshire won in the final over but my impression from the radio commentary was that Yorkshire was in the driving seat. Durham were invited to bat first made 144 runs after a disastrous start 39 for 4 with only Miller back from South Africa making 54 supported by man of the seasons Benkenstein with 33. I felt the total was not enough although with Yorkshire 86 for 5 my mood changed. The problem was Claydon who went for 48 in 3.3 overs. Collingwood 2 for 15 in 4 and Benkenstein 2 for 14 in four created the opportunity which other bowlers failed to take.
On Monday evening the game at Birmingham was televised by Sky and again the toss was loss and Durham were asked to bat and again the opening order collapsed to 44 for 4. Benkenstein again came to the rescue 50 not out this time with Breese 31 not out after Collingwood had gone for 24. When Plunket got opener Chopra at 16 there was hope but Carter, Maddy and Troughton all made runs and although Claydon made up for the Yorks debacle with just 6 runs from his two overs Collingwood went for 24 runs off his 2. It was young Borthwick who brought hope with 3 for 19 from 3 at the end. The game became exciting as Warwickshire needed 1 run to tie and two to win off the last ball after 2 wickets had fallen to Borthwick in the last over. Sadly Woakes had the stroke and hit the ball for 4.
With the weather fine but overcast I made my way apprehensively to the ground on Thursday evening setting off with the intention of arriving an hour beforehand to ensure a good seat on the balcony with a view of the electronic scoreboard. There was heavy rush hour traffic leaving Shields and then on reaching where the Shields Spur joined the main motorway from Newcastle there was very slow to stationery traffic.
I had the idea of taking the A 195 which leads off from the service area and then running parallel with the motorway until reaching a the major junction off the motorway about a mile later where four other roads led from the large roundabout. Unfortunately a lot of other drivers had the same idea and unbeknown to me the accident was on the motorway above the roundabout so traffic was coming off with right of way which made joining in from the road I was on difficult to impossible. The sub was very warm and I was grateful for the cold drink I had planned to take into the ground. I arrived and parked only a few minutes before the game commenced but managed to finds a seat on the balcony in a good location.
I must confess that I was not happy with the Durham batting after they elected to go first 25 for 2 and 87 for 6 again it was Benkenstein who had impact in the final overs making 31 not out while Miller made a quick 30. Mustard 20 and Breese 18 help to make a total which provided a challenge 144 but I was far from confident that this would be enough. I did not anticipate was to become a brilliant bowling and fielding performance which skittled the visitors out for the lowest ever total in the history of he competition 47 and with the last six wickets falling for a mere 8 runs. It was Miller who dived forward in great anticipation to scoop up an edge before it reached the ground and then Benkenstein held a rocket at close range which most fielded would have just got out of the way. It was one of he great catches at the ground. But more history was to come. In one over Collingwood took four wickets, including a hat trick with the second and third balls clean bowling the arrivals at the crease. I cannot recall such passionate excitement from a Durham crowd. Paul finished with five wickets for six runs and Claydon was full rehabilitated with 3 wickets for three runs of 3.5 overs taking the last two wickets in his final over.
We all had then to wait for what happened as Nottinghamshire played Worcestershire at Trent Bridge the following evening under floodlighting. Lancashire was certain of a home tie in the quarterfinal round while but would head the table if they won while Worcestershire had to win to take the fourth place from Durham. Notts batted and made 167 runs which was not as awesome total on this ground as it would have been at the Emirates. Voges made 55 and several others made starts but could not sustain their innings. Worcestershire did not start well losing 4 wickets for 36 runs but they recovered well with opener Ali putting on a good stand with Mitchell 41 and 45 respectively. However when they were out the innings quickly folded and although the game continued until the 20th over they were 26 runs short when the last wicket fell and Durham had been given a quarter final tie at Hampshire over the first weekend in August with all the games likely to be shown on Sky over three days with two on the Saturday evening, one on the Sunday afternoon and one on the Monday evening. While Durham has not performed well in 20 20 games away from home and Hampshire facing relegation will be desperate to give their supporters a place at finals weekend in Birmingham. I have hope still. Durham are playing Hampshire at the Rosebowl in a 40 over innings game on Tuesday evening which is also being televised so that should give a good guide to the quarter final
To day Sunday 17th July Durham played Surrey in the first of 40 over games in this second part of the season. Because it was being shown on TV and I wanted to watch the News, write and have a good lunch I had decided to watch the game from the comfort of my downstairs work room. It was a wise decision as rain prevented any play. There was an excellent interview with Graham Onions expressing his joy at being able to bowl again and his recognition that there were now a number of other bowlers competing for a position in the national side. There was an even more extensive and interesting conversation with the coaches for Durham and Surrey which included the admission that winning the championship three times in four years was the main focus although getting to a 20 20 was exciting for everyone including the players as well as for the man in the suit. Both men were at ease before the camera and talked fluently and engaged contributing on such subjects as the nature of the game now when they played three decades before, the challenge of switching between different formats over a short period, and the problem of having players on national duty and of their fitting in to the dressing room on the rare appearances when they were temporarily allowed to return.
There is also time to mention the excellent 28 to 16 win Warrington achieved over Huddersfield last Friday and shown on Sky while today they had another excellent win 54 24 away at Harlequins. They are still second in the table to Wigan despite having won one more game they lost more games in the early part of the season when Wigan were able to draw. However with 35 and 34 points respectively they have opened a gap of five points over St Helens all playing 22 games todate.
The cultural highlight of recent weeks has not been a film or TV series but two performances of young people with first that of just nineteen year old Benjamin Grosvenor playing a Liszt one movement Piano Concerto. It contained no well known tunes but enabled Grosvenor to demonstrate his amazing dexterity which can switch in a moment from great power and force to the lightest and gentle of touches. Unsurprisingly he received great cheers and ongoing standing ovation which he rewarded with a spectacular solo encore which only reinforced the recognition of a new British star. The programme ended with a large orchestra and choral work, which included a solo on the restored monster organ -Janácek’s Glagolitic (whatever this is) Mass. I like Masses and I have all those of Mozart and Bach, including the Requiems of Verdi, Fauré, Durfuflé, Rutter and Mozart. I also have Rutter’s Mass for Children and three Masses by William Byrd. I do not play them regularly but have bouts of preparing for my end
I came across Benjamin Grosvenor when he was 12 and won the Piano section of Young Musician of the year in 2004. He then as now lives by the sea. He has four brothers and Piano Teacher mother and English Teacher father. In 2010 aged 18 years he was selected as a BBC new generation of artists which has opened doors and led to a recording contract and invitations for soloist performances. The interesting aspect is that born into a musical family with his older brothers all playing musical instruments he did not enjoy playing the piano until he started to perform and then made up his mind that being a soloist was what he wanted to do. He is still learning his craft in a music degree at the Royal College which he commenced aged 16 years. I believe he will become more like Lang Lang than the violinist Nigel Kennedy, both who will play at this year’s seasons of concerts.
The second performance is that of a freak but one of the nicest and normal freaks one can ever hope to see, Jackie Evancho was only aged ten years when she first appeared on the fifth season of America’s got Talent which is being shown again an ITV channel. The freak aspect is that she has the mature rounded operatic voice of a 30 year old and one judge did not believe she was for real when she first appeared singing I mio babbuno caro by Giacomo Puccini. Later she sang Time to say Goodbye and in the Final Ave Maria. Surprisingly she only came second but this has not prevented an immediate career of performances and albums and has already appeared on the Jan Leno and Oprah Winfrey shows. She has already sung with Katheryn Jenkins and at the final of this years Britain’s Got Talent. There will be those who will react to my use of the term freak or to my saying that her voice is unnatural, but it is for someone of her tender years. However it is truly amazing, wondrous and a joy to listen to and she appears to enjoy being on the stage like Benjamin. She also appears to have a family and advisers aware of the risks can beset someone so talented so young.
Police and Civil corruption at the highest levels appears to be coming to a conclusion in Chicago Code. This week in Bathhouse and Hinky Dick the head of the City’s Refuse and transportation Department was forced to execute a juror who he had arranged to be nobbled via a gangster drug trafficker with links to the Alderman Head of service. The juror had played the clever game of persuading others that the evidence was not strong enough to convict but then voted guilty so as to avoid suspicion about his role. Fortunately the murder was witnessed by the undercover cop who was then able to get sufficient evidence to link the Alderman to start a grand jury indictment with warnings that should they fail then the their lives and not just their jobs would be on the line. There are three more episodes to go in this one season only series. This is why the corruption case is being brought to an end rather being stretched over one or more seasons. The Second season of the Sopranos is also drawing to a close and it will be interesting to see if Atlantic goes straight into the third as it did with the second after the conclusion of the first. I cannot remember if I have already noted the 22nd episode From where to Eternity which concentrated on the recovery of Christopher in hospital after he had been declared dead for one minute and revived and then advises Tony and Paulie that he remembers going to hell and meeting up with of their victims who utter the warning “Three O’clock.”
Relations between Carmela and Tony deteriorate again after she hears from the wife of an associate that her husband has recognised an illegitimate child and Carmela urges Tony to have vasectomy rather than create a similar situation. Tony is affronted but as the episode ends offers to have the operation which Camilla decides against so Tony then suggests they try for another child. Pussy is still trying to avoid a life sentence for drug trafficking by giving the FBI some information, but sensing Tony’s continuing suspicions he provides info on the missing other punk involved in the attempted killing of Christopher. Together they kidnap and kill the individual. The two celebrate at a steak house and question about belief in God. Pussy says he believes God has been very generous with him and Tony concurs.
In Bust Out a witness to the murder comes forward and is told by the police he has witnessed a dispute among drug traffickers and picks out Tony from a profile book. Tony believes he is going to be convicted and imprisoned for the murder and makes arrangements for his wife and family to be financed by giving cash to his lawyer. When the witness learns that that Tony is Mafia he withdraws his witness statement. Tony and Ritche Aprile decide to milk their hold over David Scatino’s store until his pays off his gambling debt. They use store credit to purchase a large range of goods which they either keep for themselves or sell on the street. Eventually their actions force the store into bankruptcy and its owner considers suicide. He eventually appeals for help to his wife’s family who agree to finance the son through college and support the wife on the basis that Scatino goes out of their lives. Aprile is angry at the cut he gets from Tony for his work with the syndicate. He discusses getting rid of Tony with Junior who he reminds previously tried to have Tony assassinated.
Meanwhile Carmela gets the hots for the widowed brother of a friend who she invites to undertake interior decorating. He is warned not to get involved because of who the husband is after a passionate kiss in a cupboard. Carmela invites the man for a special meal and although he agrees he then send his associate. Tony tries to establish better relationships with his children as Meadow prepare for college and A J wants to hang out in the Mall with his mates. Tony repairs the relationship with A J when he takes him out in the family boat and capsizes two men in a canoe. A J thinks this is great.
I decided that the rest of Mildred Pierce did not appeal and that there was no time to continue with the Kennedy story, but Camelot has become a regular Saturday night fixture. In the 6th of the 10 episodes of what looks like being one of several series, there are three stories. Guinevere is advised her father is dying and sets off on her own so Arthur accompanies without escort with the natural consequence the feelings for each other deepen. Meanwhile Arthur’s foster brother and Guinevere’s husband go off in search of the family’s library even more unlikely and ludicrous than the unescorted trip of the King. Meanwhile the nun is challenged by a woman whose daughter died in the fire which destroyed the convent and which she claims was started by the nun. Morgan is forced to try the nun who admits the crime claiming she was acting in the greater good. Morgan avoids killing the nun by forcing the woman’s hand into burning flames knowing that her tutor has the power to overcome the pain. She is rewarded by being transformed by the nun with the ability to shape shifting after she has effectively died and been recreated.
In last night’s episode there is the build up to the first season finale as Arthur and his closest associates, his mother and Guinevere accept an invitation for a dinner party at Morgan’s castle because she has alcohol and a table. The plot does not make sense. She tries to get the guests including Arthur drunk and enjoys a night of fornication and is put out when Arthur refuses. Then the castle appears to be under attack by someone with many men on his way to control a pass which will make Camelot vulnerable and unable to effectively govern. For some reason she sends her men out without anyone noticing to assess and tackle the advancing enemy but only one person returns saying they have driven off the attackers but everyone else was killed in doing so. It all seems pointless until Morgan shape shifts into her step mother and returns with Arthur to Camelot as part of some devious plot to unfold. For some inexplicable reason Merlin who see all and so far has appeared a waste of space and has became close to the former King’s widow, does not immediately spot the shape shifting fraud. I am tempted to John McEnroe, you cannot be serious.
Despite the vivid orgy of bloodletting, nudity and sex of Spartacus, Blood and Sand. The series attempts to portray Roman society and language as it was. In the first of the two recent episodes Spartacus is forced to kill his best friend and fellow gladiator Varro, in an exhibition match celebrating the coming to manhood of the Capuan magistrate's son, Numerius. Ilithyia, who has hated Spartacus since he embarrassed her husband Glaber by his mutiny, seduces the young man and convinces him to demand death for the loser of the match. Spartacus wins (as expected), and when the young man gives the "thumbs down", Batiatus, wishing to ingratiate himself with the boy's powerful father, forces Spartacus to comply and kill Varro. This has three consequences.
Spartacus decides to donate all his combat winnings to Varro’s widow and as yet unborn son. He becomes fever ill from an untreated wound and finds out that the ludus owner Batiatus arranged for the death of the wife of Spartacus when promising to find and deliver to his champion. Spartacus now seeks revenge without knowing that it was the wife of Batiatus who insisted on the murder. Batiatus is filled with guilt and anger because he agreed to lose one of his valuable gladiators in order to gain political and social advancement from the boy’s father, the Magistrate who then only laughs at the request. Batiatus arranges to kidnap and kill the magistrate and to implicate his rival Gladiator impresario in the death. Meanwhile Crixus has recovered his health and with Spartacus ill has re-established his position with the crowd by a great win in the arena. He continues to have sex with his jealous Mistress while developing his relationship with the woman’s slave personal assistant. Crixus and Spartacus appear set on confrontation.
The extra terrestrial supernatural Torchwood is back although for newcomers much of the fist episode will have been meaningless. The remaining Torchwood survivor ands heroine is now living in isolated seclusion with her straight husband and their first child without even having contact with their respective parents. The problem is that everyone stop dying everywhere on earth with the obvious repercussion as people do not stop having major accidents. The problem is highlighted when a murdering child sexual abuser survives a lethal injection which would have instantly killed in normal circumstances. He is freed and his future roll appears to be tied in or up with the failure of anyone to die. The USA become involved after learning that communities had started to chant Torchwood and that nothing is on file about the organisation or the reasons why everyone connected was eliminated. First a clever research worker finds out sufficient to enable her boss to track down and apprehend the missing worker as she returns to the city to visit her missing father. The extra terrestrial always young saviour returns although he too finds that he had become mortal. All four, that is the super being the worker, her husband and child are then carted off to the USA.
New Tricks has also returned for a new series. In the second episode, I cannot remember anything about the first, the team investigate the murder of an unknown tramp on a Metro train and eventually find out that the killer was a younger brother who found out that that there was a male nephew who would inherit everything which he was able to do after his brother had been declared missing. The team were unable to arrest the man as the only witness died but DNA sampling in proving that the man was not the son of his legally declared father and therefore the grown up nephew would be able to make a successful claim for the inheritance. The programme also educated about the life of homeless men who use the Metro trains as well as others who still sleep on the streets. The programmes are always enjoyable and engaging because the three former policemen and their present day boss remain the same excellent actors.
The nonsense film Knight and Day has Tom Cruise as a USA secret agent James Bond with even more amazing skills and a gentlemanly approach to the ladies, in this instance Cameron Diaz who has booked onto a flight to attend the wedding of her sister in their home town. The back story is that Cruise is protecting a geek genius who has invented a nuclear type cell battery that never requires recharging thus solving the world’s energy crisis. Cruise has also discovered that his partner assigned to protect the inventor and invention has decided to sell the battery to the highest bidder and for someone reason the emphasis is on the single battery rather than the inventor and the research work.
Also unexplained is that everyone else on the flight, pilot, security, staff and passengers are all in the pay of the rogue agent and his boss who believes that Cruise is the double dealing rogue and so has provided the real villain with all the forces and intelligence that he needs. Cruise first slips the battery into the luggage of Diaz to pass through customs and then attempts to stop the girl getting on the flight as does the check in girl but somehow she manages not only to get on the flight but spend such time in the loo that she misses Cruise killing everyone else on board so he has to crash land the plane in middle of nowhere America. However he manages to not just drug the girl but get her to home in time for her wedding but without any memory of what happened except to warn her against getting into a car with the secret service and to run for her life if they start to use words like safe and secure.
This she totally ignores which leads to the by now customary unbelievable car chasing thrills which American and European weekend cinemas goers have come to adore and the more preposterous the better. In the next phase of the film she finds herself on the secret home of Cruise, a tropical island atoll from which she accepts a mobile phone call despite Cruise have removed her clothing and placed her in a bikini he has left the phone in her purse. They are attacked by an armed drone plane and escape in his helicopter. She then finds herself on a train in Austria meeting up with the genius and as kind of Jaws character who nearly does for them both.
When in Austria and Salzburg Cruise again plays the gentleman but with the unintended consequence that Diaz appears to yield up Cruise to the boss of the secret service who still believes he is the rogue and not her number two. They then all end up in Spain after Diaz having found out that Cruise appears to have a home in the states which she visits and finds that it is the home of his parents who believe that their amazing son of extraordinary abilities and achievements had died in Iraq serving his country. This makes her realise that he has cared for her all along in an empathetic way which immediately makes her want to drop her knickers. The next best thing is to pretend that she has the battery and is kidnapped by the Spain based rogues who are about to do a deal with the rogue government agent who has the geek inventor. As she know she will be rescued by Cruise who takes a bullet to save the life of the geek as the sea plane taking off with the battery explodes from its instability.
The secret services chief thanks cruise for cleaning up her act killing untold honest American serving men as well as untold villains in the process but say he has to abandon the idea of having a normal life with Diaz because of the national expenditure in his training and ongoing operational support.
This is where Diaz has the last word. Over the course of the film she finds that she has developed the ability to defend herself by a mixture of weapons and quick reactions. She now breaks Cruise out of the hospital. Her father had a souped up speedy roadsters which she had planned to pass on to her sister as a wedding present. But on learning this was to be sold to buy a house, she changes her mind and now uses the vehicle to head for the Cape of Good Hope in South America from where they send plane tickets to his parents. It is great fun nonsense.
Through all this time babies and children have been dying of starvation in Africa in greater quantities than usual.
No comments:
Post a Comment