I know my promised posts never materialised again but I'm going to make a concerted effort to get into some sort of rhythm in August.
Plenty going on. Stockton Riverside Festival blandly renamed Stockton Weekender and no longer free! With that in mind and the fact that it's an outdoor only festival I thought I'd wait until the last minute to get my ticket. The 5 day forecast for Friday looks good so I'll probably go down and get my ticket for Friday and Saturday tomorrow (Sunday's free, looks average and well worth missing).
Actually can't make Sunday anyway because me and S are off to Robin Hood's Bay for a few days and while I'm there Ian, Marie-Luz, Jon and Alex arrive in the Boro. Really looking forward to them coming and fingers crossed for good weather.
Sunday 31 July 2011
Wednesday 20 July 2011
EDL - Off Our Streets!
Absolutely no apologies for this late post. Could have left it but it's too important.
I was out having a drink with some friends during the week before the English Defence League's march in Middlesbrough Town Centre on 9/7. We speculated why the EDL were marching in Middlesbrough? The National Front failed to get a foothold back in the day and the BNP have made no impact whatsoever, ever.
Make no mistake despite their seemingly respectable public face they are the same right wing thugs that are always milling around waiting for an opportunity to appear part of the political mainstream so they can feed there poisonous hatred en masse. There's no need for me to hyper-link to other articles about them. There's plenty out there if you are inclined
We pondered over why they thought it was worth the bother of coming to Middlesbrough. One thought they might be here because Sham 69 were due to play Redcar Rocks on Sunday, but we were all generally puzzled. Though, we were in agreement that there is no place for the EDL in our town. We don't have any racial tensions or problems with extremism. You don't even see any racial graffiti do you? I accept we do have severe economic and some social problems but that's mainly down to 30 plus years of neglect by central government.
A rival march and event was organised by the United Colours Of Middlesbrough and I voiced my opinion that the people of Middlesbrough needed to come out in force to voice their opposition to the EDL. To see them off our streets before any support they have starts building up any momentum when the impending(?) cuts start to bite. I felt confident there would be more of us than them but we needed to overwhelm them numbers wise to show them they are wasting their time.
So Saturday came and to say I was underwhelmed by the anti-EDL march was an understatement. It doesn't look too bad in my photo below but if there were a 100 people that's all there were.
Thank god for the support of the SWP who supplied most of the flags and banners. I'm not particularly a fan but I might even buy the paper off them next-time. The event? I only stayed for Drop Dead Fred but I wish I'd stayed for The Clashed, funnily enough a Clash tribute band. I've never seen them but I've heard they're really good.
According to this report about 500 EDL supporters met up at Square One, The Central and The Hairy Lemon (I'd rather choke than drink in any of them again). I actually witnessed first hand the congregations outside The Hairy Lemon and Square One.
ITV reported the event here (look out for me on the video) and it didn't look too bad. But having watched these youtube videos, 1 and 2, fair people of Teesside make no mistake we've got a fight on our hands. I don't ever remember seeing a right wing event anything on Teesside anything like this before. It's even worse when you read that they also organised marches in Cambridge, Plymouth and Halifax the same day!
Now I could use this another excuse to get all misty eyed about Rock Against Racism and the Anti-Nazi League and I could have a moan about the need for young people to get motivated but I won't. Frankly it's too serious. Let's just say we're all in this together (now there's a phrase I haven't heard for a couple of weeks). Next time, everybody be there! All ages, all races. This is too important to be complacent.
EDL - off our streets!
Whose streets?
Our streets!
I was out having a drink with some friends during the week before the English Defence League's march in Middlesbrough Town Centre on 9/7. We speculated why the EDL were marching in Middlesbrough? The National Front failed to get a foothold back in the day and the BNP have made no impact whatsoever, ever.
Make no mistake despite their seemingly respectable public face they are the same right wing thugs that are always milling around waiting for an opportunity to appear part of the political mainstream so they can feed there poisonous hatred en masse. There's no need for me to hyper-link to other articles about them. There's plenty out there if you are inclined
We pondered over why they thought it was worth the bother of coming to Middlesbrough. One thought they might be here because Sham 69 were due to play Redcar Rocks on Sunday, but we were all generally puzzled. Though, we were in agreement that there is no place for the EDL in our town. We don't have any racial tensions or problems with extremism. You don't even see any racial graffiti do you? I accept we do have severe economic and some social problems but that's mainly down to 30 plus years of neglect by central government.
A rival march and event was organised by the United Colours Of Middlesbrough and I voiced my opinion that the people of Middlesbrough needed to come out in force to voice their opposition to the EDL. To see them off our streets before any support they have starts building up any momentum when the impending(?) cuts start to bite. I felt confident there would be more of us than them but we needed to overwhelm them numbers wise to show them they are wasting their time.
So Saturday came and to say I was underwhelmed by the anti-EDL march was an understatement. It doesn't look too bad in my photo below but if there were a 100 people that's all there were.
According to this report about 500 EDL supporters met up at Square One, The Central and The Hairy Lemon (I'd rather choke than drink in any of them again). I actually witnessed first hand the congregations outside The Hairy Lemon and Square One.
ITV reported the event here (look out for me on the video) and it didn't look too bad. But having watched these youtube videos, 1 and 2, fair people of Teesside make no mistake we've got a fight on our hands. I don't ever remember seeing a right wing event anything on Teesside anything like this before. It's even worse when you read that they also organised marches in Cambridge, Plymouth and Halifax the same day!
Now I could use this another excuse to get all misty eyed about Rock Against Racism and the Anti-Nazi League and I could have a moan about the need for young people to get motivated but I won't. Frankly it's too serious. Let's just say we're all in this together (now there's a phrase I haven't heard for a couple of weeks). Next time, everybody be there! All ages, all races. This is too important to be complacent.
EDL - off our streets!
Whose streets?
Our streets!
Sunday 17 July 2011
50 Spence!
Long time, no post. Will try and catch up on everything in reverse order if that's ok?
Cheers for all birthday wishes. Very nice of you all. Believe it or not it was the first birthday I'd celebrated since I was 21 when the sum of my celebration was to go down the pub with a few mates and have a game of football over the field when we got back at 11PM. We used to do that pretty much every Friday night so it wasn't that much of a special celebration.
My unwillingness to make any fuss was/is partly to do with my modesty (far too humble to expect people to come and celebrate my birthday) and was/is partly to do with the lead I took from my parents. We had lots of wonderful (close) family get togethers which turned into parties where our mam and dad were in their element but they hated the formality and fuss of arranged celebrations.
My attitude used to drive my ex-wife nuts, she just thought I was miserable and although Shamila seems to understand I think she'd prefer it if I conformed a bit more. Hey ho!
Anyway, haven't got time to go into what changed this time around but you're only fifty once and then you're fifty one unless you pop your clogs in the mean time! So maybe I should do it all again next year?
Er, no!
Once I got my head round the fact I was going to celebrate my birthday I decided I wanted to do something different and thought I'd make the celebrations last over a few days the centre piece of which was going to be a walk up to Eston Nab where I hadn't been for about 40 years. Ever the socialite I was going to up on my own I was going to go In the end I took Shamila with me.
It was brilliant and although it wasn't quite what I planned it was the highlight of my celebrations. It was a bit of a pilgrimage to be honest, it was something me, Ian and Russ used to do with our mam and dad and it was my way of involving them in my birthday.
Back in the day we used to get the bus to Eston Square and walk up from there which I intended to do until Gary Widd pointed out that they've built the Parkway since then!
Oh yeah.... anyway after taking advice from various parties one of Barbara W's work pals suggested walking from Ormesby and although our ascent was much more difficult than it needed to be it was a wonderful walk of about 6 miles. Views over Teesside and the surrounding countryside (in that order) may not be everybody's cup of tea but in my opinion they are stunning from the Nab. In my opinion better than from Roseberry Topping.
As I said I celebrated over a number of days starting last Wednesday with a drink with Gary Widd, Mark and Gary's adopted Boro lad friend, Mark.
After work on Thursday, Shamila and I drove over to the Cleveland Tontine where we had a great meal and stopped over which enabled me to have 2 pints of lager before and a bottle of red wine with my meal. It was really nice. Might even do it again some time if I'm ever feeling flush again, given these austere times!
Friday was the walk followed by a pizza take away and another bottle of wine/more beer and although our original plans were thwarted by the weather on Saturday (another walk planned followed by another meal out at The Crab and Lobster near Thirsk) we re-planned and did some shopping at Morrison's (another highlight) and then went for a late lunch to Fellini's in The Boro. I assume all local followers have been there, it's really good. My cousin's daughter owns it you know? Can't ever remember meeting her but I'll have to make myself known one of these times for either family discount or portions.
So that was it. Apart from... our Chris came round today with a card and a present and we spent the whole afternoon together, which was an unexpected bonus. So counting today I make that 5 consecutive days of celebrations for my 50th birthday. That was the birthday that was.
So.... this week?
Mike's home tomorrow so I'm going to see him for the first time since Christmas so there'll be some socialising there and more blog posts.
I reckon I owe you 3.
1 Madrid
2 Concerts
3 EDL March
I'll try and do them and and maybe more.
Cheers
Cheers for all birthday wishes. Very nice of you all. Believe it or not it was the first birthday I'd celebrated since I was 21 when the sum of my celebration was to go down the pub with a few mates and have a game of football over the field when we got back at 11PM. We used to do that pretty much every Friday night so it wasn't that much of a special celebration.
My unwillingness to make any fuss was/is partly to do with my modesty (far too humble to expect people to come and celebrate my birthday) and was/is partly to do with the lead I took from my parents. We had lots of wonderful (close) family get togethers which turned into parties where our mam and dad were in their element but they hated the formality and fuss of arranged celebrations.
My attitude used to drive my ex-wife nuts, she just thought I was miserable and although Shamila seems to understand I think she'd prefer it if I conformed a bit more. Hey ho!
Anyway, haven't got time to go into what changed this time around but you're only fifty once and then you're fifty one unless you pop your clogs in the mean time! So maybe I should do it all again next year?
Er, no!
Once I got my head round the fact I was going to celebrate my birthday I decided I wanted to do something different and thought I'd make the celebrations last over a few days the centre piece of which was going to be a walk up to Eston Nab where I hadn't been for about 40 years. Ever the socialite I was going to up on my own I was going to go In the end I took Shamila with me.
It was brilliant and although it wasn't quite what I planned it was the highlight of my celebrations. It was a bit of a pilgrimage to be honest, it was something me, Ian and Russ used to do with our mam and dad and it was my way of involving them in my birthday.
Back in the day we used to get the bus to Eston Square and walk up from there which I intended to do until Gary Widd pointed out that they've built the Parkway since then!
Oh yeah.... anyway after taking advice from various parties one of Barbara W's work pals suggested walking from Ormesby and although our ascent was much more difficult than it needed to be it was a wonderful walk of about 6 miles. Views over Teesside and the surrounding countryside (in that order) may not be everybody's cup of tea but in my opinion they are stunning from the Nab. In my opinion better than from Roseberry Topping.
As I said I celebrated over a number of days starting last Wednesday with a drink with Gary Widd, Mark and Gary's adopted Boro lad friend, Mark.
After work on Thursday, Shamila and I drove over to the Cleveland Tontine where we had a great meal and stopped over which enabled me to have 2 pints of lager before and a bottle of red wine with my meal. It was really nice. Might even do it again some time if I'm ever feeling flush again, given these austere times!
Friday was the walk followed by a pizza take away and another bottle of wine/more beer and although our original plans were thwarted by the weather on Saturday (another walk planned followed by another meal out at The Crab and Lobster near Thirsk) we re-planned and did some shopping at Morrison's (another highlight) and then went for a late lunch to Fellini's in The Boro. I assume all local followers have been there, it's really good. My cousin's daughter owns it you know? Can't ever remember meeting her but I'll have to make myself known one of these times for either family discount or portions.
So that was it. Apart from... our Chris came round today with a card and a present and we spent the whole afternoon together, which was an unexpected bonus. So counting today I make that 5 consecutive days of celebrations for my 50th birthday. That was the birthday that was.
So.... this week?
Mike's home tomorrow so I'm going to see him for the first time since Christmas so there'll be some socialising there and more blog posts.
I reckon I owe you 3.
1 Madrid
2 Concerts
3 EDL March
I'll try and do them and and maybe more.
Cheers
Wednesday 6 July 2011
Fuck Off Murdoch!!
I know nothing is yet proven but I assume it is all true.
Obviously the headline in today's Guardian is upsetting but if you are a masochist like me and want your blood to boil, read the article.
And no apologies for today's title by the way, I've been waiting for this day a long time. How cool would it be if the News of The World imploded and then The Sun and then The Times?
Bring it on!
P.S. Well that's ok then!
Obviously the headline in today's Guardian is upsetting but if you are a masochist like me and want your blood to boil, read the article.
And no apologies for today's title by the way, I've been waiting for this day a long time. How cool would it be if the News of The World imploded and then The Sun and then The Times?
Bring it on!
P.S. Well that's ok then!
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