The future of TV to come

ITV Play. Some may not even bother using this channel, or even have a chance to see it as they are tucked up in bed before it airs on ITV1 in the early hours of the morning. If you are in this group, consider yourself lucky because you are not missing much. This mindless drivel of 'interactive quiz TV' has previously been confined to a few cable/satellite channels, promoting viewers to ring up premium rate lines to answer a simple question and win a big cash prize. ITV have now caught onto the idea, creating their own channel which airs this type of programming for a great deal of the day and as stated above, after the daily programming of ITV1.

As far as gambling goes, it is argued whether that this type of programming can actually be placed in this category. MP Paul Farrelly has even gone as far to state that these type of shows are "tantamount to theft", in reference to their extortionate cost and the length of each call, even when some callers do not get through to the studio. One recent news article which has highlighted the honesty of TV quiz telephone phone in is the Richard and Judy quiz scam. They have just felt the sting of their foney quiz competition which invited callers to participate in the 'You Say, We Pay' competition despite already selecting competitors for the daily show. ITV Play programming certainly has the lure of a gambling craze; with people phoning up all the time confident that they will be quids in and willing to risk their own fortune to get it. In addition, the popularity and appeal of the show has astounded me - I recently went onto Youtube and the swams of people who have posted videos of their Quizmania successes and and others who comment on how good the show is demonstrate that this craze is not falling flat on its feet just yet. Can you blame them? We as Brits do enjoy a flutter and we think nothing of daily phone line competitions which offer us things we could can only dream of. But maybe thats what wrong here; just because the viewer is flung into a friendly, 'cash mansion' instead of a dark, smoke filled casino, doesn't mean we are still not gambling.

But that isn't what worries me totally here. Yeah, gambling can be considered as a social ill when you think of the lives it can destroy. My concern is that this what we can consider to be the future of TV as the viewing market gets more competitive. The addition of digital TV via freeview and the sheer number of channels which Sky produces has prompted the terrestrial corporations to wake up and maintain their monopoly over what we watch. This isn't new - of course not, but now we are witnessing a real revolution in how we watch TV and how we use it. The TV watching experience is now increasingly becoming two way, not one way. Again not a new idea; I remember GMTV doing phone-ins when I was a child, plus Comic Relief and Children In Need are also prime examples of couch-potato-participation. It is the explosion which has been sparked by technology which has made the idea a lot more popular. Sky Channels like Fame TV ask viewers to send in their videos from their mobile phones or via the internet so that they can be viewed on the TV, and people text to vote for their favourite. The success of web 2.0 on the internet websites like Wikipedia and Youtube, where information such as videos and pictures passes so much easier from user to user and the rise of the mobile phone, in bringing us text messages mobile cameras makes this interaction possible and relatively attractive.

But better communications alone is not the reason why you can't see re-runs of your favourite ITV programmes at night anymore. This type of TV is seen as the way to go as it is cheap to make and very profiting when you look at the revenue it generates. ITV are laughing behind our backs and so they should - all they have to do is get a Big Brother has-been like Brian Dowling to be his usual flamboyant self for a few hours and watch the punters try their luck.

As a concerned citizen worrying about the state of society, I choose not to moan where the next supercasino will end up and its effects on the locality; but instead, I opt to worry about the casino which slipped in through the back door and effects everyone, everywhere, at around 12am each night. On the other hand, as a man of rationality, I agree that if you are stupid enough to phone these lines, you can't moan about the costs they incur. I simply advocate that if you don't like what you see, turn it over to ITV2 and watch the repeat of Corro and Emmerdale. If that prospect is even worse for you, just turn the damn thing off.

Duw It's Hard

Ahh happy times. Courtesy of Dave (sorry Dave I nicked it, hope you didn't mind) I have given you a small glimpse of my weekend; this pic inparticular is from Dale's and Clare's engagement party, last Saturday. It was a real good bash, complete with a fantastic buffet (vital element as always), a good crowd and some rocking tunes. Congrats to you both! In more ways than one! On Sunday our Argos Cardiff Bay team took up the challenge of Argos Newport Road and acheived a well-deserved victory of 4 goals to 3. It was the Dean show as our resident goal machine and QVR's current top scorer hit all the goals to ensure Newport Road's footballing debut ended in defeat. A game fraught with controversy, as NR were offside many-a-time exposing CB's sometimes shaky defence and their first goal was clearly illegal. Without a referee we had to resort to negotiation between the two sides to solve any disputes and that clearly caused problems in situations such as these. But on the bright side, as honourary gaffer, I led my team to victory and we will go into the second leg with a 4-3 aggregate scoreline. Not only that, we all went to the pub afterwards! Result!

I guess I havent posted for a while and for that I do apologise. I have a full time job looking for a full time job, what can I say? I type this post on a Mozilla Firefox tab page which is surrounded by other more important tabs, each a prospective job application ranging from the good ole' WAG (Rhodri and Co.) and the University of Wales in Newport. And of course, despite being singled out as the obvious odd tab the webhead's trusty sidekick and companion - Facebook. But to think I'd still be doing this when St. Davids Day draws near really does fill me up with mixed emotions. Yes folks, this 'job' can take it out of you emotionally. And here's why:

Anger - "F**king hell!!! Why can't I get a job!?! I went to university for Christ's sake! What a f**king waste of money! Experience? How the f**k can I get experience when I've just left uni?!?!"

Sadness and self pity - "Another rejection? That's it, I can't do this anymore - no-one will ever want me so I just give up. Maybe I should just work in a corner shop or something"

Fear - "What if they think I suck? What if I get to an interview and screw it up by freezing on the spot or something. What if I'm still doing this and working in Argos until I'm thirty!?"

Frustration - "I don't want to sit on this sofa anymore and look at job websites, I gotta get out there and do something - make myself presentable, make them want me..."

And believe me, theres more where that came from. But the skinny here is that I'm beginning to lose faith in the job market. More and more the old saying of "It isn't what you know it's who you know" feels like the motto of how to go about getting employed. I mean who I am kidding in thinking otherwise? My job in the Big A was given to me because my mum's friend knew a manager at the time and I remember the first thing that very manager said to me when I went for my interview:

"I've heard some very good things about you, how you are a very nice boy!"

It is then you feel like a parlour trick and your new master is going to pat you on your head, whilst the 'patter' is doing a favour to her mate. This is not to discredit my work in Argos - I worked hard to get where I am and I did it on my own, took my chances and rode my luck a little bit too. But I guess what the point I'm getting at, which was also pointed out to me by Mike in work, was that sometimes to get that foot in the door, an inside contact can give you that edge over someone else. I would certainly love for someone to tell me otherwise. One thing for sure - Duw, it's hard.

Grandmaster

Before I begin this post, I welcome all those of you who maybe reading from my Facebook profile. I have recently setup an importing feature between Janstar.co.uk and my Facebook profile meaning that every post I make will now appear automatically on locations. If in future it fails to appear on Facebook, please feel free to read the genuine article at www.janstar.co.uk/blog!

I was going to blog about the Superbowl and how I detest American sports coverage, but quite frankly now I can't be bothered. Maybe in a few days I will watch some CNN or FOX news and my hatred will soon return, prompting me to blog until my fingers go blue. Instead I just wanted to say that the job hunting was still going strong and the applications are flying out now. I stopped working full time in Argos about two weeks ago and now I'm getting bored as hell. Worse than that each day is turning into a repeat of the previous day; get up, have breakfast, look for a job, then read the news, look for a job, watch the 1pm news with a sandwich, then apply for a job, then watch the rolling news coverage on BBC News 24 all afternoon. Also remember to throw in occasional internet checks scattered throughout the day. Welcome to unemployed hell. Believe me, I now have the determination to find a job!

I am now also a Grandmaster (I promise you Jen I will shut up soon enough). Yes I got my results through and my dissertation made the grade! I am now a Master of Science and Economics in Political Theory. Back of the net! I now hope that with this honoured achievement on my CV, I can boost my chances on the job market.

One last thing - this weekend myself, Jen and Leighton will be off to Aberystwyth to celebrate Lisa's birthday and it will be a themed night out - gangsters! Leighton and I have already vowed to stay away from any Bullmastiff pints, as on the Steed Unit's birthday outing we got bladdered on the stuff - and boy did it hurt the next day. I guessed they called the pint 'Son of a Bitch' for a reason!!!

What's my age again?

"Nobody likes you when you're twenty-three"

Those words ring in my mind and bring to the forefront a harsh truth. Yes it took Blink-182 to remind me that my teenage years have long passed, and I have to grow up and be an adult. I guess when I was 18 or so I believed that by now I would be in a well-paid job with a house to call my own, living a 'grown-up' life. But in reality, thanks to the on-going housing boom, that vision of maturity can wait just a little bit longer. In addition, I have still not got a job because I choose to stay in uni another year to become ' employable'. And it hits me - have I even grown up at all? Have I even got anywhere since those hazy days where everything in theory just seemed so simple?

Maybe my 23rd birthday has made me drastically think about things which I may have overlooked before. Each year which passes by is a ticking timebomb to Thirtyland; a place where I seriously don't want to be in my current jobless and houseless situation. Seven years perhaps a doddle you say, but its not that easy when house prices are so high it means I may not even get to live in Cardiff's newest 'leafy' suburb Barry, yet alone my hometown. And have I got the maturity to actually achieve such a feat? It may give me a thrill of delight to look at houses in the estate agent's window, but to enter the door just gives me thoughts of sheer fright and panic. The main thing is not to panic I know, and I guess I have to bite the bullet just like everyone else. But it wasn't long ago I was listening to punk bands such as The Offspring and Blink-182, thinking about simple things like relationships and having a blast, now all of a sudden it feels a million miles away, in a time long and forgotten, as if these songs were mere nursery rhymes.

First it giveth then it taketh away

As human beings we feel a whole lot better when certain inequalities are rectified. As the Mint commercial comedically states, when one particular clever thing happens an opposite stupid act has to occur to balance it out. But what I point out here is not the correlation between intelligence and stupidity. I am stating here that stupidity is not a trade, a breadwinner or even a measly source of revenue - it is a gamble which can prove to be way too costly for anyone to take a risk. And stupidity is one particular quality which keeps the world towards a sensible balance.

Jade Goody has lived a very good life from her own stupidity. Her rise to fame in Big Brother is perhaps one of the most successful rags to riches stories which BB has brought us; even better than Kate Lawler's, Craig Phillips' or even Jon Tickle's. She is undoubtedly top dog in the whole BB Hall of Fame and how she achieve this acclaim? By acting an moron, stating that East Anglia is abroad and getting her 'baps' out on national TV. Her whole career is based on acts of absolute stupidity which the public just seem to have loved more and more with each bumbling gaff.

And so, as I'm sure most of you will say, let them ride their 15 minutes of fame. No problem - we we sometimes take such pleasure out of watching these BB idiots burn up and die in the public eye, making them cling onto dear life as they fear becoming unknown again. Yet Goody seemed to win over the hearts and minds of the general public as a real ambassador for the common Cockney; a real, human and imperfect girl just like everyone else, who was prone to usual misdemeanor or stupid comment. Above all she was harmless, someone who everyone revered to be a geninuely nice person. Even after The Sun exposed her fitness DVD as a sham claiming that she had liposuction, she still was excused by the public as it was seen as just another 'gaff' which she could be distanced away from.

But then BB came back to restore the balance. We see the nasty side to this seemingly harmless woman, one who caused a diplomatic nightmare and further tarnished our image as our nation in terms of multiculturalism. Goody is branded a bully and a racist; the tabloids turning their support to Shetty and against the trio of bitches (including Danielle Lloyd and Jo O'Meara) who made her life hell. Max Clifford stated that it was strangely ironic that BB was the rise and fall of Goody's career. But I talk of a simpler notion. It was her own stupidity which kept her feet on the ground. In the end, it was the fool who brought her own world crashing down around her and restored a balance which most of us can agree with.

Sadly, this balance is not exactly equal. Goody now has to face the fact that all her contracts and big money deals have evaporated, but she also has to face the scorn of an amazingly fickle British public. When they love you, they will go the whole nine yards to keep you in the limelight; but when they don't, for whatever reason, they will destroy you. Fellow bully Jo O'Meara has now pronounced that her very life in pieces thanks to the affair as not only her career is finished, but her personal life is also at risk. Both ex-celebrities have already stated that they have received death threats and Goody has expressed a great fear for her two children for their own futures. No matter what the crime, nobody deserves that type of treatment - especially if they were caused by a realised mistake. Its clear not that these women have made apologies for their behaviour and now their personal lives should not be affected because of this affair.

For Goody, it is a case of first it giveth then it taketh away. We can show little sympathy for someone who made a living on being a fool and lost it by also being a fool. It is a bizarre irony which feels fitting, especially for someone like me being a reality-television-celebrity-xenophobe. And although I certainly don't agree with the threats she has received to her own life as a result of BB, she cannot argue that she has been hard done by the events as a result. It is too strong to state that she got what she deserved because she most certainly didn't. What seems to be more fitting for me is that her own stupidity finally brought an end to a rather pointless and silly celebrity career, dominated by the same type of stupid, moronic beahviour.

Coming of age

As my 23^rd birthday looms nearer and nearer, the Argos spring/summer catalogue launch promotional T-shirt I’m wearing sets the time of year to a tee. I may have moaned in previous years how my birthday always coincides with the same week as the seasonal launch of the country’s most favourite of books. Of course, it makes it harder to get the time off on the weekend, especially when in this case, my birthday falls rights on the launch weekend itself. Its something I’ve come to accept, not only as an Argos thing but also as a simple fact of life. I guess when you’re older you sometimes have no choice but to work on your birthday, just like you have no choice but to go to school on your birthday too. Sounds like sour grapes perhaps and maybe it is.

I am still fuming from an incident which occurred to me last week at the Prince of Wales. I was returning from the toilets to the table on which we were sat when I was summoned by one of the managers just as I was about to sit down. It was then he accused me of spitting onto the ground and gave me a stern warning about my conduct when I am in a pub. I of course would not do such a disgusting thing and despite my protests, this jumped-up power-tripped moron continued to lay down the law and was adamant that I had disgraced the floor. I was relatively clam at the time, especially as I wanted to stay and have the drink I paid for. But why is that these bar staff think they are God or some kind of quasi-king, disregarding any sense of hospitality or common manners that I, as I a paying customer, am entitled to. Indeed I will be writing to the company and I will state exactly how I feel. I guess I cannot expect much feedback – at the end of the day its his word against mine – but if I can remind them of the simple consumer motto I will be a lot happier to step into the ‘Prince again. The customer is always right because he or she keeps you in a job. Comprende?

The seedy side to S4C

Have to post this now before I forget. Check this article out and see the vid for yourself on You Tube. More likely it will be deleted soon but I'm sure it will keep resurfacing as per any cult spoof such as this. Just type in 'Sali Mali'!

I promise to return soon, as I have some burning issues to discuss!

Annus horribilis (already)

I guess 2006 was pretty good for my standards. Went on a few excursions home and away, completed some satisfactory academic work which I was proud of and overall drifted through the year without much heartache or any general problems. To be honest 2006 was a bloody good year and with in mind, I only figured that 2007 can hold even greater promise. 2007 will hopefully be the year in which I get my first full time job, meaning more money and greater responsibilities and also I expect to hear my post grad results, which I have been led to believe are relatively good.

Yet before epiphany was even waned, my new year has already become one straight outta hell. My phone decided to break down whilst I was deleting messages (too many new year texts perhaps?) and refused to work despite fiddling with the battery many times. So now I have to wait 3 weeks for it to be fixed. But don't worry, I have a backup right.... three phones in fact. In fact, thats not a fact. One Nokia I had I just couldn't find; suspectedly bunged when I moved back home in the summer. Another Sony Ericsson just did not work after charging. And for my N-Gage (impulse cheap purchase, honest) it was just nowhere to be seen. Luckily I did find the N-Gage after a few days of searching (a helluva lot), but now I am stuck with this brick of a phone which is seriously outdated and looks completely stupid in mid-conversation.

Ok thats not too bad I guess. But my car tax was due on the 31st Dec and it seemed I was incapable of keeping any car documents whatsoever. So not only was the tax overdue, I couldn't find the forms at all. Again luckily I was able to gather them all after ransacking my spare room full of junk, and with the help of the internet (not the Post Office, what a waste of time) I was able to sort out the car tax and avaoid a ridiculous fine which I could really do without in this post-Crimbo period.


BUT



Saying all this things have been on the up since starting this post a few days ago. I did win a poker game at the Steed Unit's house and took a cool £20 away for my efforts. It was also a good night to meet up with some faces old and new. In addition the Argos Winter Wonderland trip was a complete washout thanks to Mother Nature, but to quote many people on the night it was not a problem that couldn't be fixed by alcohol! About 25 of Argos Cardiff Bay's finest peeps and ex-peeps invaded The Central Bar and enjoyed themselves in spite of the heavy rain and wind, which caused the closure of the open ice rink in Cardiff Civic Centre. In your face Mother Nature!!

In future events, it is my birthday soon in two weeks (hint, hint) and the second TTFE Poolmania tournament will take place this Sunday night. It should be great night, especially as the champ Greg Davies will be fighting to keep his crown. With a number of new pool poseurs all staking their claim to TTFE Pool glory, will Greg be able to take the prize for a second time? Or will it change hands?

Hood-linked

I'm truly obsessed. Since Jen very kindly got me a Wii this Christmas, I have been 'hood-linked'
by this phenomenal game. The Wii active sensor controls really do add an element to the Zelda experience, which never fails to disappoint anyway. The fact now that you have to use the Wii-mote to strike your sword and release arrows from your bow adds a sense of freedom which has been missing from first person and adventure games. I am a bit miffed at the storyline but let's face it - as all Zelda fans will confess - each of the games have a similar underlying structure anyway; young Hyrulian farm lad is told he must overcome evil as the 'chosen one', young lad fights evil in various dungeons and collects pieces of relics or triforce which will defeat evil, young lad faces the ultimate evil (usually and always in the form of Ganon or Ganondorf).
In sum, this is an excellent game.

Christmas was great for me, I had a lot of stuff and got stuffed foodwise! Both meals at my house and Jen's house were very nice and I hope everyone out there had a wonderful time with their families.

I am beginning to get withdrawal symptoms already so I wish a very happy new year to all if I don't see you!!!

Ar Bigau'r Drain (A Black Friday Post)

Yes, I am on tenterhooks at the moment. Sorry to use the Welsh phrase, but it was one of the few idioms I can remember from my A level days. It also a really nice phrase to say as it just rolls off the tongue really well (my tongue at least, I don't know about anyone else's!). Anyway, I am on tenterhooks because on all fronts I am no longer in control of what lies ahead. Don't you just love it when only fate can deal you a good hand?

By this I am referring to pending applications, dissertation marking and the wonder of Christmas Day. Ok, I guess being on tenterhooks is not the way I feel about Crimbo, but the festival still comes with its own kind of anticipation. Waiting for any word concerning a potential career does however carry a vast amount of potential heartbreak. I never thought that such emotion which be attached with a really good job opportunity, especially when the employer who has advertised it has no inclination of letting you know if you get the job or not. I really thought that if I didn't get a job, it would be a case of c'est la vie, but it's not the case. Yes the rejection (don't get me started on that despite having one so far), can bring the worst out of you. This is not to say that I have been sobbing my heart out just yet, but it is a real kick in the teeth when you get rejected from a job you thought you could do, or you thought would be a pleasure to work in. I know that rejection cannot get you down because if it did, you would get nothing out of life. In regards to my dissertation, I am still waiting in how I did two months on. I am under no illusions that marking such a piece of work will take a long time, but it doesn't stop this mildly paranoid mind from assuming the worst. I expect to have the results in January.

I hope that all your Crimbo shopping is done by now and if it isn't, I would suggest getting out there right now before there's nothing left! After my post about the lack of crowds in Cardiff, its now exploded with panicked people everywhere stepping over their own mothers to get their Xmas essentials. The rush is now kicking in with a vengence! Good luck to all last minuters; Im sorry I'm not with you this year but I am strangely organised for once!

So on this Black Friday, I wish everyone a very merry Christmas and if you do go out tonight, please take care!

Where are the crowds?

Went into town today to complete my Crimbo shopping and was very surprised to see very few people out and about on this usually hectic and stressful 'Blokes Week'. Yes Blokes Week - the very week that males such as myself rush out and make last minute purchases (usually spur of the moment decisions) of crap gifts which have been made with little or no thought whatsoever. But I witnessed no hellish scenes today, with the 25th only being 6 days away. Sums up the whole trend of consumer spending this festive season - no-one is shopping in stores, but it seems that they are taking to shopping in the comfort of their own homes via the internet. And can you blame them?

Here I am!

Now I've only ever watched Smile! once on CBBC, but I know that this little fella is a hit amongst the kids. But of late, he has also grown a rapport with adults too with his 'potty' mouth. In work we sell Talking Nev for a hefty sum of £30, but Im willing to pay it to own a piece of blundering-toy-making history. Yes, young Nev supposedly says 'quick!'. But instead of sounding like he's hurrying someone along, Nev appears to be insulting them with a similar sounding word! Tescos initially recalled all stock of the toy after the press had a field day with the obscenity-spewing Nev, but now it seems as though he is back on the website.In addition, all of the other major toy retailers have also taken no notice. In Argos, it seems as though the news story was also deeemed unimportant as not one recall or any notices of concern have been delivered to us. Oh well, I just think of the children...

...and of course the parents, who may need to prick up their ears this Christmas!

All work and no play makes Joe go....

Please feel free to guess which particular feeling all work and no play gives me. Ok, I am exaggerating here but the whole working for more than 50% of the week is a real shock to my previous student lifestyle. Days off actually have to be days off, in the sense that a day of doing sweet FA is the only thing you want to do. All I have done today is sit in the same seat all day long, watching Kerrang and feeling my mind turn to mush. But it was good to do absolutely nothing.

In between doing sweet FA and absolute bugger all, I have been applying for jobs. Mainly I have been targeting graduate training schemes and have finally completed a CV. Until the dream job knocks my door, I will hopefully be working in Argos to keep my bank balance happy. Working in Argos alone is motivation to get on with the job hunting!

In addition I would like to wish everyone a happy Wii release day and that if you get one, please don't throw it at your TV! Jen has kindly offered to get me one for Xmas which is really cool - but alas, I now have to match such a brilliant present for her! Pressure! So anyone, any ideas?

I also want to give my regards to Tom, who is currently recovering in hospital. Get better soon Tom, especially for the meal on Sunday!

Another thing I would like to note, the QVR website will be revamped for the new season. It will be our fourth season in division three (as QVR) and the team are feeling resilient after a good campaign but no promotion. Follow the team along their highs and their lows on The QVR Blog.

Finally, now that Deal or No Deal is on, I must return to my unproductiveness. So for your pleasure and most definitely mine, here is a piece of nostalgia which certainly crept into brain and snatched my memories with large talons. Enjoy!!

We just can't 'hak' it

I always thought Wales was a champion of cultural values. I thought the Welsh were supposed to willingly and enthuiastically accept other cultures, just as we embrace our own culture despite centuries of struggle to ensure its survival. Now we have egg on our face, deemed cultural egoists, too scared to let the All Blacks perform the Haka because it would give them an adavantage. This was never the WRU's intention Im sure - I mean, if we have let NZ perform the Haka in every game against us in the past, why would we change it now? The WRU did not want it to seem as though we are denying any national team the right to any cultural practice, but now thats the very charge which is raised against them and in the eyes of the rugby world, us as the Welsh people also.

Truth be told, the WRU have acted on an assumption. They assumed that the All Blacks will perform the Haka before Mae Hen, just like last year, when it was arranged as a one-off to celebrate 100 years of Welsh-Kiwi rugby rivalry. And we all know what happens when you assume something - it makes an ASS out of U and ME. For now we are faced with a blunder which both sides are reeling from. Misunderstanding?... maybe. Sheer stubborness?... perhaps more precise to the point. But can you do afford to do that when people are paying good money to see a complete show? Those people paid to see the Haka, just as much as they paid to see a game of rugby. And because the WRU can't get their act together, the regular punter is the one who gets the shortfall.

Shame really. And those punters Im sure will disassociate themselves from the bungling WRU. As last Saturday when we invited the Maori to dinner, we may have had the welcome mat out but we clearly had no manners. And judging by the rugby, we should really learn to match our opponent's appetite for the win.

All that glitters isn't gold, as it soon gets old...

As my city changes around me, its clear that yesterday's Cardiff is a very different one to today's. In particular, the Cardiff Bay Retail Park only a mile from my house has received two new additions, Morrisons and Toys'R'Us, whilst the once-imagined International Sports Village is now slowly becoming a visable reality. It kinda makes me remember when a certain Swedish chain opened their wares to Cardiff for the first time only a few years ago. Ikea was perhaps the very pinnacle of the retail park's status; indeed as well as the city itself, the store signalled that the Welsh capital was worthy enough to up there with the city powerhouses of Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester. In addition to creating a symbol of prosperity and confidence for the city, it opened up a whole new world for all Ikea virgins.

I must admit that when I went to see the Ikea store in Bristol, I was wowed. I couldn't believe what I was seeing - it was not just another MFI, a home furnishers paradise. The furniture was so different, so alternative to anything I had ever seen. You could even eat decent food in a gigantic restaurant, serving Swedish meatballs with ligonberry juice. It was such an experience which to this day, I guess I will never forget. And lo and behold when it came to Wales, my excitment was emulated once more. It wasn't long before I bought my Robin CD rack, my Billy Bookcase and a Bamsig toy (a cuddly blue dog in a spacesuit) for Jen.

So on a random trip to buy magazine containers for my BBC History magazines I stumbled into Little Sweden for a walk around. Now, the previous store opening shine has disappeared underneath the dirty layers of recession, stupidity and banality. Only a few weeks ago it was reported that the Ikea Cardiff kitchens were not conducting as cleanly as they should be, which was a blow to what is usually a busy sector of the store. The economic slowdown effecting retail has also caught up with the Swedish giant and in turn they began to cut staff rapidly. It is a common occurrence to wait a helluva long time to be served at the tills. But the final straw came to me when I took adavantage of the 'Hot Dog Combo' offer. At first I thought I was on a winner as for a pound, you can still get a large hot dog and a soft drink, but now you can have free refills on drink. Result! However to my disgust gone were the decent branded drinks, and even the ligonberry carbonated juice drink! In their place, were an orangeade, a cola drink and a lemonade so foul and unrefined it could make a Happy Shopper soft drink seem like in the same league with Pepsi. Come back Lowes, all is forgiven!!! I felt violated, betrayed and angered all at one time. But above all, I was disappointed at how things had changed - it was clear that Ikea was now part of the Grangetownian skyline. Now I no longer say "I can't believe Ikea is here", and a trip there is mundane and banal, not as exciting as before.

My point, be it obvious or not, is that Morrisons will soon become the new Ikea. In fact, I think it already is. Its just a shame that the glitter couldn't last just a little bit longer.

The Return from Gogland

Having returned from a quick and jolly jaunt up north, I now feel as though I know what my nation actually looks like. The beauty of the Snowdonia mountains was certainly breathtaking and was like nothing i had ever seen before. Good to know that its all on your doorstep.. well kind of!

After a little rendezvous with Ria and Lisa in Mid Wales's most premier town, Aberystwyth, Leighton Jen and I headed north. We firstly conquered Machynlleth and Dolgellau, then we powered on to make sure we got to the Llanberis Slate Museum. En route we witnessed some beautiful sights, such as the one above, which we took whilst riding the famous Llanberis Pass. Once spending no more than 10 minutes in one of the most uninteresting museums ever, we made our way out of Snowdonia into Gwynedd's mighty administrative heart
of Caernarfon. We meandered around the town, looked at the great castle and made base camp at our accomodation in Bangor. In the evening we strayed into Bangor city centre and had a fine meal at the local Varsity and had a few cocktails in the very packed out Lloyd's Bar. Leighton at this point of the trip was euphoric as he felt well at home, with Welsh speakers galore! Although we agreed that Bangor was not what we imagined; it was quite dark and dismal, in addition to being a place which belonged solidly to the student population.



On the next day we attacked the day with a light breakfast, as we had castles to visit and Argos stores to assess. Before we left Bangor we decided to stop at the Argos Extra in the retail park, to check out North Wales's hottest Argos store as one would normally do! Our first stop was Beaumaris castle, which meant a trip over the Menai Strait and into the druidic ancestral home of Ynys Mon, or to many, Anglesey. This was probably the castle I wanted to see most, for it is revered for its sheer architectual brilliance. And it didn't disappoint. Leighton was still in awe of surrounding Welsh speaking folk by this time!

After that we went to Llanfair PG; which I must say, astounded me for it's absolute tourist pulling power! Its amazing how one train station can bring into so many elderly people! Jen stocked up on her beloved aniseed balls, I got my rum and raisin fudge and Leighton, well.... in his words, bought "enough to get me back to Caernarfon"! So we crossed back into the mainland and it was Caernarfon Take Two for Leighton to see his castle. We conquered the castle after a good two hours or so and we were all mesmerised by it's size and the well-preservation of the walls.

We then hurried along to Conwy for the castle Jen had longed to see. And it was pretty impressive. Again with lots to see, and a before entering the main gate there was a castle wall walk which was absolutely pointless to walk on but we walzed along it anyway! The sights of Great Ormes Head and the town were fantastic from the tall towers. Jen by this point had caught the Welsh speaking bug and began to recite the same sentence over and over much to her delight... "dw i eisiau coke", "dw i eisiau coke"... and to report, this trend hasn't ceased yet! After visiting Conwy, we lost a good friend in Mr Sun. So as we had to deal with Mr Night, we knew that it was time to head homebound bound. But first, we visited the North Walian seaside citidel of Llandudno, which boasted a picturesque beachfront (above). It did look like a Spanish hideaway, but it certainly wasn't as warm as one! We rounded off our trip by checking out another Argos Extra in Llandudno town and noticed a few safety hazards and poor name badge wearage. But, at least, their quickpay kiosks were A-OK.

We then travelled down the A55 North Walian Expressway towards Chester and then went to Wrexham, Shrewsbury, Telford and then came home via the M54, M6 and so on. It was a shame about the traffic on the M5 but it least it gave us a chance to reflect a great two days. Also Jen learnt more Welsh and put it to good use by asking for more things! Leighton nearly killed us with his toxic ass, but gladly Jen and I survived to tell the tale. Never again! Well, until next time!

A Reminder to Mr Bush....

In light of the recent US congressional elections, I thought I would display the video which got me chuckling when Kerry took on Bush and sadly lost. Yes, I would say for once and once only, I truly am a 'liberal wiener' instead of a 'right-wing nut job'. Enjoy!

"Thats no way to tell a lie"

Good evening, good morning, good afternoon... whichever is applicable to you, please note that One Man is back for another edition of my latest shenanigans. As you can probably tell from the title, or even the pics, I recently went to see the awesome James Dean Bradfield at Cardiff SU. It goes without saying that the Manics frontman really kicked ass, belting out his solo stuff as well as the stuff we all know and love. Emigre, perhaps my fave track from The Great Western, was performed better than I could imagine. In addition, the acoustic versions of Kevin Carter, This Is Yesterday and Ocean Spray were also fab. Its great to hear that the Manics are back together next year, but the solo efforts of Bradfield and Wire have been really promising, especially Wire's I Killed The Zeitgeist. The gig was also great because Jen and I had the chance to meet up with Chris and Greg as a four - the first time since we lived in Cathays. It was just like old times!

Once, twice, three times a Rhodri?

Now if Tony Blair strolled into your work, some people would understandably make a fuss, point and stare, ask for his autograph, and all that ridiculous faff people do on this island when they come face to face with someone with slight celebrity status. Alas for poor Rhodri Morgan, our very own First Minister of the Welsh Assembly Government, he can only muster confused looks and complete ignornance from his adoring citizens. Shame really, the power of celebrity - but thats another blog topic I could go on about for ages. The thing is, when Rhodri stepped into Argos the other day, it triggered The Bus Effect. I was not to see him once, but twice in one day. Spooky huh? And this was on Halloween too! Anyway after Mr Morgan was served at our customer service dept (and from what I gather, was given detailed information about our returns policy), he appeared at a conference in the National Museum where I was waiting outside with Jen and Tom for the 'Creepy Cardiff' tour (which was ok, quite informative, but in my opinion was fairly steep moneywise). Rhodri escaped the building with a bit of a whimper, no adoring public, no paparazzi, no police escort - in fact, he climbed into his chaffeur-driven car and got out at the nearby cash machine for a few notes! To think eh, even Wales' leading political figure has to go to a hole-in-a-wall just like us!?!?!? It amazed me. I really wish I took a picture now. Oh well. Rubbing shoulders with the Welsh political elite is tough job, but clearly it comes easy to me!

What?! You're Taking the Diss!

Alright.... I may have said the dissertation would be finished by October. Yet on the turn of November I was still placing the finishing touches on the thesis! But officially, it's now at a close. Last Wednesday I gave it in and kissed goodbye to student life for good. It was a great feeling to see the work in a shiny binded cover; it made the whole year worth while. Not to say that the year was a waste of time. I really enjoyed this year and the course, which was very thought provoking and rewarding intellectually. Political science and theory has really interested me and has opened new doors for me I feel. Let's just hope it finds me a job!
Which brings me onto full time work. Its hard! I'm currently working full time in Argos (thus the sighting of Rhodri) whilst looking for something new. I want to work in government of some sort, maybe a local council or maybe something in public policy. But again, I am no nearer about singling out a particular job - I dont think I ever will!

Well I hope that has wet your appetites for now, Im off to bed as I went for a lovely family meal to celebrate my parents' silver wedding anniversary. Good night to all, and to all, a very good night.

God bless Thames Water

Its funny that water is now back on in the headlines now that my dissertation drawing to it's close. Since reaching the half way mark and having already decided a direction of where to go with the thesis, Panorama aired a special investigation into water use in South East England. At the time I wanted to see if it had any parallels to the Tryweryn issue and sadly it had no real info. But by watching it, it wasn't in vain at all - I learnt about the awful water company called Thames Water, which serves the very heart of middle England. An estimated 900 million litres of water a day is reported to be lost by leaky pipes underneath fair London and the company are the worst British water authority when it comes to lost water. With the possibility of warmer summers and hosepipe bans a-plenty in the future, the distribution of water is back in the public eye as South East England sweats. And guess what, the thought of taking water from Wales was back on the agenda. Plaid MPs call the recent calls for this extreme water distribution the 'next Tryweryn'. But I guess in times like these with greater political autonomy and the lessons learnt from last time an English authority went at pains to take water from Wales, Tryweryn will never really happen again.

So enter the latest project of Thames Water, who are desperate to escape prying eyes after being criticised for doing too little for it's customers. They propose a £1 billion new articifical reservoir in the heart of Oxfordshire, not far from Abingdon. The authority claim that two villages would be affected, as well as a road between the two will have to re-routed. Already residents have expressed their concerns about the project. Thames Water say that this will solve the water crisis for now and "generations to come". Its great to see the same rhetoric from then is being used again.

Its a shame that this had to be proposed now. It would have been interesting to parallel the events of Tryweryn with the events in Oxfordshire today. But oh well. If you're interested in the story, click here.

A Birthday Post

First of all, a very happy birthday to my darling Jen!

And if Blogger would let me, I would place a picture up here too.

I thought a blog would be in order after a long hiatus of dissertation work, which is slowly turning me into a zombie like state. That said, I'm still enjoying it and finding it really interesting. I am currently 3,000 words away from total completion with all chapters roughly drafted. My final personal deadline is 2 weeks today( 27th Sept). If Im still working at that point, please remind me to get a move on! I must say that this piece of work is the only one in which I havent rushed - lets just hope the result pays some rewardable dividends.

In other news, Jen and I used our weekend off to have a rest from the retailing world, in addition to poking our noses at royalty. We didn't quite reach Buckingham Palace, but we more than settled for the grand Hampton Court Palace in Surrey. I never realised it was such an important rotal residence over the past five centuries! It was simply beautiful inside and out! The maze was a bit of a doddle after Jen's 'right everytime' theory. The gardens were also a spectacle which I would recommend anyone to see. We had great weather too, so we couldn't have asked for a better day at one of Britain's greatest residences. Pictures will soon be up (I know this phrase is somewhat familar) for all to see. If not, Im sure Jen will have them on view for your pleasure.

So many things to rant about lately and not enough time to do so. Blair, the immigration issue and South American football are the topics which are buring my brain of late. Blair should really go now - whats the point of this 'long goodbye'? Although it is perfect for the Tories and the Lib Dems to capitalise from I guess. Do we really want more Eastern Europeans here, when we are struggling with the Poles? And the fact that Brazil and Argentina play their 'home' fixtures in Europe for the sake of profit questions me to think whether its about the football anymore.

So this merely a quickie for now, to keep you guys in the know. Recent albums - Empire by Kasabian, Black Holes and Revelations by Muse and In With The Out Crowd by Less Than Jake.