I resolve...

Tags: new year resolutions personal paul anderson paul anthony anderson 2008

There is something very arbitrary about electing to only make changes in your life from the stroke of midnight as the calender passes from 31 December to 1 January. As if change is something you shouldn't strive for when you see the need, but rather you should wait until you have to hang a new calendar, or write in a new diary.

But we are all ruled by the calendar, and it is tradition to make resolutions for the new year, so here are my resolutions for my personal life. For a list of my writing resolutions, click here.

• Get back into running. The knee injury was a valid excuse, and my fitness levels dropped drastically in the two months I was out, but my knee is fine now, so time to start hitting the streets again. And since I got a lot of winter weather running gear in the past week, I really have no excuse...
  
• Related to the above, participate in a 5K and a 10K run in 2008. And if I'm feeling saucy, a half-marathon by the end of the year. Which ought to put me in the frame for training for the London Marathon in 2009 (that's another resolution for another year...
  
• Read more. I have a lot of writing resolutions, but I also need to read more. I have a lot of time on public transport during the week, so why not make use of that to read? I really shouldn't still be reading The Brother's Karamazov after 6 months!
  
• Get on top of filing and keeping the house in order!
  
• Ensure that, so far as it is in my power, the purchases I make this year are produce that is either fair trade, organic, or locally sourced, and ideally a combination of all three.

So that's my resolutions for 2008. Promise to nag me on them, so that I do actually keep up with them?

Thanks!

Mystery keys

Tags: strange finds lost keys power drill

I had occasion to need a power drill this week. Purely for domestic DIY reasons of course. This wasn't research for some horrible story, trust me...

As I was unpacking the drill, tightening the chuck and preparing to play merry havoc with the bathroom wall, a set of keys slid out of the box and hit the floor by my feet.

Proper keys. Not the key to the chuck. No, a key from a Yale lock, and one from a five lever mortice lock. Attached to a DKNY key fob. In many ways, they were some kind of alternate universe version of my own housekeys (except I wouldn't have a DKNY keychain - I'll stick with my hip flask keychain thank you very much!)

What a strange item to find though. The box with the power drill was sealed. Were the keys dropped in by some assembly line packer by mistake? Had someone previously bought the drill, opened it and by some quirk of fate got their keys mixed up as they repacked it and returned it to the store?

And exactly what do I do with them? Keep them, get rid of them? If I find the house they belong to, do I win the house? Is it some strange competition I am unaware of?

If you recently bought and returned a power drill, live in the West of London, and have lost your keys, let me know, I've got them safe for you.

And if anyone has any ideas about what to do with them, leave a comment.

All is calm...

Tags: landlord and tenant property managers problem solved for now

Well, we had a meeting with the property manager on Friday morning, and things appear to have gone well.

It would appear that the property managers really did not appreciate just how bad things had got in the flat, and both they and we have been let down by contractors not doing as they instructed, and people passing on wrong messages.

We have been given assurances that most of the work required will be carried out, and explanations pertaining to what cannot be done and why. I am aware that verbal assurances aren't worth the paper they are written on, so although we have shown good faith and flexibility by repaying part of the arrears, we are not paying any further arrears until all of the work has been completed to our satisfaction.

All told a mostly satisfactory result. The immediate threat has passed, Christmas will be merry, and all I can say is publicity is a good thing...

***Owing to the fact that this dispute is no longer live, I have removed all previous posts relating to it***

Thanks guys...

Tags: friends thank you

The past couple of days have put me in mind of this song. To everyone who has been a support, thank you.

One year in one post - 2007

A new blog meme (that doesn't require tagging!) is doing the rounds. Repost the first sentence from the first blog post you made each month over the past year. Although like others I'm not sure what it will say about me. But 'tis the season for retrospective reviews, and this will doubtless be more amusing/entertaining/heartwarming than my recent posts this month...

• I will sell you both of my livers, all three of my kidneys and my firstborn child if you get me one of these... (We wants it precious...)
  
  
• Well this is a turn up for the books. (Star Wars)
  
  
• I'm on Myspace less and less these days. (Heroes)
  
  
• Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. (Sacrilicious 2)
  
  
• Big sighs of relief all round. (Reprieve)
  
  
• I have (almost) officially set an entirely new life for myself in motion. (It is over...)
  
  
• I played American football for the first time in almost ten years this morning. (Too old for this)
  
  
• Not only that, are you a thieving scumbag who has stolen two incredibly rare guitars belonging to a celebrity? (Are you a thieving scumbag?)
  
  
• Hang around my blog long enough, and you start to get a feel for the issues I'm passionate about. (Freedom of conscience means accepting ideas you find abhorrent)
  
  
• According to a survey conducted by holiday review site TripAdvisor, world travellers have voted London the best city for public transport, and the second year running to boot. (Seriously? This is the best?)
  
  
• Rumours are flying that in next week's Queen's Speech at the opening of Parliament, the plans for the compulsory ID card scheme will be dropped in favour of undisclosed "other measures". (Please let this be true!)
  
  
• ... because then I could wear an eye patch and no-one would think I was being strange... (I wish I were a pirate... )

What does it say about me? That this blog is a mixture of the personal, the silly, and the serious. And that I have a habit of starting a sentence in the blog title, and finishing it in the blog post, meaning some of these first sentences don't make sense.

Where else can you read about iPhones, treaties to prevent the weaponisation of outer space, thoughts on the need for heroic figures in every day life, the collision of art and religion, medical treatment of knee injuries, career changes from law to writing, moans about getting too old for sports, appeals to help out celebrity friends who have had personal items stolen, a discussion of the tightrope that is walked between supporting the need for freedom of speech whilst still fighting racists, incredulous rants about the state of public transport, celebrations about partial victories in the fight against intrusive government measures AND talk of piracy as a cover for a medical problem?

And more to the point, why would you want to...

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Restoring a little bit of faith in mankind...

Tags: New York subway assault Walter Adler Hassan Askari ten knuckledragging thugs

Sometimes the news can depress you. Sometimes it can make you happy. And sometimes a depressing story can have a glimmer of hope.

In New York City a crowd of ten people verbally abused a Jewish man, Walter Adler, using anti-Semitic language, before proceeding to physically assault him.

His crime? Saying "Happy Hanukkah".

Where was the glimmer of hope? One man came to Mr Adler's aid. He was himself physically attacked by this group, all because he stood up for a fellow human being who was being attacked. This man was Hassan Askari. A Muslim.

"Muslim saves Jew being attacked by Christians" is not a headline you see often (although students of history might note that such a headline could describe much of what happened during the Crusades). Perhaps the next time the war drum bangs loud for a nuclear assault on Iran "because all Muslims hate Jews" people might pause and remember this story. Simplistic stereotypes do not for good foreign policy make.

Well that's depressing...

Tags: Geneva Conventions international humanitarian law respect Britain Tony Blair

British attitude to war 'hardens'

The International Committee for the Red Cross conducted a survey in 1998 found that 72% of people in Britain felt that civilians should be protected in wartime. This year, that figure had fallen to only 51%.

Almost half the population of Britain feels that it is acceptable to target the civilian population of a country during armed conflict, something that flies in the face of the customary laws of war, basic standards of humanity and decency, and the Geneva Conventions of 1949.

It is a retrograde step, harkening back to the tactic of reprisals in armed conflict.

The ICRC has put a brave face on this depressing statistic, pointing out that on deeper questioning regarding specific tactics (kidnapping civilians, use of torture etc), then the percentage of people who viewed this as impermissible remained consistently high.

But there is one further depressing statistic, and one that this government in general, and Tony Blair's government in particular, is responsible for. In almost all age categories, over 90% of the population were aware of the Geneva Conventions. Almost all. Except for those 18-24. In that age group, awareness drops to 61%.

Let us ignore the fact that as a signatory to the Four Geneva Conventions of 1949, the United Kingdom is under an obligation to disseminate the texts of the Conventions and ensure that the entire population the population are aware of the principles, rights, duties and obligations incumbent under the Conventions and the Additional Protocols (Art 47 GC I, Art 48 GC II, Art 127 GC III, Art 144 GC IV). Let us ignore the fact that manifestly the present Labour government has failed to discharge this duty, as a generation of people educated under this government are growing up ignorant of the Geneva Conventions.

Ignore the failure to discharge this obligation. That is not the problem, merely a symptom of a greater problem. The wholesale disrespect/disdain/disregard that the British government under Tony Blair had for the principles of international law, international humanitarian law and the entire post-1945 international legal and diplomatic system. Whereas before we were guided by fairness, justice, law and humanity, now sending in the army is seen as acceptable, rather than the method of last resort.

This not only shows disrespect for an international system based on the principles of peaceful coexistence and non-interference, but it shows disrespect to the military covenant. Far from only engaging our armed forces when absolutely necessary, we engage them on the whim of a Prime Minister hungry for his place in history. And when they come back, we abandon and forget them.

This disdain has rubbed off on the generation growing up under Blair. Will the next generation of leaders show a similar brutal disregard for the very principles that their grandparents fought for, died for, and for some were the very principles that kept them alive?

All leaders seek a legacy. Gordon Brown's legacy should be to renew this country's commitment to peace, justice and the law. Otherwise we will reap the whirlwind of Blair's legacy of disdain.

Community Legal Advice

Tags: Community Legal Advice

On the tube into work this morning, I was reading free newspaper The Metro, when an advert caught my eye. It was for Community Legal Advice, a free and confidential advice service for people on lower incomes or benefits, paid for by legal aid.

The advert was primarily concerned with problems that people might face over the Christmas period (credit card debts, mortgage arrears) but also advertised the other areas they can provide help and advice in - employment, housing, education, tax credits and welfare benefits. They can be contacted through their website, or by calling 0845 345 4 345.

I am full of admiration for the lawyers and trained counselors who provide their time and service, for free, to schemes like this, Citizens Advice, and other legal clinics. Lawyers are often portrayed as rich, greedy and slimy. Many lawyers instead eke out a meagre wage exclusively from legal aid work, helping those who cannot afford representation (often those who need help the most). Most US bar councils make it a condition of remaining in good standing with them that attorneys do so many hours of pro bono work per year. I think the Law Societies should bring this requirement into the UK - all lawyers, as well maintaining a set number of CPD points, should contribute a set number of hours each year of pro bono or legal aid work. It might do their souls some good too.

I wish I were a pirate...

... because then I could wear an eye patch and no-one would think I was being strange...

I'm back from the wilderness of the NaNoWriMo experience, via the wilderness of Derbyshire. Minus a working right eye, for reasons that have baffled the finest medical minds in the country (or at least the optometrists at Specsavers...)

My eye is red, puffy, streaming, overly sensitive to light and very painful. How delightful. I love to share these little insights. The good news is there are no signs of infection or foreign objects. The bad news is, they don't know why it is reacting like this. So I've to go back on Thursday to monitor how it is going, and if it gets worse in the meantime, report to my closest Accident & Emergency unit.

Now that NaNoWriMo has finished (even if the story hasn't) I hope to be back to blogging semi-regularly. Upcoming tasks include recording a new episode of the podcast (after over a month!), finish up the Christmas story I'm working on (also to be recorded as a podcast), and put up a couple of other posts about my problems with my landlord. I want to get the toilet videos up, and a little about the latest offer/threat made against us.