Last winter, I wrote about how snow has the potential to bring out the best in people.
This winter, I want to mention how it can also bring out the worst in people. For example, throwing snowball at innocent strangers' cars, houses, or bodies. Or leaving Tesco carpark littered with trolleys. This saddens me.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Complete albums
You know how some albums somehow seem more complete than most? Either because of the themes running through the songs, or the clever track ordering, or some mysterious x-factor which makes the album hang together beautifully.
I surveyed my music to find which albums seem particularly 'complete' in this way. This is not the same as looking at which albums are the best. 'Completeness' is only one aspect of what makes a good album. You may notice the absence of excellent albums such as Californication, Viva La Vida, Silent Alarm, The Decline of British Sea Power, World Service, An End Has A Start, Origin Of Symmetry and others - great albums, but lacking this particular factor.
'Complete' albums are:
Cities - Anberlin
Beyond The Neighbourhood - Athlete
A Weekend In The City - Bloc Party
Glo - Delirious
Pushing The Senses - Feeder
Can I See Heaven - Heat
The Remote Part - Idlewild
No Name Face - Lifehouse
Sam's Town - The Killers
The Friendship And The Fear - Matt Redman
Frengers - Mew
And The Glass Handed Kites - Mew
Takk - Sigur Ros
October - U2
Albums that came close, or were just spoiled by the odd song:
Black Swan - Athlete
Lifesong - Casting Crowns
A Rush Of Blood To The Head - Coldplay
Jesus Freak - DCTalk
This I sWhere I Stand - Easyworld
A Day Without Rain - Enya
Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
Happiness - Hurts
100 Broken Windows - Idlewild
Absolution - Muse
Black Holes and Revelations - Muse
(What's The Story) Morning Glory - Oasis
By The Way - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Escape - Sabio
() - Sigur Ros
Harmonies For The Haunted - Stellastarr*
Falling Down - Steve
Empty - Tait
Tom + Olly - Tom + Olly
Achtung Baby - U2
All That You Can't Leave Behind - U2
How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb - U2
Revived - World Wide Message Tribe
Looking over these lists, I notice that I have something close to a list of my favourite albums. Which suggests that, for me, 'completeness' in an album is a very important factor in how much I like that album.
I surveyed my music to find which albums seem particularly 'complete' in this way. This is not the same as looking at which albums are the best. 'Completeness' is only one aspect of what makes a good album. You may notice the absence of excellent albums such as Californication, Viva La Vida, Silent Alarm, The Decline of British Sea Power, World Service, An End Has A Start, Origin Of Symmetry and others - great albums, but lacking this particular factor.
'Complete' albums are:
Cities - Anberlin
Beyond The Neighbourhood - Athlete
A Weekend In The City - Bloc Party
Glo - Delirious
Pushing The Senses - Feeder
Can I See Heaven - Heat
The Remote Part - Idlewild
No Name Face - Lifehouse
Sam's Town - The Killers
The Friendship And The Fear - Matt Redman
Frengers - Mew
And The Glass Handed Kites - Mew
Takk - Sigur Ros
October - U2
Albums that came close, or were just spoiled by the odd song:
Black Swan - Athlete
Lifesong - Casting Crowns
A Rush Of Blood To The Head - Coldplay
Jesus Freak - DCTalk
This I sWhere I Stand - Easyworld
A Day Without Rain - Enya
Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
Happiness - Hurts
100 Broken Windows - Idlewild
Absolution - Muse
Black Holes and Revelations - Muse
(What's The Story) Morning Glory - Oasis
By The Way - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Escape - Sabio
() - Sigur Ros
Harmonies For The Haunted - Stellastarr*
Falling Down - Steve
Empty - Tait
Tom + Olly - Tom + Olly
Achtung Baby - U2
All That You Can't Leave Behind - U2
How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb - U2
Revived - World Wide Message Tribe
Looking over these lists, I notice that I have something close to a list of my favourite albums. Which suggests that, for me, 'completeness' in an album is a very important factor in how much I like that album.
Deathly Hallows Part One
To everyone (individuals, websites, magazines etc.) saying that the latest Harry Potter film is good/impressive/brilliant/insert any other positive word here.
It is too late.
Maybe they've learnt to act now. Maybe the characters have depth now. Maybe the effects are convincing now. Maybe the makers have learnt to adapt the novels now.
It is still too late.
It's one big saga, not 8 isolated films. Just because one bit is good doesn't make the rest of it good. Just because a mindless action film has one good chase scene, that doesn't make it a good film.
The filming of the Harry Potter books was doomed from the start, for reasons described here. The fact that the films are improving doesn't stop them from being a disaster.
It is too late.
Maybe they've learnt to act now. Maybe the characters have depth now. Maybe the effects are convincing now. Maybe the makers have learnt to adapt the novels now.
It is still too late.
It's one big saga, not 8 isolated films. Just because one bit is good doesn't make the rest of it good. Just because a mindless action film has one good chase scene, that doesn't make it a good film.
The filming of the Harry Potter books was doomed from the start, for reasons described here. The fact that the films are improving doesn't stop them from being a disaster.
Swimming
They say that swimming is really good for overall fitness. Now I see what they mean.
I've just been swimming (proper lane swimming) for the first time in my life, in an attempt to stay fit while injured. I was in the pool for 20 minutes and now my whole body hurts, and I have a headache. I hope I get better at this.
I've just been swimming (proper lane swimming) for the first time in my life, in an attempt to stay fit while injured. I was in the pool for 20 minutes and now my whole body hurts, and I have a headache. I hope I get better at this.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Power to the referees
So, Scottish football referees are planning to strike next weekend because of the criticism and threats aimed at them by some clubs/players/managers/fans.
People are giving them criticism for making mistakes.
They are making mistakes because (a) they are under a lot of pressure, (b) they are often deceived by players cheating - by diving, by not owning up to fouls or handballs, and (c) they do not have the technological help that is available in other sports and is required in football.
Several things must be done.
Firstly, hawkeye-style replays must be allowed. For goalline incidents and other incidents in the penalty box. Referees should be allowed to us TV replays. The argument that this would stop the flow of the game is nonsense. TV replays would be far less disruptive than the current arguments when a decision is questioned. For decisions that the referees do not use replays for, each captain should get, say, one appeal per half, like in tennis.
Secondly, blatant diving and simulation should be a red card offence rather than yellow. Over-the-top theatricality after a minor foul should be a yellow card offence (therefore a referee could give a freekick to the attacking team for a foul by the defending team, but also book the attacking player for making a meal of it).
Thirdly, only players involved in an incident, plus the captains, should be allowed to speak to the referee. If any player is abusive or disrespectful to the referee, they should be booked.
Fourthly, if a player is booked or sent off for cynical cheating, diving or abuse, they should also pay a heavy fine, proportional to the league they are playing in. So premiership players should be fined about 2 weeks wages for being sent off for diving.
Fifthly, referees should have the power to retrospectively give red and yellow cards for incidents they did not see in the game.
In short, more power to the referees and less to the players.
People are giving them criticism for making mistakes.
They are making mistakes because (a) they are under a lot of pressure, (b) they are often deceived by players cheating - by diving, by not owning up to fouls or handballs, and (c) they do not have the technological help that is available in other sports and is required in football.
Several things must be done.
Firstly, hawkeye-style replays must be allowed. For goalline incidents and other incidents in the penalty box. Referees should be allowed to us TV replays. The argument that this would stop the flow of the game is nonsense. TV replays would be far less disruptive than the current arguments when a decision is questioned. For decisions that the referees do not use replays for, each captain should get, say, one appeal per half, like in tennis.
Secondly, blatant diving and simulation should be a red card offence rather than yellow. Over-the-top theatricality after a minor foul should be a yellow card offence (therefore a referee could give a freekick to the attacking team for a foul by the defending team, but also book the attacking player for making a meal of it).
Thirdly, only players involved in an incident, plus the captains, should be allowed to speak to the referee. If any player is abusive or disrespectful to the referee, they should be booked.
Fourthly, if a player is booked or sent off for cynical cheating, diving or abuse, they should also pay a heavy fine, proportional to the league they are playing in. So premiership players should be fined about 2 weeks wages for being sent off for diving.
Fifthly, referees should have the power to retrospectively give red and yellow cards for incidents they did not see in the game.
In short, more power to the referees and less to the players.
Tuesday, November 09, 2010
Reluctant praying
Why are most Christians (either in the world (I doubt), the West (possibly), the UK (likely), or my friendship group (it certainly seems so)) reluctant to pray? I don't mean in general, but in certain situations. Such as saying grace. Or 'opening in prayer' (or closing for that matter).
I think it might be because these situations happen so often that it seems hard to be original and to say something that doesn't appear mundane and generic. How many ways are there, really, to say thankyou for food? And opening in prayer is such a generic thing, 'thankyou that we can meet here together, please be with us and speak to us blah blah blah'. People don't like to volunteer for these things because they don't know what to say while still sounding genuine.
I don't know any solutions to this yet. But it's a bit worrying, and this is a bit of a tip of an iceberg-sized rant on prayer and how we do it, which is not yet formulated enough to write.
I think it might be because these situations happen so often that it seems hard to be original and to say something that doesn't appear mundane and generic. How many ways are there, really, to say thankyou for food? And opening in prayer is such a generic thing, 'thankyou that we can meet here together, please be with us and speak to us blah blah blah'. People don't like to volunteer for these things because they don't know what to say while still sounding genuine.
I don't know any solutions to this yet. But it's a bit worrying, and this is a bit of a tip of an iceberg-sized rant on prayer and how we do it, which is not yet formulated enough to write.
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Halloween
My objections to Halloween are not theological. I don't have a problem with dressing up as witches/monsters/vampires etc. It's just a laugh.
My objections to Halloween are social. In what other context would it be acceptable for children (and sometimes adults) to approach the houses of complete strangers, knock persistently and aggressively on the door, and expect to be given sweets? It's incredibly rude when you think about it. I object to this.
My objections to Halloween are social. In what other context would it be acceptable for children (and sometimes adults) to approach the houses of complete strangers, knock persistently and aggressively on the door, and expect to be given sweets? It's incredibly rude when you think about it. I object to this.
Disappointing films
Warning: spoilers below
Last week I watched two films: The Illusionist and Kick-Ass. Both were disappointingly...well, disappointing.
The Illusionist looked good - a bit like The Prestige, but with Edward Norton and Jessica Biel. It started well and kept me interested. The problem was that it just didn't work.
Basic plot: Magician (Norton) and princess (Biel) fall in love, but she is betrothed to the prince. They fake her murder (by the prince), then the magician puts on lots of shows before running away with the princess.
This doesn't work for three reasons:
Last week I watched two films: The Illusionist and Kick-Ass. Both were disappointingly...well, disappointing.
The Illusionist looked good - a bit like The Prestige, but with Edward Norton and Jessica Biel. It started well and kept me interested. The problem was that it just didn't work.
Basic plot: Magician (Norton) and princess (Biel) fall in love, but she is betrothed to the prince. They fake her murder (by the prince), then the magician puts on lots of shows before running away with the princess.
This doesn't work for three reasons:
- After faking the murder, the magician hangs around for literally years, for no reason other than to put on shows that involve seemingly conjuring dead spirits. Why didn't he just run off with her straight away? No explanation given.
- Some of the magician's tricks are explained. Fair play. But the conjuring spirits thing, which is the main trick in the film, is not explained at all. Frustrating.
- Throughout the film we are lead to believe that the princess is dead. The fact that she isn't is revealed in the final scene as the chief of police pieces together the evidence. However, he didn't actually discover any of this evidence himself, it just 'appears' in his mind in the last scene. Completely unconvincing.
Kick-ass was a film I wasn't sure about but I was told it was very entertaining. Basic plot: teenager decides to try to become a superhero, discovers other people are doing a similar thing, and gets mixed up in battling a gang.
The main problem I had with kick-ass is that it didn't seem to know what genre it was trying to be. There were elements of superhero, epic action a la Matrix, comedy, romance, spoof, high-school movie. But none of these held any water because there were so many other things going on. The only styles that could have really worked were comedy and spoof. The problem is, it just wasn't that funny.
The frustrating thing about all this is that both films had potential to be decent films. Both failed to fulfil. Disappointing. Does anyone agree with me about these two films? Or did anyone come to a different conclusion about them?
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