A rather good idea

Fuck the government!

I was tempted to wait....

....another couple of days to post again about the novel. Just completed the ninth chapter. That's chapters 1-9 for those that have kept semi up to date with my progress. Unlike earlier in the process where I'd written chapter six before chapter five. I have been posting my word count, 40,000 sounds better than 38,400 or whatever it is exactly so I had thought of waiting until I passed that barrier. However tomorrow and possibly some of friday depending on how long it takes I'm going to print it out either in it's entirety or the last three chapters and read over review and edit. So that might well be start of next week before I pass through the magic number, and well I wanted to post a blog about something this week.

I've been meaning to order a copy of the 2007 writers and artists yearbook, I only knew of it's existence as I found a 1999 copy lying around the house for no discernable reason. It lists everything from advice to basic knowledge like lists and contact details of publishers, literary agents etc. It's something to plough through and find places where to send this when it's done. It's a bit of a source of anxiety however as i'm reluctant enough to let anyone I know read it. Have this horrible idea they'd read over it, hand it back with a shake of the head and a look of pity in their eyes. I suppose a KB letter wouldn't be quite so bad, impersonal isn't always bad.

It was the one...

...hurrah, about time too. Good game as well, 2-0 up, pegged back to 2-2 before a dramatic late winner. Can't ask for much more, a decent performance, entertainment and the right result. Possibly just papering over the cracks for the now but I'll take it. Hopefully it's a confidence boost and we'll come through the big test at the weekend, away to Falkirk were we absolutely need a result in the league. a draw wouldn't be a bad result by any means. They've started season well, we've still got injury problems but a win would be just the tonic.

This is the one..

..This is the one, the one we're waiting for!

Well I bloody hope so, tonight, Motherwell vs Partick Thistle in the Scottish League Cup 2nd round. Season summary so far, played 4 and lost 4. Scored 2 and conceded 9. Generally looked like getting completely humped in 2 from 4 games and the one game where we started to look ok, well our keeper had a mare and practically threw the ball into the back of the net.

Home tie to a lower league outfit surely it's time for a morale boosting win to kick start the season? Fucking better be, some of these players been stealing a living so far. Even East Stirling have got a league win this season.

Iran

The president of Iran recently did an interview with CBS news 60 minutes programme. The link is to a page on page three of a transcript of it. I linked to that in particular as it contained the following passage.


"You are very good at filibustering," Wallace remarked. "You still have not answered the question. You still have not answered the question. Israel must be wiped off the map. Why?"

"Well, don't be hasty sir," the president said. "I'm going to get to that. I think that the Israeli government is a fabricated government."

"Fabricated" following the Holocaust, which he's said may also have been fabricated.

Last December, Ahmadinejad said the Europeans had created a myth of the Holocaust.

"What I did say was, if this is a reality, if this is real, where did it take place?" Ahmadinejad replied.

"In Germany," Wallace said.

"Who — who caused this in Europe?" Ahmadinejad asked.

"In Europe. If I may … so …what you're suggesting — one moment — what you're suggesting then, that Israel should be over in Germany because that's where the holocaust took place?" Wallace asked.

"I'm not saying that, mind you," the president replied.

But he has said Israel could be moved to Europe, or even to the United States but it shouldn't be in Palestine.

"Well, if an atrocity was committed in Germany or Europe for that matter, why should the Palestinians answer for this?" the president asked. "They had no role to play in this. Why on the pretext of the Holocaust they have occupied Palestine? Millions of people have been made refugees. Thousands of people to-date have been killed, sir. Thousands of people have been put in prison. Well, at the very moment, a great war is raging because of that."


It was of interest because it relates to words spoken by the Iranian president that were used to suggest that he wanted to wipe Israel of the face of the earth and that he was a holocaust denier. As far as i can see it's a proposition as to why when millions of Jewish people were murdered and genocide committed against them by the Nazi regime was considered a good idea to somehow make up for it by creating the state of Israel where they did?

He may well be a dangerous lunatic, he does seem to be tied to a fairly fundamental Islamic point of view. The thing is if he's a nutter and a genuine threat you shouldn't need to twist words to fit what you want people to think. I recently saw a documentary about how a 16 year old girl was executed for breaking morality laws, the judge and jury being the religious leaders. I consider this more than a bit backwards, it was horrific. So i'm no fan of modern day Iran

I consider myself neutral as far is it goes, i'm a european athiest. If you are Jewish or Mueslim and quietly go about your business I'm happy for you if it makes you happy. Israel however is a terrorist state occupying land it has no business being in, treating the Palestinion population under it's control in a truly horrendous fashion, hardly an advert for a moral society. It may well feel under threat surrounded by hostile neighbours, I wouldn't worry while the full might of US support backs them up.

Sad idiots

Where to start? Okay so perhaps most Mueslims have better taste than to go to Malaga on holiday but is that any reason to assume someone is a terrorist? Pilot should have told anyone not happy to board the plane to in more polite terms to "fuck off" and see how the insurance company deals with a cancelled holiday claim due to you being a racist twat that assumes asians on a plane equals a terrorist threat.

Slow news day?

Cricket on the front and back pages of the Independent. Ok it's the first ever forfeited test match apparantly but fir fuck sake get some perspective. One article even went on about how cricket was a "refuge from some of the worst pressures and cynicisms of modern life," that was written after mentioning how John Major was present. In fact after a quick double check that was apparantly an argument made by the ex tory bastard Prime Minister. After a hard days approving arm sales to a despotic regime I guess a bit of cricket takes the mind of things.

Speaking of arms sales to despotic regimes it's reassuring to see some things never change, what are the chances of Tony and George wanting to spread more democracy to the Middle East, possibly but not this little part.

Fringe day out

Very nice day out at the fringe yesterday, in for mid afternoon and the weather held out for us, didn't rain until after a fire interrupted Jimmy Carr set was concluded and hot dogs were consumed from a handy and fairly decent little stall selling crepes and well hot dogs.

Saw two shows, Jimmy Carr obviously who was pretty funny. Does a lot of shit telly but well if people will throw money at you...

Also saw Josie Long, a much more endearing comedic turn, a totally scatty bonkers woman but rather funny. In a small hall at the Cafe Royal, the complete opposite of slick gag merchant Jimmy Carr who was atthe EICC, it was a more satisfying show based on a woman with ADD with sketchy diagrams and talking about things that can make her happy. Some very funny bits and the less funny stuff was still entertaining. I'd reccomend seeing her show, was only about £6 and on at about half past 6. So even if you went along and hated it you'd have plenty time to enjoy rest of your night.

Also bought that Mark Thomas book I'd mentioned, as well as a book called illustrated stars and planets, or something like that for a £5 out of a bargain book shop. Thought it might help with sci fi book related stuff. I was banging my head on desk earlier in year trying to find out how far mars gravitational influence extends, in the end I just made a number up. Hopefully this will be handy for the odd bit of science.

There was some brilliant fishing DVD's for sale, with lots of stuff about using a big rod in the title!

Mark Thomas...

...usually has something to say. His website has been updated after being down for a good while. A new book on the arms trade released, not bought it yet although i do intend to. Got tickets to see his show in September which should be good.

Site itself is useful for any Mark thomas type news, also contains his recent writings from New Statesman articles. A magazine i've read some of lately, not as bad as i'd thought it would be and anything which John Pilger contributes to can't be all bad.

Football who needs it.

Spent the latter half of last week limping around after bashing my knee, seems ok now though. Followed up by watching a 3rd loss in 3 games for Motherwell to leave us pointless at the bottom of the league and the ignimonious distinction of being the only team to utterly inept not to take something of Rangers. How embarressing!

Oh yeah, my feet are still sore, my back hurts and now my left shoulder has been sore last few weeks despite no obvious incident to set it off and continues to remain so. If i was a horse they'd probably shoot me.

A Novel landmark

That's a seventh chapter finished and the 30,000 word mark breached. It's been a very stop start year and this last two weeks has been the most productive spell since way back in November and Decemember last year when I started.

To recap, from around last christmas due to general festivities etc there was a break which due to unfortunate circumstances which I don't want to dwell on and have thankfully been resolved led to about a solid three month break in the writing progress. Around April and May I got back into it, but it took a while to get going. I did some serious thinking and planning on the novel then which hopefully shall reap rewards in the writing process now. I also did some other non book writings which I hope to develop at a later date. Then I was away on holiday and despite taking the manuscript so far with me to review and edit remained untouched in the Turkish heat.

So it's only finally in the last couple of weeks that I've got back into something of a rythmn. I'm still easily distracted, hence by absence from msn and yahoo messengers during the day however I've been getting up at more standard hours and working more seriously towards the goal of finishing this project. It's not going to be finished overnight, next week or next month but if i can keep it up hopefully it'll near completion before the year is out. Must stay focused!

Nov-December -21,000 words
Jan-June - 3500 word(ish)
Last fortnight- 5500 (more or less)

Give or take a few hundred here and there.

I'm not lost on a desert island

The blog has been very quiet of late and not from a lack of things to write about, in terms of world news the situation in the middle east has been horrendous and well worth commenting on. I have chosen not to lately for a few reasons. I've been trying to be a bit more disciplined in working on my book since i got nothing done on holiday or much the first week back with it leading up to Leeds trip. I chose not to write on the war crimes of Israel in particular as i had just been reading a book called Tell Me No Lies edited by John Pilger, it contained a piece by Robert Fisk called Terrorists about the massacres of Sabra and Chatila. It left me feeling sick, and i don't think i'd have written anything remotely balanced immediately after reading it, indeed i may have been at risk of writing something vitriolic and borderline offensive. So i'm trying to concentrate on my book the now, i shall be getting back to the grindstone in a few minutes, although i definately reccomend the above book although i'm only about halfway through it myself, especialy if you are a journalist.