The Rory Briggs Blog

Malaysia urges Myanmar to quell violence

2013-08-27T20:03:00.000+08:00

Malaysia urges Myanmar to quell violence

02 Jul 2013 12:35

Written by Rory Briggs

Category: Regional

A Malaysian government minister on Sunday urged Myanmar to quell the current problems of inter-communal violence by taking a much stronger stance on bringing perpetrators to justice.

“Burma has to address the problem,” Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman told reporters at a summit of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ministers in Brunei.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman talks to reporters at the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Brunei's capital Bandar Seri Begawan on June 30, 2013. Photo: AFP

The Malaysian response comes after violent clashes between Myanmar’s Buddhist and Muslim Rohingyas in Malaysia in recent weeks.

“I know it’s complex,” he said, “but they have to address the problem in a transparent manner so that we can see what actions had been taken … I think the perpetrators have to be brought to justice so that it does not occur again.”

According to Reuters, Anifah said he had been satisfied by his Myanmar counterpart’s response that the government was taking the issue seriously.

Malaysia’s urging of Myanmar to take a stronger stance against the issue illustrates the problem is straining relations with Myanmar’s Muslim-majority neighbouring state.

The minister also claimed that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) had voiced concern that Asean’s Muslim-majority nations were failing to do enough in demanding Myanmar take serious measures in the face of persecution, prompting Malaysia to speak out against its fellow ASEAN member.

Malaysia’s Bernama news agency reported that Anifah had asked Myanmar to permit an OIC contact group to visit the country and be given full cooperation.

Ethnic Rohingya Muslims have fled in their thousands since sectarian violence first erupted last summer. Worsening living conditions have also driven the ethnic group to look elsewhere for refuge. Many have drowned or been rescued in recent months whilst attempting to cross the Andaman Sea on their way to Muslim-majority Malaysia and Indonesia.

The UN refugee agency says about 28,000 Rohingyas are registered as refugees in Malaysia, but groups representing them say the real number of Myanmar Muslim immigrants is much higher as a result of violence over this past year.

Tests begin on Shwe Gas pipeline as NGOs cry foul

2013-08-27T19:19:00.003+08:00

Tests begin on Shwe Gas pipeline as NGOs cry foul

17 Jul 2013 06:14
Written by Rory Briggs
Category: Natural Resources

Gas extraction has begun this week at the Myanmar-China natural gas pipeline, China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) announced on Wednesday, marking a milestone in the project’s trial period after weeks of delays.

The valves at the Kyaukphyu gas station, the pipeline’s starting place, in Rakhine State in western Myanmar were opened on Monday morning, state-owned CNPC said.

But a new report released the same day by a Thailand-based NGO, Shwe Gas Movement, highlights “glaring weaknesses” in Myanmar’s legal framework regarding the extractive industries that, according to a statement, are “resulting in human rights abuses, environmental damage and poor revenue distribution.”

“Natural resources should be used to benefit the country, not to enrich a select few at the expense of the environment and human rights of the affected communities,” said Wong Aung, Coordinator of the Shwe Gas Movement, in a statement on Wednesday.

“Our country has an opportunity to learn from past mistakes, but instead abuses are continuing in connection to the extractive industries. This must be stopped,” Wong Aung added.

The 12 billion cubic meters/year pipeline is operated by CNPC's subsidiary Southeast Asia Pipeline Co. and is scheduled to transmit gas from the offshore Shwe gas fields in the Bay of Bengal to China's southern province of Yunnan. From there, it will connect to a spur line within China.

The Shwe project had been targeted to start from July 1 but operator Daewoo International encountered production problems at the block and was trying to resolve the situation last week, officials at state-owned Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise told Platts last week.

Daewoo aims to produce 500,000 Mcf/day of gas from the entire project, with 400,000 Mcf/day to be sold to CNPC and the remainder within Myanmar.

MOGE had said last month that Shwe gas will initially be sent to the domestic market until proper commissioning of the Myanmar-China pipeline starts and the connecting pipeline within China has been fully completed. Officials said gas was only expected to reach China around August or September.

Yangon Nighthawks

2013-08-21T20:00:00.002+08:00

Myanmar article 3: Man United Coming Live to Myanmar

2013-07-05T17:27:00.000+08:00

24 Jun 2013 05:13
Written by Rory Briggs
Category: Sport

New SkyNet deal means Myanmar football fans can watch all the games, replays and analysis of Manchester United all season long. Photo:Manchester United

Teashops around Myanmar will undoubtedly enjoy some lively late nights from this August onward as the world’s most popular football team, Manchester United, on Monday announced it had signed a deal to broadcast its own private channel next season through Myanmar’s SkyNet.

With some 23 million viewers tuning into a Manchester United game within the first seven months of last season, SkyNet is confident Manchester United Television (MUTV) will be popular in football-fanatical Myanmar, a statement on the club website said on Monday.

A first-time deal has been also been struck up with Norway’s TV2, where the club also has a large fan base. The channel has also announced a two-year extension to its partnership with Icelandic TV station 365.

Manchester United commercial director Richard Arnold said: “Manchester United is fortunate enough to have 659 million followers around the globe and the creation of agreements, like the ones we have with SkyNet, TV2 and 365, allows us to bring them closer to the club they love. The new agreements mean that MUTV now has 22 international broadcast partners, covering 56 territories worldwide including parts of Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa. Through our partnerships, tens of millions of people now have access to MUTV content.”

Speaking to Mizzima on Monday, local sports journalist Ye Yint said, “People in Myanmar follow Manchester United because they are globally famous, Sir Alex Ferguson and the celebrities like Beckham, Ronaldo and Rooney are all loved here.”

He added, “Our people are football crazy. They want to win every match and Man U wins many matches. Their players have a fighting spirit and this spirit is like the Myanmar’s people’s spirit. That’s why they cheer for Man U.”

MUTV’s connection in Myanmar follows the recent visit of Man United legends Andy Cole, Dennis Irwin, Lee Sharpe and Clayton Blackmore.

The players teamed up with two MNL sides’ charity match against Myanmar’s national team. The event was organised by the Ayeyarwady Foundation which donated US$30,000 to health and education causes at a charity dinner afterwards.

SkyNet have acquired the rights to broadcast the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, and the English Premier League for the 2013-14, 2014-15, and 2015-16 seasons.

Myanmar article 2: ILO lifts all remaining restrictions on Myanmar

2013-07-05T17:21:00.001+08:00

21 Jun 2013 12:36
Written by Rory Briggs
Category: Myanmar

Hopefully a thing of the past—Chin villagers forced to build a road. Photo: Chin Human Rights Organization

Confidence in trade and foreign investments has been given a welcome boost following a decision by the International Labour Organization (ILO) to lift its outstanding sanctions on Myanmar.

ILO delegates voted this week to totally lift all remaining restrictions at their annual International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland.

Sanctions initially imposed by the UN agency back in 2000 meant the 185 member states were recommended to limit ties with the former pariah state in order to check the stream of forced labor in Myanmar.

Myanmar’s Ministry of Labor projected in a statement that the move will help boost international trade, increase foreign investment and create new jobs.

“The remaining restrictions have been lifted because Myanmar carried out pragmatic measures, including legislation, for eliminating forced labor in the country, and has achieved good results,” Myanmar’s Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security said in a statement.

But activist Su Su Nway, who spoke to AP, said that while there has been progress in the area of workers' rights, forced labor is still a major problem in many parts of the country.

“The resolution adopted by the conference recognizes the progress made in Myanmar and lifts all ILO restrictions on Myanmar,” the UN agency said in a statement on Tuesday.

Myanmar Article 1: Deloitte Moving Forward In Myanmar Despite NY Scandal

2013-07-05T17:18:00.000+08:00

Written by Rory Briggs
Category: Investment

Accountancy firm Deloitte was fined $10 million by New York State on Tuesday for its misconduct in advising Standard Chartered Bank over money laundering in Myanmar, Iran, Libya and Sudan.

According to the Agence France-Presse (AFP) news service, Deloitte LLC’s financial-advisory services unit now faces a one-year ban from consulting New York-regulated banks after failing to independently advise the UK Bank on its transfers with clients in Myanmar among others that took place primarily between 2001 and 2007.

The ban comes six months after the biggest of the big four accounting firms established a presence in Myanmarwith an Independent Correspondent Firm (ICF) through leading local Myanmar professional services firm, Myanmar Vigour Co Ltd.

“We are delighted to be working with Deloitte, an organization so committed to delivering world class professional services,” said Soe Win, Managing Director of Myanmar Vigour, in January.

Money laundering continued despite the fact Deloitte Financial Advisory Services took up the role of independent advisor in 2004 to help Standard Chartered comply with money laundering statutes on requirement by the New York Department of Financial Services.

Standard Chartered was fined $667 million by federal and New York State authorities last year for permitting hundreds of billions of dollars to be laundered through its US branch by clients from Iran, Myanmar, Libya and Sudan, in violation of US sanctions on the countries.

The department said the fine, which the company agreed to in a settlement, was to cover its "misconduct, violations of law, and lack of autonomy" in advising Standard Chartered.

"At times, the consulting industry has been infected by an 'I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine' culture and a stunning lack of independence," said Benjamin Lawsky, New York superintendent of financial services, in a statement.

In a statement Deloitte emphasized that its advisory unit was not accused of participating in the laundering.

Can new Russian money revive Monaco's fortunes?

2013-05-28T00:42:00.000+08:00

Back in 2004 Monaco found themselves in the Champions League Final, losing 3-0 to FC Porto. The starting line-up that day included the likes of Patrice Evra, Fernando Morientes and captain Ludovic Giuly.

A decade later and they've managed to propel themselves out of the doldrums of Ligue 2, France's second tier, winning the league title in the process.

Now with financial backing by Russian billionaire Dimitry Ryboloviev (worth $9.1Billion, a Billion less than Abramovich). AS Monaco look set to challenge Qatari-backed PSG for big name signings.

Current manager Claudio Ranieri must be feeling a sense of deja-vu as another Russian billionaire transforms a club.

Ranieri has claimed "Monaco will become the new Chelsea" but rising to the summit of the French League is not exactly comparable with Chelsea winning the English Premier League. Another difference is Chelsea had the man who beat Monaco in 2004, Jose Mourinho.

Whether the Russian will become the new Abramovich depends on his allowing managers to take time and take charge of their players. And most importantly, whether money is not rashly thrown at big name players ahead of focussing on constructive team building.

Club Presidents often hinder clubs like an overbearing government. Less interference in team choice the better then.

Monaco have an estimated €150 million to invest in the transfer market this summer. Finding the right manager will certainly help their chances.

They've already begun the spending by adding Porto's Joao Moutinho (previously wanted by Spurs) and James Rodriguez for £60 million. Atletico Falcao has followed them for a staggering £51.3million.

Branislav Ivanovic is the latest player rumoured to be linked after Monaco failed to sign City's Vincent Kompany.

Current manager Claudio Ranieri may be not be around next season though as Al Ahli coach Quique Sanchez Flores is apparently poised to replace the Italian. I wouldn't rule out Roberto Mancini for the job either.

Wenger Confirms Transfer Target: Clément Grenier, the 'New Kaka'

2013-05-26T19:19:00.000+08:00

"We are following him," Wenger said to Telefoot. "His intelligence of play pleases me. He has interesting qualities. He reminds me of Nasri."

The 22-year-old has been in inspiring form in Ligue 1 for Lyon this season. His 6 goals and 8 assists have marked a breakaway season for the frenchman.

Catching the eye of Wenger in particular for his raw technical ability. He's also been compared at times to former Lyon free-kick specialist Juninho (see why in the video clip).

Arsenal had also been linked to a possible double transfer of Grenier and rising France and Lyon star Maxime Gonalons. The duo would reportedly cost in the region of 20million

Dipping once again into the pool of rising French talent Wenger is continuing his faith in investing in youth.

Although interest in summer moves for Higuain and Jovetic show he isn't shying away from spending some 'f-ing money'.

THE INCOMING RISE OF MONGOLIAN FOOTBALL

2012-05-05T18:01:00.001+08:00

By Rory Briggs

Whilst wondering whether the worldwide cultural phenomenon of Football is rising in Mongolia or simply sinking like a stone, I’ve found the times they are a-changin.

If you wander the streets of this city at any time you’ll be sure to find a group of children, teenagers or those even older playing basketball on the slapdash concrete courts. Yet every now and then you’ll see next to the basketball game, a smaller game of football will be taking place. Although small, the interesting observation is that those playing the football are the younger generation. It seems the Mongolian interest in basketball comes from America and the sports coverage that streams from American TV networks. This to some degree helps explain why football has taken a slight back-seat in mass popularity since 1990 and the end of Communist control in Mongolia. But with visits from A.C Milan, new stadium projects and new investment, perhaps Mongolian Football is now set for greater heights.

To get a clearer image of how football is taking shape and progressing I caught up with Erchim FC Head Coach, Batnasan, at the MFF (Mongolian Football Federation) Training Centre. The Ulaanbaatar based team have been crowned champions of the Niislel League (meaning ‘Capital League’) 6 times with the last victory back in 2008. Their recent cup runs have fared better than recent league form having won the Mongolia Super Cup last year.

-How are the team preparing for the start of the 2012 season?
-Good. We are currently preparing for the AFC President’s Cup for which we are travelling to play teams in Lahore, Pakistan. We have good time to prepare as The Niislel League should start on the 10th June.

-Who are Erchim’s main rivals in this year’s league?

-There are no specific rivals as all 8 teams are strong enough to challenge for the league title. Some years you cannot predict who will end up as winners as it is very close right until the very end.

-Do you feel football is growing and becoming more popular?
-Yes Mongolia has a footballing history that goes back to 1964. But recently, within the last twenty years interest has started to grow. Within the last ten years the league has started to take a more professional shape with professional standards and styles of play.
-How well is Football being publicized here?

-Very well actually. There is a lot of football being broadcasted on TV with the Asian Cup, Euro and World Cups all covered and watched. The Niislel League has also become better publicized because it is shown more on TV with Live broadcasts of League and Mongolian Cups. There is also a newspaper called ‘Football’ which is now popular too which covers our teams.

-Where is the funding for football teams coming from and is it hard to find the necessary funds for teams here?
-Yes it is very hard to find enough funding here in Mongolia compared to many other countries. This is the main problem that teams here are still facing. At the moment teams receive investments from other private companies. First we plan our budgets and then ask for companies to donate to us. We normally seek out investment to provide funding for players’ salaries and to maintain the training facilities as well as maintaining the grounds themselves.

-What kind of companies are these that provide the funding?
-Other teams in the league have their own relationships with private companies. But this team, Erchim FC, is financed directly by Power Plant NO.4 as this is their team.

-I see there are plans to expand this ground. How do you feel that will affect interest in the sport?
-I am very pleased with the plans that are now set in place to improve the ground. The proposed budget for the construction will transform the venue in a fully-fledged stadium with seats. After the expansion is completed, we can then attract more international focus and host international football matches so we can compete with other nations and acquire better skills at the same time by learning from other foreign teams. Yes we are all very happy that the Mongolian Football Federation is going ahead with this project.

-Are there any youth programs in place to help nurture young Mongolian football talent?
-I am not aware of the details of such programs but each Niislel League team has their own junior teams which enable young talent to rise up through the ranks. For each of their junior teams there is also good coaches that help train their skills and technique. This is very helpful when selecting for new seasons.

-What was the purpose of A.C Milan’s recent visit to Mongolia?
-Milan and Ulaanbaatar are sister cities. So when the Mayor of Ulaanbaatar was invited to visit Milan, he made some agreement with A.C and asked them to come to Ulaanbaatar and help train Mongolians teams and promote interest in establishing new teams in the Niislel League.

-Will there be new teams in the League in the near future?
-There are currently no new teams entering the league this season. There was a new team that tried to be introduced into the league but it was rejected because its policies were not standing with the standards of the league.

-Where do you see the National Mongolian Football team competing in years to come?
-Of course I see a bright future for Mongol Football but it is in our hands as the coaches. We are the ones preparing this young generation for the National Team so it is very much in our hands and I think we are prepared to work for this bright future.

-And which league in Europe do Mongolian teams hope to emulate in terms of style?
-Well as a coach here I make sure I am constantly watching the Premier league, La Liga, Serie A and also the German league. So I can get a general base for a style to train with.

-Which European teams in particular do you like the style of play?
-In English teams I support Chelsea and I am aim to take their type of football into my team’s style and from Spain I support Real Madrid.

It won’t be long until Mongolians understand what former Liverpool manager, Bill Shankly meant when he famously said:
“Some people think Football is a matter of life and death. I assure you it’s much more serious than that”.

NOUVEAU RICHE CITY OF IRONY

2012-04-26T20:38:00.000+08:00

Despite having only been in the Mongol capital for a week and a half I have already heard and observed the striking contradictions and confusions that help make up the true nature of the sprawling modern day city of Ulaanbaatar. Every nation has its contradictions, its ironies and its unpredictability. But in this instance it seems some more so than others.

The visual imbalance of old and new is already renowned and blatant. From one man taking a stroll down Peace Avenue wearing his Deel, an item worn my nomads for many centuries, to the building he walks past that houses branded logos of worldwide high street brands such as Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Emporio Armani and Hugo Boss to name but a few. Photos that show both constructions like the Blue Sky Hotel with a set of monastery roofs in the foreground highlight this even more. It’s certainly a bizarre contrast to witness. This contrast will become more and more apparent with new skyscraper constructions currently under way, including the latest Shangri-la Hotel set to be completed in 2013, as well as the Olympic Residence which will be the tallest building in the city.

The influx of foreign fashion to UB has brought with it a transformation from not wanting for much to wanting it all. This newly discovered need to impress and display wealth via the logo that’s stitched onto a piece of material is perhaps stronger than any other country. Of course the man in London who walks down Oxford Street certainly wears a piece of branded clothing which instills an almost subliminal effect of raising his ego. But this is perhaps far less so if in comparison with the high street Mongolian shopper. It is the effect of the newly rich that is transforming and equally hindering the supposed form of Mongolian identity.

This newly formed set of nouveau riche consumers are paving the way for probably one of the largest collections of giant gas guzzling cars in one space, even if the roads themselves are barely paved. You don’t need to look far to find such disproportionally priced cars. If large car owners in London think the ‘Chelsea Tractors’ are a laughable commodity then perhaps they should witness the roads here in a city where the name ‘Hummer Town’ would be more than suitable. According to UB car traders the Mercedes G500, another giant 4x4 is fast becoming the most popular. Parked outside the State Department Store sits a monster of a vehicle, a Lexus 570 SUV priced at $145,900. Now when you consider that the most expensive Lexus SUV currently on sale from the range starts at far less, $80,930 to be exact, you start to wonder why the Mongolian market in particular can comfortably advertise a comparatively extortionate price. In a country that has the smallest population density in the world at a mere 4.5 per square mile this seems rather odd, were it not for this emerging section of consumers more interested in who you are wearing rather than what or how big rather than how practical. Its’ even more ironic to see these cars drive past the statue of Lenin outside the Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party HQ, a far cry from the redistribution of wealth I thought.

But perhaps most contradictory of all is the resentment towards ‘the southern neighbour’, also known as China, despite buying vast numbers of products from them each year. Markets in the City such as Sunday Plaza are stacked to the roof with cheep clothing with many ‘Made in China’ labels. Food is equally sourced from the Chinese with such items as the popular strawberry jam, PAMPA, displaying in bold black letters ‘Product of China’. So the reality is clear, no matter how strongly Mongols feel about their previous occupants, the Chinese continue to hold fort here but only in the larders and fridges of Ulaanbaatar homes as well as being worn by those who want fake Adidas tracksuit tops or football shirts. There is an evident dichotomy emerging here with more and more Chinese exports to Mongolia as in turn China craves the wealth of resources that Mongol mines such as Oyu Tolgoi have to offer. If you ask Mongolians why they don’t like the Chinese they’ll most probably reply “bi medehgui” simply meaning “I don’t know”.

So what you have in today’s Ulaanbaatar is a city that’s fuelling a newly discovered need for greed that contrasts so heavily with what has been before. This is particularly evident beside the remnants of the past, the soviet buildings, the monasteries. It’s the monstrous cars, the branded clothes and handbags, pretty much anything that allows this section of new wealth to show they’ve made it. With this in mind, it’s easier to comprehend just how such a market for the purposely extortionate can exist here, no matter the cost.

From Russia With Love

2012-04-10T17:08:00.000+08:00

Arsene Wenger's Summer Spree. Target Identified: Olivier Giroud

2012-04-04T18:27:00.001+08:00

As Arsene Wenger reportedly sends Gilles Grimandi to scout the frenchman Oliver Giroud, currently star striker for Ligue 1 side Montpellier, the summer of 2012 is shaping up to be perhaps the first in a long time of enhancing the potential we've seen so late on in the current season.

Although Montpellier have apparently told all contenders that Giroud would be available in the region of £50 million, Arsene Wenger's negotiating prowess when it comes to anything French is a large advantage that outweighs what other clubs like Bayern and Juventus. Even Alan Pardew is said to be interested, however, after his failure to sign Gervinho at the end of last summer to the hands of Arsene, Pardew will know full well what he's up against when trying to sign a frenchman who is also in talks with Arsenal.

Giroud scored 14 last season and an impressive 22 goals so far this season shows he's clearly not frightened of shooting which has at times prevented Gervinho from becoming a true favourite at the Emirates since signing.

But what do we really know besides the stats and 3 international caps (bearing in mind that caps do not count for everything sometimes with Per Mertersacker as a clear example). Per was touted for rock solid defensive capabilities after 75 Germany caps but the crucial need for pace in the premier league has been his slight plight so far.

Let's see what Giroud has been doing in France in this clip. And for any Arsenal fan the sight of fresh goalscoring is much to whet the appetite considering Van Persie will need a partner to push for 3 points each game.

Whatever happens we'll be seeing him in action against England this summer in the first group game of EURO 2012.

Greats And Their Epic Moments Volume 1. '2001: A Space Odyssey'

2012-03-16T00:54:00.007+08:00

Up First is a film that contains no gore, no monsters, no ghosts, no aliens, no human v human terror, but it's horror is ever so impending and ever too engrossing. Made in 1968, it was the epitome of a ground-breaking, unprecedented, unparalleled and surreal piece of film-making, but then you realise it's Stanley Kubrick and still then you're astonished with this feat. With him at the helm he wields an almost Midas Touch of surreal film-making gold(with this film coming after 'Doctor Strangelove Or: How I Learnt To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb'). Throughout the film and especially by the final sequence you're left puzzled as to how any director could firstly conceive the idea, the metaphors, the perspectives on the nature and evolution of mankind. But perhaps the greatest thing about the film is that it is completely timeless, the same fears and the same intrigue that people have always had and fears that will continue to stay in our minds. These are the questions of why , who and how we're here in this corner of the great realm of existence. It's also got some great music.

From the beginning 'Dawn of Man' sequence, which observes a tribe of herbivorous early humans that are foraging for food in the African desert. A leopard kills one member, and another tribe of man-apes drives them from their water hole. Defeated, they sleep overnight in a small exposed rock crater, and awake to find a black monolith has appeared in front of them. They approach it shrieking and jumping, and eventually touch it cautiously. Soon after, one of the man-apes realizes how to use a bone as both a tool and a weapon, which they later use to kill prey for food. Later they reclaim control of the water hole from the other tribe by killing its leader. Triumphant, the tribe's leader throws his weapon-tool into the air as the scene shifts as the falling bone turns into an orbital satellite millions of years in the future...

And that's just the opening sequence. Man has come a long way is the clear message, which sets out the premise of a moral standing point. I.E. whether we take the right path in our history and just how far will that path take us until all that was man is gone, unrecognisable. It's also a very clear journey into a terrifying sense of infinite isolation, lost into the oblivion of whatever was and whatever will be.

This is the journey and sense of fear throughout the film. I'll leave the rest and the best bits of the epic unmentioned as it's almost wrong to give a general analysis when it becomes a very personal film and test your ideas of what's real and right. And at the centre of this fear for the characters in the film, oh yeah the film also has a plot and a simple one that lends itself to the grand space that surrounds it. The existence of the spaceship's HAL 9000 (an on board computer which looks after the ship, or does it?) seems to have a mind of its own and an unnerving capability for a calculated cognitive understanding of humans and its own personal emotional response. This is what truly leads the way for fear, the fear of the unknown. Or does it even matter at all? You'll understand.

New Girl On The Block- Azealia Banks.

2012-03-13T01:41:00.000+08:00

With a slightly interesting use of language for her lyrics this young Harlem born girl looks set to stake her claim in the music world and with her own style in the process.

Rumours of collaborations with M.I.A and Santigold she'll certainly get a shot at the limelight which will perhaps give someone as refreshing as Miss Banks the chance to show some more of her song-writing attitude whilst she's at it.

Let's see how quickly it takes before she's a big name...

I Wonder Which One's The Cat?

2012-03-13T01:30:00.000+08:00

THE WEIRD AND WONDERFUL WORLD OF TWIN PEAKS

2012-02-27T08:16:00.006+08:00

ON the 29 episode box set is a quote by Jonathan Ross that perfectly summarises the richness of this series' content and contrasts.

"A masterpiece, the Scariest, Weirdest, Funniest and Sexiest TV series of all time". And Wossy weren't wong about that.

The epitome of a cult tv creation, David Lynch's Twin Peaks' is certainly weird. On the face of the beginning plot would let you imagine it to follow a slightly more obvious who-dunnit murder case. Yet things are far from what they seem throughout this ethereal journey to find the truth.

FBI special agent Dale Cooper is an articulate and intuitive detective despite his obsession with 'damn fine coffee' and love of cherry pie. Twin Peaks' identity is encapsulated in Agent Cooper's character. He's riddled with past tragedy, he's strong and fearless, seemingly the only one down to earth and understanding of all characters, yet it's his passion for the job, his devotion to help the inhabitants in the spooky settings of town and woods, these are the virtues that make him feel powerless to the evil inside. The use of both 'fear' and 'love' in Twin Peaks demonstrates twisted versions good and evil and how easily we mortals can be used like puppets in the name of evil, despite such heroic displays of goodness. All these clashes culminate to create a beautifully crafted war. A war that unfolds both in the real search for the murderer of Laura Palmer coupled with Agent Cooper's own heart of darkness-like journey right to the brink of his own mind.

Characters range from sly crooked hotel owners and inept sheriff deputies to otherworldly characters who are almost mythical in the religion of lynch such The Giant, the old waiter, Major Briggs, The Log Lady and the dancing midget known officially as The Man From Another Place. And a host of beautiful eye-candy with Laura Palmer and her cousin Maddy, Shelley Johnson, Audrey Horn and Donna Hayward to explore an underlying sexual exploitation, especially with the show's almost Gothic elements of beautiful and idolised girl getting ravaged by evil. Sided by the hot-tempered Bobby Briggs, brutal Leo Johnson and the quiet biker James Hurley (probably the only normal character in the whole series).

Not only is there immensely eerie beauty in the scenery, the suspense filling sections, the ethereal dream-like sax and Motown drum soundtrack that let the episodes drift like ripples of smokey notes that linger in old mid-western bars, Except there's still a brutal murder mystery to accompany it. The puzzling contrasts leave you wanting, not only factual answers to the story line but equally further answers to what it is Lynch really means, what Lynch is implying, why he transports us into another realm with all these bizarre, twisted and sometimes uncomfortable ideas and visions.

It may be an acquired taste but once your under its spell, once you've got to grips with what to expect in its world and once you've transformed your expectations of how murder mysteries should normally function, then you'll be hooked and never want the journey, the labyrinth you find yourself in, to end. And remember.....BOB shows no mercy.

WHO WINS? YOU DECIDE...........You Don't Actually, Although I Suppose You Have Already, Via Your Appreciation And Purchase Of Each Nominee's Music..Anyway, Where Was I? Here's What I'd Have Chosen...

2012-02-22T00:32:00.000+08:00

British Male Solo Artist

Ed Sheeran

British Female Solo Artist

Florence & the Machine

British Breakthrough Act

Emeli Sandé

British Group

Coldplay

British Single

Adele - Someone Like You

MasterCard British Album of the Year

Florence & The Machine - Ceremonials

International Female Solo Artist

Lady Gaga

International Group

Foo Fighters or Fleet Foxes

International Breakthrough Act

Lana Del Rey

'FILMING OF FILMS' AND MORE

2012-02-04T05:06:00.000+08:00

Why Black And White Aint Half Bad

2012-01-26T05:01:00.000+08:00

ZUUNA TAIGA, MONGOLIA, 2007

Yurt (Ger)

Lemmy

Ian Curtis, Joy Division

Les 400 Coups filming. Lead role played by Jean-Pierre Leoud(above).

THERE'S SOMEONE I'VE BEEN MEANING TO UNLEASH ON YOUR EYES AND EARS......

2012-01-18T09:14:00.000+08:00

It's all too tough to decide which is better amid three genial pieces of music. Yet for longevity the song that, if repeated again and again, does not lose its haunting capacity to touch would undoubtedly be Video Games.

Despite Lana's (born Elizabeth Grant) disappointing live performance thus far, mention must go to her ability to record spine tingling captivating music with an album after album potential. An equally talented capacity to drive new enthralling obsessions over her. Her look wouldn't let her seem lost in some rustic 50s/60s Film Noir. Were she to be an actress, she could pour through male fantasies with an all too enticing onscreen presence.

Winning various next best thing awards and nominations, Lana Del Rey looks set to become a household name in the not too distant February, seeing as her debut album arrives to our itunes and car cd systems on 30th Jan.

NEW STRIKER AT PRIESTFIELD

2012-01-13T01:45:00.000+08:00

Gillingham have signed Dagenham and Redbridge striker Gavin Tomlin on loan until the end of the season.

The forward, who can also play on the wing, impressed Gills' manager Andy Hessenthaler playing against the Kent club for Torquay last season.

The Gills boss told BBC Radio Kent: "He ignited Torquay's run-in, his goals were a major reason why they made it to the play-offs."

Gillingham-born Tomlin signed on the day before his 29th birthday.

"Gavin's versatility will be a real help to us, he can play anywhere across the line up front," added Hessenthaler.

A former Gills youth-team player, Tomlin has also had spells at Brentford and Yeovil, as well as a number of non-league clubs, including Kent League club Fisher Athletic.

Tomlin goes straight into the Gillingham squad for their game at Shrewsbury on Saturday 14th January.

Tomlin told the club's official website: "From a goalscoring point of view at Dagenham it's not been going well for me so I think I need a fresh start.

"Hopefully I can score a lot of goals for the club. That's my aim."

Meanwhile, Gills' teenage defender Jack Evans has extended his loan deal at Conference South club Welling United for another month.

The 18-year-old made five appearances for Welling after joining them for his first spell in December.

He has played just once for Gillingham's senior side - as a substitute in the 5-2 victory at Torquay United in October.

The Bizarre Art of Throat Singing

2012-01-01T04:29:00.000+08:00

This form of music was popularized by the people of Tuva, a small republic in southern Siberia.
The style then spread across the steppes and into the heartland of Genghis Khan where the ancient Nomadic way of life still breathes.
Developed by these nomadic herdsman of central Asia, the tradition required singers to produce two or pitches simultaneously, creating this ridiculously unusual effect.
First up is Albert Kuvezin, Dave Grohl's Tuvan twin, with his band Yat Kha and their cover of Joy Division's 'Love Will Tear Us Apart'.

May 2012, Election Time. A look Back To Scenes of 2008.

2011-11-30T10:34:00.000+08:00

This coming May will see election fever return to Mongolia. In particular, amid the streets of Ulaanbaatar, the capital city, where in 2008 the reaction to election results sparked fury. The pictures captured that May (below) give a small indication to the whirlwind of frustration that heated such riotous scenes.

The cause of such "civil war" ,as locals refer to it, came after the Mongolian Democratic, Civic Will Party and Republican parties disputed the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party's victory in the parliamentary elections.

Approximately 30,000 people took part in a public meeting led by the opposition parties. After the meeting was over some protestors left the central square and moved on to the nearby headquarters of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party, attacking and burning the building. A police station was also attacked.

A four-day state of emergency was declared, the capital was placed under a 22:00 to 08:00 curfew, and alcohol sales banned, following which measures rioting did not resume. Five people were killed and hundreds arrested by the police during the suppression of the riots. Human rights groups expressed concerns about the handling of this unprecedented incident by the authorities.

Reporting on the events surrounding next May's elections, I will attempt to gauge the feelings, opinions, facts, figures that make Mongolian politics a melting pot of spontaneity and emotion.

Fleet Foxes playing 'Helplessness Blues' live at Austin City Limits. September 18th 2011.

2011-11-08T09:44:00.000+08:00

The Rum Diary's coming.

2011-10-30T19:51:00.000+08:00

There was Madness in any direction, at any hour. You could strike sparks anywhere. There was a fantastic universal sense that whatever we were doing was right, that we were winning.

From the Rum Diary:
"and I felt that If I went just a little faster I might overtake that bright and fleeting thing that was always just ahead of me."

"On the way down the hill we walked three abreast in the cobblestone street, drunk and laughing and talking like men who knew they would separate at dawn and travel to the far corners of the earth."