Toni's amble thru' life

Snow

2013-02-26T16:48:00.000+01:00

So over the last few days the snow arrived with all the vengeance of a fully grown Siberian tiger, who had maliciously pounced on its prey, using its entire weight to knock out its victim, causing it to enter a comatose state.

And now we waddle precariously down the street, awash with melting snow, which is reminiscent of a multitude of tiny rivulets, winding their inevitable way between the cracks in-between the cobblestones, who due to their liberal dusting of salt are dry and easy to walk upon as you amble slowly through the centre of town, inching closer to your eventual destination, Starbucks.

But in this arctic blast of late winter, spring being three weeks away, the natural elements remind me that the order of life is as it should be. For there beneath the soles of your covered feet, nature is stirring, awaking, slowly reaching upwards to reward us with an artist's palette of many differing hues. The snowdrop will be the first to arrive, followed by the daffodil, crocus, and the array of flowers that hug the warmth of the surface. Then we'll feel good, delighted by the joyful presence of Mother Nature and her blessings.

It'll of course remain both cold and cool, deluges of rain all too common and bothersome, winds seeking to rip through your wrapped up frame. Such things won't matter much, a mere and momentary inconvenience because the warmer weather will reach us sooner rather than later. Time will be relative and shorter because when you add autumn and winter together, that's six months long and seemingly endless dark, dank and dreary months.

Yet I like autumn and winter, they're dying and dead months. Perhaps to most people they're the most morbid of the annual season merry-go-round. Perhaps so, but I look upon them as no different to periods of sleep, followed by a rumbling growl, quickly chased by a lunatic growth and manic frenzy of activity. Then comes corpulence everywhere. Trees are resplendent, varied, magnificent and tributes to nature's architectural wonders, a feat man tries to replicate with the pomposity of his character, defeated by his vainglorious nature. Finally, the trees shed their clothes, each leaf serves to feed the next generation, to amaze us with its final colourful flourish, until such time each specimen is as naked as you or I.

Yes, we may pass through the seasons, make of them what we will, but autumn and winter are my favourite time. Those six months are restful, there's an eternal peace to them. Like a pair of old slippers, they fit comfortably into life and its ever present scheme. Unlike former friends they never let us down. They're predictable, equipped with a sameness that doesn't disappoint. They're honest, unable to deceive and lie. They remain as they always are, and there is much comfort to derive from such honest pleasures.

As for the melting snow, heading for the drain by the side of the road, disappearing into the endless rabbit warrens of the sewer system, it will be no more, maybe in a few days time, and I'll be sad to see it go.

The Occupy Movement

2011-11-20T14:25:00.001+01:00

It's been quite some years, 30 years or thereabouts, where I was anything but pessimistic about the state of the world. Yet now I feel enthused by the Occupy movement, and the fires of hell burn deep once again. As my dear friends will tell you once you got me on the subject of politics I'd climb aboard my hobby horse and mostly rail against the capitalist system, largely because of my deep abhorrence of it.

For me, capitalism has always been a 'black & white' subject, driven by my own practical experiences and the injustice that went along with that. Such thoughts that I had were moulded by long stretches of my own life living in relative poverty, brutally at times, and living in a hierarchical class structure where opportunity wasn't a given, or more often than not denied, my abhorrence and blinkered view firmly held sway. And that's the very point of it all, when you cloak yourself with a heavy mantle of political persuasion you fail to see the wood for the trees.

Despite that, I now find myself questioning such a naturally blinkered view because I've discovered there's a different way of looking at capitalism, one that largely is inspired by a young man, who for the last few days has kept me glued to my chair due to his reporting of the events taking place in Zugatti Park, or Liberty Platz as it should be more correctly referred to. His name is Tim Pool, and the most refreshing service he's done to this ancient cobwebbed brain of mine, is to blow the bloody things away.

As someone who who makes a lot of use of the web for any number of reasons, mostly to do with learning and self learning, I've often remarked how joyous the learning process is by the endless examples of young Americans and their selfless behaviour in patiently explaining the joys and headaches of technology; such young enthusiastic minds have saved me an enormous amount of time, for which I'm eternally grateful, which brings me back to Tim.

Tim is the product of Capitalist America, and he knows that the system he is a part of is broken. When listening to him he speaks with clarity, purpose and unbiased objectiveness. As he reports on the events around him, he does so because he cares deeply that his country is being ripped apart by the very failure that once made the USA an economic 'superpower'. More importantly he's extremely aware of the corruptness that runs like a torrential torrent through the last bastion of democracy, the media or 'Fourth Estate.' As you listen to Tim you hear behind the voice a calm reasoning of the events taking place, a maturity beyond his worlds and own world view. He knows that capitalism, in its present form, no longer provides any answers. Listening to him you realise that his 'voice' is the reasoned American one, searching for answers capable of bandaging the wounds and scars of battle. Above all he knows that the 'American Dream' must become something entirely different.

Tim believes in democracy, he also believes in some form of capitalism that is beneficial beyond the American borders. Tim, and many of his peers, know intimately that the world is no greater than a global village. As I sit watching him reporting from New York, he reaches out to the rest of the world and they become involved. There have been times when his constant reporting has driven him to the point of collapse, as on Wednesday last, yet the world responded by showing its care, and perhaps love.

Tim is the future. He may get that future wrong. But what the world needs now more than anything are reflective minds that can make a real difference in some way, however small that difference. From me Tim, sitting in Germany 6,000 miles away, thank you for the opportunity of being in your company, and helping 'old dogs' think again.

Tim can be found here: http://wearetheother99 & @Timcast (Twitter)

2011-10-20T11:16:00.001+02:00

Check out this wonderful love story! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hckrig2BwNY&feature=topvideos_music http://bit.ly/puRWpz

2011-09-24T12:18:00.001+02:00

A great discovery, check this band out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtZJf_3kmEA http://bit.ly/qSmk4G

2011-08-30T10:18:00.001+02:00

For all the baby boomers out there here's a blast from the past! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwLRppxfg7g http://bit.ly/owP4le

2011-08-29T10:40:00.001+02:00

English Support Services is now available to SMEs and individuals for English language training/teaching, English language support (front and back office), proofreading and consultations. Contact ESS at englishsupport.de@gmail.com http://bit.ly/pPOZC1

2011-08-28T20:18:00.001+02:00

About the most useful thing Fox News has ever done! http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/27bGVI/www.foxnews.com/leisure/2011/08/09/14-household-uses-for-beer http://bit.ly/oELx7e

2011-08-18T22:27:00.001+02:00

I'm thankful for two things in my life a strong character in the face of adversity and not knowing what's around the corner. Second, the support and love of dear friends, to whom I raise my half full glass and say 'thanks to each and everyone of you for being there.' http://bit.ly/oDNAcS

Politics of Britain

2011-08-18T13:16:00.002+02:00

Life's been a little weary, and I agree not the best way to start a blog post. But it goes without saying it could have been much worse if it wasn't for the help and support of dear friends, so a big thanks guys for being there and you know who you are.

So what's been happening in Toni land? Well I have to admit that I've had my nose glued to the Guardian online edition for weeks now, mostly due to the state of Britain, corruption, rioting, British police shooting dead an individual, the death of a suspect in the custody of police after being tasered by them. I know that sounds a bit Orwellian, and maybe it is, but you can't help but feel that Britain is in danger of imploding on itself. None of which is helped by the present prime minister, David Cameron.

I think it's been obvious now for last few weeks and recent months that David Cameron's leadership qualities have taken on the surreal qualities of the infamous 'Judge Roy Bean', who wanted to hang everyone who came before him for committing a crime. In trying to be portrayed as a 'man of action' Cameron has urged every court in the land to literally send people to jail, if they were involved in the recent British riots in London and elsewhere. Consequently, 'macho call me Dave' Cameron doesn't feel in any way sympathetic to the jailing of an individual for stealing a bottle of water, along with a young mother who was thrown in jail for accepting a 'gift' of stolen shorts. Whilst in no way condoning theft, I'm utterly aghast that the British justice system is acting in the interests of political expediency and not judicial independence.

Whatever the rights and wrongs of the recent riots, and there will be many on either side, Cameron looks like a man desperate to appeal to a certain section of British society so that he can be voted into power at the next general election. His lack of judgement in recent times, makes him look pathetically out of touch with what's going on; but then there's nothing new in that. For a man who has his finger on the button that launches the A-bomb the thought is truly frightening. Equally, when he stands up in the House of Commons and declares that Britain is 'broken' and that he will mend it, stretches any amount of credibility he had left. This is the prime minister, who's government has introduced massive cuts at every level in society, resulting in thousands of job losses, with more to come. The only level that's not been effected by his hollow rhetoric is the rich, who continue to do very nicely, despite the economic problems.

Life in Britain is of its own making, and sadly at its very epicentre is nothing but corruption and appalling bad political management. Are there any answers? Yes, but for politicians they are not ones they wish to take, so weak is the political structure. British democracy, no matter how outdated it is, is governed by the notion of a 'social contract', yet the present government does nothing that will betray its roots and debt to those unknown 'faces' scurrying about like cockroaches in the City of London.

I'm not surprised by the decline of Britain's fortunes, they have been largely self-inflicted with the rise of Thatcherism in the 1980s, Blairite continuation of the same policies, and now a coalition of the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats ruling the country without any political mandate whatsoever. All of which is made sadder by the fact that the electorate of Britain, last May, chose to remain with the same political system that's all too willing to trample on them. Deeply saddening is that the British electorate is reaping the rewards of its own lack of willingness to change British democracy for the better.

Deeply, deeply sad.

2011-08-15T18:42:00.001+02:00

It makes the heart feel warmer when the Germans choose to save a cow called Yvonne...http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/aug/15/cow-fugitive-germany-reward http://bit.ly/qh6Oi3

2011-08-15T15:47:00.001+02:00

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/8RyKCg/blog.sublimedirectory.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/What-Beer-Should-I-Drink.jpg http://bit.ly/nrSWMo

2011-08-12T22:12:00.001+02:00

Just watched 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes.' and was delighted it lived up to all hype. Engrossing film in every way, the British actor Brian Cox was the one 'weak spot' in the film and was badly miscast, which is a great shame because he's brilliant actor when given the right part, and this wasn't it. I'd happily give the film 8/10 overall, but 10/10 for the Apes, who should get nominated for an Oscar. http://bit.ly/pw5J6q

2011-08-04T10:49:00.001+02:00

If you decide to exercise, should the weather prevent you undertaking the greater good? Naw, in for a penny in for a pound. Glad I went and got soaked, refreshing after the recent warm weather! http://bit.ly/pSxFN6

2011-07-23T17:05:00.001+02:00

It has come as no great surprise to find that Britain is in the middle of crisis, caused by the widespread collusion and corruption of politicians, police, media and judiciary. Such revelations, as now, have finally debunked the notion that British institutions are bound to the rules of democracy and democratically accountable. Since the time of Thatcher, corrupt practices have been deeply ingrained, Murdoch treated as a monarch, his empire allowed to run roughshod over unions and the traditional sanctity of the 'Fourth Estate' and its remit to hold institutions accountable. But here the British themselves must hang their head in shame, for they prefer to listen to nothing that attacks their naive belief in sovereignty, justice and that most treasured illusion, fairness. The land of Albion remains in 'splendid isolation', yet the eyes of the world will remain upon it. My English eyes will shed a tear, because a once great nation closed theirs. http://bit.ly/nMsGMh

2011-07-19T10:50:00.001+02:00

Do you know what your granny is up to? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65ZVMhOUxiY http://bit.ly/nKzebj

2011-07-15T22:04:00.001+02:00

Watch, Listen, Learn http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pktOXJr1vOQ&feature=watch-now-button&wide=1 http://bit.ly/nxYHmE

2011-07-14T18:22:00.001+02:00

Whilst one can dream of cinematic immortality, one has the inevitable problem of the editing suite deciding it doesn't like me and stops working! Grrrrrrrrrrrrr! http://bit.ly/piCMqH

2011-07-12T19:10:00.001+02:00

It is my hope, after the disgraceful events of News International, consumers boycott any product to do with Rupert Murdoch. http://bit.ly/qHSoU4

2011-07-09T12:38:00.001+02:00

For a game where no-one understands the rules, and the competition is fierce, it's nice to see grown men having a cuddle! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/09/bench-clearing-brawl-orioles-red-sox_n_893759.html http://bit.ly/qYEGuy

2011-06-30T10:31:00.001+02:00

For those interested please visit issuu.com/tonygough1 where you can find my EFL coursebook for writing, and a sample copy of my book of testing and assessment. http://bit.ly/m49q9M

2011-06-28T21:38:00.001+02:00

Watch this little animation! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AB6jnkhZfpU http://bit.ly/k4ujmu

2011-06-19T16:10:00.001+02:00

Sitting watching 'Barberella' for the umpteenth time and wallowing in a fit of nostagia. Jane Fonda deliciously funny, John Phillip Law naive, Milo O'Shea amusingly brutal, Roger Vadim gloriously over the top...they don't make films like this anymore and life's all the worse for it! http://bit.ly/khJYRQ

2011-06-18T18:54:00.001+02:00

O the joy of doing not much Just tinkering and accomplishing nothing...makes a nice change! http://bit.ly/lnNlL1

2011-06-03T17:27:00.001+02:00

Finally finished improving my working environment, looks great now it's done! http://bit.ly/m74nSN

2011-06-03T10:42:00.001+02:00

Thank you to everyone who has downloaded and bought one of my 2 books, or both, the magical '200' has been reached: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/tonibryan. Thank you also for the 66 people who viewed my 1st animation 'Monty' in the last 3 days since I uploaded it to my YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/tonibryan1 (Please leave a comment, Rate & Subscribe to my work) http://bit.ly/kgQjez