The Fallen, In Remembrance

We Will Never Forget


The world has just fallen silent to mark the centenary of Armistice. One hundred years has passed since World War 1. As always during the two minute silence that I always, always observe my mind bounces between prayer, reflection and gratitude, my eyes like diamonds holding tears that were I to give in to the sorrow that shrouds my soul on such occasions, I would have great difficulty in recovering. And this is coming from someone who has never set foot on a battlefield during times of war. I cannot even begin to try and imagine what veterans are feeling on Armistice day, so I wont pretend to try.

The world owes a debt to soldiers that can never be adequately repaid. The gratitude ought to hang from our every breath. Our freedoms earned by the blood and souls of those we call heroes, and are indeed heroes, even when the word is still not grand enough. We thank you, I thank you, a million times thank you. Not enough I know, you deserve much much more.


a short addendum
I wasn't going to do this but sadness gave way to anger and the article pulled me back. The thing that makes me most sad (and im not alone in this of course) is the fact that we expect the courageous to fight for us, to give the ultimate sacrifice and die for us, but we never learn and whether it is twenty years or two hundred years, our species are quick to war. We never tire of it. We pat ourselves on the back and throw around words like "civilised" but don't believe a word of it. Individually we might be but humans on the whole are just as savage as the first of our kind were when they walked the earth.
We can pretend otherwise but war is in our blood. To be man is to be with the sword and furies.

from "The Green Fields of France

Well the sorrow the suffering the glory the pain
The killing the dying was all done in vain
For young Willy Mc Bride it all happened again
And again, and again, and again, and again.

Atari Co Founder Dies

History. So few of us ever get to truly make history, to stamp your foot on the world and its generations, and leave it with something that will keep your name alive forever. Atari Co founder Ted Dabney did just that, and as a longtime player of videogames, I was saddened to hear of his death over the weekend. I only hope he knew how happy he made kids like myself.
You don't have to have played videogames to recognise Atari and its famous logo. Its a genuine icon from the 1980s. And while not everyone is a games fan, I would wager everyone has played Pong. Come now, you know you have.
Ted Dabney helped lay the foundations for one of the greatest, most varied artistic mediums on the planet. A real legend among pretenders and the memories of kids like me, keep our inner child alive as we run from the humble Pong to the current generation of videogames.


Ted Dabney, a pioneer, visionary.

Rest In Peace sir,
you made millions happy xXx

Enduring Spirit

Im not the biggest fan of Olympic games, no not even the Queen arrived via parachute with James Bond in London (it was cool though), so I will more than likely miss the entire thing but thanks to Pathe this is the piece of historic film that stays with me, as it does all surely, as evidence of the all conquering spirit of man that reaches beyond athletics.

Dragon Ball

*The title to this post was a given if you know your Japanese fighting games

Regular readers of my blog will know that my knowledge of football (a game I have always called 'soccer' despite other Brits insisting its football), begins and ends at zero. Heck, the only reason I know Leicester City won the Premier league is because it was big news and impossible to ignore. It was also a perfect example of how passion trumps money every single time but that's a blog for another time.
Of course nobody needs to be an expert to fire up a prediction (in fact some of the most accurate predictions come from laymen) so seeing as I misplaced my drum roll im going for a 3 - 2 final score in favour of we Welshies.

And why not? Its closer to the mark than our neighbours on the other side of Offa'a Dyke will be getting. You gotta have a ticket to win the raffle

Wales 3 = 2 Portugal

And even if we lose then leaping from a world rating of 117 to arrive at the door of a Semi Final is still hreat going mun.

EU: Stick or Twist

In 20 minutes time the voting will be closed. Will we be In or Out and who will be shaking it all about (apologies, couldn't resist). Whatever happens I don't believe qw wsome commentators do, that nothing will be the same again. Of course if it is said to add a touch of drama then I understand but if they genuinely believe it, then no.
Sure things will be icy between the two camps in the immediate aftermath but we are British and have been around a looong time, (hell we could teach history about history) and we are beyond tantrums, these ages forge a wiser bond.

Muhammad Ali:

"I know where I'm going and I know the truth, and I don't have to be what you want me to be. I'm free to be what I want -

Muhammad Ali

There are many, many lights in this world, gentle but fierce fires that find troubled souls to feed and shelter, see them through the ink black tides that would otherwise drown a desperate heart. Not always noticed (at least not at first) dancing specks of energy to whip up lights of comfort that shred the terrible silence when man struggles free of hope and believes in god abandoned.

There are occasions, rare times but non less true, when one light touches all who hear and see it. In this moment courage, wisdom reaches kings and beggars both. A glimpse of love unbridled.

Aye, seldom is a light for all, that has all and fortunate are we who share it. That silent mother light, a goodly shard for dark corners. Not a cure for ills or sandstorm prophet to make the dead walk. No steel messiah to drown the demons.
None of this but still something more. A leather sun to devour a world of hate and forge new hope for a million fellow souls. The grand inspiration, greater love for life and lives.

Fortunate are we who lived to see such naked love.

Diolch, thank you. Rest in Peace beautiful man x

Dare to Dream, Leicester

Regular readers will know by now that that in the great scheme of all things sport, football features pretty low down on the list. I mean, I would sooner watch show jumping than a game of soccer, but today? In the spirit of all dramas and tradition of change, I will be a footie 'fan' because plucky underdogs Leicester City are on course to deliver a grand upset and add its name to the long list of British sporting achievements. And this is a team that im reliably informed was fighting relegation last season.
Too many things are labelled "legends" and "heroes" these days but Leicester City will become one of the few genuine heroes which is a welcome pause from the shitty news this world serves up.

Leicester City were 5000 to 1 betting odds at the beginning of the season, and even when the doubters did their sour doubting thing the Foxes stayed their course to railroad through, too busy making history to be concerned with doubting Thomas mob.

Anyway enough blah blah, gp Foxes, go!