The Kate Middleton trickle-down effect

Thanks to Kate Middleton are the women of this nation becoming classier in their clothes choices? The stats show that Kate's engagement dress from Reiss sold out rapidly after the television announcement, as have a number of her other outfits, including another dress she wore when she met the Obamas.

No doubt, Middleton has become a style icon with clothes from the higher end of the high street. She wears pieces that are simple, elegant and most importantly affordable. Her style is tangible and within the reaches of us mere mortals. From the high end of the high street to the lower end, Middleton's style has left its mark and it's apparent from the shops which are currently awash with blazers and pretty dresses that ooze class.

She has inspired a generation of women to want to dress like princesses with her knee length dresses and well cut coats. Classy outfits where more is more is catching on. Perhaps part of the charm lies in the fact that although we can't all marry princes, we can at least feel as graceful as princesses. Will we finally become a nation of chic females to rival Paris or New York? I certainly hope so and continue to look forward to Kate's next outfit.

Review of 'A Separation'

Title: A Separation

Certificate: PG

Director: Asghar Farhadi

Time: 120 mins

DVD/Blu-ray

Rating: 3 stars

Set in modern-day Iran, thisgripping human drama follows the story of Nader (Peyman Moaadi) who is accused of causing his maid, Razieh (Sareh Bayat) to suffer a miscarriage after he throws her out for locking up his elderly father (Ali-Asghar Shahbazi) and stealing money. It is then up to Nader’s estranged wife Simin (Leila Hatami) to discover the truth.

Despite its title, this is film is more than just about the end of a marriage, it is the classic tale of one person’s word against another. The focus is upon characters rather than politics and presents a different side to Iranian society that is not seen in news reports.

Review of ‘A Doll’s House’ at the Arcola Theatre

Set in the 19th century, ‘A Doll’s House’ focuses on the seemingly idyllic marriage of Nora Helmer and her husband Torvald. With Christmas just a few days away and Torvald soon to start his new job as a bank manager come the New Year, things could not be more perfect for the couple. However, the superficial exterior soon begins to crack with the arrival of Nora’s school friend Kristine Linde and the appearance of Nils Krogstad who threatens to reveal Nora’s most closely-guarded secret which could change her life forever.

Henrik Ibsen’s play examines the powerlessness faced by women in this period, particularly in relation to money. The themes were controversial in their own time yet will still captivate contemporary audiences given gender equality is still an issue in today’s society. The play also touches upon materialism, something which will strike a chord with many given the current economic climate and the need to be thrifty.

In terms of acting, each member of the cast is superb, each giving a powerful and well-rounded performance. Gina Abolins who plays Nora gives a good turn as the kept wife, essentially the “doll” who inhabits the house of the title. Abolins captures Nora’s immaturity and her awareness of the power of her sexuality. She is girly with a flirtatious edge. The trio of eerie spectres are brilliant, they represent Nora’s past, present and future, and create an underlying sense of tension that is never broken even as the house lights fade to black.

This production is taking place in the recently-moved Arcola Theatre and the rustic feel of the theatre adds to the atmosphere. The design of the set places the audience inside the doll house that Nora lives in and also the heart of her internal conflict. The lack of space augments the claustrophobia of living inside the doll’s house. Despite the simplicity, the childish feel of the doll’s house is conveyed through the pastel fabrics draped on the walls and hanging from the ceiling. While the chintzy lampshades add to the bygone era in which the play is set and reinforces the traditional image of a doll’s house. An assortment of picture frames, tea cups, baubles, spoons, cupcakes and ice cream hang on the main wall adding to the slightly surreal nature of the play.

This is a wonderful production of an Ibsen classic with each member of the cast holding their own which should not be missed.

‘A Doll’s House’ is running at the Arcola Theatre from now until 30th July 2011. For more information visit www.arcolatheatre.com

Picture: Bjarte Rettedal

A journalistic observation on the unfolding of Norway

On the afternoon of Friday 22nd July, I along with journalists in newsrooms across the world watched as the mayhem in Norway unfolded. Following the blasts at government buildings, the Twittersphere exploded in response to the events. People tweeted about what they had seen and heard, re-tweeting others. There were news organsiations and journalists tweeting every few moments as well. I watched as my timeline update while the hashtags and trending topics changed to 'Norway', 'Oslo' and 'NRK', the largest Norwegian news broadcaster, whose footage was being shown by BBC News.

As BBC News showed the devastation, I noticed a new trending topic on Twitter: 'Utøya', clicking on it I found a flood of tweets mentioning a shooting taking place on the nearby island of Utøya, the shooter was a man dressed as a policeman. At that point many news organisations had yet to pick up on it and I felt if my duty to re-tweet something of the shooting however, when re-tweeting there is a question of reliability. Which sources could be trusted and which could not.

The journalists around me only took information that had been tweeted by two different organisations in order to ensure reliability. I followed their example, carefully looking out for trusted organisations and journalists' tweets about Utøya and then re-tweeting the information. Sometimes it is easy to become caught up in a news story and it is important to stay focused and try to make sure the facts are as accurate as possible. Verification of the facts is so important, get them wrong at your peril, which is why even re-tweets should be as reliable as they can be. If the facts are wrong, it reflects poorly upon the person who has re-tweeted them and reliability is part of the strong bond between the media and the people.

The news eventually appeared on the television but as is now always the case, Twitter got there first. The people tweeted and the news media responded. Individuals who knew teenagers on the island tweeted warnings about not contacting loved ones in case they were hiding. If Twitter had existed during the Columbine massacre I have no doubt it would have been the same: young people using social media to tweet to the world about what was going on.

I suppose with Twitter and the internet as a whole there will always be a question of reliability.

Piece for Radio Northwick Park's 2011 magazine: Arthur

For over 40 years Radio Northwick Park has brought patient broadcasting entertainment to thousands of people at Northwick Park Hospital. However, the radio station provides more than just music, it is also a patient-visiting service.

Our volunteers go to the wards not only to take song requests from patients but to speak to them. Luckily, most patients see their family or friends during the visiting hours in the evening, even if they have little contact during the day. Unfortunately, for Arthur Aplin, his family were scattered all over the globe with relatives in France and Canada.

When he suffered a stroke his daughter-in-law contacted Radio Northwick Park to ask if our volunteers could visit him once in a while and bring him a newspaper to read. We sent volunteers to visit him almost every night to speak to him and give him some company. He was even interviewed by one of our presenters.

Arthur has since recovered and left the hospital. Here is some of his interview where he wanted to raise awareness about suffering from a stroke and the help he was given.

“I’m doing pretty well. I’m impatient to make progress and getting out the people supporting me here, the nurses and the guys working on my rehabilitation. My voice needs training as well but it’s little by little, day by day.”

On the issue of regaining movement down the side of his body that was affected he said: “Try and do it yourself and try again and again, if you’re not making much progress then perhaps get a bit of help. If you can make some progress yourself if helps personally and it shows something…well, I’m stubborn.”

Arthur was unsure about whether he had had a stroke. It was only after speaking to his daughter that he called an ambulance and was told what had happened. He urges others who may be feeling uncertain may have suddenly developed limited use down one side of their body to go to hospital and get checked.

He also reflected on his stay at Northwick Park and the help he got: “It’s appreciated, the friendship and support I have received is helping me towards recovery and getting back onto a normal basis and I hope for full physical ability in my body and your support from the radio staff that have come to see me time and time again. Some people might think you’re a pest but you’re not. I have had good support and encouragement and somehow I feel that there’s going to be a lot of positive coming out of this.”

“It works against me sometimes but in the situation I think it’s in my favour that a bit of stubbornness and to think: ‘Well, I’m not going to let this beat me’”.

For more information about Radio Northwick Park visit: www.radionorthwickpark.org

Self-help can work

Earlier this week I read Johann Hari’s piece “Thatcherite chicken soup for the soul” which recounted the evils of Paul McKenna’s latest self-help offering: ‘I Can Make You Happy’.

Hari’s piece spent a great deal of focusing on a few choice phrases from the book. On top of that he suggested that McKenna is telling readers to abandon friends who are suffering from depression because they are detrimental to your own happiness. This assertion was out of context and rather ridiculous. As someone who has met McKenna and benefitted from his self-help techniques, it only seems right to present another view.

A few years ago I went along to one of McKenna’s seminars entitled ‘Change your life’. I was sceptical. However, during those three days I learned numerous exercises that helped me think more positively and become more aware about negative thinking.

McKenna’s work uses Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP) which is about re-programming the way we think and emotionally react to situations. It’s basically about getting in touch with your internal dialogue and changing what that little voice inside your head tells you.

One of McKenna’s techniques is imagining an unpleasant situation that you may have had in the past. In your mind’s eye it may initially be a big and vivid image but what McKenna suggests is to gradually visualise it getting smaller and fading until there is nothing left. The final step is to repeat this process as many times as you need to.

For example, I found I would beat myself up if I made a mistake or said something wrong at work or in a social setting. I would keep re-visiting the situation in my head and feeling bad despite the fact that I could not change it. This exercise helped me move on from that and essentially let it go. It all goes back to the core of NLP and re-programming how we think.

At the end of that course I felt a lot better about myself and more equipped to deal with the obstacles life threw at me. Whether it’s changed my life completely I can’t say. My existence is certainly not a paragon of bliss and I don’t walk around with rose-tinted spectacles on. But I now realise when I am over-thinking and amplifying negative thoughts. This level of self-awareness is useful and it helps me to focus on the positive things in my life.

As to cutting friends out of my life who “bring me down”, I have friends who suffer from depression and I am always here for them. Like most of McKenna’s readers, I would never discard a friend because they were not the life and soul of a party and I would help them.

The majority of people who seek self-help are not sociopaths hell-bent on achieving happiness at any price. Instead they may feel lost and these books can offer them a form of support that they do not have. McKenna books and NLP have helped so many people and it seems wrong to be so dismissive of it. In the end it’s simple, commonsense advice and for some people it works and for others it doesn’t. I suppose in the end it is the view with which you approach it.

My favourite covering letter

As a journalist one must be tenacious and apply to anything and everything. In my pursuit of journalistic glory I have written a covering letter or two in my time but here is the one I enjoyed writing the most. It was an internship for a television and films listing website which I applied to last year. Needless to say I didn't get the placement but the key is to keep at it.

Dear Sir/Madam,
I am applying for an internship with your website and attach my CV and some of my work for your perusal and consideration.

The application called for individuals who “idolise Charlie Brooker to a level of God-smiteable proportions.” I fall into this category. My commitment to Charlie’s columns, articles and TV shows has formed the most significant and meaningful relationship I have ever had.

My need for a daily dose of Brooker is comparable to a coke addict. Be it an episode of ‘Screenwipe’ or ‘You Have Been Watching’, or a ‘Screen Burn’, I can’t get through the day without a little bit of Charlie.

Apart from being a Brookerite, I have the relevant skills and experience for this role. I was part of the editorial team at LondonCareers.Net, a weekly magazine published by the Independent. My responsibilities included writing film and album reviews as well as sub-editing, laying out and proofreading pages.

While I was studying for my undergraduate degree I was Deputy Film Editor and Film Editor, respectively for the student newspaper, inQuire. In these positions I brainstormed feature ideas, wrote and edited articles, liaised with PR companies for film screenings and DVDs. More recently, I was a film reviewer for www.6degreesfilm.com which involved attending screenings and writing features.

Despite my dalliances into financial journalism my passion will always be in film and television journalism. I am available from 1st August – 30th September.

Examples of work:

Review for ‘500 Days of Summer’
Review for ‘Superhero Movie’
Film festival feature
Blog post on ‘Secret Diary of a Call Girl’ – Series 3

Thank you for your attention.

Yours faithfully

N. Debnath
Neelanjona Debnath

Enclo. CV

Review of episode 4 series 4 of 'The IT Crowd'

Beware! Here be spoilers for episode 4 series 4 of ‘The IT Crowd’.

A theme that runs through ‘The IT Crowd’ is the extraordinary yarns that the characters spin and the lengths they go to in order to maintain their little white lies. Usually, these porkies end up blowing into huge convoluted messes with unexpected consequences.

This week’s episode is no different. Jen’s blagging has now branched out from her knowledge of I.T. to her extensive linguistic skills. Over-worked and under-appreciated, Jen convinces Douglas and her senior colleagues that she can speak Italian. Her apparent skill makes her vital to Reynholm Industries' efforts to build a relationship with Silvio Bernatelli, the most successful business man of the year. As per usual Jen lands herself in trouble but sadly her fibbing has all too predictable results which are just not as funny as they could be.

While Jen is busy blagging for her life Roy has developed an obsession with the death of his girlfriend’s parents. It’s not as grim or as dark as it sounds. His new girlfriend, Julia, explains that her family were killed in a fire at Sea Parks, a water park like Sea World. However, after recounting the tragic tale of her parents’ demise she refuses to talk about it ever again, sparking Roy’s morbid curiosity.

Roy’s quest to discover “the truth” about Julia’s parents is hilarious, particularly when he re-creates a model of Sea Parks from mash potato and gravy. Also, Roy’s excuse for a late night internet session is explained away by masturbation in order to hide the real reason he is sitting in front of his laptop in his underwear. Even though his explanation is more than credible it couldn’t be further from the truth.

One final touch of genius worth mentioning is the iPhone worship. Douglas congratulates a female colleague not on the birth of her baby but the fact that she has an iPhone. The satire shows the unnecessary sycophancy and awe that surrounds Apple’s smart phone, something which has been happening in meeting rooms across the country.

‘Italian For Beginners’ is a memorable episode more for theme parks made out of mash potato than anything else. Although Moss takes more of a back seat in this episode it is still a cracker with Roy’s storyline trumping Jen’s Italian misadventure.

It is nice to see Roy has finally found a girlfriend after his crippling heartbreak at the start of the series. Now I am waiting for the episode where Moss gets a long-term girlfriend and I still have high hopes for a Roy-Jen relationship.

Quotes that will live in infamy:

“I so think of her as Julia the orphan.” – Moss

“Maybe they’re not really dead. Maybe she doesn’t know what the word ‘orphan’ means. Maybe she just thinks it means ‘house proud’.” – Moss

“First you make me want to go to the toilet, now you make me want to be a better person.” – Douglas

“All these lies Jen, this is exactly what happened with the Iraq war.” – Moss (in comparison to Jen’s fib about speaking Italian)

“It’s not that much of a lie because I have always wanted to speak Italian and I can sound like I’m speaking Italian, so it’s more or less the same thing.” – Jen

“If she said her parents had drowned I would be the happiest man in the world.” - Roy

“But it’s an iPhone Jen. I may be able to get an iPhone without giving any money to Apple.” – Moss

How hyperlocal could resuscitate town hall debate

A stint at the local newspaper is often seen as a mere stepping stone on the path to journalistic greatness. It is a mind-numbing chore of writing endlessly about saving pet rescue centres and village fêtes, or so I thought before I embarked on a journalism course. All of this changed after I completed a module in local government for my course. Far from a being tedious trawl, the whole experience made me realise the wealth of the material sitting outside my front door.

Given the decay of local newspapers, any aspiring journalist should consider it their duty to cover their local patch. Even if an individual does not work directly for their paper or undertake work experience there, a personal hyperlocal site or blog is still a form of journalism. The contribution is still beneficial and for those looking to build up a portfolio of work and hone their craft: it is perfect.

I know my local area inside out. It is where I grew up: it is my beat. Many local newspapers are understaffed and overstretched, to the detriment of the residents. There are so many stories out there that are just not being covered. These days there is very little reporting on court cases or council meetings.

My local paper has been in a spiralling cycle of decline for some time and whenever I get the opportunity, I try to report on local news. Each time I write something I feel a little better for supporting local news. I see my work, even if it doesn’t make it into the paper, as a way of creating important information on my local area. I am supporting my paper. I can still post a blog covering a local issue and publicise it on Twitter and Facebook.

Then there is the issue of David Cameron’s proposals to put the powers of accountability back into the hands of the people. Without a strong local press to process and deliver this information to the people, how can the electorate effectively hold local authorities to account? They can’t.

These days I follow my local papers on Twitter so I get their breaking stories as they happen. I follow my local authority, local charities, hyperlocal sites, I add councillors on Facebook. I try to keep eyes and ears open as I walk down my local high street. The camera on my phone is sufficient to capture any impromptu shots. I am by no means the ideal journalist but I am endeavouring to be.

This is my rallying call to all those who want to be journalists. There is nothing stopping us. The tools and technology to publish our work is all there. All that remains is to go out there and commit acts of journalism.

Review of episode 3 series 4 of 'The IT Crowd'

Beware! Here be spoilers for episode 3 series 4 of ‘The IT Crowd’.

Roy’s bottom seems to be getting a lot of action this series. In ‘Jen the Fredo’, he got his behind smacked following a pimp-prostitute-style pep-talk. This week Roy gets his arse kissed by a masseur and not metaphorically.

After the incident Roy naturally files a sexual harassment suit and prepares to make his case in court. While Moss and Roy are busy playing law and order, it seems that Jen’s time down in the basement of Reynholm Industries is having an effect on the type of men she goes out. She ends up dating Norman, a bespectacled keyboard player in a band, who is even more socially inept than her colleagues in the I.T. department.

Jen’s relationship with Norman turns her into a wannabe rock star and makes her sing endlessly in a shrill voice that could shatter wine glasses. However, and I may be alone in thinking this, but Katherine Parkinson’s high-pitched warbling is not too bad, and in fact, “there might be something there”, as Simon Cowell sometimes says.

Then there is a small subplot involving Douglas who has discovered Space Star Ordering, founded by Beth Gaga Shaggy, a relation neither to Lady Gaga nor Shaggy. The concept involves stars representing wishes and if a person wishes really hard then they might just get what they want, or something along those lines. It's all a bit wishy-washy. It would appear this is Linehan’s knock at Scientology, and he takes aim at the shaky authoritative scientific principles and spawning information centres.

It was always going to be tough to follow up on Moss’s foray into ‘Countdown’ with something just as comically brilliant. Although ‘Something Happened’ has some great lines, it is merely an average episode when compared to ‘The Final Countdown’ which is undoubtedly the best episode of series 4. I would go so far as to say that it is a contender for the best episode ever of the ‘The IT Crowd'.

There is far less action in this instalment and the parody of Scientology could be taken much further, possibly with a slight nod to BBC Panorama journalist John Sweeney losing his cool. Despite this, it is not at all a write-off and is still funny with quirky, surreal humour.

A highlight was the courtroom scene where Roy is indicating exactly where on his posterior he was violated via a version of pin the tail on the donkey. I even learned that “the line that goes down the middle” is called the Cleftal Horizon, although after a quick Google search I am unsure as to whether it is an actual term. Also, the use of “Did you see that ludicrous display last night?” from ‘Are We Not Men?’ in series 3 fitted in perfectly. The phrase has become Moss and Roy’s filler when caught in awkward social situations involving other men and brings to mind so many embarrassing moments for the pair.

Even though ‘Something Happened’ does not hit the same heights as ‘The Final Countdown’ it has some golden nuggets.


Quotes that will live in infamy:

“You’re right, it’s not music I hate, it’s swimming.” - Moss

“Jen’s going out with a geek.” – Moss

“When did mosh pits become so unruly?” – Roy

“Did you see that ludicrous display last night?” – Roy after being sexually violated

“You’ve just got to ask yourself one thing: if you don’t take the stand, how many more unsolicited bum kisses will be administered by that lip-happy b*****d?” – Moss answering Roy’s question of whether he has to testify in court about getting a smacker planted on his behind

Review of Toy Story 3

Written in the style of Sky Movies Online.

Director: Lee Unkrich
Stars: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, Michael Keaton
Year: 2010 Running
Time: 102 mins
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
CERT: U

It’s been 10 years since Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen), Jesse (Joan Cusack) and the others were last played with but with Andy soon to leave for college the fate of his toys hangs in the air.

This is the third offering from the Toy Story franchise but a cash cow it is not. Unlike some Hollywood blockbusters that seek to milk off their previous success, this is the next logical step in the story. But more than that, it has a heart to it and will take audiences on a trip down memory lane.

After being described as “junk” and accidentally thrown out with the trash Andy’s dejected toys resign themselves to the box destined for day care, while Woody will be taken to college.

Upon arrival at Sunnyside day care nursery the toys are promised a life of playtime by Lots O’ Huggin’ Bear (Ned Beatty), a pink, strawberry-scented teddy.

However, the toys soon realise that the strawberries don’t smell as sweet as they first thought. Lotso has tricked them into the toddlers’ room where they literally end up in pieces and it is up to Woody to save them.

Pixar has outdone itself again as it hits all the right emotional buttons in its exploration of growing up, remaining accessible to adults and children alike.

Despite being the pioneer of CGI feature films Toy Story scripts have always been sharp without a sole reliance on graphics and this is movie is no exception.

Saying this, with the advent of high definition and 3D it is an aesthetic masterpiece and shows the developments in technology since the first film.

Toy Story 3 is a wonderful blend of comedy, drama and action that revisits a million golden childhoods, making this threequel the perfect finale to the series.

Review of Dom Joly's 'The Dark Tourist'

I will be finishing off my reviews for series 4 of 'The I.T. Crowd' once I have handed in my dissertation however, in the mean time I have written a review for 'The Dark Tourist' by Dom Joly. Here it is for your reading pleasure...

Whilst most travel writers would baulk at the thought of holidaying in the ‘Killing Fields’ of Cambodia or the exclusion zone around Chernobyl, comedian Dom Joly readily takes up the mantle of the morbidly fascinated in ‘The Dark Tourist’.

Better known for his antics on ‘Trigger Happy TV’ dressed as a giant squirrel or shouting into a giant mobile phone, Joly’s adventures are a clever mixture of macabre history and witty observations that weave in his own experiences of growing up in war-torn Lebanon.

The title refers to ‘dark tourism’ which involves travelling to destinations associated with death or suffering, and there is no shortage of assassinations and torture here. Each trip offers an insightful snapshot of places which are only glimpsed in news reports. During his visits to the ‘Axis of evil’ that are Iran and North Korea, Joly discovers how people live under these oppressed regimes and whether his preconceptions hold true.

At points his accounts prove to be surprisingly moving, particularly during one surreal episode where he is offered Pol Pot’s shoes for a half million dollars only to realise that the vendor is a war criminal.

There are of course the cultural gaffes when Joly decides to play the bumbling outsider who evades the local authorities, so as to lighten the mood, but really he is questioning his own desire to venture into these places of pain and misery.

Compared to the abundance of light travel literature littering the shelves of bookshops ‘The Dark Tourist’ is a refreshing antidote that delves into the complexities of the human psyche and explores our own heart of darkness.

Review of episode 2 series 4 of 'The IT Crowd'

Beware! Here be spoilers for episode 2 series 4 of ‘The IT Crowd’.

If episode 1 paid homage to RPG enthusiasts then ‘The Final Countdown’ (episode 2) was a tribute to ‘Countdown’ fans everywhere.

This was Moss’s episode and audiences saw him manage to make it onto ‘Countdown’. As you would expect, he was a natural and never came up with less than an eight-letter word.

Meanwhile Jen was trying to get into the mysterious heads of departments’ meetings and Roy was attempting to convince an old school friend that he wasn’t a window cleaner.

Yet it was all about Moss’s foray into ‘Countdown’ which led the episode. It was surreal in the best way possible and brought to our screens the phenomenon of Street’ Countdown’. (It’s basically like ‘Countdown’ but played outside and with more letters. It can get cold.)

With writer-director Graham Linehan it’s all about the finer details and this instalment was no exception. The group singing the countdown clock music was simply an act of genius. There was also a portrait of His holiness, the late Richard Whiteley, complete with angel wings and bathed in a saintly glow that made me laugh.

Saying this, I was slightly miffed as to why Negative One (David Crow), Moss’s ‘Countdown’ rival, appeared to be speaking in street slang. He was using ungrammatical sentences rounded off with an obligatory “you get me”. My only theory for this is that Linehan was looking to avoid the cliché of a geek-off and this deviance from convention proved comically refreshing.

Then there is Moss’s sex appeal which sounds like a paradox but not in the world of ‘Countdown’.

In the ‘normal’ world Moss's experience of the fairer sex doesn’t extend beyond his mother. He is like Norman Bates but with computers instead of stuffed birds and shower killings.

However, give him a red beret and a glass of milk, and Moss is sex on legs. This week he’s sleeping around with ‘Countdown’ groupies who are “the most sexually voracious and the most beautiful of groupies”.

I think Moss is the heart of the show. Richard Ayoade manages to exude all his innocence and geekery to fantastic effect. Moreover, there is something about the character’s British reserve that makes Moss’s awkwardness plausible which unfortunately didn’t work so well in the U.S. version.

On a final note, I loved the references to ‘The Matrix’ and ‘Fight Club’ because of the cult status they have as well as familiarity in popular culture, which will satisfy nerds and non-nerds alike.


Quotes that will live in infamy:

“I just totally want to re-invent myself. From this moment on everything is going to be different.” PHONE RINGS “Hello I.T., have you tried turning it off and on again?” – Roy

“Good morning, that’s a nice TNETENNBA.” - Moss
‎
"This is London, Jen. It's not someone with cake unless that cake is made of dog poo and knives." - Moss from 'The IT Crowd' explaining why he doesn't open the door.

“If you call that mindless, animalistic rutting ‘sex’, then yes…I suppose we did.” - Moss (answering Roy's question of whether he has slept with a groupie.)

“I came here to drink milk and kick ass and I’ve just finished my milk.” – Moss

Review of episode 1 series 4 of 'The IT Crowd'

This post is about three weeks late due to academic commitments but here is my review of episode 1, series 4 of ‘The IT Crowd’.

After the third series I did worry whether the show had run its course but episode 1 soon put those thoughts to bed.

This instalment revolved around Jen (Katherine Parkinson) becoming Reynholm Industries’ resident pimp to visiting businessmen. But it was also about Roy (Chris O'Dowd) dealing with heartbreak and Moss (Richard Ayaode) helping his friend via a 20-sided dice and the medium of RPG (role-playing games for the uninitiated).

For the first time the audience was shown Roy’s sensitive side. He could barely make it through a sentence without breaking down which was hilarious to watch probably because it cut close to the bone.

As a recent casualty of heartache myself, I was welling up during the “goodbye” scene between Roy and Moss as Queen Eliza Eldridge of the Elves. I found it genuinely touching and was slightly frustrated by the canned laughter. Saying this, the scene worked well because of the swings between comedy and tragedy and I did find myself caught on a see-saw of laughter and tears.

I think O’Dowd’s performance in that scene just goes to shows his versatility as an actor and it is probably the best audition for any straight roles he may want to pursue in the future.

The idea that Jen is a pimp was used cleverly during her pep talk with Roy. The key is in the reversal of the gender roles. Roy is vulnerable while Jen is the one with the power. The scene was played out brilliantly by Parkinson who flits between affection and aggression: it is all wonderfully sinister. One moment she is whispering to him and in the next she is grabbing his face, and in another she is stroking his head before sending him to face the Johns.

Keeping on the subject of role-playing, the innuendo surrounding RPG was another good touch. In my mind it reinforced the notion that ‘The IT Crowd’ is a tribute to nerds everywhere and that geek is chic.

I have no doubt that following this episode there will be a resurgence of popularity in ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ and RPG, the likes of which hasn’t been since ‘The Lord of the Rings’.

After watching ‘Jen the Fredo’ I have high hopes for the rest of series 4. It appears that the characters have developed and will continue to do so. Moss and Roy in particular have moved away from the stereotypical anti-socialites we first met. All in all, a great start to series 4.

On a side note, was it just me or did John 2 (Ed Weeks) look suspiciously like Steve Mangan from ‘Green Wing’? I had to do a double take just to make sure it wasn’t him.

Quotes that will live in infamy:

“It’s like someone broke up with Stalin” – Moss referring Roy photo-shopping his ex-girlfriend out of his pictures of them. The photos end up looking like Roy is by himself.

“Oh shut up Dumpo, the elephant that got dumped!” - Moss

“Eiffel Tower!” – Phil, John 1, John 2

“Goodbye.” – Moss as Queen Eliza Eldridge of the Elves

“No...there were rumours that there was a rumour but that was bull****.” – Douglas Reynholm

Haunted by "coconuts"

This week I heard a racist term that hadn’t violated my ears for a very long time.

It was the word “coconut” and it was used by Lib Dem councillor Shirley Brown to criticise her Conservative counterpart Jay Jethwa during a debate at Bristol City Council.

Last February Cllr Jethwa proposed cuts of £750,000 to funding for the city’s Legacy Commission which seeks to educate people about the history of slave trade. The derogatory remark was made by Cllr Brown in her response to the plans.

The story has re-surfaced because Cllr Brown is planning to appeal after she was convicted of racial harassment this week.

Despite my personal opposition to the cuts, Cllr Jethwa is simply doing what Conservatives do. There is nothing unusual or shocking about her suggestion given her political stance.

The term “coconut” refers to a person who has lost their culture and to put it crassly is brown on the outside and white on the inside.

It is generally used between those of the same race so Cllr Brown as an Afro-Caribbean insulting an Indian has caused confusion in some quarters.

I was also a recipient of this racist slight at secondary school. The snide little comment was as precise and as painful as a paper cut.

I had never heard it before but the crudity of the imagery left me in no doubt to its meaning and I felt inexplicably ashamed.

It is said that by naming something you can control it. In that moment my fragile teenage identity was stripped away and I was re-defined.

I will always wonder what my persecutor’s definition of “white” was. What was the reason that I wasn’t a true Asian?

Was it the fact that I was a second generation Bengali girl who spoke an (albeit) flawed version of her parents’ mother tongue? Or maybe it was because I went to Durga puja and Kali puja every year instead of celebrating Diwali. Or possibly it was because I never judged others by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.

The word is a slur upon “being white”. I don’t understand what the social construct of “whiteness” is based on. How do you define a whole race? Like all racism it seems to be born out of ignorance.

As to Cllr Brown’s statement, yes a conviction may have been too harsh but it was racial harassment.

I am just glad to see that this remark has evoked a strong response because it is unacceptable to use such racist words.

This sort of name-calling is not the language of politics and has no place at the debating table.

Review of 'Secret Diary of a Call Girl' - Series 3

Another piece of coursework, this time written in the style of The Times 2. I didn't pitch this one.

Secret Diary of a Call Girl – ITV2 (one star out of five)

Last night’s finale of series 3 for Secret Diary of a Call Girl brought an end to what has been a dismal run for everyone’s favourite escort.

The episode revolved around the wedding of fellow working girl Bambi (Ashley Madekwe) and Belle’s (Billie Piper) discovery that her perfect publisher-boyfriend, Duncan (James D’Arcy) has been seeing other women.

Yet any attempt to expose Belle’s vulnerability fell short as her heartbreak was fleeting and she was soon jetting off to see her next client.

In fact, as series 3 has progressed both the plot and characters have remained static and it has been a tedious repetition of the same motions.

Belle is still as narcissistic as ever and oblivious to anything beyond the next appointment. While Ben (Iddo Goldberg), Belle’s ex-boyfriend and best friend, has become all the more frustrated and lovelorn as his unrequited feelings linger on.

He spends most of the series apologising for drunkenly insulting her new beau. Then there is doe-eyed Bambi whose naivety is matched by her equally clueless and eccentric aristocratic fiancé Byron (David Dawson).

The only new element on the latest outing with Belle is the relationship with her publisher but even this seems stale given her previous attempts to find love which have proved to be disastrous.

At the end of the last series Belle’s book was published anonymously and for the follow-up novel Duncan pushes her to seek out clients with all manner of kinks. But apart from some Sploshing (sex involving food), role play and a bit of cross-dressing thrown in for good measure only the most superficial of glances is given to sexual fetishes.

Unlike its predecessors, series 3 fails to delve further into the little-known world of high-class prostitution instead much of the charm and intrigue have been replaced with soap opera storylines.

Fundraising can improve your life and career prospects

A piece I wrote as part of coursework earlier this year. It's written in the style of 'Take A Break' magazine. Unfortunately, they decided they didn't want to publish it. Maybe next time.

There are hundreds of people across the country who go that extra mile for charity. You probably know some who’s training for a sponsored run, bike ride or walk. It might be a friend, a colleague, your sister or even your mum. They are ordinary folk who really want to make a difference and their small contributions make a big difference to others. But did you know that fundraising can also be good for your career and general wellbeing?

Managing Director of recruitment consultants Office Angels, David Clubb, says: ‘Being involved in fundraising is a great way of raising your awareness of social responsibility – something which many businesses take very seriously.’

‘It’s important to remember that being involved in fundraising work goes much further than standing outside shops with a coin collector. Being involved in fundraising work is often a real eye-opener for many people.’

‘For those currently between jobs fundraising work is great way to gain experience in a number of sectors and job roles. It also shows future employers that you are proactive and keen to be working and assisting others.’

Fundraising can not only boost your career prospects, it can also be a source of personal growth. Life Coach Carole Ann Rice has worked with individuals from all walks of life and says: ‘Helping other people either through fundraising or working in a voluntary capacity removes you from your problems and your world. It’s almost like a natural Prozac to help other people.’

‘At least if you’re doing something like raising money for a good cause you feel you have achieved something and I think there’s a great deal of personal satisfaction and confidence and self-esteem that can be raised through that sense of achievement on behalf of other people.’

She adds: ‘I think it certainly ups your chances of having a sense of focus, satisfaction and fulfilment in your life.’

Daniel Barnes, 31, of Brockley, Southeast London is running 500 miles this year for Josie’s Dragonfly. The charity gives cash donations to children with cancer not considered curable. Josie Madeline Grove was Daniel’s cousin who died from leukaemia in 2007. Daniel has just broken the 100 mile mark and is still going.

‘Last year I lost my job and spent a month or so sitting around the house feeling glum and eating cakes.’

‘Over Christmas, the idea of running 500 miles over the year came to me as a way of motivating me to get out. I am not very athletic, so I thought I would try something difficult. The other side is that it is a good excuse to raise money for a good cause.’

‘Running 500 miles was on my CV and I was asked and talked about it in a couple of interviews.’

‘I think it did add something unique to the CV, which probably helped a little.
For all the interviews I had, I always checked where I might run, or if I could run home.’

‘Knowing I have done this for charity is a bonus. I try to act nonchalant about it, that I was running anyway so it made sense to just raise money too, but in fact it does make me proud that I can make a difference. Maybe I'll aim for 1000 km in 2011.’

Lindsay Topham, 24, from Twickenham, Southwest London, is another fundraising superhero. She is gearing up for the London Marathon in April to raise money for Oxfam.

Lindsay says: ‘They’re just a charity that I really believe in and believe in the work that they do. I find them quite effective as a charity. I was really keen to run the London Marathon anyway so when Oxfam had some places it felt like it was the right thing to do.’

‘I wrote to Oxfam and said I would really like to do a charity place and they rung me and asked a few questions and then gave me a place.’

‘I think it’s important to push yourself and challenge yourself. It’s the nerves and having to promote yourself. And it’s all about personal growth.’

‘You sign up to something like the marathon because it’s only you that can get through it. You are the only competition.’

She adds: ‘It’s a real sense of achievement to know that you’ve put your body through all that and it’s not just that one day, it’s the nine months leading up to it. I’m looking forward to the whole day: the excitement, the getting there.’

“I think in a year or so after running the marathon I would like to climb Mount Kilimanjaro or some sort of mountain.”
JustGiving is a website which helps people who want raise money for charity. More information can be found at: www.justgiving.com

Re-evaluating pensions

The link between the BP oil spill and British pension funds has got me thinking that maybe it’s time to reflect on where our retirement funds come from, and whether we should look at re-investing.

A couple of years ago I wrote a story about Aberdeen Asset Management launching a series of socially responsible investing funds in the Netherlands.

SRI funds, as the name suggests, look to make returns through investing ethically or socially consciously.

For example, they would not be invested in munitions factories or companies with poor human rights records. Instead they focus on areas such as green energy and social justice.

I was told that SRI funds had gained popularity in the Netherlands following a documentary entitled ‘The Clusterbomb Feeling’, which aired in March 2007.

The programme revealed that several Dutch pension funds had been investing in cluster bombs, land mines and companies that were guilty of child labour.

The revelations shocked the Dutch public and put pressure on pension funds to re-assess their investments.

I think perhaps Britain needs to have its own cluster bomb moment. Most people do not know where their retirement money is coming from and if they did, then they maybe put off from following a specific plan.

Also, as this environmental disaster unfolds and BP faces increasing pressure to halt dividend payments to shareholders, it now seems like the right time to look to greener companies.

British pensions are heavily invested in BP which poses a problem for people if dividend payments are frozen because they will not receive retirement contributions from the company.

If dividends are stopped, it could have a detrimental effect on individuals getting ready to retire amid concerns of a double dip recession and tax rises.

Add to this the fear of oil running out and fossil fuels in short supply, makes the step towards SRI seem more logical.

Retirement funds are about the long term, stable investments rather than the short term therefore, it would make more sense to invest in sustainable sectors.

However, oil, gas and other such industries make massive returns therefore, it is unlikely that retirement funds will stop investing in them anytime soon.

But the question is: what will it take for pension funds to change their ways? And will it require a spill bigger than BP for us to look at where our retirement is coming from?

Harrow Observer Article

TWO charities have raised around £5,000 from a quiz hosted by Matt Lucas from ‘Little Britain’.

Harrow hospital radio station, Radio Northwick Park and the Alan Senitt Memorial Trust joined forces to organise the fundraiser held two weeks ago.

Proceeds from the event were made through tickets sales, a raffle and an auction with a framed ‘Alice in Wonderland’ film poster signed by Matt Lucas up for grabs. The total amount will be split equally between the two trusts.

Half will go towards the £25,000 studio refurbishment for Radio Northwick Park and the other half will go on the £150,000 Alan Senitt Hillel Student Centre.

Comedian Matt Lucas who is also a patron of the Alan Senitt Memorial Trust said: “I grew up in Stanmore so Northwick Park is a hospital I have visited relatives in, so it’s a hospital I know. So it’s nice to be able to help these two charities.”

He added: “It’s really nice in these difficult times that people are still able to come and support charities and so we’re really heartened by the fact that over 300 people turned up.”

Chairperson of the Alan Senitt Memorial Trust, Emma Senitt said: “The event has gone really well and been very successful.

The quiz consisted of 10 rounds with general knowledge questions on food and drink, currents affairs, and film and television.

There were 30 teams made up of 10 people on each. The wining team was Quiz Team Aguilera who won a trophy.

One of the members of the winning team and Radio Northwick Park volunteer, Malcolm Clarke, 54, Warden Avenue, Rayners Lane said: “We won because the team really gelled together to account of our strengths and weaknesses.”

Radio Northwick Park provides entertainment for patients at Northwick Park Hospital, Watford Road. The Alan Senitt Memorial Trust promotes interfaith dialogue and the education of Israel.

Matt Lucas and the ethical dilemma

As an aspiring journalist I am learning to manoeuvre through the minefield that can be interviews.

One should never let their emotions or personal feelings get in the way of an interview.

Although Adam Boulton showed that this is not always possible earlier this week in his live cat fight with Alistair Campbell.

As part of a piece that was rejected by my local paper I recently interviewed Matt Lucas of ‘Little Britain’ fame.

The interview was minimal to the story which was about a charity fundraiser organised by two community-based charities near me.

Matt was hosting the event and I wanted to get a couple of quotes about the evening.

Before the event I had mentioned to a lecturer that I was trying to interview Matt. It was suggested that I should try to find out his thoughts about the loss of his ex-husband, Kevin McGee back in October last year.

If I did so, I might have an exclusive on my hands that could set me on the path to tabloid stardom and beyond.

But when it came down to it would I be able to summon up a Paxman-like aura?

On the evening I flagged Matt down. He told me to “walk with him” in ‘West Wing’ style as he nipped out during the interval for a moment’s respite.

I followed him eagerly: unwittingly looking more puppy dog than news hound. I wasn’t fazed by the fame I just wanted to make sure I didn’t miss a thing.

I asked him the typical questions: Why he had decided to take part? How he was finding the evening? How long he had been involved with the charity?

Despite keeping my dictaphone steady, at the forefront of my mind was the encyclopaedic knowledge of his personal life.

Most of us retain our right to grieve in private but here was someone who had very publicly lost his partner.

It’s funny how the paparazzi descend like flies at the first scent of a dead body. Yet when my moment came to rip off the mourning veil, I just couldn’t do it.

He was calm and softly spoken: a complete contrast to the loud, rude, energetic personas of George Doors or Vicky Pollard.

Our interview was over in a matter of minutes and I left. I would never have asked him about how he felt. Yet there was a part of me, the human instinct that sought to comfort him.

In the end I managed to muster a “take care”, trying to exert my sympathy through pursed lips which I forced into a smile and lingering eye contact. I wonder if my expression translated.

I suppose this was my lesson in impartiality.