My Music: Week 2 favourite tracks

This week I am feeling a little retro, plus to help explain just a little of who I am I thought lets go back to the day, back to my musical roots.

The first video is from the worlds greatest band: Madness. However trying to pick just one song from them is impossible for me, however I have done and here it is. I picked this because it also incudes some wicked dance steps and as someone who loves to dance, I guess this is also where it started.

While Madness were the fun ska of the time, my second choice is from the more serious, political, sound of the day, The Specials. Ghost Town was a serious reflection of the time and today it could be once again the song that reflects the mood of our time.



I hope you enjoy them both.

This would put you right off......

I don't care what kind of beer it is,it ain't gonna taste the same served this way!!

 Sort of gives a whole new meaning to getting pissed....

Look at the picture

Look at the picture before you read the caption at the bottom.

  It's that awkward moment...   

...when you realize that your friend's 'fat arm'Makes you look naked in the office party photo...

The X Factor.......#xfactor

My original favourite left the X Factor this weekend and in truth I was neither surprised nor disappointed. Janet broke the cardinal rule of a show like this, she was too normal, had no back story and only sang her songs her way. Yes she had the "voice" and sure she will get to release an album, maybe even two, but after about 3 weeks of the live shows it was clear that she was never going to win the show.


On the reverse of that, my current favourites to win are the girl band, Little Mix, who despite having the stupidest band name in history, do tick all the required boxes for a show like the X Factor. Plus they have one real advantage, which I will come onto in a minute. However out of those left, Marcus is good and will be this years Olly Murs, Amilia Lily bores me and I really have so little to say about her, and finally Misha B is a victim of what this hsows does and how it works, but boy she can perform.

Misha B was the early favourite, she generated all the press this show needs, they even allowed for some bad press because any publicity is good publicity when it comes to generating inches and therefore ratings. For me, Misha has been used by the producers and they really have done a job on her. But Misha in the early weeks had it all, heaps of swagger, different to all the rest, and a voice that could do it all. But I would be amazed if she actually won, and will be surprised if she makes the final, my guess is she is gone next weekend.

There is one thing about this show that we all need to understand, it is a Syco/Cowell production line in operation. This is where the man generates and creates his stable of acts. And this is why I think Little Mix will be this years winners, Mr Cowell needs a girl band in the stable, besides the Saturdays, the UK is an open market for something like them and Syco needs to have a genuine version of this. The girls of Little Mix have everything needed to make it, they are good singers, have loads of personality, and have got the back story to generate the required publicity. Sure they are being malipulated, yes they are being used to attract the core audience for the show, but they should end up getting exactly what they wanted when they entered, fame.

I enjoy these shows, they take very little effort, and wonderful "mindless" TV. Chillin out on a Saturday night watching it all is fun, it takes very little effort and so can be quite relaxing. I never going to buy an album from any of them, won't even look them up on YouTube once the show is over, but for now they provide the light entertainment that Saturday night requires.

Strictly Come Dancing......#scd

Oh my what a weekend it was, one of my favourite TV shows each year is Strictly Come Dancing, I have always loved dance and this show has packaged it up really well. It is fun and really good light entertainment, it is no surprise that the show is currently number one each saturday, even with its flaws and slightly annoying aspects. But this years edition is actually very good and for me the main reason for that is that for a very long time the final winner has been quite hard to predict.

However following this weekend I do now think we are down to just three possible winners and with six couples left I am now fairly sure the final three will be Jason, Harry and my favourite Chelsee. Personally I would like to see a final between Harry and Chelsee, they are the two with genuine flow. For me, Jason has to try too hard and is forcing his dance, and it shows. As for the others, Robbie really does not have a natural flow, nor does Alex who just looks so uncomfortable alot of the time, whereas with Holly, she is all natural, sexy flow, but won't push herself or let herself go.

Harry is possible the best overall, there are virtually no flaws in his game, he really is quality on every level needed for this, whereas with Chelsee, even after all this time she is still holding back and won't 100% engage with the whole thing. For me it makes me question her abilty as an actress, on the dance floor she is playing a role, yet has never totally commited to that role. But she is without question the most natural of all the dancers, and is just a good in Ballroom as she is in Latin. So yes for me its Chelsee to win.

On the down side of this show, for me anyway, is the wonderful Sir Bruce. Yes the man is TV gold, he is a special man and has earned his status in UK society, but enough is enough, I just don't like his jokes anymore and he bugs me when I watch the show. Now I know it is a crime to say anything negative about Sir Bruce, but there you have it, I just find he spoils this amazing show, and he really is no longer funny. The other negative on SCD is the irratic scoring of the judges, this week Alex was underscored by at least 4 points, maybe even 6, and Robbie is always under scored by Craig, but like in football, I do think it evens itself out over time.

Word association, just a bit of fun......

Here's a bit of word association. I saw it on a friend's facebook page and decided to indulge. I've typed exactly what came to mind when I read the word.

The rules are as follows (in case you haven't got the jist of it and want to try it yourself);

Type what comes to mind FIRST whenever you see these 50 words. No second thoughts, no going back and changing things. It's not about being PC and it doesn’t matter how random it is!
1. Beer: Cold
2. Food: Anything but Afang !
3. Relationships: Steady
4. Crush: Miss O’Brian a former teacher
5. Dreams: Too many some times
6. Life: Is for the living
7. President: Barry O’Bama, bit of a joke
8. Yummy: A proper fry up.
9. Cars: Vintage please
10. Movies: Fever Pitch and Quadrophina
11. Halloween: Pointless
12. Sex: What’s that.
13. Religion: Dangerous and Evil
14. Hate: I hate the word hate.
15. Fear: Got a few, too few to mention
16. Sport: Football
17. Blondes: Hair colour, who cares
18. Slippers: Nope not on my feet
19. Shoes: Prefer trainers
20. Men: I would never marry one !
21. Women: With brains please
22. Pass time: All sorts of everything
23. Cell Phone: iPhone
24. Smoke: Forever
25. Fantasy: X Rated
26. College: Would love to go back
27. High school: Would hate to go back
28. Pajamas: No idea
29. Stars: Really stupid
30. Goal: Arsenal to win the Champions League
31. Alcohol: Red wine please
32. Love: I have so much to give
33. Friends: Never had one, never will
34. Money: Please can I have some more.
35. Heartache: yep, once or twice
36. Time: 09:54
37. Divorce: Nope, I disagree
38. Dogs: Taste wonderful, 404 is ready
39. Undies: Boring subject
40. Parents: Dead
41. Babies: Would love one or even two
42. Ex: Forgotten
43. Song: Our House by Madness
44. Color: Red for life,
45. Weddings: Won’t do that again !
46. Pizza: Pepperoni with extra Pepperoni.
47. Hangout: At home, alone
48. Rest: When I sleep.
49. Achievement: Way to many to list.
50. Inspiration: DB10, the code of perfection.

Arsenal versus Fulham.....

From other posts on this Blog you will know that this Middle Aged Man is an Arsenal supporter. And in truth that is something of an understatement, Arsenal is life, well actually a little bit more important than that. So on my little blog yes I will post up on the subject of the Arsenal from time to time.

This post is written the day after the 1-1 draw with Fulham. Disappointing to be fair. It was a bad day at the office for so many of our team. But I guess we are all allowed those every now and then. The excuse/reason for such a bad day it the "burn-out" and "after-effects" of a Champions League game on Wednesday. Yes history shows that teams who play a CL game, more often than not have a bad day on the saturday after, and its hard to argue with the stats. Although why professional footballers can't play two games within 3 days is something of a surprise. But at that level, maybe there is something in it.

However, and this is a becoming a really big issue for me, if tired legs following a CL game was the reason for such a low energy performance, then what's Arshavin's excuse ! Our little Russian is becoming a liability. He does not run, he puts in such little visable effort, he no longer hurts teams, and just appears not to really care anymore. For me the time is up on him, it is time to cash in and replace him. He should have become a serious star for the Arsenal, instead he is fast becoming excess baggage that we simply cannot affort to carry.

At the Arsenal right now we have two or three players that need moving out, okay so some may even name up to five, I know I could, but Arshavin and Chamakh are definately two that really should go. I do think we would get £10m for each and that £20m could be used to buy a really good striker to back up RVP. The other alternative is that we sell Arshavin, bank the cash, and open some space for Alex the Ox, give him a little more space to get some game time. We are no longer a team of kids, so it is actually easier now to play other kids because the support is there around them.

My Music: This weeks favourite tracks

On my little blog I am am going to post up my favourite tracks as I listening to them. And this first post features my two current favourites, I wonder what it says about this Middle Aged Man ?

The first is the Rizzel Kicks and "Down with the Trumpets". Love to dance to this.
The second is Wretch 32 and "Unorthodox"

Arsenal God...Dennis Bergkamp

For me as an Arsenal supporter of over 44 years, there is only one, one true Arsenal God. Mr Dennis Bergkamp was the one. He had it all, the Ice Man was pure magic, pure class and wonderfully nasty if some scum defender ever tried to mess with him.

The man was just so special and if he had played in todays game, YouTube would have been even more loaded with video's of him. Yes kids Bergkamp was better than Ronaldoh!! & Messi combined. 

MisFits....makes you wonder

Right from the start of this, let me say, I know TV is just make belief, and just fantasy. I am not quite that stupid. But I have just watched two series of the UK TV show, MisFits, and dam it makes you wonder. What would it be like to have a super power, and if I did have a power, just what would it be ?

Of course then there is the other side, if I had a power, just what would I do with it. Reading peoples thoughts might be useful, but I am not sure it would change my life. Becoming invisable might be quite good fun, but again would it be of any real help, however for me, the worst power would be immortality. Image living forever, yuk. I have no real fear of dying, I know it will happen, someday, and it does not really faze me. However the idea of just living forever seems like an endless purpose.

I guess time travel would be for me the most interesting, but perhaps it could also be quite a mindmesh. If you went back now and say killed Hitler, so many lives would be changed, 70 years of history would be wiped out, a whole host of different families would exsist, different people would live, it would change the world beyong anything, it just would not make any sense. And the deeper one thinks about it, the weirder it becomes.

I think this is a subject that will need to be re-visited.......

To Tweet or not to Tweet ?

Like so many people I am on Twitter, and I am guessing like so many people I have no real idea why. I signed up a few years ago when it was the done thing to do. I was all excited and wondering just what doors it would open, and in truth the answer all these years later was none. Twitter for me thus far has been a total waste of my time.

My theory on Twitter is that it is suitable for the famous, suitable for those who have followers, footballers, TV stars and the like. I see politicians on there and I guess they see it as a way to communicate with the masses, or at least with the press who are following thier every Tweet. So if you already have a voice then Twitter is a good way of getting your word out there. But what, like me, you don't, what if like me, no one cares what you have to say, then why be on Twitter.

I guess if you have a network of friends then yes it could be a good way of keeping that group updated and connected, but unless you already have an offline group, then once again what's the point. But over and over I keep hearing and reading about the value and connectivity of Twitter. So maybe I am missing something. Certainly it is interesting to follow others, I follow certain footballers, from my team, and yep it is interesting to catch a peep into thier world. So although it has not openned a door, it has allowed me to peek through the curtains of these peoples lives.

Maybe I need to find followers, but I have to be honest and say I have absolutely no idea just how to do that. How do you get more and more people to follow you ? At this time I have about 50 people following me on the site and I follow about 150, so I need to find the answer to that, and if anyone can help, or advise please feel free to post up a message.

The Mountain Race

For those that know me, or at least a little about my life you will know that once upon a time I lived on the top of a remote mountain in Nigeria, an amazing place called Obudu Mountain resort. And this weekend, the last weekend of November is the annual "Mountain Race". 1000's of very mad, but also very fit people running up 11km's of steep mountain road, and doing it at altitude. In truth I could not even walk it, and some might say I could not even drive it.

But the race is an amazing spectical, a really cool event. Last years race was the best ever and as I sit here in London at the start of the week I am just sending heaps of positive thoughts and energy to all those involved. Not just the runners, they needs prayers just to survive it, but all the staff of the hotel, the boys & girls of CRSG and the community of the mountain. They are all involved in this.

Of course the race is the perfect event for all that is both great and bad of life in Nigeria, certain madness will go on, people will lie and cheat so they can eat the money, others will find ways of chopping whatever money is around and the poor hotel will get pushed to its limit and get virtually nothing at the end of it. But that's Naija for yah, and the truth is they would not have it any other way, nor will that get in the way of a wonderful and superb weekend.

Good luck to all involved......

Just what did Sepp Blatter say ?

On CNN: “There is no racism. Maybe one player to another…he has a word or a gesture which is not correct. But the one affected by that should say: “this is a game”

ON Aljazzera: Racism is if there is discrimination by spectators outside the field of play. On the field, I deny that there is racism. When it happens, the league has to….bring them together to shake hands.”

On Fifa: “My comments have been misunderstood. I wanted to express that, as football players, you have ‘battles’ with opponents ….then, at the end, you apologise and shake hands.”

On Twitter: To Rio Ferdinand: “The ‘black man’ as you call him has a name, Tokyo Sexwale. He has done tremendous work against racism and apartheid in Africa”

On Fox Sports: “I’m not talking about discrimination: It’s foul language. It’s foul play. At the end of the match, if you have foul play, when the match is over you shake hands as it’s what we want to do”

On BBC: “I am sorry and I regret that my statements earlier this week have resulted in an unfortunate situation. I am committed to the fight against racism.

Now just a few points to consider on this:

·         Just how many stations did he want this story to run on, it certainly made sure it was covered the world over. Plonker !

·         How can he be “committed” to the fight when he clearly has no understanding of what is racism. Idiot !

·         Why did Tokyo Sexwale allow himself to be used by Blatter in such a way ?

·         Just how many professional footballers would shake hands with a racist ?

·         Finally if I am reading all this correctly, what Blatter has said is that it is okay for the players to be racist, as long as they shake hands at the end, but not all right for the fans at any time. Careful Mr Blatter, don’t bite the hand that feeds you, it is wrong for both to be racist, it is also wrong to have one rule for the fans and another for the players.

My former home, love it, miss it.

This is a famous music video which was filmed at my former home, Obudu Mountain Resort, Cross River State, Nigeria. God I loved this place, the people, the great times and the nightmare times. A really special place indeed. The song is a classic Naija beat, and the boys came to the mountain to film thier video, very cool.

Blonde on an escalator, why ???

A friend of mine emailed to a few hundred people a link to this video. He thought it was funny and as it was quite late on a friday afternoon I guess he thought it would be good to lighten the mood and provide a little humour ahead of the weekend.

However what I just don't get, nor understand is why, no how, does this video on YouTube get well over 1.4m views. Why do we as people, click onto something like this and watch. Why do we think it is funny, why can we not see through it.

Lets be real here, a guy was sitting at home, trying to find ideas for his YouTube channel and persauded his wife/sister/girlfriend, who happened to have blonde hair, that they would get well over 1 million hits on YouTube if she did this and for that they could earn over £10k on the advertising revenue share that the site now operates. She of course was happy with the idea and her £25 acting fee and off they went to the mall.

Now before you think I am just being a little harsh, think about it, why was there a Hi-Res camera pointing at the escalator, in place to catch the action, just as the most dumb blonde happened to walk the wrong way up. So who's dumb, the blonde, or us for watching, or YouTube for paying out on this. Mind you, I also have to ask, why did I not think of it !!!!

Who are yah ?

I guess when you create a blog it is important to try and tell people a little about yourself, well this is one way I can cast some light on who I am and from where I come. This is me and my family, and yes that first image is me

This is my first Arsenal film, the images are good, but the production is crap. But have a look if you love the Arsenal

Sepp Blatter: A very silly man indeed

Okay so lets start this by saying, I Love Football. I have always loved the game and some may even go as far to say that I am addicted. I have loved the beautiful game from the moment I could walk, and I have talked the game from the moment I could talk. I love football, and The Arsenal are my team. So thats my colours tied to the mast. I love the game, play the game, support the game and live for the game.

But, and oh what a massive but this is, I hate so much of what the beautiful game has become. And right at the top of the football family is a man that sums up just why I hate it so much. Sepp Blatter is a nutter, he is for me a man that lives in cloud cookoo-land, he must now be the most high profile individual that has absolutely no moral fiber, no honour, and no sense. Yet he is also a man that has the job of so many a man's dreams, he lives one of the most privileged lifestyles, he has money, power and vast influence. But he is still a nutter.

In the past, and by way of example, he is quoted as saying that if the women's game is to improve, the players should wear tighter shorts !!! Yet I never remember him saying that the man's game should do the same, and I am sure there are loads of fans that would not mind seeing Beck's, Henry or Rooney (okay maybe joking on one of these) in much tighter shorts, but in all seriousness how can the man, who is supposed to be running football, really say such a dam stupid thing. Forgetting the fact that it is sexist, which I believe is against the law, it is dumb, very dumb, and yet he continues to rule the game.

Mr. Blatter is also the man that has ruled over the game during a period of vast levels of corruption, bribery and very shady goings on, and yet because of the rules he put in place, he stands for re-election, un-opposed, and sees absolutely nothing wrong in this. To my knowledge, no one has been charged with football corruption, and so he, Blatter, just denies it exists and sweeps it under the carpet and moves on, living the life, and being very dumb.

But now, in November 2011, Mr B, has gone beyond the pale, overstepped the mark, and say the stupidest and dangerous thing ever. "there is no racism in football" !!!. Okay so in the period in which he say such a dumb thing, we have Suarez v Evra, and Terry v Ferdinand in the english game. Neither has been proved, both may be wrong, but, and once again this is a bog but, both are very high profile cases of alleged racism, neither seem to be going away, and neither appear to be solvable with a handshake. Football is life and life is football, and in life, in our world today racism still exists, one could even suggest it is increasing, so therefore why not in football. But unless the head man takes up this challenge, has a "zero-tolerance" attitude, then football will never rid itself of such vile and unacceptable behaviour. But first football must rid itself of this vile, stupid, dangerious, naieve, dumb little man, please Mr Blatter, go away and lets start getting back the beautiful game.