Key Quotes

"Anyone who believes that exponential growth can go on forever in a finite world is either a madman or an economist."
(Kenneth Boulding)




"Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid. "

(Raymond Chandler)





"Live simply so that others can simply live." (unknown)





"I cannot live without books" (Thomas Jefferson)





"Sport is war without the shooting" (George Orwell)





"New York is a great city to live in if you can afford to get out of it" (William Rossa Cole)





The secret of a happy ending is knowing when to roll the credits (Patterson Hood)































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































Sunday 20 January 2013

Knicks are in town

Basketball first hit me in the 1980s but it was until some years later that UK basketball fans were able to watch the game played at its highest level. In the 1990s the NBA was dominated by Michael Jordan and his team the Chicago Bulls. It was impossible not to appreciate Jordan's skill and his ability to win. However at that time I was drawn to a different player and his underdog team. Reggie Miller was not your typical player, his frame was bean pole thin, but he could shhot the ball. He was "Mr Clutch", if there was a player who'd you want to shoot the final shot it would be Reggie. The three pointer was his speciality. Now Reggie played for the unfashionable Indiana Pacers, the Pacers were perennial brides maids, often losing to the Bulls in the Eastern conference.

Reggie Miller and the Pacers did reach the finals one year but we pushed aside by the next player to dominate the league, Shaq O'Neill who by then was playing for the LA Lakers. However Reggie Miller is perhaps best remembered for his games against the Knicks and his altercations with film director Spike Lee. Now Lee is known as the New York Knicks #1 fan, sitting courtside at Madison Square Garden.



While Indiana is at best somewhere where most tourists simply drive through on a journey through the mid west, New York City is a magnet . Over the years I've returned to NYC a number of times, and on each occasion have ensured that I've been to the Garden to see the Knicks. The Knicks are the proverbial "sleeping giant" of the NBA, there have been many false dawns and false messiahs. In fact the Knicks last tasted success in the 1970s, although they came close in the 1990s losing in the final in 1994 to the Houston Rockets.

I was fortunate enough to see Carmelo Anthony's Knicks debut in 2011 and last year to mark my retirement we returned to New York and were there to witness Linsanity. This year the NBA, keen to market the game worldwide, announced that a regular season game between the Knicks and the Detroit Pistons would be held at the O2 arena in London.


The O2 arena, that had hosted the 2012 Olympic basketball finals, sold out in record time. What was billed as a Pistons home game in fact a chance for Knicks fans to turn the place orange and blue. Before the game Spike Lee who had flown into London for the game met fans at a bar. My wife described the scene as a bear pit, however I was able to get my copy of his basketball memoir "the best show in the house" autographed.


The game itself was a rather one sided affair. The Pistons led 2-0 but after that the Knicks dominated going on a 18-0 run with Melo delivering from behind the three point line. The knicks never looked back and although the pistons made an effort in the 3rd quarter reducing the deficit to just 4 points, the Knicks then simply put their foot on the accelerator and were comfortable winners 102-87



Postscript:
The NBA game brought out many well known London football players, none more so than Thierry Henry. Henry now playing for New York Red Bulls has been a basketball enthusiast for many years , and was pictured at the game with Spike Lee.

Wednesday 16 January 2013

I'm back - its 2013

It's been about six weeks since I've written. During that time the usual Christmas and New Year festivities have taken place, but a number of activities have filled my time.

Most memorably in December was that  I travelled to Norwich to help on polling day in the Nelson Ward by election. The day started with a train journey through East Anglia, the fog was dense and frankly it was impossible to see further than a few feet from the train window. Amazingly as the train approached Norwich the fog evaporated.

A short bus journey and I was at the Committee Rooms ready to work, a day spent knocking up voters in an area I surprisingly remembered very well from when my daughter lived in the area close to 15 years earlier when she was a student at UEA.

The election was a two party contest, but unlike those where I live this was a battle between Labour and Green. I still find that strange but it says much for the tribal nature of British Politics greatly influenced by the First Past the post electoral system. I must say to walk streets and see so many Green Party posters was uplifting, I'd recommend green party members who live in areas where the likelihood of success is slight to visit Norwich on election days, it does wonders for morale.

I travelled home on the last train , the count wasn't until the next day, and when it was announced, the seat was held, the Greens representation  on the Council (15 seats) was restored.

Just before Xmas saw the Dons Trust AGM, in the days before I had been outspoken against the proposal to "sell" two associate directorships in AFC Wimbledon. Fortunately the Board withdrew the resolution. However the overall message was that the Club needed more money to be competitive in League 2.
Finding two men (sic) with money was presented as the only option, in despair I suggested that if we needed more money to improve the squad I'd organise a bucket collection in the game after the Xmas holidays. The idea was that on Boxing Day we'd publicise the collection and then press ahead on 28th December. Great plan rocked by Boxing Day's game being postponed as the pitch was unplayable.

In spite of that the collection went ahead, and ably assisted by a group of volunteers the total exceeded £4200. Why stop there ? So last Saturday I organised a match day raffle and another £2600 was added to the transfer fund.
Fans contribute because they knew where their cash was going. In actual fact since the new year the Dons are undefeated having  produced two away victories and a home draw.

The New Year and some writing, two articles , one on whether UKIP can win seats under FPTP and another on Think Tanks, both should be published in April.

Nevertheless the greatest change in life has been that since the start of January we have become child minders, the child in question is our seven month old grandson. Obviously it's many years since we had childcare responsibilities, and perhaps looking after children is easier when you're  thirty rather than approaching sixty. However it's amazing seeing him develop new skills and seeing life through the eyes of a child, who cannot yet speak or walk, but who clearly lets you know his mood and demands.

Walking around our village with a pushchair is a learning experience. It has made me appreciate just how close cars are to pedestrians. Which leads me to my role on the Parish Council. It is said that the Parish Council is "non party political", however it's clear that must members know each other well and there is without doubt a Conservative majority. One thing I can be clear about is that although co-opted rather than elected, I have never disguised my Green Party membership, and I see it as my role to promote green issues.

Last week I had a letter published in the local newspaper on the rise in rail season tickets and fares . It came from me as a representative of Brentwood and Chelmsford Green Party. Interestingly I was stopped by a local resident who'd read the letter, his response to me was that " I see you left the Labour Party or rather the Labour Party left you, I'm not surprised".