Roll Over Beethoven

Am I the only person in England who can't play the piano?
 I was in London on Thursday where they have pianos dotted about in various locations.  It is part of some summer of music thing they have going on.  They are placed there for people to just come along and play and it seemed to me that everyone who did must have been studying for some time.  I must have heard about seven different people and not one of them was playing Chopsticks.  Wouldn't it be nice, if just one random person would sit down and pretend they could play.  I would much rather watch someone having fun rather than showing off.  On the other hand, there were some very talented musicians about that day.  Not one person made a fool of themselves, which was a bit disappointing in a way.  With the good music and the sunshine it wasn't a bad day out.  I just wish that I had the talent or at least the balls to have a go myself.

This guy was really good.

Why Change the Exam System?

So they are seriously considering scrapping GCSE exams and going back to O Levels because too many kids these days leave school not being able to read or write.  This has NOTHING to do with the current exam system.  You need to be able to read and write to fill the exam papers in!  The problem with the current illiteracy problem is that young people are not focused enough on what's important.  They lack common goals and ambitions.  Most kids these days just assume that they will leave school and have everything just handed out to them on a plate.  They just think that they will go on a reality tv show or have everything they need handed out to them by the government.  The real problem is that they lack inspiration and the encouragement that they need to go out and grab life by the balls.  It is not the exam system that needs to be changed but the quality of the teaching.  Teachers need to spend a little less time out on strike, go back into the classroom and do the job that they were trained to do.  What happened to that generation of teachers who made it their mission in life to inspire young minds?  It is the lack of enthusiasm of teachers today that has added to an ever-increasing problem.  It is their job to educate and inspire so why are they not doing it?

Was This Meant to be a Joke?

You know those silly little things that make you laugh out loud in the street, well today I definitely had one of those moments.  I was out on a delivery at work, when I overheard a couple of chaps who were doing some sort of survey about the town centre.  They asked the question: 'What do you think about anti-social behaviour in the town?'  The men they were asking it to were three old drunks, sat on a bench with a can of special brew each at eight-thirty in the morning.  It's just a shame that I didn't have the time to wait and listen to the answer.  I'm still trying to work out if they were actually being serious or just trying to prove a point.  Either way it certainly brightened up my morning.

Big Dog, Big Wimp.

Like Butter Wouldn't Melt.

Who was it that said big dogs are the bravest?  They have obviously never had a Jack Russell running around their ankles, like the one that used to yap at me on the way home from school.  I know a Westie that throws around cushions to show the postman who is boss.

  Today I met a Rottweiler that was afraid of its own shadow and a Chihuahua.  If you're looking for a decent guard dog, go for something small they've got more guts.  From my own personal experience, big dogs are usually just big softies.  It's the little ankle biters you need to be careful of.

Fight or Flight?

Is running away always the best option?  Is it a good idea to go through life running away every time things get too difficult?  Or should we try to stick it out and hold on until the end?  We can go through life running away from things that are hard and never really getting anywhere.  No matter how tough things get, if you stay and work through it, then the rewards will be worth it in the end.  Set yourself some goals and keep on going until you reach the end.  If you are willing to work through the hard times, then you will get there eventually.  Keep running and you will be running forever.

Irony, or Coincidence?

On 15th April 2012 it will be the 100th anniversary since the Titanic sank.

One of the biggest sea disasters in British history, that will forever be remembered as a tragic and unnecessary loss of lives.  (As well as Leonardo DiCaprio's blue face disappearing beneath the waves.)  As we are fast approaching this landmark anniversary, is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that the news has been filled with stories of cruise ship disasters?  First there was the Costa Concordia which sank with the loss of lives.

Now we are hearing about one of its sister ships, the Costa Allegra, that is being towed to port after a fire.

Those are only the recent ones.  There have been various other disasters over the last few years.  It would seem that even now, 100 years after the Titanic tragedy, lessons have still not been learnt.  It would seem that we are still putting luxury over safety.  Is it just me, or is anyone else worried that they are building bigger, heavier aeroplanes?  They have already more than proved that big ships have a habit of sinking.  How long before their Uber Planes start falling from the sky?

Purple Shame.

I am not ashamed to admit that I love reading Alan Dee's column in The Herald & Post.  There have been some weeks that I haven't agreed with his views but this week, I think that he might have been on to something.    Why not paint the faces of binge-drinkers bright purple.  That way we can all point and laugh at them in the street and make them feel like the idiots that they are.  He is also right that the self-controlled drinker should not have to suffer, just because some people don't know when to stop.  I personally think that the purple face painting thing should definitely be considered.  Maybe they could even include a green option for those that vomit in the street whilst drunk.  If these people want to act like clowns, then why not make them look the part.