This story caught my attention today for the sheer horrific brutality of it.
As a journalist I shouldn't use adjectives of course but as a parent and, above, all a human being, this has shocked me.
To my eternal shame, I used to work for the Daily Mail. I say shame because I despise the editorial stance of scaremongering and othering but my reaction to this story and what this family had to suffer is right up there with the Mail.
String 'em up I say. And I find myself calling for heads within the police force that failed the family so badly - and that is from someone who rails against the scapegoat generation we have become.
But sometimes, just sometimes, perhaps a strong response is justified. Maybe I'll write to my MP but I'm sure he's too busy rubbishing the Government to do much about it.
Restoring faith
A colleague tried to restore my faith in football and football fans today.
I'm not sure it worked but I had to admire his stance. He holds a senior position, involving countless admin-heavy meetings, and relishes the opportunity to do something so different having been in the restraining strait-jacket of management.
It's a good point. Football is a release - the shouting, highs and lows of support and the camaraderie with all around you can be extremely cathartic.
But he is one of the lucky few. His club hasn't been sullied by the money of the Premier League, which attracts trophy chasers and, as he supports Plymouth, away fans have to be into the football and not just the shouting to go there.
He's lucky but I'm not convinced and I'm planning to be at Welford Road for Christmas and not Pride Park.
I'm not sure it worked but I had to admire his stance. He holds a senior position, involving countless admin-heavy meetings, and relishes the opportunity to do something so different having been in the restraining strait-jacket of management.
It's a good point. Football is a release - the shouting, highs and lows of support and the camaraderie with all around you can be extremely cathartic.
But he is one of the lucky few. His club hasn't been sullied by the money of the Premier League, which attracts trophy chasers and, as he supports Plymouth, away fans have to be into the football and not just the shouting to go there.
He's lucky but I'm not convinced and I'm planning to be at Welford Road for Christmas and not Pride Park.
All hail David Mitchell
David Mitchell: Pointless studies are the key to evolution | Comment is free | The Observer
This is why David Mitchell is such a welcome addition to our comedy scene.
It is difficult to be on our airwaves every five minutes and remain fresh and, above else else, retain credibility. But our David achieves this and I have the survey results to prove it.
I. SALUTE. YOU
The annoying thing about football . . .
. . . is the fans. They're supposed to be the best thing about the game in England if you listen to Match of the Day or Talksport or any of the sychophants on our airwaves.
Why oh why won't anyone tell it how it is? OK so Adebayor was not clever sprinting to his former club's fans and sliding to his knees in celebration after scoring a goal but then again they had treated him like a paedophile at a school's PGA meeting for the best part of an hour.
Apparently if a former idol slides to his knees in celebration it is then beyond the ability of any football to show restraint. Oh no, not them. It is perfectly acceptable to respond by trying to inflict serious injury on said striker by lobbing coins, bananas and chairs at his head. For God's sake grow up you muppets.
I haven't been to a football match for 12 months after I watched Derby County v Reading. A trio of my own club's fans (for I support Derby) felt it was OK to stand for 90 minutes with their middle fingers extended towards the Hoops' fans. And these guys were in their 40s.
Not for me. Rugby has its problems at the moment but at least the fans can behave like human beings and not a pack of dogs.
Why oh why won't anyone tell it how it is? OK so Adebayor was not clever sprinting to his former club's fans and sliding to his knees in celebration after scoring a goal but then again they had treated him like a paedophile at a school's PGA meeting for the best part of an hour.
Apparently if a former idol slides to his knees in celebration it is then beyond the ability of any football to show restraint. Oh no, not them. It is perfectly acceptable to respond by trying to inflict serious injury on said striker by lobbing coins, bananas and chairs at his head. For God's sake grow up you muppets.
I haven't been to a football match for 12 months after I watched Derby County v Reading. A trio of my own club's fans (for I support Derby) felt it was OK to stand for 90 minutes with their middle fingers extended towards the Hoops' fans. And these guys were in their 40s.
Not for me. Rugby has its problems at the moment but at least the fans can behave like human beings and not a pack of dogs.
I can't help it.....
I love TV. I watch so much.
I love it all. I watch quality stuff like The Wire and box sets of Spaced and The Mighty Boosh and I hard drive documentaries like Man on Wire or Folk America (although they currently sit there unwatched).
But then there's the mediocre stuff I watch like Lost, Waking The Dead and Battlestar Galactica
And then there's the stuff which is enjoyable and trashy like Harper's Island, Heroes and Reaper.
And then there's the stuff I'm hooked on like endless repeats of Scrubs and Friends.
Then there's the stuff my wife is hooked on and I pretend not to enjoy but secretly do like Location, Location, Location, Grand Designs and Property Ladder.
And I haven't even mentioned films.
Last week in a joyous moment I spurned TV and read and lo, it was good. I read The Gargoyle and it made me remember why I love to read and why novels like Cloud Atlas, Jane Ayre, Life of Pi, Birdsong and Catch 22 are an important part of my life.
Hey, telly's good too. Don't get me wrong - I think it's an important part of modern culture it's just that now I'm watching a double bill of Friends while working on the laptop and silently loathing myself for it.
I love it all. I watch quality stuff like The Wire and box sets of Spaced and The Mighty Boosh and I hard drive documentaries like Man on Wire or Folk America (although they currently sit there unwatched).
But then there's the mediocre stuff I watch like Lost, Waking The Dead and Battlestar Galactica
And then there's the stuff which is enjoyable and trashy like Harper's Island, Heroes and Reaper.
And then there's the stuff I'm hooked on like endless repeats of Scrubs and Friends.
Then there's the stuff my wife is hooked on and I pretend not to enjoy but secretly do like Location, Location, Location, Grand Designs and Property Ladder.
And I haven't even mentioned films.
Last week in a joyous moment I spurned TV and read and lo, it was good. I read The Gargoyle and it made me remember why I love to read and why novels like Cloud Atlas, Jane Ayre, Life of Pi, Birdsong and Catch 22 are an important part of my life.
Hey, telly's good too. Don't get me wrong - I think it's an important part of modern culture it's just that now I'm watching a double bill of Friends while working on the laptop and silently loathing myself for it.
Laziness
OK - here's the thing. All summer I have had time to both exercise my self into heaven and prepare work for the start of the university year.
It's human nature I suppose to postpone things a little but unfortunately I postponed things a lot and I mean A LOT. So know I am working crazy days - the only respite is the commute to and from work - and atrophying from the lack of exercise.
The only thing that is keeping me going is the knowledge that next year it WILL be different and that eventually I will be allowed to go running again.
Still - a student did introduce me to the foul-mouthed delights of Boro Pat today so I'll share that with you as well (not for the faint hearted)
It's human nature I suppose to postpone things a little but unfortunately I postponed things a lot and I mean A LOT. So know I am working crazy days - the only respite is the commute to and from work - and atrophying from the lack of exercise.
The only thing that is keeping me going is the knowledge that next year it WILL be different and that eventually I will be allowed to go running again.
Still - a student did introduce me to the foul-mouthed delights of Boro Pat today so I'll share that with you as well (not for the faint hearted)
The future of the country
At last the university is full of students again and it is such a different place already.
Full of hope and fun and enthusiasm. It's great seeing students at this stage and wondering which of them will end up running the country or being the next big tv star.
I had a lecture with some first years today on their first full day and I probably found it more exciting than them. Already it's making the mind-bending trawl through higher eductaion's many layers of beauraucracy seem almost worthwhile. Note the word almost though because I am not sure many things are worth that.
Full of hope and fun and enthusiasm. It's great seeing students at this stage and wondering which of them will end up running the country or being the next big tv star.
I had a lecture with some first years today on their first full day and I probably found it more exciting than them. Already it's making the mind-bending trawl through higher eductaion's many layers of beauraucracy seem almost worthwhile. Note the word almost though because I am not sure many things are worth that.
Maybe they weren't excuses
After blogging last night I felt worse and worse and awoke this morning to feel like I'd been beaten with baseball bats.
Maybe my reasons for a poor showing at Woodstock 12 were just that - reasons. It seems I hadn't got over my cold at all and now have a soaring temperature and stiffness everywhere but my legs.
While I feel rubbish it is good to know I'm not as bad at my hobby and passion as I feared.
Still got a shed load of work to do for tomorrow though so I'd best knuckle down.
Maybe my reasons for a poor showing at Woodstock 12 were just that - reasons. It seems I hadn't got over my cold at all and now have a soaring temperature and stiffness everywhere but my legs.
While I feel rubbish it is good to know I'm not as bad at my hobby and passion as I feared.
Still got a shed load of work to do for tomorrow though so I'd best knuckle down.
Blowing up
First blog and already a negative one.
Took part in the Woodstock 12 today - a 12 mile run in the grounds of Blenheim Palace and I had high hopes of achieving about 1hr 30mins but due to plenty of extenuating factors ran 1hr 43. The last mile took me 14 minutes which is a shocker.
The extenuating factors - aka excuses - include having a cold all week, the weather being staggeringly hot for the middle of September, losing a toenail halfway round and being generally rubbish.
After 8 miles I was going like a train and planning a smug blog with tips for successful running. After 10 I was being passed to fat blokes who kept patting me and tell me to keep going.
The only good to come out of this is that it was a Saturday run and I have two days to get over it before going back to work to welcome the students back on Monday. Got a feeling I'll still be hobbling but I hope they'll take pity on me anway.
Took part in the Woodstock 12 today - a 12 mile run in the grounds of Blenheim Palace and I had high hopes of achieving about 1hr 30mins but due to plenty of extenuating factors ran 1hr 43. The last mile took me 14 minutes which is a shocker.
The extenuating factors - aka excuses - include having a cold all week, the weather being staggeringly hot for the middle of September, losing a toenail halfway round and being generally rubbish.
After 8 miles I was going like a train and planning a smug blog with tips for successful running. After 10 I was being passed to fat blokes who kept patting me and tell me to keep going.
The only good to come out of this is that it was a Saturday run and I have two days to get over it before going back to work to welcome the students back on Monday. Got a feeling I'll still be hobbling but I hope they'll take pity on me anway.
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