Red Nose Day

It's a strange strange day Red Nose Day. I generally find any kind of telethon marathon television program to be a slight chore, but i watch them, occasionally donate. I've even manned the phones for Sport Relief a few years ago (previous call centre experience) so I don't think they're an absolute waste of space.

However, I do find some of the TV slots only a fraction short of emotional blackmail. Some of the <celeb> flew out to <location> to show us the poverty people live in there. I know the poverty a good proportion of the world live in, and it's dreadful, what I don't need is Cheryl Fucking Cole or any other celebrity looking at these people with fake concern before saying that only £5 would do whatever it would do. How much did you flight cost? No doubt you're in as close to a nice hotel as the region can offer, how much is that costing. How's about you stay sat in Geordie land (or 14" up Simon Cowells arse), get someone local people to take the footage, and use the money you wasted getting there looking for some easy publicity towards whatever you're appealing for?

These days also bring out the everyone raise money spirit in offices. No doubt when I go in tomorrow there'll be people in 'funny' wigs, dressed up, offering to have bits of them shaved by their line managers. The money raised is once again all good, but it's always the same old same old techniques and usually in constant streams all day. One maybe two gets something, but when you're saying 'sorry no change' to the 5th person and getting stinking looks, it's just not nice!!!

The looking for publicity things cascades down the ranks too, from celebs down to local level. You can be fairly certain that the people doing the tired fundraising techniques in you're local whatever will be the ones who consider themselves a bit outgoing, consider themselves a bit of a joker, they'll take the chance to confirm this belief to everyone who will listen. Luckily the good cause can only benefit form this, I've never known anyone make a loss!

Some highlights already I've been told to expect are Chris Moyles on radio 1 all day? I'd pay good money if he'd bugger off and never grace the radio again. To be honest ofr all it means to me now, I could easily say that about Radio 1 as a unit. I just see the station as a stream of ego heavy presenters, playing generally shite music. Maybe it's my age.

I wish Red Nose Day as a whole the best of course and hope it raises however much money it needs to for whoever deserves it. But I really don't fancy having it shoved down my throat. Anyway, to bed.

A golf tournament in October? In Wales? Nice thinking...

Welcome to October! Shockingly the South Wales weather has chosen this moment for the sky to open and deposit as much good old precipitation as possible onto the land below. Not an unusual thing for Wales or indeed for the UK as a whole to experience. Then why choose this moment to hold the biggest outdoor sports event Newport has ever seen in what is essentially a field, actually lets be exact, in essentially what is rapidly turning into a bog? Even as I type play has been suspended for hours!!

Did someone say 'first Monday finish ever??'

Overall I'm seeing the Ryder Cup as a good thing for the area, yes most of the money is kept by the Ryder Cup association or whatever the frig it's called, but it's still brought people to the area, and taking the prices at Celtic Manor as a guide, the type of people it brings have considerably more money than me. I may be wrong, but that kind of generalisation fits well with Golf's image as a whole, seen as an expensive sport for a privileged few who also hand round in the clubhouse in plusfors sipping pimms. Now I'm sure this isn't true, I used to play myself only under less glamorous surroundings (Caerphilly generally, if you know it, you'll know what I mean), but its an image.

The elite/rich nature of at least this particular golf event has however sent people into hyperactive "OhmygodIthinkIjustsaw" mode. Storys coming from Cardiff city centre yesterday included, Will Smith and Michael Jordan shopping for a basketball in JD sports (do you think they were going to shoot some b-ball outside of the school??), David Beckham in some 'exclusive' clothes shop on Churchill Way (I forget the name, but I can't afford to shop there anyway), maybe even Samuel L Jackson getting a chicken bake and a bottle of Dr Pepper in Greggs, St Davids arcade. Do date I have seen nothing in the way of evidence that any of these people have graced Cardiff in the slightest (Apart from Mickey Jordan who was posing for pics in Revolution) but I suppose they have to be staying somewhere.

The truth is, to make the most money you need to attarct the people with most disposal income, which lets face it these people are. But I digress, a month or 6 weeks ago it would have been an event bathed in sunshine, but now? Washout? 2 years ago Nick Faldo made a joke about bring waterproofs to Wales, and by all accounts people laid into him, I think all thouse people owe him an apology. The writing was on teh wall at the Wales Open last year which was delayed by rain.

but oh well, people not outside may spend more in the gift shop. £40k watch anyone?

Also, this is an experiment, I'm submitting this via email written on my lunch break, let's see if it works. But of course if it doesn't work, you won't see it, but you know what I mean. I think. Do you?

PS It didn't work, my email added a huuuuuuuge disclaimer to the end so I'm doing this normally!!

Pay Day!

Woo hoo it's pay day! This signals a very special time of the month, there's a gap, not a huge one but a gap nonetheless, between the 28th (Pay Day) and the 1st (Bill Day)

During this little period it's like living in a whole new financial bracket, the bank looks healthy, you don't feel a sense of intrepidation on approach to a cashpoint. The bank itself saves a fortune on red ink, but it's not all environmentally friendly as they tend to use more black.

Then the first comes round... Direct Debits shrink the balance back to where I belong and things return to normality and instead of marching into <insert generic game shop here> and demanding a latest release, it's back to hanging round in the preowned section or gazing through the window longingly like Charlie Bucket in the Roald Dahl classic. Gamestation have asked me not to, apparently my saliva running down the window doesn't help their sales.

Now don't get me wrong I'm not on the breadline, work doesn't exactly pay me money I have to carry home in my diamond encrusted wheelbarrow, but it's enough (Anyone wanting to offer me megabucks leave a comment, I'll have my people call your people... OK I have no people but if it creates the right image I'll get my mum to call and pretend she's my PA).

Speaking of stuff I can't afford, has anyone seen the new keyboard add on for Rock Band? Looks mighty classy, but is weighing in at £110 with the game. Looks like it's going to be a choice between that and Natal/Kinect (£120). I'll prob go for the rock band, Kinect still seems slightly gimmicky to me, despite a wise mate singing its praises. Plus the other half (an accomplished guitar hero player herself will love it, as she's also a piano player!) The clincher would be releasing some Ben Folds for it. Do it harmonix, do it now!

Anyway, I better be off, it's getting to the busy part of the train route and some stinking hobo will sit next to me at any moment doubtless.

Catch ya later!