Wednesday, June 8, 2005
The boat

A seemingly innocuous container ship set off from Malaysia on its way to Felixstone, the 110,000 tonne ship waspassing below Sicily when it came across a boat with 27 refugees on board. So they kindly picked up the refugees but did not do the expected and drop them off at the nearest safe port. Instead they ploughed on for four days before dumping them on British soil where we had to take them, feed them, accomodate them and put them through the nefarious immigration system.

At the same time that this was happening, Mrs Blair was making a 'private' trip to the US to top upher family's six figure income by speaking as the 'Trailblazing first lady of Downing Street'', making off her husband's name in a few hours more than most British family's make in a year. No, she wasn't going to donate the money to charity but she did expect the British people to put her up in digs while she was over there in the British consulate and the British ambassador, a _public_ servant, made the warm-up speech. Down the road noble Tony was asking, nay, begging Bush to help him sort out African poverty. Charity it seems starts somewhere other than home unless your not paying for it. Welcome to la-la land, have a nice stay on us.

Posted by Owen Jones 2005-06-08 17:46:28

Tuesday, June 7, 2005
I ain't going to die wondering

That's my new phrase for the time being, and it makes sense to me. One thing I have learned through a mixture of stupidity, idiocy and dumb luck is that you can't ever not ask the question.

Posted by Owen Jones 2005-06-07 17:44:09

Monday, June 6, 2005
Good cop, bad cop

Growing upI'm sure that most kids had one parent (if they had more than one) who played good cop and one who played bad cop. I'm just curious which was which because in our house me mam was always badcop and dad was good cop. Random but recently I had a barny with bad cop for the first time in a fair while and it made me realise just how bloody good she wasat being bad cop. As you get older your understanding of events in the past improves,you get moments where the 'a-ha' factor comes in; 'thats why I did that' or 'thats whyI got beat up' and in this case I realised good cop, bad cop wasn't an act its just the way some people are.

Posted by Owen Jones 2005-06-06 18:15:47

Sunday, June 5, 2005
Inevitability

There are moments that are just meant to be. Not in the 'sun always rising' (smart alecs out there I'm aware it doesn't rise or fall)category but there are just certain people destined to be in a place at a time that perform the feat everyone dares dream of. In the early hours of Sunday morning I watched such an event. Ricky Hatton, a tough mid-twenties manc who looks like he couldn't get a tan standing two yards from the sun, came face to face with arguably the best pound-for-pound boxerof his generation and a legend in the junior/light welterweight division, Kostya Tszyu. A russian currently residing in Australia, Tszyu had dominated the division for almost a decade, taking out all comers,legends (cesar chavez) and contenders (Mitchell, Judah) alike with his deadly straight right. Tszyu had only one loss on an otherwise impeccable record. He had more experience, had fought and beatenfar more class opponents at a higher level than Hatton could dream of, at least to hear the Americans tell it. Hatton stopped him on his stool in the 11th round and effectively retired him. Having followed Rickyfor the last six years it was an absolute privilege to watchthe fight. A war of epic proportions and arguably the biggest fight in the last decade for British boxing.

The divisionis the most exciting in all of boxing with greats like Floyd Mayweather jr, Arturo Gatti andMiguel Cotto, but for one night, in an arena in Manchester, the brightest star in boxing's firmament was a Mancunian who likes darts and curry. It doesn't get much better. Well done Ricky lad!

Posted by Owen Jones 2005-06-05 15:53:56

Saturday, June 4, 2005
Alas

Aside from personal tragedy what can be more painful than the shattering of dreams, having the chance to do all that you wanted removed from you. The Lions kicked off in a NZ with a nervous start but the gutting incident was Lawrence Dallaglio being stretchered off in much the same way he was in OZ four years ago. I have a massive amount of respect for Dallaglio evenas a supporter of the great Welsh nation, there are some peopleof talent and desire that exceed rivalry and to me Dallaglio was one of those. A natural leader that you'd follow anywhere, he was committed, intense, driven and gifted. So to see arguably the best backrow player of his generation carried off not 20mins into the first tour game was terrible. Despite his achievements with England and the Lions in SA, you always want to see the best players play in the big games and although the WC and numerous other trophies will be a major comfort as no doubt the pragmatic man will point out, you just sense that NZmeant more than a lot to LD and not to have the chance to try and climb that mountain is a bit sad. Alas for our dreams.

Posted by Owen Jones 2005-06-04 16:59:58