Month: January 2001

Traffic

Reading time: < 1 min

Movie info from IMDB
Movie reviews from Metacritic

Nice pace, intelligent handling of the ‘issue’ behind the story. Acting was solid by all main characters. If you enjoyed American Beauty you should enjoy this. If you want an exciting film go elsewhere. If you want to be treated like an intelligent adult who doesn’t need every single step and twist of a tale to be made blindingly obvious then I would highly recommend it.

Catherine Zeta Jones was better than I thought, last saw her in Darling Buds of May – she has come far. Benicio Del Toro was outstanding took me a moment to place him, having put on a few pounds since Usual Suspects.

Jury Service starts tomorrow. Not expecting anything juicy, and obviously I won’t be discussing it here, but for some reason I have an urge to watch Twelve Angry Men.

Reminder

Reading time: 2 mins

It’s there, sitting underneath the surface, never too far out of reach. A friend’s situation brings it back, but it is less painful this time, and I know it will continue to fade, to become a dusty memory. Each iteration dulling the anguish, drizzling out the flame.

I don’t cling to it, it is not a beacon, guiding my way or a siren calling me home. It does not weigh down on my shoulders or hang heavy round my neck. But it is real, it is there and I will not deny it that. I know I could store it away somewhere easily found, where the light reaches and highlights the sharp reality of it, but I won’t, it would serve no purpose.

Better to let it gather dust, to fade further and further from the reality, only to be used as a pivot, a defining moment, a point in time, the details of which need not be dwelt on. It was a good thing.

I thought it over again, tried to find the reasons, the answers, analysing my reaction and decisions. It all seems so pointless and needless now, and equally frustrating. I was told not to look for reasons, and answers, that acceptance and understanding of the moment would serve me better. It is not always that easy, but that adds to the value.

It reminds me of who I am. It reminds me of the positives. It reminds me of my worth, and my love. It reminds me everyday, and I’m slowly using it, changing negatives to positives, realising how lucky I am. It will remind me of how I got here, and remind me why I am here.

Addendum: I started writing this before Christmas, I keep returning to it, adding, deleting, considering. Each time I decide to stop, or decide to write what I write and leave it at that. So here it is, no apologies nor further explanation, I know what is stated, and it is for my self that I write it.

Net-less

Reading time: < 1 min

Wow, it’s amazing how much I’ve come to depend on the Internet. A few server hassles at work meaning no Internet connection for most of the day. It’s not like I surf all day, but you know when you get that ‘hmmm I’ll just check..’ thought, imagine not being able to do that, especially when you are used to using the Internet regularly. Yikes.

I’m trying to think back to before the Internet was available, and quickly realising that I’ve never been in that situation. My first website went live in late 1995 (no longer there sadly), it was my first job (other than McDonalds), so I don’t know of any other way. How the hell did anyone find anything before it was there?

Mind you, maybe the current deadlines and aggressive product development times are manifest out of the immediacy we are all now familiar and comfortable with.

Ohh and six…stop!, you’re making me blush! Hmm that doesn’t read to well, it’s a simple case of mutual admiration. Go and see what I’m talking about!

Bulger email

Reading time: 3 mins

I was sent an email by a well meaning friend. My initial reaction was ‘Yeah! I agree with that….’. However after reading it again I started thinking, hold on… not sure if I agree with this. Here is the email, included with my reply first.

—–Original Message—–
From: Gordon McLean
Sent: 22 January 2001 10:40
Sorry I can’t do this.

Much as I agree with the general feeling that these boys should be punished
I can’t leap on this kind of moralistic bandwagon. I doubt very much that
this is as black and white as is painted (nothing ever is). I have no doubt
the boys knew they were doing wrong, but to what level was their
understanding? The email below seems a tad hysterical and presents no
evidence (I do not count – ‘One paper even stated…’ as evidence). I also
have not seen any evidence concerning paint, batteries, or leaving him on a
railway track. Is this a virtual lynch mob?

“If Robert and Jon could be so evil at 10, imagine what they could do as
adults?” Do we have reason to state this? Is it not possible they have been
rehabilitated? They, as children, probably stand a better chance of
rehabilitation than adults as there minds are still open enough to accept
new ways of thinking.

I DO AGREE with the general sentiment, but do not agree (and never will)
with this kind of knee-jerk reaction. I will be contacting Lady Justice
Butler-Sloss with my own message, it will support the main aims of this
email (namely to ensure that the public voice is being heard) but won’t be
putting my name to this.

I have written about this on my own site – www.snowgoon.co.uk
See also – http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_992000/992233.stm

Apologies if this upsets – I have the same agenda as you, I just don’t value
this approach.

Gordon

—–Original Message—–
On February 12, 1993 a small boy who was to turn three in March was taken
from a shopping mall in Liverpool by two 10 year old boys. Jamie Bulger
walked away from his mother for only a second and Jon Venables took his hand
and led him out of the mall with his friend Robert Thompson. They took Jamie
on a walk for over 2 and a half miles, along the way stopping
every now and again to torture the poor little boy who was crying constantly
for his mommy. Finally they stopped at a railway track where they brutally
kicked him and threw stones at him and rubbed paint in his eyes and pushed
batteries up his anus. They then left his beaten small body on the tracks so
a train could run him over to hide the mess they had created. These two
boys, even being boys understood what they did was wrong, hence trying to
make it look like an accident. This week Lady Justice Butler-Sloss has
awarded the two boys anonymity for the rest of their lives when they leave
custody with new identities.

We cannot let this happen. They will also leave early this year only serving
just over half of their sentence. One paper even stated that Robert may go
on to University. They are getting away with their crime. They need to pay,
and we have to do something to make them pay for their horrific crime. They took Jamie’s
life violently away, and in return they get a new life. Please add your
name and location to the list and forward to friends and family. Please copy
this e-mail instead of forwarding so we do not get at the beginning of
sentences. If you are the 200th person to sign please forward this e-mail
to – cust.ser.cs@gtnet.gov.uk for the
attention of Lady Justice Butler-Sloss.

the list over again and sent to your friends and family. The
Love-Bug virus took less that 72 hours to reach the world. I hope this one
does too.

We need to protect our family and friends from creatures like Robert and
Jon. One day they may be living next to you and your small children without
your knowledge. If Robert and Jon could be so evil at 10, imagine what they
could do as adults?

Bulger

Reading time: 2 mins

Jon Venables and Robert Thompson (now both aged 18) killed James Bulger (who was 2) in February 1993

Yesterday (08.01.01) they were granted a secret identity

Should they have been granted the right to anonymity? That is not for me to decide, greater minds than mine have discussed the matter. But what now for the boys? should I say men?

I don’t know, and don’t want to know, what went through their minds. I remember the case, but didn’t follow it, confused about the motives and actions of two young boys.

Now they have aged, what goes through their minds? I would imagine, as it is all I can do, that their sentence will be served in a much harsher reality. They will have to live with themselves, recreating the moment in their minds over and over. A horrible reality.

Should they have the right to walk free? Start new lifes? The killed, surely the punishment should fit the crime – a call I am often heard to cry.

They have received their punishment, was it enough? Well would you sentence two young boys to serve the rest of their life in jail. With a strong possibility that the boys were not fully aware of the outcome of their actions, what can you do?

The hurt, pain and anguish suffered by the parents and family of James Bulger is unmeasurable, and their anger and hatred expected and understandable. Do I condone it? No. Do I agree with it? Yes. Would I react the same way? Probably.

Anonymity has been assured by the courts. However two faces will look in the mirror and know the truth. They will understand what they did. I hope they feel sorry, and lucky, and remorseful. I hope they look in that mirror and cry. I think that is a suitable punishment.

Historically

Reading time: < 1 min

It’s official. I’m getting old. I was thinking back to Hogamanay, it was about 4:30 a.m. when the guitars came out, and I realised that I knew more words to the songs than I really should…Dumbarton’s Drums, Wild Rover (but alas not the Battle of GlenFruin…).

Next up my Dad (active in the local Burns club – it’s a chore he loves) had a book about the history of Dumbarton, and damn interesting it is too. OK, so maybe I’m not getting old, just getting patriotic, or nostalgic or SomeTHiNG, whatever it is I’m gonna see how long it lasts. My guess is not very, as a child of the 20th century my attention span is shorter than a gnats… antenna…

My ‘new’ project has already been bumped in favour of tweaking this site – I guess I kinda new it would…