Moving Home

This is going to be my last post on blogger.
I will leave historic posts here, but my new page is www.davespeaks.wordpress.com

More toys to play with.

I Am So Angry

Sack that. I am pissed. Really, really pissed and I make no apologies for it.

Lately there has been a lot of talk about reparations to Africa for slavery. For me I am a bit more conservative in my thinking and rather than trying to work out payments to countries who suffered from slavery, allow such countries which are still reeling from the effects of slavery, colonialism and in the case of South Africa, apartheid, debt relief and options to trade.

So although $37bn (£20bn) was written down by the G8 Summit, with conditions, I think it is a massive step forward of developing many of the countries in Africa. I read some fantastic blogs like the Anansi Chronicles, The Benin Epilogue, The Timbuktu Chronicles and Africa Unchained which chronicles the self sufficiency and developments made across Africa. And then I read this and this.

To quote.

A High Court judge has ruled that Zambia must pay a substantial sum to a so-called "vulture fund".

British Virgin Islands-based Donegal International paid less than $4m (£2m) for a debt the African nation owed, but sued Zambia for a $42m repayment.

It said its bill was the result of interest and costs, but the judge has indicated that Zambia should pay less. "

Now I would say to the Zambian government to tell this vulture fund to take a running jump. My Christian constitution stops me from verbalizing other choice words. How can this be happening.

Right let me step away from the keyboard and come back to this later.

(Breathe Dave. Breathe)

Africa Must Fix Itself

So writes the author Emeka Okafor on his blog Africa Unchained. Commenting on an article from Andrew Mwenda in the WashingtonPost, he quotes

More aid to Africa, whether it comes from the West or China, should not give us too much hope because, at root, foreign aid is an ineffective instrument that distorts recipients' incentives for the worse. Aid is given with the assumption that its recipients lack the necessary resource base to generate tax revenue to meet their public expenditure needs. Yet in many African countries, the problem of insufficient tax revenue is caused by poor tax administration, bad policies, and institutions that undermine growth. Then, once taxes come in, there is poor prioritization of expenditures.

For me having studied both the political and economic journeys of most of the sub Saharan African countries over the last twenty or so years, I have always argued that aid is more of an albatross than an incentive. Even though China has been seen more than some of the western predecessors to invest more long term in infrastructure, there seems to be a high cost to pay for this, think Angolan or Sudanese oil.

I delight in the fact that enterprise, much of it influenced and some cases driven by mobile and web cultures, is making much inroads in Africa. Personally I plan to visit some countries in the not too distant future. I had planned to go to the TED Africa conference in June to meet some of those on the frontline of implementing some of these programmes, but am not sure now if that is going to work. On a side note I actually think that cooperation between some of the Afro Caribbean youth here in working alongside these developments in Africa could do well to addressing some of the imbalances that we have in our country with a lack of vision and tendencies to pursue vocations of a criminal nature.

It is my goal this year to speak to Richard Branson about his role in the enterprise programme he has developed in South Africa. Watch this space.

A Black President

Lovely idea.
Lots of soundbites.
Would love to see him on Capitol Hill.

Honest opinion???
He hasn't got a hope in hell.

He hasn't got enough experience as a Senator.
Someone will bump him before he gets there.
Senator Clinton is way too powerful.

Nice idea though.

Launch of New Blog

Yeah I know I have three already, but its up to me isn't it?
I have launched a new blog called Its Me You Want. This is a blog about career planning, job hunting and career management. What's so different I hear you say?

Well I find so many blogs geared towards middle management or executive jobs. I want to look at jobs or careers in less traditional routes such as eco, those with a disbility, ex offenders, enterprise, etc as well as those traditional routes. I was going to include it here but I dont want to confuse my random ramblings on my other interests with a specific area such as career management.

Please feel free to share such info.

Memento

OK I often have business brainstorms that I know I will have never have the time or passion to really pursue. So with my big heart I am going to share some of them that I know I never will do myself.

OK one of the things that I find really tragic is when you have floods and stuff and people lose really precious pictures of family which can never replaced. So MEMENTO is a franchise where people go around to families and offer them a free service where pople sign up for say £10 to get all their pictures scanned and then stored on a site a bit like flickr or something. What happens then is that people are charged to access and reprint their pictures, say a one off fee.

The service can work especially in areas of low income or where there are high incidences of flooding, tornadoes, etc. So that even if they lose homes and property their family information never gets lost. The same can apply for certificates or papers that people want to keep.

So whose up for it then?

Absolute Class

She is Ready

For those who know my wife, know she is a very competitive lady. (Ask my youngest daughter about when we were playing rounders!!) Anyway....Seeing the challenge I threw down from an earlier post she decided that she would take up the challenge to beat my score.

I glanced over to her laptop while she was on the phone to see if she got anywhere near my score of 1440.1m. She got 1668.3m. Double click on the image to see.

What the hecky peck?!!!!!

About Job Boards

As a career guide for students and adults, one of the things I am always on the look out is the different ways people can look for new jobs. Now I know there is much to be said for networking, and as a speaker on this subject I always hear people bandy about figures yet lack relevant figures, the truth is that most job searching is done online on job boards. So it is important that if you are going to point people to job boards as part of their job hunting strategy that you want to encourage the user experience by pointing them to the best sites.

Now my favourite main job board in the UK is Reed. I think it is superior to the behemoths like Monster and Career Builder which are way too generic and badly designed for my liking. Three other job boards that I like are Jobster. This is well designed and subscribes to the "digital generation" of user driven content. I also like Groove Jobs site for students, my favourite by far, and the recently launched Recruitment Revolution.

What is so important to me about these sites is the ability for a user to be able to easily set up their account, upload a CV, create searches and recieve alerts. I personally don't buy into this whole concept of video CVs, (creates its own issues on discrimination) but I like the direction that some sites are making to make the process a lot more personal and effective. What about mobile people?

For me keep it simple.
Allow users to be alerted whether online or by mobile.
Have easy key searches and simple interfaces

Don't let me have to go out there and get some venture funding and start a revolution now!

Presentation Matters

Spent yesterday morning working with students in Barnet on Presentation Skills.
My team was great! They had so much energy.

The groups in each team had to put together a business plan for an idea for Comic Relief and the best team would win a special prize.

It was quite interesting because the teams had to score each other on their performances on the content, delivery and conviction of their presentation. Had some great ideas like a talent show, celebrity football, big brother and activity day. The celebrity football team won, but it was a case of some serious political voting by the other teams. Those kids were so damn sneaky!!! But great.

Would have loved to have stayed to the end but had to run to another borough to talk about delivering some workshops and speeches to schools. I really hope they will take something from it for real.

Daughter beats Parents!!!

OK. Well Madeline, Rianna and I all sat down last week to play cashflow 101.
For those of you who have read about Rich Dad Poor Dad, this game is his way of teaching financial management. Now whether you agree with him or not, is not the point. It's my blog so shutup. So...... The aim is to get out of the rat race and achieve a lifestyle of passive income. Usually it takes Mads and I about half an hour to get out the rat race and start chasing our dream lifestyle. Anyhoooo.....this is Rianna's first go at the game, and she only wins!!!! Rianna is 9. Right that's my retirement plan in place then.

Why is it that kids get these things so damn quick?

Got to Do Something

It really broke my heart to hear of that young lad who was shot in Peckham on Tuesday.
I was down in Bermondsey today and my heart just went out to some of the youth I saw today.
Overhearing conversations.
Seeing the usual swagger.
Despondency because teachers hadnt attended classes.
A power cut for three days on one campus.

I have got this idea in my head now, I am going to do some work in Southwark. Some how or the other get into those schools and colleges and make a difference. Both as a male, a motivator, a black man, a businessman, something. Even if it is only one....

You Ain't Ready

If anyone beat's my score, I will personally buy you a car when I see you next!
www.tredz.co.uk/game/

Men vs Women in Shower

Ok I ain't lying this is funny and a bit close to home (Apart from the soap hairs bit)

Me and Lauren

This is me and my youngest daughter Lauren, at a concert I hosted on Saturday night.
She came up with me on stage to announce the next artist. I welled up and almost couldnt speak. Mads did the crying for me though. Lauren is already a future star along with her big sister Rianna. Watch out.

And if you click here you can see me at the same event fooling about as to why only real mean wear pink!!

Elova: Magnificent Music

Last night I went to a showcase by a fellow promoter called Aesthetic Sounds. The night was held at Bar Rumba in London and featured a number of undergound artists doing their stuff.

Ok for those who know me not many people blow me away with their music.
Some tickle my fancy a touch..and others sent momentary shivers down my spine. But last night the opening band did all of that and more. They were called ELOVA. I was gonna do a word play on their name...but my reputation for being funny would be called into question.

Well slap my cajon and call me Sir McQueen of Hertfordshire.( by the way that was just a turn of phrase). ELOVA rocked man! They were HEAVY. Even though they had a couple of sound difficultues they came on and rocked it with a baritone guitar, cajon and velvet soulful vocals. T Bird, Stag and Le Gingembre you have a new number one fan (Apart from your families of course)

This is a link to their site on myspace, and you can play my favourite song Children and Poets on thurr. Simply magnificent.

Raphael Saddiq: Instant Vintage

Hello. I love this album.

Hello. On constant rotation again.

Raphael Saddiq formerly of Toni,Tony, Tone! and Lucy Pearl.

'Excuse Me', 'Skyy Can You Feel Me' and 'What's Life Like' are my faves. There is also a song 'Different Time' he does with T Boz (remember TLC) and she throws down quite nicely, if you can excuse the vernacular. Actually the song starts like 'Waterfalls' hmmmmm.......I know the album is old (2002) and he has released Ray Ray since then, but Raphael is undoudbtedly one of the most talented and consistent R&B artists and produers out there.

Amazing! 4/5 stars.

I have been Googled

Ok last year I was very dubious of Google. I removed Google Desktop off my pc because, well I just didn't want that kind of intrusion. (Truth is once your connected to the web or social networks most privacy has gone anyway...hasn't it?)

Anyhoo. I am a big fan of YouTube bought by Google. I store pictures on Picasa. Wifey just introduced me to Hello another service. I prefer GTalk than MSN Messenger. I use GMail for my main management of info. Google Calendar is an amazing tool especially for business. Compared to those various tools out there being sold by muppets! Plus you can access it anywhere. My main blogs are done on Blogger and I am veering towards using Google Docs and Spreadsheets for ease of access from whatever machine I am on. I know that Adwords and Google Maps are being included as part of the business model in most of my online projects that I am working on.

Now today I have read they made some £10Billion plus in revenue last year, and there are more products on the way.

I remember seeing a video some time last year I think, talking how Google will take over the world. I am not being funny. But....wow! They ain't messing about.

The Origin of Aids

Watched this video today. Wow! Whatever your conclusions this really does make food for thought. If it is true then it is seriously disturbing. (video is 90 mins long!)

Casette Converter

Ok so how cool is this. Firebox are selling a casette converter. Now let me state the downsides first before I get you too excited.
a) It cannot be connected via a USB port (dang!)
b) It cannot be used as an external drive (double dang!)
c) It doesn't work with macs (as I dont have one yet, I don't care!)

Anyway those negatives aside. Imagine if you have a stack of old casettes.
All those programmes your recorded off pirate radio (who me?!) or those old mixtapes of hip hop, rock, rare groove...omg! Now you can convert them onto mp3.
Hallelujuah!
Amen!

Now if I can jst convince wifey of the long term benefits for this......

Reality TV - Called to rights

Since my last post on reality TV a couple of friends have demanded that I give clarity on the issue of reality TV. So in humility I post the following.

My issue with reality TV is when people are forced into situations against each other. The likes of Shipwrecked, Survivor, Apprentice, Big Brother, Wife Swap and even I'm A Celebrity I those which I find distasteful. Where people are forced into powder keg situations where things will kick off in a big way and people will do whatever they have to do in order to win or come out not looking a fool.

In response to my friends I admittedly am a major fan of Property Ladder, Risking it All, Grand Designs, Make Me A Million and other shows which focus on property, enterprise, careers and money management and things that do improve other people's lots. So there I apologise. But am sure others knew what I meant. One ironic twist remains on this subject...but that is for another time.

Conflict Resolution

I have just finished a series of conflict resolution with students in North London. It has been a great experience working with both the students, my fellow workshop leaders Madeline McQueen (yes my wife), Shabazz Nelson, Duwayne Gordon and the ARC theatre group.

It is amazing to get into the minds of our yoof and although the themes tend to be the same it's amazing how varied the expectations of many of our students are. I always tell students how magnificent they are and can be, yet so many of them take much convincing.

One of the most interesting events in this series was when I ran the third workshop of the day. In my class a young man (with Aspergers) and a young lady got into a fight. With the young lady dominating. Also after explaining that you shouldnt give people the power over you or they will always dominate, a student ended up getting so upset with a fellow student she stormed out the class. Add the recent incidents on TV with reality TV and it made for some really thought provoking sessions.

I really do wish the best for many of those students. I hope they get a grasp on some of the ideals we taught them and what they shared with us.

Hmmm.....

I think I am going to hold comment on this for now.
What do you think? The full article can be found here.

Make Your Mark with a Tenner

Hey. I am posting on an email from my mate Oli Barrett about a great project he is involved in. Have a butchers and feel forward to pass on to whomever you will.

Hi There,

I really hope that you’ll find my latest venture of interest;

Starting today (Monday 29th), we’re giving 10,000 young people all over the UK a Tenner and one month to see what they can achieve with it. It’s a national competition (over 110 schools taking part in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales), and they can work alone or in groups. There are awards for the teams who make the most money and who have the greatest social impact.

If you’re interested, you can follow the stories of the teams for the next month through The Tenner Blog and see the main site at Make Your Mark with a Tenner.

I have a go at explaining what it’s all about on a 3 minute video on Webcameron here and in the Telegraph today (Monday). If you’re around today (Monday 29th) then I hope you might catch it on either BBC Breakfast (live at a school in Gloucester), News24 or on Newsnight (who have been to schools in Esher and Manchester) @ 10.30pm.

The money has come from Andrew Reynolds, founder of The Entrepreneur Channel and I couldn’t have done it without the help and support (amongst many) of the teams at Enterprise Insight (especially Tom Savage and Scott Cain), Redhead PR (especially Sara Tye, Jo Sheperd and Katie Hyslop), SZ Education (especially Dom Cook), The Big Boost (especially Jamie Thomas at Red Foundation and Josie Gosbee at Unltd), Pure Potential (especially James Uffindell) and The Bridge Club (especially Caroline Theobald and Peter Hirst), Neo One (especially Ewan MacLeod) and the B Group (especially Rich Endean).

Look forward to speaking soon, and if you know of any organisations or individuals (especially journalists, possible partners or supporters) who might be interested in this (or in developing it with me), I’d be grateful if you’d forward this note or put us in touch – thanks in advance!

Marvellous! Oli has to be one of the most connected (and big hearted) people I have ever met, and his energy and drive I am sure will make this one heck of a succesful project.

Stay tuned.

Living Room Theaters

OK so how cool is this?

Living Room Theatres is a business that I discovered on Springwise. The basic premise is that there are six cinema screens accomodating forty to fifty seats. Digitized (not celuloid) "acclaimed films and independent filmmakers, from local to international, as well as groundbreaking movies that otherwise might be screened only at festivals" are shown. Could you imagine if you had your mates together enjoying not just the film but food served as well. Kewl. I wonder how long this will take to catch on in the UK?

Business Integrity

When I speak or advise about business one of the fundamentals I cant get away from is the concept of integrity. So far this year I have seen so many experiences which solidify to me why this needs to be considered more and more by start ups and growing businesses.

This year has seen me kick in a big way to really grow my businesses and also to walk away from those opportunities which do not see me in total control of the outcome. It has also taught me that even if I speak my mind and am straight up with people that it does not mean others feel the same way.

One of the shining examples of business integrity for me has been my interactions with Barclays Bank. Aware of the fact of a previous business failure which messed up my credit history, they saw the work I was doing and revenue I was collecting since then and carefully assisted in providing a supportive banking service. Some other banks who will remain nameless (Abbey National, Alliance & Leicester) who so show off their adverts for small businesses never even gave me the time of day or personnel who could deal with me face to face to find out where I was coming from. Man there is so much to the personal touch that some banks could really learn from.

The bloggers at Gigaom even focus on bankruptcy (which is a route I never had to to go down fortunately) and the approach others have taken in order to get where they are today. The ringing thought that many entrepreneurs in the US are willing to admit bankruptcy but willing to use this experience of failure to get up and do it again is encouraging. They aren't afraid to deal with that, and it is that integrity that will take people to that next level of authenticity and reliability from both customers, suppliers and contacts in their network.

Marketing. Vital.
Sales. Vital
Cashflow. Vital
Management. Vital
Integrity. Well in my book anyway, the fifth vital element.

Reality TV

Do you know what I am sick to the back teeth of what is called Reality TV?
What a load of bum fluff!
All the contrived production, controversial scenes for ratings, individuals who don't see that they are pulled into this vortex of mind numbing flotsam. Mum if you are reading I apologise, but whoever had a BRAIN FART and decided to develop and nurture this type of television should be taken outside and given an involuntary enema of say lemon and chilli water.

OK. I take a bit back. I do love Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, but even that show like so many of these ideas really is a reminder of the incessant selfishness, ego rubbing of these producers. A window of opportunity where communities can look into other people's lives and say "ahhhh" or "oh my gosh" or "no way", but not really have to do anything about it or in fact be introspective about their own lives.

The recent spate of controversy caused by the Channel 4, Big Brother and Shipwrecked programmes in the UK just shows how manipulative certain media can be. What about Donald Trump and Rosie O'Donnell in the US. Sometimes the parallels to modern society and 1984 are way too scarey. I suppose the reality is that its not going away in the very near future.

There's always the Discovery Channel

Video CVs

I have been reading a lot lately about video CVs or resumes as they call them in the USA. I hate them and to be honest I think people should spend more time trying to get the ones on paper done properly first. End of

Timbuktu Chronicles

One of my favourite bloggers in the African diaspora is Emeka Okafor who writes the Timbuktu Chronicles. It would be great to see if he is going to the TED Africa conference in June.

In his latest entry he writes about Radio Palmwine who are focused on raising the bar for Nigerian and other African music to promoted and financially supported.

Emeka has his finger on the pulse and since I have discovered his blog has opened up a whole new window to enterprise in Africa. Kudos to you my friend!

London Connectors

I was invited as a guest to London Connectors in Adam Street.
Master networkers including Oli Barrett, Robert Loch, Andy Lopata, Claudie Pen and Heather Wilkinsont.

The group was formed by Oli Watts from the Make Your Mark campaign. I look forward to joining this well equipped group of connectors.

Banksy Again

The enigmatic artist that is Banksy has had a number of people ripping of his work for material gain. So he has created a store where people can download a lot of his graffiti artwork for free. Indeed it sits comfortably on my desktop as we speak.

To Make You Smile

Go to MySpace page here.
Click on to the song entitle MySpace Anthem
Turn the volume up loud.
Sit back and relax.

Diverse City

OK let me state from the get go. My political views tend to be more conservative than liberal or socialist. I have stated more than once that the issues of race and culture need to be discussed in the open so at least we know where we stand.

Here in the UK, we are having a number of events to commemorate 200 years of the abolition of slavery. The Abolition of the Slave Trade Act was passed on March 25, 1807 and The Slavery Abolition Act, passed on August 23, 1833, outlawed slavery in British colonies. In the US they are celebrating Martin Luther King day and in February their will be Black History Month. And there are a number of stories in the news recently focusing on race here. Much of it blown out of proportion.

Here is the crunch. People are not being really honest. No matter how much people deny it many cultures are inclusive behind closed doors. Epithets and slurs are common place even from those who are more culturally aware. I could bet your bottom dollar that even the nicest of people have used the term paki, nigger, chinky , darkey, whitey, honkey, cracker, spic, gypsy, pikey behind closed doors. Does it bother me. Not in the slightest. This is life. Am I encouraging small minded thinking and use of slurs of course not. But this is what happens with many people. The kick is in getting people to think why! Why do I use such a term? Why are their generalist statements made about people because of culture or race or background?

Find me a good filmaker. I want to make a short film and deal with this issue head on. Channel 4 would love it. Anyone? Anyone? And Yes I am being deadly serious!

Three For Me!

According to the BBC, 3 have scrapped roaming fees in a number of European countries because they already have networks there. So what do you think of that Ewan?

Three are fastly becoming the network I would recommend to most people now. Unlimited data charges on email/web. No roaming charges. Blimey..they're not messing about are there.

The Pursuit of Happyness

Well I went to see this film with wifey on Friday afternoon.
Cinema had only nine people in it, in total. BLISS!!

I enjoyed the film. It could have so gone down the usual paths of racism, self loathing or indeed the opposite of you can do anything you want many self help proponents tend to promote. I found it touching and sensitive (quite tame compared to the book) and it just showed how a somewhat talented bloke turned the corner in his life after a couple of mishaps. At one point I even cried. Biggest plus for me in the film was his love for his son.

I say show more films where black fathers go all out for their sons. Yes. There are some of us out there.

Quote of the Day

There are over 46,000 books that contain the word "team" or "teamwork". All selling a load of crap. Teamwork doesn't work.Yes, I know it is business blasphemy, but I am right and everyone else is wrong - Larry Winget

MyBlogLog

Yahoo have recently purchased MyBlogLog, a site which monitors and aggregates blog subscribers. To the left of this page you can see one of the widgets from the site which shows some of my latest readers, and those blogs to which I subscribe can see me on theirs as well.

Nifty tool. I wonder how much Yahoo spent, because it certainly helped their share price!!

DavesList

Was thinking about my professional network this evening!
I need a wordpress guru for a website I want to launch end of the month.

Anyhoo..I digress. I was thinking about some of the online social networks I am a member of. LinkedIn, Soflow and Xing. And of course my nonweb contacts. Not to mention those on my MySpace page.

I also thought of my "personal roladex" on Outlook which is backed up on Plaxo. And then the Business Contact Manager.

I have been thinking more about how I leverage my list for the benefit of my network. How do I leverage it more so that people I know can raise their profile for jobs? Can have access to business partners and finance? And of course to benefit my own business(es)

So I think I am going to spend some time thinking about how this can be done. Answers on a postcard please Ewan, Oli, Tom.....

Educational choice

The handwringers are at it again. Attacking the former Education chief Ruth Kelly for moving her child out of the state school into a £15,000 a year private school. Giving her hell over her choice.

Ok some of the facts
1) Her child is dyslexic and has serious learning difficulties.
2) Her husband is still vice chair of the governers of the state school the child has been removed from
3) He will be entered back into state school when he reaches secondary school age
4) The remaining children still attend state school.

I have a dear friend whose son, I call him my own, has similar learning difficulties. If I had the money I would so pay for him to be privately educated even though I am a keen supporter of state schools. Why? Because at this age it is so much more difficult to deal with this situation, and if you have the money then heck why not? The handwringers can talk about the access to finance giving her an unfair advantage. Does the same apply to her house? Or options to private healthcare.

Get over yourselves and forget the politics for a moment. This is about the welfare of one child, and if something can be done to improve the child's lot. Then I say go for it lady. Sometimes politics can be a lot of old twaddle!!

The iPhone

I really wanted to resist posting on this but bloody eck...what a phone. My only concern is how they are really going to reeducate a generation of texters to you use a touchpad instead of a keypad. We shall see!

Mobile Africa

I am a fan of the developments of mobile technology being driven in sub Saharan Africa. With low costs of obtaining handsets, and data transfer - my mate Ewan would be ecstatic to have such data charges - plus a range of options available from the providers, this is such a positive outlook for a continent always looked down on as a basket case by the West.

Paul Mason a reporter for the BBC world Service, highlights the ways that the mobile has changed culture in Kenya. His reports can be found here and here. I especially like his coverage on the m-commerce company Safaricom.

I have also been a keen fan of the m-commerce developments in South Africa. Wizzit being my flavour of the month.

This article about roaming internet and emaill access across 15 African countries is encouraging too. Somehow I just can't see it being replicated here in the UK but who knows.

In the meantime Luup which I am assured is a very reliable service for UK based mcommerce.

I wonder how enterprise can be taught over the phone? Hmmmmmm

The House of Lords? Me?

Well yes. Last night I went to the House of Lords. To claim my heritage as Lord McQueen of Hertfordshire. OK so I am kidding!!!!

The evening was held to talk about the Education Enterprise Trust, and their plans for the future. As a volunteer with the NFTE Youth Board it was great to see so many other entrepreneurs, policy makers and trustees from all the organisation that make up the trust, coming together and sharing ideas, experiences and thoughts on how best the organisation can go forward.

I look forward to the NFTE Trade Fair in March.

My Angel

My Firstborn. Is 9 today.
Daddy is very proud!

Empowering the Community

For those who know me, know that I am extremely passionate about my history and empowering members within the African Caribbean diaspora (black for those who need it simple). Not as a means of exclusion or looking down the nose at others, but to raise standards of attainment in education and enterprise which is sadly lacking in many ways through a variety of reasons.

Firstly, I have been harping on to all those who know me about the possibility of going to Tanzania in June to attend the TED Global Conference. I have applied for their fellowship and should hear back in the week as to whether that is possible. If any one would feel like they would like to sponsor me in the interim to assist in this project. Holla!

Secondly, I have been putting the final touches to my plan to develop an online and offline social network connecting all areas of the diaspora from Africa to South America to Europe to North America and the Caribbean. I am very excited about this project and the powerful links that can be made through this platform. There are some real interested parties. Watch this space.

Finally, I will be appearing on the Colourful Radio Network tomorrow at 5pm on Henryu Bonsu's show to talk about my project. Walk Like A Champion. I am hoping that it will get some more people to come forward with their recommendations of people who can be interviewed and take that step forward to empowering black youth in the UK and beyond.

Oprah Winfrey Academy

The news that Oprah Winfrey had launched a new academy in South Africa brought a smile to my face yesterday. Chris Rock, Mariah Carey, Spike Lee, Tina Turner, Mary J Blige and Sidney Poitier joined Oprah and Nelson Mandela to launch this new school.

At first I was skeptical about the implementation of such a school, but I realise the ethos she is trying to embrace through education. Oprah is already known as a generous benefactor to black colleges in her home state of Atlanta. I hope she is at TED Global Africa in June, it would be great to meet her.

Amy Winehouse

Am I the only one who loves that Rehab tune to death.
Amy Winehouse is a very talented musician and like many great artists before her has had to struggle with her demons. The thing is she is by far one of the greatest soul starts to come out of the UK. Yes and I am talking about Lemar, Loose Ends, Omar and Beverley Craven as contemporaries. Joss Stone is good but doesnt make that list.

The White Man's Burden

I went to my Mum's house and was browsing through my brother's extensive library (How many books does that boy have?) and came across this book by former World Bank economist, William Easterly. The sub heading reads "Why the West's Efforts To Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Ill and So Little Good". Hmmm...Now there's something I knew I would love to get my teeth into.

Anyhoo, the premise of the book (and I have speed read it already) focuses primarily on the repeated problems of aid to the countries of Africa, and comparisons of aid to poor countries in Asia and South America.

This book is refreshing and although it might prove a bit of a challenge to those who don't get along with various economic data as part of their reading fare, this is a nice challenge to the usual rhetoric about aid to sub Saharan Africa. His basis is that the success of economic growth and sustenance hangs on a local bottom up approach of those who understand the local economy (Searchers) rather than the top down West knows how approach (Planners) that has dominated so far.

Its not all doom and gloom though, as although he sees problems he does recognise that health care and primary education have benefited from Aid. Personally I don't think there is a problem with Aid, it's just who it goes to and how it is administered that makes the difference.

The debate continues.

Matisyahu

Currently listening again to this guy.

When I first heard him in 2005 I thought it was a gimmick. Some Jewish parody of hip hop, but after seriously listening to him and his band, I have a lot of respect of his talent. Love it.

You can hear samples of his stuff here

2-007: Licensed to Thrill

Yep thats right.
I feel it in my waters.
Two Double O Seven, will be fabulous!
Hold on to your hats, it's gonna be one helluva ride.

TED Africa

OK. Good News.
I have been accepted to attend TED Global Africa, hosted at Tanzania in June 2007. My primary aim is to network with country leaders about their enterprise programmes and see how best they can be helped.

Now the bad news.
They need a cheque from me within the next 14 days for £1800. Err..hello!

Anyway...am working on it. I think I am going to apply for the fellowship to go...but if anyone knows of any donors.

SNAP

Ok this has got to be the coolest tool in the blogosphere for a while now.
I just found this when browsing another bloggers site. It's called SNAP.

It is a search enginge optimiser thingy (I am tired!) and it is also a good way of people previewing links on your blog before they click the link to go through to it. So friends use it. Even if it is just for me because I am lazy.

Looking forward

This has been a good but challenging year for me. I have once again met a lot of new people . Some wonderful people and some downright weirdos (I need to change my mobile!!)

From a personal perspective this year has seen some real ups and downs. I have seen a number of friends and colleagues lose family and witnessed the detoriation of my mother in law who has Alzheimers. It breaks my heart to witness this pain and loss, but it also reminds me to live well and value those around me. I have also had the opportunity to meet some brilliant people working in community works, and rub shoulders with some "famous" people who have turned out to be good friends. One of the main highlights was definitely going to a private 50th birthday party at Hampton Court Palace. Out of this world.

On a professional level, I had the opportunity to work with some fabulous people at the University of Westminster. Have definitely made some friends for life there. I also become a director of the youth board for the Education Enterprise Trust (a merger of NFTE, Blue Skies and Business Dynamics) and have spoken to a number of schools and colleges on personal and professional development. Am looking forward to doing much more next year. Have also worked with countless students in getting them to sell themselves better as employees and mentoring a number of startup businesses.

So where to the future. Well here are a couple of projects I am working on for 2007.
- Taking my family on a well deserved two week holiday somewhere in the sun
- Working with Madeline on developing our consultancy/brokerage for SMEs
- Creating a Foundation with Madeline for Enterprise and Learning (Our legacy)
- Building on my programme for empowering young black males http://championwalk.blogspot.com
- Working on a potentially large economic regeneration project on a London Estate.
- Developing my Second Opinion programme for mentors/volunteers for youth.
- Going to TED Global Africa in June, and possibly the main TED in California
- Developing a pilot TV programme on Careers
- Writing, Editing and Publishing two long overdue books/audio projects
- Working with an absolutely fabulous PR company to accelerate my speaking career
- The launch of a global niche social network with some fabulous business partners

So yes. It is going to be a very busy year next year and much of those projects have already started. Or as I say when I speak, it's going to be magnificent! Simply Magnificent!

Chacaronn

Ok this is too funny. For those who really dislike rap or dancehall reggae this song is probably what they hear (should that be see!) when they see a video on MTV. I find the chorus absolutely hilarious and what makes the song so great is because he was just messing about, yet it's so catchy.

Chacaronn, Chacaron.. Ihni Binni dimi diniwiny ani taime.

The DaVinci Code

Ok so after all the hoopla died down I got round to both reading 'The DaVinci Code' book and last night watching the film as well.

Dan Brown is a clever bloke. I really rate the book as a fast paced thriller kind of like a John Grisham novel. I can recognise how the whole concept of a Gnostic theology could grate a lot of other Christians, but for those like me comfortable in their faith and what they believe it creates no issue.

I must say having watched the film with my missus last night (stable Saturday night affair) I was disappointed with it. I usually as a general rule try not to watch a film after I have read the book (Narnia and LOTR being exceptions). The film reinforced my beliefs. It just lacked..passion. I love Ian McKellan and his character was great but Tom Hanks. Nah. Jean Reno didnt quite potray Fache either. Oh well I suppose we all have different expectations. Audrey Tautou. Simmering French actress but felt the script sold her a bit short.

I dunno I hope they dont film Angels & Demons. If they do I think I will stick to just the book. Dan Brown if anything has made me do some more research on some of his stuff, which like the Holy Grail, Christian history, art history has always fascinated me.

Read the book. Avoid the film.

AwayPhone

I met a wonderful lady tonight at the Central London Christmas drinks. She is the CEO of a company called AwayPhone.

So for all you who travel abroad and want to greatly reduce your roaming charge costs, dont blame me if you get charged the earth. I have told you where the solution is.

Check out www.awayphone.com. I know I will be...when I start travelling!

Legacy

Adventurer. Athlete. Speaker.
Met Ben Saunders tonight. Absolutely great fella who I intend to keep in touch with.
I mean anyone who can walk to the pole on his own? Absolutely amazing.
Our keyword is LEGACY!!

Phew...I am tired

Ok so started the day with the school run.
Damn it was cold but the kids got off alright. Rianna to her normal stuff and Lauren to her nursery party! She did this dance this morning that had me and Mads in stitches.

Then it was off down to South London to an amazing regeneration project that I and some partners will be working on in the new year. It was amazing to see how many talented people were in one room to collectively work on this. Can't wait for it to be signed off and officially get kicked into play.

Then I was off to Covent garden for a meeting with a good friend. Was fabulous as we threw our ideas around and will be looking forward to working with these guys on two great projects.

Finally ended the day with meeting my beloved and heading to a Christmas drinks in Central London. Saw some old faces, met some new ones and had a great time. Had some amazing discussions and forged some new friendships. Now I am pooped and must get ready for bed because I have a long day tomorrow.

Guess What?

I got one of these for Christmas.

Parkour!

I absolutely love this. I will not be trying it as I have kids, but this is amazing. For those who have seen the latest James Bond film, the activity might me familiar.
I love it!!

Speech Night

Last night I had the pleasure of speaking at St Mary's School for their awards night.
It was really empowering to see that a school invested this much effort into celebrating the achievements of its students. Not that kids could boast that they are better than another but to highlight their skills

I had a hall of people talking about "how magnificent" they were.

It was a real privilege to be there and I hope to develop a long term relationship with this school.

Minding the Gap

I spoke last Friday at South Thames College in London. The presentations were to a group of students on a sports course.

My keynote for the period was Mind The Gap! This is my main speech focusing on inspiring and motivating students to achieve. It was empowering to get their feedback as well, and I have committed to working with them over the next two years as a mentor until they graduate.

I always find students to me my most challenging and yet most rewarding audience to work with. Here's to a brighter future and partnership with the college.

Racist

So screamed the title on the front page of The Independent on Sunday. A report leaked to the paper called "Getting It. Getting it Right." addresses why black pupils, namely Afro-Caribbean boys, are three times more likely to be excluded than white pupils. It said that the exclusions and lack of attainment where down to 'institutional racism' in schools

Now before we engage in a debate on this I think we should be really honest about a number of things
1) Afro Caribbean male attainment has been an issue since the late 60s
2) Loads of blame and studies have been done on this, but a lot less space is given to the programmes that are in place or working to address this
3) The report was based on 100 unnamed schools in London and is therefore not representative of the whole educational system
4) One has to be sensitive about accusing teachers of being institutionally racist without a proviso for either addressing this or finding out the details across the board.

For many years I have heard the arguments going to and for about underachievment, blaming schools, blaming single parents, blaming poverty, lack of role models, lack of black male teachers and even suggesting genetic reasons why attainment is low. The reality is we can go round and round in circles and continuously be asking the question and nothing really gets done. Groups like the Advisory Centre for Education mentioned in the article, note that there is a disproportionate exclusion of black children in school. But let's not just look at the problem lets start dealing with solutions. Going to deal with the cause, with deep surgery rather than band aids.

Many members of the black community are involved in raising the bar for educational attainment. Having been involved in this myself for many years as a speaker and mentor I know of Ray Lewis(East London Young Academy), Tunde Banjoko (Leap), Ken Barnes (100 Black Men of London), Karl George (100 Black Men of Birmingham) and many more who are working in partnership with the community to empower black children. The government through its Aiming Higher programme, the Afrrican Caribbean Achievement Programme and some schools like the John Loughborough School in North London which has a strong gifted and talented programme for its predominantly black students.

Robin Richardson, a former director of the Runnymede Trust, suggests amongst other things greater cooperation between mainstream schools and black led supplementary schools, encouragement of continuous professional development on the power and nature of teacher expectations and chairing conferences to highlight successes should be pursued.

He makes a brilliant final statement on his column with which I agree wholeheartedly. "Two hundred years ago, the Atlantic slave trade was abolished. It was a multi pronged but joined-up campaign that did the trick. In the long fight for real race equality, such an approach is needed still".

This issue cannot be dealt with in isolation. Many Afro Caribbean males already feel isolated and estranged from mainstream society. Leave the blame game alone, recognise that programmes are in place. The black community should take responsibility of raising the bar in educational achievement and do that in conjunction with schools, and the wider community. Time to stop talking and take some damn action!!!!!

The Secret Millionare: Part Deux

I was reading a blog today about the Secret Millionaire programme currently showing on Channel 4. It is amazing how negative people can be about such a programme.

I remember a friend of mine struggling to set up a homeless training programme. People can always talk a lot about others but when they have to fess up and do anything. Well.

Anyway am off to meet Ben this week to see how we can set the world right in our own little way.

The Chocolate Society

As much as I would like to to say this about appreciation of my skin tone, this is a note that the Christmas party season has begun.

I went to a wonderful tea and chocolate evening hosted by Sara at redheadpr on Tuesday evening. The venue was the wonderful Chocolate Society shop in Mayfair. Chocolate truffles, chocolates from Venezuela, Dominican Republic and other far flung exotica! Oh and a couple of glasses of bubbly.

Made a number of very good contacts including a lady from Raleigh International. 2007 looks like it will be a very interesting year.

Ok back to the dairy (or should that be diary) for next week's events. Shall keep you posted.

Dont Take My Joy

Tearing apart my hope
You laugh
because I believe in the spiritual
Disregarding the fact
that my strength
May lie in the promises in a book
In the conversation with the supernatural

Indeed organized religion
May have messed up
What was supposed to provide
solace
Corrupt, malfeasant, abusing position
To influence law and morality
With a hidden agenda
Of television fame and affluence

But when I kneel
I have a sense of humility
For a bigger picture
Not only of me but
For others who may be suffering
When I sing
The spirituals of old
Empower me with a joy
Smack bang in the middle
of a sick and depraved world

Where is your strength ?
Where is your tower ?
Feel free to search and share
But while you are there
Take care not to
Knock over mine

My morality is not up for scrutiny
Neither am I judgemental
of your profanity
Still I find your never
Satisfied until you have drained
the last drop of mockery
From the broken cup
That is my faith

I Dream of Africa

One of my passions is to see the development across all of Africa reminiscent of advancements made on other continents. I believe through self sufficiency the advancement of many countries within the continent can and is being developed through education, enterprise and technology.

Its probably a one in a million chance but I would love to go to the TED Global 2007 conference next year in Tanzania. To sit at the feet of some of the most infuential voices that I have been watching online in Africa including, George Ayittey, Binyavanga Wainaina and Patrick Uwuah would be awesome.

If all fails it would be great to see them online. I realised that I have not blogged much of my own personal reflections of America both in the positive and negative, and this conference has inspired me to start a new section about Africa. Enjoy.

My Nubian Princess

For those who haven't seen Mads for a while a couple months she shaved all her hair off.
Some guys have asked me "Why did you let her do it?".
Some women have said "my man would never let me cut my hair off!".
Well you all need to build a bridge and get over it!
Anyway here is my no relaxer, no expensive treatment "brush and go" baby with her new hairstyle.
And I love it.

What a night

Last Thursday I went to a birthday party of a very humble but successful businessman. My wife and I got on our glad rags and headed to Hampton Court Palace.
On arriving a valet took our car and parked it.
We then had to hand in our phones and have our bags checked as the guest of honour was a rather famous piano playing musician (huge hint!)
We walked into this room where I met a number of other successful professionals. It is really a small world.
We then watched an amazing fireworks display which I supposed we got away with because it was Thanksgiving night.
Then we entered this amazing marquee and dined on a lovley three course meal. We should have ordered vegetarian but we forget and the only main meal was pork. Now for those of who know me, know that I dont eat pork. Damit I was hungry, said my grace, and it done the job!!

There was well over £100 million worth of business people in that room, and it was amazing to see as it where how the other half live. Maybe that is my destiny who knows. But what struck me most was how humble and charming the host was.

Well I am having a big 40th bash for close friends and family, not on that scale, but I hope I can match that big heartedness and remain humble when I become a millionaire!!!

So I Cried

(an old one from the archives)




I remember him rolling up a Rizla
Hiding away from my Mum
Like she wouldn't smell it
Cheered me up with his Caribbean stories
When I was upset from school
Feeling a failure
Told me I was a world champion
Free tansport tickets on the London Undergound
And an ear to confide in when my Dad
Was way too busy
Always writing me letter when he returned to
His sunny isle
Hiding for years from me his pain
For not being able to stay too long with grandma
But with his shaky hand
Always reminding me he could see my dreams in my eyes

My last image was on holiday
Of a man way past his prime
Sinews, bone and muscle just about defeating gravity
But still strong enough to hug and embrace me
And tell me how special I was
But time got hold of him and took him from me
I tried to find words to describe my loss
But I couldn't
So I Cried

Whatever happened to Rap?

Dominating the landscape of black churches in the UK, US and Africa over the last couple years has been a range of CDs and DVDs by a minister called Craige E. Lewis. His range of programmes "The Truth Behind Hip Hop" focused on the sources of the movement called Hip Hop, and from a spiritual point of view decried at it as something that Christians should not be involved in.

As can be imagined the backlash from such an article was immense, both from mainstream and the more niche Christian hip hop artists, who suggested that he was ill researched and made way too many assumptions. Countless artists actually mentioned him in their lyrics of their songs.

For me, not wanting to be limited by faith, and being one of those who could clearly say that I remember the birth of hip hop in the early 80s, I felt that some personal research needed to be done into this as well. My focus however was more on rap, than the whole hip hop movement as a whole, but whilst researching, this I started to make some serious notes and even though I havent really watched music TV anymore (is there any point) the few I did watch have just sickened me to the core.

Now I don't just want to jump on a bandwagon of claiming that old school rap should be seen through rose tinted glasses, because it is far from that, but much of what was a historic platform for political, social, spiritual rhetoric with some a good dose of partying has for a long time been dominated by the seedy, commercialised and down right degrading.

Remembering how we bought our adidas trainers and took out the laces, rolled out the lino, body popped to "wicky wicky wicky wicky", beat boxed, scratched, bombed and had b-boy battles, in shopping centres and council estates in North West London. All seems hazy now, as rap and rap related events became dominated by violence and degrading of our women.

It was interesting to see the poorly shot, but very technicolour hip hop videos shown on Yo!MTV Raps, suddenly migrate to a constant flurry on The Box. Rap was mainstream and with the commercialisation of Rick Rubin's/ Russell Simmons Def Jam, the Clive Davis funded Bad Boy Entertainment and the notorious Death Row Records, with an added dash of Hype Williams video shoots, the revolution had begun.

Rap had a heady mixture of political, social, poetic and party angles. But the balance was changing.Whether it was the constant use of the word nigger, the flaunting of affluence from just heavy chains to cars, houses and drink, the introduction of much gun violence and women being degraded.

My research threw up many interesting findings about the ways hip hop was being distributed to the masses. From the founders of The Source, Vibe, all the major record labels, and even the distribution on TV. The wise writings of many hip hop historians including Nelson George, Adisa Banjoko, William Jelani Cobb, Hadji Williams, Jeff Chang, Davey D and Farai Chideya.

Before I go, I leave you with a few things for consideration.
For the easily offended I would advise caution (or even avoidance) but in my network here is a rapper called NYOIL, found here at www.myspace.com/nyoil

Secondly there is another video on youtube called Dirty South.

Thirdly, what contributions are G Unit, Emminem and Jigga making to the wellbeing of the hip hop community in comparison to the likes of KRS One, Talib Kweli and Common?

Finally, the two most popular channels showing black hip hop are BET (now owned by Viacom) and MTV Base. Now isnt it supposed to be BASS when the term refers to music?

The journey continues!!!

What Lies Beneath

So Michael Richards, better known as Kramer from Seinfeld, is in a live comedy show. He is heckled from the balcony, and in a career ending tirade, reminds the heckler that fifty years before he would have been hanging upside down with a fork ...anyway, do a google hunt and you will see the rest. or go here if you want to see it in detail http://www.ifilm.com/video/2798666

The comedian and the heckler exchange a couple of racial put downs between them with Richards subsequently going into one in a big way, and a number of the audience leave the venue. A couple of days later Richards turns up on the David Letterman show via satellite when his mate Jerry Seinfeld is in the studio, apologizing and quite visibly broken and realizing what damage he had done to his career. Having done stand up comedy myself I know how grating it can be to have hecklers who want to make you look small, but hanlding them is a well known part of the territory.

Acres of blogspace and discussion have been added to this discussion, and you may ask why I am I adding to it. Well I think there is still some real room for discussion here. I love to talk about race, because I don't think an honest discussion is really had about it. In the open. No holds barred.

You see I don't really like Chris Rock, or Martin Lawrence or any other black comedian who use the term nigger or cracker in their sets. For me you can't use a term in one race and then throw the toys out of the pram when someone outside of your race does this too (Yes I know humour is subjective). Now granted Michael Richards was angry rather than trying to be funny when he used those terms (and Mel Gibson's excuse was that he was drunk!) but you can't have your cake and eat it.

Now America is a total different ball game to the UK when it comes to the whole racial dialogue thing. We don't have as many years of issues, although some still exist. People will have their issues and preferences from all backgrounds. Whether that be through ignorance, experience, whatever and whilst I feel sorry for Richards, I dont excuse his behaviour in no form. However once again, if it does anything it brings to the fore the fact that a certain discomfort about cultural and racial differences will remain in place because people refuse to talk about it. And unfortunately what lies beneath then only erupts in frustration rather than through sensible dialogue. We can blame political correctness or multiculturalism, but hey we all have a choice to honestly debate this. Don't we?

Demand More Out Of Your Wife!

Absolutely great!
http://www.wifecoaching.co.uk/

Gospel Summit

Went to Birmingham yesterday for the Grand Gospel Summit.
Was a good event, but once again disappointed by poor attendance and to be honest a lack of relevance for more experienced music promoters like myself.

The saving graces for me were that there were some great opportunities to network with musicians from around the country, and to develop the network of radio dj's. The level of musicianship from many of the performers was great, but the sound. (sigh!)

The highlight of the day for me was a panel discussing gospel or the guns. The testimonies of the guys who had been on the wrong side of the law but who found themselves both spiritually and socially was a great source of encouragement. I felt Lee Jasper was given to much of a platform but hey, his experience in this area was very valuable. I must call him.

Anyway the summit is back in London next year, so it should be interesting to see how they run it this time.

Youth Board Enterprise

On Friday I had an opportunity to be speak as part of a group of entrepreneurs for NFTE. NFTE is an organisation that merged with another youth enterprise focused organisation called Business Dynamics. The day was the launch of their Youth Board and I along with other esteemed business owners including Ewan Mcleod, Michael Lowe, Al Gosling, spoke, facilitated and have become mentors to the group, youth board.

It was a great success, and the enthusiasm of both the students, the alumni, and all the team at NFTE and the Education Enterprise Trust was infectious. I am looking forward to a great year of working these students.

No Washing Powder

Hey, I maybe a bit late but, I just discovered this thingamujig that you can put in your washing machine and it allows you to wash your clothes without detergent and stuff.

[The science bit]

During the wash, mineral pellets inside the balls produce ionized oxygen (increases the pH level) which activates the water molecules' natural ability to penetrate deep into fibres to lift dirt away without damaging the fabrics or fading the colours.
The resulting laundry is unbleached, naturally soft, clean and healthy – and free from the smell of detergent!

I think I may have to purchase some of these then. Let me give wifey a call!!

Nomenclature

n : a system of words used in a particular discipline; "legal terminology"

Get Yourself Connected

On Wednesday lunchtime I spoke to a group of students at Westminster University. The final year undergraduates were being encouraged to develop and nurture professional relationships for their future careers.

It was an exciting and challenging opportunity. They were so rowdy when I was being introduced that I was thinking this might be a great one to start off. Fortunately for me the ice breaker calmed things down a bit.

The feedback I got from it was great, and am doing a second one this afternoon at the same university with Capital Enterprise.

Will feedback.

Dance Baby

White and Proud

Sunday afternoon. Chilling out. Feel like being a bit controversial.

I have just spent the best part of October speaking to schools and organisations about black history month. Talking about the contributions that members of the African diaspora have made to science, music, culture, politics, etc. Such speeches have served a dual purpose in allowing people and communities that are not members of the African diaspora to learn about the contributions, and then secondly to empower members of the African diaspora of thier history and identity, in great measure as a barometer for self and community improvement.

Now let's be very honest and recognise that ignorance, prejudice and racism has existed and still does exist in many communities in the UK. But is the labelling of groups or organisations by race something that hinders or demeans any progress of unity.

Would there be an uproar if we had a white history month?
What about if a rapper put a song in the mainstream about being white and proud?
If a university had a Cornish Appreciation or Anglo Saxon Appreciation Society would be be up in arms?

So if one can be black and proud, or brown and proud, why would it be an issue if someone said they were white and proud?

(Ok I will get a cup of tea and return)

FACTS TO PONDER

I could care less if this is accurate. I just find it humorous.


(A) The number of physicians in the U.S. is 700,000
(B) Accidental deaths caused by Physicians per year are 120,000
(C) Accidental deaths per physician is 0.171.

Statistics courtesy of U.S. Dept of Health Human Services.

Now think about this:

Guns:

(A) The number of gun owners in the U.S. is 80,000,000.(Yes, that's 80 million..)
(B) The number of accidental gun deaths per year, all age groups, is 1,500.
(C) The number of accidental deaths per gun owner is .000188

Statistics courtesy of the FBI

So, statistically, doctors are approximately 9,000 times more dangerous than gun owners. Remember, "Guns don't kill people, doctors do."

FACT: NOT EVERYONE HAS A GUN,

BUT

ALMOST EVERYONE HAS AT LEAST ONE DOCTOR.

Please alert your friends to this alarming threat. We must ban doctors before this gets completely out of hand!!!!!

Out of concern for the public at large,We have withheld the statistics on lawyers
for fear the shock would cause people to panic and seek medical attention!

Help!!!!!

Ok it's half term. I have my kids and my niece and nephews for three days.
It ain't gonna be cheap but heck, I am looking forward to it.

Congrats Mr and Mrs Ball

Welcome Baby Ellie to this world
Well done guys. Well proud of you!

Phlebotomy

(Came across this word, yesterday!)

The removal of blood from a vein.
Phlebotomy may be used to obtain blood for diagnostic tests or to treat certain conditions, for example, iron overload in hemochromatosis.

Black History Month. Who cares?

October is Black History Month in the UK. Whilst pockets of the African/Caribbean communities in the UK have always celebrated their history, it wasn't until 1987 that the formal celebration of black history month came around. It has been something that I have been very passionate about, to educate not just the black community, but those outside the community who could learn from our experiences. Each year I seem to be speaking (and starting to write) more about this month of activities but this year I actually asked the question. Who cares?

On the one hand I realise that their are Asian, European, white British parts of the community who may be intrigued by the histories of those of the African diaspora but then on the other hand many dont care. On the other hand there are members of the African/Caribbean communities here who have this month thrust into their conscience each October and want to learn, some out of guilt others out of intrigue, but for many others they just don't care! Unless it is a horific experience, how can one not want to know their history? It brings to mind the following quote

Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
Those who do not remember their past are condemned to repeat their mistakes.
Those who do not read history are doomed to repeat it.
- George Santayana

I have been speaking this month to a number of audiences on a speech called The Future is Bright. This speech has chronicled my personal journey in finding my own history and identity as a black male. It points to the successes of the past and a need for a sense of identity in helping many disaffected Afro Caribbeans to see that they can be responsible for future successes in their lives and communities. My personal journey included looking at the civil rights movements of Americas, the colonization and indecencies of the Caribbean, the preslavery, slavery, colonization and present histories of Africa and the less reported stories of the black presence in South America, Canada, India, China and Australasia. Even closer to home has been the chronicling of the black British experience in the UK.

For me this has been an exciting journey of discovery and awareness. For example did you know that Brazil has the largest population of blacks outside of Africa? Or did you know that there black Jews living in Israel who can trace their heritage back to King Solomon? On a personal note finding my own roots are a heady mixture of Ghanaian, Portuguese, Nigerian and Arawak Indian (and much more) has been fascinating -- and on top of that mixture my name is McQueen!!

One of the reasons I am so passionate about black history, and not for just one month, is that I believe a sense of identity can make the difference not just for an individual but for the wider community. Many communities across the board are empowered because of that sense of belonging and awareness. For example I am empowered as Christian, because I know my identity within that community. I am empowered as a Brit, because I know my identity as a British citizen. I am empowered as an Afro Caribbean because I know my identity within that community (even though my family disown me when I support England when they play the West Indies!!). That sense of identity within those different aspects of my life, drives me to not only have awareness of self, but to be able to communicate to others where I belong and what drives me...and more importantly to be able to pass on my legacy to my children and those who come under my influence, whether personal or professional.

From a media perspective even though blacks represent 4% of the British community we do get a lot of coverage. Unfortunately the three main areas seem to focus on sports, entertainment and crime! Sadly, the last one tending to get top billing. For me the benefit of black history and contribution is to show that there is much more to the black community than that. Starting with just a month we can celebrate the achievements and contributions to education from people like Dr Robert Beckford, Dr Gus John, Paul Gilroy and Prof Cecile Wright. The contributions to politics from Bill Morris, David Lammy, Baroness Amos and Adam Afriyie. The contributions to business from Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones aka The Black Farmer, Ms Alestir Waller, Alexander Owusu and Yvonne Thompson, and even further afield on the international scene to the likes of Nelson Mandela, Kofi Annan, Condoleeza Rice or Portia Miller. With such a richness of contribution surely this flies in the face of the three dominant areas that tend to dominate the media representation of blacks.

Whilst I am no fan of the way the PC brigade have reduced multiculturalism to a spectacle where cultural identity is lost, or other cultures are forced onto people, I believe one should care about black history, and not for just one month. One should also embrace Asian and European history. And for definite people should be aware of their British history. This awareness and understanding can only help in getting people to see where others are coming from. The source of pride and identity should not get twisted with the jingoistic or prejudicial bent that some people adopt when learning their history, but it should be something that benefits the individual, the local cultures and the wider community.

Hey maybe I am an idealist, but from years of speaking and discussing on this issue, and even from a personal point of view, a positive sense of identity and contribution can make the difference between winners and losers in our society.

Phone Upgrades

Went into a phone shop to look to upgrading my phone. After my post here. My friend Ewan who knows most there is to about mobiles helped me a long with a post here on his blog.

Well I am convinced that I will get a Blackberry Pearl. I just love it.
Have you seen it?



Watch this space......

All I Want 4 Christmas....

..Just in case you were asking

Who is Lydia Bates?

Lydia is a good friend of mine who runs the Artfinder. She is kind of what one can describe as a personal shopper for Art. What she doesn't know is not worth knowing.

So why am I writing about her. Well it's my blog so I can write what I want! She is also a Liverpool supporter like yours truly, a fellow business owner and runs an Art Gallery in Liverpool. She calls me a bully when I coach her in business but that is not true. Tough love never hurt anyone. Especially in business.

Anyway go and check our her website LydiaBates.com and buy some art!

Good News from Sudan

I have an RSS feed to some of the good news stories from around the world. Makes such a change from the depressing stuff we get fed through to us, 24-7. Anyway. Have a read of this article.

Hajja Suaad, 55, is a displaced woman from Tawila, in Darfur, Sudan. Living in a relief camp with her family, Hajja is one of thousands of women who have had to leave their villages due to the ongoing conflict in the region over the past three years. CHF International is working with more than 250,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) to provide them with the services, tools, and skills they need to earn a living and be prepared for their eventual return to their home villages. Hajja has become a role model in CHF's basket production activities in the relief camps.

In September 2005, she was selected for a two-month training in traditional handicrafts and has since excelled in basket weaving. CHF organized an exhibition in December 2005 to display the IDP-produced traditional handicrafts for the development community of professionals in the area. Hajja Suaad was a pioneer in designing a market strategy to sell most of her products during the two-week exhibition. In addition, after graduating from the CHF course, she organized a group of five women from her team and started a self-funded basket project. Hajja now has a successful basket production business with the group and produces crafts at her own pace from her own home. She has become a self-sufficient IDP thanks to CHF livelihoods and training program, selling her products and earning between SDD 20,000 to 25,000 a month (US$100 to US$120).

Source: Cooperative Housing Foundation International
Date: 16 Oct 2006

Isn't that heartwarming?

Blink

Yes I am at it again.
Intelligent reading! ;)
I just can't help myself can I.

Anyways am reading Blink by Malcom Gladwell. He of Tipping Point Fame.
It's about intuition and gut feeling.
Already loving it. Will come back to you at the end of the week when I have finished it.

Mobile Clubbing

Absolutely love it.

A Challenging Debate

Much has been made in the past about the failings of black males at schools. From the first position of blaming every thing from a racist institution, to the misunderstanding such students to absent fathers have further compounded the issue.

Suggestions have been made to school black males on their own, to bringing in more black teachers, to mentoring to encouraging parents to play a more active role in their son's education.

From personal experience I remember being forever encouraged into sport and entertainment instead of the future I wanted in medicine. I think I might be a real oddity in the so called scheme of things because none of my social circle of males, which is predominated with black males, have ever been to prison, deserted their children or been dissuaded from their paths. Most of my best friends are graduates, business owners, successful professionals and committed parents. Granted that we all grew up in church, a church which strongly emphasised rising above the ghetto, achievement and taking responsibility. All bar one of us grew up with our parents visibly there and active in our achievements, whooping our butts if we did not achieve and ecnouraging us that if we wanted to get involved in sports and entertainment, yes of course we could but not at the expense of our education.

Roll forward a couple of decades and things have changed immensely. Even as a mentor I have noticed that unless there is intervention many young males (not just black I hasten to add) have a lack of respect and awe for elders as we did. (Maybe the threat of physical discipline had its benefits). Still however I realise that my social grouping was quite exceptional.

So what can we do?
Yeah we can bring in black teachers, but then how do we explain the successes of black girls to achieve under the same circumstances.
Yes we can educate black boys separately with marginally better results, but how much further do we want to isolate them, when they already feel they are like pariahs and have to adapt into the sterotype given them.
Yeah we can provide supplimentary schools and encourage parental involvement, but in many aspects the sense of failure seems so deep set, and would take so long to repair, that many despair at when and how this can be reversed.
There is a consolation that many black boys educated in the Caribbean and Africa have qualifications coming out of their ears, but we can't send everyone away. Many have to stay here and develop in the land they call their home.

A recent comment by the Chancellor Gordon Brown, highlighted concern about male achievement in exams all together. Girls are steaming ahead at all levels and hopefully learning styles might get addressed across the board, and not just to the small racial group.

There is hope though. Big hopes. There are many programmes out there actively involved in developing a positive environment for young black males and not consigning them to the unholy trinity of careers in sports, entertainment and crime. I think or Raw Lewis in Newham, mentoring kids from a young age. I think of Ken Barnes, with his 100 Black Men of London. I think of Tunde Banjoko and his supplemntary schools, and a host of other educators who are grafting away at this huge demon within the black community bit by bit.

Maybe we need to talk about it more. As a society. Not for exercises in handwringing or for racist evolutionary scientists to start talking about genetics and IQ, but looking for some real active solutions across the board. Keeping that dialogue alive and vibrant. And not just talk because talk is cheap. But active, positive short, mid and long term solutions to this problem.

Here's to a brighter future and the education of our sons.

Sheer Class

The following is said to be a real letter of resignation from an employee at a computer company, to her boss, who apparently resigned very soon afterwards! It's funny, if a little harsh.......

'Dear Mr X,

As a graduate of an institution of higher education, I have a few very basic expectations. Chief among these is that my direct superiors have an intellect that ranges above the common ground squirrel. After your consistent and annoying harassment of my co-workers and me during the commission of our duties, I can only surmise that you are one of the few true genetic wastes of our time.

Asking me, a network administrator, to explain every little nuance of everything I do each time you happen to stroll into my office is not only a waste of time, but also a waste of precious oxygen. I was hired because I know how to network computer systems, and you were apparently hired to provide amusement to myself and other employees, who watch you vainly attempt to understand the concept of "cut and paste" for the hundredth time.

You will never understand computers. Something as incredibly simple as binary still gives you too many options. You will also never understand why people hate you, but I am going to try and explain it to you.........

You walk around the building all day, shiftlessly looking for fault in others. You have a sharp dressed useless look about you that may have worked for your interview, but now that you actually have responsibility, you pawn it off on overworked staff, hoping their talent will cover for your glaring ineptitude. In a world of managerial evolution, you are the blue-green algae that everyone else eats and laughs at. Managers like you are a sad proof of the Dilbert principle. Since this situation is unlikely to change without you getting a full frontal lobotomy reversal, I am forced to tender my resignation.

However, I have a few parting thoughts.

1. When someone calls you in reference to employment, it is illegal for you to give me a bad reference. The most you can say to hurt me is "I prefer not to comment." I will have friends randomly call you over the next couple of years to keep you honest, because I know you would be unable to do it on your own.

2. I have all the passwords to every account on the system, and I know every password you have used for the last five years. If you decide to get cute, I am going to publish your "favorites list", which I conveniently saved when you made me "back up" your useless files. I do believe that terms like "Lolita" are not usually viewed favorably by the company.

3. When you borrowed the digital camera to "take pictures of your Mother's birthday," you neglected to mention that you were going to take pictures of yourself in the mirror.Then you forgot to erase them like the techno-moron you really are. Suffice it to say I have never seen such odd acts with a sauce bottle, but I assure you that those have been copied and kept in safe places pending the authoring of a glowing letter of reference. (Try to use a spell check please; I hate having to correct your mistakes.)

Thank you for your time, and I expect the reference on my desk by 8:00 am tomorrow. One word of this to anybody, and all of your little twisted repugnant obsessions will be open to the public. Never f*** with your systems administrator. Why? Because they know what you do with all that free time!

Wishing you a grand and glorious day'.

The Mobile Phone

Ok believe it or not this is the phone I currently have. Yes I am very serious. I haven't really cared for the whole camera, video, email, GPS bladdybahdiblah thing. For the last two years I have toddled along with a simple PAYG phone, at the most spending about £20 a month. In some months not even that. I am serious. But all is about to change.

And I tell you why.

Well with a couple of new business projects in the pipeline, I need to be in touch with my email, calendar and address book. Plus I am looking to work with some developers on using mobiles and specifically some interactive mobile content for paying through mobile, prompts for events, etc.

So I am on the hunt. Looking at the following. Nokia N80, Blackberry 7130 and HP Ipaq (don't ask). Any recommendations?

Cleave

A colleague brought this to my attention when talking about fabulous words.
The verb cleave can be intransitive and transitive and is actually defined in two opposing ways

a) To split or separate
b) To join or bring together

Great isn't it!??

Zubka: Job Referrals

Ok so got told off by a friend for not writing more about careers on my blog.
So here goes I am pulling my finger out and correcting that. I promise.

Zubka is a social networking site which focuses on career referrals.
Someone posts a job. You recommend or refer a person for the job.
You get 80% of the referral fee. Apparently it works.
That's not bad is it! But where do they get these names for, for these web sites. Zubka!!????

The Weatherman

Nicholas Cage is one of my favourite actors.

From Rumble Fish to Leaving Las Vegas and more seminal outings like The Rock and Face Off. I digress.

Watched The Weather Man last weekend, where his character a weather reporter (who doesn't even understand weather) is coming to terms with the separation from his wife and trying to understand his children, the final demise of his father's health, the realisation he is not an author and of course the all important pursuit of a job with hello america!

The only downside for me in the film was Michael Caine's American accent. Oh dear. But the upsides were his bonding with his children. From trying to describe the concept of camel toe to going all out to defending his son.

A black comedy very well filmed. I think it was actually Oscar nominated.
Recommended.

The Veil Argument

Its funny how people will jump on the bandwagon when comments are made.
The whole issue about Jack Straw is very interesting when the whole statement is read.
So here goes.


It was not the first time I had conducted an interview with someone in a full veil, but this particular encounter, though very polite and respectful on both sides, got me thinking.

"In part, this was because of the apparent incongruity between the signals which indicate common bonds - the entirely English accent, the couples' education (wholly in the UK) - and the fact of the veil.

"Above all, it was because I felt uncomfortable about talking to someone 'face-to-face' who I could not see.

"So I decided that I wouldn't just sit there the next time a lady turned up to see me in a full veil, and I haven't.

"Now, I always ensure that a female member of my staff is with me. I explain that this is a country built on freedoms. I defend absolutely the right of any woman to wear a headscarf. As for the full veil, wearing it breaks no laws.

"I go on to say that I think, however, that the conversation would be of greater value if the lady took the covering from her face.

"Indeed, the value of a meeting, as opposed to a letter or phone call, is so that you can - almost literally - see what the other person means, and not just hear what they say.

"However, I can't recall a single occasion when a lady has refused to lift her veil; most seem relieved I have asked."

Taken in context he says he has had no objections. Why is there a storm in a teacup? People need to get of their bandwagon already and start thinking for themselves.

Thank You

For those who came out and showed some love tonight for my Black History Month Speech at London South Bank Univ. Much appreciated.

And for those who went to Corinne Bailey Rae or went to that mobile Link up at Liverpool Street. Shame on you. LOL

Big up to my photographer Larry
(and of course Tony who took a couple pics as well!)

stonebridge park

It was all so simple back then
A simple walk along knatchbull road
Didn't fill me with fear of muggings
Saxon and Sovereign over the field
Me watching from the eighteenth floor of our flat
Mum scared I would inhale ganja
Noisy neighbours playing dub all night
While we settled down for family worship
Lifts stunk of pee, and broke down once a month
Stairs smelt even worse

I remember snowball fights on the way to school
Playing marbles on school drains
Being caned for nearly blinding Peter with a stone
And being beat again when I got home
Never seemed barbaric then
Even though I wanted to kill them
Sports day and school houses, red, blue, green and yellow
And drinking peardrax when it was over

Yet now all I do is drive through
What was once my neighbourhood and
Even though they regenerate with new buildings
I see a lack of respect and wonder why
I would prefer to take bus there than drive
Sweet memories of my childhood
Stay there, but stonebridge park
Will never be the same...for me anyway

Spooks

For those of you who watch this like me.
I can't believe that Ruth has left. I just can't believe it.
I am still in shock. Say it ain't so......

Just say No!

This one reason why people shouldn't take drugs.

Hammer?? You embarass me man. Really you do!

Any shred of decency you had is gone now man. You look like you ....ok I will stop there.

Beyond Boundaries

Amazing programme on BBC2 last night. It tracks the journeys of eleven individuals with a variety of disabilities across Africa. From Tourettes, Achondroplasia, amputees and a lady with cerebral palsy. I am just amazed each week as I see these individuals face their own personal mental battles, the scares of hippos and lions en route. Absolutely amazing!!! If you can get online or to watch BBC then do so.

Truly inspirational.

Google Imagery

OK so was looking for some images for a speech on Wednesday.
Type 'white babies' and search under google images, and then do the same with 'black babies'.

Scary.

Black History Month

Well yes people it's that time again. Black History Month.
I will be speaking at a number of schools and on Wed 11th at South Bank University. Now you may say I am a bit of a renegade but I don't think anyone should be defined or restricted by their race, colour or by cultural definitions. By all means I realise the impact of association people can have with someone of the same culture, but it shouldn't be the be all.

For example one wouldn't say that Bono was a white environmentalist, but can Martin Luther Kin or Nelson Mandela be seen as freedom fighters, without the colour association? Hmmm...may be I am being pedantic.

OK let me get to the point. I reckon it's a great thing to have black history month. It is a wonderful opportunity for a lot of disenfranchised youth in the Afro Caribbean diaspora realise where they come from, and also for a lot of non blacks to recognise what contributions have been made to culture, outside of athletics and entertainment. However I think to limit it to just a month. OK I suppose it serves a purpose but I wonder how many people outside the Afro Caribbean community actually recognise or pay any mind to this time period. Do we as a wider community celebrate Rosh Hashanah, Diwali or the Chinese New Year, or do do we just think...ooh that's nice for them!!

Anyway I will be speaking this month and hopefully empowering students and adults from all backgrounds on the value of learning from the past and their heritage, but not allowing it (especially the negative) to define their future!

Ty

UK hip hop isn't sometimes given the recognition it deserves. Some see it as a poor cousin of US hip hop, while others just don't even realise what talent lies therein. The likes of Roots Manuva, Skinnyman, Phi Life Cypher and Black Twang are among the heavyweights, but the one man that has my attention firmly is Ty. This guy has skills, phat rhymes and I just hope someone uses their noggin and puts some serious investment into his talent.

Go to his myspace page and check him out. Onwards and upwards.

Discombobulate

Verb: To upset or confuse

Context: "Inventing cool new ways to discombobulate the old order" -- Kurt Andersen

Afro Ninja

Now I know I shouldn't laugh at people, but I love slapsitck humour. This is an old one but it kills me everytime. Watch when he does the Bruce Lee snort just before he jumps. Haahahahahaha

Freakonomics

I failed my Economics A Level exam. I got a 'U'. I hasten to add that I got an A in Law, and B in Sociology. Anyway, back to economics, I went into my exams and did the multiple choice for a few moments, got bored and walked out. I will admit I hated economics. The bald headed eagle of a teacher I had didn't help either. Micro and macro economics was pants, and I didn't like it until I actually started studying it for myself a few years later.

Now if a copy of Freakonomics was around when I was in college, I would bet my bottom dollar that I would have walked out of that exam with an A. When I really loved a subject in school I would delve into it in a big way and ensure that studying became a joy. I would recommend this book to students now who may be struggling or need to go the next level of inspiration.

Steven Levitt is a brilliant mind. An economist, educated at Harvard and currently a professor at University of Chicago, he has an absolutely brilliant way of looking at things. Discarding the moral or emotional aspects of arguments, to get to the heart of the facts based on measurable evidence, is amazing. One of my other favourite writers Malcolm Gladwell, who wrote The Tipping Point, speaks very highly of him, and he is also a contemporary of one of my heroes, Roland Fryer.

I am not going to spoil it for others, but just to say that his observations on sumo wrestling, reduction in crime in the USA, the impact of a name (calling your kids OrangeJello and LemonJello), ethics and estate agents, deaths in swimming pools, is amazing and insightful. Absolutely great. Buy it!

Teamwork: I love This!

How is this for teamwork? Can you imagine doing this as part of the start of the day?

Constant Gardener

Watched this film the other day.
Brilliant!

The twists in this film are great.
The scene in the hospital after she has given birth. The emails. The phrases and double handedness and trickery, and even the sub plot in this is great.

It's a pity that it remains just as entertainment, as the main premise of this film still seems to go unresolved. Much hand wringing about the state of African countries, yet corporations still managing to 'remotely' manage the sad state of affairs in health and infrastructure of these countries.

Life In London

Did you know that if you don't have an oyster card that it costs twice as much to go from Baker Street to Euston Square?
£1.50 with card and £3.00 without

Do you ever feel tempted to spit, swear or punch (metaphorically of course) at those blasted vendors of the London Lite and thelondonpaper?
No I don't want a free rubbish paper. Leave me alone. I want to get my train home.

Did you know that London is one of the most expensive places to live or buy property now?

I love London town but boy I am so glad I reside in leafy Hertfordshire these days.
Yeah I know I am getting old.

Brown vs Blair

The Labour party conference has shown me why Teflon Tony has managed to hold down his job for so long, and why people are a bit reluctant with Gordon.

Comparing the two speeches, Tony is a great communicator. He can hold his corner when questioned about foreigh policy, education, health and even knows how to back down when he is wrong. He can provide humour, punchlines and think on his feet really well. Now Gordon....well, there is much work needed on presentation skills.

People like people. We buy into their personalities through speeches, their sense of humour and Gordon....well he does seem a bit dour doesn't he. Even when he smiles he just looks like he has a bad case of wind. Undoubtedly he will succeed Tony and become the next Prime Minister of the UK, and leader of New Labour, but I really believe that whole grey imagery (remember John Major!) will be the downfall of him. We buy image. We did when Tony first came in and after he saw off the competition, but David Cameron has stepped up the game somewhat and I can't see Labour in for a fourth term. Maybe I will eat my hat if it doesn't turn out that way, but Gordy, if you do need help with the presentation thingy, drop me a line!!

..and another thing

This is my second rant of the day. What is with many Muslims asking for an apology from the Pope and then not being satisifed with it getting all het up about it. As a former student and almost convert to Islam, I am getting a bit alarmed at what goes to the core of their faith. I mean first and foremost God can take care of himself thank you very much and doesn't need some radical trying to impose his will on all who would disagree with your worldview of God. Secondly what is with this wild kind of reaction to every thing that has a whiff of anti Islam in it. Fix up people. Not everyone sees the world the way you do. Get over yourselves.

and my final rant.
When I have paid a large amount of money to travel into London. Have had a hard day an need a seat on the train back home. Don't be sighing and giving me dirty looks when I asked you to move your bag, mr/mrs train passenger. Move the damn bag, I paid over £200 to get a seat (and sometimes don't even get one). Dont make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I am angry!!!!! :)

Empty Promises

Am currently redesigning my business card. As I have a couple of business interests trying to simplify it to just one that sums me up.
You know what I find really annoying, when people exchange business details and say keep in touch but only really do so when they want to find something from you. You email, text, leave messages of hello and nothing is returned unless they are in a spot where they need your help. Think I am going to be a lot less liberal with these new cards and also of promises of keeping in touch. Even I am allowed to be cynical every now and then. Rant Over

Spooks

OK in another post I said that I wasn't really a TV fan. Honestly apart from Doctor's shows, the Disney Channel with the kids, My Wife and Kids every now and then and the Discovery channel...hahaha...my only other obsession is Spooks.

The new series started yesterday. Wow! Frightening how the writers can almost blurr the line between truth and fiction on this. Almost too scary. I don't care anyway, makes for wonderfully addictive TV. Love it. (P.S. I dont like CSI anymore!)

Who is Patrick Philpott?

I am encouraged when I meet young people who want to get into business.
It was never encouraged when I was at school. It was all about getting an education, or joining some kind of enterprise, but for a number of years the emphasis on getting youth to start up and run their business.

One of the young men I have had pleasure in mentoring and admiring his attitude to developing his business is Patrick Philpott. He is still in school but is running a company called Intelligent Networking Events. There is a write up of him here in startups.co.uk He has not only developed his business but he is also an ambassador to Make Your Mark, an enterprise initiative encouraging entrepreneurship amongst people aged 15-21; an ambassador to The Edge, a vocational learning campaign and also has had media appearances on Working Lunch and Channel 4's "More4" as well as write ups in the Evening Standard and Financial Times. Not bad for a 16 year old.

His next event is on the 28th September. So come out and support one of the cream of the crop of developing young entrepreneurs in the UK.

Government admits Failure

Well the whole drug education conversation is going to kick off again in the UK isn't it. On top of the many reports about binge drinking, cannabis taking and some of the scary stories we hear of very young drug addicts in Scotland and north of England, this topic is not going to go away anytime soon.

This article from the BBC does one of the better things on this topic. It actually asks the students who are being taught drug prevention what they think of the programmes.

Personally I think it is unrealistic to expect youngsters not to smoke or drink when many of their elder peers or family do so. I also think that it takes more than a video of the drastic effects of drug abuse if a bag of crack, cannabis or heroin can easily be bought in and outside of schools and colleges for less than a £10. So what next?

Well it is never going to be a simple answer with so many factors involved from access to peer pressure, poverty to crime, and I for one don't think there should be any immediate change in the policies that schools have, but I wonder if some of the same said students in schools can have input into delivering programmes!!!

Banksy

Have been watching a great artist (dubbed the "artistic terrorist") called Banksy for some time now. The Bristol based artist has been covered by much of the national and international media

Here are some of his pictures if you have missed them

This one above is of drawn on the wall between Palestine and Israel



This one as well (I Love the irony)



His political message using a Jack Vettriano picture

He even managed to smuggle an effigy of a Guantanamo Bay detainee into Disneyland Florida. Love him or hate him, it's encouraging art being used to challenge and give a different view to life and society.

A Doctor in the House

Do you know although I am not a TV fan per se, I have to admit in the last year there are certain programmes that you just cannot pull me away from.

House, Gray's Anatomy and E.R. Ironically I can't stand Holby City.
I need to get over it already.

Dwele

Dwele is back in town at The Jazz Cafe, and again I won't be able to make it.
Gutted. I suppose I can always listen to him on me iTunes or MySpace.

Tell him I sent you.

OnOneMap

Ooh just came across this and I must say....I like.
Nothing absolutely revolutionary but a nice place to find out what properties are available in your area without having to search to far.
OnOneMap. Watch out RightMove.

Shoot The Messenger

Last week BBC2 showed a documentary called Shoot the Messenger. The lead character played by British actor David Oyelowo brilliantly portrayed the tortured but will intentioned revolutionary. In a nutshell Joe, the main character, goes on a mission to change the perception of black boys underachieving in school. Not only that but he seeks to challenge every single notion of what it is to be black until it falls into line with what he perceives. The cleverly writte drama touches on a number of subjects such as failure in education, black mental health, blame and discovery and while it has been criticised in many quarters (both black and white) of exacerbating prejudices and misconceptions about the black community, I actually thought it was one of the best bits of drama I have seen all year on TV.

A black director, producer and predominantly black leads allowed such a sensitive subject matter as black introspection to be handled the way it was. Some parts of the drama were quite funny and made me think about similar conversations I have had with other Afro Carribeans on similar subject matter.

It was clear that the drama was given to entertain and create debate. Some honest soul searching and debate along with criticisms and other sound bites within the Afro Caribbean community will hopefully kick off as a result of this programme.

Proud of her!

It's been a while since I have last posted. Too busy working and chilling out with the kids, but all is good.Anyway since my last post I have celebrated my 11th wedding anniversary and also 18yrs with the most wonderful woman. And yes I am talking about my wife Madeline, before anyone get's it twisted.

Yesterday I watched her, and 20,000 other women, run, jog and walk around Hyde Park as part of the Hyrdo Active Women's 5k Challenge. She was raising money for Alzheimer's and it was a bit emotional but she done very well and am bloody proud of her to boot. She has inspired me to get up and get going on the projects that I wanted to do as well.

So Kilimanjaro and Three Peaks. Here I come.

Wrong Postcode

Listening to the news today I marvelled at the lenient treatment for drugs possession being handed out to Pete Doherty, the Babyshambles musician.

According to the BBC
"has been warned he faces jail after pleading guilty to five counts of possessing drugs including crack cocaine and heroin...The charges followed his arrest on three separate occasions on 20 and 29 April and 7 August, in London."

Now I wonder if he was living on a lowly council estate in Newham, or Harlesden or wherever else money doesn't pay for access to rehab, if he would have even got this far, having been arrested so many times. What kind of message does this send out? Is it because he's Kate Mosses boyfriend (Who also got off with a slap on the wrist) that celebrity means that everything is ok?

Personally I believe that drug takers as opposed to sellers and dealers should not be put into jail. I think more effort should be placed on dealing with the causes of drug abuse and addiction. However if we are going to have a law that is supposed to treat all offenders equally, and you want people to respect that, then at least be consistent. Truth be told, he's not really going to be short of supply behind bars either!!! Ho hum!

Gospel Flavas

For those fans of gospel, there will be a showcase of some talented musicians tomorrow night in East London. Kindred Spirit is a monthly showcase, highlighting the soul, jazz and poetic flavours of London. Founded and hosted by me mate Michelle Escoffrey (formerly of Truce, Escoffrey Sisters) this evening is a breath of fresh air from all the tosh we hear mostly on TV on Radio.

I digress. The showcase will be featuring me mate Aaron Sokell, The Company, Jahaziel and Four Korners. If you can make it come down. More info here.

FlipClips

FlipClips! Am loving this! It's kind of like reverse technology.

You can upload a small video of say 15 seconds and the site then compiles a book for you. something like how they compiled the original animation for films! I think I may have to try this soon. (Err...get a video camera first Dave!)

Work for Mums

Yummy Mummy Careers. Yes that's the actual name of a recruitment site for working and stay at home Mum's in the USA/Canada.

It is actually quite refreshing to see an organisation which encourages women who'd like to get back to work, or want to find a family-friendly position. Job hunters can post their CV's with Yummy Mummy Careers. The website also features a 'career spa', offering financial advice and tips on issues like finding childcare.

I wonder if this would pick up over here in the U.K.

Chariddee

My mother in law is in the latter stages of Alzheimer's. It is an awful experience to see such a strong woman being weakened by such a disease. Madeline is running 5k on Sep 3rd in Hyde Park, to raise money for her and for those interested you can go and sponsor her on www.justgiving.com/positively Mad.

Go on over there already will ya! Go awn! GO AWN!

Meebo

I am loving this tool. The ultimate IM tool.
Before this came along I used to use Trillian to pick up the various accounts I have. However this meant that whatever machine I was on I had to have that relevant software on it.

With meebo however you just go in and create an account. Sign up your various accounts including GMail! and your off, on any machine you choose to sign into.

Nice......

Congrats Pee

On Saturday night we celebrated the graduation and the beginning of a new era for one of my best friends, Paul. It is awesome to see what he has come through and still intact.

Lots of painful memories but also some great victories and steps forward emotionally and spiritually. Madeline and I danced our bloody socks off well into the morning. Yes...Silly Games...is the ultimate anthem.

Glad to be part of the journey Pee and look thanks for being one of my best friends these last eighteen years. Remember Oakwood!

Me, Mads, Riri and Lolly love you even when words fail buddy. Proud of you!!

Where's the Pepper?

Ryan Bell was made famous on TV fas the student plucked from obscurity and poverty in Lambeth to attend a private school. Trevor Phillips, the CRE head, through his company Pepper Productions created a Channel 4 documentarty to track his progress, paying £15,000 for him to attend the Downside School in Bath. The basis of this experiment was to see if " a black inner city boy could succeed if he was placed in a different environment."

Most of you who know me I am not a fan of Trevor Phillips and his reactionary style politics and yesterday I read an interesting story on how Ryan feels now the experiment is over.

The worrying thing is that for many youth who possibly have come from the wrong side of the track, there is a need for continuing trust and respect in order to establish themselves. What kind of mentoring was put in place? What safeguards in case the whole experiment didn't go to plan? What kind of evaluation to measure what lessons could be learnt?

This was a young boy's life. At an impressionable age. It's not a game! We wonder why so many youth lose respect for their elders after they have been given empty promises. Without question we can look at the misdemeanours which resulted in him being expelled. Grafitti, nicking a phone and lastly get totally drunk out with a group of guys. The comparisons can be easily made between his drunkeness and Euan Blair's or Prince Harry. The latter being in more of a public place, but guess which one's would have had more support. You can't just pluck a youth out of an environment drop him into a new one, disregard all his previous factors and then walk away when things get tough.

Personally I would love to meet the guy myself and mentor him. I know if I had invested the £15,000 into a child's future I would not be letting them go that easily.

Life in East London

Grime is underground, hardcore music associated with East London. In Grime: A Photo Essay the photographer Simon Wheatley documents the life of many of the kids for who this music represents their experience.

No matter how simplified one wants to make the issues of drugs and teenage pregnancy, and join in the handwringing of the tabloid and popular media, its often only when you actually listen to the stories and experiences of those affected that you begin to realise.

Somewhat humbling.

Just Do It

Whether you are running a business for profit or for social reasons, you sure as heck need a lot of drive and belief in what you are doing. Two women who possess such drive and are a source of inspiration to me are Sara Tye and Shaa Wasmund.

Sara runs Redhead PR, a leading consultancy based out of Covent Garden. She has worked on leading accounts such as Nokia, Thames Water and Body Shop, most notably with Anita Roddick herself.

Shaa also has a background in PR, famously working on the James Dyson account, selling her MyKindPlace business before the age of 30, and has recently worked with Bebo, whilst shooting for an upcoming TV series and managing her other business Financial Detox.

Whilst I marvel at the energy these two entrepreneurs have it hits home to me more and more about what can be done if you really put your mind to it. Setting some serious goals about where you want to be and how you are going to get there and making a sensible, if not extraordinary profit along the way.

I feel proud to have these as two friends, who provide much support to my own growing business and a much well needed kick up the ass to not just talk about where you want to go .... but to Just Do It as well!!

Thank you ladies. You are more than inspirational!!!

Media Snackers

One of the most dedicated people working in youth culture is a magnificent chap by the name of DK. As much as I try to position myself in touch with youth trends and culture, whether it be through the local groups, faith groups or sneakily keeping up to date through my good mate google, DK always seems one step ahead.

You will see his main link on the right called Phatgnat. Phatgnat "creates great youth projects for brands.

These projects are linked to community causes and delivered through public sector artnerhips."

His latest project is also a great one for those who are interested in who youth consume media. Media Snackers focuses on this consumption across the globe. From MySpace to mashups, Texts to TiVO. You never know you might learn something.

Innocence Lost

Yesterday I was in conversation with a couple of friends. I mentioned the sad state of paranoia that surrounds adult interaction around kids. This stemmed from the observation I made that schools find it unsafe to apply in any form sunscreen to kids in the recent hot weather. Having a four year old in full time nursery I wondered what would happen if she wanted to play in the playground but needed sunscreen? Should she stay inside or go out at the risk of fainting or getting sunstroke? Granted when I was a kid (back in the dark ages as some kids think) the concept of sunscreen was not that much of an issue. But heck we are talking about the here and now!

One of my friends stated that he would not stay in a house with other children than his own. He wouldn't hold their hand if out on a trip. Or even pick them up if they injured themselves because he didn't want to be tainted by accusations.

Whilst I respect his stance I think it is a sad indictment on our society that we deny the caring side of our personalities. In order to avoid any whiff of assumption even with trusted people we totally distance ourselves from any physical interaction with children. I often wonder how this translates into sports teaching, or when an injury is suffered by a child rather than attend to the immediacy of the situation how one has to wait for another adult to be there as a witness to what you have done.

As a trained (but not practicing) counsellor it is evident that there are many varied subtleties of child abuse which have and do occur by people who are familiar with children. Protective measures are put into place for schools here in the UK, for youth groups, and increasingly for faith groups. Even As a motivational speaker in schools and colleagues this has affect me. A colleague at Ofsted recently told me that they are clamping down on visiting speakers unless you have a CRB police check. I have one and am ensuring all schools know that I am before I go to speak there. These safeguards I agree are at best their to protect the innocent.

I suppose my concern is that a generation of kids are growing up missing out on some element of social interaction with a responsible adult. No longer can one dab the eye of a crying child, or try to administer any first aid to a hurt child, or even console by putting the hand on a shoulder, because of paranoia and a threat of litigation. Whilst I fully appreciate the sins of the past that existed with corporal punishment, the past and current safeguards needed to avoid child abuse, the flip side is that much of youth media through music, dress and TV place on our children a real pressure to be sexual, fashion conscious and fed a barrage of lyrical content well beyond their years that gets repeated on the playground and at home, a sense of balance seems to be missing in the development of youth. To hear a pre high school child singing "dont you think you wish your girlfriend was hot like me" and not bat an eyelid yet not be able to console them without a distance of thirty yards seems a bit skewed!

I prefer to err totally on the side of caution if it means protecting our children but I just feel that somewhere, somehow much of childhood innocence is increasingly being lost.

The Middle East

I promised I would keep my big nose (and yes it is big) out of the Middle East, but I cant help meself can I. What the heck is going on there.

The nonsense in Iraq. Iran developing their nuclear capacity and sticking its fingers up at other countries who have weapons! Then Israel and Palestine. Now Israel and Lebanon. Innocents being wiped out on all sides. The UN once again shows it is a tiger with false teeth. And all for what?

I wonder if they would buy into my Effective Communications workshop?

insomnia

(Last of the oldies for now!)

nighttime creeps up on me
enticing me with the promise of dreams
she lulls me into her arms
knowing full well I will be awake with her
she teases me into thinking
we would just lie there peacefully
she caresses my head as I lay down
smiling up at her wishing to slumber
anticipating being refreshed for a new day
but her relentless attention just
leaves me tossing and turning
and each time I open my eyes I see her
staring at me mischeviously
with a twinkle in her eye
knowing full well that when daybreak comes to meet me
I will have to answer her why
my tired and restless self
cannot fully embrace her with the energy and passion
she craves

Make time

Harbouring vexations
Stupid reasons for silence
Fall over laughing
When you realise
Why did we stop talking?

Missed hugs, Pinched bottoms and
Gentle kisses on cheeks
Cos your my sista
Man hugs and touched
fists, to reaffirm
we are bredrin

Promised phone calls
and cancelled lunches
Emails which never came
Wondering
Where did the time go
Gosh I am so busy

Stop.

Dont wait until I am gone
To tell me how much you love me
Dont wait until I am gone
To tell me how much you care
Dont wait until I am gone
To say sorry and start again
Cos if you wait until I am gone
Then how can I hear?

This is Me

This me
Loud, opinionated
Dont tell me to shut up
This is me
spiritual, passionate
and not afraid to cry
Dont tell me about manhood
This is me
trust you until your betray me
wear my heart on my sleeve
Dont tell me to be less trusting
This me
Take it or leave it
Just like I have you

Live Like a Prince

On Thursday I attended the funeral for Kiyan Prince.
Not only did it break my heart to see a father have to bury his son, but moreso that this father Mark is one of my closest friends.

How do you even begin to feel or put into words the emotions that go through your head?
How do you make sense of the fact your friend's son was moved out of a rough neighbourhood to get away from such violence, yet ends up losing his life to the same thing?
How do you begin to put into even say anything?

I just couldnt. All I could do was hug Mark, and for my own personal closure to place mud and flowers on Kiyan's grave.

There are some things that we will never know the answer to....but in the meantime, Kiyan, rest in peace. Hope to see you one day!

The Darker Side of Self Help

Firstly let me say I have some 'self help' books. Unlimited Power, 7 Habits, The Richest Man in Babylon and How to win friends. I think there is value in them, some nice gems about defeating toxic thinking etc. however.........

The biggest concern I have about the self help industry is that it is more like the dependency industry. Ok so Tony Robbins can get a couple of people to walk across coals but how many books and courses do you have to sign up to before you get mastery? Dyer, Chopra, Oprah, Rohn and how many Chicken soups can there be?

Each week I get emails from speakers and such programmes wanting you to make you rich, a millionaire and its all about buying into someones programme! They tap into people's selfishness and then sell up. And underlying these programmes there is nothing about community, just self, self, self! And are peoples lives really being more empowered?

IMYW

Well am pretty chuffed at the moment as I am putting the finishing touches to my job hunters programme.

It's called "Its' Me You Want!" and is aimed at is aimed not only at getting job hunters to leverage their job hunting techniques, but also to think about their career and job strategies as a whole.

Rather than going for the scatter gun approach of just posting a CV on a job board (mine are still out there somewhere from years back!!) it is aimed at getting job hunters to think about their approach, to market their CV's, portfolio, online resumes whatever so that it is targeted to those companies or areas job hunters are looking to get into. It is aimed to get people to think about what needs they are satisfying when going for interviews. Not just what suit you have on or how you sit! duh!

I think the name of the programme speaks for itself!!! Can you tell I am excited abou this???

HumanUtopia

On Wednesday I had the opportunity to see the two guys who run HumanUtopia in action. WOW!

Now for those of you who know me and my attitude to youth work I am very critical of those (including myself) who will get engaged in this field. I believe you have to be even more passionate about personal development in this area than you would be with adults. Minds are fresh, receptive, critical and willing to challenge you at any turn. So there is no time for no crap!!

Well Carlo and Graham surely connected with what was a tough group of North London "roughnecks"..sorry I mean students.

Maybe those people who sat down and brainstormed Connexions or any of those other government things, could learn a lesson from these guys on challenging, maverick and creative presentations which tap into not only the wellbeing of their audience but also accomodate all the different learning styles.

In time the paths of these guys will cross with mine. I can't wait...in the meantime I hope that the teacher's from the schools they work in will see the deeper, wider impact such programmes have on the self esteem of their students.

Watch this space.

Oh and yeah guys if you are reading this
c-a-n I h-a-v-e t-h-e b-i-l-l p-l-e-a-s-e! (hahahahahaha)

Child Extremism

Michelle Malkin the famed right wing columnist, writes about a 7 year old poet called Autumn Ashante. Now I am not usually a fan of Ms Malkin but I have to agree on her position that one the one hand we cannot spend acres of newspaper and media coverage slagging off white supremacist twins Prussian Blue, and then ignore the racist overtones of a black nationalist poet such as Ashante.



What saddens me most is that the imprint of such nationalism and prejudice is probably so deep seated in the mind of such kids, both within their families and communities that it would take something very, very deep to shift that mindset.

KT Tunstall

Ooh lala...what a lovely voice.
Am loving Eye to the Telescope. This is what music sounds like when Scotland meets China.

I think I am veering towards the very folksy side of music this year. Time to go out and buy some hardcore stuff methinks.

Bianca Rose

Yesterday I had the privilege of hearing Bianca Rose live.
She performed a live acoustic set at a bar/restaurant in Streatham.

She has one of the most refreshing, soulful voices I have heard in a long time. In fact she joins Bev Tawia and Corinne Bailey Rae as the trinity of soulful singers that have done it for me this year. With a combo of deep lyrics, great music and a honey like voice.

Strumming away on her guitar I couldn't help but reminisce of the same kind of acoustic feeling when I first heard Tracy Chapman and Lauryn Hill performing acoustic sets. I just hope someone recognises this talent more sooner than later. She has her own page for those interested at www.myspace.com/biancarosemusic

Not in my Back Yard

It was interesting to read an article about a community in Hercules, California (some irony here somewhere) which told Wal Mart to take a running jump when the company wanted to establish one of their stores in their town.

The story goes on to say that three others towns in Maine, New England have adopted the same approach and basically told them, not in my back yard mate.

For some this approach smacks of elitism. I can hear the chant of youth who say "you know your in the ghetto when your living near a Netto!". Others would say it is high time some of these global companies were shown that they cannot just ride into neighbourhoods and destroy smaller business and exploit workers.

We shall wait and say if this is just a blip, or if it could contribute to an underground movement not just in the US, but here in the UK, where we catch a cold!!

Books: 1984

Rediscovered this book again in my library, and am reading it with a bit more passion than I did first time round in school.

The scary reality of the principles in this book in modern society is sometimes a bit too frightening.

And to think he wrote this in 1948!!

On a Lighter Note

OK the video doing the rounds at the moment is of this guy who ended up on the BBC after being mistaken for someone else.

Ok I have not laughed this much in a long while, but look at the expression on his face, when he realises he is in the wrong place at the wrong time.



Priceless

Life: 911 Video

Caught this video recently on google.
Now I am not one for conspiracy theories, yet on the same hand I am always willing to listen to plausible alternatives.

There remains a lot of unanswered questions........

The Tipping Point

So I have just finished reading this.
Thought I would wait till all the hype died down and give it a good read...and it was worth the wait.

The principles about Connectors, Mavens, Broken Windows, teenage smoking and the like, make for good conversation. Gladwell writes effortlessly and has a lot of supportive scientific research behind a lot of points he makes.

I am wondering how some of the principles of the tipping point can be applied to underachieving youth

One Rule for the Rich.....

So Rush Limbaugh famed shock jock and commentator in the US gets a slap on the wrist for drug offences. Now any kind of drug addiction is a problem that needs to be addressed first by dealing with the health issues rather than just criminalising the person.

A US Columnist Cindy Rodriguezpicks up on the same sentiment.

The thing that strikes me is what would have happened had Rush not been a celebrity. I still cant get over the fact that musician Pete Doherty was released on bail although caught in the act taking drugs.

I wonder what would have happened if any of those "celebrities" would have been freed if they managed to come from a council Estate in Essex or Lambeth?

Who you Calling Nigga?

(Carefully arranges soap box!)

If there is one thing I hate is the term nigga.
I hate it with a passion and those around me, no better than to call me that even if to them it is a 'term of endearment'.

I hate that such a term which is steeped in a history of negativity and bigotry can now be adopted as a normal term. I often wonder that with rap, a music that is primarily bought my non-blacks, how people can cope with repeating such lyrics and see it as nothing. I hate hearing kids on the street hollering 'yo my nigga', be they black, white, pink, yellow or opaque!!!

Maybe I am making a mountain out of a mole hill, but I hate the term so much. Words are powerful. Can such a term be really reclaimed for the positive? Not in my book.

(Get's off soap box!)

Changing Course

high time I lowered my expectations of you
not right that I should expect so much
trying to decide who you are
instead of letting you be yourself
recognising that you come with strengths,
and with weaknesses, far from perfect
yet still a friend of mine
learning to shut my mouth
and be quicker to open my ears
learning cues to supress my agenda
when yours is more important at the time
yes I am lowering my expectations of you
so I can appreciate you more
and be there for you as much as you are
for me

Thirty Seven

A prime number.
The number of years since I was born.
Had a lovely day thanks.
Nearly had to "educate" some teens in Ilford, but thankfully my kids were there and had to think of them first.
Got taken shopping by women.
Had a great meal
Off for a lovely bubbly to wind down the day.

Thanks to all the personal messages of support and encouragement.

Poetry: Just Give Me

Give me words
Give me metaphors, syllables and semantics
Give me a pen, a room and some paper
Give me space to tell it as it is
Give me iambic pentameters
Give me intransitive and reflective verbs
Give me phrases which I can juxtapose
Give me thought patterns
Give me rhyme and meter
Give me a subject and I will predicate
Give me phonetics, morphology and syntax

And I will write you a story, form for you a poem
Paint you a picturem and take you on a journey

Give me a moment.....

Corinne Bailey Rae

OK I will be honest and thought, "yeah, yeah..new artist, people getting excited again and forget about her when her next album
comes out", and then I bought the album for wifey for mother's day last week.

OK. wow! Do you really want to know why I think she is so great. Miss Rae has a clean, ethereal, folksy and soul voice. She is not overpowered by instruments and her songs remind of the innocence and yet powerful delivery given on debut albums by artists like Lauryn Hill, Sade, Jill Scott, Adriana Evans and Erykah Badu. Add to that she is singing in the most London accent not some pseudo American as many of our soul artists are prone to doing.

stand out tracks are 1, 3 and 10 for me. She crafts songs beautifully and I hope she hangs around for a while. What a breath of fresh air!!!

March Dinner

Well had a great night last night. Each month my wife and I organise a dinner for ten to twelve professionals and business owners to come together, have great food and drink, talk shop and most importantly have fun. This month's CONNECT! dinner brought some new and familiar faces to the Ciao Bella restaurant in Russell Square, and the development of some new friendships as well.

It was great to see the different personalities interact across a nice bruschetta and lamb chop serving, even though the red mullet (sounds like a hairstyle) was a bit dry. Sorry Ed! Looking forward to next month and thanks to all of you who supported!

Being Magnificent

Spoke last Friday to a group of Year 11 students in Broxbourne. Apparently they had told their headmaster that after a previous speech they wanted me back to speak to them again. I was quite chuffed.

We went through a number of points from my keynote "Being Magnificent" and it was great to have a good dailogue session. Stuff like this really makes me feel glad about the work I do, and to here stuff like this to.

"David, your speech was absolutely fantastic. It made us all consider where we were going with our exams and reminded us of the importance of taking action to make our lives better. No-one wants to be in a dead-end job but your talk made us realise that unless we revised and consequently performed well in our exams, a dead-end job was exactly where we would be forever. Thanks for your talk, we all raved about it for the rest of the day!"

It also reminded me of how brazen some students are as well. I got a couple of wolf whistles and that was just they guys...lol..just kidding

It Breaks My Heart

The story of the six youths who raped and murdered a young lady in Reading both angers and breaks my heart.

Forgetting the pandering to racial sterotypes that will underline such a cause, what frightens me most is what kind of value system could these guys be harbouring to commit such a crime? Who were there role models? What influenced their outlook on life.

As a parent you become even more protective of your children's future and safety when you read stories like this.

Why? Why? Why?

Politics: I told you so

I hate to say it....but I told you so!
The Iraquis did want to get rid of Saddam, but they did not want to replace him with a US led administration.

Different values. Different outlook. Different desires. But nooo.......No one listens to me!! ;)

The Perfect CV

I have a book with this title in my library.
Personally I hate template CVs and believe that much effort should be placed into how one constructs a CV.

A few weeks back I was running a workshop for a colleague at a London University and it amazes me that so many people are still horrendous at creating this one document, that can make difference of getting you through the door and securing good employment.

Good spelling. Good communication skills. A clear detailed history. Come on people. Sell yourself!!

Education: The Grammar Thing

So yesterday I thought I would do the "good Dad" thing and help me eldest with her English homework. She had to construct some sentences using at least one adjective and an adverb.

So having taught supplementary English in the past I thought I am still on top of my game. Here we go, who needs a refresher?? I helped her construct ten sentences using what I thought were quite powerful adjectives.

I got up this morning not too comfortable with the results I had produced and sought a second opinion from wifey. Let's just say that I need to grab the old grammar book and think carefully of the difference between adjectives and adverbs.

At least I know what a subject, predicates, intransitive verb and presupposition is!!