British Shite Broadcasting!

On February 1st 2011, Sky will launch its newest channel ' Sky Atlantic'.
This will be the home of HBO programmes on the Sky network, but is it going to be the super-dooper channel they've hyped it up to be?

Erm... No, not really hence why its probably free (for now) to Sky subscribers.

Sky have really rammed this channel down everyone's throats, with adverts starring the legend that is Dustin Hoffman, billboard posters, radio adverts and plugs about upcoming programmes getting their UK premieres on other channels.

But if you take a look at its schedule, its nothing really to shout about as its showing nothing but repeats throughout the day until the premiere's start at 9pm, which are then repeated throughout the night.

Its basic schedule consists of Star Trek, 24, ER and X-Files being repeated throughout the day from 6am.
Three out of those four programmes will be heavily edited as they're being showing before the watershed, so really what is the point?

You'd think with the backing this channel has got and the money its had pumped into it, you'd expect a better programming schedule than that!

Also, if its the home of HBO, then why not call it HBO instead of Sky Atlantic? Eventually, the channel will no doubt be changed to HBO in about a year or two, so why call it something different?

I think Sky are becoming too big for their own good and ripping its viewers off is something that is 'severely' being overlooked.

Good-bye 2010. Hello 2011.

So 2010 is now behind us and we're now in the first few days of a new decade.
But what does this new decade have in store? Who knows.
What I do know is that by 2020, I'll be 45 and I'll hopefully be in a much better place where I am today.

The last ten years have certainly been one hell of a roller-coaster ride. One of such that I almost didn't see the end of.

I started the decade living with my old mucker - Chris, which was one of hell of a year (thanks mate!).

I've travelled to places I'd never thought I visit, such as Cyprus, New York and Denmark.

I bought my first house, which five years later I sold as life became too expensive.

I began to get my shit together and pursue a career I've longed for - working as an actor and in 2004, I got a part playing a 'camp' hairdresser in the indie film 'Is That It?', which finally got a limited release at cinemas in 2008.

I started my short lived production company 'Preview Television Ltd', which produced several videos onto the general market and helped launch a local business into success, before I decided to close it in 2007 (not the successful local business, just in case that caused a little confusion there).

Life threw some vast obstacles my way over that last ten years and friendship is definitely one of them.
To this day, I wish I had spent more time with the friends, who, if I knew I'd lose contact with them or indeed lose them forever, I would have made more of an effort to spend more time with them because once they've gone - there gone.
Its these friends who are irreplaceable, the ones who without them, I wouldn't have the great memories of the good times I had with them over the years.
Sadly, some of these friendships were hit with problems for which I'm still sorry to this day for. I know one or two friends have been understanding, but the problem with me is that I've got too much of a conscious and hate it when I've offended the one's who didn't deserve what my ignorance has put them through.

To the one's who are still in my life, I hope we have many a great time together and I hope we can all continue to collect more fantastic memories.
To the one's who are no longer in my life, I thank you for the good times we once had. Especially to those who are no longer with us in the physical world. Even though I knew you for a short while, it was pleasure to have known you - Joe and Andy.

Six years into the decade was going to be the first turning point and one of the most challenging years of my life.
Within six weeks, I'm diagnosed with asthma after suffering from an asthma attack (how ironic?).
A week later I lose my remaining grandmother to Alzheimer's after suffering for nine long years.
A week later I lose a friend to a sudden heart attack at the age of 27 - Andy, then four weeks later, on a blazing hot morning in June, I receive a phone call that my fiancé was in labour - three months early.
Those three months were going to be the most testing months of my life as I watched my daughter fight for her life.
There were the most stressful three months of my life and my eyes filled up when I finally got to cuddle my daughter for the first time in weeks after she was born. But, that wasn't going to be the last time as she grew to be a healthy baby and in August, we were finally allowed to bring her home.

Unfortunately, those weeks began to put a strain on my relationship with my fiancé and six months later we went our separate ways. Not too separate as she stayed local so I could have regular time with my daughter who has grown up to be a beautiful, funny and charming little girl.

During this time, as part of my plan to break into the entertainment world. I decided to go back to writing.
Something I've enjoyed doing as a hobby and been quite secretive about.

In 2007, I got together with my friend and local film-maker Joseph Tan, and we bounced several ideas off each other.
One of which was a vampire film based on the return of Dracula to Whitby, which I began writing in 2005, but I ran out of steam on the project.
I spoke to Joe about the script and he immediately submitted new ideas and we continued writing the script.

In 2008, came the second hurdle in my life. I became seriously ill with blood poisoning and organ failure, something which I almost died from if I hadn't taken myself off to hospital when I did or I wouldn't have seen the night through, which one doctor kindly told me the next morning at my bedside.

So, my life was brought to an abrupt halt as I spent the next few months recovering.

Now for those who know me, you know full well I can't sit around doing nothing. I have to be doing something.
During my recovery time, Joe paid several visits to my home. We talked about more ideas for the vampire script, but Joe was also making sure I wasn't going anywhere, as we had already lost one friend two years previous and he was worried that he might be losing a second friend.
I gave him my word and I sat down with Joe's ideas and finished the script now known as 'Christian'.

But five months later, Joe's life took a turn for the worst and in May 2009, he died after major heart surgery to repair a problem he'd been suffering from since birth. He never got to see the final script he was itching to see.

A week later, I was offered an acting job in London, playing a police officer in a reconstruction for the Police Bravery Awards 2009. Although it was a small job, I spent an entire day on set dressed in full winter police clothing, frying my arse off in the summer sun that shone down on the set, having to check my eyebrows after having several bursts of fire was blasted at us to reconstruct a small explosion. Overall, it was fantastic to be in front of the camera again and it took my mind off the past few months.

Two months later, I decided to begin work on 'Christian'. Something I knew couldn't be left to rot in the corner of a room, especially after all the shit we went through to get it written. I didn't think it would have been fair on Joe if I did nothing with it.

Late October 2009, I got a small team together and we shot two promo trailers for 'Christian' to help with the publicity of the production and to help get us funding.

At last, things were beginning to look up for me and it was about bloody time!
Especially after what I had gone through over the past nine years, along with a stress related breakdown.

We had spent months planning the shoot, held auditions and found the perfect cast to play the parts.

Then in June, just before we began to shoot, I got bitch slapped in the face. Every director's nightmare happened to me.

The support we had gathered and most of the locations we had booked decided to pull out last minute - bastards!

Okay, so we had just filmed two days, got two scenes shot. Should I bring the production to a sudden halt or should I continue on and see what we can come with in the meantime.

To be honest, one side of me thought, I should have pulled the plug and restarted the shoot when I regained more support and funds. But the other side thought - plod on. I've worked too hard to just give up that easily.
I still at the time had the support of everyone involved and a few local businesses who we used for locations, so I decided to continue on and do my best.

As the days went by, we were still struggling to find new locations at the last minute. The production began to crumble as did I.
The cast and crew were getting pissed off at the quality of the production and I couldn't honestly blame them.

Just as things were looking up, in a blink of an eye they came crashing down again as I tried my best to keep the production together along with my sanity.

Problems kept arising between cast and crew, the script was rewritten several times to coincide with the location problems after people came forward and then let us down again last minute.
I had to recast one of the main characters two weeks into the shoot. I was going into bloody meltdown and people's faith in me was fading fast.
It also didn't help that my producer never showed for most of the shoot as they were finding it hard to work with some of the crew who I wouldn't let go as they were doing a good job.
Other crew members got tired of the shit that was happening behind the scenes and left the production, what the fuck was going on?
My love for the industry was in tatters as the production put a strain on friendships and I was at boiling point with others which leading me to point where I was ready to throw in the towel.

But I didn't and why the bloody hell should I?
Most of the problems came from others, not me, so why the hell should I give it all up because people were letting me down or being an arse to others?

It was this turning point, that changed my life. I was no longer going to be that person who let people walk all over him because he didn't like to upset people or get involved with confrontations.
I was becoming a person who saw a different perspective on life and this type of work.

Out of all this, the ones who I felt sorry for the most were the cast. I brought them onto this production and give them an insight into what I had planned, but I didn't manage to deliver those promises thanks to those who let me down, but hell they stuck with it and really helped me out along with the crew.
Yeah, I had disagreements with some, but I totally respected them for it. I didn't hold a grudge or get pissed off with any of them because they were honest from the start when the problems began.

After several changes, in both my life and on-set, we continued on with the production longer than I had planned and in September, production was put on hold as cast members had other work lined up and I needed to see what we had shot, as there was something still knocking in the back of my head that this project had gone astray somewhat.

Over the past few months, I've spent time getting my life sorted, editing the scenes we've got wrapped so far which is taking me forever (10 hours to edit, 2 minutes of footage). Told a few people some home truths and pushed them aside as I know longer have the time for there pettiness.

Life is too short to worry about the small things. I'm working my ass off every hour of the day to make a success of things and its slowly paying off as I'm writing again, this time a prequel series to 'Christian'.

Finishing up the editing of 'Christian' to keep my promise to people I owe a lot too and see how its all looking as a rough edit. Making sure I'm happy with everything so far and nothing needs re-shooting, so we can finally finish this project.

Getting my career on track so I jack in my shitty nine to five job, which I've managed to stick with the for the past fifteen years, but I've always felt like its kept me back from doing what I want to do most.

These next ten years aren't going to be easy. I just hope its going to be a decade of success and less stressful than the past ten years.

I'm going to move on in life, do things I've longed to do, but have been kept back by people who have been standing in my way.

I'm going to do what makes me happy and relax more. Hopefully find peace with myself, something I've not been able to do in a very long time. Like find new hobbies and take back up photography. Something I've never found the time for and miss doing.

As I bring this rant to an end. I want thank those who have stuck by me throughout these past ten years, whether you're old friends or new, relatives or that special someone in my life.
I thank you for being there. For picking me, when I was down.
For those who I've upset, but have found it in their hearts to forgive me. Knowing that there was no pure intention to the offence I may have caused them. I thank you with all my heart.

Here's to a new year and a new decade of our lives. 

Merry Christmas!

I would like to thank everyone who's visited my blog this year and I'd like to wish you all wherever you are around the world, a very peaceful and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Peace :)

My Alternative Christmas Message

Source: cheapflights.co.uk

So this is Christmas, and what have we done?
Absolutely nothing to be honest. Why? Because people are worse off than ever before and who do we have to thank for that? The Government.

Now, I'm not just blaming the morons who are in power at the moment. Most of the blame does have to goto Labour for their hand into making the country poorer.

This year, people are worse off than ever before and next year is going to be worse.

How on earth can the government say we're out of the recession when signs are clearly stating we're far from it.

Next year will see a rise in VAT. Over the past two years it has gone from 15% to 20%, and this next rise is going to help the economy how exactly?
With utility bills expected to rise greatly, along with council taxes, petrol and food, how are the working class people going to cope?

Its all good and proper the government saying they'll be help for the poorer, but the reality is, is that people struggle to get that help in the first place.

When banks and building societies got into financial difficulties, they were bailed out but us, the tax payer, and the government clearly said that we would not have to pay for the bail out.
So what we doing now? Paying for the bail out hence one of the reasons behind the increases in tax.

In my opinion, those who were in trouble should have been forced to close.
It was wrong to bail out companies who got themselves into trouble in the first place.
But the other reason behind the bail out was simple. The government would have lost a large amount of money, which meant the average MP couldn't decorate his office or run around in his shiny new car.

The only place our money is going is into the fat pockets of our money grabbing government.


Source: oldschoolparents.blogspot.com


2011, will probably see more people out of work as they won't be able to afford to travel to work.

Wages have been frozen in the public sector along with other businesses and major employees. Yet the cost of living continues to rise.
In January 2011, unleaded petrol in the UK is set to rise from 121p a litre to a staggering 130p a litre.
For an average family it will cost them around £60 to fill their car.

So its all good and proper the government and local councils telling you to go green and use public transport instead, but hang on, weren't we all pushed into using unleaded petrol because it was cheaper and greener on the environment, hence why leaded petrol was stopped?

Now, its become expensive and we're now being told its harming the environment - make your mind up!
Plus, who the hell are they to tell us to stop using our cars and travel to work on public transport?
I would love to use public transport, but I was moved into the middle of nowhere where there isn't any public transport available, so leaving my car at home isn't an option and the same could be said for the majority of the country.

But as individuals slip into more debt as they're unable to keep up with payments as their household bills rise. More and more people will file for bankruptcy this year, more businesses will go bust and the public sector services such as police and fire will suffer from budget and jobs cuts.

What are the solutions to get this country going again?
In my opinion, I would cut taxes - make essentials such as food, utility bills and fuel cheap again.
This will put extra money in your pocket and get people spending again as they'll be able to afford to go out and treat themselves once in a while like we used to do in the good old days.

If petrol wasn't so expensive, families would be able to afford to go on trips again, instead of limiting where they go today because their counting the miles so a tank will last them longer.

Stop bailing out failing companies. If there in debt, that's their problem, not ours!
You don't see the government helping small family run businesses do you? No, as I said before, they'll only help those who they profit from to begin with.

End the war! Bring our troops home, back to their families and stop wasting tax payers money trying to find someone we know you don't want to find. C'mon! Its almost been ten years and you still can't find a terrorist leader despite all the technology and intelligence that's available to you?
That is a pure sign that the government is profiting from the war and the reason why Bin-Laden has never been captured. They know where he is, they just don't care.

So, this year Clegg, Cameron and Brown - yes BROWN and the UK government!
While you're tucking into to your expensive Christmas dinners with your family around the table. Admiring your silk shirts and other expensive gifts you can afford to buy for your families.
Hold a thought while you cut into that turkey, for the families who can't afford a proper meal not just for Christmas, but forever until the day comes when life becomes affordable again.
Hold a thought for those who's families have been driven apart because of the mounting pressure of debt and jobs losses they'll face over the coming year. For those who took their own lives because they were unable to cope, for those who are now homeless and are living on the streets with nowhere to go. For those who died in battle while your government profited from their sacrifice, for the children you let down such as Baby Peter who died in pain because of government bodies failed to do their jobs properly again and for the students who are unable to continue with their further education because its too expensive.
Finally, hold a thought for everyone who voted you all in, these are ones who you've let down once again.

Enjoy Christmas with your families boys, don't waste your time thinking about us. Hell we are the ones who have probably paid for it all.

Merry Christmas! 

What You Waiting For?

Source: Livecloud.com

Seriously, why does the UK always come to a stand still when severe weather hits?

Its not like the forecasters don't warn council's that the big freeze is coming, yet, the roads are never cleared despite council officials stating on the television - "That there ready!". Ready for what? You're frigging kettle to boil?

I've never known a country like it where we get a cold spell and we fall apart, totally can't handle it.

Jesus, God help you if you live in Russia, Canada, Alaska, North America, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark - the list could just keep on going. They seem to cope okay. Their roads are cleared around the clock to make sure there's less disruption for travellers, but in the UK, we get excuses to why snow ploughs and gritters haven't taken to the streets.

Seriously, get your finger from out of your arses and get working! Start putting some of our expensive council tax to some bloody use! The warnings are there and have been in place for over a week. There's no excuse!

Dangerous or Misunderstood?

Source: morethings.com

What is religion? Why is religion causing some many problems in the world today?
What would the planet be like if there was no religion? Would we all be living in peace or would they be half as much blood shed and anger as there is right now?
It really is a tough question to answer, isn't it?
Besides, isn't the one message that is mentioned in all religions is that of love and that everyone should live as one?
If you actually read the holy book for yourself, page for page, and set aside any preachings you may have heard based around your religion. You may find a different perspective to the story that you might have been told.

Whoa! I hear you cry, but hear me out.

When you go to church you hear the opinions and translations of the holy book from a preacher or priest.
But if you think about it, that's their translation, their opinion, not yours and its these one sided opinions that people take for granted without reading up on everything themselves which then may lead to confusion, hatred or misinterpretation of the book hence why extremistism exists and its why I also choose not to go to church.

Now as you can gather I'm not religious but it doesn't mean I disrespect anyone else's beliefs.

Today there are so many different religions around the world you can choose to follow and there's also a few establishments that are trying to seek religious status across the world today.
One such establishment of which is the most controversial and most talked about is 'Scientology'.

Everyone knows there are two sides to every story and the story of Scientology is fast becoming a one-sided one.

L. Ron Hubbard (pictured below), was an author of Science-Fiction novels and from reading his background story, a sad, lonely individual who found escapism by establishing Scientology.

In my opinion, I can't seem to grasp the true nature of Scientology. In one hand it seems Scientology was set up for individuals who were going through the same torment as Hubbard, and this place was basically a big shoulder to cry on and to seek a state of comfort. Something which they never got from family or loved ones hence why its become a popular place to go.

But in the other hand, it also comes across as a tree-house club. Something a big kid created and thought it would be hilarious to set up an establishment, take ideas from a Sci-Fi book and use them as fact for its existence. Then as this club became popular amongst its members, it seems that this joke started getting out of hand and some people started taking the 'club facts' a bit too literally.
So what do you do when something like this starts to get out of hand? You continue to play on it and find more ways to manipulate the situation, which then becomes the basis to make some easy money, and so on, and so on.

Scientology is desperate to seek 'religious' status in the countries its based in. Its members see it as a religion, but others including court Judges see it as a money making cult. I personally see it as a messed up Salvation Army more than anything.

Yes, it does help people that need comfort and reassurance when they need it. There is nothing wrong with that what-so-ever, its great that people take time out to help others at a time in need.
Yes, its good to meet people who've had similar experiences as yourself and you make new friends, people you can relate to.
I've read blog's from non practising and ex-Scientologists who do criticise the 'Church' for some of the things they do or have done. However, they also say a lot of positive things about them, like how they've put a certain perspective on their lives which has helped them through a lot of negativity.

But the main issue that a lot of people has with Scientology, is the hatred that establishment can cause amongst its members towards others and this has been said by a lot of its ex-members.

Looking at videos of interviews that are circulating the likes of You Tube. This establishment seems to tear families and friends apart.
Why? Because it happened to its founder Hubbard, so if its happened to him, then why should anyone else live in happiness?
It seems one of the messages they bring across to its members is that your problems begin at home. So the only way to solve those problems is to cut yourself off from your family. Which in my opinion is not solving them, but making matters worse by running away from them.

I personally believe that you must confront the demons that taunt you, not run away from them as they always find you in the end.

Image Source: cultnews.com

Another issues that stands in their way of becoming a religion is the so-called 'brainwashing' preaching, using questionable technology to cleanse your soul and the all-time favourite, the technique of following people or attempt to destroy their lives who have a negative or alternative opinion about Scientology.
Journalists, ex-members or those who have things to say have all fallen victim of this harassment and discrimination of some sort.
This has even been confirmed by one of their ex-leaders recently on television in the UK.
What kind of 'religion' does that? Aren't those people entitled to an opinion? Scientology doesn't think so, and its those reasons why courts and governments won't recognise them as a 'religion'.

I've watched videos and programmes about Scientology from both the establishment themselves, television documentaries and from actual members and ex-members. These videos have been interesting, at times confusing and slightly disturbing in parts.

If establishments like Scientology helped its members more by using known and approved methods of help, support them to regain that connection they've lost with their families and friends and stop taking money from its members just to boost their own pockets, then maybe and I mean 'just maybe' people and governments may start to take a different view on them.

Overall, this is my opinion from what I've seen. I've seen both sides of the story and watched videos with great interest, as I've never seen anything like this or heard so much hype over a thing like Scientology.
I can see the intention of this establishment to do something good in people's lives. But I can also see the damage its doing to people's lives.

However, as I said in the beginning, I respect other peoples opinions and beliefs so I wish all its members well and the establishment a lot of luck doing what they believe makes its members happy.
But good luck on getting that 'religious' status as at present everything is going against you unless you change your ways for the greater good.

Saw This One Coming!

So Sky have announced that they're closing two channels which they've recently acquired when they took over the bloody world of television.

Channel One was re-branded from Virgin 1 only two weeks ago. What a waste of money that must have been to re-brand a channel only to close it. But this is Murdoch we're talking about. The guy who wants world domination by buying every network and cable operator out there. Where there's Murdoch, they'll be no competition. Speaking of competition, where the hell are OFCOM?? Which bright spark allowed this to happen?

Its clearly seen that Sky have got rid of its competition. Both channels have shown UK premieres of shows that Sky failed to obtain, so they've gone in through the back door like a spoilt child and got what they want.

Sky's excuse for the closure of Channel One was down to its schedule being too similar to Sky3, another channel which broadcasts on Freeview.
What? Can't two entertainment channels co-exist on one platform? Isn't that what Freeview needs more entertainment and less shopping? Obviously not, and why? Because Sky3 was being out done by Channel One and poor little Sky hates it when other channels get the better of them.

So what have Sky planned to replace Channel One with on Freeview? A bloody games channel showing repeats of game shows from the 80's! Woo!

As for Bravo, I'm sad to see this one go as its been around for over twenty years. Another great loss and all because it was out classing its rival entertainment channels after buying programmes like Spartacus which saw the channel get high ratings on a satellite platform.

Sky have announced that it plans on spreading the programmes from both channels across Living TV and Sky3.
More like the decent stuff stays on Pay-TV while the crap stays with Sky3 on Free-TV.

Thanks Sky!