It looks like public transport around London will be my theme of the week. On Friday, we had motorway pile-ups and traffic queues for more than twenty miles. Yesterday, a tube train crashed on the Central line [BBC News] which, I suspect, means one of the main routes into London will be closed for weeks. Reuters is reporting that London Underground bosses have also suspended services on the Waterloo and City line which, apparently, uses the same trains.

I haven’t spoken to anybody else about this, but I wonder what Londoners think of tube safety? Despite the King’s Cross fire (which was at the station and not on the trains) and an incident at Moorgate many years ago, there haven’t been that many major incidents on the Underground. I think, subconsciously, I understood this for I have never once (in ten years of using the system) felt unsafe as a result of the riding the trains. I’ve felt uncomfortable with the heat and the lack of fresh air. I’ve felt ill in the commuter crush when it’s almost impossible to move on a train. Even the claims of under-investment haven’t made me stop to think about the safety of the system. Now, especially having read accounts posted online by those on the train that crashed, I will think again.

On this day…

2006: It’s Nearly Australia Day In W1
2005: Google Usenet Timelime

It’s hard to write about the state of transportation in the UK. I live in London and, like many people in large cities across the world, suffer horrendous congestion which, perhaps, distorts my view of the daily travel.

Like many, however, there comes a point when you believe that somebody has to do something – there were 23 mile tailbacks on the M4 earlier today (for all I know, people are still stuck in an endless snake of traffic) [source – BBC News].

When are we going to accept that there are parts of this country which are too over-crowded and congested and we need to look for radical ways to ease this commuter hell for people?

February 17th sees the introduction of congestion charging in central London. There is much discussion across London media about the relative merits of the charge and, of course, calls from almost every sector of the motoring community that they should be exempt.

I am not sure if I am a believer in the congestion charge. For starters, I think it targets the wrong area. There’s much more congestion outside the zone than there is inside. However, I do applaud Ken Livingstone for trying something, anything. Yes, I wish public transport could be better first. But, at the current rate, London will be at a 24-hour standstill in a few years and that isn’t any good for any of us. I do hope this doesn’t become Ken’s Poll Tax and that people look for transport alternatives to their car (Related: BBC London’s Congestion Charging Guide)

On this day…

2005: Back London’s Bid For 2012
2004: Transport Museum
2003: Starbucks

I went to dinner last night to celebrate a friend’s birthday (happy birthday Lili). On the way there, as I was a little early, I thought that I would take a few moments to myself (and also to write her birthday card). I looked around for some convenient location that would allow me to sit and write the card. After dismissing sitting on a bench on Clapham Common in the dark, I was drawn to the bright lights of the nearest Starbucks.

I only usually frequent Starbucks, and their like, when I am with other people. As a rule, I do not find the idea of expensive coffee remotely pleasurable (also, I am not coffee connoisseur and it all tastes remarkably similar to me). However, last night the bright lights were the most welcoming place in the area.

There were three staff and three other customers sitting inside drinking their favourite Starbucks coffee. A couple sat at the table behind me and a girl sat to my right talking on her mobile ‘phone for most of the twenty minutes I was there. And there were no other customers.

While I sat there, three somewhat-unconnected things struck me for which I have no real answers:

1. What would these people have done before the advent of the coffee shop? I can’t think where they would go. There were no independent cafes that I can recall. These places have become a refuge for the privileged – those who think nothing of spending £2 on a cup of coffee (or a double tall skinny whatever).
2. Why do coffee shops never smell of freshly ground coffee? Maybe they do, but I don’t smell it. It’s almost as if the smell would deter people and they go out of their way to reduce the impact. Surely, that much coffee in one place must stink!
3. There was a sign behind the counter: “Spring is in the air – Enjoy the romance of Coffee. What is the romance of coffee? A date with some Arabica beans, perhaps? What a bizarre marketing effort for Valentines Day. Get romantic over a Starbucks steaming mug.

On this day…

2005: Back London’s Bid For 2012
2004: Transport Museum
2003: 23 Mile Traffic Snake

You may already know that plasticbag is one of my favorites, and of course, not just mine but many people love Tom’s insights. This one, however, has made me laugh for several days. I truly believe the site features some great writing (the line, “I do dirty things with men!” in Tom’s prose is superb).

On the subject of doing “dirty things with men”, Tom Cruise has won a $10 million judgment against a porn star who claimed he had a homosexual encounter with the actor [ABC News] and Tory leader IDS (which always sounds like a computer company to me) will attempt to reduce his party’s feuding over gay rights by allowing his MPs a free vote on Section 28 [The Independent].

Why does Tom feel he needs to settle these claims in the courts? So, they are not true. Big deal. And so what if they were? It’s the thinking that suggests there’s something wrong with being gay that’s almost as wrong as section 28 which lead to a wave of bullying in schools (Stonewall). I wish all political parties would condem the ridculous ruling but the Tory free vote is, at least, a small step in the right direction.

On this day…

2005: Daily Links
2005: For The Love Of London
2003: Hooked on LBC
2003: Low Low Cost

Human rights or world cricket?

“If England had pulled there is the possibility that they could be blackballed from the ICC. World cricket could split.”

OK, so it’s not quite that black and white but I do feel this talk of English cricket losing all this money is somewhat irrelevant. Either it’s morally right to go to Zimbabwe or it’s not. If it’s not right then the contracts shouldn’t matter. Does anybody stand up for their principles anymore?

Links: Sporting Life | ECB

On this day…

2004: Helsinki Snow

A lot of the blogs I read regularly have highlighted STAND and there seems to be a lot of negative feeling about the introduction of identity/entitlement cards in the UK. I am very undecided as I think they could make so many things easier.

It’s disappointing that there are not more privacy controls in place to make illegal use/access of the data a criminal offence. It’s also very worrying that there doesn’t seem to have been more debate about them and greater publicity surrounding the consultation period. I feel it’s important to add my voice but do I have time to sensibly consider my own thoughts on the matter? I just don’t know what to say. [consultation]

On this day…

2006: links for 2006-01-12
2005: Garden State
2005: links for 2005-01-12
2004: Hiddent Stuff
2004: Make Me Write

Top story, as journalists are heard to say, is the discovery of the poison ricin in a flat in London. Obviously, a very worrying find but I am not sure what we, as individuals who live in London, can really do. However, there is one thing I am sure about – talk shows and newspapers will be looking for somebody to blame. I wonder how long it will take to blame the “illegal immigrants”, the refuees or even the channel tunnel. I don’t expect it will be too long after that before we hear that it is really a government consipiracy to back their “war on terror” or keep us living in fear. At this stage nobody really knows what the inention of the posion was but one thing is certain – the fear of this kind of attack will cause anger, hate and blame. If we are not careful then those who seek to launch this kind of attack will have won long before they actually do anything.

On this day…

2006: Brokeback Mountain
2006: Gotta Go Back In Time
2005: 2004 In 100 Pictures
2004: Hello Dermot and Mark Fans
2004: Oops, She Did It
2003: Jeremy Vine
2003: A Blog?

It is often said that those of us who call London home do not benefit from the great advantages that the capital city brings. People have been heard to suggest that Londoners do not use London. Well, glancing through a copy of this week’s Time Out I came across the backstage tour of The Duke of York’s Theatre on St. Martin’s Lane and decided to go. The tour wasn’t very expensive and lasted almost two hours and I reckon it must be one of the best value guided events around.

It is a fascinating tour of the old London theatre that was built when the area was underdeveloped and helped transform that side of Charing Cross Road into the entertainment area it is today. It’s the theatre that first staged Peter Pan, the theatre that first saw actors agree to the forming of UK Equity and it has seen many greats play its stage since.

I can now say that I have appeared on the West End Stage, and standing on the stage looking into the auditorium I was surprised at how close theatergoers would appear to the actors. I was also struck by how small the stage area really was and by how big the under stage area is. Also intriguing to know that Capital Radio once owned it.

A lesson leant, that’s for sure. I will be spending more time each week with the what’s on listings and try to take advantage of some of the things this city has to offer.

On this day…

2006: Coffee To Get Me Going
2005: Links Of The Day
2005: Now We Know
2003: Chicago

New Year’s Eve. The time to reflect on the year. I have been thinking about a way of summing up 2002 and having a go at The Mayfly Project although I haven’t come up with just twenty words that sum up the year. I have no idea what I am doing tonight as it’s a surprise (which is interesting).

I started the year in a role I wasn’t enjoying (this time last year I was worrying about on-call rotas for people who didn’t want to be on-call) but it got better when my job changed. Then I changed companies and started understanding a slightly different side to the online advertising business that I have been working in for several years.

Personally, the year has been great. Good company, good friends and good times abound. It’s been a really happy year. Not an outstanding or revolutionary one, but a very good one. But I still can’t think of twenty words to sum it up

On this day…

2005: Dress Code
2004: Amélie & The Italian Job
2003: Review of 2003: September and October
2003: Review of 2003: July and August
2003: Review of 2003: May and June
2002: The Lord of The Rings
2002: Would Pepys Blog?