The Scribbler

And it seemed like such a good idea at the time. "I know", I thought, "I'll join the teachers team and race the sixth formers. I mean, how fast can they run? They're only seventeen, dammit". The spectacle of yours truly looking like a flying tub of lard, as he watched everyone else zoom past him (including all the other teachers in the race, which was the most humiliating part) was not what one could call "dignified". I knew I'd get ribbed about it at school, but on the whole, the kids were very good about it. Some told me they didn't know I could run so fast (which sounds like a compliment, but isn't), whilst others weren't so kind, but ultimately more honest. I replied that it was the taking part that mattered, even though I knew that I'd made myself look like an utter pillock. However, one teacher really touched me when she said that I'd made her proud. I wanted to show the kids that I was more than just an attitudinal ...

For the first time in my childrens' lives, there is a new British prime minister. It is amazing to consider that Tony Blair had been in power for less than six months when Dassi was born. Ten years on and she'll have to get used to the idea of someone else occupying his place at number 10. By the time I was Dassi's age, I had already lived through three prime ministers!

I've just come back from the school sports day where I had fun helping to work the PA system and go around speak to students and staff as the events were taking place. I even participated in two races against students - but I won't tell you where I came. It was a long, but ultimately memorable day.

Happy Birthday Mum!!!

Have I told you that I'm useless at building things? Well, guess what, I'm useless at building things. That said, I am eternally grateful for the help from R, who did his best to start us off on our wonderful excursion into assembling the fourteen foot trampoline that my parents and in-laws have bought for the girls. He had to leave and so, I was left to continue the work. Unsuccessfully. It would have also helped if we'd bothered to read the instructions too. Thank G-d for D. and her teenage son A. who generously donated their time and experience (they've already got the identical model in their garden) to build the contraption, ably aided by yours truly and the wife. D, A and Dana literally saved the day. That said, I really can't describe the total joy that is derived from bouncing up and down on a brand-spanking new trampoline. In short - it is fantastic. I can already hear the squeals of delight from the girls tomorrow morning when they wake up and glance at th...

It is twelve months since Corporal Gilad Shalit was kidnapped. Twelve long and painful months. Gilad may be out of sight, but to us, he is not in any way forgotten. I watch the journalists at the BBC hold protests for their kidnapped colleague, yet not one of them has held up a placard for Gilad. So here, on this lonely corner of cyberspace, today, this is my placard. Gilad, you are one of us and we will never abandon you. Please G-d, I won't have to re-write this entry in twelve months time. You are a son to each and every one of us.

A mischievous thought entered my mind as I sat watching this movie. I wondered if architects around the world designed structures (such as the London Eye, which features in the movie) for the sole purpose of seeing how Hollywood would depict them being attacked by aliens or simply imagined that they be would used as backdrops for set (action) pieces. In the last fifteen years, we've seen the Millennium Dome ( The World Is Not Enough ), White House ( Independence Day ) and Channel Tunnel ( Mission Impossible ) respectively serving as locations for full-on action scenes. Are the locations chosen for their very presence, or are they created especially for Hollywood? In other words, what came first, the action movie or the London Eye? Yes, yes, I'm being facetious, but I do wonder what Hollywood would do if these structures didn't exist. Maybe they'd create them anyway. This all detracts me from reviewing Fantastic Four: Rise of The Silver Surfer , which I certainly enjoyed...

(no offence intended if you are of the faith)

Its definitely rich pickings on the ex-Beatles' catalogues this week. Having purchased Macca's new CD, I also shelled out on newly released The Traveling Wilbury's Collection which arrived yesterday. For those who don't know, the Wilburys were made up of George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison (who sadly died shortly after the release of Volume 1), Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty. I had already purchased the Volume 1 back in 1988 when it came out, but for some reason, let the second album, perversely titled Volume 3, slip me by. By the time I realised that I wanted it, it had been deleted from the company's catalogue. No matter, I only had to wait seventeen years to get a listen (I could have probably found it somewhere else, but I wasn't that desperate ). The good news is that both Wilburys albums have been remastered and re-released as a single collection, made up three disks (one of which is a pretty cool DVD). To make matters even more interesting, the albu...

Having listened to this CD continuously since I received it about ten days, I feel the need to update my review. Don't read what I wrote before (well, you can read some of it!) because I've changed my mind and now honestly believe that this is one of the best albums he's released since quitting the Beatles, on par with Flaming Pie , which I think is generally regarded as one of his finest solo outings. I say this, because I've even found myself starting to like the songs that didn't impress me at first (such as Sunshine and House of Wax ). The five track medley is still glorious although I've found myself discriminating against the songs that precede it, which I think is unfair. With all this in mind, I'm upgrading my recommendation to: ****1/2

I had the pleasure of being called both a "prick" and a "wanker" by two separate students, within the space of about half-an-hour. What a charming bunch of kids I work with. Twenty four days and counting...

I hope that someone is still needing and feeding Macca, now that he's 65. Happy Birthday Sir P.

No, you didn't misread the title of this posting. I want you to boycott this site. The President of Columbia University has asked the UCU to add his university to the list of academic establishments being proposed for the boycott. As an extremely proud Zionist and Jew, I would also like to do my modest bit for the cause, by asking anyone who feels the need to discriminate against Israeli universities or any other Israeli firm or public body to extend their actions to my blogsite. So if you are the kind of person who subscribes to this or any other boycott of Israel, don't bother coming here again. I don't need or want your patronage - you are not welcome here. Instead, go and read up about the last time boycotts were set up against Jewish people because Adolf Hitler would be so proud of you.

My 15 minutes of fame. 1) My review of Memory Almost Full can now be seen on the Amazon website (my nom-de-plume is Beatle C). 2) The Jewish News headline is "Peres-ident". Now, I wonder where they got THAT from? For the record, my posting (see below) appeared on Wednesday and the newspaper came out on Thursday....

GOOD.

So, at last, Shimon Peres has been voted into Office! I think this is a good thing, as the further he stays away from real politics, the happier I (and many other people) will be. Despite his international reputation as a "statesman", I have nothing but contempt for a man whom many believe would sell his own grandmother if she were alive - and if he could get a decent price. Then again, I believe that Peres will rescue the respected office of "The President of The State of Israel" from the gutter, from whence the current incumbent left it - and return it to its ceremonial perch. I will certainly feel happier knowing that the newer president will not demonstrate the kind of salacious behaviour exhibited by his predecessor. It is just difficult, getting used to this new Peres-ident (sorry), sex scandal notwithstanding.

In time-honoured fashion, I bought Paul McCartney's new offering as soon as it came out - and I've been listening to it ever since. Paul McCartney is a gifted musician. In fact, he is a very gifted musician and when he stops trying to please everybody, he comes out with some damn good results. His new album follows on the heels of the last ( Chaos and Creation In The Backyard ) and is almost a total antithesis of that album. The former showcased piano based ballads, whilst this new batch definitely reminds you that Mr Mac. has a rocker's creditability's. Listen to Only Mama Knows and Junior's Farm comes right out at you in glorious 3D. I can't say that I intially warmed to The House of Wax , although it is starting to grow on me. I am also growing increasingly fonder of Mister Bellamy , if only for its sheer quirkiness and veddy British humour. The title track is simple but infectious, whilst My Ever Present Past gets into your head like one of those that you...

Some smart-alec has managed to construct the entire Hebrew Alphabet (or Alef Bet as it is known) using only the structure of the Star of David (Magen David) as a basis. You could read something into it, or like me, just wonder as to the inordinate amount of spare time some people have on their hands.

The Palestinians are going around butchering each other - including throwing their brethren off buildings to their deaths. The less I write about this situation, the better. I refuse to lower myself to their level, by describing exactly what I feel about the whole business. As they say, "silence is golden".

I'm not a great fan of "reality TV". I can't see the attraction of watching people in a camera saturated fishbowl, living their lives as though they weren't being viewed by millions of people. The additional spectre of these individuals demonstrating their racist credentials (a la Big Brother ) does not do anything to disprove my theory that these people really need to get a life - instead of trying to squander their precious time on earth chasing their pathetic fifteen minutes of transient fame. I know that, as usual, I am in the minority in expressing these views. If the rest of the "viewing public" felt the same, we wouldn't be faced with this ghastly excuse of a programme reaching its eighth incarnation. I will admit to watching "The Apprentice", but only because it features characters who have something interesting to say (well, most of them do) and tackle their business tasks using a variety of approaches. Additionally, Sir Alan Su...

I've added a new feature on this site, which you can find in the left hand column if you scroll two thirds down the page (just below the "I Power Blogger" button). It is a slide show from the Webshots site (one of my favourite places on the web) and I guarantee you that its gorgeous photographs of the sky and sea will automatically de-stress you. This is yet another free service offered to you by your overly empathetic Scribbler. I hope you enjoy the show.

A judge sentenced a Beatles-loving thief by quoting 42 of the band's song titles in his verdict. Andrew McCormack, 20, had been asked what sentence he thought he should get for stealing beer, he wrote: "Like The Beetles say, Let it Be." But he had clearly come up against the wrong man in Montana's Judge Gregory Todd, reports the Daily Mirror. Judge Todd replied: "'Hey Jude', 'Do You Want to Know a Secret'? The greatest band in history spelled its name B-e-a-t-l-e-s. "Your response suggests there should be no consequences for your actions and I should 'Let it Be' so you can live in 'Strawberry Fields Forever'. "Such reasoning is 'Here, There and Everywhere'. It does not require a 'Magical Mystery Tour' of interpretation to know 'The Word' means leave it alone. I trust we can all 'Come Together' on that meaning. "If I were to overlook your actions I would ignore t...

I was approached today by the Head of Year 7 and asked if I would join her and about three dozen Year 7's on a two day trip to Disneyland Paris. For some crazy reason, I've accepted the invitation....and am hoping that I won't regret my decision. There will be some other teachers coming along too. My rationale? You only live once and whatever happens, this will probably be an experience I won't forget (hopefully for all the right reasons).

I'm back at school tomorrow for my last half-term in the establishment. I don't quite know how I feel about it. I suppose it will zip past, without me realising how little time is left. In truth, my sights are already set on the next school. I just have to ensure that I don't let my students down over the next seven weeks/thirty-five days. Difficult, but workable.

This afternoon, I attended a special screening of the 1960 movie, Exodus with my father and good friend, S. The occasion was to commemorate the the sixtieth anniversary of the original boat's journey to Pre -State Palestine (i.e the Exodus 1947). I had never seen the movie in the cinema (although I own it on DVD) and so really didn't want to miss the opportunity of seeing this classic on the big screen. It is hard to watch a movie like Exodus without relating it's story to present moment. I approached the screening with a certain degree of trepidation, if only because I wondered how dated the movie would seem, in other words, out of touch with current events. To my surprise, it hasn't dated at all. If anything, its sad message is more relevant now than it was forty-seven years ago. Exodus doesn't pretend to be anything other than a record of the founding of the State of Israel. It shows how the Jews really had nowhere else to go after the Holocaust and how the in...

It was forty years ago today, Sgt Pepper told the band to play..... Have you ever heard the album? Do you think it is over-hyped? I've been that much of a fan of the album. Aside from the marvellous "A Day In The Life" and maybe "When I'm 64", I'm not too enamoured with it. The music is good, it rocks along and the special effects still enthrall, but in the overall scheme of things, I believe Abbey Road or even Revolver to be superior offerings. I find the songs on those albums to be more effecting and memorable. However, I seem to be in the minority as 'everybody loves Pepper'. I think both John and Ringo got it right when they showed their disapproval of the project. They saw it for what it was, a shiny, maybe even dazzling production - devoid of any real heart. I would even go further by saying that, had A Day In The Life not been included, Pepper would not have received the kind of respect and adulation that it still elicits from both fa...