Paris in August
Alexander and I are in Paris for the weekend to see the sights. It's cranked up about ten degrees since yesterday and Paris will stay very hot until it's time for us to go back home on Sunday. This is the first time I've used airbnb to book accommodation. I'm pretty pleased with it. The studio flat we're in is in the 7th Arrondissement of Paris and close to most of the tourist bits. It also has some reasonable amenities nearby, there's a typical Paris cafe over the road, and round the corner from that are a couple of places you can buy bread, fruit and other groceries. So we'll not starve this weekend, and with luck we'll get some proper French food while we are in Paris. Here's the view from the window. The dome just left of centre…
Labour Leadership – Who to Choose?
Labour logo. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) I generally avoid politics because my job needs me to stay politically neutral. However the Labour leadership election isn't just politics, it's also about voter engagement. Unlike all the previous party leadership races I've watched, this labour leadership election is different. In the wake of their electoral defeat the Labour Party are trying to engage voters to choose the next Labour leadership team. This is a bold move, which hasn't been without its controversy. People have alleged that hard left groups have registered to vote, and others that Tories have done the same. Both allegations have been used to justify the support for Jeremy Corbyn. The former group are seen as true believers in socialism and the latter in an attempt to make Labour unelectable. Personally I doubt that either group can get enough support from the 610,000 eligible…
Dialogue: Five Facts for Fantastic Dialogue
Dialogue can be difficult, but there are some things you can do to make it way better. Here are five things for you to focus on when editing your dialogue. If you do these then your dialogue will be amazing. As with everything, you need make sure the dialogue advances the plot or develops the characters. If it doesn't do either, or both, then cut it out. Dialogue Directions 1. Read it out loud 2. Show the emotions 3. Give each character their own voice 4. Use only 'said' 5. Keep it short Read it Out Loud This is how you know that you've got the rhythm right. If you can record yourself reading it and listen back. Don't take any shortcuts here. You need to actually say it out loud, reading in your head doesn't work. This is good advice for all…
Forgotten War – Fighting Japan in the Far East WW2
Tomorrow is the 70th anniversary of Victory over Japan (VJ) Day. On 15th August 1945 the Japanese Emperor Hirohito formally surrendered unconditionally. My maternal grandfather and his brother both served in the Far East. I only met my Great Uncle once when he came back from Australia for a visit when I was about 7. My Grandfather died when I was almost nine, but he spoke to me a few times about what he did in the war. Their stories are all but forgotten. Private David Coats, 2 Argylls Private David Coats, 2nd Bn Argylls I have a picture of my Great Uncle in uniform, I'm not sure where or exactly when it was taken but my suspicion is that it is a post-war photo (he's wearing a 2 year good conduct stripe). The details have been forgotten. On the back…
Book Review – Chinese Turkestan by Ryan Pyle
Chinese Turkestan: A Photographic Journey Through an Ancient Civilization by Ryan Pyle My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is a relatively short book textually, it's mostly a collection of black and white photographs that Ryan Pyle took in Chinese Turkestan. Having read the book of his bike ride round China with his brother this book makes sense. It was clear from the Middle Kingdom Ride that Ryan was mesmerised by the clash of culture, tradition and modernity that Chinese Turkestan represents. The pictures are all amazing, and what you get from them is the sheer variety of life in this region. You also get a harsh but beautiful landscape and a way of life that doesn't look like it has changed in centuries, with little glimpses of modernity, a moped, or an electric motor. What the photos convey is how…