So, officially, Kolo has left Arsenal and joined Manchester City which hasn't come as much of a surprise. Like the Adebayor deal, it was all signed and sealed very quickly, with both clubs in agreement about the price, and the players eager to leave.
Unlike the Adebayor deal though, this transfer has left me feeling...unsettled, is the best way I can describe it. Whereas I was glad to see Ade go, I am troubled that Toure has decided to leave. Maybe it's to do with character (Adebayor being horrendously lazy towards the end of his tenure, whereas toure always gave 100%), but I guess it's more to do with the perceived strength in their relative areas of the pitch.
Up front, we have Van Persie, Eduardo, Walcott, Bendtner, Vela to choose from, and we also have attacking options in midfield. So losing Adebayor, although weakening us, doesn't feel like quite as bad a blow. In defence, I don't think we have quite the embaressment of riches of our attacking force, and by selling Toure we have made ourselves even weaker in that department. This is compounded by the fact that Arsene Wenger doesn't appear to be on the lookout for someone else.
Vermaelen may be a better player than Toure, but buying one and selling one still leaves us in the same position we were in last season: worse, if you are that way inclined in your opinion about Senderos (who has returned to the club after his sojourn at Milan).
Ideally, I would like to see another defender come in to the squad, and another defensively-minded midfielder, as I think that those are the two areas of the squad which are the weakest. I guess we'll see once the season starts whether Wenger is right to trust in the players we currently have.
Thursday 30 July 2009
Wednesday 29 July 2009
Cycling home: one long slog
I have been cycling into and back from work at least once a week for the last month or so. My first couple of times were pretty nerve-wracking, as I didn't feel confident in my handling skills, nor in the handling skills of those who were driving cars around me. All I could think was that I was only 5 seconds away from a crash at any point.
As a result, I gripped the handlebars so tightly that I actually sprained the muscles in my little finger on my left hand, and I certainly wasn't worried about the time it took to get into work and back home again.
As I have got more confident though, my timings have crept into my consciousness. My time into work is not too bad - about 25 minutes, depending on whether I get caught by traffic lights or so on. My time going back is around the 35 minute mark, and I originally thought that I was just tired from the day (and having already done exercise in the morning).
However, I've found a pretty cool website which has brought my cycle home into greater clarity. Bike Route Toaster allows you to enter in the route that you take home. So far, so google-maps. But one of the cool things that this site does is create an elevation map, so you can see how steep various parts of the climb are.
I knew that certain parts of the route were hills: the last 500 metres contains a bit of a slog up Leigham Vale which was always unwelcome. But after looking at this graph, it is now clear that the whole last 5 kilometres are uphill - albeit a gentle, almost imperceptible climb. It works out at about 10 metres per mile for the most part, which doesn't sound all that much, but you definitely notice it in your legs. Instead of being able to freewheel occasionally, you have to push the pedals the whole time, which burns your thighs until you get home and step off the bike.
One of my aims for this year is to be able to cycle home in under 30 minutes, or at the very least, cycle home without my legs feeling as though they are about to drop off.
As a result, I gripped the handlebars so tightly that I actually sprained the muscles in my little finger on my left hand, and I certainly wasn't worried about the time it took to get into work and back home again.
As I have got more confident though, my timings have crept into my consciousness. My time into work is not too bad - about 25 minutes, depending on whether I get caught by traffic lights or so on. My time going back is around the 35 minute mark, and I originally thought that I was just tired from the day (and having already done exercise in the morning).
However, I've found a pretty cool website which has brought my cycle home into greater clarity. Bike Route Toaster allows you to enter in the route that you take home. So far, so google-maps. But one of the cool things that this site does is create an elevation map, so you can see how steep various parts of the climb are.
I knew that certain parts of the route were hills: the last 500 metres contains a bit of a slog up Leigham Vale which was always unwelcome. But after looking at this graph, it is now clear that the whole last 5 kilometres are uphill - albeit a gentle, almost imperceptible climb. It works out at about 10 metres per mile for the most part, which doesn't sound all that much, but you definitely notice it in your legs. Instead of being able to freewheel occasionally, you have to push the pedals the whole time, which burns your thighs until you get home and step off the bike.
One of my aims for this year is to be able to cycle home in under 30 minutes, or at the very least, cycle home without my legs feeling as though they are about to drop off.
Friday 24 July 2009
Gym Stats for July
Just thought I'd pop up some of my gym stats, so in a couple of months I can see how far I am progressing (if at all). I've only really got into fitness and the gym in the last year or so, and I have been surprised at how much I actually enjoy it. I hated PE and Games at school: being a fat kid I was always picked last for team games, my prowess at jumping, skipping and throwing was mediocre, my hand-eye coordination was OK, but I could never get to where the ball was going to be, and my cross country running was more of a gentle amble. I tried hard, and didn't do the normal fat-kid thing of faking notes to get out of it (at least, not that often, anyway). So my natural inclination towards sports has been: enjoy watching them, but there is no way I'd do them.
Anyway, last year, I decided I wanted to change my ways: having lost a bit more weight through dieting, I had reached a plateau where I was no longer losing anything. So I decided that doing cardio was the answer. I started out with running at lunchtimes: I couldn't make it more than 600 metres without being out of breath. I persevered, and the more that I did, the further I could go, and the improving results urged me to keep on going. I've now run a 10K run, and have done several 5k runs, with the intention of improving my time for the 5K to below 25 minutes.
Also in that time, I've slowly got into doing weights as well...slowly building up the levels that I can do in order to be more toned. Enough of that shit, though. Bring on the stats:
Anyway, last year, I decided I wanted to change my ways: having lost a bit more weight through dieting, I had reached a plateau where I was no longer losing anything. So I decided that doing cardio was the answer. I started out with running at lunchtimes: I couldn't make it more than 600 metres without being out of breath. I persevered, and the more that I did, the further I could go, and the improving results urged me to keep on going. I've now run a 10K run, and have done several 5k runs, with the intention of improving my time for the 5K to below 25 minutes.
Also in that time, I've slowly got into doing weights as well...slowly building up the levels that I can do in order to be more toned. Enough of that shit, though. Bring on the stats:
- 5k run: official (time keeping done by radio control chip thing): 29.54
- 5k run: unofficial time (not in race): 27:48
- Bench press: dumbbells: 16k in each hand
- Bench incline: barbell: 32.5k
- Shoulder press: 30k
- Chest incline (machine): 45k
- Chest press (machine): 45k
- Bicep curls: 12k
- Triceps raise (above head): 16k
- Low row: 55k
- Pectoral: 35k
Thursday 23 July 2009
knitted star wars
I know that I seem to be posting links to the guardian website pretty much daily, but they do have some really quirky stuff on there most days. Today's favorite is the gallery of handicraft star wars toys which hits the "aww cute" and "wow, cool" buttons for me in equal measure.
All of the photo's are of creatures and characters from Star Wars made by people who may or may not have too much time on their hands. It's a pretty impressive collection of toys made from wool, fuzzy felt or crochet, but my personal favorites are the sock yoda and the giant Chewbacca (pictured left).
There is a natural, playful, dichotomy at play here, which is what I really like about this piece. Traditional handicrafts (which, despite the recent renaissance which I keep reading about, is something of a lost art in today's society) have been applied into creating something which looks to the future. Replacing hard metals and plastics with wool and wood creates a pleasing effect, as it confronts what you expect to find from Star Wars, and gently deconstructs those expectations. The future as represented by Star Wars is a place of mechanics and mass production, which is the exact opposite of what these hand-made toys represent.
There is also an unspoken critique of the modern toy manufacturers, which use the Star Wars brand as a driving force to increase sales. The "official" Star Wars toys are mass produced, all-talking, all-walkign gizmo's, made of plastic and electronics, and will possibly entertain a child for a number of years. The toys in this gallery may not talk back, but they have a sense of humour, a heart and soul about them which will enchant a person, not just entertain.
Monday 20 July 2009
Cloud-watching
I really enjoyed this 3 minute presentation on the guardian website about cloud watching. It's by Gavin Pretor-Pinney, who has just written The Cloud Collector's Handbook. He obviously has a lot of passion for the subject, but it's the pictures which stand out for me: they capture how impressive cloud formations can sometimes be, and as the man says, they are really a collection of memories, rather than a collection of clouds. Looking at the slideshow was very soothing. Perhaps I'll do some cloud-watching this afternoon.
the sounds of silence
I had some of my stuff stolen last week - the usual sneak-thief menu of wallet, watch and phone - basically things that can be picked up quickly and stashed in pockets without causing too much raising of eyebrows from other people.
One of the things that was taken was my ipod - which has meant that rather than the world going past with my own personal soundtrack, I have had to immerse myself in the sounds of the streets. It has taken some getting used to - rather than giving the streets of London a cinematic feel, and being able to choose from different styles of music in order to enhance my mood, I have heard whispered conversations between lovers, caught the beginnings of arguments, heard cars honking, cabbies cursing, drunken snoring and jabbered talking of teenagers out on the town.
It's been quite entertaining in some respects - either intentionally, in the case of a man trying his best to be the "group clown" on the tube late at night, or unintentional in the case of a girl trying to make sense of an advert. But it has been, on occasion, more than a little annoying - the braying arrogance of a guy talking about Charles Dickens was a particular low point. I'm looking forward to being able to shut it all out again.
One of the things that was taken was my ipod - which has meant that rather than the world going past with my own personal soundtrack, I have had to immerse myself in the sounds of the streets. It has taken some getting used to - rather than giving the streets of London a cinematic feel, and being able to choose from different styles of music in order to enhance my mood, I have heard whispered conversations between lovers, caught the beginnings of arguments, heard cars honking, cabbies cursing, drunken snoring and jabbered talking of teenagers out on the town.
It's been quite entertaining in some respects - either intentionally, in the case of a man trying his best to be the "group clown" on the tube late at night, or unintentional in the case of a girl trying to make sense of an advert. But it has been, on occasion, more than a little annoying - the braying arrogance of a guy talking about Charles Dickens was a particular low point. I'm looking forward to being able to shut it all out again.
Thursday 16 July 2009
little by little, piece by piece, my childhood is dismantled
It's constantly surprising how easily a piece of news can transport you back to your childhood days. I am not given to navel-gazing in general (this blog excepted), and do not, as a rule, look back on my younger days with rose-tinted spectacles. Nostalgia is for people who haven't got enough stuff to pre-occupy themselves with now - I subscribe to the philosophy that if you are constantly looking backwards, how can you hope to look forwards to the future.
However, the sad news that teletext is coming to an end really did pull me back to a time and a place almost 20 years ago: I can remember the new TV appearing in the corner of the living room, the shock of seeing this mighty unit suddenly replacing the 10inch portable that had previously sat there. Of being able to change the channel without having to argue with my sister who was going to get up from their chair, move forward 6 paces, and turn it over.
Most of all, though, I remember getting teletext, and the joy of being able to read news headlines, and sport results whenever I wanted. Looking for the football results was the first thing I did every Saturday afternoon - punching in 302 on the handset, waiting for the page to load as the numbers rotated around, praying that Arsenal had defeated their opponents that day (and being the early nineties and pre-Wenger, the answer was much less predictable).
I also remember much later, the joys of bamboozle on channel 4 (a multiple choice quiz), and the zine, a strange incarnation of what we would now call a bulletin board - but being decidedly old fashioned, you had to write in to teletext, who would decide whether to put your letter up or not.
All of this made me realise that we are extremely fortunate today, to be able to communicate with such ease, and to be able to share ideas, photo's and videos across the world in an instant. It is a far cry from blocky text on a black screen.
However, the sad news that teletext is coming to an end really did pull me back to a time and a place almost 20 years ago: I can remember the new TV appearing in the corner of the living room, the shock of seeing this mighty unit suddenly replacing the 10inch portable that had previously sat there. Of being able to change the channel without having to argue with my sister who was going to get up from their chair, move forward 6 paces, and turn it over.
Most of all, though, I remember getting teletext, and the joy of being able to read news headlines, and sport results whenever I wanted. Looking for the football results was the first thing I did every Saturday afternoon - punching in 302 on the handset, waiting for the page to load as the numbers rotated around, praying that Arsenal had defeated their opponents that day (and being the early nineties and pre-Wenger, the answer was much less predictable).
I also remember much later, the joys of bamboozle on channel 4 (a multiple choice quiz), and the zine, a strange incarnation of what we would now call a bulletin board - but being decidedly old fashioned, you had to write in to teletext, who would decide whether to put your letter up or not.
All of this made me realise that we are extremely fortunate today, to be able to communicate with such ease, and to be able to share ideas, photo's and videos across the world in an instant. It is a far cry from blocky text on a black screen.
Wednesday 15 July 2009
Adebayor to leave for Manchester City
It looks like Adebayor will be leaving Arsenal this summer, after he has passed a medical in Manchester.
I can't say that I will be too upset - he had one great season where he looked invincible, but he was very poor last season, and didn't look as though he was bothered about results. That was the real reason the fans turned on him - the fact he didn't track back, he didn't put himself into positions where he could collect a pass, and his general laziness all meant that he put himself in the frame for the fan's frustrations with the team as a whole.
The fact that he is going to Manchester City really does make a lie that he wanted to move to a better club, and shows him up for the money-grubbing twat we all thought he was - cheers for proving us right, Ade.
I can't say that I will be too upset - he had one great season where he looked invincible, but he was very poor last season, and didn't look as though he was bothered about results. That was the real reason the fans turned on him - the fact he didn't track back, he didn't put himself into positions where he could collect a pass, and his general laziness all meant that he put himself in the frame for the fan's frustrations with the team as a whole.
The fact that he is going to Manchester City really does make a lie that he wanted to move to a better club, and shows him up for the money-grubbing twat we all thought he was - cheers for proving us right, Ade.
Monday 13 July 2009
Tuesday 7 July 2009
sentient contact lenses
Saw this interesting article in the guardian today, which I thought was pretty cool. There are a new contact lens on the market which you put in during the night, instead of during the day.
While you sleep, they remodel your eye, so that when you take them out the next day, you can see perfectly. Read the article for a more scientific explanation, but I think that this is just the coolest thing ever- it's almost Star Trek-like technology. How did boffins work out that you could fix eyes temporarily, and then that they could do this by using contact lenses?
I really really wish that I had paid more attention in biology class now, rather than just terrorising the hamsters at the back of the classroom.
While you sleep, they remodel your eye, so that when you take them out the next day, you can see perfectly. Read the article for a more scientific explanation, but I think that this is just the coolest thing ever- it's almost Star Trek-like technology. How did boffins work out that you could fix eyes temporarily, and then that they could do this by using contact lenses?
I really really wish that I had paid more attention in biology class now, rather than just terrorising the hamsters at the back of the classroom.
Monday 6 July 2009
knowing you've picked a good t-shirt
Picking cool T-shirts can be a bit of lucky dip - what looks cool one week, can look dated and rubbish a couple of weeks later. Or you can get the "Osaka" effect, whereby you buy one t-shirt, and it looks bloody brilliant. Then 3 months later you off down the pub, whack the T on, and then you see another bloke wearing it. and another. and then another.
Anyway, this week, I definitely got a cool t-shirt - pulled it on to go out, and 5 people commented on how great it looked, and wanted to know where I got it from. So I am going to properly rinse the opportunity to wear it as much as possible. And no, I am not going to tell you where I got it from either.
Anyway, this week, I definitely got a cool t-shirt - pulled it on to go out, and 5 people commented on how great it looked, and wanted to know where I got it from. So I am going to properly rinse the opportunity to wear it as much as possible. And no, I am not going to tell you where I got it from either.
Friday 3 July 2009
Sonar 2009
I got back from Sonar 2009 last week: it's taken me until know to be able to get my thoughts about the festival into a coherent whole.
There are things that make this festival really great - the almost-guaranteed sunshine throughout being the obvious one, going back to your apartment to sleep in a clean bed, and have a warm shower the next morning being another - but I think what I really enjoy about Sonar is that it still has a genuine rebel spirit coursing through it's veins.
The sponsorship and endorsements are low-key (and actually pretty cool - the adidas-sponsored record bag being a favourite merchandise purchase of almost everyone out there), and it feels like a mega-party put on by a couple of people for a bunch of their mates. I know that this isn't ever going to be true, but it's cool that it still manages to have that vibe running throughout the festival.
Musically, the highlights for me were the Jeff Mills 80's hip hop set, which was phenomanal, as was Richie Hawtin's set on the Friday night. On Saturday night, top marks have to go to Orbital for playing everything you'd expect them to play, and for it to still be able to take your breath away and inspire you (and still, in some cases, surprise you). I was also pretty impressed by the Young Fathers who really rocked the crowd, and were perfect for dancing around in the sun with a mojito in your hand.
Lowlights were Deadmau5, although this might have been because I as on various missions to collect people we had mislaid throughout the night, and the weird Colombian DJ who seemed to be playing feedback for about an hour. He did wear an elephant mask though, to try and take your mind off of how dreadful he was. (Actually, both of these people wear masks to perform - I wonder if my general fear and distrust of "wacky" is subsconciously affecting how I rate the peformance).
There are things that make this festival really great - the almost-guaranteed sunshine throughout being the obvious one, going back to your apartment to sleep in a clean bed, and have a warm shower the next morning being another - but I think what I really enjoy about Sonar is that it still has a genuine rebel spirit coursing through it's veins.
The sponsorship and endorsements are low-key (and actually pretty cool - the adidas-sponsored record bag being a favourite merchandise purchase of almost everyone out there), and it feels like a mega-party put on by a couple of people for a bunch of their mates. I know that this isn't ever going to be true, but it's cool that it still manages to have that vibe running throughout the festival.
Musically, the highlights for me were the Jeff Mills 80's hip hop set, which was phenomanal, as was Richie Hawtin's set on the Friday night. On Saturday night, top marks have to go to Orbital for playing everything you'd expect them to play, and for it to still be able to take your breath away and inspire you (and still, in some cases, surprise you). I was also pretty impressed by the Young Fathers who really rocked the crowd, and were perfect for dancing around in the sun with a mojito in your hand.
Lowlights were Deadmau5, although this might have been because I as on various missions to collect people we had mislaid throughout the night, and the weird Colombian DJ who seemed to be playing feedback for about an hour. He did wear an elephant mask though, to try and take your mind off of how dreadful he was. (Actually, both of these people wear masks to perform - I wonder if my general fear and distrust of "wacky" is subsconciously affecting how I rate the peformance).
Bon Iver at Glastonbury 2009
Like every other middle-class reader of the Guardian, one of my favourite albums of last year was Bon Iver's "For Emma, Forever Ago", which is a collection of heart-stopping yearnings for a lost love.
Spent yesterday watching the performance at Glastonbury: http://www.bbc.co.uk/glastonbury/2009/artists/boniver/index.shtml#emp which I am happy to report is absolutely amazing - retaining the beauty and elegance of the album, while adding somethign extra. Magnificent.
On a lexicographical note, does anyone know how to pronounce Bon Iver? I have been pronouncing it as two seperate words Bon [pause] Ivor, as in Ivor the engine. Other people are pronouncing it as one word: bon-e-verr.
Spent yesterday watching the performance at Glastonbury: http://www.bbc.co.uk/glastonbury/2009/artists/boniver/index.shtml#emp which I am happy to report is absolutely amazing - retaining the beauty and elegance of the album, while adding somethign extra. Magnificent.
On a lexicographical note, does anyone know how to pronounce Bon Iver? I have been pronouncing it as two seperate words Bon [pause] Ivor, as in Ivor the engine. Other people are pronouncing it as one word: bon-e-verr.
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