Is FACEBOOK taking over?

A news article today really caught my attention and led me to believe that some individuals within the world really are using Facebook too much...

According to the report, the British Government is currently deciding whether it should still appoint Sir John Sawers as head of MI6 after it came out that his wife had leaked details of his personal information on her Facebook profile page.

MI6 is the Secret Intelligence Service and conducts spying missions across the globe on behalf of the UK Government.

Sawers wife, Lady Shelly Sawers, posted photos of their holidays online, along with information such as personal email addresses and the location of the London flat used by the couple, as well as the location of the MI6 Chief-to be's parents home.

She also posted work information and addresses for their children.

Crying out for a kidnap attempt if you ask me, but then again I'm no spook.

Honestly, you would think after having a husband involved in the spy trade for so long, she would have realised what she can and cannot post online. Most people I'm sure wouldn't know who he is, but I bet Osama Bin Laden and co. definitely does.

I mean, if this hadnt been spotted, what would her status' have been over time?

Can you imagine?

"Shelley Sawers: hopes her wonderful hubby doesnt get the sack after he failed to stop Al-Qaeda bombing London!"

or how about this one:

"Shelley Sawers: is off out for a meal at Nando's in Oxford Street to celebrate her hubby getting his new job as head of MI6."

I mean what will come next? Her husbands office address, or pictures of him in his office at MI6 HQ?

An investigation is set to be launched and it really needs to be - mind you, if this instance is anyting to go by, there'll be every chance that the person assigned to head the investagtion will get his wife to announce that on Facebook too.

This for me goes down as one of the stupidest things to do in all time, although John 'Canoe' Darwin also springs to mind.

"John Darwin: is just off to fake his Canoe accident death, then jetting off to Panama with the Mrs to buy a penthouse apartment" was probably his status at the time...

I doubt Osama Bin Laden and his wife even have facebook, given that theres nowhere to plug a broadband router in whilst in a cave in the hills of Afghanistan, so why do our spy chiefs need it?

Yet more evidence that the world has gone Facebook mad...

Stirred, not shaken...

The famous 007 intro

After rewatching the latest Bond installment, 'Quantum of Solace', I was still left with a bitter taste in my mouth. I'm not criticising the film, it's one of the best Bond's ever made. However, as a direct sequel to 'Casino Royale' - as it was touted to be, it falls far short.

What Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli did with 'Casino Royale' after the mediocre 'Die Another Day' completely rejuvenated the tired franchise.

Hiring Brit actor Daniel Craig to play the famous 007 was an inspired choice. He played him as a sensitive, human, cold-blooded and hard nosed secret agent, if such a thing is possible.

The critics rejoiced. James Bond was back and he was bolder, better and more brutal than ever. Casino Royale won awards in droves and was the most financially successful Bond movie ever. After such a success, surely the next Bond would be even better?

Yes, on a financial footing it was. Quantum of Solace is currently the most successful 007 movie ever, however critically, it failed to live up to Casino Royale, leaving critics certainly stirred, but definitely not shaken.

It also left loyal 007 fans in a predicament. After watching Daniel Craig in Casino Royale, who really is their favourite James Bond to date?

Agent James Bond, 007, first hit cinema screens across the globe in the early 60's and was then played by Scottish actor, Sean Connery. Connery's five films were based entirely on Ian Flemnings novels and featured Connery playing Bond as a cold, calculating agent, who had no qualms about hitting a women.

Connery starred in Dr No, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball and You Only Live Twice (although he was later enticed back to play bond in Diamonds are Forever).

He is widely regarded by 007 fans as the best James Bond to date.

Will Daniel Craig, the latest 007, be able to knock Connery off the top-spot and win over his legions of loyal fans?

Next up to take the reigns of 007 was Australian model George Lazenby. Lazenby played Bond one time only in 'On her Majesty's Secret Service'.

Knocked by the critics and fans alike, Lazenby is generally considered to be the worst bond to date.

However, this seems a little unfair, as the direction he took Bond was similar to the one Daniel Craig is currently taking. In fact 'OHMSS' and Casino Royale are somewhat similar in plot.

For me, Lazenby played the role well, but had a hard act to follow in Connery and for the time, the audience were not looking for a super-serious spy, just an entertaining one. It was rumored that Lazenby was sacked, but he in fact walked away, having not enjoyed his time on the 007 project.

That left Cubby Broccoli in a predicament. Who was next to play the elusive spy? An actor of sophistication, cunning and the trates that would identify him as the quintessentially British hero, was needed. Struggling to come up with fresh blood, Broccoli turned back to Connery and managed to lure him back to the role for one last film.

Diamonds are Forever was a massive financial success and once again, 007 was a hit with his legions of fans. The search was now on for another new 007.

Now early 70's, another Brit was cast in the role of James Bond. Roger Moore, famous for cult TV show 'The Saint', took the role of 007 - a role he would get to make his own over a 12 year period.

Taking Bond in a lighter direction, Moore is remembered for 'camping' Bond up and for playing the spy in a more relaxed manner.

Moore starred in Live & Let Die, The Man with the Golden Gun, The Spy who loved me, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, and A View to a Kill.

By the time Moore retired from the role he was 58, far too old to continue playing Bond.

He is favoured amongst the fans for making 007 entertaining again, however one wonders if this was simply because he played the role for such an extended period?

Although Moore did very well and all of his 007 films were a commercial success, it was felt by those behind Bond, that whoever took over the role next would need to be a lot darker and more driven, to make the role of 007 a serious one again.

Timothy Dalton was the next actor to wear 007's dinner suit. Luckily for him there were no bald baddies with white cats this time. Dalton was actually fighting spies from the USSR in his first Bond movie, The Living Daylights and was out for revenge (again similar to Daniel Craig's bond) in License to Kill.

Dalton was the epitome of Flemning's Bond. He was ruthless, cold, calculating, efficient and quick-witted. Above all, he was deadly and unflinching.

Bond was back to his brutal ways again. The public loved it and again, commercially, Dalton's two films were very successful.

Dalton wanted to do a 3rd film after the success of License to Kill in 1989, however, no script was available and producers felt they had exhausted the original source material. It looked like it was the end for James Bond....

Pierce Brosnan was hired in 1996 to bring 007 back to life. He starred in Goldeneye, which was a huge box-office success.

He went on to star in Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day, all of which were completely original films.

Brosnan played 007 as a cold blooded killer, who was suave, sophisticated and certainly debonair.

In this respect he was immensely popular with fans all over the world and is considered to be one of the best Bond's to date.

But who is the favourite?

After Brosnan left the role of 007, Producers decided to take Bond back to his roots and for the first time ever, they filmed Casino Royale starring Daniel Craig.

Craig demonstrated that Bond could be both cold and ruthless, yet human at the same time, and as a result, won over a legion of Bond fans and is quickly getting underway to uproot Sean Connery and take his spot as the favourite 007 ever.

Craig is contracted to make two more 007 films and if they're anywhere near as successful as his first two, then he will definitely be a hard act to follow for whoever replaces him.

***********************

So who is the best bond?
For me, it's Daniel Craig, closely followed by Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan, George Lazenby, Timothy Dalton and Roger Moore - in that order. Just my opinion and I'm sure everyone has that list in a different order.

One thing is sure however, Bond will continue to enthrall for decades to come. Women will still want to be with him and men will still want to be him.

With such a steady success rate in the past, a great actor in Daniel Craig and great plans for the future of the franchise, there is no doubt that James Bond will continue to leave audiences shaken, not stirred for years to come....

SIR ALAN SET TO BECOME BROWN'S APPRENTICE?

Sir Alan Sugar, best described by husky BBC voice over man as: "Britain's most Beleaguered boss" and known to the masses throughout the UK as the bloke who shouts "You're Fired" at 9.57pm every Wednesday, is rumoured to be getting his very own apprenticeship - in Primeminister Gordon Brown's Labour Cabinet.

The Star of cult BBC1 show "The Apprentice" was photographed slipping out of 10 Downing Street on Thursday June 4, after apparently meeting Gordon Brown.

I say 'slipping' very loosely. After all, how can a national TV star, in front of a thrall of press photographers, who motors around in a blacked-out Rolls Royce with the private plate "AMS 1", slip anywhere?

He may be small in size, but these days Alan Sugar can't buy a sandwich without someone spotting him.

He is trendy though... He's the only pensioner I know that can pull off a skinny tie with a suit and rolls in a car with bigger alloys and a darker tint than 50 Cent!

Brown & Sugar have been friends for years, and after a series of political and expense indiscretions from his cabinet, Brown is keen to reassert his authority within the Labour party and quash any plans to call for a general election.

I'm not sure hiring a TV star is a tried and tested way to do it though, and I'd be interested to see if Sugar is put through the same rigorous application process he puts his so called 'Apprentices' (more like half-wit's based on this years dross) through?

So far, Gordon Brown doesn't seem to have the bottle to give it the big "Your Fired" finger like Sir Alan. Perhaps that's what he was teaching Brown at Downing Street, because "Don't do it again or you'll have to resign" doesn't seem to have the same ring to it.

A Downing Street spokesman gave the expected and pretty predictable response of: "He's a member of the Business Council and the prime minister has meetings with businessmen on a regular basis."

I never expected a confession, but this could have sounded a bit more convincing. Mind you, there is a credit crunch. Perhaps Downing Street Press Officers aren't getting paid what they used to?

Sir Alan also gave a predictable response, however his was far more outspoken and energetic, as we've all come to expect from the Amstrad Giant (I say Giant, I'm using juxtaposition for sarcastic purposes here. Alan Sugar is actually 5ft 6in tall and therefore is not a 'Giant').

He said: "It’s none of your business."

Although it is yet to be confirmed, if Sir Alan did take a role within Gordon Brown's cabinet after the expected reshuffle, he would also have to take a seat in the House of Lords.

Somehow, I doubt they'd allow Sir Alan's trusty aides Nick & Margaret or his controversial booster seat in there.....

For more information on Sir Alan Sugar's Booster Chair, go to: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1021278/Alan-Sugar-DOES-booster-seat-weve-got-picture-prove-it.html

SPARE A THOUGHT....

Stress as a word is used frequently within social circles, working environments and on most Premier League football pitches.

It is a word that most of us say at least once each day. We’ve come to accept its use, almost as easily as we accept friends into our homes. Does this mean it is now more readily acceptable within society?

Possibly. Possibly not.

However stress, and more specifically anxiety, will at some point in our lives, affect 1 in 6 of us! Those figures are somewhat shocking – that means that one person within my close group of friends (There are 6 of us, for those of you reading that aren’t so quick with the math) will be affected by anxiety, panic attacks or depression at some point in their lives.

I recently read an article within the ForgePress, which featured a weeks worth of diary entries of a person suffering from anxiety and depression. To say that this person was suffering from a debilitating illness would be ignorant on my part. They were not just suffering from a debilitating illness, but a crippling one.

They spoke of not being able to eat, sleep, socialise, have sex, concentrate, at times move, or to go about the most basic, primal, routines that we all do everyday and take for granted, for example, brushing their teeth and having breakfast.

These poignant diaries made me think, quite a lot actually. Although these problems are identified under the umbrella term “Mental Health Issues”, are people now more accepting of such “issues”?

Partly yes and partly no.

Although there seems to be less of stigma attached to those suffering from anxiety – at one point in time they would have been deemed “mentals” and told to get on with it– more can still be done to educate those non-sufferers on how they can support those suffering from it, or even simply what anxiety is, what causes it and how it can be treated.

Organisations such as Anxiety UK have been set up to help those suffering and gratitude needs to indeed be paid to such organisations and their representatives for challenging head on a condition that is probably best described as an uphill race for those unfortunate enough to be suffering.

Most people will overcome the condition and go on to live happy, fulfilled lives. Often treatment is delivered in the form of Anti-Depressant drugs (which control the effects of panic attacks and help to manage the chemical imbalance in the brain which causes anxiety) & CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) sessions.

We often hear of money being raised for cancer charities, obesity and the like, yet rarely do we hear of money being raise/donated to anxiety and mental health charities – and this needs to change. The NHS in the UK has only a limited budget and more can be done to help those who are affected.

Don’t forget, according to Anxiety UK, 13% of the population will, at some point in their lives, develop a form of anxiety.

Not that I’m wishing it on anyone, but as Mystic Meg used to say: it could be you!

I’m aware I’ve used the word suffering far too often in this blog, I feel it is the most appropriate word to use, given that I’ve witnessed first hand the effects of anxiety and depression within a close friend and let me assure you, it isn’t pleasant.

Far too many people use the term “depressed” when in actual fact they simply mean they’re feeling a bit rubbish. This needs to stop. It trivialises depression and makes it harder for those actually suffering from depression to be taken seriously.

Thankfully there are increasing numbers of people who do understand and are more understanding of anxiety, panic and depression. This needs to continue if we are ever to win the battle with one of the least understood, yet most serious illnesses that plagues increasing numbers of us in society.

If you're suffering from anxiety, panic or depression, look on the following websites for advice:

http://www.anxietyuk.org.uk/

http://www.nopanic.org.uk/

"...Why Aye Man..."

Being at University in Sheffield, I’m often given stick* for my Geordie accent. I’m also often told that the song Newcastle United run out onto the pitch to at St James’ Park, sounds like the sort of music that would feature in a soft porn movie on digital TV Channel 46....

I definitely and rather obviously, do not agree with this.

I do wonder though, have any of those that do give me stick* ever been up North and seen Newcastle upon Tyne?


They really should, as Newcastle is a reet canny* place. Drive a further 13 miles north of Newcastle, and what people often don’t realise, is that will put you in the heart of Northumberland – a diverse county that offers new towns, modern shopping precincts, while also offering sandy beaches that stretch for miles, forests, reservoirs, valleys – to name but a few. It is still incredibly rural.

Don’t worry, you won’t find me saying “Oh Newcastle is a faraway land, filled with magic and wonder. It makes hearts pound, it is filled with wonderful people and is a land of great mystic prosper. It has beaches of gold, rivers of silver blah, blah, blah….” because that would be a blatant lie.

To get started, let me ask you this, how many famous people do you know that are from the North East? Ant & Dec don’t count as everyone knows them.

How many? Three, possibly four and maybe even five at a push?

Let me enlighten you with a few names you’re most likely to know. Ant & Dec, Sir Bobby Robson, Alan Shearer, Steve Bruce, Mark Knopfler, Cheryl Tweedy/Cole, Jimmy Nail, Tim Healy, Catherine Cookson, Denise Welch, Jackie Milburn, Sting, Eric Idle, Paul Gascoigne, Peter Beardsley, Chris Rea, Ross Noble, Ridley Scott, Jill Halfpenny, Roy Chubby Brown, Robson Green, Bobby & Jack Charlton, George Stephenson, Rowan Atkinson, Ian La Frenais, Bryan Ferry, Hank Marvin, Wendy Craig and Kevin Whately.

Give or take a few of those names, there is an awful lot of talent that started from Northern roots.

Newcastle city centre is a sight in itself. Not only do we have a mix of old and new, but it’s done in such a way that people are proud of it. Walk down across the Tyne Bridge and onto Newcastle’s quayside and you’ll see The Sage. A venue that was built using Lottery foundation money and is now home to classical music performance groups from around the region, as well as further afield. It really does look magnificent. Nestled on the banks of the Gateshead side of the River Tyne (or the Big River as Jimmy Nail sings), it can literally be seen for miles – much like the Angel of the North, another landmark that receives visitors from afar all the time. Finally, Newcastle looks cool. It is still rural enough that the Town Moor (Massive fields in the city centre owned by farmers) still even has cows that continue to live on it.

One final landmark to mention, other than the palatial St James’ Park of course, is the infamous Tyne Bridge. It is an exact replica of the one in Sydney, Australia and even features prominently on the label of a bottle of Dog (Newcastle Brown Ale).

Enough of landmarks. The nightlife in Newcastle is fantastic. I’m biased, but everyone I know who has been on a night out there has also said the same thing. Why is this, after all most of the bars and clubs are similar to those of other big cities? I can only think it’s the Geordie people who make it what it is – a quality destination with a vibrant, cosmopolitan nightlife that continues to both impress and win awards nationally. I know of no other city where one minute you can be in a Hip Hop/R & B club and then the next be down looking over the River Tyne while sipping cocktails in class company.

Then in the morning in an effort to shrug off the hangover you can go for a walk along Northumberland’s coast – even feeling the sand in between your toes if you take your shoes and socks off (although you’ve got to watch for the odd needle or two, as you’re in the North East, not the Costa del Sol) - at multiple destinations, including Whitely Bay, South Shields or Seaton Sluice. I’d recommend Seaton Sluice as the “chippy” there is great.

The scenery, the people, the architecture are all so fantastic that TV and Films have been set here including: Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, Goal!, Purely Belter, Billy Elliot and Our Friends in the North (which featured a very young pre 007 Daniel Craig). How many other cities throughout England, minus London, can stake such a claim?

We have a football team which, although going through a turbulent patch at the moment, is remembered most notably for the years when Newcastle United went by another name: Kevin Keegan’s Entertainers. We even almost bagged a win in the Premiership back in 1996. Those days are still looked fondly upon by every single member of the toon army – ever hopeful of a nostalgic comeback, much to the amusement of our rivals. We don’t care though, we love our team, or as Bobby Robson poignantly puts it: “Like the people of Newcastle, I bleed Black and White.”

Why do Geordies love where they come from and their football team so much?

Snubbing Manchester United for Newcastle was a precarious move, but Shearer pinpointed the exact answer to the question in saying: “The lure of playing for my home town club in the black and white shirt with the number nine shirt just proved too much and probably everyone outside Newcastle will find that hard to understand, but if you ask a Geordie who has been brought up in Newcastle kicking a ball around in a black and white shirt all his life to go back and play for them, then they will understand just as I did.”

Newcastle United is possibly one of the only clubs in the Premier League that has an Ex-manager who also attempted pop superstardom back in 1979 with the release of a hit single that reached 31 in the charts. Hit it KK!

Newcastle United have regular support of 52,000 Geordies week in and week out and there are scores more ready to step up should they get the chance to. Looking back at the list of famous Geordies, a few have them have been lucky enough to get the opportunity to play for and even manage Newcastle United.

Howay* the lads!

But why is Newcastle so special?

People such as Kevin Keegan, Bobby Robson, Alan Shearer and even Joe Kinnear are often quoted as saying there is something special about Newcastle and how fantastic its people are. Since moving away to Sheffield I’ve figured out exactly what it is.

It’s where I come from – it’s my home...



Laern Yarsel Geordie:
*Stick = having jokes made towards one
*Reet Canny = Right Good
*Howay = Come On