The Saturday List #369 - My memories of False Dots Christmas gigs

Next Sunday at 2pm sees The False Dots annual Christmas party gig. This is a long tradition dating back five decades! At the behest of Tom the Trumpet, we have put together a very special Xmas song for our lovely fans. It has verses in Portuguese, Spanish and English! Maybe a unique thing. Our Xmas gigs are always a blast.

Some of the most important moments in my life happened. The list below is the year, the sequence number of Dots gigs and the venue

1980  - 1 -  13 December  - The Harwood Hall, Mill Hill

Our first ever gig. Number one. We had all manner of things planned, but our singer never turned up. We had a blast and it was the moment I realised the False Dots will never die (while I'm alive). The Local paper came down to review it and we made enough money to go for a curry and have a beer after and to pay for Xmas presents for my friends and family!

1983  - 29 - 18th December, Barnet College

This was an amazing gig. Venessa Sagoe had joined on vocals and we really kicked ass. Barnet College really rocked that night. We'd just learned we had a gig in February at Dingwalls, which we knew was a massive opportunity. We had an amazing post gig party at the caretakers cottage at Bunns Lane Works. I'd never felt happier as everything seemed to be going right in my life. I had an amazing band, I'd just got a brilliant day job, I had a I girlfriend I loved and the future was rosy! What could possibly go wrong?

1985 - 44 - 22nd December, The Three Hammers Pub, Mill Hill

Our next Xmas gig was the night that changed my life! Who would believe such things happen in the Three Hammers Pub? It was the night I met Clare, who is now my wife and with whom I have three amazing kids. We played with Rob Taskers band, Soldier Bike. Their manager Eamonn Burns worked for John Henry, so borrowed a massive PA system, drapes and lights. The Hammers has not seen a night like it  before or since. Allen Ashley was on vocals. we'd just got back from Belgium and were in high spirits. We went a Warehouse party in Shoreditch after. It was a very special night. 

1988 - 46 - 28th December, The Midland Arms (now Claddagh Ring), Hendon

Our next gig was at the Midland Arms. We had ex Mods vocalist Neil Cox on vocals. Neil was obsessed with Mod music. The set was sprinkled with covers of Mod classics such as All or Nothing by The Small Faces. It was a good gig and we had a little party back at my house after. It was the first post gig Xmas party I had in my own house. We parties until 6am. 

2002 - 52 - 20th December, The Three Hammers (Boz Boorer joined us on guitar)

There was a big hiatus in the band,but we got back together and decided to do a special party back at The Three Hammers. No wild parties, as we had a two year old baby! The gig was a real blast and the Highlight was Boz Boorer singing the Polecats hit Rockabilly guy with us.

2007 - 58 - 18th December, Mill Hill Music Complex Party

In 2007, we decided to do our Xmas party at The Mill Hill Music Complex in studio seven. As usually happens, it was a pretty good bash. I didn't realise it would be the last Xmas party with Paul Hircombe on bass. That story had a bad end, but we were on good form. As often happens at MHMC parties, there was a brilliant jam session after the band played.

2009 - 60 15th December, The Claddagh Ring, Hendon

This gig was organised by Barnet Unison for activists. It was our first with Ady Denton on bass. It was a good night, we played with an Irish band and then there was a DJ playing hardcore drum and bass.

2012 - 69 - 13 December, Friern Barnet Library (End of occupation party)

This was the night Graham Ramsay AKA Rambo and Allen Ashley rejoined the band. We were chronically under rehearsed, Graham handn't drummed for a while, but my best memory was my Downs Syndrome cousin Tessie dancing to Action Shock. We got a good reaction and it inspired us to get back gigging properly. 

2014 - 71 - 20th December, Midland Hotel, Hendon

This was more a jam night than a full on gig, but it was a blast. The Midland was struggling and the then Landlord John was trying to make the pub a music venue and so we stepped in to support him. We did a fair number of gigs there. I think we played there more than anywhere else apart from The Dublin Castle in Camden. It was always fun. 

2015 - 75 - 19th December, Chandos Arms, Colindale

We were  very excited to learn that new landlords had taken over the Chandos Arms in Colindale and we proposed an Xmas party gig there. It was a blast, the pub was packed and it went well, helping to establish the Chandos as a music pub, winning pub of the year. We formed a very close alliance with Emily and Are at the pub and really helped them get music going at the pub.

2016 - 79 - 16th December, Midland Hotel, Hendon

We were back at the Midland Arms. We came up with the idea of the Barnet Eye Community Awards and we held the ceremony at the pub, then did a gig. It was a great night. For the next four years, until covid, it was a big fixture in the Barnet year. It was great to get people down and show our appreciation for their efforts for the community

2017 - 83 - 9th December, Chandos Arms

We were back at the Chandos Arms and back with the Barneteye awards. The Barnet Labour Party decided to hold their Xmas dinner at the pub on the same night. I dragged the Ex MP and GLA member Andrew Dismore up to present the awards. He doesn't like me but he joined in the fun. There are some great videos of it on the blog.  Brilliant local band Drop Pink joined us.

2018 - 89 - 14th December, Mill Hill Rugby Club

We chose The Rugby club for the awards in 2018. For various reasons, this was perhaps the Xmas party gig I have least good memories of. The Rugby club agreed to host and promote it. They forgot and when we turned up, they were really embarrassed. To make matters worse, their own party was the night after. A few punters and friends turned up, but it was a grim night. 

2019 - 93 - 13 December, Midland Hotel, Hendon

This was the night after Boris Johnson won the 2019 General Election. Most of my friends were in a dour mood. It was our last gig with Allen Ashley. Although we didn't realise that it was the end of an Era it felt like it. None of us knew that Covid was around the corner. In hindsight, it is clear that the False Dots had run out of steam and ideas. It was a good gig, we had fun, but we were stuck in a bit of a rut. The Community awards also was not quite what it had been. In hindsight, it was the perfect end of the decade, given what followed. There is a nice video on the blog. 

2023 - 104 - 23rd December, The Dublin Castle, Camden Town (supporting The London Sewage Company)

By 2023, the Dots were back and kicking as a three piece. I was back on vocals after 40 years! In September, Tom Hammond joined on Trumpet. Initially it was to do a few songs. He is now a central part of the band. We were supporting Punk Legends The London Sewage Company. It was a real blast. It was perhaps the gig where I realised the new line up kicked ass. Even better, I had a drink after and watched a great band.

2024 - 119 - 13th December - Our big Xmas Gig at The Dublin Castle - Supporting Radical Dance Faction!

Last year, our gig was supporting the legendary Radical Dance Faction. They were brilliant. It was packed. One of the best things about being in the False Dots is we get to see such bands for free! All of my kids, their mates etc came down for the gig. We had a blast. The perfect preparation for Christmas!

We have prepared a special Tri Lingual treat in Portuguese, English and Spanish to celebrate Xmas.

We will also be premiering our new single, coming out in the Spring. We think you'll love it. It mashes up Punk, Ska, Hammer Horror and Benny Hill.  Don't miss out!

And next Sunday we do it all again!

Rock and Roll Stories #52 - Dying on stage!

I've been asked what is the most bizarre thing that ever happened during a False Dots gig on several occasions. Depending on my mood and my state of inebriation, there are several things that come to mind, but I can say without doubt what the most tragic was. 

On the 15th January 1982, The False Dots played at The Underground Club in Stockholm. It was our tenth gig and the second of our tour of Sweden. The first eight had been at small venues in outer London, schools, youth clubs, church halls and pubs. And yet here we were headlining the hippest, most happening club in Sweden. To give you some idea, Duran Duran had played their a couple of months before. I had cooked up a scheme with a local promoter, when I was living in Stockholm, to hype us as  the next big thing from London. It worked. The club was busy, if not sold out. I'd lived there for nearly six months prior to the gig, and a lot of friends came down. There was some decent publicity and the support band were also well known. We had a decent set and were pretty tight. It was a great experience, although financially, it was pretty devastating for me. I hadn't really understood the mechanics of touring and the hidden costs. I just added up the money we were being paid and subtracted the fares etc, and assumed that we would make a small fortune. If I had the opportunity I'd make the same mistake tomorrow. It was a blast.

So here we are, at onstage at The Underground Club in Stockholm. We start playing and the audience start bopping around. My eye was drawn to a guy with a Rod Stewart hairdo and Tartan pants, dancing like a lunatic. For the first five songs, he was all over the place. On the sixth song, our slow moody number called Suburban Dance, he sat down at the edge of the stage. He then slumped over my guitar pedals. I kicked him, as I needed access to them. He didn't move. Then two bouncers came and dragged him away.

We carried on and did a perfectly fine set. At the end, I was talking to the club manager. He told me that the poor chap had died. He apparently had a cardiac arrest due to taking huge amounts of drugs. The manager was extremely upset, not because the poor fellow had died, but because it meant the club would face an inspection and may lose its licence. It also meant that we became famous, as the band where a bloke died, for a short time. To make matters worse, two underage girls disappeared at the gig. The police suspected that we'd taken them with us for our gig in Finland the day after. We hadn't, they had gone off with another school mate and not told their mums.. But for one day, the news in Stockholm was all about this terrible English Punk rock band, who's fans were drug addicts and who kidnapped schoolgirls. We were blissfully unaware of the furore. There were no mobile phones in 1982, and it was only when we stepped off the ferry to arrive back in Stockholm that we realised. The bands publicist had got the mother of one of the girls, who had said very nasty things about us the previous day, to publicly apologise in front of TV cameras. We didn't even know what she was apologising for. 

When I left Sweden, as we'd not had a work permit, my passport was stamped "No return for ten years". It was actually one of the one year jobbies that you could get for a pound at the Post Office. On return to the UK, I was pulled into a room and grilled by Special Branch. I suspect they were deeply disappointed with my answers. "Did you sell the man who died drugs?". No, I'd never met him before. "How did you finance the tour?", I'd saved up my paper round money at school to buy the tickets and then the venues paid us a fee to play. "Did you use money from the proceeds of drug dealing to finance your tour". Nope. "Where is the bands manager and why didn't he come back with you?". I am the bands manager and I did come back with me. He then said "I hear your a pretty rubbish band", to which I replied "We'll from what I can see, you are a pretty rubbish policeman", at this he lost his cool and started shouting at me, saying "I can lock you up and throw away they key". I was extremely hung over at the time and simply replied "Well get on with it because at least I won't have to listen to you droning on asking stupid questions". I was then strip searched by customs with a rubber gloves. The customs officer said "You are not going to enjoy this". I replied "By the looks of it, you are, did you dream of doing this for  a living at school?". It's fair to say I didn't enjoy it. As I left, They informed me that I'd missed my coach back to London. They were wrong. The band had got the driver to wait. It doesn't really pay to give verbals to such people, but in all honesty I am glad I did. They were extremely rude and disrespectful and as far as I could see were bullies in positions of authority. For the next ten years, I got pulled over every time I went through customs. The last time, I said to the officer "You know, I get pulled over every time I come through, I could make a fortune as a professional decoy". He assured me I wasn't on any list, and after that, it stopped.

I was 19 at the time. I'd been out of school for six months and was not as worldly wise as a I am now. My biggest regret of all is that I didn't realise what a unique event in my life the bands tour of Sweden would be. At the time, I assumed that within a couple of years, we'd be a  big time band and we'd be doing it all of the time. What I didn't see then, was that we were far too niche for the mainstream music industry. We've always done well on the live circuit, some people love our music, if you come to see us, you will be entertained, however record company moguls, big league managers etc, never get bands that cannot be summed up in one sentence and are not seeking to be flavour of the month. In truth I am rather glad. I still enjoy making music. You can see the band play on Sunday 21st December from 2pm. We still do one of the numbers we played on that tour. We have songs written in 1979, songs written last week and songs from the era's in between. Click here for details  False Dots Xmas Party (Matinee Show) it really will be a blast.

Is the TV Series Riot Women any good?

 We've just binge watched the first series of Riot Women, on the recommendation of a few friends (mostly ladies of a certain age), who said it was amazing. It was recommended to me on the basis that I like everything and anything to do with bands, music and rock and roll. I will start by saying my lovely wife Clare thought it was brilliant. Then again she's not been in a rock and roll band, so she just saw it as engaging TV light entertainment. I had rather hoped that it would be an advert for women of a certain age to go out and form bands. Being in a band is the best thing I've ever done with my clothes on! But I am not entirely sure how many women would watch it and think "I really want some of that". This is a real shame, because they should. It seemed to me as if every character in the show was lurching on the edge of a precipice and none of them had anything else to pull them back from the edge. Of course there are plenty of people in such situations, and writer Sally Wainright has to make engaging TV, but for me, the sheer joy and fun of being in a band is missing from the series. There were far too many plot distractions for me. I wish that the writers had spent some time with such a band. 

I will give one example. The scene in the recording studio was all about the sexual relationship between the (female) bassplayer and the (male) younger recording engineer. I was so disappointed that so little effort was made to portray the sheer joy and excitement of taking a track you have written and hearing it sound like a proper record. In the career of The False Dots we've had plenty of smirksome moments in the studio, but they are dwarfed by the joy of hearing the music sound how you want it to sound. Now credit where credit is due, the scene was one of the funniest moments on TV of the year and should be in there, but the moment where you listen to the final mix wasn't and that is a sin. When you are in a band, you never really know what you sound like until you hear that. Often, it all sounds a bit ropey and weird when you are putting backing tracks down. There was none of the bits where a band member chips in and suggests some tiny change, that makes a song. You may think "that would go over the head of most of the audience", but it is the absolute key to a recording a great track. There is another aspect, that may not be appreciated. Everyone in a band should have an opinion that counts, and an opportity was missed to show that it is a collective and sometimes the best bits in music come from the oddest places.

I also felt that the songwriting process was note explored properly. The compromises made, to ensure a song works, the choices, the debates as to whether you are geting the message you want out there. Given the complicated challenges some of the band members had, this would be a great way to get into this. Having had numerous female members in the band, I also felt that the opportunity to show the sort of creeps female musicians can attract was missed. Although the scene with the singers son's stepfather was put in, sadly it is not people who can simply be smacked in the mouth. It is people who exploit artists and then seek sexual favours as a sort of payoff. It is also not usually done in a crowded place. I would have preferred to see these sort of leeches explored, rather than just generic horrible men. An opportunity was missed to cast a spotlight and show some of their dodgy practices.

So all in all my verdict? I'd give it a 7/10. It was pretty good, it kept the viewer engaged. It could have easily been an 8 or a 9 if they'd done a bit more homework on the key theme, getting a band together.

And why does it matter? Well let me put it this way. When I play at the Dublin Castle with my band, The False Dots, I always nick a poster for my wall of fame at home. Here are a few of them that are on the kitchend wall. Here they are

Of all the bands on the wall who played with us, only one are all female. A big shout out to the wonderful Vampyra. A few of the bands have key female members, but the vast majority are all male. There is no earthly reason why females should not form bands. During the Punk era, we saw a few such bands break through, The Slits being the most memorable for me. The industry didn't know how to market them and had little interest in giving them major support. They are quite happy to have pretty girls in vocal groups, but anything more authentic and real is something they have no interest in. One aspect of Riot Women which was really spot on was the decision to make the key song about HRT. I'd be well up for a campaign to make it the Xmas number one. 

I was curious as to how much of what we actually heard was the actresses playing. Being a purist, I'd have liked to see them actually playing, even if it sounded ropey. That is how bands sound when they start. It would have been great to see them actually progress. 

Click for cheap advance tickets

Finally, one last comment. I guess I owe Sally Wainright a word of thanks. After watching it, Clare said "Blimey, I thought you were bad, you are an angel compared to the blokes in this" (or words to that effect). 

I cannot pass up the opporunity to plug North West London's finest Ska/Punk Band The False Dots and our next gig. Please come down. We may not be Riot Women, but I do predict a riot as its our annual Xmas Party!

The Sunday Reflection #70 - Is technology destroying the humanity in human beings?

 Is there any such thing as morality anymore? Now I am an ageing punk rocker. I have always stood against the hypocricy that I saw in society. Single mothers marginalised. Children born out of wedlock marginalised. Paedophile priests lecturing us on morality are a few examples of where morality was completely subverted for me as a teenager. However, there are many aspects of morality that I think are important and beneficial to society. Kindness and decency are important aspects of this. Be it offering a seat to an old lady with shopping, apologising for mistakes (and accepting genuine apologies) and not seeking undeserved plaudits from ones peers. In the last 20 years, we've seen the rise of social media. My first exposure to this was Friends Reunited. This gave us the opportuiinty to catch up with school mates we'd lost touch with. That was superceded by Facebook, Twitter (X), Instagram and TikTok.

When I first logged on to Friends Reunited, I didn't realise the Pandoras box I was opening. I've learned many things about friends and acquaintances which I really wish I didn't know. We no longer find partners by meeting them at the pub. We go on to dating apps. When I met my wife, we clicked and found out that we had things in common. We've had a lot of fun over the years. These days, it would be easy to swipe past someone who you might get on with like a house on fire. If we set up dating profiles, I doubt we'd have too much in common. I see so many pretty girls, who have been surgically enhanced in some way. Oddly, I rarely think that this is an improvement, but I presume it makes them think they will be more attractive on a dating app or will help them get more views on tiktok? 

What really concerns me is that we seem to be sacrificing our basic humanity on the alter of technology. I suspect some people would only offer a seat for an old lady on the bus, if they could post it on TikTok and have all their friends say they were marvellous. Is this really the society and the image of humanity that we want. I quite like it when people do acts of random kindness and don't brag about it. I always think that having someone say your marvellous is a wonderful thing, but only when it is unsolicited. We will not see the demise of such platforms any time soon, so we have to get used to it. All I can say is that I do hope we realise that what we see on social media platforms is not the real world. There is more to life and I think a lot of us would be a lot happier if we spent a lot less time on line and worried far less about what strangers had to say about us.

The Saturday List #368 - My top ten favourite dishes in Indian restaurants

 Yesterday was an unusual Friday night. I didn't go for a curry! There were two reasons. The first was Hadley FC had their Xmas lunch and drinks and I was unavoidably detained in Barnet. The second was because I had a curry on both Tuesday and Wednesday. I was catching up with friends. Sadly at this time of year, all of my good resolutions for refraining from overdoing it go out of the window. I actually managed my two days of abstinence and dieting, but the calories and exercise columns are in the red. But hey ho, it is good for ones mental wellbeing to catch up with mates, drink and eat curry. 

However, I woke up this morning and was thinking about curry. Our football team boys had our night out at The Mill Hill Tandoori on Thursday and we got a selection of starters, which we shared. I thought a few of my readers might appreciate a few tips.

Starters

1. Onion Bhajis -  If I don't have these, I feel like I've not had a curry. The Mill Hill Tandoori do excellent Onion Bhajis.

2. Tandoori Lamb cutlets - As I usually go for a curry and don't eat meat on Fridays as a rule, I rarely have these, but they are one of my favourites. We had them on Wednesday and it was a treat.

3. Vegetable somosas - One of my favourite restaurants in town is The Halal in Alie St. You now have to bring your own booze. They always give you complimentary somosas that are wonderful. It might be the best value meal in Town. They even let you bring pints over from The Swan over the road.

Main Courses

4. Tandoori Salmon - This, IMHO is the best dish that the MH Tandoori do, delicious. As I eat fish on a Friday, it is rather handy.

5. Tandoori Mixed Grill - My meat feast for when I go with mates and it isn't a Friday! Clare doesn't eat meat at all and we like to share, so this is a rare treat.

6. Lamb Madras - I do like a good lamb madrass. If it has a good kick and the lamb melts in your mouth, it is excellent. My friend Romel who runs the Day of The Raj does a great takeaway Lamb Madras. I rarely get a takeaway, as I like to eat curry in a restaurant. I actually hate dishes out of plastic containers.

7. Bhuna King Prawn Masala - I didn't eat meat at all between 1984 and 2000. This was my go to dish.  After I started eating meat again, I didn't have one again. Maybe I will soon....

Side dishes.

8. Tarka Dal - As most of the dishes I like are dry, this adds a bit of spicy sauce. I like lots of chillies in it, Clare doesn't, which causes a few issues on occasion.

9. Brinjal Bhaji - I do love a bit of aubergene. If we do get a takeaway, I will save some to warm up for my lunch the next day. 

10. Garlic Naan - These are the one thing that you can only really properly enjoy in an indian restaurant, when piping hot. The imitations that you get in M&S etc, are really awful.

As an aside, on Tuesday, we had our curry at the Great Nepalese on Eversholt St. I started with a Mas co Bara (lentil pancakes), a Nepali speciality, in Tamarind sauce. The main course was Lamb Khursani, accompanied by a Garlic Naan. Delicious.

I hope I've not made you too hungry.

I will end with a date for your diary. Please come down to The False Dots Xmas party at The Dublin Castle on Sunday 21st December. It will be fun!

 

Rock and Roll Stories #51 - Sartorial Elegance and Rock and Roll

 Back at the dawn of time, well actually the dawn of The False Dots, in 1979, Paul Marvin, son of the the legend that is Hank B. Marvin of The Shadows was the drummer of The False Dots. Although Paul wasn't a great drummer, we thought that having him in the band would open a few doors. Maybe Hank would put in a good words with their label EMI. Sadly, he was none too keen on our then lead singer, so this never happened. There were three things that he did do that were pretty cool though. The first was he wrote a guitar lick for us for our punk classic, Not all she seems, which we play to this day. 

The second thing was that he let us jam in his private studio and play with his guitars and amps. They were amazing. The third was that he gave me some advice. The one thing that he said that stuck with me was "Always where good shoes when you gig, people do not want to see someone who looks like they have just walked out of a builders yard playing guitar". He also advised me to make sure I'd had a proper hair cut before we did gigs. Being a punk, it took a few years for me to take his advice seriously.

We were anti everything when Paul Marvin was in the band, maybe Hank wouldv'e been more helpful if we had been a bit more respectful and nice. I have always tried to be polite around people, but our lead singer was not. I thought his behaviour was a bit off, but in his opinion, Hank Marvin was a boring old fart. What I didn't really appreciate then was that Hank had a wealth of experience. He was also right in his advice that the band should take our look seriously. I am just back from a weekend at Butlins for the House of Fun festival, with Madness and a host of other bands. Over the weekend, I think we saw 14 bands. All of the bands were decent bands who play regularly on the UK live circuit. Most were Ska bands and what struck me was that the level of effort different outfits made with their attire was massive. There were a couple of bands that were musically excellent, but made no real effort to look the part. For me, they made a mistake. Once you were in the festival, you could watch anything you wanted. It seemed to me that the bands that looked the part seemed to engage with the audience better. I don't know if its a subconscious thing that if someone looks the part, you take them more seriously, but it certainly seemed to be the case to me.

I can recall one gig, many years ago, where The False Dots decided that we would go for a French look for a gig. We appeared wearing berets and stripey t-shirts and introduced the songs with silly mock gallic accents. I think it might have been Bastille day, but we had a laugh with the audience and it went well. We were the support band and the headline band were verys sniffy and snooty about our act. We were sharing a dressing room, and one of them said "We are not into being posers, our image is that we have no image". Paul Hircombe, our then bassplayer replied "You are confusing image with personality".  After that, there was a rather frosty silence between us. They did not go down particularly well and it seemed to me that they seemed to think that because they played long, boring guitar solo's well, they felt entitled to a great reception. I heard one of them say as we were all packing up "I hate playing places like, this where the audience knows nothing about music". I remember watching them pack their van and go. Paul said to me "Do you think that there is a market for slob rock?". I laughed and said "Not if tonight is anything to go by".

The truth is that all of the best rock stars look great. It is not an accident. Although The Sex Pistols were thought of as dishevelled punks, they were dressed by Vivienne Westwood. The Beatles had a look, as did the Rolling Stones. People put posters of them up on their walls because they looked great. I think that we thought Hank Marvin was telling us to wear suits, he wasn't. He was telling us to have a cohesive band look which would appeal to audiences. In hindsight, he was spot on

.

You can't trust AI! Lee Thompson of Madness is alive and kicking, contrary to what Google has to say!

 On Saturday night, I was watching Madness at Butlins as part of the House of Fun weekender. I am mates with the sax player Lee Thompson as well as his sons Daley and Kye. A friend who went with us asked me how many kids he has. I said I thought the nunber was three. She decided to google it and the Google AI search confirmed it. It also confirmed a rather more disturbing fact. It informed her that Lee had passed away in 2024, but his legacy lives on. 

Now given that we'd just seen him perform on stage, this was quite disturbing news. Had Suggs roped in a doppleganger and not told anyone. In truth, there will only ever be one Lee Thompson. I have no idea how such a stupid AI algorythm could get it so wrong. I was chatting with a mate, who is an AI guru yesterday and they explained the problem. If someone starts a malicious rumour for a popular personality, it will get shared thousands of times and get millions of hits. AI engines see this and pick up on it. As people often realise immediately the information is a load of old cobblers, the truth is not propogated in the same way, so the false rumour appears to be the legitimate story. Of course, AI is developing all of the time. The people who work out the algorythms will get better at getting things right, but the sad truth is that if someone posts a fictitious story on Twitter that gets massivey circulated, current AI I models can get spoofed into making all sorts of nonsense up. As often such things trends, AI will pick up on it as people are wildly asking and will see the latest info. Now of course, my explanation is a very simplified view of what AI does and how it learns. But it is clear to me, as someone who sometimes uses AI to research blogs, you have to be really careful. 

There was a fascinating article in the Guardian yesterday about AI, by Robert Booth. It seems that there is a South Sea Island boom in AI stocks. We all know what happens next, don't we? 

BTW, just for fun, I asked AI if Robert Booth was the last President of the USA. This was the answer it gave me

AI Overview

No, Robert Booth is not the last President of the USA

; he is a fictional character from the Judge Dredd comic series who is a villainous former president. The last real President of the USA was Joe Biden, who succeeded Donald Trump. 

• Robert L. Booth: A fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic series who serves as the main antagonist in the "Origins" story arc.
• Fictional role: In the comic, he is the last President of the United States and is responsible for the Atomic Wars of 2070.
• Real-world President: The most recent President of the United States is Joe Biden. 

So there you go, I am sure Robert will be pleased to learn that AI thinks that he is a fictional character. 

Three days without listening to the news. You should try it!

 I've been in Minehead for the weekend, at the House of Fun big weekender. I am absolutely shattered and need a good nights sleep. Whilst my liver is less than happy with me, my brain is more than happy with a break from the stress of everyday life and especially the news. Normally, I watch it every day and listen to Radio London with regular news updates. I didn't at all for the whole weekend. When we got home at around 4pm today, I went to the gym. When I got back, I put on the TV and I realised that it is so unremittingly depressing at the moment, that I really don't have the inclination to watch it. I actually feel fsr better and less stressed not having the constant barage of bile and stupidity that Global, National and even local politics has become. It's not that I don't care but it seems to me that the whole world is falling into the clutches of moronic, narcessistic egomaniacs, who seem to offer nothing but political willy waving on one hand or a bland dearth of solutions and ideas on the other hand, with uncharismatic,dullness intent on not upsetting their rich backers. I am, by nature an optimist, but I am also a realist and as we have no politicians of note in the UK who seem to offer anything but either moronic populism or capitulaion to big business and the markets, there is nothing to be optimistic about. The sad thing is that I think that the major parties actually actively seek to dissuade anyone with a modicum of intelligence, passion and desire to put things right from participating. We have not got where we are overnight. This mess has been 45 years in the making, from the day Margaret Thatcher was elected. Thatcher destroyed the post war consensus that Great Britain was governed to improve the lives of ordinary people. She followed the right wing economic guru Milton Freidman, who believed that free markets and rampant capitalism was the answer to everything. That is why our railways, energy markets and water companies rip us all off. There is no regulation, so dodgy companies, almost always foreign owned rip us all off continually. Everything is more expensive in the UK than the rest of Europe apart from Healthcare and if Thatchers heirs (Badenoch and Reform) have their way, the NHS will follow British Rail etc into private hands and we'll end up being robbed blind for crap service. I just hope I am dead by the time they get their way. And I hope my kids generation don't fall for this crap in the way my one did

The Saturday list #367 - Five age related benefits since I became a pensioner!

 On Wednesday. I went to see Ed Kuepper's new incarnation of Aussie Proto punk band The Saints. They were the first punk rock band I saw, back in June 1977. They were brilliant. I can't get my head around the fact that this was more than 48 years ago. It made me think about all of the age related benefits I've had since turning 60.

1. A free Oyster card. I used this on Wednesday night, it has saved me thousands.

2. All of my prescriptions are free. 

3. I got into a football match cheaper last year, as they had an over 60's discount (most are over 65)

4. I can now join U3A, a wonderful organisation, sadly I have no time.

5. I can now kick youngsters out of seats on the bus reserved for pensioners!

Every cloud has a silver lining!

Leadership and accountability

The world is in a strange place right now. Not a day seems to go by without Trump, Starmer, Netenyahu, Zelenski, etc cropping up in significant news stories. If I was to ask you to pick one who was doing a brilliant job and one who should have never been let a million miles near leadership, I am sure that whoever you pick, there will be someone who has the opposite view. That is he nature of leadership. I watched the response to the Budget speech by Kemi Badenoch yesterday and I was shocked at just how bad it was. Given that the speech had been leaked early and presumably she knew the key points, I simply couldn't get my head around the fact that she chose a highly personal attack on Rachel Reeves, rather than a forensic dissection of the key areas where she disagreed with the Chancellors approach. After she'd finished, I did a search on Twitter for the word "Badenoch". I was not surprised to see almost universal disdain for her efforts. I then did a search on the phrase @kemibadenoch. That provided the opposite. Tweeters using her proper handle clearly thought she was marvellous. I was actually quite shocked at the way this group of people loved the personal attacks. If it was a comedy routine at the Dog and Duck, maybe you could excuse it, but Parliament is where laws and rules are made and people should not be happy when there is not proper scrutiny. 

It got me thinking about the subject of leadership. I have had some very good and very bad bosses over the years. I've also been in a position of leadership in various businesses, charities, clubs and even in my band. When I watch the likes of Trump and Badenoch, I despair at the fact that they seem to break all the rules of good leadership, which have been drummed into me over a career in business, etc that started 47 years ago. So what are the rules that I try and apply

1. Keep calm and do not get drawn into heated arguments where possible. Never be rude or aggresive towards people, especially underlings. If you have to have harsh words, be polite. 

2. Respect the other person, especially when they disagree with you. They have reached their position because their life experience is different to yours and they may have good reason to hold their viewpoint, based on experience or information you do not have.

3. Follow the rules, laws etc, when it comes to dispute resolution. These may seem like an unnecessary encumbrance, but they are there to pretect both sides, and when the boot is on the other foot, you may be very grateful for them. 

4. Do not make spur of the  of the moment, rash decisions. If a decision can wait until you have had time to properly consider the facts with a clear head, take that time. Sometimes, this is not possible, if there is a crisis, but where there is time, use it.

5. Try and read the room and ensure your allies are onside.

6. If you are a situation, where you have to deal with people who are unreasonable, you should still let them have their say and listen to them. Just because they are being difficult does not mean they don't have a point.

7. When you have to take decisions which will be unpopular, ensure that you have thought through the difficult questions which you may be asked. If you can't answer them, then it will undermine you. It is also worth bearing in mind that if you cannot answer important questions, your decision making may be flawed.

8.If you make a difficult decision, which is unpopular, but is the right decision, stick by it. Don't change tack, to placate people who do not have solid arguments.

9. When you have to make difficult decisions, make sure you thank your allies when they support you. 

10. Be magnanamous in victory. Share the credit around for good decisions you have pushed through, which can be demonstrated to be successful. This will buy you good will with your allies.

11.  Do not seek to humiliate and destroy your adversaries, always offer people a dignified way out where possible. Give them a chance to leave with their pride intact.

12. When you are dealing with difficult people and you are anticipating a confrontational situation, ensure that you prepare and know what you want as an outcome, also work out what is the worst case compromise that you feel you can accept. Give yourself wriggle room and if you don't get everything you want accept that civilisation and decency are built on compromise.

 It is worth understanding that sometimes people mishear things or misinterpret them. When I worked in IT, a co worker reported me to HR for "rudely telling someone who worked they had F****D UP". I was bemused. I was called into a meeting and asked to explain my behaviour. I honestly had no recollection. I asked if HR had spoken to the person I was alleged to have abused. I was informed that they hadn't. I suggested that they ask the person exactly what I'd said to them. This was done and when asked, they said "Roger asked me to transfer a file from one system to another using the FUP DUP utility", which was a command on the IT platform we worked on. It was all a misunderstanding. I was very annoyed at the time, but in hindsight, my co worker was right to have acted on what they perceived as rudeness.

Leaders should be accountable and should have to be able to account for their actions. It strikes me as very bad governance for leaders to have no accountability.