England's Glory

I feel what it must be like to be a Man United fan this morning. I watched England last night and not only did I enjoy watching the performance, which was exceptional considering the reserves that were present, but also the confidence that I had in them getting a result. They now have a belief amongst themselves which has been present for the last handful of games and this can only be a good thing when it comes to preparation for the World Cup. Last night the obvious show ponies were not there, and it is hard to say whether this had anything to do with it, but the passion and desire to win, even in a friendly, was clear and apparent.

I have actually begun to enjoy watching England football matches again. This is something that I have not had since the days when I didn’t know as much about football. The initial event dies down the older you get, but the performance and the manner in which it is delivered become more important. Most fans only want to see a desire to win, and they will go home satisfied.

I like the Italian chic that we have now as a unit. There is a cool confidence that is comfortable knowing itself. Capello looks like the type of man that either the team play well for, or he will ring up a member of his family that will put horses heads, or a New Forest pony’s head in Wright-Phillips case, in their beds. That’s what we need.

However, to every ray of sunshine there must be a cloud racing across the sky to cover it. Ying and Yang. The law of nature. One England team does well as another falls apart. I am talking about the cricket team, who are currently on tour in India. All of the good things that I was saying about the football can be said in reverse for the cricket. Heads are down, no confidence, no real direction or hunger, no amazing talent coming through and surprising people.

I am sat here at six o’clock in the morning watching the third one dayer and preparing for the usual collapse. I enjoy watching cricket for the statistics that appear for every ball that is bowled, and you can always tell who is in the ascendancy by the number of statistics that the commentators say they are breaking. The records are all being broke by India. A young side with lots of talent and future.

The catalyst for the downturn in England’s fortunes was the prostitution of their involvement in the Stanford Series. They had their pants pulled down by a Texan billionaire and like an abused convict smarting from the showers, they are now recovering and getting back their confidence. Some of the young players though could have been turned forever.

Another thing about India that I have wanted to get off of my chest for a while is the call centre culture of the new Indian mega-industry. As an industry itself it is a bizarre concept, get a load of technology that will make it possible for anyone around the world to be connected direct to an Indian call centre, and then undercut call centres in other countries by 4/5’s to ensure the business.

The service levels are expectedly worse than the service levels of a domestic customer service line, but because of the cost companies chose to ignore this. A weird culture has developed in India itself, as the operatives pretend that they are English, giving themselves English names and using English current affairs briefs to converse with you on a “normal” level. All very strange, and I would encourage anyone to get them talking about current affairs if you get a chance. They will begin well and read what is on their crib sheet, but then as you delve into more detail they will just change direction of the conversation and talk about something else instead. You can have a bit of fun with it, that is if you’re in the mood for fun and not exceptionally frustrated.

Also, the operatives are under extreme conditions often having to commit to a company for two years and agreeing not to sign to anyone else if they lose their job with the company that they are with. Their accommodation is paid for by the company and therefore if they lose their job they are genuinely destitute until their ban is lifted. This is pressure to deliver. I feel that this pressure is unfair and you are asking people to deliver promises that it is impossible for them to make.

Most progressive companies are beginning to return from their Indian experience and resort back to British call centres, finally realising that the customer service is the only point of a call centre and if you compromise that then any money that you spend is wasted. But there are still some that are attracted by the carrot of low costs, and in the current climate, costs are everything.

At my work we now have our IT service helpdesk in India. The one benefit that has grown from this is that the IT skills of every European based employee have grown ten-fold. It’s amazing what you can learn out of forced frustration.

One day it will all come back I am sure, but we need to see it through first with tolerance.

Halloween and Hallo Obama

It was in the early evening, as the sun was going down for the day, the dust, which had been worn like a reminder of the recent cellar clear out, had just been washed from the pores. The white jumpsuit that had been bought especially for the occasion was taken from the sealed packet and donned with the usual efficiency. As he looked up from his shoe coverings he could see the flash of something black. It looked like a bat, but surely it was too early for such a creature of the night. There it was again but this time it could be seen clearly. It was covered in black PVC, the kind reserved for fetish parties. She had black cuffs that went around her slender arms, and a mask that protected her identity.

He put on his mask to conceal his identity also, and then both the mouse and the bat descended into reality disappearing into the night to fight crime and save the streets of Stockport, again.

Just another Halloween party for Claire and I, a very well dressed Bat Girl and a quite debonair looking Dangermouse. We were disappearing off to a house party where the only crime was that they had laid on food and I had just eaten.

We like a nice dress up. We always dread it at first but once we are in our costumes and take on the identity of the character we transcend in to their soul. For that night I was Dangermouse, the national treasure that I soon realised had not travelled as far as Italy, as he was unknown to some Italians at the party.

To be philosophical, perhaps we dress up to escape the monotony of our normal lives. We all like playing roles and there is something appealing about masking your real identity. Throughout the ages we have masked ourselves in attire that would add mystery and intrigue to the evening. The Halloween party of current times is just a reincarnation of a Venetian Ball. Or perhaps we just like dressing up to look like spanners once a year.

In the writing of this blog, history has been made. Finally the Americans have voted with their heads and they have now picked someone that they can hopefully be proud of. Obama certainly seems the real deal, not since Kennedy has anyone had the star quality, and in a country where this is important this is surely a good thing.
He talks about peace, and hope and a future. These have been alien themes for too long, and now maybe the world can begin to rebuild. Also, not since Kennedy has someone promised so much of these dreams and truly connected with the people of the most powerful country in the world. This can only be a good thing.

Still the American South are lost back in the Civil War, and the lines of segregation are very much those that ran along the Confederacy. Possibly because Obama is black, it was only 40 years ago that they weren’t allowed on buses, and maybe because the gun toting members of those communities still like war and other right wing pursuits.

But, thirdly and unfortunately another factor that could be the same between Obama and Kennedy is the assassination risk that he holds. Already there has been an attempt from a group of bungled Neo-Nazi’s, and now there must be a large number of sworn enemies of the president planning and concocting a death squad.

If history teaches us anything, it is that there is always a large section of society that does not embrace change, always a section that sees through the positive enthusiasm of a new way and cling to the old. There is always a business that was making money in the old way and will not in the new. These are the people that will try.

But as long as he stays away from Texas and doesn’t drive past any book depository, then hopefully the world can enjoy some much needed harmony.

However, in this time of jubilation, cast a thought to John McCain who has not only lost today, but also did not win over the people that a half brained idiot, half monkey, had managed to win over twice. It’s a strange world.