All Extremely Precarious

14 April 2012

Editorial

Contents 14 April, 2012

Morocco Daren Blake

A Spider JD Morton

Stephen O’Rourke’s Sydney

BBC Radio4 Extra Mary Kalemkerian

Friday 13^th – usually we stay home but we’ve been invited to supper ce soir and it’s certainly worth trampling over our not-set-in concrete superstition (I think it’s the only one I’ve got, apart from throwing salt over my left should with my right hand whenever I clumsily spill any; then again when I sweep, I try not to sweep any lingering good luck out the door – I sweep inwards.) What the fuck, it’s the old chestnut of fate, destiny, luck – you either fight it or let it drag you by the short and curlies into the abyss. I seem to remember another Friay the 13^th not that long ago, so maybe if they start coming thick and fast, they lose their potency.

I don’t know that ‘potency’ is the right word to describe googleads – ‘flagrent rip-off’ might be more accurate. For the last couple of years my blog has been more dotted with them than a Damien Hirst steal from Yaypi Kusama. Yet the only payment I have received is a cheque for 78centimes.

It is now Saturday 14^th. I slept badly last night maybe it was a full moon (it certainly couldn’t have been the delicious food). Anyway today I feel like a stunned mullet or as Roger’s mother Margie would say “a burnt tree stump”. Plus I have a list of undone tasks to do and therefore writing this editorial doesn’t seem high on my list of priorities although I have had well over fourteen thousand hits, so I guess someone does read it from time to time.

During the week I was very concerned to read in Private Eye that Greece is still being forced to buy submarines etc from Germany and Britain at a cost of billions of bucks. Might this be contributing to their financial crises? Meanwhile India and Pakistan are still claiming Kasmir and sadly 150 of soldiers who defend this area were killed in an avalanche. It’s a daft, sad world alright.Then David Cameron goes to Asia with guys from Defence Companies BAE Systems and Agustawestland. Shouldn’t he distance himself just a little? I believe they are hoping to sell weapons and fighter jets to Indonesia. It’s called a ‘trade mission’ not a ‘death mission’

In France, the Presidential elections are on-going and it seems they now have their own George Galloway in the shape of Jean-Luc Mélenchon. He seems to know how to whip up a crowd – will be interesting to see if the French people are prepared to vote for him.

Meanwhile the UK is finally beginning to take notice of all the scientific findings which prove that pesticides are contributing to the serious decline of the bee population. Maybe it is now time for the British public to get behind the scientists so that these pesticides are banned, before any more damage is done.

Joselyn Morton

Morocco

A recent trip to Morocco in March far exceeded my expectations. We flew to Agadir where we spent most of our package holiday. "A beach resort that was rebuilt in the 1960's after a terrible earthquake" did not have us filled with anticipation but we were pleasantly surprised. A long promenade along the beach is well kept and well policed in an unobtrusive way. Hotels are modern and comfortable. People were friendly and helpful (especially if you speak French) and the nearby "Souk" is a huge walled market with all the chaos, spices and variety one might hope for in an exotic destination.

To experience ‘the real deal.’." though, we took a day trip to the walled market town of Taroudant. About an hour and a half inland it surprised us to learn from our guide and driver that this is where Jacques Chirac is living. We were shown the grand entrance to a five star lodge and were told there are a handful of rooms and several cottages for rent. It was conveniently located just outside the walls of the town. One of the best examples of a 16th Century walled town with a bustling Berber market, it struck me as an unusual place for a long term get away for the rich and famous. There is no obvious glitz, glam, lake, mountain or ocean view. It's mostly dry and dusty, surrounded by irrigated farms growing fruit and vegetables. Locals are convinced Chirac is from there, though his birth certificate states Paris. None the less and despite recent events he seemed to be held in high regard by the locals.

Another day we haggled with another driver to take us 3 hours north, to Essaouira. This seemed to have a sample of everything: 16th century walls, fishing port, local and souvenir markets, beach, local restaurants at local prices and boutique hotels. On the way we saw thousands of acres of argane trees from which the argane oil comes. Personally I had never heard of it, but now that I have, I have seen shampoos, hair and body oils in both France and Ireland that have it as their main ingredient. It is quite a sight to see goats balancing on branches, eating their leaves. It wasn't till after I was home that I figured that the local goat herder probably puts them up there. Still, quite a balancing act.

Another surprise to me was the number of camping cars, mainly from France and Germany. There were literally thousands . I fail to see the advantage. Must be baking hot inside during the day, freezing at night (desert climate); long and expensive drive down; big investment in the first place and not so cheap to empty your sewerage or to ‘hook up’ at an official site now and again. Finally, more often than not, they found themselves parked up next to dozens of others in the super market car parks or beside the main road. Each to their own I suppose.

Daren Blake

Poetry

A Spider

A spider guards

their toilet roll

eight legs stretching

and baring, I glare

consider my options

all unpleasant

couldn’t it aspire to a

more worthy task.

How do I bribe a

toilet spider, I can’t

sit here for ever my

brain whirring,

my hands glued to

my lap, reluctant to attack

or even feebly gesture

at the silent creature.

I have read about

spider bites I

don’t need a dead arm

(or an unclean bum).

Complacent at my

discomfort, the spider relaxes

as I spin my options

stretching to a virgin roll

without slithering of the loo.

I hear friends laugh oblivious

to my discomfort

dignity blasted

I escape the tiny space

Joselyn Duffy Morton©

Stephen O'R's Sydney

The Mayor, Members of the Randwick Council, and the highly regarded, and even higher paid, Managers of the Randwick City Corporation.
I thank you one and all for the work you do in governing well the municipality of Randwick on behalf of the residents of Randwick and Citizens of Australia.
I write as a resident of Beach St. to address that part of the LEP which is concerned with upzoning of that short stretch of the south side of Carr St that runs between Arden St and Beach St.
As the majority of this stretch is already occupied by commercial the move to make a change now makes me curious. Why would such a change be seen to be necessary after all these years when the only non- commercial premises is a residential block of flats.
On the corner of Arden and Carr is a block of apartments known as 'The Coogee View’, the majority of which appear to be serviced apartments and therefore commercial? When I inspected the apartments for a possible home I found them to be very small with almost no storage and tiny bedrooms that could take nothing but a double bed. Certainly not a place many could live in.
The two business premises have occupied the ground floor of the Coogee View ground floor in Carr St. since the building was completed. One, a restaurant has had a number of different managements none of which has lasted long indicating that either the rent is too high or the site is just not good.
The other premise is a convenience store that has also had a few different owners ? It certainly gives the appearance of not doing so well. Once again, either high rents or poor position.
Next on the corner of Kurrawa St and Carr St is a block of apartments that I suspect may be the core of the move to re-zone?
These apartments were built in the bad days of little thought for anything except maybe the summer short term holiday market. I had inspected them many times with a view to purchase but found the small dimensions not conducive to pleasant living. I could see the majority of owners would probably
not be owner occupiers and therefore open to an imaginative business proposal that might increase their returns and help with their land tax bills, the summer letting period being so short and long term tenants being hard to find at a high rental.
There is an empty space used for maintenance vehicles parking that must scream out redevelopment to a wily developer. The theory must be empty space equals let's fill it up.
Next in line is Bazzura a seemingly well run business whose managers refit every two years or so and who enjoy a healthy daytime trade benefitting from its great location . This is a true Coogee success story. Above Bazzura is a successful Yoga studio that runs full classes in a range of Dynamic and highly marketable classes for Coogee's affluent body conscious residents.
Finally another success story is the Grand Pacific offering low budget beachside accommodation to a wide range of people from pensioners on budgets to Tradies wanting to avoid long drives to the South Central or North Coasts. There are many residents who might like to see a clean-up of this building but an expensive facelift would probably mean higher rents and like the Coogee View restaurant and the convenience store high rents can mean bad business environment and lower profits. It can also mean a loss of tradition.
So what's the logic for the re-zoning Mr Mayor, Councillors and Randwick Managers?
Surely it can’t be just to give a business licence to the block of small badly-designed flats so that they can open more bars like the other end of the beach?
Bars or coffee shops. Does Coogee really need more of these? If it is bars, can’t Council see the insanity that takes over Coogee from midnight to dawn four nights a week? The Police are not resourced well enough to cope with it and Council Rangers have no power.
Are resident's needs and amenity to be ignored so that twenty years olds can experience their rites of passage with 3am closing bars that allow them to get blind drunk and then spew out on to the road fighting and vomiting or just shouting their way back up the hills waking residents as they go?
All this without any responsibility for the neighbourhoods they spoil and disrupt. Closing is one thing but 3am! There are plenty of business site available in the close vicinity: don't be steamrollered by short term profit makers.
And we all see signs put up by Council banning Alcohol consumption being ignored by drinkers and Council. The only ones to benefit are the ones selling alcohol the drug that kills and damages without care or responsibility.
Am I wrong here? Go and have a look any Friday or Saturday between Coogee Bay Inn and the Beach Palace Hotel between midnight and 1am! Please!
One of the most shocking sights I saw last year was a debate abandoned in council chambers because the majority of Councillors had to withdraw because they had taken support from a member of the Hotels Association. Coogee is not just a sales opportunity for the alcohol industry. Enough is enough.
But to the point; I respectfully ask Council not to re-zone Carr St, between Arden St. And Beach St from residential to business and to ensure that any businesses operated in this zone cease business by 11pm.

Yours sincerely
Stephen O'Rourke
Resident since 1994
Beach St Coogee
Sent from my iPad
Stephen O'Rourke

13 April 2012

I recently returned to London, feeling quite jet-lagged after a wonderful holiday in Florida, when I was greeted with news which quickly made me forget the jet-lag:
Firstly I was reminded that the previous Monday was the first anniversary of Radio 4 Extra, and we celebrated both here at London's Broadcasting House and also at the home of The 4 0'Clock Show, Pacific Quay in Glasgow.
I had also, fortunately, arrived in time to be able to attend half of the Charles Parker Day at Westminster University, and lastly, but in no way least, I heard the news from Senior Producer Peter Reed, that Radio 4 Extra had been nominated for a Sony Station of the Year Award (1 Million Plus)
Charles Parker, alongside Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger was the creator of the Radio Ballad, a documentary format which included songs, music, sound effects - and importantly - the voices of the people who were the subjects of the programmes. Between 1958 and 1964, eight Radio Ballads were made in total, and we have scheduled a selection of those on Radio 4 Extra this month.
The Charles Parker Day was packed with interesting presentations, and ended with the awarding of The Charles Parker Prize 2012, for the best Student Radio features. I'm pleased to let you know that we will be broadcasting the winning student features on Radio 4 Extra, later in April.

You can read more about Charles Parker here
The news of our nomination for Radio Station of the Year Award (1million plus listeners) was most welcome.
Radio 4 Extra is up against two other highly regarded stations: The World Service, and Radio City 96.7.
Whatever the outcome, I am thrilled that in my final year at the BBC, Radio 4 Extra has received the accolade of this prestigious Sony nomination, thanks to the dedication and support of my amazing team.
This year I also had the privilege of being a Sony judge. It is a fascinating experience, meeting fellow judges - all from the radio industry - and going through the process of discussing the entries in depth, debating robustly and finally evaluating and agreeing on the nominations.
Here is list of this year's Sony judges.
I am not of course allowed to divulge which of the 34 categories I was judging - but I can safely and categorically reveal that it was NOT Station of the Year (1 Million plus listeners!)