SRPM Blog

I’m fortunate enough to be jetting off on my holidays tomorrow.  Well, thats if the whole family can get through customs without coughing and/or sneezing.  I see today that the authorities and some airlines are going to stop anyone with symptoms travelling.  In theory - this seems like a good idea, I don’t want to be on the plane with others who may have the virus. But, is it practical to do this?

There are between 150 and 300 people on each plane leaving the UK today - I am guessing that there will be people travelling who have the virus, and that’s just the UK.  Also, what if I sneeze and have just got some dust in my nose - or a touch of hay-fever?  Maybe I or someone else will have “normal” flu - I’m fairly confident that the airports wont have labs on site to check which flu someone has.

It seems now that anyone who has flu is automatically now assumed to have swine flu.  Therefore, the scary figures we are hearing may actually be nothing like the truth - everyone might just have “normal” flu.   

But which should I want? Normal flu aparently kills 250,000-500,000 people worldwide every year… swine flu seems like the better option right now!

Steve Rushton

Over the past couple of years I have re-kindled my love for live music.  My musical taste are wide an varied.  As a 41 year old I shouldn’t really still enjoy Radio 1 - but I do.  In the last year I have seen artists ranging from The Pigeon Detectives and the Wombats through to Scouting for Girls and Girls Aloud (it was for my daughteres birthday!) - so quite a different range of music.  All those were great, as was the Oasis gig I saw in Manchester a few weeks ago.  But the prize for the best value for money entertainment goes to Take That.

The bonus of being outnumber 50-1 by women was great until it came to visiting the toilets - which were all full of women (gents included).  Wembley stadium is a fantastic venue - as a Walsall fan - this is probably the only way I will get to see the stadium!  The tickets were similar in price to those of Oasis and Girls Aloud £40 approx, but what a show for your money.  Visually it was stunning, the circus theme meant loads of “extras” - not just dancers - but circus performers including trapeze and tight-rope walkers.

Whilst I have always quite liked their music - the whole performance live was musically and creatively brilliant.  I was a little disturbed that the programmes were £20 each… I guess insider knowledge to the costs involved in the print process make my cynical on that score.

I believe there is plenty of footage on www.youtube.com and for a while there is live footage on www.bbc.co.uk/radio1 if anyone wants to sample the magic.

Steve Rushton - out-ed Take That fan.

Isn’t that the headline for this week?  The weather still makes the front pages of all the tabloids - yet here in the midlands it hasn’t been that great anyway - we have had the warmth, but we have also had plenty of rain and thunder too. 

This week has also seen the tabloid frenzy surrounding the death of pop legend Michael Jackson.  Apart from the millions his estate will attract in new download sales - I guess the mobile phone companies are enjoying the text frenzy of sick (but funny) jokes too.  Personally, I still remember the excitement that surrounded the release of the Thriller video and the 80’s were probably his best years in my opinion.  Later his life just became a bit of a joke and was quite sad to watch.  I hope his children can now lead a more normal life than he was ever allowed to.

Next week I hope to write about a British triumph at Wimbledon….. don’t hold your breath